A Happy Birthday ...

Despite the inevitable sense of disbelief as yet another year is racked up, and despite the fact that today was actually spent working harder than most retired people have to, I've enjoyed my birthday enormously. Phone calls from family, presents from far and near, champagne and Rachmaninov Vespers at dinner - all good. (We always have candles, by the way, at dinner, lighting up the dark window, and the roses are a birthday bonus from my elderly Josephine Bruce plant.)

And although people, especially those of my generation, often claim that Facebook is of the devil and they never go near it, I have enjoyed hearing the birthday wishes pinging into my timeline, not least because all but one of them came from someone I actually know in real life. It adds up to an alarming number of people - until you think of all the years you've had to meet people in.

So whether it's the first "bestie" I ever had, whom I've not actually seen for over 60 years, or the current incumbent of that post whom I see all the time, I'm delighted to be greeted by all of them. 

And now I really must get my ageing self to bed ...