Friday Smiles 2026 #Week 43

Well, following on from last weeks post about Fin's travelling send-off and my birthday high tea treat, we have had a very busy time, and then a few 'basic' days for us to catch our breath and return to our usual routine. Hence I did some very late visiting to you, but hopefully all will be back to normal now. 

As I suggested last week, all five of our boys came together to celebrate our birthdays with us on Thursday. This was actually Chris' 80th birthday. Tom arrived from Denmark at lunchtime, and Jim and Jo came up on the train from London the day before and were staying in a local B&B. They popped over to see us that afternoon as we guessed (rightly) that there wouldn't be much opportunity for real chat once we all got together.

Mike had booked us in at the Indian restaurant for early evening, and Ben and Ant drove over from Leominster to meet us there. The boys helped me order as I have not been to many Indian restaurants am not familiar with all the dishes.

Anyway we had an excellent meal and then all walked up to a nearby bar - which I also hadn't visited for nigh on twenty five years. It was an open mike night and the front bar was full of singers and their friends, but there was a cosy back room that we took over. I had to get my obligitory photo of our six boys. I like to update it each time we all get together.

Then Chris and I were roped in and Ant took more photos for us. It was a great evening.I love that all my boys are such good friends as well as brothers, and that they all do their best to get together to make a special day for us.

On Friday I had a blood test early morning, and then we both had our Covid vaccinations. (We had flu ones at the start of the week). In the evening I went to choir practice and Tom and dad walked into town to meet Mike and one of Tom's school friends in a local bar. (Dad and Mike used to run this bar a good few years ago).When we first moved to Oswestry it had the highest number of bars per capita of population , in the country. Many have now closed, but there are still plenty to choose from! I met them there after choir but we didn't stay late.

Saturday was bright and sunny so again Tom had us walking into town with him and we went to a café at the front of the market where they sell German sausages and chips. He had arranged to see Mike there and his partner Lucy was with him. So we sat there and chatted for a while and then Chris and I went home, but it was nice to be able to sit outside in the sun for an hour or so.

Later that afternoon Tom came home and brought our grand-daughter Emma home. They were both grinning and the reason soon became clear when Mike, (who is Emma's dad), came in with a little birthday cake with several lit candles on it. Saturday was actually my birthday so they came to me first to blow out the candles while they sang Happy Birthday to me. Then they were all lit and we sang again to Chris, and then lit a third time so we sang to Tom who's birthday was on Monday. (Photo from Tom's family chat group post). Tom had bought lots of snacky foods that he doesn't get in Denmark, so we helped him eat them all for our tea. 

Finally Jonathan's wife Ella and little Aisling came to the door on Sunday with flowers and a card for me. So we somehow managed to make our birthdays last for over a week, and had lots of great family time through out it all.

Tom left us Sunday lunchtime to get a train to Manchester, and then a plane back home. So gradually we have settled down and enjoyed a quiet week with lots of reading, crochet time and TV. 

I have a very excititng birthday and Christmas combined present, but I think this post is long enough so I will tell you all about that next week.