The Week Before Last, and My Birthday

 Recently, we've been having all sorts of weather, sometimes within a few hours on the same day. Monday and Tuesday (15th/16th of March) were cold and mostly grey, with some sleety rain. I had no need to go outside except for a quick walk to the post office and the bakery, and did not even go for after-work-walks on either day.

By Wednesday (March 17), I felt restless enough to want to go out no matter what, and arranged to meet my sister after work for a walk. We started out in beautiful late afternoon sunlight, but on our way back had to struggle against strong, cold wind blowing snow and rain in our faces.

Thursday was again a mixed bag of cloudy and sunny skies, rain and snow. I had lunch at my parents' and again an after-work walk with my sister before it was time for the monthly meeting with my girlfriends. While I really don't feel like spending another hour at the computer after I've been in online conferences all day already, it is the only way I can see my friends these days, and so I do attend our virtual meetings - an hour once a month is not too much to ask for, I think.

On Friday, the 19th, my sister and I had sad news from Yorkshire: Our landlady is retiring and selling up - "our" cottage, where we have spent our annual Yorkshire holiday for many years, will be gone forever, without us having a chance for one last holiday there! Of course we perfectly understand Sue's reasons; at 74 and with her grandchildren offering a much more pleasant way of spending her days than catering for her B&B guests, she will be happy to see the work gone and move to a smaller, more convenient place. And we will stay in touch with her and meet up next time we're in Ripon - whenever that will happen!

My sister came to my place in the evening for some reminiscing and a commemorative G&T.

Then Saturday was here, and the start of a series of things to do with my birthday: First, O.K. arrived for what was to be a long weekend - we both had taken the Monday and Tuesday off.

I picked up the cake I had ordered at the bakery down the road, and we went to my parents' for coffee: Phase One of my birthday celebrations, even if it was two more days before the actual day. But Covid regulations only allow for two households to meet, and so we split things up. The cake was very nice, and my parents had not seen O.K. in a long time, so it was a welcome occasion for catching up.

Back home in the evening, we ordered pizza and watched TV - quite relaxing!

Then came Sunday, the 21st, another cold and grey day - not really walking material, but we had something else lined up anyway: an afternoon at a private Spa!

Just down the road from where I live is a spa place that normally offers all sorts of stuff such as massages, pedicure, facial treatments, as well as an entire floor of saunas etc. Under Covid regulations, the sauna part is not allowed to operate... unless you rent it privately and use the facilities all on your own, with no other visitors or staff present. And that's what we did: We had the entire upper floor with two different saunas, a steam bath, the showers, relaxing couches and so on all to ourselves! The staff only let us in, gave us quick instructions and then left us to our own devices before coming back to clean and lock up.

It was a most pleasant and relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon! 

Then it was Monday (March 22), and my birthday. O.K. had brought a huge stack of presents for me, plus there were the ones I had already received on Saturday at my parents. Unpacking took a while, and I was happy with each and everything. There were several kitchen items I'd had on my wish list, a big box of wine from my region, and much, much more - plus the many cards, emails, text messages and phone calls. So many kind people were thinking of me!

It was still cold and windy, but I so wanted to go to the palace grounds on my birthday, and so we did. It wasn't really very pleasant - not only because of the weather, but also because we are required to wear masks throughout our visit, even if there is nobody else about and we are out in the open. If you wear specs like I do, you know what that means - you are constantly struggling with steamed-up glasses and poor visibility. Never mind, I had my stroll in the palace grounds!

My sister finished work early and was at my place in time for coffee and cake, bringing more presents! I now have my very own mini garden on the window sill, planted by her:

She stayed for the evening, and we ordered Indian food - not from a takeaway place but from the very good Indian restaurant nearby, who are of course not open these days but offer food for pick-up or delivery.

The last phase of my birthday celebrations came on Tuesday. At the spa where we had spent Sunday afternoon, I had booked massages for O.K. and myself. Afterwards, we had enough time for a walk on the fields before I made our tea. O.K. left for the long drive home, and our nice long weekend and my birthday celebrations were well and truly over.