Today is the 1st of March. It is my birthday on the 16th, so this month always has meaning for me. We are also collecting a car today, so fingers crossed that it all goes well. I had to insure it yesterday, and the telephone renewal went very smoothly indeed.
I take heart from that. These days, I take heart from anything remotely positive.
On my birthday, Julie has to work. So not much chance of a day out, especially with the possibility of snow that is predicted now. (Though that might not happen.) But in the evening we are going to a local Turkish restaurant to celebrate, and I am very much looking forward to the food there.
71 is not a ‘celebratory’ year, as it does not end in a 0. But I am celebrating living this long, something I never expected to happen after a life in very stressful jobs, a bad diet, and heavy smoking until I was 60.
March this year is also when the clocks go forward, near the end of the month. When that happens, it starts to really feel like Spring is here, and Summer is around the corner. I begin to anticipate those longer evenings. Daylight until 9pm, and hopefully much warmer temperatures too.
For many years, I have seen my birthday as the start of the year, rather than January the first. It is when I become another year older, and potentially another year wiser. It is also another year closer to the end of my life of course. But that holds no fear for me, as everything must end eventually.
Welcome, March. ‘In like a lion, out like a lamb’, so legend has it.
Yes, March is ‘in like a lion and out like a lamb’. That always makes me reflect and also think ahead, from age to what I can do, to… life. Worries aside, I smile at the past and look forward to the future. Really. Thank you March. Happy early birthday, Pete.
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Always a month of refelection for me, Jennie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Same here. Best to you, Pete.
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March is the month when everything seems possible again, where life blooms, and besides celebrating Pete Johnson’s birthday, we have St. Patricks Day too! I’m not a big fan of the time changing, it always throws me for a week, but ll the flowers make up for that. Hugs, C
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When I lived in London, I avoided going out on St Patrick’s Day. The Irish ex-pats in that city used to go crazy!
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Since I’m sure to forget by mid-month, I wish you a ๐Happy Birthday๐ now! I will be 72 in June, and every year when my birthday rolls around, I am surprised to find I’ve survived another year!
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Thanks, Jill. Always nice to wake up on another birthday and appreciate you are still here to enjoy it. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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I haven’t had Turkish food for a long time I hope you enjoy ..x
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Greek/Turkish was a regular favourite in London. Luckily, a good Turkish place opened in Dereham 2 years ago, so we don’t have to trek 20 miles into Norwich. ๐
Best wishes, Pete. x
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(1) Overheard;
Dorothy Gale: “I took you down the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City.”
Tin Woodman: “Yes, and I take heart from that!”
(2) There is snow on the north (Sheep Range) and west (Spring Mountains) side of Las Vegas all the way down to the valley floor!
(3) According to Dorothy, “March comes in a like (cowardly) lion.”
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The Wizard of Oz often comes in handy. ๐ That snow must be a novelty for you, David.
Best wishes, Pete.
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71 is a prime number! What’s not to celebrate about that? congratulations? And you missed the Ids of March. Another reason to celebrate. congratulations. Warmest regards, Ed
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Yes, I missed the Ides by one day, and St Patrick’s Day too. If I had been born two hours later, my Dad was going to call me Patrick. (And we had no Irish connections whatsoever.)
Best wishes, Pete.
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Spring is here, apart from the daffodils popping up I saw a pair of robins in the garden. Last summer my robin disappeared – there has always been a robin since we moved here 18 years ago, presumably not the same one. I have been worried the drought, winter freezes and bird flu have reduced our bird population. It’s rare to see a pair together, they are solitary birds and seem to prefer gardeners to other robins!
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We have had a Robin in the garden all year round ever since we moved here in 2012. My wife believes it is her dad’s spirit, I think it is just a bird. I have never seen a pair though.
Best wishes, Pete
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Your wife will be pleased to hear our robin started acting strangely after my husband’s death, following me into my little potting shed and one day I went upstairs and it was flying round the bedroom!
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She would see that as a sign, but would be scared if it was flying inside the house.
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It was very creepy and then the robin kept coming in my ‘potting shed’ . As the late Cyberspouse was not particularly interested in gardening and certainly not in my compost bins, it would be very ironic if he reincarnated as a robin hanging round the working corner of the garden! It is a good idea for a story…
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I tackled the idea of reincarnation as a bird in 2020, Janet.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I must have missed this first time round, lovely story.
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Hooray for March and another birthday! ๐
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Thanks, Susanne. The start of the year for me! ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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Many cultures put the start of the year right around your birthday.
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That’s good to know, Ana. I might have some of that in my DNA. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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Have a good month, Pete!
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Many thanks, Sue.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I shall be wishing you happy birthday nearer the time!
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Let’s make March an upbeat month of fun! I’ll start – cheers!
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Thanks, John. That is my intention, as I see March as ‘My month’. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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My birthday is also in March, but I start thinking of myself as the age I’ll be then at the end of December. It seems your year is starting off positively!
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I always feel more positive once March arrives, Audrey. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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Hi Pete, it sounds like your birthday month is off to a good start. Making your birthday the start of a new year isn’t a bad idea. I like it.
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I have done that since I was a teenager, Robbie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Too soon to say Happy Birthday, but I like the sound of hope in your “voice”. 71 is big. In my mind, you remain 60. I love Turkish food. Gobble some down for me. You can send some snow to me. I haven’t seen a flake yet this winter! Might as well be in Arizona. ๐
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I don’t want to see snow, but I am glad to think you consider me to be 60. Time has ravaged my appearance since then, sadly.
You are barely 40 in my imagination, dear Cindy.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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xxoo
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Happy early birthday.
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Thanks, Molly. I am sure I will be back with a birthday post on the 16th. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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Happy birthday coming up, Pete. Like you, I view every birthday, no matter if it ends in a zero or not, as something to celebrate.
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I did a whole week of 70th celebrations last year, Don. I will tone it down a lot this year. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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Happy early Birthday Pete! It’s my birthday today, and I’m always excited because we are now in meteorological spring! Although here in New England, March is expected to come in like a lion with snow later!
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Hooray for your birthday! A fellow Piscean. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thank you!
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By now I imagine you have collected your car. I hope you are very pleased with it and that it serves you well. And I hope Ollie approves! I turned 75 on the 16th of last month but I have been thinking of myself as 75 since about October last year. I don’t feel any different (mentally that is!) than I did at about 50. Before that I had not yet grown totally cynical! Our clocks go forward on the 12th.
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We are back with the car, and it seems fine so far. We have had to order folding dog stairs for Ollie, as the back is much higher than the old car. When they arrive next week, we will see how he copes with them.
Best wishes, Pete.
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It sounds as though March is starting out well for you!
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Only day one, but the sun is out. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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The sun is out here, too.
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Hooray! ๐
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๐
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Happy March and Happy Birthday (in advance)
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Thanks, Annette. I always think of it as ‘my month’. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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You have a good attitude, Pete. Enjoy your new car and night out!
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Thanks, GP. I intend to. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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Let me wish you the happiest of birthdays in advance….you are a wonderful human being and you deserve every happiness.
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Thanks very much for your kind words, John.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Mines a 0 this year, 4 days after you, will be flying up north with younger boy to visit older boy. No kebabs for me! Autumn started here today. Still bad affects from the cyclone that I reported on last week. Apparently you could see the aurora from here last night. Same in northern hemisphere. Wish I knew. Good cricket game here yesterday. Harry is charging the earth to hear him speak = major news. Charles still talks to plants & Pete goes on very long walks with Ollie. It be drives in a car soon. March on . . .
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The Northern Lights have been visible all over the UK recently. We are a bit too far from the coast to see it, unfortunately.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I hope you have a good birthday and that the car is a peach…..our clocks go forward as well….another useless exer4cise from our government. be well….Be Safe….chuq
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I also get fed up with the clock changes, chuq.
Best wishes, Pete.
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A worthless waste chuq
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Here’s wishing you a happy birthday, Pete. It looks as though we might be off to a funeral on or around that day, and so not so good for us.
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Sorry to hear that, Stevie. The two opposites of human existence, sadly.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes. Sam’s sisters will ring today with the date, but it looks as though it’ll be about the 16th.
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Happy Birthday in advance.
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Thanks, Peggy. No doubt I will post about it on the day. I usually do. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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May it be a blessed month for you and may your birthday be as happy and blessed as well. ๐๐ฟ๐ฅ
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Thanks for your kind words, Arlene.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Phil’s birthday this tomorrow but he’s working all day. Hope you have a good month and a happy birthday.
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this tomorrow?? haha I meant this Thursday and tomorrow all at the same time! ๐ ๐
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Happy birthday to Phil! A fellow Piscean. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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Cheers Pete!
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a great month for a birthday, and even though no ‘0’ at the end of your number, each year on earth is something to celebrate
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Thanks, Beth. I had a whole ‘Birthday Week’ last year, so I am happy to tone it down in 2023. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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March is my birthday month too. Have a good month, Pete.
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Thanks, Darlene. I am in Pisces with the 16th, not that I follow birth signs that much. ๐
Best wishes, Pete.
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