Thursday and I wake up to coffee and Alexa singing me happy birthday. Today I am three quarters of a century old. Many people WhatsApp me to wish me happy birthday. I do my vitals and get up for a bacon sandwich breakfast and to open my cards and presents. There is a bit of time to kill as I am waiting for the oncologist to call me for my review. I read while I wait, Cloud Atlas. At last ” he who made a pact with the devil” rings. He tells me my PSA results, which I already knew and represents a 39% reduction in 20 days on the new drugs. He asks about my blood pressure and I give him some figures. Once again he reinforces his message that I need to train hard to reduce the side effects. He says he will prescribe a new cycle for me and that I can pick them up on the Saturday when I get back. The call finishes and we can get on with my birthday.

I take my partner to the café where we have a cream tea which I augment with a strawberry milkshake. Having indulged, my partner and I go to the crazy golf course. My partner has lost her touch from yesterday but does get a hole and, at which her whoop of joy attracts the attention of all the other folk on the course. We finish the round and then return to the apartment where I read more of Cloud Atlas and do todays cross words. I am incensed that David Mitchell the author of Cloud Atlas has stolen a real life event of a student musician who went to the ageing, blind composer Sibelius and acted as his amanuensis. It is a blatant piece of plagiarism. I shower and my partner and I head off for or restaurant meal.

We pass the fire rescue crew training in the open sea swimming pool. At first I thought there was a crisis occurring but it soon became clear that the team were training.

I indulge myself at the restaurant starting with the worlds biggest prawn salad and ended with a fair size brandy. During the meal my youngest daughter face timed me to wish me happy birthday, nice surprise.

The bill is paid and I and my partner walk back to the apartment where I take my vitals and draft the blog whilst watching Andy Murray battle to a two sets to one lead at Wimbledon. Today has been a good day. Along the way significant steps have been taken to settle my sisters estate and I have had many messages wishing me well. I am pleased that I have started reading again, what remains is to get myself training again. So with three quarters of a century done its on with the next quarter.