I enjoyed my birthday yesterday. Yes, it was the usual routine of running around working, frantically toddler-herding and being complained at for, well, being me! However I could savor the thought that though times are tough at the moment, I'm a year closer to my nursing home, catheter and colostomy bag.

Make sure you treat your children well, give them all you can give them and teach them to be compassionate to others - after all, one day they will be the ones choosing your care home.

I had a bit of a blast to the past with a small retro gift my wife gave me - a Rubix cube!

I spent several hours tinkering with it. It's a fiendishly difficult puzzle to solve, but fascinating in how it works. If you get one, have a go - but don't spend too long, the creator spent months working out how to solve it, I imagine I'd do the same. I cheated and looked for tips on line.

I managed to solve it - but I will not be able to again, without help. I don't have aspirations of being a 'cuber' at the moment, but twisting and rolling those little cubes in your hands is cathartic and absorbing - if you ever want an interesting distraction - get one!