Married to an older man ...

So David is officially old, given he had his 70th birthday on Wednesday 17th, and is now into his eighth decade. Who would have thought way back in 1973 when we first got together that we'd still be married all these years later?

So here is the birthday card I gave him.

And here's wot I writ inside it.

And even though it was his birthday, he got up and made the cup of tea. In part that was because we were leaving at 6am to get a head start on the rush hour traffic into town for an eye check up. But even so, it is one of the reasons I keep him on ...

Almost every year for about the last 20, David has said to me before his birthday that he doesn't want a present. Most years I ignore that and buy him something. Some years I have taken him at his word. BAD mistake, because then what happens is that a couple of months later he remarks that as I didn't get him anything for his birthday, he'd now like this or that technology gizmo, and because he is persuasive (read 'nags and nags and nags and nags') I end up getting him said gizmo.

This year I am not falling for that old chestnut. So this year I gave him a box to open. I said that the contents were not his present, unless he informed me in the next few months that I hadn't got him a present, in which case the contents of the box will be deemed to be his present and he can stop thinking he's getting anything else. If he doesn't decide there's something he really would like for his birthday, then the box contents are not his present.

He seemed to understand the concept, but we shall see.

Anyway, whether they are his presents or not, they did make him laugh.

I read about this game on a blog written by a man whose name I cannot remember but his boat is called Independence. He talked about pub games and this was one of them. I had never heard of it, but I found it and ordered it immediately. I think it is going to be fun ...

And here is the legend for scoring throws. I foresee much hilarity on the boat. Probably as much as when he and I played Battleships and he put his ships on the grid in the lid and wondered why the pegs (that marked my hits on his ships) fell out ...

This apparently also an old pub game. It'll also be a winner with the grandsons.

But this is my favourite!! Obviously an outside game, so to be played on the towpath. David is keen that I have first go. I don't mind getting drenched with cold water (in fact it is a positive boon in the hot weather), so I'll be keen. I anticipate much yelling and shrieking when David or the grandsons get doused.

We had our friend Lynne staying with us and I had told David that the three of us would have a quiet dinner up at the local Cambodian restaurant. He was very happy with that.

So at the appointed time, off we went all set to walk up; but John from next door was heading that way so dropped us off nearby. Along the main street we walked with David making a bee-line for the restaurant. In we go, and there is a table set up for 16 people, and David commented, as we sat at a table for three, that it is a good thing we arrived early, before that crowd gets in.

And then the crowd starts to arrive, and it's all people he knows. In fact it's all good friends of ours. In fact they are all there for his birthday.

He was delighted. But what did he say to me? "This is a lovely surprise, Marilyn. But you are a bitch." I think he meant that I was a bitch for being able to keep it secret. But as most people who know David can tell you, he is oblivious to most clues ...

Down the RHS of the table were Ted, Derek, Gary (obscured), Lynne and Joy B. Down the LHS are Peter, David, and Joy K (both obscured) and me standing, Autry and at the end, Grahame.

At the far end you can see Simon, but Jane and Warren are out of view behind Gary. I am standing talking to Joy K and David is tidying his place setting ...

He does look happy. but I think he's making sure I am not going to do a judo choke hold on him as I have done in the past ...

All in all, a good birthday. I did have to go down to the bottlestore to buy a chardonnay - we took a bottle of bubbles, but it would have looked suspicious carrying two bottles from home, given there were only two of the three originals who actually imbibe ... It was a struggle, but I did manage to complete the chardonnay consumption before we left. Well, it was yummy, which helped me worry it down.