The portable fan had obvious application today, as it was very warm. The candle shaped like the bust of an Egyptian pharaoh, possibly Khufu (commissioner of the Great Pyramid in Cairo)? Less obvious. But there they both were.
Today brings up 13 full years of my doing this blog (13 x 365 = 4,745, then add four February 29ths). As Clare (whose hands make a dynamic appearance to top right) is working on the day itself, tomorrow, we did my local birthday celebrations 24 hours early. Only one candle, but I’m sure most of us are well past the point in life where any more than this is either ostentatious or just depressing. Anyway… more age-related introspection tomorrow, no doubt.
Is Joe the only person in the world whose most recent birthday has been a lonely affair, deprived of real contact with friends and all but his immediate family? Of course not. But that doesn’t lessen the sense of sadness that I feel, while at the same time, celebrating the anniversary. Not just any birthday this year, either. He is 18, the age of legal responsibility, official adulthood. Whether that makes him feel any different than he did yesterday is his own concern. But somehow, I feel different.
Another ‘fiery’ shot but this time at the end of the day, and an interior, rather than the morning light. An evening out for Valentine’s, a couple of days in advance. The spoons were serving the starter, and very nice it was too (as was the rest of the meal).
Among the subjects Joe is taking at school these days is cookery (aka ‘food technology’ or some other such euphemism). Every Thursday we are becoming used to him bringing home food that has always been more than just palatable. This ginger cake was lit with a candle as a proxy celebration for my Dad’s birthday (happy birthday Dad….). And very tasty it was.
Never easy to know what to choose to epitomise Christmas Day, particularly when it’s been a fairly uneventful one — though nice, just spent with the family, eating, socialising, etc. The decorations on the dinner table will do as well as anything to represent this… with a guest appearance from Iris the lego lady. A happy Christmas to you all, however you have spent it.
Pictured in the Hole in the Wall pub, at the stub end of another week. Is it the end of term yet?
Being 42 