Happy 80th birthday Mummy hazelh!

Here is my mother at her birthday party this evening. I hope that I look as good as this when I am 80. (I hope that I am still around when I am 80!)

It's been a very busy and fun day. The first priority was to deliver our entries for the parish show to the village hall. Then, over the course of the rest of the morning, we prepared for our guests who were due to arrive for tea/Pimms at 16:30.

My main job was to sort out the catering for the tea party while Mr hazelh was charged with setting up the drawing room for the afternoon 'theatre' performance and helped Kev - who arrived mid-morning off a flight from Bristol - with his soundcheck. Meanwhile my middle sister took Mummy hazelh into town, and my not-so-little sister slept.

After lunch we made our way up to the village hall to discover that all three of us who had submitted entries to the show had won prizes. I was the family champion with a win in the 'knitted hat for a premature baby' (see the extra), and one first and three seconds in the four photography classes.

The main event of the day was the birthday tea/Pimms party and private performance of the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre in honour of Mummy hazelh's 80th birthday. We were 29 in total:

1. hazelh
2. Mummy hazelh
3. Mr hazelh
4. My middle sister
5. My not-so-little sister
6. My not-so-little sister's partner
7. My not-so-little sister's sister-in-law
8. My first cousin Nick
9. My first cousin-in-law Jenny
10. My first cousin once removed Tanith
11. My first cousin once removed Freja
12. My first cousin Simon
13. My first cousin-in-law Louise
14. My Auntie Sheila
15. Katherina the party princess
16. Katherina's partner Andrew
17. Katherina's elder daughter Eve
18. Katherina's younger daughter Ruby
19. walkingMarj - who blipped my immediate family with the Socks
20. Keith
21. Tony
22. Scott
23. James
24. Matt
25. Philly
26. Tracy
27. Ian
28. Catherine
29. Kev

The Socks' show, which included several sketch suggestions by us (though not the rude ones, which were as much as surprise to us as to the rest of the audience), was hysterical. My mother really, really enjoyed it. Although it was expensive to bring Kev up to Northumberland to perform, it was so worth it to see my mother laughing so much.

Cava offered immediately after the show followed the tea/Pimms, cucumber sandwiches and cake. Then most people headed off to other evening commitments, leaving just the close family to continue the party with a barbecue cooked by my not-so-little sister outside and eaten in the dining room.

Exercise today: walking (14,300 steps).