Happy Birthday, Hilda

A few days ago, Cambridge House at Belle Meade provided the setting for a very special birthday celebration. This was all arranged for a wonderful lady named Hilda who had no local family and dreamed of a marching band playing "Happy Birthday" for her on her 90th birthday.

My friend Archie is very good at making dreams come true. He and activities director Wendy searched high and low for a band that would fit the bill.

They came up with a Moore County group called New Horizons who were more than willing to make Hilda's big day special. Below, Wendy looks on as band leader Bob begins to pass out music for today's selections. (Somehow, Archie eluded the camera, something he's very good at!)


I was thrilled to be invited to play along with the band, plus play background music during the cake and ice cream time.

The band warmed up in a parlor. They practiced "Happy Birthday," "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow," "America," "America the Beautiful," "God of Our Fathers," and "Onward Christian Soldiers." I was thankful I could play by ear and was familiar with all their songs.

New Horizons has a unique requirement. Although band members may have a musical background, they must be learning an instrument that is NEW to them. So if they played the trumpet in a high school band decades ago, they might be trying out the trombone now. Pretty cool idea.

Meanwhile, Hilda was enjoying herself seated on her second story balcony. I can't say "an unsuspecting Hilda," because it turned out she was rather suspicious of the flurry of activity around the building entrance.

The moment finally came. The band broke out in the beautiful strains of "Happy Birthday" from the walkway near Hilda's balcony.

A few minutes later, a delighted Hilda joined us all in the lobby, where our group had reassembled. We played all the songs we had practiced. I saved my slice of birthday cake for later so I could keep playing while the others had cake and ice cream.

Hilda's cake. I asked her if she had a favorite song and she said it was from "that movie where the woman and the children are on the mountainside."

"The Sound of Music?"

"YES."

"Is the song 'Edelweiss'?"

"YES, that's the one!"

I was very happy to play it for this kind, new friend.

HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY, HILDA!