Das Wochenende alle Wochenenden (or one there of)

I am a little notorious for celebrating my birthday and the fact that it falls on a long weekend always helps. One year I did actually try not to tell random people that it was my birthday but that was no fun so this year I pushed through the language barrier, told the check out operator why I was buying so much cheap champagne and chocolate and organised a party. In the southern hemisphere my birthday is always in winter and as a kid I always wanted a pool party like my brother whose birthday was in summer. For the record and the sake of my parents I will admit that he probably only ever had one pool party but that was enough for my memory to stretch it over the years. This year thanks to global warming and a very early summer I decided have a pool party. But first things first....

With the fridge stocked, the lack of a pool problem solved and with one day to spare before the next year of my life began I took the kiddie seat of the back off my bike, headed to the train station to meet up with a the bike tour crew. Feel free here to conjure up images of "The Tour de France" but make sure you insert a one way train ticket to the Netherlands, a distinct lack of lycra (though everyone else - we were 5 in total - did have professional looking gloves which made me a bit nervous at the beginning) hairy cows on the path, a stop at a flea market on the border between Holland and Germany, a leisurely lunch at a castle with loads of cheese and bread, the Bear's kindergarten backpack strapped onto the front of my bike in the absence of panniers (which I got the next day for my birthday), absolutely no hills and a very big beer at the end of the 75ish kilometres. Apart from those exceptions it was just like on the telly.

While I was off on my bike adventure Herr Fitz was in the trenches at home with the kids. I am assuming pyjamas were worn well into the pm then quickly changed for more suitable attire for a ride into town for supplies from the toy shop and birthday surprises. Followed by baking. I may be wrong on the order of events but who really cares when you are wished happy birthday from very well rested children and their new unicorns and ninja figurines before being loaded up with lovely cards and presents not only from them but from folks at home, and then given a giant chocolate cake with my very one playmobil mini figure decorating it. Top marks Herr Fitz and kids.

With crumbs still on everybody"s lips and chocolate finger marks smeared on t shirts it was all hands on deck getting ready for the pool party. Luckily everyone was happy to help even though they were being shipped off to the museum for a couple of hours as it was a ladies afternoon. The weather was all over the place but as we have a nice terrace with a roof I decided not to worry and just enjoy. I think we should all be very happy that Herr Fitz is a historian because 25 seconds after he predicted that the clouds had no rain at all in them, it began to hail and drizzled for most of the afternoon as we sat looking at the paddle pool enjoying a multi lingual chat (note to self: learn Spanish), a few drinks and a whole lot of chocolate. As the rain stopped and the humidity rose the kids and Herr Fitz and very manly crowd came back from their exile, the champagne bottles were removed from the pool and clothes were shed (of those under 7 only thank you!) and there was paddling a plenty in the pool until all the kids simultaneously melted down and had to be carted home.

Thanks everyone for a great birthday and the fact that I thought I was already 37 was just a bonus, it was like I didn't age at all.