Happy 30th Birthday Al

Today was Al's official birthday. Unofficial birthday is the other 2 days of this weekend that we have been out celebration.. A weekend of lovely meals starting with Indian on Friday with my family. Chinese on Saturdau with Al's friends and then thai on Sunday with our Sunday lunch club.

And what would a 30 year old do for her birthday day? Go to a kiddies park :) I kid you not. We went to Blaise castle for a play in the playground after Sunday lunch. I haven't been on a roundabout for quite a while but god it makes you dizzy. You have to imagine this. Rae, Al and I in a kiddies playground surrounded by children. Rae and I holding onto the roundabout for dear life and Al pushing us around and around.

Al really enjoyed her birthday but it doesn't stop there. Al is going to have the longest birthday I've ever known with a year's worth of activities I've organised. Unfortunately one activity involves climbing a hill :(

To the end of England, sideways and then back again

For somebody that didn't used to drive anywhere apart from Hartcliffe, I did a dam good job this weekend of going to the end of the country, then to the other coast and then back down to Bristol. We stayed with Rae, Jue and Archie on the Friday and then drove up to Darlington on the Saturday. I've always been scared of cats but think of my horror when a very frightened cat decided to use me as a stepping stone. One problem is that I'm not solid so the cat claws went in my flesh further as it slide down my back. I'm now sporting scratches all down my back That's my story and I will stick to it ;)

On Sunday we introduced Catherine (Al's neice) to her new hamster, peachy (the non suicidal hamster). She was so happy that she threw is arms around Aunty Amy. We went to Big Sheep Little cow, a petting farm (http://www.farmattraction.co.uk/). We held mice, cockroach, rat. ferret, rabbits, guinea pig, tortoise, fed a pig and stroked big sheep and little cows.

We drove back to Darlington through Cattrick, an army training venue and for the first time in my life I saw a road sign with a tank picture 'beware of tanks', they were everywhere.

On Monday we drove to Lancaster across the Pennines to visit Al's dad. We had a walk around the quaint village and then drove to carol's (just north of Manchester) before heading home with 2 packets of white maltesers, pringles and pork scratchings. Diet starts next week.

Hungarian, British and Azorian New Year

How many people celebrate the Hungarian, British and Azorian new year in one night? Well I do! Hungary at 11am, British at midnight and Azores at 1am. The night started with a mad panic on what to wear. Maybe the new years resolution should be to be more organised in my private life. People at work think I'm super organised, I think not :) This new year had a strange sense of Deja vu and there was a good reason for this - we did the same thing last year! I kid you not, we did the exact same thing. The first song that the Abba tribute band played was the same song. Its quite sad when you can say that there were party poppers last year, that man was here last year....This year has a major change, no alcohol! Aunty and Cous Cous were ill and I had to drive so my mother and father drank for all of us :)

We had dinner in the hotel and I really can't tell you what it tastes like. It was supposed to be chicken tikka but I could not taste chicken or tikka. We were sat at a table with 5 strangers. I wonder what they thought about my families napkin folding competition after dinner. I made a game and pirates hat. Cous Cous made a hammer which looked more like a napkin with a knot in it but it was the thought that counts. Father made a bra and mickey mouse ears :)

At 11am we celebreated Hungarian New Year with a toast to our Hungarian family. Dancing follwed and then it was time for the countdown to new year and mass hugging and Auld Langs Aine and for the first time in my life - I KNEW THE WORDS!!!! Thank you google.

I made it home just in time to celebrate the Azores new year at 1am with Al. Btw, Al isn't from the Azores but it convieniently celebrates new year at 1am. Alas I wasn't awake to celebrate Canadian new year with Portsmouth at 5am. A Happy New Year to all.