Big Birthday

70 is a big number. But reaching it is a privilege denied to many, so I'm going to be having fun.

Andrea and I went to a talk on David Bomberg, one of my favourite painters. He was Auerbach's teacher and there is a big exhibition on at the Laing, Out of Chaos,

The daughters had got Mr C organised - he picked me up and we went to the Quayside to the Malmaison. The room was high up so we got a fabulous view of the Sage and the Tyne Bridge. The daughters arrived after work, bearing gifts. We drank champagne while I opened presents. From #2 a poetry anthology, from #1 a quirky handbag and my favourite, this plate from the children. It had been quite a mission to get it done. Imagine in a ceramics studio with four children aged 2-4, including tearaway James!

We walked along the Quayside to House of Tides, for our beautiful and yummy Michelin Star tasting menu with matched wines. Mr C was aghast to find it so expensive his usual credit card failed. We thought we'd finish the evening washing the dishes, but luckily the Co-op obliged as their card worked.