IT'S ABOUT THE SMALL THINGS AND OF COURSE, THE BIG THINGS TOO.

Sometime last week, I woke up, went downstairs and found a piece of fresh cream flan on the table. Believe me, fresh cream flan is honestly something to die for. Next to the flan was a box of chocolates and a card. There was a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

It's all about the small things. And of course the big things too.

Not only that, it is also in the appreciation of both. The same person can cook a meal or lasso the moon , but if we fail to appreciate, we are never happy. I have met people who are happy over little and I have met those who are perpetually unhappy everyday.The land of content is also the land of discontent. It is our choice where we want to live.

I thought about the many birthdays before and where they were spent.

2011: Cobh. 2012: Dublin  2013: Edinburgh  2014: Clare  2015: Limerick 2016: Clare
2017: Belarus 2018:Kuala Lumpur 2019: Piper's Inn. 2020: Lockdown

Different places, different experiences. But one thing remained constant. I knew I was loved.



So since we couldn't go out gallivanting this year, we went to the room outside. And I looked at the shed at the end of the garden.

Me: Would be nice if it has a new coat of paint.
Him: It would only get dirty again.
Me: We make our beds every morning though we mess them up again at night.

Then I went up to the room to do some reading and when I looked out of the window I saw him painting the shed so I went back to the room outside.

Me: Aha! That's a lovely colour.
Him: Anything for a quiet life.

Immediately, my creative juices flowed. I took a pre-cut plywood square, (I collect a lot of different raw materials) painted it and spent the whole of my birthday creating a piece of mosaic art , surprising myself even, because I normally take a few days to finish a mosaic project. The mosaic art hung nicely on the exterior wall of the shed which indeed had a new lease of life.

The thing is if he had not painted the wall, she would not have made the mosaic. Teamwork makes a dream work. And that's a really lovely thing to accomplish in just one day and on my birthday.

With tummies rumbling, we settled for a takeaway, the safest thing to do in this situation. River Spice, an indian takeaway opposite my house dished out a mean prawn curry with a piping hot cheese naan, papadam and tomato chutney on the side. To me, this delectable spread could rival any Michelin star restaurant.

Would I have wanted my birthday spent in any other way this year? No.

My friend texted me : Happy Birthday to you. Should ask gold from him.

I said: He is gold.