En famille...

My mother's 80th birthday earlier this week was the raison être for a reunion of the clan.

And of the tribe, as we had about 100 or so of her friends to a champagne afternoon tea to celebrate, together with a smattering of their young who we were friends with as children.

This was indeed a challenge, and Dad did promise us fine weather, and obliged, fortunately, as otherwise we would have really run out of room under cover. But an absolute pleasure as well:- equipped with pacemakers and walkers and sticks the tribe came ready to party, so it always was going to be a huge success. They quaffed champagne (the tea things went unnoticed, but the blue themed cup cakes all vanished, as did the oysters, and most of the prawns and sangers) and because they rarely get together now except for funerals relished with gusto the opportunity to catch up with old friends. I'd told Terrific Trev not to worry about music as it would never be heard above the cacophony, so we had a few chords or very pretty opera right at the start and then he gave up. He hadn't time anyway - he was seen with glasses and bottles in all corners, stopping only to find old girls a chair and a drink when necessary. They came at 3 on the dot, and all went home at about 5.30 with their designated drivers, and we fell in a heap for about 48 hours. But SO, SO worth it. Never was there a more appreciative bunch of revellers, and the little mountain of thank-you letters, beautifully written on letterhead, is what it's all about in their view... you enjoy, and you express that properly.

So the tribe came and went (not far; they mainly live within a radius of perhaps 2 miles) and the clan has stayed on. My baby sister from London and her growing brood and handsome hubby, here for several weeks...my little brother, his wife and child, mixing in too. Mum and Dad as happy as pigs in mud. En famille...

I have no photos yet, but will throw in a few from long ago for now.

Have happy weeks!