A birthday comes but once a year

Yesterday was my birthday. Wasn't looking forward to it this year but it turned out to be absolutely amazing.

Was so surprised the number of cards I received even from some of the residents I've been helping. How some people knew it was my birthday god only knows. Flowers are also so cheerful - now I've got a proper place to put them they made the whole flat smell lovely.

My sister Anne-louise travelled up from Plymouth which was great. Don't know where she found them but she gave me some coins in pretty bags from the year I was born together with a Denton china antique dress pin. Probably be worth a bob or two in the future. We even had a friendly chat with our other sister Jean who seems to be mellowing as she gets older. Cousin Richard called us on Skypac - sort or chuffed he remembered that sis was coming down.

In the evening my son Sule & Natasha arranged a special dinner at a Lebanese restaurant in Central London. Tash asked me one day what kind of food I liked best. Sule gave her the answer Lebanese or African - just knew her the selected choice would be Leb food.

It's good to have something one hasn't eaten for some time. My sister was as pleased as I was. Don't think either of us has eaten Lebanese cuisine since relocating back from Africa.

What is it about families taking about old times. When the Arabic dancer started, Sis just had to tell Tash about my winning an Arabic dancing competition when I was younger. God! just thinking about it makes me cringe - my gesticulating the hips with a scarf around the the backside. I've always been able to dance but that day I won with a standing ovation, I was speechless because I was the only non Arabic dancer.

Sunday was also fun. Least Sule came and picked up his brother and took sis to the station. Well another birthday over for this year.