Another year older

Today I am, another year added and fingers and toes double-crossed another year wiser. I am 51 years young. I remembered my grandma saying that she’s 51 and it sounded and felt so old. It was a very looong way away for me. But somehow, 51 just arrived overnight :-).

I am sharing you this lovely story about an elderly woman who had finally gave in and started using a walking stick. She said that “with the passing years I walked a little slower. I don’t walk walk as fast, or as far, but I see and sense more along the route”.

So here’s to another blessed year for me. I hoped to see more along the road, and remember to stop and smell and photograph the flowers along the way and ,off course, enjoying the trip.

I brought a Carrot and Walnut cake, homemade in Morrisson (!) for my colleagues. They surprised me with cards, hugs and greetings. Thanks, gals. Babe asked me to take the afternoon off so that he could treat me like a princess. Yesssss

We’d a lovely lunch at Nandos. We kept on saying that we wanted to come here and finally we made it. We sat at the conservatory basking under the winter sun. It felt like summer. We’d the shared platter with mashed sweet potatoes and coleslaw. Off course, with a dashing of the famous piri-piri sauce. The meal was great and we will definitely come again.

Then off to the Perfume Shop. Lots of lovely smellies but I was set on the CK Summer Collection. Unfortunately, they don’t have it in stock. So settled in for Kenzo Flowers and body milk gift set. I’d Kenzo before and looking forward on lashing myself with the body milk. Sounds yummy…

We checked out Past Times, W. H Smith and Clarks. There’s a pair in Clarks which I liked and I might get it next time. Then off to Hobbycraft. Lots of ideas for Easter but all I purchased was 3 metres of green ribbons for making cards.

We went home tired and I’m a very happy birthday girl. Thank you darling for the day out and the presents. Mwah…

Yesterday, we went for an early morning stroll to Brandon Marsh. It was quite cold and windy but with nice, bright sunshine. At the Wright Hide, we observed the juvenile gulls chasing after a Redshank for fun. They are using the poor thing as a target practice!!!.

Then we walked through the forest. Ever since I attended the bird surveying workshop my sense of hearing has really sharpened. I heard a distinct twittering and followed my ears.  It was a flock of Redpolls feeding on the tree-tops. What a wonderful sight.

We left early cos I’ve invited my cousin, Lyanna and hubby, Hafiz and their housemate, Kudsia, for dinner. Before that, I popped to Tesco to get a few bits and bobs and a bunch of flowers. I got the biggest surprise cos there wasn’t a single flower in sight. Nada, zilch.

Those latecomers wanting flowers for Mother’s Day will be in for a shock. I guess they have to settle with cards, chocolates, smellies and bubblies…I browsed the clothes section and fell in love with a grey floral blouse which was half-price. Tried it on and in it goes in my basket. At the check-out they’d bunches of daffodils on sale. That will brighten the casa just nicely.

For dinner, I made my favourite Baked Chicken Biryani and a colourful salad of sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and pineapple. The sweetness of the salad compliments the spiciness of the Biryani nicely. My visitors and I had a wonderful time polishing off the dinner and sharing jokes and stories.

Then Lyanna dropped the bombshell. I’m a grandma!!!  How, what? It’s a very long story and stems from the fact that we come from a very close-knit family. Anyway, her eldest sister had given birth to a baby boy. I’m chuffed to bits and couldn’t wait to see my first ‘grandson’ :-). I’ll make a very trendy grandma.

On Saturday, we went for a long drive to test out Azures. We have not been to Bradgate Park since the rutting season last year. As usual it was packed. We spotted lots of fawn feeding among the undergrowth. But I was more interested in stalking  this gorgeous grey wagtail. He was busy feeding along the river bank.

Azures was doing fine on the road. We even had the roof down but it was quite noisy and also a wee bit chilly. Couldn’t wait for summer!!! We reached home before the football fans leave the Ricoh. Another home game. The Sky Blues are now 8th in the Championship league after a draw with Plymouth 1:1. McIndoe scored the equaliser as Coventry made it four games without defeat to continue their play-off push.

I was off work last Tuesday. I was feeling a bit run-down on Monday and it took its toll. I was shivering when I was about to have my shower. I took 2 paracetamol and went to bed. I called the office, croaking away. Then fell asleep again.

I woke up about 11am feeling really awful. I went down and sat on Babe’s reclining chair with a tall glass of hot lemon and honey drink, Vicks, a box of tissues and hot water bottle for company. That did the trick and by the afternoon I was beginning to feel human…

At work, we’d problems with our server, again. The H drive went AWOL and it really affected our work. Luckily, I’ve got my appraisal (groan), metadata homework and official publications to keep me busy. Hmm what did people do when there was no computers eh?

Anyway, I’d a lovely weekend, a wonderful birthday and a very nice surprise. This is also my 200th posting in the blogging world.

To both my mother and mother-in-law, Happy Mothers’ Day and thank you for everything. This lovely goldfinch was right above my head when we walked by the pool.