Birthday Girl!

 It is Sanae's birthday today. She insists that she is still in her early 40's but I think something may have got lost in translation. No more details are forthcoming so you'll just have to take her word for it. Given the sniffle, sneeze, cough police are out in force, we decided to skip the usual all night drinking session at Uncle Sochi's Homebrew and Goodly Times Bar ("Where everyday is a day like not going before. Cheers to your health chin chin"). Instead, I outdid myself in the kitchen and produced a square-shaped cheese cake. (The slicing of which totally stymied Sanae.)

My default setting tends to what I like to think is 'humorous self deprecation', but which is probably closer to 'glib' than I am willing to admit. In reaching for honesty I don't always succeed (or convince). So, instead, on this special day for my darling wife, I will gently borrow this wonderful poem by Mary Oliver to speak for my heart.

I have just said

I have just said
      something
ridiculous to you
       and in response,

your glorious laughter.
     These are the days
the sun
     is swimming back

to the east
     and the light on the water
gleams,
     as never, it seems, before.

I can't remember
      every spring.
I can't remember
      everything -

so many years!
    Are the morning kisses
the sweetest
    or the evenings

or the inbetweens.
    All I know
is that "thank you" should appear
    somewhere.

So, just in case
     I can't find
the perfect place -
    "Thank you, thank you."