Tag: birthday

52W Mark II – Week 29: Birthday

This week, the 52 Ancestors Challenge theme is “Birthday”. What I have chosen to write about isn’t so much about a birthday, but about an age.

My great great grandfather, Horace Conrad Liggett Burgess, was born in 1854 in Lehi, Utah. In his 40s he was living and working in Wyoming. At age 50 he moved to Alberta, Canada, where he was a homesteader. He moved all around the province, so much so I’ve had trouble tracking his movements. It appears that from 1916 to 1930 he divided his time between Glenwood, in southern Alberta, and Cherry Grove, which is midway up the province close to the Saskatchewan border. Horace remained in Cherry Grove when he retired in 1930 at age 76. However, in 1928 he was in Glenwood.

On January 30, 1928, the good burghers of Glenwood fêted the senior citizens of the village. At age 73, Horace (right) was the oldest of those honoured. According to the newspaper account of the event, “From that age down to 33 consisted of what was considered the aged of the town.”

33.

Aged.

Excuse me while I take a moment. My head just exploded.

The reference to Horace being the oldest resident of the town is in blue. The outrageous statement that age 33 is “aged” is in red.

It Might Be April First, But She Is No Fool!

Happy birthday to my mother on her 75th birthday, or, as she marks it, the 56th anniversary of her being perpetually 19.

52 Weeks – Week 50: Traditions

I know what my mother is getting me for Christmas – a verjaardagskalender! I know this because I was there when she bought it. She even let me pick it out. Now I’ll have one for each of our bathrooms.

Week 50 of the 52 Ancestors Challenge is “Traditions”. While it might be described more as a custom than a tradition, with a new year bearing down on us I’d like to think of a verjaardagskalender (“birthdays calendar”) as a tradition.

One of two verjaardagskalenders that I own (with names redacted).

A typical Dutch bathroom isn’t complete without a verjaardagskalender, a perpetual calendar that is used for keeping track of birthdays and anniversaries. Why is it hung in the bathroom? Because it’s a place where you’ll always see it, so you’ll never forget or miss an important family milestone.

When I visit my Dutch relatives in the Netherlands and Canada, I always take note to look at their verjaardagskalendars. I’ve even photographed all the pages of a few (with permission!). It’s a great way of finding those elusive birthdays, and finding out who is part of the extended family.

The verjaardagskalender that hangs in our kids’ bathroom.

Just be forewarned – if you ever see a verjaardagskalender when visiting a Dutch friend, do not add your own name! It would be the height of rudeness and impropriety to do so. And if you see your name on it, consider it an honour – you’re considered one of the family!