The last few weeks seem to have had a quickening pace.  Gradually, the easing of lockdown is formally (within the rules) and informally (just beyond the margins of the rules) opening up more social contact.  Spring is moving on apace and the garden is requiring increasing amounts of attention.  Our local climate action group has become more active and more of a time-suck.  And it has been my birthday!

My birthday week – and it did feel like the celebration was spread over a week – was full of lovely activities and moments. 

Youngest Son (YS) came to visit with his partner for a few days on his way to a video shoot in London.  Middle Son (MS) and his partner, living temporarily out of London and renting our ‘Tin House’ in a nearby village, came over to help celebrate, help YS get games started (he does love his Monopoly Deal!) and enjoy the birthday food and drinks.  On the day itself, Long-Suffering Wife’s younger brother, his wife and youngest daughter came over for dinner; we haven’t had so many in our house at one time for well over a year and it was great fun.

Even the (birthday) walks in the local countryside felt special in that week.  We were joined on one of those walks by one of YS’s best friends and, so, one of ours.  He is an Australian rather stranded in London by the pandemic but as upbeat and entertaining as ever.  Stumbling through playing a Pub Quiz and then walking back through bluebell woods with him, YS and his girlfriend before collapsing in front of a cheesy film on the television, will be a lasting memory. 

To crown the week, my football team, Forest Green Rovers, won their final game of the league season to qualify for the promotion playoffs.  The last few months have been a struggle for the team but anything could happen over the next two or (if we get to the Wembley final) three games.  Next week will be tense.

Even better, now the relative excitement of my birthday week has passed, is that there is a far more important birthday to come.  I could mean LSW’s in June but actually it is the real birthday of a grandchild!  If all goes to plan, I will be a Grandad by November. 

I’m so thrilled by the prospect and another lasting memory will be Eldest Son (ES) and his partner telling us on a Zoom call.  I shall also always cherish the recording of ES separately telling his brothers – that interaction was both funny and very moving as it captured the emotions of the moment between siblings so wonderfully.

ES and his partners’ joyful news has heightened our excitement around our upcoming trip to Edinburgh to stay with them for a few days.  We can’t wait to see their new flat there and how they live (while recognising that the latter will be rather disrupted later this year!) 

Life seems to be accelerating again and I just hope the coronavirus variants don’t slow life down again before we get to Edinburgh.