Fabulous Friends

Although I was privileged with the company of so many of my lovely friends today, on the beach at Wells next the Sea, my lovely friend Andy who you see here, shared this as a special day, so I have made this lovely pose my blip. I am going to tell you a bit about him, and I know he won't mind!

Andy shares my birthday, we are both New Years Day babies. When I started my job at Cambridgeshire Pensions in 1989 he was my Team Leader, and by the time we were made redundant in 2014, roles had reversed and I was his! Over those years, we celebrated several significant birthdays together, and did so with all our colleagues around us. He was a wonderful team member, and is a loyal friend. At the start of 2016 when I turned 50 and he was 65, we no longer had all those lovely supportive colleagues to celebrate with. And so the idea of a day on the beach, in the summer came about. A belated 'significant birthdays' celebration, with anyone who wanted to join us! Today on the beach, Andy kindly toasted me and shared with everyone the many bottles of Cava he had transported from Cambridge. It was lovely.

So to the day! How wonderful to be joined by so many of my lovely friends, for a beautiful, warm and sunny day on the beach. The kids got together and played football, dug sandcars, paddled, swam. The adults moved around chatting to each other. We had picnics, drinks, walks to the sea.

I was sad that not everyone could make it, but I would love to do it again. Same time, same place next year? I know that everyone will agree we had the loveliest time, and I would like to thank everyone for joining me, and giving me another opportunity to take loads of photos, on a great British summer's day, in a great British seaside town, with lots of lovely people.

I had to add a few extras...couldn't let Andy have it all!