Monday, 24-04-23

 Morning, everyone.  It's a gorgeous, gloriously sunny start to my birthday and it doesn't feel all that cold either.  Sadly, it's not predicted to hang around as the clouds are expected to roll in but not to worry, I will enjoy it while it lasts!

Here are the flowers.  Didn't Victoria do a lovely job with them; they were just what I had hoped they would be.

(apologies for poor light - it really was a very gloomy day)

Everyone turned up after the alert thingy (two minutes early!) and I had a really lovely time (and I hope everyone else did too).

I managed to take one photo before we all dived in but was too busy enjoying myself to remember to take any more, sorry!  I hardly ever use my 'pretty' china and have decided that I must get it out a bit more often . . . see below for more.

I thought I had made way too many sandwiches but I really hadn't.  There were five left which Alex took home but all the crisps and all the vegetarian sausage mini pasties went in a flash (everyone in the family loves these Delia nibbles) and we decided we much prefer them done as mini-pasties rather than sausage roll-style.  Same recipe, different presentation.  

There were some leftovers, of course, but between the five of them, pretty much everything got taken home.  I have half of the ice cream still (Sooze, it was mega enjoyed and I am definitely making it again, thanks for the recommendation) and I've just taken it back out of the freezer to soften a bit before dividing it into sensible sized single portions for weeks to come.

The pretty china:
Quite a long time ago, I was strolling around in town in either Debenhams or Bolingbroke and Wenley (the two department stores we hade - both sadly now closed) feeling rather low (probably peri-menopausal, looking back) and heard this lovely china calling to me.  On impulse, I got a set for one - cup, saucer, tea plate, teapot, milk bowl - I think that was it.  This was in the early days of eBay, when it was genuinely a really good place to find bargains rather than a re-sellers-for-profit paradise.  I looked up this china (it is Royal Albert bone china, Belinda) and got quite a bit more of it, really great value at the time but it means I have bits and bobs rather than a full set - loads of cups, saucers and plates but ones and twos of other stuff. 
Nowadays it is jolly expensive (I have just looked on Amazon and a cup and saucer is £25, which is shocking), even on the second hand china sites so I will never have a complete set, just the bits and bobs I already have, but that's OK as it is usually just me.
Anyway - I have decided I will use it more and enjoy it.

On to today and, after the prosecco/champagne, I slept very well and had what was, for me, a lie in.  I've opened the remaining cards and a gift from Chris, smiled at the flowers (I can't get over how very lovely they are - Mum and Dad would have been so pleased).

I have circuits later on but that's all there is in the diary so I am just going to do what I fancy doing and have a nice, me-day.  I want to put my new garden tool into use digging out the white bell bulbs as they are showing bids - they are so invasive and I wish I'd never planted them, to be honest.  I suppose I could replant a few in a pot - yes, I might do that.

Right, well, I am off now to get myself sorted and start the day.  Have a lovely Monday, everyone, and stay safe and well.  xx