AUNTY MAUREEN AT 85

It has been a long time since I’ve been to a birthday party in the garden.

In the late 1960s to around the mid 1970s, going for our cousins Richard’s, Neil’s or Judy-Ann’s birthdays meant going to the fairy playground. There were slides, merry-go-rounds, see-saw (who can forget the see-saw); which we played (some fought [yes, I’m talking about the adults] to skip queue for their turn) on, the whole evening. A wide spread of delicious food including Aunty Maureen’s home-made mini sausage rolls, cookies and cakes filled our stomachs. Uncle Alex would take charge of giving out ice-cream on wafer cones after our meal.

All this had a price: Uncle Alex without fail would start one of his party songs like:
“Green Grass Grew All Around”
There was a hole in the middle of the ground
The biggest hole
That you ever did see
And the hole was in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around.
And in that hole
There was a tree
The prettiest tree
That you ever did see
And the tree was in the hole
And the hole was in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around.

“There was a hole,
a pretty little hole,
a pretty little hole did you ever did see,
The green grass grows all round all round, the green grass grows all round”.
(This was a long song, at least for us at the young ages we were😀)

“Frère Jacques“
Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques
Dormez-vous?
Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines
Sonnez les matines
Ding-ding-dong
Ding-ding-dong

Are you sleeping?
Are you sleeping?
Brother John?
Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing
Morning bells are ringing
Ding-ding-dong
Ding-ding-dong

Today (July 8th) was a special birthday party for Aunty Maureen (my dad’s elder of two sisters) to celebrate her 85th birthday. An early birthday party as her actual birthday is on July 10th (yes, same as mine). The party was put together by her children and grandchildren. They were there in full force. Location: Francis’ (Aunty Maureen’s youngest son, my cousin), his wife, Stephanie and their daughter, Emilia’s home and home to Aunty Maureen. It is a beautiful home, great place for parties…

Almost the whole Malaysian chapter of the Atkinson clan were there. She had many dear friends come celebrate with her, as well; this amazing achievement of 85.

She was seated at the main table; all dressed up elegantly, prim and proper with a light pink hat; just right for a garden tea party. She greeted everyone with her famous warm and loving smile. When she spoke, she spoke with gentleness.

*You can bet I was looking for those famous mini sausage rolls. Sadly there was none. All the other pastries more than made up for it.*

As time went by, everyone came to pay her “homage”. She was always smiling. I spent some time with her, finding out how she was keeping. I told her that I thought she would do the Charleston of the roaring ’20s (1920s, that is), as it is one of her favourites. She’s game for anything, almost.

Continuous music (songs that Aunty Maureen likes) in the background, came from a Marshall speaker. Rebecca prepared the list of songs that were aired.