🎂Happy 100th Birthday to Bijou!🥳

Happy belated birthday Bijou. I am so glad you are able to partake in all the wonderful conversations here on Gransnet. Having some connection, even on-line can enliven our days.

It is amazing to think of all the changes in society you have seen, some for good, others not so much. I hope you get a chance to read all the well-wishes.

Ixion has a charming idea of ‘Bijou thread’.

Just picking up on how you used to chat to neighbours over the garden (short) fence - my mum too had some good friendships like that, and as a child I recall neighbours’ kindnesses- one family took me with them on their day trip up to ‘town’ (London), and an elderly (!) neighbour gave me books…

I will be 93 in May Bijou and only wish I lived next door to you. We have a lot in common because my family was bombed out twice during the London Blitz and we finished up living down the Anderson shelter until me, my brother and mother was evacuated to the Midlands and when on the train being used as target practise by an enemy plane while on the evacuee train until a Spitfire came to our rescue. Brilliant memories.

Everything you have written above is SO true and I congratulate you for being so streetwise regarding the internet. Wonderful to know that you never need to feel lonely because it seems you have quite a few followers on here.

God Bless x

Thank you Gransnetters for all your messages.
Years ago we were friendly with all the neighbours in the avenue and were able to chat over the fence whilst hanging out the washing gardening or just enjoying the sunshine.'
Now people have six foot wooden fences gravelled front gardens, and plastic lawns and tumble dryers. They don’t walk out, just get straight into their cars even if only to get to the village shop. During the thirty years I have lived in my bungalow older people have died off and we no longer know our neighbours.

Bijou A well deserved Gransnet medal 🎖 for a very special lady x

Bijou you have had an interesting life which I expect was hard at times. My mum and dad both used to tell me about their experiences in WW2. Neither of them lived to 100 so those stories died with them.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. It was a lovely reminder of times past.
Hope you enjoyed your very special birthday.

I’m so glad you’ve found this thread, Bijou! Congratulations on the new great grandson. 🩵

Your memories depict such a different world from today’s, they are very valuable historical insights. It’s sad that you see so few people, I get the impression you’re quite sociable! Are there any befriending schemes where you live, either in person or on the phone?

What a lovely idea Ixion!

Have a wonderful day Bijou. I hope you are enjoying yourself doing something really nice.

Hello Bijou 🎈
So many of us have enjoyed your reminiscences over the years and you clearly enjoy writing about your experiences!
Also, a poster has mentioned how great an insight you give into the lives of our Mums, when we can no longer have our own conversations with them.

I was wondering whether you might care to start your own permanent thread here on Gransnet, something like 'Notes from Bijou', where you could write down any experiences you would like to share with us of your memories over such an amazing 100 years - whenever you fancy!
I for one would find this really interesting😊

What do you and Gransnetters here think?

I’m so pleased that you finally found the thread Bijou!

My wonderful late grandad was at Normandy. He was a Royal Engineer.
As a family we went there on a sort of pilgrimage in the 80s, and stayed with local people that my grandad knew. I remember drinking calvados!
Omaha beach is absolutely stunning

Oh thank you! Just found your message

Bijou what times you have lived through. Thank you for sharing here and hoping to hear about your celebration

Thank you all Grandnetters for all your greetings. With family and friends around I was unable to post on the day and yesterday was recovering and finishing some of the left over food. Wonderful sandwiches from Waitrose!
Was unable to see my latest week old great grandson apart from on Messenger as it was too far for them to travel.
The card from Charles and Camilla is automatically sent by all on a DWP Pension.
There is a special office for sending cards. One can apply and pay for sixty etc cards. So really Charles doesn’t have anything to do with it.

As I am housebound and apart from an hour each day from my help I rarely see or speak to anyone. So I spend a lot of time on Gransnet .
I know a lot of you don’t always agree with my opinions but it makes the posts more interesting.

I don’t know how I have survived so long. I worked in London
During the Blitz, a bomb fell behind our house fortunately on the golf course. I was in the WAAF and my husband in the Guards and in the Normandy landings and wounded three weeks later causing he to be deaf and nervous. when we were demobbed were homeless because we were not on housing list whereas civilians were.
My grandson is saying it is hard work with a new baby.
There was only twenty months between my two and we lived in a tiny attic flat with only a cold water tap and having two lots of nappies to wash with bar soap and rationing to cope with. But we were happy and were so until he died thirty five years ago
I have had cancer twice and now osteoarthritis in every joint.
I am housebound and apart from an hour’s help each morning do not see anyone So I do spend a lot of time on Gransnet. However I have always been independent and would never want to go in a care home.
Thank you to all Gransnetters.. ❤️

Happy birthday, Bijou.

Wonderful..Happy 100th Birthday Bijou 🌷🍷🌷

Have fun celebrating your very special day!

Bijou has a new iPad and is getting to grips with it.
Hopefully she will see the thread if I push it to the top again🤞

How absolutely wonderful. I hope your birthday was fantastic Bijou xx

Sorry I'm late but belated Happy Birthday wishes to Bijou. Congratulations xx

Thanks Silver! Bijou hasn’t seen the thread yet, but I’m hoping that she will very soon

Insomnia again Fanny? I woke at 5 so can’t complain. Have a nice day.

Good to hear that Bijou has seen
the good wishes from us all. 100 is to be celebrated and to be computer literate belies the view that older people are not.
Bijou must be our oldest gran who has known 4 monarchs while most of us have seen only two. Or the younger grans have known only one. Congratulations again Bijou. [cake]

I’ve just read a pm from Bijou so I’m giving the thread a bump into the Active List🤞

FannyCornforth

I do hope that Bijou sees this thread.
When it is such a very special birthday, one is allowed a Birthday Week, maybe even a Birthday Month

I agree, FC, Birthday wishes to you, Bijou.