More birthday business

Up feeling slightly fragile after a lively night yesterday. Off on the bus to Hove to see Rosie my near astrological twin, plus one day and a truckload of years, whose birthday is today. Innis, Eve, Emily and Tim, Phoebe and Lyra and Sue, Rosie's mum and Pippi the dog. Rosie and Innis house sitting for a friend and taking care of a chirpy little budgie that had a fly around at one point outside of his cage. There was also a bubble tank with a solitary red Betta Splendens in it.

We had breakfast of pancakes and croissants and fruit and lots of coffee, and even a few sips of bubbly. All very pleasant. Made Lorraine and I both wonder why we don't meet people more for brunches. It is very civilised.

Home again by bus, and a degree of snoozing and generally regrouping before we made off to the Preston Park Tavern, to meet Anne and Anton and Klaudia and Oskar. A nice roast there and a splash of wine and a Guinness or two. Lots of nice cards and presents for me, three books and some magnificent Blackwing pencils and Blackwing pencil sharpener, and Anne got me a book token, which is always very useful. Played a card game called Dino Dump 'a speedy card game about dinosaurs and poo' that Beth had found the other day. I really enjoyed seeing them all, and chatting to the lovely godbairns. Now both firmly teenagers. Oskar now taller than Klaudia and is getting quite handsome.

Fond farewells, and Lorraine and I returned home to slump happily on the sofa and zoom fairly quickly to bed. I had a wonderful last few days. So far, being 60 is fine and dandy.

Below Innis and Rosie on Rosie's birthday, and Oskar, me Anton and Klaudia.