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.

Mother Love

This week's topic from Sticky Fingers is Mother Love.  Through the beaming smiles the picture below says it all, taken at my Gran's 100th birthday party; she is flanked by her three loving daughters.

Here is a poem that was read to Gran by her daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren as part of her birthday celebrations.

It's only a number...

I'm going to hit the big fifty this year.  What to do?



Party - or Not?

Do I do nothing and try my hardest to ignore it and hope (forlornly) that it goes away or do I throw a party?

I quite like the idea of organising a party in Peewees (the place of my mis-spent youth) and invite all my (literally) old friends.  Through our beer glasses we could all make believe we are twenty again.

OR do I fly to New Zealand to see my soul mate Alex?  We travelled together around the world after Uni for a year and loved "the land of the long white cloud", Alex so much she lives there now.  We celebrated our twentieth and thirtieth together (I was the 'mature' one even back then).  For four years we were care free students and we had an absolute blast.  I haven't seen her for a decade now and would love so much to visit and instantly sink into that cozy friendship that wraps itself around you.

OR do I hold a repeat and similar party to Gran's 100th held at home last year?  This option would involve more family and be more inclusive.  Would anyone come?  Would it be an anticlimax after Gran's do?  Gulp.

Perhaps I'll do nothing.  I am after all a scardy cat.

Letter from The Queen (& Ian Duncan Smith AND The First Minister of Wales AND The Secretary of State for Wales).

Well it’s the morning of my Gran’s 100th. It’s the culmination of a lot of very, very hard work, mainly for Her Next Door. The ‘event’ starts today with Gran’s actual birthday and some people arriving to help us celebrate with an evening meal at Something’s Cooking (thank you Tony), the big party on Saturday through to the final people leaving Tuesday.

Unless you have ever organised a large ‘do’ it’s difficult to understand the amount of hard work that has to go in to it. So much to think about; invitations, organising who stays where (thank you to our neighbours who have been fantastic), talking to the B&Bs for those we just can’t accommodate, organising transport to and from the B&Bs, the venue, music, balloons, food, the cake (thank you Tracey), drinks, contingency plans if it rains, organising the letter from the queen, publicity.

The list is endless. Her Next Door has not been sleeping very well either as she keeps waking up with jobs to do churning round in her head.

We were going to just have an ‘open’ weekend all weekend, but in the end we managed to organise the Visitors Centre just across the way (only a few steps really) for the Saturday evening. Gran knows and likes it there. It has a disabled loo too, which at 100 is important! I personally was quite keen to do this for three primary reasons:-

1) firstly and most importantly in my eyes it gives Her Next Door a few hours off, once she is there she can relax and let others pour drinks and sort out the food. She too can really enjoy the actual party.
2) if it does rain we have one large room where we can all gather and mingle.
3) it gives a focus to the celebrations; everyone getting ready, changed, expectant for the main event.

Initially Gran herself was not so keen on a large get together. She finds it difficult to hear what you are saying to her when in a large crowd, with lots of others talking in the background. But recently she has said that she is really looking forward to it now. There are some people coming that she has not seen in an awfully long time and very, very nearly all of her family will be there. Sixty two in total.  There is one very dear man who won’t be able to come, but I am sure Granddad is looking down on us. We miss him, Gran most of all.

Today and Saturday though will be two extra special days, remembered and treasured by us all.