I came downstairs this morning to a heap of lovely email.

 

 

So many friends remembered my birthday, I spent most of the morning emailing my thanks, replying to sweet Facebook greetings, talking to family and friends on the phone and opening presents.  I had cards from some of my oldest friends, women with whom I grew up, went to Brownies and shared so many happy days.  How lovely to hear from them still.

 

 

I had a lovely collection of parcels to open including a couple of interesting books.  One is particularly apt.  It’s a beauty and the perfect antidote to those pictures of perfect studios.  I mean, who couldn’t love a book which celebrates images like this one?  I’m looking forward to sitting down and reading through it page by page, rather than just dipping into it as I have done so far.

 

 

This one’s an interesting book, too, and definitely one to spend time with.  I’m not sure about some of the animal images, but there are some fascinating concepts in there.

 

 

So, I’d opened cards and replied to emails.  I’d read the paper and spent the morning being busy but doing nothing when there was a knock at the door.  A HUGE parcel arrived!

 

 

My hero had ordered a rocking chair for me!  Not an old lady rocking chair though, but a super cool Eames rocking chair which we’ve both coveted for a while – but guess who’ll get first dibs on sitting in it?    Love it – and I was given the perfect “dove grey book” to read whilst I try it out, too.

 

 

Then, just when I thought all surprises were done for today, a young man arrived in an Interflora van with a gorgeous bouquet of orchids from Tra – a real sense of Asia on a wild and woolly Autumn day.  I’ve put them on the kitchen windowsill in the hope that some of that oriental heat will miraculously radiate from those stunning pink petals. 

What fun it is celebrating being just one day older than I was yesterday!