Who’d have thought it?

I wish my dad had been alive to see this - the city girl excited to get a wheelbarrow for her birthday.

We had a lovely day. #2 daughter brought her boys and then #3 and family arrived to spend the day. My baby is 43. Can’t believe that and the fact she asked for a wheelbarrow for her present. Her husband signed up for an allotment but once he got it seemed less than enthusiastic so she set to trying to clear the weeds and plant it up just after lockdown. It’s been great for the children who have learned so much too. It will be more difficult now though as they are all back at work. But she’ll no longer need to move weeds using Nathaniel’s toy wheelbarrow!

The cousins played all day in the garden while we chatted. We had my usual chocolate cake before #2 left then this evening we had champagne to toast the birthday girl. They all sat at one table in the garden and Mr C and I had another - it was sunny and warm for an early dinner.

I made a salad starter of courgettes, pears, cucumber, pine nuts and Parmesan. Then we had roast veg lasagne and salad followed by strawberry and lemon soufflé. It was a palaver to make but worked really well.

They are spending the night in the camper van. The children are over-excited. Ella seems to be heading for teenager years already and is very noisy, talks all the time and is so full of energetic fun.