2 Birthdays and a Funeral - what a week

A week of many contrasts is coming to a close. Maybe as today, being the very last day I'll be 46 on this earth, I'm reminiscing, or is it because it has been a surreal week.

It all began last Sunday. Julie had her Birthday, she's a fellow Aries. Though as she says to me she has some non fire signs in her birth chart so this makes her a well rounded and likable person, whereas I am fire signs throughout my birth chart, which makes me an intimidating uncontrollable Aries man apparently (my interpretation of her explanation of my birthchart). I can agree with the former, she is a wonderfully well rounded person, especially after agreeing to the surprise birthday treat I'd planned for her on Sunday...........

..... no not the opening of a bottle of fizzy alcoholic beverage.... complete with artistically framed washing billowing in the background....... no..........

............. helping me build a shed I'd had delivered during the week (that's me by the way, not George Clooney, an easy enough mistake I know)

So after a hearty Birthday breakfast of 1 and a half slices of toast, marmalade and a coffee, we set to. First of all we needed to clear the area the shed was going to be erected on......

........... then we set to with a vigour and a vengeance positioning the base. This was crucial. Should the doors face east, west, north, south. Discussions emanated from the garden and eventually a decision was reached, south..... which was good as north or west would mean looking at a wall or a fence.

There you go, the fruits of an hour's work, one shed base in-situ

Needing a rest after all that activity and brain work, I went for a lie down and left Julie to make a start of the building. Within an hour, after I'd had my nap and a cup of tea, I popped out to see her and she did seem to be enjoying her birthday enormously... and doing well, a bit too well with that drill I think..... should I be worried?

So I thought I'd better come out and lend a hand with my trusty hammer............. mind you I wouldn't like to meet this chap in a darkened alley would you!

....... but soon then it was on with the roofing felt, job almost done .........

........ before a well earned cup of tea in our new shed cum summer house!!

Which was immediately inspected by my resident Collared Dove, who is very tame and wandered about the roof while I was still faffing about fitting locks and bolts. They may be common, but I do like these birds, good fun to watch.

So that was Sunday. Tuesday saw me at Yeovil Crematorium for Thelma's funeral. Quite a traumatic day for me but I'm glad I made the effort to go, it's always good to say goodbye in such circumstances. I hope now after her 7 years of suffering with horrid cancer, she is finally resting, and probably laughing too, as I was when I entered the Crematorium and they were playing 'Hot Legs' by Rod Stewart, that really summed up Thelma wonderfully well. Life, Vitality and Fun.

After the funeral I made my excuses and was going to come home but we never know how we react to such things after the event, suddenly I needed someone to be with, so in the late afternoon I drove over to Julies. She said, you need a treat so I'm going to take you out for a meal and off we pootled to The Seven Stars in a tiny hamlet in the Vale of Pewsey called Bottlesford.

We had a fabulous meal there prepared specially by Mr Regan the chef in charge. Apparently the menu was changing the next day and his vegetarian options were limited, so for Julie he prepared a lovely leek and goats cheese gratin. And for me? bangers and mash, which was a great end to a difficult day.

And tomorrow it is my Birthday, yes an April Fool. I've nothing planned, but looking forward to being 47!