In true family tradition our children hired a cottage in the New Forest that was big enough to accommodate our dynasty of 20!
We were welcomed with an amazing banner made by DD1 and her family.
Fortunately the cottage had been an old Estate bothy and the huge Victorian greenhouse had been converted into an enormous dining room, just perfect for all of us to have wonderful family meals.
The children had great fun making a den in the large garden as well as playing football, as we now have enough grandchildren to make up our own team :-)
Being right in the heart of the Forest we had plenty of opportunity for lovely walks and for my DH to play on his improvised seesaw. I always said that inside every man there's a five year old boy trying to get out.
On Saturday evening our DD3 gave a lovely reading from a 'this is your life' book that she compiled for her Dad with many hilarious anecdotes, some of which had been long forgotten and lovingly remembered. And of course a lovely tribute to a wonderful Father and husband.
Later that evening we let off some Chinese lanterns that our SIL 1 had got specially for the occasion and we all made our wishes as we sent them into the sky.
On Sunday, my DH's birthday, we had a traditional Sunday lunch and afterwards had the Birthday cake, his favourite chocolate gateaux.
And our youngest grandchild seemed to think it was his favourite too when he stuffed the biggest piece of chocolate icing in his mouth that he could manage.
And finally to his present. Of course it couldn't possibly have been anything else, as he's such a keen carp fisherman, it had to be the best and the biggest bed chair on the market :-)
So all in all it was a wonderful weekend, my DH said it was the best birthday he's ever had, so not a bad way to start your third age.
It was a great privilege to once again be treated to an amazing weekend by our wonderful children and their partners, we're both very proud of them and feel extremely blessed to have such a wonderful family.
