21.Birthday

Last summer at the start of my U3A course on Herod I had mentioned that I usually read from the script of my text during my slide talks. Actually, I do try to formulate it, and to present it, as a 'live' spoken text, with added incidental humorous remarks - often based on contemporary news of our political liars and clowns.
On a previous occasion - at Madingley - my habit of reading from the script had been commented on: they clearly liked their tutors to be word-perfect. So I explained to my U3A group, 'That at the age of 83, I could not remember it all without referring to my notes...'

During the next interval, a couple of my students came to compliment me on my impressive youthful appearance 'at your age of 83'. So in the following talk I had to confess, that I was really only 74...

So this year, our daughters decided that we should have a proper celebration of my three quarters century. I had two requests: roast duck, and some home-made music. We agreed to assemble at Heather's flat, because there is a tested and approved Chinese take-away nearby, and also to save on the traveling distance for Daphne's crowd.
Ruth was in London for the weekend, and Andy came specially from Leamington. Only David was missing.

A few days beforehand I emailed them as follows:

Dear All,

I have just been contacted by the duck, whose turn it is to be roasted for Saturday.

She sounded extremely upset.
As far as I could understand (and I do not speak Mandarin well, my language is more Grapefruit) - she feels that our occasion is not worthy of her sacrifice; that it is an unlucky date; that she will miss her swimming, etc etc.

I suggest that we ignore the silly goose - but don't tell her that I said so.
She is attempting to avoid her destiny!

In the event, the food was delicious, although the bird did not say anything: remember the joke? Daphne had brought a yummy orange cake, and the Perrys' card illustrated an elderly man instructing his tattoo artist: 'I just want my address, my pin numbers, and oh yes - my name'. Heather had found a card showing Les Dawson reporting his doctor's advice for persistent wind: he gave him a kite.

Then it was time for music. They got out their recorders and played some old time duets and trios. It was very enjoyable, although some of it sounded quite shrill. I suspect that the sound actually drove Andy away, although he is actually quite busy at the moment.

Ruth drove us back home, prior to her class reunion - as reported in her own blog.
As we used to write in our school reports: We returned home tired but satisfied.

Hugh had phoned to wish me happy birthday. We do admire the devoted way he looks after Bernadette. And Oded & Adi phoned from Israel. [ I added this fact during editing, when I had remembered...]
A recorded telephone birthday message awaited us from Ehud Netzer in Jerusalem: he keeps a data record, and we do keep in touch - since our primary school days together in Jerusalem. There was also an email congratulation from David Roskin and his clan: another well organized relative - unlike me: I had accidentally deleted his email - unread and and unanswered! Luckily I found it again over a fortnight later and thanked them. I often quote David's explanation for the dinosaurs, millions of years old, when according to the Bible the world was created less than 6,000 years ago: the dinosaurs were created old.

Maybe I was created old too?