Sunday 18 August 2013

Marking the Occasion

Today my mother-in-law turns 90. I am telling you this because I want it on record that she is a remarkable woman.

She is funny, stubborn, sharp as a tack, kind, and some days has more energy than I do. She still drives a car - very competently too. She lives on her own, gardens, and gets on with things. I admire her a great deal.

The oldest of six children, she grew up on a substantial farm in Denmark. In the second world war she was a member of the Danish Resistance. She hid weapons in her flat in Copenhagen, and she transported them onwards when required. Let's just say she had several very close calls and we are lucky she is still around today.

In her 30s she moved to the UK to marry a British man she had met through her brother. She has been here ever since. My mother-in-law lives close to where we do and this means that the girls are growing up seeing her regularly. And in the process have developed great relationships with her. I love the fact that they will grow up to have strong memories of her.

I am lucky to have such a good mother-in-law. I am proud to know her.


And today I would like to wish her a very happy birthday indeed.

Susan

38 comments:

  1. What an amazing lady! Those eyes look like they hold a lot of secrets :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's a remarkable story, what a great role model for your girls! Many Happy Returns of the day to her!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy birthday to here, she's obviously a remarkable lady!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh Wow Lucky you BUT also lucky her to have you as a daughter in law who likes to share grandchildren. Good vibes are a result of both sides respecting eachother. Lovely photo.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love hearing of older folks who are still magnificent!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow! How great that the girls have such a good relationship with her.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Happy birthday to Grandma! How lucky are our girls to have her nearby, cherish every moment with her.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a super post! You're so lucky to have her and thank goodness your girls get to know her as a phenomenal woman too. You forgot to mention, though, that she's absolutely adorable. Look at her eyes!

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a beautiful lady. Time has treated her well. Someone should write her life story - or at the very least, tape them.
    A very Happy Birthday to her (does she have a name?)

    ReplyDelete
  10. hmmm...
    i hope you can who you want...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy Birthday from one Leo to another! (Mine is tomorrow.) Hope your MIL's day was grand.

    ReplyDelete
  12. How wonderful that you all know her still! What an honor.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Happy Birthday! She sounds remarkable and it is wonderful that you get to spend so much time with her.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Amazing! Your girls are so lucky to have such a strong role model nearby (in addition to you, of course!)

    ReplyDelete
  15. very best wishes to her x hope it was a good birthday.. wonderful memories your girls will have of their time with her xx

    ReplyDelete
  16. She looks marvellous for 90!! You are very lucky to have a lovely MIL nearby!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a remarkable woman! You are lucky you and the girls get to spend time with her. Very happy birthday wishes!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wish I had a m-i-l like that. Mines's still driving but when she lurches into the wrong lane of a roundabout and thinks all the tooting of horns is clearly not for her one wonders if 'stubborn' at her age is necessarily a good thing!

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a lovely post! Happy Birthday to your Mother in Law xx

    ReplyDelete
  20. Happy Birthday to your MIL. She's lived a full and rich life hasn't she!

    I think relationships with grandparents are one of lifes great memories.

    ReplyDelete
  21. A very Happy Birthday to your Mother in Law! X

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow! What an inspiring lady! And doesn't her son look just like her! Jxo

    ReplyDelete
  23. Easy to see you have an awesome relationship there. Happy Birthday wishes sent from Canada

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a lovely post to honor your MiL birthday. That's quite a milestone. Sending birthday wishes. She sounds like a very interesting woman.

    ReplyDelete
  25. What a brave lady to be in the resistance..... I bet she has some amazing stories to tell.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Best wishes on her special birthday, hope she had a lovely day! It's great when the children live close to their grandparents and see each other regularly!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Happy Birthday to your MIL. It's wonderful that the children are able to spend time with her.

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a beautiful and interesting woman - happy birthday to your MIL...this is a lovely post and I'm sure she values having you and the girls close too.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Amen! She shoulnds like a wonderful woman. I hope she has a delightful day.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Your mother-in-law is clearly a remarkable lady, thanks for sharing a bit of her story. And a very happy birthday to her.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Happy Birthday to your Mother-in-law from Whitehorse, Yukon! *smooch smooch smooch*

    ReplyDelete
  32. It is very nice post.I like it very much.Sheepbuy is the best way to sell online!
    Online Shopping

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a full life she has lived! Wonderful. Her eyes are so blue, very Scandinavian.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Got to love an awesome old-timer ;) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  35. Lovely sentiments--for you, your family, and your mother-in-law!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving a comment. I read them all and I love them all. I do my utmost to reply to comments as often as possible. If you comment and never receive a reply from me there is the possibility that you are a no-reply commenter.