Patricia's 80th Birthday

Lots of friends gathered today to celebrate Patricia for her 80th birthday, which really happened earlier this month. Throughout the event a slide show video was displaying photos from her life, so I focused my point and shoot and captured the frame of Patricia and her dad, Sam. I never had a chance to ask her how long ago the photo had been taken, but I am assuming several years ago. Her dad passed away just a couple years ago at the age of 101. So we've told her that we're expecting to be invited to her 90th and 100th birthday parties. She just laughed at us.

Patricia has been like a mom to both of us and we've enjoyed her friendship for 25+ years, so after the huge group of approximately 150 guests all went through the buffet line and had gotten back to their tables to eat, the two of us were introduced and we read Patricia's life story. Briefly, she was born in this community, completed all of her schooling here, and other than a few years during her first marriage to a military man, she has lived here all her life. She was married 39 years to her second husband and has been widowed for almost 20 years. Her oldest daughter died from cancer 10 years ago.

Today her younger daughter emceed the event. After we read Patricia's story, a number of others came to the microphone to share stories and remembrances of times with Patricia. Then Patricia came to the microphone to thank everyone for attending and she wanted to introduce her family and a group of friends she has known all her life. It was a meaningful and fun celebration.

Good night from Southern California.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol