Don’s birthday

First of all: thank you! Don asked me to tell all of you fans, who have sent him gifts, cards and e-mails for his birthday, a big thank you! It really touched him and made him very happy to know that you thought of him on his big day. Thanks a lot, all!
Well, Don’s lady Hanne organised a last minute surprise-party for Don yesterday, so I took the train to Silkeborg Sunday afternoon to help her out with the party. The guys had been playing the Czech Republic the day before, so Don didn’t arrive back in Denmark until 10 o’clock in the evening Sunday. Hanne went to fetch him at the airport while the guest started to arrive, all close friends and family. And a rock band! A local rock band called Revival, consisting of 4 young guys who are very much into Slade.
All the way we kept in touch with Hanne over the mobile phone to have an idea of when they arrived at the house in Silkeborg. And when they were close we had to hide. How do you hide 20 people and a rock band? Luckily one of the guests, theatre manager Mikael Helmuth, stepped into character and directed the men upstairs, ladies downstairs and the band crouching behind their instruments. When Don and Hanne stepped in we all shouted, “Surprise!”, the band started playing “Happy birthday” and we all sang along. I’m amazed that Don didn’t have a heart attack!
It was such a wonderful party with cake, speeches and the band. When they started doing “How Does It Feel?” and “Far Far Away” everybody was up and going. Their keyboard player even did a piece on a trombone, which is not a thing you see very often. Wonderful, guys!
It was such an amazing party, everybody had a good time and Don was one happy birthday boy. Even the weather was good, like a hot summer evening. Nice going, Don!
I spent the night and Don drove me to the station today and all the way home I kept thinking that this surprise-party was such a nice move from Hanne. Don really deserved that and we all had a lovely time. Thank you, and once again: thanks also to the fans who made Don’s day special. X X X.