Finding a Voice

Dad turned 65 on August 31st and we finally were able to celebrate it this past Thursday. Mom threw a surprise party, very cleverly keeping the secret right to the end. She lured Dad out by telling him that she was serving at a senior's supper in the Pioneer Centre and asking him to come help with dishes around 7:00. He was completely oblivious until about 15 minutes beforehand when he saw the cake and thought, "Oh, that must be for Mom & Dad's anniversary [my grandma & grandpa] -- but she got the number wrong."











As of today, October 9th, Grandma & Grandpa have been married 68 years. The number on the cake was 65. The trick was still working. Dad was surprised.

The party was a mystery supper -- a very elaborate event -- with "Miss Management" hosting. The name of our establishment was The Dirt Track Cafe where they try "to keep everyone on level ground." The poor person, whose first round is pictured below, received "Pine Float" (glass of water & toothpick), "Bugs in a Basket" (raisin tart), and "Eater's Aid" (Tums).











Here is Miss Management (aka my mother). She kept the crowd in stitches and received many compliments on her Norwegian/Hungarian/German accent.















I was supposed to play a song at the end -- a blessing for Dad's birthday, but after all the fun of the evening couldn't remember the tune! So I gave up on singing and read the words as a prayer. It was a song by Jody Cross about being a child of God and, until actually presenting it, I hadn't realized how appropriate it could be for a 65th birthday. Got to sing it in church this morning, so that kind of redeemed the embarrassment of forgetting. :-)

My grandparents, Madge & Elmer Bowes: 68 years.