I got up this morning with a big smile on my face and went downstairs to open the door for the dog and cats to do their business and then started tidying up a bit from last night.  You can’t work AND clean at the same time, at least I haven’t figured out how to do that.

John got up about an hour later and came down and said, “Good morning, dear, did you sleep well?”

“Uhhh yeah, did you?”

“I went to bed too late but come and see what I’ve done.”

We went to my office and cranked up my computer and he showed me the new text index he’d written to add to the index plugin he’s about to release on beta. I told him I liked it and then I smiled sweetly and he turned around and went upstairs.

My face fell.

I went to my office and started to work and a few minutes later I received a phone call from my friend Madonna who wanted to know if I had lunch plans. I said I didn’t and she invited me to lunch and asked if John wanted to go.  Around 11am I went up to put my face on to go to lunch and asked John if he wanted to join us and he said he really needed to work.

He reminded me that Saturday is voting day here in Queensland and we’ll have his dad with us much of the day so there’s no working then. I said okay and started to go out the door and turned around on my heel and went to his computer and typed:

“What does January 29th mean to you?”

He looked at me quizzically and said, “Our anniversary isn’t until February, so I don’t know.”

“Okay, nevermind, I’ll see you when I get back,” I said with a grin.

“Wait, what’s January 29th?”

“Nevermind, it’s not important, I won’t be gone too long and then I’m going to bring a cake over to the nursing home for your parents.  Still he didn’t get it.

“I’ll go with you to see the olds,” he said with a smile.

I was nearly out the door and then it hit.

“OH MY GOD, I’m SO sorry, Maureen” he said and looked truly distressed.

Now most of you think I’m nice but I’m going to destroy that impression right now because I said, “About fucking time!!” with emphasis on each word. I did say it with a big smile on my face, if that counts for anything.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.  I’ll come to lunch but I’d rather take you out for dinner if that’s okay?”

Hello Harry, the Burger Joint has been open in Maroochydore for just under a year. I’ve thought about visiting before now but it just never happened until today.  My friend Madonna is a vegetarian and I’d heard that Hello Harry does a nice veggie burger as well as a fish burger.  That sealed it and off we went.

The restaurant is on Ocean Street in Maroochydore amongst several new restaurants and it’s a hopping place at night. Lunch time today was pretty quiet at all the restaurants on the strip.  School holidays ended after Australia Day on Monday so the city is a bit quiet.

After perusing the menu of $10 burgers where the choices range from grass fed wagyu beef, Louisiana pulled pork, crumbed barramundi, Middle Eastern chickpea, labneh, candied pumpkin and honey mustard burger, chicken burger, confit lamb and Texan brisket, I chose the pulled pork and Madonna had the fish.

When I saw onion rings on the menu, I figured it was my birthday and that was a gift from the universe. I don’t often have them but how often do you celebrate a birthday?  Once a year — maybe?  Madonna wanted the seasoned fries so we had plenty to eat.

Hello Harry has beer, wine and soft drinks so we were set for celebration but for lunch we decided not to spring for alcohol.  We had a lovely time and other than no salt on the table, I couldn’t have been more pleased with my food. Madonna asked for some salt and this is how it was served.

No napkins and no frills but every need was looked after with a roll of paper towels on every table.

This meal was independently paid for.

So I got to go out for lunch and I’ll get dinner out too.  Two wins AND I got cake with the olds but I did have to make it. I made a chocolate cake and filled it with vanilla custard and topped it with chocolate ganache.  It was pretty swish to eat but it was less than pretty to look at.

When we got to the nursing home John’s cousin Elizabeth and her husband Alan were there visiting Rob so we all had birthday cake and coffee in the cafe there. John’s mother told me she ate every bite but I did catch her trying to feed chocolate to the dog. That’s a big no-no for me.