My Auntie Shirley turned 80! Auntie Shirley is my Grandma Marion's sister and really is an amazing, loving woman. For the weeks before her birthday she kept telling us she didn't want a party, didn't want any big fuss for her. So we decided to have a "non-party" surprise birthday party for her. My Auntie Andrea planned a wonderful night for her, where we went on a boat cruise in a fifty foot wooden boat and had dinner at the Thunderbird Lodge. Auntie Shirley didn't know any of these plans were in the works but on the sly Andrea planned for Uncle Walter and Auntie Shirley to go out to dinner with Andrea and Uncle Jimmy. Then my Mom, my Grandpa, Scott and Nicole and I all meet them at Thunderbird for the surprise boat ride and dinner. Auntie Shirley was so surprised and had such a wonderful time.
This fifty foot wooden boat was our ride for the night and the history that this boat has goes way back to 1929 when the boat was built. When Auntie Shirley was a young woman living in Fort Frances she worked in the local jewelry store and often found herself selling jewelry to the wealthy men of the area on rainy days. On these rainy day occasions Auntie Shirley got to know a man by the name of Major Roberts who summered on an island on Rainy Lake and owned a large wooden boat named the "Virginia." This man got to know Auntie Shirley and invited her to his island to have dinner with his family as a thanks for her help in the jewelry store. Fast forward to the year 2009....a man named Jim Hanson whose parents were the care-takers for Major Roberts island, now owns the boat the "Virginia." Jim found out Auntie Shirley had been to the island and had known Major Roberts and loved that she knew the history of the island! Jim had restored the boat the "Virginia" and agreed to take us on her birthday cruise. It isn't every day you get to cruise the lake in an awesome boat like this but for a special birthday anything is possible!
The location of our birthday dinner the Thunderbird!
My beautiful mother and I enjoying the night on the water.
Auntie Shirley and her only Grandson, Scott.
Scott and his girlfriend, Nicole.
Nicole, Auntie Shirley, My Mom and Me.....beautiful scenery, beautiful company!
Auntie Shirley opening birthday gifts.
Cheers to Auntie Shirley!
Jim had us drinking out of real silver champagne glasses so we really felt the day was special.
Uncle Walter, is one of the funniest people I know. You can't have a bad time when Uncle Walter is around!
This was such a nice night with family. Even with how much Auntie Shirley told us she didn't want a birthday party she was very pleased with her "non-party" party and told us we could throw a big party for her 100th birthday!
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