The Land of Birthdays

The birthdays are now over and I want to say a big thank you for all the lovely birthday wishes I received from my fellow bloggers. I had some beautiful gifts including some delicious fragrant lavender birds from Lily and Agathe and a dancing Elvis car airfreshner from........... well do I really have to tell you?!!! All I can say is that if Lettuce and RW come poking around North Devon wondering where I live they would be able to detect my car in an instant. I must be the only person in North Devon with an Elvis airfreshner! I had a great day, presents in the morning with my family before dropping Jasmine off at work and then over to my mum's for another pile of presents from her and my sister. My sister is the best jewellery and make-up buyer ever. She bought me a beautiful silver bangle to replace the one that I lost recently (even though she didn't know I had lost it!). In the evening we had friends and family round for a huge takeaway curry and drinks in the bar. Another fine (but rather shabby) evening was had by all.

The next day was Jasmine's 16th birthday. A reminder that 16 years ago, during another birthday party, my little girl decided to make an early entrance into the world! It's very like Jasmine as she is always early for everything and is a great forward planner, unlike her mother who leaves everything to the last minute! Jazz's birthday was a very laid back affair as she had already had the mad celebrations the week before. It was also Easter Day so we had an easter egg hunt in the garden and house. We had 19 written clues for Alfie to find (Jazz is too grown up now, boo hoo). This involved him running around the garden in his wellies with a wicker basket following clues and finding little chocolate bunnies and eggs before finding the big booty (hidden in my car). This was the first year that he has had written clues, every other year we, sorry Easter Bunny, has done pictorial clues. He enjoyed this soooooo much. He is still at that magical age where he believes in fairies and as we are reading The Magic Faraway Tree at the moment he is all fired up with fairies and elves being in his garden. We have 2 enormous cedar trees and the base of this is the entrance to the fairy house. He leaves them letters and presents and sometimes they leave him presents too. The joy this gives him makes my heart want to burst. I remember the fairies leaving my sister and I little gifts. After his easter egg hunt he stuffed 2 tiny chocolate eggs into the hole as a present for them. Alfie brought the Easter baskets back to his sisters and they opened them with squeals of delight (well from the little ones, the big one is way to cool for that you understand?!). We then went for coffee and cake at Jasmine's cafe and strolled along the quayside in the brilliant sunshine. More cake in the evening and all I can say is that we are drowning in a sea of chocolate in the house Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllppppppp!

Here's the Fairy Tree

The entrance

Our Easter display in the porch. Willow branches with pretty little polka dot and gingham eggs. Note the addition at the base of some of Alfie's farm animals and, oddly, 'surfer dude'!

By the way, I decided against the bicycle. Where we live just isn't great for cycling. I kept having images of the lorry that slammed into us just yards from my house. The damage that it did to my Land Rover was considerable. I don't think I could put my baby at risk from being knocked off of the bike. When I last had a bike I lived in town (and was a single girl, no kids). These country lanes are treacherous, a friend of mine has had a collision recently which ended up with him being in plaster for 3 weeks. I think I will leave that one for now, nice idea though. We do have the Tarka Trail which is a wonderful use of disused railway lines and is safe, flat and very beautiful. You can ride to the beach. If I want to use that then I will hire a bike from them.

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