A favourite saying of mine is that everyone gets older by one year every year. Despite this truism, I’m amazed that today my oldest child turns 37 years old. With darling Kate's birth on 4 November 1971, the non-parent segment of my life ended, never to return, and the parent segment began. For just over 28 years from that day, Sweetheart Vivienne and I were the most important two other people in Kate’s life. As a parent I did my best – which was little better than dreadful. But luckily for Kate (and her sisters), their mother was a vastly better parent than their father. However in general, children are resilient; and Kate was no exception. Despite her father at least, she became a talented, assured, wise and loving woman though, I hasten to add, not a neat and tidy one. Since 12 December 1999 when she and Brendon were married, neither Vivienne nor I has been the primary other person in Kate’s life. But I’ve been more than compensated by gaining Brenno as a proxy son. And by their three beautiful girls who bring me more joy than I thought possible, and who, as a bonus, have caused Kate to discover first-hand just how difficult parenting is. Thank you, darling Kate, for turning me from an ordinary person into a parent and grandparent. Happy birthday to you.
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