Milesone Birthdays

by Elizabeth

It is surprising, in spite of the number of people in rest homes and hospitals, there are still many of great age living in their own homes, leading a normal life.

It does not matter what age you are so long as you have quality of life. So many people just give up when they get to a certain age and feel life is over and all they have to look forward to is death.

Just about three weeks ago, one of my cousins had her 90th birthday. You might say, nothing unusual about that. She is widowed but still living in the home that she came to as a bride, still doing her house and garden and driving her car. Her two sons help her with any jobs that she cannot manage and she does have household help.

Her lawns are done for her but otherwise she is self sufficient. I am ten years younger but she is more sprightly than me, as I now have some arthritis.

Looking back you do not realise that everyone of your family is becoming older, especially if you do not live near them and visit them perhaps once a year.

It was a hassle for me getting to Nelson for that birthday, as I had a number of mishaps before I travelled down there. I could not get another battery for my mobile phone. I had two leaking electric kettles and had to replace them, a bit off a tooth, a cat became ill and had to be put down, the lock on my front door was not secure. These all took time for me to sort out.

I was also trying to get my place tidied up, let people know I was away, get two remaining cats to a cattery. One I was trying to get rehomed as he bossed the other two. My car went to a friend to be minded. The air fare was more expensive than I had bargained for.

In spite of it, the birthday girl had a very nice party and I got to see relatives I had not seen for a while and to catch up with younger members of the family.

The party was put on by my other cousin who is just fourteen months younger than her older sister. Thirty people attended and I took lots of photos. I did have a digital camera but used two disposable cameras which when I had developed, I left the prints and negatives with my cousins and took two C.Ds. home. These I put into my computer and I split some of the photos up. I must say I was pleased with the results.

The next year the other cousin turns 90 but says she and her husband are going away for that birthday maybe to Hamner Springs. We will see.