If you have a Birthday around Christmas or New Year you typically get a combined ChristBirth present or, when you get to my age, nothing at all.


The Dutch are very sociable when it comes to birthdays and congratulate not only the Birthday Girl/Boy but also all of the immediate family members + any Grandparents/Uncles/Aunts/3rd Cousins14 times removed etc. that are lurking around. There's a lot of kissing of cheeks and shaking of hands.

Now ...... I am an easy person to please when it comes to choosing a present  for me although there are ground rules. Nothing kitchen related and nothing with a plug on it. If I need a new potato peeler or hair dryer I'll go and get it myself!

Over the years that I have been married to Cloggy he has become very good at surprising me on my birthday but this year he excelled himself. I was awoken with breakfast in bed and a carrier bag full of chocolate. It looked as if he had forgotten my birthday completely and made a mad dash to the Gas Station and bought their entire stock.

 I must admit I was a little disappointed but didn't have time to dwell as I had to be in Utrecht at 10 for work. I love my job and the appointment was particularly jolly and succesful so I had a good day. I got home at 4 to find that the Baby Cloggys had prepared dinner and had a bottle of Champagne on ice.

 After making sure that I was comfortably sat by the fire with a glass of bubbles and a plate full of chocolate to hand they all disappeared with Cloggy. Half an hour later they came home with my REAL birthday present ............ An 8 week old Cairn Terrier puppy which they had already named 'The Knobbly Clog' -  whatever that is!

Knobbly is roughly the size of a 1kg bag of pasta and thinks he's a German Shepherd! He is already best friends with our donkey sized Brown Labrador and loves snow.

Meet Knobbly - HOW CUTE IS THIS! I am not known for my love of small yapper type dogs but this little critter has just melted my heart!