Denise celebrated her 70th birthday (i) on 12 August 2026.  We all love her and gave her the best day we could, under the present medical circumstances.  By a complete co-incidence, we had a partial eclipse of the Sun that day too (ii).

Which led me to think about age and how we measure it.  Primarily, we measure it by years.  Just solar orbits in your life (iii). Using this method of dating a person, it has the advantage of regularity, global acceptance and is easy to understand. Compared to other ways we measure age - 'You're young', 'She's getting on a bit', 'Elderly', 'Inexperienced', 'Isn't it time you got married?', 'He's a wise old man' and so many more expressions which are difficult to define and agree upon, the annual birthday seems to be the best agreeable and sustainable method.  

You tend to remember birthdays too.  Not all by any means, but 'special' birthdays.  I remember on my seventh birthday receiving a 'Milky Bar Sheriff Badge' and asking my Mum 'how did he know?'  Twenty-first birthdays are memorable.  For mine, Denise mad me a lovely Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (iv).  Jennifer's early childhood birthdays were lovely, with parties, games and lots of food!

There comes a time in life when birthdays aren't as welcome as they were.  We're at that stage now.  I certainly don't envy those younger people who will have to inhabit a changing, violent and increasingly dangerous world.  Nor do I have a target age - 'I want to get to eighty' for example.  My time will come in due course. For anyone reading this on your birthday, our best wishes to you, and love those who are dear to you.

(i) Wikipedia:  Birthday

(ii) Wikipedia:  Solar eclipse of August 12, 2026

(iii) Wikipedia:  Solar System

(iv) Wikipedia:  Black Forest cake