Birthday celebrations!

Today is my Dad's 70th Birthday. I can hardly believe he's 70 as he certainly doesn't look or act like his age, although I think these days, people are younger anyway. 70 definitely isn't like it used to be years and years ago!

Sophie wasn't working today which was great so we sauntered off to Market Harborough for our customary milkshake in Caffe Nero and to have a look in the shops. We'd planned to go to the gym afterwards but we realised we just didn't have time as Mum wanted us at her house at 6pm for a glass of fizz before a taxi picked us up at 7pm for our celebration meal.

We did, however, manage a walk over the fields, and it was a bit hot! We did the walk in reverse so we ended up walking through the two new fields that we have to use because of the barricade. The ironic thing is that the second field is full of sheep! Sophie tried a bit of sheep whispering and one of them (I think they were older lambs) almost succumbed to her charm!

Six o'clock found us sitting in Mum's garden with a bottle of sparkling wine and some nibbles while Dad opened his presents from us. I'd bought him a very special bottle of Jack Daniel's whisky from a single barrel so he was over the moon with that!

The taxi driver was due to arrive at 7pm to take us to the Wavendon Arms in Milton Keynes but he couldn't find the house! Mum talked him through the directions on the phone but he still managed to arrive 15 minutes late. He was in a big mini bus which rattled and shook us all the way down the M1 but we did get to the restaurant for 8pm so all was well in the end!

We had a fantastic meal with lots of wine and it was great that none of us had to drive! The children were on sparkling form and made us all laugh so we had a lovely night with delicious food and a brilliant atmosphere in the pub which was very busy. The Wavendon Arms is a lovely "gastro-pub" with lots of wood, big comfortable sofas and very friendly and efficient staff.

Our taxi picked us back up at 11pm and dropped us off outside our estate so we could just walk the short distance home. I'd said we would watch a film when we got home but the several glasses of wine I'd drunk had made me very sleepy indeed and it was off to bed for me!