A Special Day

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday. I did write about her here some years ago and she is one of my very favourite people.
The bloke and I have come to stay with her for a few days.
Tonight there will be a big family barbeque, lots of people, talking and food. Just what a family matriarch would love, sharing her big day with her big family.

We also had a get together on the weekend.......this big Italian family doesn't all fit in the house at once. This photo shows Nonna surrounded by almost all of her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. There is so much love here.

Most days she fills her life with looking after her home and garden, keeping her mind alert with
puzzles, sharing meals and coffee with visitors, watching a little tv.
On Sundays she makes pasta for the family. It's nothing to find 25 hungry people arrive for spaghetti at Nonna's.
I hope today she will rest and let the daughters and daughters-in-law cook and prepare the salads, let the sons and sons-in-law barbeque the meat. Enjoy being looked after for a change.
Then I hope the family will all line up for a group photo just like the one above...............
Can you imagine how hard it is to get such a big group posed for a photo?