The best surprises come in big packages

I would say that, as happens every year, my birthday was a day best forgotten if it wasn’t for two of the best presents a girl could get. After having spent most of it either trying to fix little problems before they became big ones or in the dentist’s chair, I was in a less than genial mood until Denis appeared with a gorgeous lamp. He knew how much I loved Jonathan’s works of art and this one is particularly stunning. Mind you, I did tell D off because I know how much it costs. My living area is now adorned with three of Jonathan’s creations as well as most of the furniture from the freshly painted but still needing a new floor spare room.

Denis will forgive me for saying that his lovely gift wasn’t as special as the one that came a few days later. There was I, standing in the kitchen talking to Mumo about munchies for the guests coming over for aperos – our new neighbours had just moved in and I wanted to introduce them to the other Rouffiac ‘Brits’. Anyway, as we were fussing about fancy foods we could feed vegetarians and that Denis wasn’t coming as he had a cold, big brother Simon charged through the front door with a huge bag of bread. It was odd as I don’t eat bread and Mumo rarely has more than one slice but I didn’t have chance to say so as he shot back out again muttering something about baggage. Well, he had just come back from spending a week in New York celebrating my brother-in-law’s 60th but he did seem more than a little flustered. And then the front door opened again and as I turned round to ask my brother what the rush was, Callum was standing in the hallway. “Happy birthday Mum”. I think you can imagine the look on my face.

I know it’ll take him a few days to recover from the long flight especially as he suffers from stomach-emptying air sickness but I am one hell of a happy Mum. At least he’ll have a couple of months here before he has to make the return trip Down Under via the UK to see Jenny, my mother-in-law. Even though we speak virtually every week, I haven’t seen my man-child in almost 2 years and the change in him is incredible. The Callum that left back in 2021 was a shy, introverted character but the one that’s currently cleaning up the workshop is now an outgoing, confident and may I say it, a strapping young man. I’m so proud of him. He’s yet to catch up with Denis as my other favourite man wants to be rid of the sniffles before he pops over but there will be plenty of time for that what with plans for mushroom hunting, fishing and finishing D’s to-do lists around the property. Did I say I was a very happy girl right now?…

“The most important thing a man can know is that, as he approaches his own door, someone on the other side is listening for the sound of his footsteps.” (Clark Gable)