THE WALLABY TRACK WITH LIONEL MUSSELL

My 90th birthday started five hours early ! I was at a muster of my Australian Caravan Club ' s Gippsland Gypsies branch at Maryborough and after a great weekend we had gathered in the indoor area to have dinner .

“ Come Lionel , come for a walk but ask no questions !” said a lady .

“ Why ?” I asked .

“ No questions – just come for a walk .”

So I went for a walk with a few others , knowing something was planned but not expecting there to be a lovely 90th birthday cake with candles , plus a birthday card with many messages and some birthday gifts .

They sang the ‘ happy birthday ’ song and I carried on singing with “ Why was he born so beautiful – why was he born at all ?” A great night .

After driving home in bright sunshine through the glorious Victorian countryside , I arrived home at the same time as my grandson , Reece , who had driven from the Mornington Peninsula to share my birthday .

Dinner was at Sue and Shaun ' s place , just a few metres from my house , and they had cooked a lovely dinner – one of my favourites and , once again , there was an iced birthday cake with candles . Just two , in case you were wondering .

Reece had gone home and Wednesday looked like being just an ordinary day . I was busy organising lunch when the phone rang . It was my daughter , Jackie , and she said , “ Look out the window and you will see us turning into your driveway !”

I thought they were still in Alice Springs waiting to travel north but here they were wishing me happy birthday . What a fantastic surprise that was , and best of all I think they will be here until after Christmas .

The birthday isn ' t over yet because , as I write , two more grandsons with their families are on their way here today for the weekend to continue celebrating my birthday .

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