Happy 80th Birthday Bernie.

This is Bernie Christian-Bailey, he is and always has been my uncle, he has also been our boss for the past 2 years when he and Auntie Mary gave us an enormous opportunity to live and work on Norfolk Island as Managers for their beloved Fletcher Christian Apartments.




Bernie still has an amazing hand in the day to day running of the apartments and has more energy that some 60 year olds I know.


He is the treasurer for the church of England here as well as for the A&H society and is a very active member of the local Rotary branch having organized several large projects in the community such as the Flagstaff hill project and a young drivers education course with the school, add to this equation a trip out to Simons water to cut barna grass every afternoon to feed the pigs and keeping cattle out there.


Bernie and Mary are both very generous, caring, community minded souls and are very giving even at times when I bet they feel that there isn't much left to give, but their door is always open for a cuppa and a chat.

Barman Rob looking after the thirsty ones.
Kim with her amazing sushi much to Teddy's delight.
Miriam handing out the many tasty platters with a smile .

Bernie's celebration was a wonderful atmosphere of friends and family all sharing a common link by wanting to celebrate with Bernie.

Kim's yummy Banana cake was delish& looked good too!


8o years is an amazing life span that we can all only hope to achieve as healthily as Bernie has.
Charles read out the speeches and presented Bernie with a beautiful album full of stories and photos compiled by he & Kim.


Others gave live stories of their Memories of Bernie.

Rob read out Miriam's thoughts and memories which were published in the Saturday paper.

From Miriam "Turning 80 must have been a real milestone for Dad because for at least 20 years, he told us he was 39, come to think of it, when I do my sums, he has never been 39 in my whole lifetime."

"Dad wasn't really the disciplining parent. When we were naughty and mum smacked our bottoms and sent us to our rooms crying, dad would wait until she wasn't looking and then would come into our room to cuddle and comfort us."

And this was really funny when Mary said "I didn't know that!"



there were plenty more stories to be told and the party was a fantastic celebration of life and love for 'one of life's real gentlemen.'


For more party pics see http://devonhouse.blogspot.com/
Kim Giving Bernie his birthday ceremonial Kava.

With Old mate Tom Lloyd
& John's yummy green banana fritters which the locals dived upon. Gracie& Joanne having a giggle as she handed around the 'little boys'.
Me, Kim & Raewynne.

While trying to make sure that all the family were in the photo, we didn't notice all the little fingers dipping into the cake Icing until Bernie cut the cake.



The jumping castle was loads of fun, as were the sparklers.



This is Sienna and Ben Elliot who have been at the same family functions many times but have not really played together, both preferring their own siblings, but now they go to preschool together at Banyan park, they were inseparable for the night, followed closely by Sienna's little shadow and mimic, Liam who took everything in, ready to use someday.