Birthday
It was a lovely day. Frances, Stew and Phoebe came round early. My daughter has always had a penchant for arranging appropriate birthday gifts and celebrations. There was a beautiful chocolate orange flavoured cake with green and white butter cream icing - homemade locally. Then there were two pairs of braces (American: suspenders) - I am wearing one pair in the photograph. There were chocolates, "Maltesers", bottles of local beers from Bakewell and the pièce de résistance - a generous £400 hotel voucher that our Ian had also contributed to. Wow! Shirley had bought me a new pair of walking boots on Friday. We set off for Froggat in The Peak District at one o'clock. I had booked us in for Sunday lunch at "The Chequers Inn" at one thirty. It was a marvellous roast dinner. As I was about to pay for it, the pub-restaurant landlord asked if everything had been all right and I was happy to provide a glowing and unqualified commendation. We all agreed that ever...