90th party with a twist for Stanley
STANLEY Ferguson of Swanbrook in Bray has told his family that he couldn’t have asked for a better birthday than his driveway 90th on Saturday, April 4.
He and his wife Jean, their children and grandchildren and other relations had planned to celebrate with lunch at the Kingston in Dun Laoghaire, but due to Covid-19 the party was called off.
One of his daughters lives across the road in Belmont, and another in Bray’s Diamond Valley. Otherwise his nearest and dearest live in Kildare and Wexford and couldn’t visit.
His grandson Jamie Harvey was meant to fly in from Dubai as a surprise, but was of course unable to travel. So those who were within 2km of Stanley made their way to his driveway, and the rest joined in on Zoom.
Wherever they were, everyone had cake and banners and were in good voice for the singing of Happy Birthday.
There was a colourful display in chalk on the driveway, and a little bit of bubbly. Neighbours took turns to drop flowers and other treats to the door.
Stanley and Jean have three children - Karen, Aisling and Randal, and they have six grandchildren.
They and all their partners joined the party either in person or on Zoom. The grandparents have no difficulty with technology and are keeping in touch during this period of cocooning via WhatsApp and Zoom.
They are well looked after in terms of shopping supplies and are content to stay put.
They were going for little drives to the seafront prior to the increased restrictions but are now following the recommended guidelines and staying at home. Stanley insisted that nobody purchase any gifts this year, and was delighted that everyone went to so much effort to make it such a happy occasion.
He told his granddaughter that while the Covid-19 crisis is so terrible, it brought them all together in a different way.
Stanley and Jean moved from Blackrock to Bray just a couple of years ago and said that this was a lovely way to get to know their neighbours a little bit more.