Birthday gift from Michael Palin!

So, almost 4 weeks ago was my 46th birthday. Yeah, I know, didn’t blog on my birthday but I’m never one to fuss over my birthday anyhow… Anyway, I had a lovely little family birthday and my husband told me that my main gift was on it’s way. He’d ordered it some weeks back but there was no telling exactly when I’d receive it. “What kind of weird gift is that, that you don’t know a delivery time?” you ask? Well, I asked as well but my dear husband just wisely smiled and said nothing.

Fast forward to today and the mail just came half an hour ago. It contained a package that my husband ceremoniously handed to me with a ‘belated happy birthday’. I opened it and in it I found this:

I have mentioned before that I love Michael Palin. He is my favourite Python, The Life of Brian is my favourite comedy ever and I love his travel shows. I have read the travel books he has written, I have been reading his diaries. Heck, I even saw him live on stage talking about Ernest Hemingway in December 2014! I had been meaning to buy his latest diary but hadn’t gotten around to it yet so of course was very pleased to see it now as my belated birthday gift. I did wonder why it would take so long to get here but whatever, I was pleased! Then my husband takes the book from me, flips through the first few pages and with a grin shows me this:

Oh my goodness, I have my own personal signed copy of Michael Palin’s 3rd volume of diaries! It actually says “To Esther” in it! OMG, OMG, OMG! I am over the moon and so very pleased!! Thank you thank you thank you to my darling husband and to Michael Palin for such an awesome gift! I know what I’ll start reading on my flight to London this weekend. Happy travels indeed. 🙂