Sunday, November 3, 2013

gee, you must have been old when you were born



A few weeks ago, JJ's daughter turned 6. I'm sure sometimes that skype and facebook are the only things keeping JJ sane.



Friday was TO's 66th birthday, and Saturday was JJ's 26th, so lunch at the Fkn RiSsoLe was a rather special day.



TO had gone to buy some candles for the cake, and asked for one 2 and two 6s. "How old are YOU?" asked some little tacker in the shop. "266", TO replied. "Boy, you're REALLY old" the young man observed.

putting out the fire

A special day for JJ, as her mum and my cuz drove from Kyabram to Fkn for lunch.

It was also special because Aunty got dressed, left the house, and sat at a table socialising for 3 hours. It's almost inconceivable that 5 weeks ago Aunty was totally bedridden, but with a positive attitude, lots of medical treatments, and a gee-whiz electric bed that folds in a million spots she gets better everyday.

JJ's mum, my cuz #4,242,243, and aunty

TO's old science teacher was there, naturally. 91 years old and still going strong, she recognised 14 of her former high school students, knew them all by name and had some story to tell about each of them.



JJ is a casual aged care worker at an RSL nursing home. She has a healthy curiosity about history, etc, and has bonded well with some of the extremely old residents of the Kokoda wing. After seeing this display she'll have something else to chat about with her residents.

Yep. A very special day for lots of reasons.



14 comments:

  1. You probably think of all of the guests as family, a very modern family. Sounds like a great lunch and good wishes to the, I'm sure, very tolerant TO.

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    1. Very much a family, Andrew. We all had relos at the gathering, but TO's school mates seem a special band. It never ceases to amaze me that so many people could stay in touch for so long.

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  2. PS The retired school teacher sounds amazing.

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    1. Mrs S and her husband escaped Latvia after WWII. As she steadfastly refuses to talk about the past, I can only guess she is one of those people who made a decision to enjoy people every moment she can.

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  3. I wonder how such a spectacular family group would have fitted into the previous governments 'working families' policy??!! I'm with Andrew AND I think this kind of family group is the BEST!! But where's the photo of YOU?!

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  4. PS Don't be alarmed that 6, 6 and 6 appear in the ages - I'm SURE it doesn't mean anything!!!!

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    1. Ha ha... TO decided NOT to put 26&66 on the cake for that very reason. But now that you mention it I realise JJ's daughter makes for yet another 6. I am spitting over my sinistre shoulder as I type...

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  5. What a cool party and auntie is looking pretty spry! JJ is one of those very special people that makes the old folks home way more fun. We hae a number of those at the care facility we do therapy at.

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    1. Hi MT. JJ is as quiet as a church mouse but secretly wants to be in an action movie as Angelina Jolie. One rather grumpy resident has photos of guns and medals all over his walls, and they bonded when she was able to name the guns. Now he salutes her and calls her Captain.

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  6. Isn't that funny - one war survivor has guns on the wall, the others cannot speak of it. I have done genealogy for a dear friend of 87 who grew up rich in Latvia aka estonia and when the russians came they changed the town names, the people's names and took all the good stuff. a tough mad race the peasant ruski.
    Bravo to the marathon drive to the lunch party and to Aunt for gathering her inner resources. Wishing you all many more happy cake times.

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    1. TY for the nice wishes.

      Ann, the irony of the contrast in ways the war is remembered was totally lost on me - until you came along.

      Tracing the Genealogy of someone from such a background must be challenging, to say the least. Perhaps you are a dogged sleuth by nature? [While puss sleeps blissfully nearby, dreaming of nothing.]

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  7. What a very happy family crlebration FC.. I too noticed the triple 666's ..wasn't going to mention it but ..its out there now :))) Love that Aunty made it to the 'do' .. She lasted longer than I did, can you believe in the mix of all that was happening at the weekend there was a family birthday, I wilted after an hour :))

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