Birthdays

The secret to a happy birthday is to arrange the celebration yourself without waiting, often in vain, for someone to do that for you. Friends and family are keen to participate and will go to great lengths to make the celebration a success but the initiative remains yours.

This year I chose to have an early morning coffee and croissants get together for my friends. My daughter and grandchildren stopped over on their way for a country weekend. Ruth brought a red velvet cake and cupcakes. I ordered plain, almond and chocolate croissants from the excellent fresh bakery at Woolies.

Plump strawberries caught my eye as I entered the store and were the perfect accompaniment to the pastries. A selection of jams and cheese rounded off the menu.

We chatted till lunch time.  The evening was special. Friends invited me out to a dinner/chamber concert at a restaurant. Spicy butternut soup, grilled chicken breasts with spinach filled on a bed of garlic mashed potato, macaroons and coffee interspersed with Schubert, Hadyn and Khachaturian played on clarinet, piano, cello and violin were delicious to the ear and the tastebuds.

 An aside on aging:  the members of the quartet were so young, vibrant and enthusiastic. Their journey is beginning. A day after my birthday a forty-something friend commented to me, “I enjoyed your party. But your friends – they are soooo old! When I got home, I felt good. I realised how young I am!”  

Just a few of us oldies!