Taurus

It's Kevin's birthday today and the first one we have ever been able to spend together. I have even flown out on the day before when Easter was as late as it was this year, but never been able to celebrate in the same country.

I've come to think that earth signs go well together, although it may be that only other earth signs can tolerate each other, I am Virgo, Kevin is, obviously, Taurus, I have other friends in successful partnerships where both are earth signs, but then, I know others still where both partners are fire signs, so perhaps any element combines well with itself. What I can't envisage is two Taureans being partners, but I'd be pleased to stand corrected on that one.

I did try looking up famous people who shared Kevin's birthday, but all I have been able to come up with is the US president Ulysses S. Grant and unconvincing pop star Sheena Easton. Oh well. Someone on the radio not so long ago said that in a room with 23 people in it, there is an 80% chance that two of them will share the same birthday. Sounds impossible? Yep me too, although sciencey people have tried to explain it to me - it's a statistics thing, probably better not to know. Another statistic that one of the sciencey people told me was that in every society where abortion had been legalised, there had been a significant reduction in the crime rate 18 years later.

I did notice however that there had been a number of freedomy type of things happen on April the 27th.
In 1960, Togo gained independence from France, followed the year after by Sierra Leone becoming independent from the UK. In 1994, South Africa was able to hold its first free, multi-racial elections and thus the day has become Freedom day ever since.
In some unspecified year, but on this day, Slovenia rose up against occupation. Today, in China, the first panda raised in captivity is to be released into the wild. Yep, I can see a theme emerging.

Although we are, I'm relieved to say, past the annoyance of having to buy presents for each other, we have chosen to acquire a new cable box that allows us to watch HD TV on our set. This gives a very clear and wonderful picture, but I really do wonder how someone who doesn't have a degree in electrical engineering - well me for example - can ever set these things up.

Later, we will be dining out and raising a glass in honour of the occasion. Happy Birthday Kevin, I hope we will spend many more together.