My Weekend - Gran's 101st

Over at Sticky Fingers this week's gallery prompt is My Weekend.  Well how fortuitous.  It's been one huge weekend here.  I have to admit that this year's party for Gran was left pretty unplanned, it was never going to be as big as her 100th but Her Next Door also felt too much pre-organisation might bring bad luck. After Gran's hospital stay we've literally taken one day at a time.

My Gran's 101st birthday celebrations lasted all day Saturday and for most of the day Sunday, with people drifting in and out the whole two days - it grew organically.  Her actual birthday was Friday but it has become a bit of a family tradition to try to get together on or around her birthday, with visits from family members continuing throughout June and July.  (Unfortunately there are only so many people we can put up in one go.  Last year for her 100th we booked all the B&Bs within a 10 mile radius). 

It was drizzling all day Saturday for the 'main' event, but that didn't stop us (or her) sitting outside al fresco.  It was very special. 

A few of the friends and family visiting to wish Gran a happy 101st birthday.

Due to Gran's recent health issues she is now sporting a catheter.  To be able to wear a skirt on her special day, Her Next Door ordered some 'naughy tights' with extra holes in stragitic places.  Her Next Door has never had so many emails from 'friends' wanting to get to know her better and Gran is quite thrilled about her new sexy tights.

Gran and one of her sons-in-law sharing a joke, in the drizzle.

I'd just like to thank everyone who came for the whole stint or dropped in for an hour or two.  It was a weekend to remember.  It was a weekend Gran will talk about for weeks to come.  We made some wonderful memories.  We're all very lucky to have her still.

Celebration Week (mostly).

Last week was my birthday (I'm five now, 5+0=5), I had my Welsh exam, J's birthday and Sunday it was Father's Day.  This weekend we have my Gran's 101st birthday party celebrations.  Phew.  Wonderful time with still a party to look forward to and I feel much less stressed now that my Welsh exam is over and done with.

Ahh the exam.  I really shouldn't have done a post mortem.  I was quite upbeat when I came out, but after picking over the bones with some of the other candidates, I'm now not sure I got anything right.

It was also confirmed in the week that we're off to the Olympics next year (I'm not actually in it you understand).  What a lovely 'non' birthday present.

J and I treated ourselves to a meal out on his birthday (as a joint present to ourselves).  I highly recommend The Drovers Arms at Puncheston, we found that the food was exquisite and the service sublime.  Here is a picture of my lunch... apparently they use the same supplier as Heston Blumenthal.  

Lunch - not my bouquet...

Happy 101st Birthday today Gran, hope you have your party frock and tunes ready for tomorrow.  Got my fingers firmly crossed that it'll stay dry.  Love you.  xxx

Today...

I don't feel a day over 49.

Birthday Bouquet.

Playing catch up

Have you missed me?  "No" I hear you cry.  Well tough.  I'm back.

Our Gran

I've been away on our extended family holiday to Whitesands (which is all of 20 miles or so away).  This was quite a feat this year though as Gran needed to bring all her equipment; including oxygen bottles, special mattress, portable adjustable tables, commode - the list goes on.  Anyway a very special shout out must go to Country Cars who provided the disabled transport and a driver.  They charged us the princely sum of £8.50, both ways.  Simply amazing (and there we'd been trying to get Gran's bus pass organised to get the fare half price, thinking it would be more like £85.50).   Also worth an honourable mention are the carers Western Welsh Community Care, who pulled out all the stops and juggled their staff so that we could still have the three visits a day whilst Gran was on holiday.

We all took it in turns to help look after Gran through the week, ably assisted by a To Do list I'd put together, (ding, just polishing the old halo).  For this I'd come under some flack from my brother (little Hitler might have been mentioned - hmm, me!)  When his turn came round though he bumbled and fumbled.  Had he actually read the To Do list?  Had he heck.  Gran felt sorry for him and in tones that seemed to indicate that it was all my fault she said, "Poor M, he really doesn't know what to do.  Nobody's told him."  My flabber was gasted.  "He berlurdy well does know," I said, waving the list about in the air.  But still she felt the (48 year old) boy was very hard done by.  How do the male species get away with it?

I returned home with a razor sore throat, which then developed into a near death experience (OK perhaps it was just a cold).

In the midst of all this I have been trying to revise for my Welsh exam, but the only successful thing I've managed to do so far is confuse myself further - it that's at all possible.

I'm also back on my running plan... second week in.  This has been partly prompted by a throw away, although rather to the point remark, "You're getting fat!"  Oh out of the mouths of babes.  I must admit I've got to do something, I'm looking more like Mr Blobby every day. 

Pembrokeshire Coastline - I did do some walking to burn those calories too.