Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Birthday boy


"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?" ~ Satchel Paige
   To the right on this blog you will notice Les' countdown to his State Pension has wound down to all zeroes! Today Les is 65 years young.


Five year old Les with his dad. This picture was taken at a pub alongside the Thames on Kew Bridge.


   The photo was taken using wet glass photography--one of the first means of capturing photographic likenesses, it was done with a very large, black camera with a cloth over it, like the one in the picture to the right.  This process eventually ends up with the photo adhered to a piece of glass. Les' pictures have weathered hard over the years as you can see below, so we were quite pleased to capture a copy with Les' new touch phone camera. Yes, Les is coming to grips with touch phone technology!

   We started our day with coffee, tea, and birthday cards. Les opened his present while we listened to classic Beatles tunes. At his request a deluxe carrot cake was made with an addition of rum soaked sultanas and pecan bits, frosted with a delicate layer of cream cheese icing. 
 And amazingly enough although Les does not like Chinese food, he loves my homemade Chicken Chow Mein and requested it for his birthday dinner. 
For a tour of Les' childhood in Paddington, London you can visit an earlier blog post dated Saturday, December 19, 2009. Happy birthday my best beloved. It is lovely to share this day--and this life with you!


19 comments:

  1. Happy 65th Les - have a great day eating all that delicious food that your lovely Jaq has created just for you! xx

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  2. Happy Birthday Les!
    Welcome to the "Age of Concessions"!
    Every best wish for the future.
    Love Sue and Ken

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  3. Happy birthday Les! What a handsome chappie.. not only now but then too! xxx

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  4. Happy Birthday young chap. Hope you both have a fantastic celebration, my goodness, you won't know what to do with your government fortune!!

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  5. Happy 65 years young Les. Hope you have a fabulous day. Remember 'old' is 15 years older than you are today. Lots of smiles and hugs to you. xox Rita & Scooby

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  6. Happy birthday Les! Miss you both love you both.

    Adelina Gonzales

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  7. It's your round Les, you'd better get them in on our return. Happy Pension Day, spend, spend, spend. Have a fab day with Jaq. We'll stock up with Aquavit and enjoy it together xxxxx Loved the picture of you and your dad.

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  8. Dearest Les,
    We wish you a crazy happy birthday from this side of the pond. May the golden years get brighter and shine all manner of blessings and happiness to you. Hugs, Patti and Steve

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  9. Another milepost on the journey of life
    Have a good one
    May catch up with you both some day
    Derek & Carrie

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  10. Happy birthday Les, You haven't changed a bit since this pic, except maybe to get better looking!
    Enjoy your carrot cake.

    Sally

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  11. Happy Birthday Les, I'm sure you'll be having a great day.
    Kevin

    p.s.
    Please ask Jaq if I can place an order for my 65th birthday cake in 2021 ?? LOL

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  12. Happy Birthday Les,
    Sounds like a yummy day!
    Ian and Karen

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  13. Les, You're only 65 on the outside...Inside you're still rebellious teenager. Wish you a healthy and joyful year ahead. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

    Irene & Ian

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  14. Happy birthday to you
    Happy birthday to you
    Happy birthday dear Les
    Happy birthday to you.

    Hope you blow all those candles out in one go and your wish comes true.

    Enjoy the pension, I'll be back at work tomorrow paying my tax for you !!

    Take care

    Nev & Rachel

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  15. WOW!!!!!!
    Many, many thanks to you all.
    Another number ticked off on the bingo game called life.
    Be nice to see you all again some day both sides of the pond.
    Les

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  16. Happy 65th Les

    Is the fire extinguisher handy for the candles on your cake? lol

    Don't forget to take a few deep breathes before you blow them out. Have a great day along with Jaq and down a few drinks to celebrate.

    All the best.

    Mick, Anna and Kyran

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  17. Hippy Bathday Dude. Hope you have had a lovely day, then again how could you not with the lovely wife!!

    Debbie x

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  18. A belated Happy Birthday Les - I am off in sunny (well wet today!) Sussex visiting friends. I hope the tummy survived all that wonderful food - sounds divine. Having reached the pension milestone on 6 Jan I know it will be four weeks at least before you see any actual money from the State!

    Jennie & Chris

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  19. Many Happy returns Les, the life must be good you don't look a day over 70 no hope you had a good day sorry we are a day late not looked at blogs for a few days had daughter visiting
    anyway happy Birthday Luv Beryl & Dave nb Sokai

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Jaqueline Biggs