The 3 day event……..

Today, 17th September, my lovely nanna would have been 95! I know its a stupid thing to say , being that she passed away 23 years ago this December but please let me explain……. My middle sister, the most beautiful Maxine, celebrated her birthday yesterday. 3 years younger than me, she is lovely, a mum of three and a granny to Lily May (almost 2) and remains one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.

Our Nanna, Christina (Chrissie to her hundreds of friends), celebrated her birthday on the 17th – and my birthday is tomorrow. At the age where birthdays only matter because:

a) I’m still here and healthy/happy

b) I like to pull Tonys leg about getting flowers

c) Mainly, I like to think of being a child and having the “3 day event” which our nanna always made for us at birthday time.

When Max and I were little, Nanna would prepare a huge birthday celebration which was held in her house in Hebburn. She’d bake, Mum would get a pretty cake and they’d both hide threepences in scones and make up games for us to play. Max, having the earliest birthday always seemed to me to have the best time: Nannas celebration included singing and piano playing – and if we were very lucky, our “very naughty” Auntie Katie, sister of Nanna and teller of very colourful tales, would come to stay………..By my birthday, on the 18th, the good things seemed to have been done and mine always felt lovely but a little tired – or maybe that was just the oldies trying to keep up with us!

With a year to go before my half century, the happiest birthday memories are routed in Nannas house and I’ve been “visiting there” all day in my thoughts, as you do.

Happy birthday to Maxine and wonderful year ahead. Happy birthday to everyone born or celebrating today, 17th – and a wish to tomorrow too, not for me but for my wonderful friend Vanessa who shares the date and for Nicholas, aged 5, who is a local Peyia boy and very , very handsome! – and for anyone celebrating the day of their birth. I hope they have a loving Nanna to share it with them!

Its only numbers but its also happy memories! Here’s to making many, many more!