At one of our local hotels in our town here in Scotland from 12.00 - 3.00pm we held a party with all the Bs - Buffet, Birthday cake, Banners, Buntings, Birthday cards and Beer (no, actually it was tea, coffee or wine, a beer if you fancied) where friends and neighbours could pop in anytime they wanted to and just have a good time and enjoy themselves. We had that many people coming in and out it was unbelievable as so many people know her. They all went to speak to her and as her eyesight isn't brilliant, they all know that they tell her who they are and she knows their voices right away, then they start chatting away.
We had arranged for a Birthday Card to come from King Charles, so we kept looking for the arrival in the post and nothing came. M-in-L looked a little disappointed, then who should walk into the party was Merlin Dernie, one of the Deputy Lieutenants of Dumfriesshire with a card from Prince Charles and Queen Camilla and she gave a speech. I wish you could have seen M-in-L's face, she held the card to her chest and then started kissing his face on the card.
After the party we had already arranged for our family members to come to our house. We all sat there for a few hours chatting, taking photos, having a cuppa as you do. Four of our family went to leave and M-in-L said she didn't want to go back to the Care Home (where she lives) just yet. Now, my M-in-L absolutely loves proper chip shop fish and chips, and our local "chippy" is brilliant, so, off goes our daughter to get these for our tea without telling M-in-L and again, her eyes nearly popped out of her head and her mouth started drooling!! We actually sat down and had this meal on our laps (like the old days, but not served in newspaper!!) with loads of bread and butter and did they taste good.
I think it was just before 9.00pm by the time the party was over and she never dropped off to sleep all day as she usually does.
Next morning the family gathered together for a coffee/tea back in the Birthday Hotel before some of the family travelled back down to the Black Country.
The ones of us who were left had another Birthday Buffet, which was held at the Care Home and was put on by their Staff which included all the other residents as well. It went brilliantly and everybody looked as though they were enjoying it. Well, we certainly enjoyed it, singing along with the chappie who was playing his guitar.
Ma-in-Law had a really wonderful birthday and she's looking forward to the next one
