The other day I had the best birthday ever.

The ingredients are;

1: Most people didn't know it was my birthday so it could be mostly ignored.

2: I got a replacement CD I had wanted for a very long time (Moving Hearts - last seen on cassette covered in fluff and chewing gum in the footwell of the car).

3. One small box of chocolates (small is good as I eat them all at once and big boxes can leave you queasy by the bottom layer).

4. One bag of tomato sauce crisps lovingly wrapped by my daughter (thoughful as she had taken the trouble to remember which kind I liked).

5. A toblerone and a ceramic penguin money box (salvaged from the ashes of that once fine store, Woolworths - where the hell will we get toblerone and ceramic novelty money boxes from now?).

6. A very tasteful pair of earrings suitable for someone of my advanced age.

7. A home made bag from my sister made of red polka dot fabric suitable for all teacherly requisites.

8. The evening spent answering the phones for 'The Bruck' Programme on our local radio station (recycling at its island best - " I have a seven piece drum kit with dampners wanting to swap it for the bonnet of a Peugot 307"). Totally relaxing.

Perfect