67 and my birthday day 23 June 2023

I cant believe I am 67 .Dont laugh, it comes to us all if we are lucky. We are not big birthday people . Sometimes I have thrown a party when it is Jacks, but it is just like have a wake and have a do when the ferret dies - an excuse to have a get together. When I was small my birthday was often postponed as it was "right good" hay making weather and it was more important to get the hay in than it was to do anything for my birthday. And I was so proud to be able to go to school and tell the teacher that . Most children would think I was mad, but born and bred on a farm these things are so important .Nothing stops if the weather is good. My Dad was the cake icer of the family. I had cakes baked by my mother, but iced by my dad - a goldfish one year, a pony another. As those of you who know me well I am far from high maintenance much to Jacks relief .I cut my own hair with the kitchen scissors ,my finger nails dont know what a manicure is. I am sure when I used to lamb a lot of sheep they would have been very pleased I had very short finger nails. They say it takes all sorts to make a world and it is so true. I couldnt think of anything worse than having to glue fake bits and pieces on here and there .Daub lots of stuff on my face to try to make myself look younger when it doesn't kid anyone. May I should be glad I am happy in my own skin. As you can see I have grown over the years some say it is contentment ,I say it is due to me eating too much. I love good food and where better to go than the Star at Harome for a birthday lunch . Who better to go with than with Jack. So my day was completely wonderful . We had a table booked at the Star for 12noon and after seeing all the choices of food on the menu I opted for the market menu so I didnt have to think - how laid back was that. I thought it was very reasonable and good value for £30. 3 courses but then the 3 courses split into more as we got a wonderful bread platter maybe due to Jack eating from the main menu ,a surprise extra pudding. Thento top it off a Happy Birthday plate and a candle .And the hoarder that I am , I blew it out and brought it home . It is a memory and I love making memories. The Star holds so many memories for me and continues to make them . We left home at 11.30am and were back by 2pm to settle down to watch Ascot racing. Talk about a chilled out day, no hassle and feeling very loved by a lot of people, friends, family, Andrew Pern and his Team at the Star and of course Jack, who sees me all the times,day in ,day out when days are not as laid back as this was. I was reading through an old diary back from 1995 today which I came across, when I was looking for something else and seeing what I had written on "this day ' years ago I had written 'Jack is so kind to me, I am very lucky, he always "has my back". So true those words are still today. I am very lucky. And lastly these two little lambs with their mother were born on my birthday -we have finished lambing for thsi year ! —

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