Today was Ray's birthday, it was also Daycare, Craft group afternoon but not Lions Dinner night so Trev and I took him out to dinner tonight instead. Of course because we were all out today we missed the birthday phone calls but I am sure some of the callers will ring again later in the week.

Ray seemed quite pleased with all the fuss. The first greetings were by phone just as we were finishing breakfast. His sister Judy rang just as Jeff the shower nurse came in the front door. Jeff was more than happy to wait while Ray talked to his sister. She and her husband have been travelling through the warmer north during winter but are now back home in southern Queensland to get their gardens in order etc. A lot of retired Aussies do that, travel north into warmer climates for winter.

Through the day, while we were out, his two brothers and a couple of friends rang him. I don't kow what happened at Daycare but the craft ladies certainly made a fuss of him this afternoon giving him the largest slice of cake etc. There was a special sponge cake filled with jam and cream and iced in blue and once he had blown out the candles the ladies sang "Happy Birthday" to him, twice! the second time because two extra ladies wanted to sing it as they were out of the room the first time!

Trev and Ray and I went to our local club for dinner. Ray and I often share a seafood basket, it is a large serving and as Ray only has a small appetite now I dish him up what he says is a good serving and eat the rest myself. There is never any left! Trev had a steak dish and seemed to enjoy it. I think he is past the stage when he doesn't want to be seen out with his parents and is happy to help me take Ray places I wouldn't necessarily take him on my own.

Our other son rang just as we got home and wished Ray a Happy Birthday, we had also missed two more calls. Ray also got some cards so did very well this year. Some years hardly anyone has remembered so it is good when people do remember and make an effort. Of course there was also another cake as he had to have another opportunity to blow out the candle and have another large slice. White chocolate mud cake this time...sugar high coming up!

I saw my mum this morning but she was sound asleep and didn't wake in the twenty minutes or so I was there. I took another sweater for her and some blush pink nail polish for the girls to use while they are doing beauty care. They do make an effort to make the ladies look nice. Of course dementia patients often have strange haircuts as they won't sit still for very long! But I've noticed the girls do make an effort to color co-ordinate and keep them looking neat and tidy.

I also stopped by and saw an older friend to catch up on some of her news. Mostly bad of course as it is when all your old friends and closer relatives are dying of various ailments. But her funny news was all about her two little great grandsons as she minds them three mornings a week between the time when her grandaughter goes off to work and they go to pre-school. She had a very funny story about getting stuck on the side of a steep hill with one of them hanging out the front of a three wheeled stroller and how an elderly gentleman came to her rescue. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers ( and a sense of humour).

So today was a good day, and we all need those don't we?