Fifty-one

With the Minx somewhere near Preston, yet to wake up to a nasty hangover, and the kids both fast asleep, it fell to me to entertain myself when I woke up alarmingly early on my birthday (related, in part, to not drinking last night, I think). 

Abi had suggested I might go for a 5.1 mile run - far more realistic than a 51 mile run - today, so I set off just before 8am in the pouring rain. I don't mind running in the rain, actually, at least not after the first mile, although I was a little irked when it completely dried up about one mile from home. 

I then treated myself to the full version of 'Autobahn' while I was showering and getting dressed before having a quick FaceTime with Milly in New Zealand. At her suggestion I then headed down to the Bakery for some birthday breakfast, taking my book for company. I'm just coming to the end of A. A. Gill's marvellous 'Pour Me', which I enjoyed along with an Americano and a Wild Boar Sausage Sandwich. 

The house was still quiet on my return so I decided to bake myself a birthday cake and it was around this time that the poor Minx limped in and took herself off to the shower. 

For my birthday treat, we - me, the Minx, Dan and Abi, and the miniMinx - were going down to Lancaster, where we met up with Charlie for a bite of lunch at Go Burrito followed by a trip to Vue to see the new, 'live action' version of 'Beauty and the Beast'. (I had, without really thinking about it, hoped all my big girls would make it along, mainly because we watched the original Disney film so many times when they were small. That was a little optimistic and impractical!)

I must say that for the first ten minutes I wasn't sure I could adapt to this version with real actors but at some point my disbelief was suspended and I thoroughly enjoyed the film.

And after that, it was back to the house for fizz, cake and presents. All in all, I had a lovely day, and I was delighted and touched by all the messages on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, too.

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-4.5kg