I thought Reidar wouldn't be able to do much about my birthday, so was prepared for the usual anticlimax, but the day before, while we were at the hospital for Reidar's chemo, my friend Annabel rang and said she was sorry she and Jørgen wouldn't be able to come the next day. She also asked how many would be coming. I gave a vague answer and began to wonder a little.On my birthday Reidar went off early in a taxi, first to more chemo, then on to his daytime session at the hospice. I was eating breakfast when he rang to say he had the car-keys in his pocket, leaving me high and dry with no way of dashing about, doing my planned pre-Christmas errands. I rang a good friend and she drove me to Hamar to fetch the keys. In the afternoon I got a crypical text-message from May Sissel telling me to dress up in something nice, and to expect her at 18.30. After that there was a whirlwind of activity in the kitchen, and the guests began to arrive. Reidar had invited a whole crowd of friends and we were 16 people who spent a very happy evening with good food and drink. I got lots of presents, flowers and, as you can see, cakes. All this was planned in secret and I knew nothing until the day before. It was my first surprise party and I loved it!
