Yet another birthday.

Here's the legend that is Stella, 18 years on from a massive stroke but always positive, loving and smiling. She says she has recently had improvement in her mobilty and speech, as is apparent, so all that "expert opinion" that after two years it's as good as it gets is a load of tosh.
My lovely friend Sara took me for lunch at The Brain Charity, where I was able to catch up with the volunteers and see that they had displayed three of my pictures in the conference room.
Lashing down today so no photowalks, and as all the family were out doing other things I would have felt a bit lonely in the evening. S however went the extra mile and dragged me out to a bellydancing class with my old bellymates, which was fun, and surprised me with a cake to share along with the embarrassing rendition of That Song. I remember as a young child when I was the centre of attention while Happy Birthday was sung I would burst into tears and hide under the table. This time I took it more stoically. The class are having a night out on Tuesday, to which I'm also invited, and I will see various family members over this weekend and the next, so it will be just one big extended birthday treat rather than the non-event I was expecting.
The pearls I am wearing in this picture belonged to my Mum, and featured in a very early blip. They are very old, and when I discovered them on my last visit wanted to take them back with me to remember her. Sadly the thread had deteriorated and it broke. I tried but could not find anyone who could restring them, and left them with my friend for safe-keeping. Today she presented me with the restrung necklace - she had found a jeweler who could do the job. What a wonderful friend she is.