Mum's 60th Birthday
on Blog From Beyond (Rwanda), 03/Aug/2009 15:36, 34 days ago
L-R: Friend from the village, Merrick (mum's partner), community police officer, mum, me, aunty Patsy, aunty Helen, aunty Muriel.As briefly mentioned before, I'm currently in the UK for a month - first time in 20 months - to surprise my mum for her 60th birthday which was Friday 24th July. It was all a bit hush-hush hence nothing blogged about before. I snook out of Rwanda on 18th July by Belgium Airlines via Brussels (not at all impressive, food was yuck and no personal entertainment system on an eight-hour flight! - Kenya are much better).Touched-down early hours of Sunday morning and saw rain for the first time in two months at Brussels - a sight that has since lost its novelty value ;)Dad and Marilyn were there to welcome me with balloons and a banner :opI'll write more about my first reverse-culture-shocked week later. This is just about birthdays.Mum had been planning a barn dance for months so we drove down and booked into theHoliday Inn at Rugby, got changed and went over. It went like clockwork. I'd promised to be home (in Rwanda) Friday morning so she could talk to me before the party but obviously she couldn't get hold of me because I was in the UK and the SIM didn't work. Thankfully last time we talked theMTN networkwent down so she's used to not being able to reach me due to the poor service - the one time I've been grateful for it.So dad and Marilyn went in first and told her they had a surprise for her - they had me on the phone. They got her sitting down with her back to the door to talk to me and whilst we were talking on the phone, I walked up behind her. Classic :)Had a lovely time dancing though remained shawled-up as I was freezing to death in the hall. Loads of old friends there though, and family. There's a video for those who are interested, courtesy of dad who is dancing with mum. I'm dancing with my uncle Les (Patsy's husband, parents of theYoung British Dancer of the Year 2008, my cousin Billy).The community bobby popped in half-way through to see who was using the hall and as half my mum's friends are probation officers and magistrates he fitted in perfectly.There's also mydad's version of eventson his blog too :)Also, Nobby ofNobby's Brewery, our local micro-brewery based atThe Ward Armsbrewed up several kegs of his finest so beer, wine and oompsidaisey flowed freely that night.The next day was recovery. Dad and Marilyn dropped me off at mam's in the morning as they headed off back to Gloucester and on the Sunday we had a family BBQ, continuing the celebrations.Merrick, aunty Patsy and cousin Emily on the patioHarry, my nephew Damian and my cousin once removed, FelicityDamian and Felicity on the bouncy-castleFamily friends Hannah, Harry and Kate with my brother WilliamFamily friend Barbra, former Mayor of Camden with my cousin RosieMum's childhood friends Sue& JanAunty Lucy (Rosie& Emily's mum)Me stuffing my face after a hot shower and a glass of red wine!So after all of that partying there was just enough time to enjoy a day out atFoxton Lockson aunty Helen's boatCelia(this is an old photo) with Harry and Damian......before my step brother William's 22nd birthday on 2nd August :) We took him out for a meal and a drink. Birthdays all-round. I've managed to pile on 2lbs in the fortnight I've been home and the trend is set to continue as I head off on a tour of my favouritist people tomorrow: Graeme in Bath, Vikki in Bristol, Jo in Camberwell; Cassie, Sean and little baby Ryan (who I’ll be meeting for the first time!) in Lewisham, back to Camberwell, my cousin Alx and her hubby Pob in Hertford, then across and up to Carlisle with dad to see aunty Jean and cousins, then back to Northamptonshire and off to the airport in the wee hours of 15th. Thus far I’ve only been reclining in Gloucester with dad& Marilyn and here with mum& Merrick so the next few days will be quite hectic but hopefully a LOT of fun.I shall update further if I survive :)