My birthday is on the 17th, which is next week, and I’ll be honest, I just had to do the maths and work backwards on dates just to remember how old I was.
For the record, and for anyone playing at home with a Casio scientific calculator from grade 10 at Milton Street High, I am 55 years old, and that makes me 56 this time next week.
Whilst that’s great, I’ll get to cut a cake, and hear mates sing happy birthday in the office with horrible tuning, and open cards from my kids, but what is a birthday really? Can you tell me?
For me, as I live by myself, it is just another day. You get up, pat yourself on the back (if it doesn’t cause you to head to Physio Isaac), you go to work, come home, eat some cake, watch the footy and go to bed, then repeat in another 365 days! To me, that’s living!
This year however it will be different, my dad is coming up to celebrate with me and my kids. He decided he wanted to come up to Mackay again and see me and the grandkids, but only when it was cooler than it was in January! You remember then, right? Of course you do. Disgusting humidity, heatwave after heatwave, and every day sitting in the air conditioning just trying not to sweat on the dog sitting at your legs. I really wish I had a dog too.
Dad booked his flights (not Bonza, lucky him) and he said he wanted to be here for my birthday. So, I’ve done the hard work and gotten everything ready. Booked a table at Souths Suburban for dinner, locked in lunch at Eimeo and a few other excursions and treats so Dad will feel at home again (we all lived here from 1981 before he went back home to Sydney)
The birthday will be a nice time to spend with Dad, but the other thing that will be extra special will be that Dad will be here with me on the 3rd anniversary of Mum passing away. He reminded me on Anzac Day that that was the day that Mum went into hospital and never came home again. It was tough hearing it from your 83-year-old father, so I am glad we will be together on the 19th to help each other and remember the great times with Mum.
For whatever you have planned this weekend or next, savour each moment as you never know when it will be your last.
On that note, I’m off to the kitchen. Know a good chocolate birthday recipe?
You can join Rob Kidd from 5am weekday mornings on 4MK 1026 AM in Mackay and Proserpine, 91.5FM in Airlie Beach or just ask your smart speaker to play 4MK on iHeartRadio!
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