Ancient twins

Hard to believe Perran and Carenza reached the milestone of their thirtieth birthday this week. I envision them crossing some sort of line in the sand with the word Fun inscribed on one side and Responsibilities on the other.
Will the brunching and travelling (by bike bus and train - they try to avoid plane) suddenly screech to a halt?

And what does it mean for me that my youngest children are now thirty? I'm already losing height and gaining wrinkles. Will the twins start talking to me as if they are the parents and I am a recalcitrant child who does not understand the way of the world?

Amidst all this apprehension however, there was some mirth. Perran and  Carenza were out to dinner with friends. The waitress stopped to chat so Carenza announced, 'It's our birthday!'
'We're twins,' added Perran.
'What? ' exclaimed the waitress, 'Of each other?'
None of us could work out the odds of the coincidence it would take for twins from different families to share a birthday and be out to dinner together on it.

But it made us laugh.
Although the waitress is probably still somewhere slapping her forehead and muttering 'How could I have said that?'

Photo by Jamie

South Downs Way, Day 3 Buriton to Cocking - Friends in unexpected places

When you go on holiday, you miss a portion of your everyday life. 

As we departed on the train, I whatsapped Caroline, 'I'm so sorry I'm not around on your birthday. I'll get your card etc to you on our return.

''Don't worry,  I'm not around either. ' Simon and she were babysitting grandson Zac so their daughter and son-in-law could attend a wedding. 

On the day of Caroline's birthday we were staying  at the Bluebell in Cocking  We had been warned the kitchen was shut for the evening.

'Just take the bus into Midhurst.

'The bus into Midhurst worked fine. Except that it was the last bus of the day. When we went into a pub for an aperitif, we asked about taxis. They gave us four numbers, but a woman waiting to be served said, 'You won't get a taxi now. There's a big do on.'

As she predicted,, all the taxis were fully booked.  We rang the Bluebell and explained our plight. One of the bar staff answered and kindly offered to come and get us. But she didn't want to hand over her number, so the arrangement felt precarious. 

We were still fretting when we entered Fratelli's restaurant. It therefore took me a moment to realise that the tall man approaching me with outstretched arms was Simon. And there at a nearby table was Caroline, with Zac in a high chair. We joined them.

It turned out the big do that was occupying all the taxis was the wedding their daughter was at.  Not only was it brilliant to see Caroline and Simon and Zac, and to wish Caroline Happy Birthday in person, but they reassured us that if our lift didn't turn up, they'd run us back.  Which meant we could relax and enjoy our serendipitous evening. 

In the meantime, the woman who'd told us there'd be no taxis turned up with husband and son and occupied the next table. After Simon and Caroline left, she asked us what was going on. She was puzzled that our friends had finished their dinner whereas we had barely started. When we explained the coincidence of us converging from far-off St Alban's, she looked like she didn't quite believe us.

And I'm not sure I believe it myself!

(And in case you're wondering, the bar person from the Bluebell did come and fetch us!)