New Beginnings

Thank you everyone for my birthday wishes and in the end my birthday turned out to be a good one. Mr A had forgotten, but had been poorly for two days with a migraine and thought it was next week. My daughter had guests from the night before and that was her excuse for not ringing earlier. The Indian Takeaway, which was delivered, was very good, better than I have had for a long time. We are celebrating again next Sunday at our favourite Chinese restaurant in Great Dunmow. We usually go there for birthdays and as Oliver's birthday is only four days away from mine and both near Christmas we do ours together, although no doubt he will be expecting the usual gluten-free chocolate birthday cake on the day; I am not sure when I shall find time to make it!

Today we have had lunch out and I got a few more things for Christmas, in fact I am so far ahead that the list marked 'Final' is now on my desk and being written as I remember what things I need to buy last thing. The Waitrose lorry is coming on Thursday and was the nearest delivery slot for Christmas that I could get, even though I booked it weeks ago.

The day has been bright and sunny and today's blip shows that the spring bulbs are as confused by the weather as everyone else. These shoots are snowdrops and are the ones which always flower first; they still have a way to go before flowering.