Three Birthdays And A Funeral

Yes, that's pretty much how January 2007 is looking to shape up at Orgle Manor.

First, the Middle Llama-ette turns seven in another week. Not to be outdone, her younger sister turns five just a few days later. This means back-to-back weekends' worth of birthday parties, ice-skating for the former and swimming for the latter. I feel tired already. Detailed reports to follow.

Later on in the month, your humble correspondent learns the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything by turning 42. In modest celebration, I have already taken the liberty of giving myself the complete works of Saki plus the first two volumes (or movements, if you will) of Anthony Powell's Dance to the Music of Time.

As for the funeral, well, a few of you know that my father (who long time readers may remember as the occasional and always cantankerous commenter "O.F.") is quite ill. For those of you not in the picture, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer about ten years ago and had been fighting a generally successful rearguard action until this past summer, when the metastises started to overwhelm his systems. He's been sliding downhill pretty fast since then and informed opinion gives him a few more weeks, tops. I don't plan to blog much at all directly on the subject, but of course it's going to have having an ancillary effect on everthing else. So in the event of sudden lapses or odd uncharacteristic postings on my part, you'll understand why.

All in all, I think you'll agree it's going to be a mighty interesting month.