Just-Jake (keeping all my balls in the air)

So, I never posted any pics of my actual birthday did I...? Of me turning older. Reaching that middle age milestone... (of course people live to be 100, everyone knows that!) It was possibly the shock of finally accepting my age that set me back.. or just the very fact of my age that made it slip my mind... but whatever... ;-) here's a few now as the kids abroad haven't seen them yet.

This year, I was given two cakes - one made by Grandma - which was beautiful and clever, and ooghed and aghed over by everyone,

and one brought up by my sister Sanna, from the bakery in Truro, which produce the 'lightest, softest, moistest' cakes in the world... we know this, because we buy our celebration cakes from there at every opportunity. This one had a picture of me on it when I was 8 or 9, wearing a dress with cowboys and indians on it, made for me by my sister for a school project, and of which I was very, very proud.

It was a shift, with lace all down the front and was quite the thing, until I rushed next door to show my neighbour (a lovely old Welsh lady called Mrs B, who I loved) and her dog (my surrogate dog) Mitch. Mitch, obviously overcome with the excitement of my new hand made frock leapt up ( the fat oaf!) and got his claws stuck in the lace trim... and rip. There went my new posh dress. Thanks Mitch. I've never forgotten it.

(Nobody could get over how like ME when I was little, Vinnie looks!! Which was actually quite funny cos prior to this we all thought he was the image of his dad lol!)

Anyway, we had a lovely time. The kids flew in from Lanza, Sanna and Daave came up from Cornwall, a few dear friends came, and we had the perfect family birthday I wanted. I wouldn't have changed a thing. I begged the kids not to do big. I don't do big. I begged for no fuss, and for once, they did just as I asked and kept it low key, and all based round our own little group, which is exactly as I had hoped it would be.

On Thursday we shopped and lunched at a country pub. Had pizza and movies in the evening. Friday - the big day - Jazz decorated the house and I came down to a room full of balloons, and fetti, poppers and streamers, and the girls came round and we all had a huge breakfast with champers, bucks fizz, and crackers and lots of silliness.

We then set off for a nature ramble (just like when they were all small) but had to abandon it when Donna and I realised half of them had become townies and no longer appreciated the delights of frogspawn and lambs and cowslips and grass!
Lol! We went instead to Aldbury, and fed the ducks and coo'd over the ducklings... and retired to the pub for a drink in the garden.

Friday night the motley crew met up for cocktails and a chinese meal, where we more or less took over the restaurant...

This is some of us waiting outside while they totally rearranged the seating plan to accomodate us!


Ruben sang happy birthday to me in Spanish amid much applause and laughter.

And it was here the kids gave me my special gift - in the pink box - all the details of our weekend away, which Donna had coordinated, bought between them all.... and which made me cry - of course
Then on Saturday, it was a barbeque here, lots of fun again as Sanna and the kids decorated the garden and when it got cold we just lit the chimney and carried on until we'd completely decimated Carlo's woodpile... and then some. And believe me it was some wood pile! (Bunch of pyromaniac's....)

Sunday was beautiful little Matilda's Christening.. and she was such a princess!

And then Monday they all went home, and I cried.

But it was the best. And we still have our weekend in Newcastle and Beamish to look forward to! Oh, and I saved some champagne.... ;-) It's the elixir of life!

Thank you to my wonderful family for all my lovely presents and for a brilliant few days... and just for being mine. x x x