Aunt Myrt's 99th

Yesterday was my Aunt Myrt's 99th birthday. My mom catered it with a huge lovely cake and special family recipe punch. You may have heard me mention Aunt Myrt around here before. She just moved into a retirement home a few months ago. If she hadn't fallen and cracked her collarbone checking on her neighbors a few months back, I'm sure she'd still be living on her on and doing all the things she loves- cooking, driving, etc. She just gave up her car about 6 months ago! She is a pistol for sure.

Her party was well attended by about 75 folks. 20 were her fellow roomies at the the retirement home. The rest were family and church friends. She is the oldest member of Sherwood Baptist Church- that's the church that made the movies 'Facing the Giants' & 'Fireproof'. She has loads of younger buddies there who visit her regularly.

She had a marvelous time visiting with one and all. She requested that Hutch, Allie, & I provide the music for the party. Hutch played the piano and Allie and I sang her favorite hymns. She especially loves 'In the Garden' which she reminds me I am to sing at her funeral every time we see her LOL.

She is a very happy person who loves to ask outrageous questions to get a rise out of anyone she meets. An example is that when one of the gentlemen who lives in her facility came out of his suite without his trousers [he has Alzheimer's] she just laughed and told the nurses she was fine. She did mention she hadn't seen 'that' since her husband died 25 years ago. She does love to flirt with attractive men and make them laugh- which she does quite easily. When she was redrawing her will a tear ago she told her young lawyer that she was positive, based on his recitation of his family tree, that they were 'kissing cousins'.  And she absolutely loves presents. Her mind is as sharp as the sight on a hunting rifle and she is our family prayer warrior. We all love her dearly and hope she enjoys at least another 99 years.

I had already sent her a big box of 7 wrapped presents with funny cards so that she and her across the hall buddy could open one each day for the week before her actual birthday. But Allie and I also got her a really lovely soft velour jogging suit in a bright sapphire blue. She was so pleased with that and all her other gifts- and there were loads of them. Everything from several checks for 99 dollars to things for her suite, candy, balloons, clothing and personal care items.

This is the we took a photo with Aunt Myrt & 5 generations of our family in the library at Pine Shadows [that's the personal care home where she lives].