I like birthdays!

I am now officially an OAP, and am eagerly awaiting my first National Super payment (due on 15th Dec). Not sure what I will spend the new riches on, but am not setting my sights too high, given it's not a huge amount ...

On Friday, my actual birthday, we had a great party here at Cafe Rata, where the guests brought along most of the food and most of the drink. A number of them also brought presents, which was not expected but a lovely surprise. I received some lovely plants for the garden, some very yummy chocolates, and an Aynsley cup, saucer and plate. I am a collector of such china and have managed to squeeze this one into one of the three china cabinets ...

David organised a cake from a local bakery. For non-NZers' edification: Winston Peters is an MP here who some years ago introduced the Gold Card for superannuitants - free public transport (within limits) and discounted services and goods that suppliers could offer.

By my birthday, my Gold Card hadn't arrived, so David had the cake decorated appropriately for me. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that my card may have arrived earlier in the week but he secreted it away to make the cake more apposite. I will have to torture him with the threat of cold water to discover the truth!

Blowing out the candles - lucky for David that he didn't use 65 of them ... As it was he knew we had candles somewhere but he couldn't very well scour the kitchen without my getting suspicious, so John and Jenny from next door provided the firepower. You will note, I know, that my chardonnay was not far away, in case of flames erupting uncontrollably of course!

As I said, the party was great - lots of fab friends came to help celebrate my coming of age, i.e. pension age. Champagne cocktails, chardonnay and a couple of large glasses of water before I went to bed at 1am. I'd have to confess to feeling a bit tired yesterday afternoon, but of course pensioners are allowed nana naps ...

And my Gold Card turned up yesterday - suspicious timing, or what?!!