Round we go AGAIN

Michèle revels in the joys and comforts of celebrating her birthday

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I'm having another birthday and I'm the first awake, lying in bed listening to the birds outside my window, feeling little puffs of crisp winter air on my face.

I realise, with a grin, how much this is like the first birthday mornings I remember. In fact, I'm tucked up under the same wool blankets we had back then - soft yellow and mint checks, a Pania of the Reef label stitched on the corner. Which makes it easy to slip back in time, and remember the girl, and imagine for a moment I am still her.

Now, though, in the room next door, my daughter and granddaughter are sleeping. I saw their two little dark heads on their pillows as I snuck by earlier to put the kettle on. They arrived last night to spend the day with me. There will be shopping and lunch, and a dinner later with my husband.