Barlaston

Today started with tea in bed as usual. However today this was accompanied by a present and cards. Today was Mick’s birthday.

Last year was a significant birthday, this year with a 1 added to his total age the present wasn’t quite so good! He did get more than a few pairs of socks, these were just for the initial effect.

Tilly helped with the tidying up, shredding the wrapping paper for us. I really like birthdays!

I sadly needed to get a bit more work done, so as I sorted out sliding scenery Mick occupied himself on the internet with last years present and eight inches of table, whilst Tilly sat in a tree watching for friends and foes. After lunch we had a nice walk, returning to shower and put on smart cloths.

We headed out for a meal at The Plume Of Feathers, the Neil Morrissey pub. We’d booked a table and sat by the window where we could watch crown green bowling. The portions coming out from the kitchen looked large and as there was only one starter on the menu that I could have we decided to launch straight in to the mains.

Mick chose Fish and Chips which looked very good and I had a Warm Duck Salad with squash spinach and beetroot, with a portion of chips on the side. Both were very good and the chips were certainly the best we’ve had in a long time. A pint of Neil’s beer and a large glass of wine for me. A very nice evening with just one slight disappointment. Neil obviously couldn’t be bothered in making an appearance for Mick’s birthday (well it was only a minor one), so I didn’t get chance to ask him how it had been back in 1982 playing Robin Hood at Chipping Norton.

No need to buy pudding. I’d managed to fool Mick into believing that the baking I’d been doing yesterday was part of my model! So he had no idea that I’d made the most chocolatiest chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and extra chocolate bits on top.

Candles blown out and a slice each. I suspect we’ll be eating it for quite a while!

0 locks, 0 miles, 61st, 5 pairs socks, 39 chocolates, 1 sweatshirt, 1 fleecy top, 2 cards, 4 hours work, 4 miles walk, 1 major plan hatched, 1 green boat in the winding hole, 0 Neil, 1 pint, 1 glass, 1 fish and chips, 1 duck breast, 2 slices of very rich cake, 1 BIG Happy Birthday to my boy!