Happy Birthday Donald.

Well today was Donald's 36th birthday. Cliff could
not come because it was the last night that Audrey
was here, and the family wanted to have a meal together.

I had invited them to come to the top pub, but she
wanted a quiet night at home.

Kath said she could not go as she and Nathan could not
afford it. But how hard it is to save $30 and a shop
a docket over the year?

Brad was suppose to come but at the last moment he
was 'sick'.

Then of course Meg continued to carry on like a two
year old having a temper tantrum because I had added
Kath's name to the in memory announcement.

She said that the reason she had not put Kath's name
in was because last year Kath had ONLY put in a notice
from her Nathan and the children.

I said that was as it should be but this year it was JUST
his children so her name should have been on the notice.

In the end I paid her the total amount of the ad, $31:50
as she was making the night miserable for Donald as well
as myself. I told both of them that I did not want them
doing such rubbish for me when I am gone. I said "If you
can't show me by your actions that you love me, when I'm
alive, then it's a bit late after I'm gone to be putting
notices in the paper. All that does is make you feel
less guilty and you're hoping people will see it and think
what great kids you are. It's a load of bullshit."

The meal was quite good, but Donald was quite low and his
spirits did not seem to lift. It had nothing to do with
his getting older, but everything to do with not having
a girlfriend nor the security of a full time job, plus
the connection with his father's death and that is always
going to be there tainting his birthday.