BIRTHDAYS ARE BETTER with surprises! Usually involving close family and friends of the birthday boy or girl. Maybe a cake or a special meal. And presents, definitely presents. Again, from family and friends to the lucky celebrant.
But when my husband, Ro, marked his birthday in June this year, he turned the tables. It was me who got the surprise, as he turned up at home one lunchtime waving a printout of an email – he was supposed to be working away for the week.
“I finished early,” he announced, before adding, “so I've booked us a few days away in the oldest place I could find.”
Now it's normally me who does all of the touring research and the booking, so this was a surprise indeed.
Birthday dinner
Only fair, it was his birthday, to be spent however he preferred. I have to confess to some slight trepidation, though – what did he mean, the oldest place he could find? Where on earth were we going? And was this compensation for him becoming another year older himself?
It turned out he had booked us
