Happy Birthday UAE!

Today is the UAE's National Day - the anniversary of its formation in 1971. So happy birthday to us!

And, as always, it is OffSpring's birthday. Quite a special one, in fact, it's his eighteenth. So he's now allowed to do all sorts of stuff and it's not our fault.

BetterArf sent him a text message this morning (5 a.m. UK time) and he responded instantly. So that was the end of my Friday lie-in. Then I had to text him his birthday present. Well, not exactly text it, but tell him what it is and how he can collect it. Dying to know what it is aren't you - well, I'll tell you later...(tension builds, bwuhahaha).

The other tradition in our house is that this is the day we put the Christmas Tree up. I love the idea of the Christmas tree. Imagine the scene of its invention:

'Y'know, what this place really needs is a tree in the living room...'

'Yes dear'

'No really, let's try it' (cuts down oak tree in garden, can't get it through the door. Cuts down privet bush instead, gets it through door)

'That looks utterly stupid'

'How about this then?' (brings in fir tree)

'Well it'll have to do, the garden is bare'

'No it's not - here's some holly and some ivy'

'Oh great. Parasites'

(Some time later)

'Y'know honey, that tree looks a bit dull'

'Why not set fire to it - that'll brighten it up'

'Brilliant idea!' (reaches for candles)

Something like that anyway. So, our years-old fake tree has been retrieved from the wardrobe where it lives when not on active duty and assembled and we have our ever-expanding collection of decorations at the ready. BetterArf says 'will you stop blogging about it and decorate the $^*ing tree!'

Here goes then.