30 years - by Theo

I am, of course, a smug married, and a very proud parent to boot. If I wasn't I doubt I would have faced getting up at 6am on the day of my 30th birthday to cycle through driving wind and rain to my school placement with such equanimity.


As it was, there was no way I couldn't have a big smile on my face when I arrived home to find both my girls dressed up to the nines, a modest pile of cards and presents, and a table laid with homemade cupcakes decorated by my daughter. It was very touching and made me feel even more smug than usual!

Rosie got me a water bottle to take into class, my sister Hermione got me a cookbook and some posh new cake tins, while my parents splashed out on a scanner/printer combo to replace our old Spanish one which broke. There were also lovely home-made cards from Kate and Rosie, plus biscuits and an "In the Thick of it" box set from my darling wife. Plus, not forgetting my birthday bike, which my lovely mother-in-law Cathy had contributed to. So, all in all an impressive haul.

However, it was a work night, so there was no way I couldn't do some work. So, after Rosie had gone to bed, Kate and I snuggled down to watch the DVD of Skellig, one of the set texts from school. It was pretty good and I even managed at times to NOT think about how it might be used in class.