Century

In the current low quality instant gratification culture it's rare to find a genuine antique, but today was the exception as my Grandma turned one-hundred-years old!  Born in 1914, she's enjoyed both World Wars, Elvis, Kennedy, Thatcher, Obama, and plenty more besides, produced four children, ten grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren (with two more arriving in the next few months).  She remains in amazing health, hewn as she is from solid Welsh slate.

Today she received her telegram from the Queen as well as a steady stream of visitors, and we finished off with a big family get together and a firework display.  While Grandma wasn't 100% clear what was going on, and refused to believe that she was actually one hundred, she was 100% happy to be handed gifts, cards, cake and glasses of Champagne all day.  Here's to the next century!

The cards begin to pile up.

But here's the big one, hand-delivered by the postman.

"She doesn't look as good as me in that colour," comments Grandma.

If undelivered, please return to Buckingham Palace, it says on the back.

It was someone else's birthday on the same day!  But Hannah didn't get quite as much fuss made about her (although a Bake Off recipe book helped).

A small selection of Grandma's descendants, across four generations.

My nephews enjoy sparklers, and amazingly manage not to set each other on fire.

I co-opt Freddie for some arty waving.

The two birthday girls jointly blow out the candles on the cake.  The number on there does not accurately represent anyone's age.