Birthday Girl ...

A celebration of and for our own Brenda!




It started on the morning of February 22. I phoned Brenda to say that I needed to deliver something to her. She said she was on her way out and would pop by the TH to pick it up.

Paul, Bronwyn, Elliot and Oliver had ordered a bouquet of flowers to be delivered on the morning of Wed-nesday, February 22, in honour of the 70th birthday of their mom / mom-in-law / granny!


On Thursday, February 23, Brenda's dear friend Jan took her to Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe concert in Red Deer.


Then on Friday, February 24, at 5:30 p.m., about 40 of her close personal friends descended on the TH. We were there to celebrate the life and birthday of this woman we all love and admire so much.


After everyone had had enough to eat and drink, Brenda's daughter Helen made a few remarks in tribute to her mother; she mentioned that she was the only one of Brenda's four children able to be here that night, so she would do her best to represent them. She put down her thoughts in an acrostic:


B - beautiful, brilliant, because ... it is because of Brenda that Helen was able to hold on to her faith and it is because of Brenda that she has been able to keep going.


R - reliable, resilient ... through all that life has thrown at her


E - energetic


N - naughty ... [I'm sorry I was in the kitchen and missed this one!!] and taught Helen that God's promises are New every morning

D - dependable


A - amazing ... a Proverbs 31 woman whose children rise up and call her blessed






Here are some pictures of the evening. No names will be revealed, to protect the innocence - of the TH, that is! - but you know who you are ...

Serving the butternut
squash bisque ...

The hors d'oeuvres buffet

The first people to RSVP - now THAT
is the definition of a good grandson!

When it was time to cut the cake, there was a special delivery for Brenda:



Here's a glimpse of Brenda watching her video b-day card:

  Then the cake was brought out - and wouldn't you know it? The boys were absolutely prescient in the video: there was NOTHING we could do to get the "7 0" sparklers to light!

Dessert buffet with candle-less cake ...

Everyone singing "Happy Birthday." Maybe we also
should have sung "May You Live To Be a Hundred"
 but why limit you?!

As the evening came to a close, and after Helen had spoken to and about her mother, Brenda said a few words, thanking everyone for coming and for their friendship ...

Are they in trouble or is she taking a bow?!

Even 70th birthday parties must come to an end, I guess; so as the guests were leaving I went to the kitchen to get organized.


And, much to my surprise and great gratitude, there was my dear Tiff and my dear Don, deep in the suds already, having a whale of a time together!

 Thank you, all of you, for coming out to honour a woman all of us who have anything to do with the TH have come to respect, admire and love.


And thank you, Brenda, for everything you mean to us all. You are a gift to the TH and to each of us. May the next seventy be filled with joy and blessing and light and love!

(When we want a cake for a very special occasion,
we go to Cakeworks, of course!)