Today celebrates my talented uncle by the name of Matic who likes enigmas of all sorts.

No wonder that you are talented, especially linguistically, considering that you share your today’s birthday with a wide variety of poets and artists, such as Lord Byron, John Donne, Jim Jarmusch, Sergei Eisenstein, John Hurt, Michael Hutchence, Malcolm McLaren and August Strindberg.

And now, first some soundtrack and a little poem that I just wrote to set the scene:

See if you like the accordion, Ion,
there is always the bassoon, son,
you may try the mandolin, Lin,
you can play the guitarra, Tara,
why not pick up the banjo, Jo,
just do no harm, Monica!

My readers must be told that every time you come to have lunch with your sister – my mother – who lives above you, you bring your harmonica and earn your lunch.

If we are visiting, you are so kind as to choose an Italian song. And when you leave, you always play just a few notes of Let me say goodbye to you Gypsies now. 😀

In November you had a unique opportunity to test your skills accompanied by a really good accordion player who was the surprise quest at the celebration of my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. I must say that not only no harm was done, but it was simply wonderful.

Here is the year since your last birthday in photo memories. You had to visit me in Tuscany twice, first in the infernally hot June and then in more moderate September when you delivered me and bestia back to amore. Talking about convenient! But I’m sure you agree because you like it here.

Thank you so much, Matic! Happy birthday, give that ‘Monica some love, and once and for all – ‘Na sdraia and pridi kaj (Cheers and do come over)!