A 10-10-10 Birthday Treat

Last Thursday while we were discussing the weekly shopping list via email, with me being at work, my wife mentioned that since it looked like the weather would be nice on Sunday, I ought to make sure we had batteries for the camera.

Well Monday 11^th was actually my birthday, and sweetheart that she is, she usually tries to give me a surprise birthday present, but since she has been unwell for the last four months and hardly left the house, I didn't relish the idea of doing something that she couldn't take part in or enjoy properly.

In discussions on Friday and early Saturday morning, she said that I might want to charge up the camcorder batteries as well, which I did, but although I was looking forward to a surprise treat, I was also apprehensive, since I really didn't want to do anything without her.

I should add that we love to do things together, and get the most enjoyment out of that, rather than doing our own thing, and so my excitement was rather outweighed by my self questioning as to what the surprise might be.

I did have some wild ideas as to what she had planned, based on the need to have the cameras available. These ranged from a ride in a hot air balloon, driving a racing car, a ride in a biplane, even a parachute jump, the usual crazy things that you get as a surprise, and as much as I would like to do some of these, my fear of heights makes me wonder whether I could actually do them.

Eventually on Saturday morning, Debbie asked me if I would like to know what she had planned for my birthday treat on Sunday, and without hesitation I said YES!

It seems that with Sunday being 10-10-10, the local zoo at Marwell Wildlife Park, which is less than 10 miles from where we live, was having a special admission day. Instead of my wife being stuck at home, we could go to the zoo and have a day out, and they have wheelchairs to rent, so she would be able to go around the park, since she can't walk very far right now.

Instead of the regular £16 ($24) admission fee, on 10-10-10 it was only £10 ($15). It cost £10 to rent a wheelchair, which was refundable, and then the helper got to go in free as well. So that worked out for both of us at just £10 for a nice day out, which was wonderful.

Although the day started out a little gloomy, with hazy skies, by the time we arrived at the zoo, which was around 11:30am, it was nice and bright, and within an hour the skies cleared completely, it was a perfect weather for our day out.

The only problem with taking a wheelchair around Marwell Zoo however is that it is rather hilly, and so I had to push Debbie up the hills, and then hold on for dear life and try to not let her get away from me going down the hills.

Since the wheelchair only had brakes on the side of the wheels, and none for the person pushing it, that meant I couldn't jump on and enjoy the ride downhill.

I did suggest that I could grab the camcorder and let go halfway down the hill, and then we could get some money for our entry into Britain's Funniest Videos, but I thought better of that, since divorces are both messy and expensive. I was just kidding of course.

We had a brilliant day out at the zoo, followed by a trip to a local Carvery, and then home.

Debbie is feeling slightly better this week, so I hope we can manage a trip out this weekend as well. It's not going to be easy without a wheelchair though.