Happy Birthday Mum!

In accordance with the covid rules, today we were able to celebrate mum's 81st birthday with her in person, in her garden in Hoddesdon. So an early start with a 2 minute allotment stop to feed the chickens, we set off at 8.20 and made good time arriving just before 11.

Manda had prepared a lovely spread of food. We had coffee and cake, and were joined by Manda's family at dinner time. Thank goodness the weather was so lovely. We were able to spread out in the garden, with limited need for blankets and big coats. We established that 5 of us are doing the twice weekly covid tests, and 7 of us have had at least one jab. We were joined by Sue, mum's sister in law, and Louise. So nice to see them too, and we did lots of chatting and catching up.

Henry was the photographer today, and took lots of pictures which he then sent through to me via messenger. His new camera allows him to blue tooth the pictures to his phone. Mum was thrilled with this favourite photo of dad, which Manda had been able to get printed and framed, from an old slide.

Mum did a toast to dad, and we planted our roses with some of his ashes. At the point we opened the bag of ashes, a red kite swooped over the garden. Too quick for Henry to get a photo, but it was Henry who said that there had been a red kite hovering at the funeral. Coincidence, or is dad now soaring free above us? If so, he didn't hang around to be photographed!

We ended our day with an Indian takeaway. Then cars packed up, we said our goodbyes, and are now on the road back to Norfolk. If I can, I will add some more photos of the day, in my extras. Great to get all 6 grandchildren together, so the obligatory photo that we have been taking whenever we can, since 2004 was taken. My how they've grown! I will have to find the original so that you can see what I mean, then share a 'then and now'.

A gathering ourselves together day tomorrow, and then we are off!!