100 is the magic number

You've missed me, haven't you? Go on, admit it - it's been a while, after all. Well, here's your chance to find out a bit more about me and mine, to get to know me better, so read on, carefully! You can even make notes for future reference if you want to.

We all realise that we don't choose our families in the same way we do our friends and they can often be a source of disappointment and frustration, even unhappiness and misery. But you'll be pleased to learn that one fortunate individual -me - has been extremely lucky in this life with both his friends (well-chosen and wonderful) and his family (not chosen but pretty damn special). And as I've bored you repeatedly talking about my friends, friendship and my great good fortune in having them, I've decided the time has come to talk about my family - boring has never been so interesting!

Those of you who read and remember my every word will know that due to life's vagaries I have been extremely badly off financially for at least the last couple of years, and that most of the good times and/or luxuries in my life today are made possible due to the generosity of my friends. Time now to add my extended family to that as, in their own way, they are as special as my friends, so very, very special.

I've recently been to Romania for a relative's (my paternal grandmother's first cousin) 100th birthday party, a very rare occasion in any family. This particular relative, quiet and modest, was born in Romania but left not long after the communist takeover, forging a career in shipping and trading in western Europe and flitting between Paris, London and Geneva. Since the fall of communism he has been able to return to Romania as a visitor, and even reclaim some of the old family property thus allowing him to spend some time there every year. That's him in the photograph with the watering can, a remarkable individual who walks for at least an hour most days and belies his age with a vitality that many younger people envy, not least among family members; it was an honour to be invited to take part in the celebrations.

The great day dawned with few clouds in the sky, but our quiet breakfast was disturbed by well-wishers bringing flowers and cards, and generally coming to pay their respects. I was certainly touched and wouldn't have minded but for the fact that I was in shorts and a worn t-shirt, not expecting visitors... a bit embarrassing, this. Still, it was the start of what was a brilliant day full of emotion; luckily for me, there was plenty of food and drink as well! And many interesting people, all there to convey their best wishes and share in this little moment of history.

It is impossible to accurately describe the emotions of the day, the strength of feeling, the love, kindness and generosity of spirit permeating the proceedings, but it is a day that I shall remember with pride for the rest of my days.