Sunday the 6th of July, my 77th birthday and I am treated to a marmalade bagel in bed as I wake up. I am feeling quite chipper and respond to several birthday messages before taking my vitals, that are once again good. My news feed tells me that I share my birth date with the Dali Llama so I figure I am in good company. I get up and decide to train, it’s cooler and its raining so a good time to train. I get myself ready and make my way to the garage and the rower. My goal for the half hour session is to row a Boat Race, that’s 6.8 kilometres. I set off steadily with radio two playing in my ears and soon I start to pull in earnest. I get to the end of the session very hot and sweaty and really pleased that I have got over the 6.8 kilometre line, so that’s a Boat Race rowed. When I come to record the session in my journal I find that I have rowed a personal best. Now that’s a great birthday present.

I retreat to the sofa to recover and to record the session, I have a drink and take my meds before heading for the shower. All that remains is to get ready to go out for a late Sunday lunch with my partner and eldest daughter. We drive to a local pub and spend a few hours eating abundantly and chatting. By the time I drive the family home we are all very podged and need to have a rest.

After a suitable amount of time its time to open my presents that have been put together on the family table. I am very lucky and there are lovely surprises for me and of course there are books, lovely poetry books, Japanese book and a best seller, so I have my reading sorted for a some time to come. There are tickets to the theatre and a murder mystery weekend and of course food and book marks. There are new lights for the garden and other things, mostly edible. It was a lovely group of presents which made me feel loved and cared about. It was time for chocolate cake and drinks.

The rest of the evening was football and Live Aid. Of course the day has to come to an end, which means taking my night meds, and checking the Tesco order for tomorrow. So my birthday comes to an end and I returns to the fight against my cancer and the normal things of life, like having my nails done, having the boiler serviced and meeting with my publishers. Doing the ordinary, day in day out.