A really big birthday

We dined in at the hotel last night and had an excellent meal. Beforehand, Clare found the shower thermostat wasn't working, so she complained. While we were eating a plumber arrived and fixed the problem. We were treated to a complimentary bottle of Chilean Merlot on the house! Our day started with a generous breakfast, and a walk on the beach in the wind, before getting ready for the birthday lunch. Owain arrived, then Kath, Anto and Rhiannon separately, and all checked into their rooms just as Pauline and her offspring arrived and started greeting their guests. Altogether we were three tables of ten - one for her immediate family, another for friends, and yet another for cousins. Dianne and Ian, Guy and Pam, Clare and I, plus our brood.

It was a delightful celebration, a time for reminiscence and catch-up, Pauline gave a little speech and cut the cake, and all partook of an excellent buffet lunch. By tea-time, everyone had departed, so we that remained for a night together at the hotel went out for another walk in the wind up the beach and back. Then, Clare, Kath and Owain went for a swim in the hotel pool, and Anto spent some time in the sauna, I just went to bed to recuperate. It wasn't so much the physical exercise that seemed to drain me, but several hours of socialising, reaching out to people, to an extent that I have been unable to for many months. I'm fine with familiar routine social interaction at church, but none last quite as long as this party, I guess. We all had supper together at eight, and by ten I headed off for bed, leaving the others chatting and drinking.

It was a lovely day, and it was great to see my eldest sister in such good form, sharp and engaging well with others at four score years and ten, despite inevitable physical frailty. Since Geoff died she has been contemplating moving to sheltered accommodation to be near daughter Nicky. Now she has decided to take the house off the market, and stay put until she cannot manage on her own and needs a nursing home. She has helpful friendly neighbours, a taxi service when needed, and Nicky orders for her all she needs on-line and has it delivered. It's the place she's lived longest in her life, and her family, although dispersed, keep in touch. Who needs all that disruption and re-adjustment at her age?