Oddly familiar day with unfamiliar bits in it. Like having the boys but them not being here in the morning.

Industrious was my adjective of the day. Lots of birthday prep done; most of the morning given over to that. Then after a quick station RV, an afternoon of more traipsing about.

Dropped the boys at tea time and offered sanctuary to her; she duly plonked herself on the sofa and allowed herself to be plied with wine and fed halloumi, then aromatic monkfish (turmeric, garam masala, ginger, coriander, yoghurt) with a pomegranate apple and fennel salad.

Later I wheeled out some incredibly light and fragile meringues with the gooiest insides. With strawberries and whipped cream....

I then fell asleep on her; I'm so romantic....