YO HO HO AND A BOTTLE OF.....

.... Deutz.

OK, it's a New Zealand Methode Champenoise and the 'entry point' Deutz being the simplest in the range but it is still bloody well made, better than most other non-Champagne sparklings from other countries and is actually as good or better than cheap Champagnes.

So there!

The Old Girl and I sort of have an unwritten rule that we don't open the really good stuff unless the other is there to share it. Also, normally, I don't open a bottle of bubbly when I'm on my own. I don't know why as an opened bottle of bubbles, with the right closure, will keep well in the fridge for a few days just as a still wine will.

The right closure to keep bubbles in once the bottle has been opened

Tonight though ---- it's my birthday. I'm going to drink the whole bottle myself. Well, Winston Churchill drank a bottle of Pol Roger Champagne every day, starting at breakfast. Admittedly it was a half bottle (375ml) that was specially bottled for him by the House of Pol Roger - but then he went on, during the day to skull chardonnay, claret and Cognac.

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I've had a good day today, starting with 3 hours of playing tennis at the local tennis club. They meet every Tuesday and Thursday mornings and I try to get there at least one of the days each week. We managed to play before the rain started which has continued off and on during the day. It's kept me indoors to catch up on reading and listening to National Radio (housework can wait until Thursday as The Old Girl isn't coming up from Auckland until Friday).

I've had emails, texts and phone calls from friends and family throughout the day wishing me a happy birthday and checking up on whether I'm still alive or not. Richard (of RBB) called which was nice. He did that at about 5PM when he got back from work - he retired and now works part-time on demand which is a great situation as hopefully he can do good work, get paid for it and not have to put up with all the responsibility bullshit and unpaid work hours that seemed to go with his job. He was heading off to the chardonnay cupboard so no doubt by now we won't get much sense out of him.

I checked the bank account today and the government put in a day's worth of National Superannuation into our account. Strange. But good. The next 'pay' will be in two weeks. I'll be pleased to see this coming in as I haven't had any income for over a month. It'll be good to take pressure off The Old Girl.

Off for another glass of bubbles now.

Cheers!