Birthday day out

My birthday today - like I said yesterday, hubby surprised me with a day off work! He said he could have taken me out for dinner tonight but figured I'd probably appreciate a day out as a family way more than a meal out just the two of us. He was right!

It's been a lovely day. Relaxing morning (even if I fixed Ben and Steve's breakfast and looked after Ben while Steve had a bath!) having breakfast and then opening presents (including a book with the "science" behind how recipes work which I've already been leafing through and finding fascinating) and then off out to catch a train to Amberley Working Museum. Steve suggested going out, and I was happy when we discovered the museum was still open - for another 2 days as well before they close for winter (except for some Christmas dates!). We've lived down here over 4 years now and I've been longing to visit this museum. Now Ben's old enough to begin to appreciate some of the bits and pieces there I can see us going a few more times!

We had a look in at a printing shed and saw how they set up old printing presses, selecting characters from the many drawers full of type, coating the type with ink and pressing it onto the paper. We got one made with Ben's name on it.

We also went on an old bus (seen in the picture, just) - my goodness but that woke baby up. To say it was a bit of a bumpy ride would be understatement of the year.

I wore my new hat that Steve got from Korea - it suits me! It's very me :) When he said he'd bought me a hat I confess I was a little worried, then when he told me how much it cost and that it had taken the lady two days to make I wondered if it was one of these brimmed hats that I should wear to weddings and such. So when I opened the bag this morning I was (happily) surprised that it was such a "me" hat! (Of course it is, said Steve!)

On the train on the way home Ben was almost falling asleep on Steve's lap but decided that he wanted mummy - and then curled up on me and fell asleep! This never happens!! Love my boy :D I had to wake him up when we got off the train though because it was so uncomfortable carrying him. Steve went off in a different direction to get some dinner from our favourite chinese restaurant - only to discover the restaurant has closed!!! Gutted, we're going to have to start sampling other restaurants again....

And it's now gone 10pm and we're all still awake having finally eaten, so I think it's time to round up the day and go to bed.

Early start for me in the morning...