The Birthday that was Susan’s

Life does work in wonderful ways, well life as our Susan dictates. Every year she announces that she is having a birthday, seemingly on the same day every year, how does she do it? This year, as in all years, the announcement was made on the 20th, for the 28th January. As is her way, she also announces that she just wants everyone to be happy and not to buy her any presents.

How we interpret that statement is beyond my understanding and full of pitfalls. If we do as she requested and she actually wanted presents then the coming year could get rocky, to say the least. I decided to buy her a small gift, well chosen and what I hoped she would like. Eerie on the side of caution and live to enjoy another day, at our age they are a precious commodity. My gift was an Air Fryer and a cookbook, also a pair of Birkenstock beach sandals, in stunning white.

An Air Fryer you may well ask, we all know she does not cook. She is trying to live a healthier lifestyle, eating is all part of being healthy. I do believe the Air Fryer for me to cook with, is a smashing gift. I have always wanted to try cooking with an Air Fryer and this birthday gives me that opportunity. Really a win, win.

Well, no one got the memo, the one asking everyone not to buy presents, I do wonder if Susan actually sent it out.

Apart from my humble gifts, given with love, she also managed to fill the house with gifts from all those who love her. I did like the Air Fryer, a cracking gift, given with such thought. She also managed to get a whole bag full of gifts from Lady Vivienne, packed full of all manner of things. Gift vouchers, away day experiences, sunflower seeds, bee seeds of a nature I have never seen. Lovely jumper and a sauna voucher at Studland beach. Flowers, so many flowers our lounge has been turned into a mini florist, which makes the florist happy. No booze, most strange! I forget the book, On Animals by Pam Ayers, a brilliant book packed full of recipes for the Air Fryer and a notebook to jot down all those things we want to do but never get around to.

On reflection, a great day and I think Susan enjoyed it tremendously. Now we embrace all the other birthdays coming our way, Michael is on the 5th February, worth putting in your diary. Let’s all wish him a happy birthday, 29 this year, he is getting to be such a big boy.