Belated Birthday Party

"I never want to see another cake"

For the majority of last weekend, and the beginning of this week, I was frantically baking with one event in mind. I felt my sanity wearing away. Dinner was frequently cake off-cuts. Tuesday evening came and it was all so worth it.

I have the best friends ever, you know.

The day before the get together saw Leonoor and I running around town grabbing last minute buffet food and, more importantly, perhaps, bubbly wine. We then came back and started setting up the room ready for the evening itself. I've got to admit that, considering we started with a completely empty room, it looked pretty cosy by the time we'd finished with it. Dania and Leonoor's trek through the rain to collect balloons the day before had paid off.

I think it's pretty safe to say that Sonja was rather happy when she arrived. I'm not quite sure what she was expecting but I hope we lived up to expectations!

After food, it was Leonoor and Dania's turn to surprise both of us, coming into the room with streamers and coordinating tiara's for Sonja and me. Sonja somehow managed to get rid of hers part way through the evening, something I didn't quite manage! As usual when streamers and my lot are concerned, chaos reigned for a period of time ;-)

We then did the great 'gift exchange' which was really special, got to be said. Sonja is going to make me dinner and wrote me the most touching letter imaginable. Laura made a cushion which both fits into the colour scheme of my room and has my initial on it. Leonoor and Dania combined to buy the most stunning quill. While gifts aren't something that I would consider important, the fact that each of my friends gave me something so very personal was something that I found thoroughly touching. Oh, except for Thijs, he forgot! (Love you Thijs!!!)

After that, it was cake cutting time. As it was both our party, and the cake looked a bit like a wedding cake (oops!), we used the opportunity to take some 'romantic' wedding cake shots... you'd have done the same!

It was, without doubt a delightful evening for all the above reasons but, more importantly, because of the company. Various friends popped in and out through the evening adding their own special touch to the happenings. Sonja and I having a casual sing and then Sonja singing us all the most stunning lullabies. It was relaxed, good fun, perfect. Pretty sure this is where I would use that untranslatable Dutch word... if I could pronounce the thing!!! 

I'm too young to be 21!

Credit where credit is due, the title is courtesy of something The Best Friend said a little while back but with which I can connect on a deep level!

Liquid lunch in Hooray's 

I've actually always hated my birthdays. I mean that pretty literally too, even as a child I dreaded them. I don't like the fact that they mark the passage of time in such a final way. The day before is the last day of a whole year while the day itself is just a continuation of time, in my mind. Weirdly, I don't have this problem with new year...

However, no matter how much I dislike the idea of birthdays in their own right, I do rather like the fact that I get to do special things.. This year was extra special for me because my birthday feel on the Saturday, thus ensuring that I could indeed go home for the first time this semester. My parents met me with a banner as I came through arrivals which was sweet but also my personal idea of hell. I just don't know how to respond in those situations but I'm pleased that they did it nevertheless and my room is looking rather festive with the banner strung between the book cases.

At The Fish, and yes, that is a
'Foxy Lady' to the right of the image!

As for the day of my birthday itself, I chose to go into Stratford-upon-avon because, to put it frankly, it's a lovely town and quite easy to kill time in, and in the most pleasant of ways. I also wanted to get a few books from the Royal Shakespeare Company shop. The latter idea didn't work out quite as well as I'd hoped because they hadn't got what I was looking for in stock but still got some fascinating looking reads so there's no real complaints there.

I also have to admit that I have found what may well be one of the best ice-cream shops ever, Hooray's on the High Street. Seriously, Dania would have been thoroughly in her element. Also worth checking out their cocktail menu... lunch time drinking is perfectly acceptable on such occasions!

Naturally, I also went out for dinner with my parents. We went to a place called The Fish which is quite seriously one of the nicest places I know. The decoration is super quirky, or just plain odd, and the food is simply divine. Not to mention the staff who are lovely.

And then it was home for cake!

Not for facebook

Gifts from afar

Okay, okay, Austria's not all that far but all the same when I received a parcel from 'Tascha, who happens to be a brilliant friend of mine, it was still pretty exciting.

'Tascha and I were last together about a year ago when I visited Austria for my eighteenth birthday. She did absolutely everything she could to make it special for me, and succeeded. I was pretty overwhelmed to learn she was sending my something for my birthday this year too and really excited to hear from her in a more personal way than online.

Today, I got my parcel with a beautiful handmade card (which is now sat on my newly tidied desk) and some gifts relating to my favourite things. This made me feel so special that someone thought not only to send me something for my birthday but that they thought through what I would like and, more importantly perhaps, took time and creative energy to make part of the gift for me. I am walking on air because I'm so happy right now.

Thank you Natascha!!

This was about the tenth attempt to photograph me in the hat she sent.
Mother wasn't happy with the others because they showed building work!

So, apparently I’m nineteen now. How’d that happen?

The majority of my birthday has been spent reclining in a hotel bed attempting to shake off the remaining fluey feelings. I’m not complaining because I wasn’t really celebrating my birthday this year due to the general chaos of life! That said, I’ve had a good day :-) 

I think the highlight for me was my mother’s gift to me, a low whistle. Having played high whistle for a little while now the low whistle was a natural progression so that was what I asked for. Earlier in the week we went out to buy one. Because I was quite ill I was unable to try the whistles, well I didn’t feel it was fair to anyway, so the first time I heard my whistle was today. It’s a Dixon Alloy and, my goodness, does it have a beautiful, haunting tone.  Not managed to reach above second octave G yet but that’ll come with time, practice, and probably be easier when I’ve recovered my lung capacity in a week or so! As I’m sending this on my phone I won’t pop a picture in but I’m in love.

I also really want to say thank you to Aimee who gave me a card that made me smile and laugh and was just perfect. With her permission, which I haven’t got yet, I might upload a photo tomorrow. She also gave me a gemstone necklace which is lovely. Basically, my friend thought about what I would like and hit the nail on the head. Thanks Aimee!

Right now I’m waiting for my mother to finish working so we can go and pick up my father from home and go to my favourite restaurant for dinner. I’ve spent many a birthday in that place, and many a day full stop! Having gone in there since I was about five, the owners know me quite well!

I haven’t read my facebook messages yet, although I know I have some as my phone keeps vibrating. I’ll wait until I have internet access to read them properly but thank you if you sent me something. It means the world to me.

And that’s it, I think!

Making Aimee's present, the Harry Potter Cake

This blog post is a scheduled post, written during the last week but set to automatically post while I'm at Aimee's.

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So, right now I'm visiting The Annoying One in Cardiff, where she's just started university (my little girl's growing up!). Anyway, this visit falls on the Weekend Between Our Birthdays which means it's a party time. As last year we're going to go to a gig but, different to last year, we're also going to have a joint celebration because it was impractical to meet up twice in such quick succession.

So, during the last week I've been having fun making Aimee's birthday presents, a mix CD and a cake. I've not made a birthday cake for a couple of years, although I used to make them all the time, so it's been an interesting time. The easiest part was thinking of a theme, Aimee having just been sorted into Slytherin at her university's Harry Potter society seemed to decide for me! (*)

Day One, making the decoration

Asda might have the best selection of baking products but
their food colouring lids have serious design flaws.

Finished the main decoration. Yes, this was my
second attempt but I'm pretty pleased :-)

Day two, making the cake

Is it cheap to make a cake board out of two pizza
board things glued together and covered in foil?

The cake itself is finished and wrapped in clingfilm, ready to
ice tomorrow! (the pizza in the background had to be cooked for
the sake of the board... see previous image!)

Day three, shoving it all together (and remaking the decoration because things never do go to plan)

Buttercream (green of course) and jam in
position, ready to assemble!

The final thing, albeit the colour looks faded in this photo.

(*) Actually, I toyed with the idea of a TARDIS cake for a while but Aimee judged Harry Potter to be more important than Dr. Who so...