Secondly, oh my goodness!

[blamebrampton]

Good lord, people! Thank you! But strangers are not going to believe that I am the grumpy old haggis I try so hard to be with all the niceness that was thrown in my direction for my birthday. You are collectively ruining my reputation as a Great Meanie, which is a tragedy because that's what I have the wardrobe for. All that black and red and devil boots, wasted. Eh, it's not as though I can walk in the boots.

I had hoped to finish this post last night, but it was suddenly 1.42am and I needed to do my physio and get to bed, so instead it is late. No one who has ever met me before is surprised  by this ;-)

And apologies in advance for the cockups I have doubtless made, due to being somewhat inept and wholly underslept.

Many, many thanks to: 
alex_s9  for your generous wishes; alisanne  for your dancing cheer; annes_stuff  for making me feel useful even in my dotage; anthimaeria  for your constant warmth and the cake! I have to come to the US, it's been too long!; auntpurl  for the hugs and twirls; being_here  for the wishes for cool weather (alas, unfulfilled, damn you climate change!) and darling puppy; brissygirl  for hugs and cheer, and understanding about pavlova; bryoneybrynn  for your love and puppy!; brumeux77  for your lovely wishes; cassie_black12  for a lovely puppy -- and always being so positive; catsintheattic  for your warmth and the wee puppy!; chantefable  for knowing me so very well (PERFECT gifts, and PUPPY!); ciraarana  for your cheer; cp_dept  for correctly guessing that Mr B's trousers are always the last thing; curia_regis  for your wishes; ecosopher  for your warm cheer; enchanted_jae  for your lovely warm wishes; femmequixotic  for the gorgeous tulips (my faves!) and paid time, which is really far too much, thank you!; flamewarrior  for proper barbie appreciation; fourth_rose  for wishes (darling, when am I ever on time with anything?); funnelwebkitten  for such a beautiful song and lovely wee puppy!; goddessriss  for always making me feel better, and for your lovely charity; hpreader  for the drink and recipes; i_autumnheart  for general terrificness; illereyn  for your kind wishes; _inbetween_  for your constant loveliness and darling otter, and yes, you got the day right, I hope you are well!; kittie8571  for the sparkling celebration; kitty_fic  for the delicious cupcake; ladydeth12  for the cakes -- omnomnom!; leela_cat  for your hopes that I share!; maevemist  for the wishes for clement weather (damn the climate for being broken!); mahaliem  for your words, which are always beautiful, and cake, which has blessedly few calories; maya231  for your kind wishes; mayela_delarue  for your cheer (will let you know when the barbie is set up!); ms_kilian  for more cake (oh, the size of my arse ...); mrsquizzical  for your right beliefs on the inadvisability of barbecueing tempeh ;-); naadi  for your wishes and shared vegie love (Mmmm, vegies ...); noeon  for the gorgeous balloons and paid time -- darling, you shouldn't have! But thank you so much!; nursedarry  for the hugs and champers and psychic link; oceaxe  for your friendly cheer and warmth; painless_j  for making me blush, though I wish you had the actual warmth -- heat wave down here at the moment; phoenixacid  for the luverley singing, cat and cake!; pingrid  for sharing the Kevin McCloud passion; rumpleghost  for neighbourly hearts; sassy_cissa  for wishes and all your kindess the whole time I have been in fandom; shu_shu_sleeps  for sharing the perils of a January birthday; snottygrrl  for always being so lovely (you are a constant delight!); sorrel_forbes  for your warm cheer; teresacoutinho  for your happy wave; the_gubette  for your delicious low-cal cake; themostepotente  for both the love and taking care of all the E's; thenotoriousso4  for wishes and making me feel that Mr B is less odd; theodoraleft  for all your kindness (email coming soon!); tinofbeans  -- I will see you when you get back!; treacle_tartlet  for EVERYTHING, but especially David and macarons and GENIUS Moomins; tomatoe18  for your happy hugs; tsosh  for a kitty so cute my brain exploded; turnonmyheels  for barbecue appreciation ;-); vaysh11  for the lovely birthday rec (thank you, darling!); and winstonmom  for the wishes and reminder that I am not the only one with a 'special' feller at home ;-)

ETA: nenne , thank you! And yes, evil LJ interface doubtless nicked the first bottle of champers! And thank you to the dear anonymouse who gave me 2 months of LJ -- please let me know who you were, aside from too kind.

I do not deserve my flist, as you are all so generous and lovely, but thank all of you for the joy of your company and the delight you all bring when you chat with me or  'talk among yourselves' over here. Even on stinking hot nights when sleep is impossible and my brain is sago (all this week), I feel as though I have instant entry into a club filled with exactly the sort of people I would like to chat with, which is each and every one of you. Thank you!

Comments

[mrsquizzical.livejournal.com]

\o/

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

!! XX (Am too old for actual emoticons, alas.)

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

♥

Your Es will always be safe on my watch <3

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

You're a good soul. Though in my head you are played by a cross between e e cummings and one of my rave friends from the '80s who always had a stash, so you are dressed really oddly, but are amazingly cool. The second part of this is doubtless reflected in reality, but I suspect your outfits are far saner.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

I am so conservative clothing-wise now, it's sad, really. I think I still have a pair of wide-legged raver pants trousers hiding somewhere, though. LOL. Oh, the horror!

[shocolate.livejournal.com]

Thta's right - do it in alphabetic order, just to draw attention to the fact that I forgot!!

*sticks out tongue*

Lookit! Shiny! From the National Television Awards!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Dear Shocolate, you didn't forget, you were preoccupied with the Vital National Task of hoping for success in either the cricket or tennis. And damn the lads for letting you down!

(As to alphabetical order, yes, I was the person who re-ordered the microfiche in the library. And I still miss it ...)

PS -- how could I miss the most vital part of this comment? PHWOAR!

[shocolate.livejournal.com]

I will plead 12 hours on Saturday and 7 on Sunday of Taking Children to Activities... weekend completely buggered, and then all the sport goes pear shaped!

[he looked awesome]

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

So the next time one of your wee bairns does something gruesome (it has to happen at least once a year), you can legitimately blame them for the cricket? Genius!

The weekend was pear-shaped here, too, due to excessive heat. I am trying to convince it to go north to where it is wanted.

[dharawal.livejournal.com]

No, thank you, I bless the day I was pointed towards your journal, you have made me laugh so so many times, and cheered me up as well, so you are MOST welcome!!!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

My ridiculousness exists to make my friends giggle, and my enemies feel bad about finding it funny ;-)

[winnett.livejournal.com]

Ah, Happy Birthday! I totally missed it (I think, my days are hazy lately). Hope your day was made of awesome.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

A. Not to worry, I miss birthdays all the time, as my friends constantly remind me (I make up for it by giving great presents randomly).
B. It was! Thank you!

ETA which is not to say that I require random presents. I am at once humbled and horribly embarrassed that internet people have spent cash on me, since I only demand that of my nearest and dearest (and there it's just recouping costs). Just rephrase the whole thing in sensible person language and that's what I meant to say!

[winnett.livejournal.com]

ha! Of course, I only interpret what you ever say as something sensible. ;)

Glad you had an awesome day. It sounded like it. I miss birthday's often, too. And it's awesome that you are like random gift fairy.

[norton-gale.livejournal.com]

Damn, talk about an incredible thank you note! I can barely croak out a faintly audible, "Eh, thanks everyone."

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Darling, the first draft was 'I LOVE YOUSE ALL!' ;-)

[pionie.livejournal.com]

Hee! I have to say you have't made a very good effort at being a grumpy old meanie, in all the time I've been reading your journal! Quite the opposite in fact, as demonstrated by all the good will and birthday wishes from your friends :) Happy belated birthday :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

You have to allow me grumpy and old at least. My political rantings alone qualify me as a grump, and I am older than several of the people on the Grumpy Old ... TV shows!

And thank you, dear! I was thinking of you on the weekend because I missed the brief peony season in Sydney.

[nenne.livejournal.com]

At least you got the second bottle! *is relieved*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Glub glub glub! *Passes you a glassful!* *Has a sit down and nap because doesn't really drink but is fond of a good glass of bubbly* *Has faith that you will not draw on moustache while I nap!*

[enchanted-jae.livejournal.com]

I still think you're a Great Meanie. *nods solemnly*

*giggles*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Woops! That first reply went in the wrong spot. What I meant to say was -- 'I'll get you My Pretty! And your little dog, too!'

[brissygirl.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you feel the love, you bring so much happiness and entertainment into our lives you deserve a bit of appreciation too!! <3

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

Aw, you're welcome for the warm wishes and I'm glad it was a great day :) Your entries appearing on my f-list always brighten my day!

[shezan.livejournal.com]

....AAAAAND I managed to miss your birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

[flamewarrior.livejournal.com]

*bounces you*

[kitty_fic]

♥

[teresacoutinho.livejournal.com]

...words fail me...

When I get past the mental image my mind conjured up for "grumpy old haggis", I shall return with an awesome comment. Bear in mind, that the mental image may last forever. Entirely your fault, of course, because when I read that first line my face did this: O_O

[chantefable.livejournal.com]

\o/ ♥ :)

[ant-queen.livejournal.com]

And after ribbing you about forgetting my birthday, I then went and forgot yours! I blame fibro-fogged brain. Glad you had a lovely birthday and have received chocolate frogs and a BBQ (don't BBQ the frogs...)

And I still consider you sufficiently evil to warrant Devil Boots :P

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I thought it was perfect :-) And yes, the heat has been enough to fog everyone's brain this week -- I have had to limit my online time due to laptop heat.

The frog was saved from the BBQ, though not from being eaten. And I bought some ballet DVDs so I would be able to train for the boots!

[annes-stuff.livejournal.com]

Lately is has become apparent to me that you are able to provide me with sane advice when all around have gone barking mad!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's because I am old and experienced -- I've remembered most of the good advice people have told me over the years!

[annes-stuff.livejournal.com]

I only wish some people here had remembered the good advice they have been told over the years.