The Steve - 11-20

And we're back with the birthday count down. Just to update you, yes, he found the presents.

11. He is bizarrely obsessed with cocktail sticks. I find them everywhere. He picks them up and fiddles with them for hours. They are forever behind his ears and in his mouth.

12. He is so supportive and generally fantastic. His faith in you is absolute and continuous. If you are stressed and say you can't do it, he will blink at you and say you can.

13. This Sunday is his 30th birthday and, when I asked where he would like to be taken to lunch, he chose Pizza Hut. Yep. I have yet to break it to him that I believe the 'unlimited ice cream factory' for birthday children doesn't extend to 30 year olds.

14. His rants are legendary. And by god does he play up to them. Incredibly liberal (except when it suits him not to be), he will happily go on for tens of minutes to anyone who happens to be in earshot about anything that has particularly got his goat. Favourite topics include religion (these rants can extend to hours) and anything that the Daily Mail feels strongly about...

15. Steve and his brother and his father (both called John incidentally) are a tight knit team. Circumstances have meant that they a very strong unit, an all male unit I may add. And, while all the most welcoming and friendly men in the world, it is a hard group to break into. But it is most definitely worth it.

16. Steve is bizarrely talented in so many ways. He can repair your light fitting, he can take pictures of your family reunion, he can teach you how to play cricket, he can cook you a delicious bowl of macaroni cheese. He is amazing with children, delightful with animals and can put even the most nervous person at ease. He can hoover and iron far better than I can, he can sew buttons on shirts (something I am still incapable of), build fires and make up the best bedtime stories. He can't hang washing out though...

17. He claims he remembers very little of his childhood. But he is lying.

18. The man has broken the same ankle three times. The second time, the doctor asked when he had broken it the first time and queried why it hadn't healed properly, Steve couldn't answer him as he couldn't remember ever breaking it before. A few questions to his Dad and all became clear. It seems that a four year old Steve had been having a jumping down the stairs competition with his brother. Steve had hurt his ankle but an ice lolly seemed to solve any issues so a trip to the doctors was not deemed necessary. His Dad just carried him for a few days.

19. His eyes melt me everytime. And I won't even mention his bum except to say that I believe it has won awards.

20. His favourite word is moist. A word I detest. Proof, I suppose that opposites do attract.