3. Six head off to the Cotswolds, plus Ruby the dog 🐾🥳🥂🍷🥾🍰

Sitting around a table eating pizza and drinking beer at Latitude last summer, a birthday celebratory weekend was planned, with Sarah, Max, Jacqui and Paul 🥳 🥂

So in November we headed off to Bledington in the Cotswolds for a couple of days, staying at a luxuriously beautiful Airbnb house facing the church in the beautiful village - Five Bells.

The Five Bells

Unfortunately the weather wasn’t great, but that didn’t stop Dave and Max heading out on their bikes for a blast through the woods and surrounding countryside. The rest of us headed off for a potter around Chipping Norton, exploring all the lovely shops. Paul soon decided that his time would be best spent in the “Man Crèche “ aka the pub 🤣 That left me, Sarah and Jacqui free to shop! After at least an hour of trying on in a shop, Jacqui eventually bought a lovely jumper 🤣 Not that our time was wasted though, as the lovely shop owner had the same wrist injury as Sarah, so time was spent comparing notes and recovery times 👍 I eventually bought lovely woolly socks to wear with my wellies 😃

Congregating back at the house later in the afternoon the real celebrations began 😃 Sarah had made a wonderful birthday cake (with only the use of one hand!), classic Victoria sponge, complete with candles. After a few choruses of “Happy Birthday “ I eventually made a wish and blew them out - twice actually - two wishes 🤣 Keeping the wishes secret, but letting everyone know that the wishes extended to everyone present too ❤️

Happy birthday 🥳 

Hope my wishes come true 🤞

As usual, Sarah spoiled me rotten and produced a lovely personalised gift - the recently published memories of Wes Streeting, with a message from Wes inside to me……I was so touched, I had tears in my eyes 😢🙏

So thrilled to receive this, and so apt to mark the formal passing of my time in work into retirement 😃

Dave had made a lovely fire, so pre dinner drinks in the beautiful lounge was our next celebratory event 🥂 Jacqui did us proud with a tasty array of nibbles 🙏

Even Ruby managed to get in on the picture 🤣

Fizz & nibbles 🥂

Then it was off to The Kings Head pub in the village for dinner. We’d heard good reports about the pub, and it didn’t disappoint! Both the food and wine were lovely, and the owners / staff super friendly - definitely hope to return there sometime in the future 🤞

A happy crew!

Finishing off with a cocktail 🍹 

Dave’s dessert presented to me with a birthday candle 🕯️ 

The weather didn’t improve much the following day, so a wet autumnal walk amongst the leaves set us up well for a lovely Sunday roast lunch at The Bell in Stow on the Wold - our second visit to this pub over the weekend, and again, a place to not disappoint 👍

Good to get out in the fresh air 

Beautiful autumn leaves

Ruby cooling down in the water trough 🤣

Finally it was time to say goodbye, and all head back to our respective parts of the country 😟 As usual, weekends pass so quickly, but this is definitely one to remember! It was so lovely to spend time together, and celebrate my 60th year (still can’t quite believe I’m 60!), create more special memories, and have fun 🤩 Spending time with friends is truly wonderful, and so important, and I feel immensely grateful for this experience, and for everyone’s generosity and friendship - so thank you so much to everyone 🙏

Until the next time……..❤️