No surprises...

As you all know, yesterday was my birthday.  Celebrations had started the night before, just as the husband got into bed.  (Steady ladies, I had already reminded him whose birthday it actually was).  No this was even better.  As he sat on the edge of the bed, he was peering at the radio knobs.  'It's already set for 5.30am', I said.  'But I need to change it', he said.  'Tomorrow you will be having a lay-in, breakfast in bed, and I'll walk the dogs'.

Well.  If he'd got me nothing else for the next five years, this would have been the best present ever.  And on a work day too!  Heaven beckoned...

Naturally, I woke up at 5.50, and got up and made my own cup of tea while I published yesterday's blog, and I had a very grumpy husband come down the stairs alternating between singing me happy birthday as only he can, and telling me to get back to bed.  

Ten minutes of frantic parcel wrapping later (I have razor sharp hearing, and could hear the accompanying cursing that goes with trying to find the end of the sellotape) he was back upstairs with aforementioned parcel and another cup of tea.  There were also other cards and presents which had found their way to the house over the last few days. The dogs were involved with the ensuing paper frenzy on the bed, but I eventually got to The Big One from the husband.  

Now there have been times when he's got it spectacularly wrong (a chocolate brown dressing gown springs to mind, along with an extremely busily embroidered handbag) but this time, he was spot on.  He'd got me a beautiful Barbour jacket to wear when it gets really cold.  It's far too lovely to wear while dog walking, and has its own hanger in my wardrobe, rather than being slung with all the other dog walking coats in the laundry.

Binland was great - I'd taken chocolate cake in, so everyone was happy, even the diabetic Mr W who had starved himself in anticipation of the sugar rush.  I then took myself off for some retail therapy with my birthday money from my parents, and came back laden with bags.  

My birthday ended with a 'surprise' birthday dinner.  As you all know, I always write my blog the night before, and at the time of writing, I know exactly where I'm going, and I also know who's going to be there.  No manner of family members calling me to tell me that they'll 'see me on Saturday' has fooled this wise old bird, but I'll make sure I have the right kind of 'Oh my goodness! What are you lot doing here?' face on as I walk through the door.

These are my favourite nights - surrounded by those I love, and who love me right back.  The fact that there might be even more presents is just an added bonus.

Talking of those I love, thank you to all of you who wished me well yesterday.  I am always slightly shocked that you all look for a little time to read these ramblings each day, so I feel very humble to receive all these lovely words from you.

Here's to the next 364 days till the next one...