Happy Birthday to Me!

Well that's another year passed.  I'm celebrating in fine, age-appropriate, style. I'm now horribly old but grateful that I'm still here to enjoy these days. Oh and the blog is now 11 years old and by definition in its twelfth year. Who'da thought it?

Dan Dare

Dad                       Dan Dare

One of my childhood heroes was the handsome, square-jawed, pipe-smoking, space pilot, Dan Dare.  I followed Frank Hampson's creation every week in The Eagle. In recent years I've become aware of the striking resemblance between Col. Dare and the handsome, square-jawed, pipe-smoking, scientist that was my Father.  Indeed the similarity is a bit disconcerting.

Happy 96th Birthday, Dad! I miss you and you are still my hero...

Happy Tenth Anniversary!

Ten years ago I had only the vaguest notion about what a blog was. Then the term became Merriam-Webster's (and subsequently the BBC's)"word of the year" and I started to take notice and thought that it it was that important I should probably have one. Eventually I found my way to Blogger, which had just been purchased by the fledgling Google, and on this day in 2004 Mad Dogs and Englishmen was launched. Since then it's been an interesting ride and I hope it will continue for a long time to come. Thanks to everyone who's dropped by, especially those of you who've felt inclined to comment. It makes the process quite gratifying.

So a Happy Blogging Birthday/10th Anniversary to me!

Here's Noel Coward to entertain us with his immortal song:

My Three-Year-Old

Olivia at 30 with stalwart partner and fiancé, Giulio* 

Apparently my three year-old-daughter has inexplicably turned 30. My geriatric grey matter is having cognitive dissonance about this milestone event  -it seems just yesterday when she was frolicking in the waves like this...(bugger! -where did three decades go?)...

Olivia, Stinson Beach, California c1986/7

Happy Birthday, Olivia!

*Photo purloined shamelessly from her FB page -my thanks to the unknown photographer.