Happy Birthday to Z!

On the day after Thomas we had an early birthday celebration for my brother (forty!). Craig, Lou and Scarlett came over to Tuscan Villa for lunch and we were also joined by my cousins Chris and Geoff and my Auntie Judith. We gave Craig some Sea Monkeys and a pop up Sound of Music book, which he seemed to be delighted with, understandably. The Sea Monkeys were inspired by our tragic past experience. When we were young we got some and popped them in water and day after day checked their tank for movement but there was nothing. It was years later that mum admitted that she had sprayed fly spray right bear the little critters at that fragile time in their lives. And the ones we got for Craig were piratical sea monkeys - even better. Just imagine the size of those eye patches.

And as for the pop up Sound of Music? As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect for Craig. He has a heightened sense of kitsch and I knew that he would truly appreciate the spinning Maria with vast mountains in the background and the pop up Nazis.

Jack and Scarlett ate their lunch at the little table in the living room and from the dining room where we were all squeezed in (in the nicest possible way) we could hear much giggling and chatter. Scarlett, unimpressed with her meal of lasagna took the opportunity to transfer most of it into Jack's plate. I don't think he noticed.

We ate and ate (antipasto from Fourth Village followed by Chermoula lamb rumps and salads), while they played and played. We finished with a tart or two....

(as you do) and Jack and Scarlett enthusiastically helped to blow out the candles. Then after all that hard work they decided to have a bath.

After the bath we adjourned to the courtyard for cheese and Jack and Scarlett played some more till it was time to go.