The gaps got bigger

 Hello dearest Blogger friends. Now it's been FIVE months since I posted here. Thank you dear Sandra (Madsnapper blog); Eileen and Donna for caring and asking where I was!

 Well, so much has happened in these months. I'll start at the beginning (or where I left off on my 70th birthday).  

That week, I treated 38 guests (most were my Weigh-Less members) to lunch at The Waffle Hut. On the invitation I'd asked guests to wear something quirky. One member had a string of beads wrapped around her wrist. Another was wearing two different sized hoop earrings. I love fascinators, so I topped off my black and white outfit with this elegant headpiece.

A retired Group Assistant of mine, Jill Atkinson was my EMCEE. Once everyone was seated, she welcomed all, including Angus, Amanda and three grandchildren.

 Jill then did a short quiz on "Who is Jo?". Not many of my members knew where I live. And even though I've led the Weigh-Less Winterton and Valley Groups for the past five years no-one knew that my name, Jo, is shortened from Johanna. But when Jill asked for the name of my trusted companion and watchdog, everyone shouted out: Skabby! 

Esme, my Afrikaans Group Leader, wished me on behalf of the Winterton members. Rene, in turn,wished me on behalf of the Champagne Valley members and  spoke a blessing over me, quoting: Numbers 6:24-26 - The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Angus, paying tribute to his mum!

Angus also did a tribute to his mom. Saying among other things, that you could drop me in the desert, and I would make a go of whatever it offered! Ironic, that we lived in the city of Khartoum, in the middle of the Nubian Desert, North Africa for two years...]

Di, the owner of Waffle Hut catered for my luncheon and her staff made this delicious birthday cake! 

With my three Bloemfontein grandies, Joel (13) Abby (ten) and Liam (eight) 

A wonderful celebration indeed! 

On the Friday of that week, I attended our Taigelates (exercise) class in the Champagne Valley. Afterwards, I was invited to breakfast with the other ladies. Estelle (before Covid, I managed the art shop for Estelle and Steve) had made me a personalized mug. It had a bankroll of notes inside!

Personalized mug filled with cash! 

The Taigelates class members

On the Saturday of my birthday week, I had a final party on the farm, hosted by my dear neighbors, Janine and Gavin. My Valley Weigh-Less Group Assistant helped me to cater for the 35 guests whom I'd invited. These included several of my members, but this time their spouses were also invited. I specifically invited all the people who supported me at Grant's memorial service way back in December 2017. A subtle addition was my cousin Shirley and her husband who farm in the area and a school friend, Gene, who was instrumental in getting me and Grant together way back in 1968! 

Here I asked a friend, Neil, who was the Probus Chairman (pre-Covid!), to EMCEE at my farm birthday celebrations. His opening quip was that I (Weigh-Less Group Leader) convinced him to do this job by offering him a slab of chocolate!  He introduced the three people I'd asked to say a word at my party: "Aunt" Gill, neighbor Janine and my brother, Phillip

Neil helped ensure that my party went off well.

Grant's 88-year-old aunt, Gill, related how she has known me since Grant introduced me (as a 16-year-old) to the family and subsequently how we married. Gill and I have remained friends over the years. She lives in a Howick retirement village near Pietermaritzburg. I previously posted how I stayed with her while I did the Weigh-Less training. Gill, a retired theatre sister, is an eloquent orator and has done eulogies for family who has passed on. After her talk at my birthday, someone asked her if she does that often. She replied: only at funerals!

From left: Aunt Gill, her DIL Gill! My brother, Phillip and my school friend, Gene

My brother, Phillip spoke about our family upbringing. He kindly also reiterated what Angus had said: that when I was widowed, he never heard me complain or shed a tear. I just dug in and made life work for me. I've had the added blessing of friends here in the Valley. 

Janine (right) checking on the food which was scrumptious.

I had a bespoke cake made by a master baker in the Champagne Valley. A four-layer mousse cake with white and dark chocolate decorations 

A tongue in the cheek slogan on the cake. Two minutes on the lips; a lifetime on the hips

Believe me, although I celebrated with a luncheon, breakfast and a party, with plenty to eat INCLUDING two delicious cakes, this will not happen again for at least another ten years! 

And so ended my week-long 70th birthday celebrations!