Jeessssussssss….. how long can Jan, Feb and now March last? These past weeks and months have definitely felt like a bloody endurance test. Getting more difficult and frustrating by the day, and even the prospect of a bit more freedom coming in April still feels achingly out of reach. But, still trying to grin and bear it, mostly because there are no other options!
Our chum David in Harrogate had his birthday this weekend – begun by an immensely calorific online shared dinner with us. Beef tournedos – OMG, an overdose in richness especially when paired with some 'lightweight' dauphinoise spuds.. And he did seem to like his card from us – I won't share the front cover as it is David in a state of undress, at midnight in Devon, with his head in the loft of our rental cottage trying to turn off the smoke alarm! What presence of mind I had to wake up in the dark and snap him as he wobbled on a small table… little did her know! And he seemed to like his birthday bottle of brandy too…
Continuing on the theme of lockdown birthdays, we met Mikey & Margo yesterday in yet another set of 'different but basically the same' woods, for a walk. It was Patrick's 10th birthday – blimey! – and 2 days till Mikey's. So off we set. Scrumpy slightly disgraced herself by over-excitedly dragging the birthday boy down a muddy slope and almost into a stream, in her haste to go swimming.. But he recovered in time for a very nice slice of cake magically appearing out of the boot of the car. Good job Margo! You've got to love a cake with sweets on the inside as well as the outside…
And I couldn't resist putting this photo on here too. My very gorgeous little great niece Lettie – who I will hopefully get to see at my aunt's funeral tomorrow. Bizarre times we live in, when a funeral is the most social and family-oriented thing we will have done in a very long time! Just a shame Cathy can't come over from Holland to join us – it is now a full year since I last saw her, boo. One large vodka & orange awaits when travel finally resumes..
Anyway – what a little blossom. Let's hope she & dolly manage to stay quiet for the service tomorrow… x