Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to my wonderful Mike.  Yes, today him indoors is another year older and the family will be coming over later on.  Mike, you know how much I love you and I wish you happiness and health and joy today and in the coming year and always.

Yesterday was Jesse's birthday.  In our years he is now 42.  On Christmas Day Jack will be a year old.  Hard to believe, it does not seem five minutes since he was a fluffy little pup. He has been taking a very keen interest in all that has been going on and was fascinated by the decorations going up.

We have been busy here, what with looking after the boys and then almost an entire day cleaning out the aquarium. It usually does not take that long but we had a problem.  When we originally set the tank up we used a selection of real plants and they brought snails in with them, well eggs really because you could not actually see anything.  We got over-run by them.  We tried snail eradicator the last time we cleaned it out but that did not work.  When the snails got into the hundreds not to say thousands and we gave up picking them out by hand, there was only one thing for it.  Strip the tank right out and start over.  We purchased new gravel, new filter medium.  We dispensed with all the plants both real and plastic and bought all plastic.  We washed the tank out with hot salt water including all the filter pipes and the heater.  If that does not cure the problem, then nothing will.  So far we have not seen a sign of anything and hope it stays that way.  A big job that had to be done.

                

Nathan took part in his first nursery school concert.  Becky and Dean attended and were lucky in that they were allowed to take a video.  Becky admitted to having a lump in her throat and a tear in her eye.  I remember so well seeing her first concert and feeling the same, the pride you have in your little ones.   We have a copy of the video and I so wish I could share it with you but it cannot be.  I would have to ask the permission of the parents of all the children who were involved and that is impossible.  You cannot just put things on the internet without permission.

The children were so cute, some younger than Nathan and some older.  They sang about eight songs and it was such a lot for them to remember, not only the words but all the actions and Nathan had the room in fits with his enthusiasm.  Little Daniel who was sitting in the front row, got up and joined in without being asked, clapping his hands in all the right places and picking up two sets of bells and shaking them in time to the music.  It is a shame he has to wait until September next year to become part of the school because he loves it so much.  Like I said, I wish I could share the video with you all but it is not possible.  Mike and I loved it and felt so proud.

With all the normal household chores, we have been kept very busy as you can imagine and I have only wrapped a couple of presents so far.

We had a lovely anniversary and thank you all so much for your good wishes.

Now I need to get off here.  I want to have a nice bath and wash my hair before the family comes over and I still have to give Mike his present.

Have a nice weekend everyone.