The Glorious Twelfth

In the UK and probably some other English-speaking countries with a similar climate, the Glorious Twelfth is anything but glorious for birds of the grouse species; traditionally, the 12th of August marks the start of the shooting season.

For me and my family, the 12th of August has an entirely different meaning: It is my Mum's birthday, and a week ago today, on Monday, the 12th of August 2024, she turned 80 - a truly Glorious Twelfth for us!

You wouldn't believe it looking at her, holding the huge bouquet of 80 roses in her favourite colours that my sister brought her. It was also my sister who decorated the living room with a "Happy Birthday" garland and various other things as well as bringing a sash and badge saying "Birthday Girl".

I worked from home until about 2:00 pm and then walked over to my Mum's for a couple of hours.

Back home for a bit, until it was time to set off again; Mum had booked a table for us at a relatively new restaurant in town where none of us had been before. They serve what they call Asian Fusion food, and it was very good. Service was friendly, too. There were tables outside, but as the day was hot at 32C/90F, sitting inside was more sensible.

On Saturday (August 17), the actual birthday do took place at a restaurant not far from where Mum lives.

A room was reserved for us, with beautiful table decorations and staff both friendly and professional.

Many of the guests I had not seen in a while, some not since my Dad's funeral in 2022. 

One of the ladies has been friends with my Mum since childhood but lives not close by. She and my Mum have kept in touch but not seen each other in many years - I believe she was there for my Mum's 60th birthday, but then with various things happening in both their lives they had not met.

It was good to see everybody, but with friends and relatives of my Mum's generation all visibly getting older (although most of them still looking great!) and having various health problems it was also somewhat bitter-sweet.

Of course, us "younger ones" are also visibly getting older and not free from issues of our own, but I suppose you understand what I mean.

The event started at lunch time with drinks and a short speech by my Mum. Lunch was then served, and as usual on such occasions, there was way too much food, but it was all delicious.

Next, a guitarist played for us. There were classic baroque pieces, but also some well known songs - not meant to sing along, though. Listening to the beautiful music was very relaxing.

Those of us who are able to walk then went out for a little bit. The cemetery where my Dad and friend R are is close by, and in small scattered groups we went there and back. One of the guests had a 4 month old dachshund with him - she was very well behaved but of course needed a walk, too.

Back at the venue, my sister and I had a surprise prepared for our Mum: a quiz, done in pub quiz style, with 14 questions about her.

Most of her guests did well, only missing a few points, and five of them got all the answers right. My Mum then had to draw one of the five as the winner, and that person received a prize.

Coffee and cake was brought in, and amazingly, nearly everyone managed a piece of cake - some even more than one. There was a choice of four different ones (as you can see, a Black Forest gâteau among them), all looking great, but I simply couldn't eat any more, and only had two cups of coffee.

Slowly but surely, the party wound down. We said our good-byes to everyone but a select few who met again at R's garden; she lives downstairs in the same house where my Mum lives on the top floor. Six of us sat there for one last drink and a chat before O.K. and I made our way home.

That was not the last of the birthday-related events of that week, though: We met again at my Mum's for coffee and cake (left-overs from the day before) on Sunday (18 August), seven of us this time. 

Rain that had begun late Saturday evening and lasted into early Sunday morning, then stopped only to return in the afternoon made a proper walk unappealing, and so O.K. and I just walked to my Mum's and back that day, staying in for a light evening meal before it was for O.K. to drive home.

It was a very special week with several events for a very special lady!