Been and Gone..........

.....January, which was full of back-to-back lurgies and infections but also some nice stuff too, like a couple of birthdays.......

...one for me, and one for....

.....a Special Princess....

.......who can now crochet a very large chain! (overnighters with Nana bring their rewards)......

.....and lots of cake (my eldest boy made this Polenta Cake for me and although it looks for all the world like it's burnt (too much lemon juice drizzled on top before he put it in the oven), it tasted lovely, honestly!....

....and my sister made this one, it was equally delicious, especially the thick butter icing...

...tea and cake, a winning combination!

....but the best birthday surprise for me came with the arrival of my BFF from her home in England to spend 10 days with me before she and her husband depart these shores to go and live in New Zealand. Their two daughters and one grandaughter live there and with the imminent arrival of new twin-grandaughters, they've decided to spend their retirement years together with their ever-growing family. In the meantime, we had a fabulous time together and for my birthday, my great friends spirited us away.....

....(in great style, we didn't need our Senior Railcards this time!)

....past The Kelpies....

.....and some really huge wind turbines....

....The Wallace Monument....

...and Stirling Castle.... to Dunblane Hydro

 (Dunblane being very much in the news at the moment with the announcement of Andy Murray's wedding to be held in his very plush hotel, also in Dunblane). 

 .....where my fabulous friends even arranged for a bottle of Prosecco to be delivered to the room by a handsome waiter!

 .....lots of empty glasses - how did that happen??!.....

 ......the most delicious Banoffee Pie with Rum and Raisin ice cream in a filo parcel!!Can't tell you how delicious it was!

We all had a marvellous weekend and I was thoroughly spoiled rotten for my birthday.

....so now it's time for a rest, grab a pew and I'll be back soon.