Out of Cyprus: my 50th birthday

The main reason that we are in the UK rather than Cyprus at present is that it's my 50th birthday today. I didn't want to do anything much to celebrate, other than to be with my sons. Tim wasn't going to be able to come to Cyprus, since Easter was early and his university term started a week ago, and although Daniel was intending to fly out on the 19th, he would not have been able to in the event, due to the volcanic ash from Iceland.

So, instead, Richard and I are here in England. And today is the big day. Do I feel any older? Not really... I expect I will always be about 26 on the inside.

I had several cards to open including this delightful one of a cat:

Daniel, ever creative, had produced this strangely shaped gift for me:

He had also made me a flat-pack birthday card which I had to assemble (not very complicated but rather clever):

The inside of the oddly shaped parcel from him and Becky turned out to be a chocolate orange, which I shall enjoy very much, and also some bottles of bubble mixture, which Dan said were for me to share with my youngest best friend in Cyprus...


Daniel and Becky then showered me gently with bubbles for a few minutes...


My brother and his wife were here at the weekend, and had left me a large parcel which turned out to be several books from my wishlist:

Tim had bought me a webcam (rather better than the ultra-cheap one we had already, which doesn't really work) and a mouse, since my one in Cyprus is partly broken.


Tim had also agreed to bake me a cake. He asked Daniel to cut out a circle of waxed paper for the bottom of the tin, which Daniel did with great care:

Richard had to pop out for another meeting, so Becky and Daniel taught me to play the two-player Settlers of Catan card game. Tim was very interested and helped me... I was a little bewildered by the complexity, but still managed to win. There's a lot of luck in it.

We decided that one candle was sufficient to represent my 50 years:

Although my sons are rather over-protective and don't like me to use large sharp knives, Tim did say I could use his chopping knife to cut the cake, so long as I was careful. Daniel then took this photo which he said made me look rather sinister...

I cut up half the cake, which we enjoyed very much. And because it was still slightly warm, and because Daniel thought a second piece would be rather nice, I then cut up the rest of it and we ate that too.

And Daniel, who is an expert in taking unflattering photos, caught me enjoying my cake...

Tim asked me what I wanted to do in the afternoon, and I said I'd like first of all to check my email and then catch up with blogging. So that's what I've been doing for the past hour and a half.

This evening we're going out for a meal, and the rest of the week will be quite busy with visiting other friends and relatives so I may not get another chance to write until we get back to Cyprus - which, volcano permitting, should be in eight days time.