Birthday thanks!

I would like to thank all 159 FB friends (family, friends, FB friends, fellow writers, et al) for sending me birthday wishes. This year I thought it only appropriate to thank each one individually, since they have taken the trouble to type in a greeting etc. So, thank you all!

Footnote: if only a quarter of those well-wishers read one of my books (I know, some have read some!), now that would be a wonderful birthday present – not the royalties, just the fact that the books are being read… [We write to be read, not to become rich…]

At my time of life, the gifts are simple, and appreciated: from my wife Jennifer, a CD of the 1965 TV series The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe starring Robert Hoffman as Crusoe and Fabian Canalos as Friday. Music by Robert Mellin and Gian-Piero Reverberi (We already have the B&W DVD). Plus from my daughter Hannah and 6yr-old grandson Darius, a Ravensburger 3D puzzle of Rome’s Colosseum (which Darius is anxious to assist in constructing!)

Our friends from UK, Margaret and Neil (he’s known me since 1959!) were visiting for three weeks and joined us for an evening at Bella Italia (walking distance from home) and enjoyed authentic Italian cooking. Followed by il conto and chilled limoncello.