Wednesday 2 October 2013

Birthday conversations


A conversation with the middle boy, a couple days ago, during a brief passing phase of kangaroo interest.

Him:  Mum, what do you like doing best?

Me:    Spending time with you baby.    Pause

Him:   What's your favourite hobby?  Well, it doesn't have to be your favourite, but what do you like to do?

Me:    Hmm.  Well I quite like taking photos.    Pause

Him:   What's your favourite animal?

Me:    I think it's a pony.  No, no it's a horse.  I'm picking horse.   Pause

Him:   Do you like kangaroos?

Me:    I do as it happens, I really like kangaroos.

To be fair, he did put a picture of me with a camera on the back of the card.

After school today I had the following conversation with the biggest boy.

Him:  What did you do today on your birthday?

Me:   Well after I took you to school, I washed up, did some washing and hung it out to dry, I hoovered, dusted and washed the kitchen floor, I fed the guinea pigs, did some cooking, changed a bed or two, cleaned out the guinea pigs and put the washing away.  It was a really special day.  Long pause.

Him:   Are you being sarcastic?

Well, maybe a little.  But I did have a wonderful long phone conversation with a friend who lives in Jamaica now.  The kind of conversation with the kind of friend that makes you feel that everything will be okay, that there is someone on your side, someone who understands, who makes you feel that you can take on the world, and that the world is a wonderful place.

One year older.  Probably none the wiser.  Pressing on regardless.

30 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday! You share a birthday with my husband!

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    1. Also Sting and Mahatma Ghandi I think! We're in good company.

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  2. Hope you did have a special day. Only one per year. Although they seem to come round so quickly now I'm beginning to wonder. Take care x

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  3. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! The card and the conversation? Now that's the gift of laughter. I'm glad you had a pleasant day and had time to talk with a friend. Sometimes chatting things over with friends makes your troubles seem much smaller I think.

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    1. Thank you Devon. They do make me laugh, every day without fail. And you are right about chatting with a friend, it really does make things seem better.

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  4. Happy birthday, my friend. What a lovely story. I think that's a really good kangaroo, by the way. I'm glad you had a nice conversation with your friend.

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    1. Thanks Jennifer, for your birthday wishes and also for the kangaroo compliment, he will be thrilled!

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  5. Happy birthday - glad you had a great day!!!

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  6. Happy belated birthday. Wonderful cards.

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  7. Happy birthday, CJ. What wonderful cards. Have you any special plans? I am yet to celebrate my 40th - I'd just had Olly so wasn't in a fit state to celebrate. I am owed a party...

    Leanne xx

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    1. Thank you Leanne. No special plans, but it's the eldest's tenth birthday this week, so we will do a little bowling, have a pizza and at the weekend go to a bird of prey centre. You are indeed owed a party, don't let it slide!

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  8. You have a lovely blog! Thank you for stopping by at my corner of the internet too. I too love fruit and veggies and we had a lovely winter veg garden but I was baaaad at remembering to cook with all the fresh veg and now some of my veggies (especially the radish) are overgrown. We have two fig trees but the figs are full of paracites. We enjoyed pecan nuts and avocados though!

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  9. Happy birthday - what's left if it! Hope a late surprise came your way!

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  10. A belated Happy Birthday! Love the conversations and the cards. x

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  11. Happy, if somewhat belated, birthday! I hope that you had a lovely day. Flighty xx

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  12. Aww, love it. These are the conversations that you'll treasure when your boys get older. (I still have the notes my son wrote me when he was little!) I especially love the conversation that you had with the eldest, so funny! Thanks for sharing, CJ and I hope you had a wonderful day, despite the household chores! Caro x

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    1. You're right, I do treasure these little conversations. And it was a good day, all in all.

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  13. A belated Happy Birthday! I love the cards and I'm glad you caught up with a good friend.

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  14. A very happy, if belated, Happy Birthday xxx

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