Alexander Residence: The Birthday Post

Thursday, 29 September 2011

The Birthday Post - Little Legacy #12

My mum had a unique style when it came to birthday cards and labels on presents. The envelopes were always mini works of art, with riddles and poetry. I've cursed myself for not keeping them all, but I found one unexpectedly recently, from my fifteenth birthday.

" 'Til six plus eight (n'alf)" means 6+8 = 14, plus half an hour. 14.30hrs, the time of my birth. It took me a while to deciper that, mum was forever sending cryptic messages and texts.

It was tough seeing a card without her cartoons and her name back in May. My brother is facing that this week. So big birthday hug and Happy Birthday little bro x Seeing this has reminded me that little gestures can go a very long way in making people feel special.

Thanks to Kate at Skating on Thin Ice for the inspiration to focus on mum's writing this week. Kate wrote a lovely post last week about rediscovering her mum's cookery folder last week.

Little legacy is a remembrance project , a positive and creative space, to celebrate small things handed down by predecessors. Feel free to link up a little legacy you've been thinking about this week, or to leave one in the comments. Here's the code and here's more on Little Legacy

Labels: bereavement, birthday card, little legacy

10 Comments:

At 29 September 2011 at 15:34 , Anonymous said...: Oh, how sweet to have found that lovely memory. Bless your heart.
At 29 September 2011 at 20:38 , Midlife Singlemum said...: I love this. Every year I get a shop bought car from my parents on which my Dad has written: From Mum and Dad. That's it. I don't know why I even bother to open it.
At 29 September 2011 at 20:41 , Midlife singlemum said...: *card - although a car would be appreciated.
At 30 September 2011 at 08:53 , Anonymous said...: I love reading these.

Here not a birthday card get's written without a birthday balloon drawn on the front of the envelope. Usually decorated with stars or hearts with a message on the balloon and a gift tag on the string with 'Have fun!' written on.

Bex my daughter now does it now and so does Oscar most of the time, but now I have seen your Mum's beautiful stamp I might just have to steal that idea too. I know she wouldn't mind xxx
At 30 September 2011 at 12:36 , Hot Cross Mum said...: So lovely and so special. You've inspired me to go and look through one of my Mums old diaries again. xx
At 30 September 2011 at 14:46 , Anonymous said...: Lovely post as ever and so generous of you to credit me like you do. I so love this project of yours. Your Mum sounds superb and you will have learned a lot from her and can take that forwards with your own children.
"Something to be going on with" was another phrase used a lot by my own mum.
I remember the pain of getting a card just from Dad but Mum had planned it and bought my birthday present and written the tag herself for the first one after her death
At 30 September 2011 at 19:25 , Emma said...: Such a talented lady, she has inspired me to make an extra effort on my children's birthdays too! Emma :)
At 1 October 2011 at 17:03 , Anonymous said...: I love this post and what a super way to remember your mum. Also, how lovely that your mum took the time to do this each year. Thanks for sharing
XxX
At 4 October 2011 at 11:27 , HonestMum said...: Your Mum was an amazing lady. I love to draw and this post has inspired me to do it more and especially for my child. Thank you.
At 4 October 2011 at 19:11 , Kate said...: Oh that's so beautiful and so the opposite of mine! Mum always buys her cards in the pound shop, doesn't write on the envelope (so that it can be reused) and always, always says To x, Love Mum. Not one for sentimentality but I still know what she means. x

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Alexander Residence

Thursday, 29 September 2011

The Birthday Post - Little Legacy #12

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