Octo-birthday
(Anna and I out having birthday fun: Edinburgh, Scotland)
As I become older, I find the fun of birthdays doesn’t really diminish in the way I anticipated. A dissolving sense of fun appears to be felt by parents at Christmas and birthdays, but whilst they have lost some of their magic and intrigue, plus an element of long anticipation, the two celebrations are no less fun and enjoyable for me than they have ever been. Hence, I didn’t look forward to my birthday this year with much expectation, but it didn’t disappoint – it was, as ever, filled with unanticipated perks and surprises. Robbie’s party seamlessly merged into a joint one at some point during the proceedings and I spent yesterday almost constantly in the company of other people which I love. I find freelance illustration can be quite a lonely calling, so as a very social creature, I struggle sometimes.
Anna and I donned party hats on the bus into Edinburgh and I moved my new brooch onto my jacket. Anna lovingly created an octopus holding a yellow balloon in felt. He’s visible in the right hand image – a nice touch were his seventh and eighth tentacles which lost out in the fight for space, but are stitched on as a secondary later behind the first six. His bulbous head and chubby tentacles make me grin every time I notice him on my coat, the balloon too is tied slightly too tight around what must be called his wrist and it is doubly endearing. The three hour choir rehearsal too was punctuated with cake and topical songs, courtesy of all the lovely choir members so even hard work yesterday was made easy. By the way, to everybody – thanks for all the birthday wishes – they topped my birthday off and made the day just wonderful.
– Today Rosie is charging around with her mother in Glasgow, Scotland –
