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Happy birthday Abi!!

Phew, it's been a frantic birthday weekend and the girls have collapsed into bed exhausted. I think we may do the same! The weekend started on Friday morning with a very excited Abi and a very tearful Izzy. Not because Abi wasn't sharing or because she was upset she didn't have a birthday, she was just overwrought with the excitement at the end of a busy week. So, despite the periodic weeping they had a lovely start to the day of opening presents. Abi finally got her new wellies from Amanda, Alex and the boys and triumphantly turned to me to say "now I can come walking with you again Mummy!" About time - 2 weeks it's been since she vetoed all walking because I wouldn't allow her to have these before her birthday - stubborn child! Add to this new books, money and a big farm and farm animals - a very lucky and happy little girl set off to school proudly displaying her cake. This is clearly the signal for all the other children to rush up and wish you happy birthday so she was even more chuffed by the time we reached her classroom. After school it was a quick change before pizza with Jo and her 3 boys. Blimey 3 boys are noisier than 2 girls. I couldn't believe how much noise, movement and chaos they created and will admit to being glad I have girls, just 2 of them and they've reached an age where a high pitched squeal does not need to be repeated 20 times!

 Saturday was a bit calmer - riding in the morning before the main event of the weekend, the rugby! Abi went off with Glenn, Lesley, Bash and Alby looking very grown up and very pleased to be allowed this special treat. She loved it, arriving home at 10pm looking tired but happy after a long day. Highlights - the singing, the flag waving and the score (28-9 to England). She managed to grab a flag and has written the score and is proudly displaying it in her room - a special memento of her afternoon with Daddy.

 Today was more food, this time meeting Kerrie in Swindon for a yummy Sunday lunch in a very nice restaurant. We'd looked in through the door before but not eaten there but the girls obviously remembered it and were keen to dress the part for their 'posh' lunch. Posh it was but so nice to have the 3 girls together. How far we've come from when Abi was born and Kerrie didn't want to have anything to do with this new intruder into her life. Now they are as close as we could ever have hoped, with Kerrie and Abi in particular being very similar. On the way home we test drove a Landrover Discovery - long story and 'my fault' for getting the Merc stuck in the mud at the stables yesterday. Apparently I'd be better in a 4x4 and so off we went. This one was a V8 with go faster exhausts and so made a huge noise when we started it. Abi was grinning from ear to ear "is that us?!" she asked?? There's no hope. I'm surrounded by petrol heads! 

 Back to work - crazy week this week, Switzerland next week and then it starts to move into the final eating / drinking / feeling generally unhealthy madness of pre-Christmas. Getting my detox head on early I think to avoid the worst of it!

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