Birthday Clippings

...so it's my birthday again, and another year has come and gone in the life of the Michael. Mom made shortbread to give my array of cakes for the office a personal touch, which was very well received by all. Got a number of lovely missives from family in their various locales, including a great one from Keith, in which he mentioned that he's been on a special regimen of late.

He writes:

"Since my birthday, I have been put on the soup diet and have so far survived four out of seven days without alcohol, bread or sugar. This is indeed a testing exercise but so far I have shed some 4kg. Rude people comment - 'Oh well, he had plenty to lose!'"

Personally, I'm wondering if you could puree a filet mignon with roast potatoes and call it a soup...

I was reminded of an exchange I had back in March. Shortly after I got back down here I bumped into Felix Katsi-Katsi, an old friend from UCT days. One of his first comments was, "Oh, Michael, you're looking very... happy." Which I though was nice of him, and in fact I was in a particularly good humour that day. Then he explained himself more thoroughly: "Actually, in our culture, when we say someone is looking happy, it means, um... well-fed." Gee, thanks.

So I sympathise!

This past weekend was heavily centred on recuperation after last week's illness. I went out to Paulaner Brauhaus on Saturday night with Tiffany, and recuperated my way through a litre of weissbier. Then had a picnic (around the kitchen table as it was raining) out in Camps Bay on Sunday with Nicola and some of her friends, and I recuperated my way through a bottle of wine and a vast quantity of most excellent cheese.

Mmm... therapeutic.