My Birthday was marked in a way that wouldn’t have been possible ten years ago: 78 greetings via Facebook; one ecard; an email; a what’s app message; and two text messages. I also received a parcel via Amazon, and an old-fashioned phonecall. I didn’t bother to check the mail box. In Itchy Ankle things followed a more traditional path. Peggoty and Barkis laid on a spread which concluded with ice cream all round, and Ms. Monroe, the Captain and Lady Di gave me a new garden sprinkler, ideal for watering the daylilies I bought yesterday at the Lutheran church sale. It is good to be 54.