A Birthday Girl

TODAY was Elder Daughter's birthday, and her celebrations seem set to go on all week. So far she's been partying since Friday, and shows no signs of easing off yet awhile! This is the fourth night running she's been out with friends, and she's had a Birthday Breakfast (I made her bacon and egg sarnies); a Birthday Cake and Birthday Dinners.

I won't reveal how old is she is, but I do remember that when she was born it was snowing, big flakes of snow drifting down outide the window, and when The Man of the House collected us to take us home great piles of snow were piled up each side of the road, and it was so icy I couldn't push her around without slipping over - it was three weeks before the weather cleared.

Today, by contrast, was like a spring day should be. It was warm, the sun shone from a cloudless blue sky, birds sang and flowers bloomed in gardens, parks, grass verges and roundabouts.

We celebrated by going for a coffee and looking for new dresses, but neither of us found anything we liked, so I bought some lovely cheerful material, red with spots, and plan to get the ewing machine out and have a go at making something. When I first started work I used to sew lots of my own clothes, and I made things for The Daughters when they were small - I was a dab hand at dunagrees on those days! I am not sure whether I can remember how to use a sewing machine, but I won't know unless I try - all I need is a pattern!

By the time we went out I had already been to town once, intending to buy cat food, loo paper and other essentials - but arrived back home with two bags of books! (Read about the on my other blog, The Book Trunk, at http://chriscross-thebooktrunk.blogspot.com/) Then, of course, I had to buy the thing I forgot to get, so I seem to have been out and about all day, but it was so nice I didn't mind.

Anyway, as well as being Lucy's Birthday, today is also the Feast of St Easterwine, about whom ver little seems to be known, beyond the fact that he was a 7th or 8th century abbot of Wearmouth. But he has such a wonderful name I think we should celebrate him - perhaps by eating an Easter egg, or drinking wine - or both!