We gave our 80 year old mother one helluva party this summer. We put up an enormous open sided tent as an offering to the weather gods (which worked!). We organised Mass to be said in the impromtu church to thank Him upstairs for her life, then after some gorgeous grub, my brother gave a super speech with the anecdotes of my mother that he had collected from the family beforehand. This brought the house down. Then the family scratch band played 'Happy Birthday', featuring children and grandchildren playing, which then turned into a super session that lasted the long afternoon.

There was real magic in the air that day, a tangible feeling of love for one person held by all assembled, family and friends, interwoven with music played as a carefully chosen gift. The accolade was the talent showed by the generations she propagated.

Hope your day is as memorable, KT

Skipjack