Birthday season

As we make our way to the Pub, I'm struck by the fact we're well & truly in yellow season. The gardens & hedgerows abound with yellow flowers - daffodils & narcissi, forsythia, dandelions & celandines. It always amazes me how all the flowers of the same colour seem to dominate this time of year. And also by how joyous & cheerful they look.

Yesterday was birthday party day at Geriatrics' Corner. In fact there are 2 birthdays, Fran & Paul. With all the celebration it makes it a very jolly occasion & a better than usual turn-out.

Paul is a younger member of our group, a bit on the periphery at the moment. He's reached the advanced age of 54, still working. All the family have taken the day off work to celebrate his birthday. So here are Judith, his wife, a librarian, & his two sons, Sam & Joe. We know Joe better. He used to work as a barman at the Pub when he was at university. He graduated last summer. Sam is a little older. He's off to the Far East soon for a year, starting in Singapore, then going on to Thailand for a month before going on to Australia. They make such a nice family group. All happy chatting to each other & enjoying each other's company.

Fran is the older of the birthday pair. She's in her 70s & grows younger in some ways every day. Such a kind & generous person. She's suggested she'll give us a ring some time next week & arrange a time for lunch out at the golf club. She & Den are both members so they can sign us in. We've never been before so it will be interesting to see. We've no intention of taking up golf but the golf club is one of the important social hubs in the area, with lots going on, so we're curious to see.

Fran still badly misses her husband, Harry, who died a few years ago. Den is her lodger & very good friend. Harry knew Den through the steam traction engine club - they both enjoyed playing around with these overgrown toys. So when Den got divorced, & was left homeless & broke as a result of the settlement, Harry suggested Den came to stay with them. There he's stayed for 20 odd years & become part of the family. Now that Harry is no more, Den has been an invaluable support for Fran. I'm not sure how she would cope without him.