At the stroke of midnight last night there it occurred, the mysterious twist in time that pronounced me as having met my 75th birthday. And there was my constant helpmeet, my partner in life's adventures, presenting me with the latest creative rendition of a birthday card, water-coloured especially for me. For my birthdays require especial recognition, beside the loving smile on his face regarding me; both of us wondering at the passage of time.

Weeks ago he had given me my birthday gift. He's congenitally incapable of 'keeping a secret' - more apt in this instance - of holding back something special. If he has acquired something that is meant for me to have, he finds it impossible to set it aside, to wait patiently for the appropriate presentation time. He had handed me a beautiful glossy wood box, urging me to open it, and within was that which he had chosen for me on this occasion.

For my last five birthdays he has given me similar items, various types of gold bracelets so that I now have encircling my left wrist a lovely collection of softly shining bracelets that tinkle with the movement of my arm. This was yet another, the difference being that it had tiny diamonds inset on the face of the hoop.

A few seconds after presenting me with the birthday card, he drew from behind his back a small box, and gave it also to me. He couldn't bear the thought of not, beside the card, giving me something else special to mark the occasion. Within the box nestled a pair of small, neat engraved gold hoop earrings.

Surprise, oh surprise and many more to come....