The centenary of the matriarch

On Friday, March 18^th 1910, the proprietor of Brændeskov Dairy in the southern part of the Danish Island of Funen got a daughter. This daughter who got the name Rigmor (and who - many years later - got a grandson called Tue) would prove to be made of sterner stuff than people are most. At first it might not sound like she ventured very far into the world when we tell you that a hundred years later one finds her living on her farm just outside the village Brudager, less than 3 miles from where she was born. But the number of people that showed up for the reception, and the abundance of flowers they gave, bears testimony of a life spent being active.

About one third of the flowers

Even though the number of centenarians in Denmark is increasing more rapidly than the population in general, one still receives a note of congratulation from the Royal Court - and Rigmor also made the front page of the county news paper. But when one of the Danish television channels called to ask if they could come by and ask a few questions she declined - she didn't have time for that on her birthday. We originally thought that she would take an afternoon nap after the reception and before the evening dinner with the more immediate family, but she was far too busy looking at the many flowers and the corresponding cards...

Tue and his maternal grandmother, Rigmor

We admittedly felt a little weak after the big dinner when we realised we had to give in and go to bed before the birthday girl - and it didn't help one bit that she was up and about earlier than the rest of the next morning.