Happy 80th Birthday Pearl

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This year is my grandmother’s, Pearl Blankenship Hollan, 80th birthday. In an attempt to surprise her, her children (Ron, Kelly, Lisa, and Angie) hatched a scheme to throw her a surprise birthday party. The function was to be hosted at Angie’s house and was to meant to be a SURPRISE. As the day approached, everyone worked their individual plans in order to all arrive in the Southwest Ohio before Saturday October 3rd. Ron and his wife Sue made the car trip from Canada via the Blue Ridge Parkway and Kentucky (needless to say – not the shortest route). They took the opportunity to sample some of the fine Kentucky bourbon at Woodford Reserve. Kelly made the trek from Southeast West Virginia with son Corey and his new wife Jodi. Angie and Lisa live in the area and did not need any additional travel planning. My family lives just 45 minutes south of Angie’s and did not require travel planning. Everyone’s plans were easily executed by Friday and the stage was set for a Saturday sneak attack.

Saturday started out peachy, but early events showed that the best laid plans may have some flaws. Kelly, attending to her typical Saturday routine, made an unconscious phone call to her mother Pearl. She had forgotten that she was making the call from my house which has a Kentucky phone number. D’oh!!! Dam that caller ID!!! As soon a Pearl answered, she panicked and hung up the phone. Quickly realizing the mistake, she handed the phone to me and told me to call my grandmother and wish her a belated birthday. Deceitfully quick thinking I thought to myself. I proceeded to make the call. I tried to play the “my cordless phone’s battery died…” Pearl could smell the lie over the phone even being a state away. She continued test my story and told me she thought that Angie was planning a “surprise dinner” for her. She went on to say that she also thought that Ron was going to be their since she had never received his typical birthday card in the mail. I played dumb and told her that we had a very busy day planned between Natalie’s gymnastic practice and Eli’s soccer game. We wouldn’t be done until late that evening. I then give her my congratulations and quickly exited the phone conversation. Whew… tragedy averted!?!? However, I’m not so sure the crafty 80 year old is not on to the whole devious plan.

The party went off without a hitch. Of course Pearl claims she knew the whole time. The family had a lot of fun chatting and reliving many old memories. Below you will find some of the candid shots.

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