Almost Perfect Birthday

If you asked me what I'd most want for a perfect birthday, it would be a sail on the Lake with all my family, with bubbly and dancing, followed by lunch at the Adega, time for a nap, and then a wander round the village-wide Nativity scene in Monsaraz with my grandkids. And to top it all, a superb dinner at Sem Fim, my favourite restaurant here. Maybe there, they'd play music by Chico César, one of my beloved Brazilian artists, and offer us all a round of free drinks in the bar as we left.

Only slightly marred by really struggling healthwise, and son missing - soon to be here, though - see tomorrow...