Wimbledon over the years and Chris's birthday in The View from the Terrace

Isn’t it strange how we women turn into our mothers over time. I have this vivid memory of coming home from school when I was 12. My dad had retired early the previous year for health reasons. It was late June or early July and very hot and sunny. Mum and Dad were in the living room with the french window wide open but the curtains drawn to keep the sun out as the room faced south west. It was breezy and I remember the curtains blowing in the breeze. They were watching Wimbledon. They both loved tennis and had met at a tennis club. Dad had never been able to watch in the daytime before. I remember coming home day after day and thinking ‘If it doesn’t rain soon I will have to get my own tea again’, and I cursed the tennis.

Today I was sitting in my daughter’s front room, which also faces south west, on a sweltering hot day with the windows open and the curtains drawn, watching Andy Murray play at Wimbledon while she was on her computer cursing the tennis.

Chris, on the other hand, loves tennis. Well, he should as he was born 34 years ago today which was men’s finals day that year. When he was about 5 I made him a tennis cake for his birthday party with green icing and some little tennis players that I found in a shop in town. On another birthday he had a stars and stripes cake of course. I had planned to ask him to call this weekend and we would have had a cake, but I am here in Cardiff. Hubby has got a bottle of wine for him but he didn’t call today and Hubby is coming here tomorrow. Never mind, Tony will be there. They can celebrate together.

Last updated February 16, 2017