Yesterday

Forgive me if I ramble. A nice glass of wine – well, that was OK, but the whisky afterwards? Hmmm, not sure about that!

Anyway. It was Ellie’s birthday yesterday. She was Twenty-One Years Old. Good Lord, who’d have thought it? Memories came flooding back of the gorgeous little girl she was all those years ago, the horrible tantrums in between, and what a beautiful woman she has grown into now.

To be honest, she was feeling a little green after her evening out with her mates on Saturday night, but she was game enough to celebrate with the oldies – so I was very grateful for that.

The original plan had been to have a little get-together before the Kenilworth Sleaths took Ellie out for a slap-up, adult meal in the evening, while we babysat Freddie. Hmmm… it still went ahead…. with a different babysitter…… but for us? Ha! COVID put a stop to that. We discussed it and decided that our babysitting plans should be put on hold until everyone had tested negative. However, we thought we could sit outside with the birthday girl on the day to wish her all the best – so that’s what we did.

It was a lovely hour. Almost everyone was there and there was cake. Regrettably, I was lax with the camera and the only photo I took was one of the birthday girl as the champagne was being poured and Harriet was still arranging the chairs…….. ah, well, it captures the moment, anyway!

21! I still can’t believe it!!

We left the Kenilworth Sleaths after about an hour and made our way to the Kenilworth Newbies. Michael had invited us over for a change of scenery and we had accepted because, let’s be honest, one way or another, we need to get our ‘kiddie –fix’ – whether that be adult kids or kid kids.

Michael cooked us a cracking Sunday Roast to round off the afternoon. Brilliant. And, of course, we had worked up an appetite beforehand with a play in the park. Personally, I was on top form. Not only did I do racing, but I did ‘pulling the children round on a swingy-thing’ – and played a mean game of football. Sensibly, I had taken a warm jacket with me, so I was ‘alright, Jack’, but John went in and had an early bath because he was a bit chilly – well, actually, he watched the Grand Prix…..

But, here he is, enjoying the sunshine with the children before the lure of the Grand Prix:

And here is me and the boys enjoying a sports day….

So, back to front – that was yesterday afternoon. Yesterday morning I called in to see Mum, another birthday girl. Strictly speaking, it’s her birthday tomorrow, when she will be officially old (96) – at which life starts, I am told. We couldn’t visit tomorrow however, so I went yesterday instead.

Mum was on top form. She spent the whole time in bed (bar the last few minutes when it was lunchtime) because that’s where she was when I arrived. Fully dressed, but the window was open, so I think she may have felt the cold, hence the snuggle into the bedsheets.

We had a good giggle, as we always do, and she was delighted with the gifts I had taken her. She had no idea how old she was however, nor who I was for a while. I thought she recognised me when I arrived, but when she was perusing her birthday card, she mulled over, for a good while, who ‘Anne & John’ could possibly be?

She eventually cottoned on and enjoyed my visit – even recalling members of the family, even if she couldn’t actually remember their names.

Mind you, she did that amusing thing of toddling to the loo and then forgetting that I was there. Hehehe! Always makes me smile when she’s startled to find me in her room. We also had several lovely renditions of ‘I was born under a wand’ring’ star…’ again, which is obviously flavour of the month!!

I’d share the video of her, but I think it might frighten the horses, so here’s a lovely one of her laughing instead.

So very grateful for the love in our lives – the laughter, the fun, the delight of the family in seeing us – can’t do without it. Very thankful for our blessings, when we know there is heartbreak everywhere.

God bless. Take care everyone.