52 Ancestors: Week 46 – Birthdays – Rhos Helyg Family History

I am taking part in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge for 2021. The challenge is organised by Amy Johnson Crow who provides a weekly writing prompt. I should have completed all 52 prompts by now, but I will do so as soon as possible.

On 2nd September 2006 my Grandmother Bessie Tomlinson turned 90 years old. To celebrate the occasion her daughter and four grandchildren visited. We arrived the evening before and had booked a visit to a professional photographer that morning. We dressed up to please Grandma.

At the time I was too broke to afford to buy prints. One hung on Grandma’s wall from then onwards though.

We returned to Grandma’s house for lunch, prepared by our partners. Grandma was a little disappointed that we hadn’t taken her out to lunch, but we explained that we didn’t know how long we would be at the photographers.

As we finished eating the doorbell rang, and Grandma was pleased to have some surprise visitors on her birthday. Now pleased that we hadn’t gone out to lunch she settled in for a chat with her visitors. But the doorbell rang again, and some other friends had arrived, and then again and some more distant relatives arrived.

While she was delighted that so many people had thought to visit her on birthday, as the consummate hostess Grandma started to get worried and started asking one or more of us to slip out to the shops to get something for tea.

More and more friends and family arrived, and Grandma was getting very worried about feeding everyone. She was very confused as we started bringing cold bags out of our cars and setting out a buffet.

Eventually we had to let on that we had invited everyone.