Joans birthday dinner.

Tony's uncle Harry invited us to a meal at "The Three Houses" to celebrate aunty Joan's 65th birthday.
So of course we said we would love to go, Harry was delighted and then asked if we could pick up himself, Joan their granddaughter Kerry along with her boyfriend Dale. Well we could hardly say no could we.
We drove from Wakefield to Featherstone to collect them, we had a bit of a struggle getting Joan into the car, then drove back to Wakefield to the place we were eating.
I should explain Joan is not very well, she has had a few mini strokes (or Transient Ischemic Attacks to give them the real name) which now means she has symptoms of early dementia.
Harry is 78 years young and is also not 100% fit he has had a few op's and when he talks about them he is quite graphic about them with a lot of hand movement which Tony and I have christened "Harry's hacker"
They are a smashing couple and it is a shame to see how ill Joan has become so quickly.
During the meal however Joan kept us entertained as every so often she would suddenly join in the conversation when least expected with a comment that fitted in just right, Dale had been telling a story and he had just said something about not being man enough when from the end of the table Joan shouted out "Well your not a proper man are you?" The whole room just fell about, Joan sat there a big grin on her face two thumbs in the air looking straight at Kerry. This is the secret sign they share for when Joan is happy.

JOAN

                                                HARRY

Joan spent most of the night singing to herself, while the world just carried on around her. The sad thing is nobody is helping her or Harry she is receiving no medical help, she is under no hospital care the family GP says he can do nothing, so it is left to the family to struggle isn't the NHS a wonderful organisation.
After the meal was over which took longer than expected (the service was terrible 2 hours waiting for the dinner) we took Harry, Kerry and Dale back to Featherstone. (Joan went back with Bev as it was easier for her to get into Bev's car) Dale gave Tony a couple of bottles of wine as poor Tony hadn't had a drink all night as he was driving. By the time we reached home it was turned midnight I was ready for turning into a pumpkin I am usually in bed by 8 - 9 o-clock if not earlier.
It had been a good night though we had enjoyed it, Tony's cousin Neil had told Tony about his dog it is a Border Terrier the same breed that Carl has so no doubt we will be visiting soon, of course the fact that he keeps hawks is also another reason to call any photographic opportunities  are welcome.

Neil.