A birthday

My birthday was this month but I have had only three small celebrations of it so far.  Last Sunday, Joe and I went together to the Dutton Pk. fish shop and took our purchases back to eat on my verandah.  Joe enjoyed a beefburger and I had some excellent Barramundi.



Joe had given me earlier that day a bottle of Laphroaig, a single malt from Islay.  So after dinner we had a toast in that.  I had mine with soda and Joe had it on the rocks.  For once he did not have his spirits with Coke.  He is a fan of Coke zero and drinks a lot of it.

I forget what we talked about but Mr Trump would have figured largely.  Joe and I talk so often  -- usually about politics -- that one occasion blurs into another.

Then on Monday, Jenny gave me one of her splendid dinners.  It was an old favorite:  Vietnamese lemon chicken, quite unlike Chinese lemon chicken. And as always Jenny provided various accompaniments to go with it, rice etc.  And for desserts she brought out a big Pavlova, also a favourite of mine.  I noticed that Nanna liked it too.

Kate took a lively part in the conversation, with queries of Joe and myself about various aspects of our very conservative thinking. Jenny was a bit scornful of Mr. Trump, which is easily understood, but I think she might not have taken full account of the fact that both her sons are very favourably disposed towards  Mr Trump.

There were also quite a few reminiscences of old times, particularly of Joes's toddlerhood.  "My beautiful train" got quite a mention.

Then on Tuesday morning the electrician came.  It was not part of my birthday but it was nonetheless pleasing to get our dodgy power points and switches replaced.  Joe took the morning off to be in on the electrical work so after the electrician had gone Joe and I went to the Phams and had bacon & egg brunches.  And, as it happened, Irene was  in for breakfast there too.  So I introduced her to Joe.

Then on Wednesday, Kate made me a dinner on my verandah of Tacos with beef filling and a few other things.  And afterward we had some pudding delivered to our door

This time we talked a lot about penology, with particular reference to domestic violence, Kate's interest.  I said that you have to look at violence overall and that there is no other way to stop violence, domestic or otherwise, except keeping the bad guys locked up once you catch them.  Kate actually agreed with that.  I have written on that at some length recently

We then talked a bit about psychopathy.  I mentioned that one of my papers on that topic had been well-received.

And I don't think we mentioned Mr Trump once.  Joe and I had however reviewed the Trump/Putin summit that morning.