An early birthday celebration for Di...

Di celebrates her landmark birthday later this week and I think it is fair to say that this year, so far, has not been the year she would have wanted it to be.  Until fairly recently she had said that she wasn't bothered about celebrating at all but then she contacted Mum and I and told us to keep this afternoon free.  

She had organised an afternoon tea with her Pilates girls, Mum, Sheila and me.  Sheila had been a question-mark as she is awaiting an injection in her hip and didn't know when that was going to be but happily she was able to come along.  I had arranged that if Mum drove up as far as Stroumbi I would meet her at The Oaks and she could safely leave her car there and then I would drive and pick up Sheila and then go onto the Stone Lion in Goudi which is where the celebration was taking place.  I had been before and I knew exactly how awkward the roads up to the venue can be - to begin with they are easily missed and then when you do find them they are very steep and quite rough so Kenny was the best vehicle to use.

It was a very hot and sticky day again but at least there was some breeze out on the terrace which was very welcome.  Initially we managed to drink the establishment dry of bottled water so they had to shoot off and get some more!!!  This was before those of us who had tea, had tea, and those who were treating themselves to a little vino, had vino!

The afternoon tea was massive.  I have to say that after my sandwiches and half of the scone, jam and cream I was ready to wave the white flag and that was before the selection of home made cakes arrived.  

I think Mum must be contemplating what is happening to her sugar levels by just looking at that plate of confectionery!!!

There was home-made battenberg cake (which for some reason I used to call Thunder and Lightning as a child), little carrot cakes, millionaires shortbread and a sort of fridge cake come rocky road combo most of which we had to box up and take home with us as we were all feeling podged out!  But at least the men-folk who had not come would get to sample some of the delights.

I needed to return Mum to her car so that she could get back to Fred and so dropped Sheila off en route and then took Mum to Stroumbi.  I am guessing the Pilates Crew probably took advantage of the shade and the breeze and the vino and had a couple more after we had gone and I hope Di enjoyed her afternoon because she certainly deserved to do so and a big thank you to her for inviting Mum along and for paying for us both.  Her actual birthday is the day after tomorrow and we will be giving her her gifts then.