Birthday Girl!

A seriously big day and having to backblip. The morning began early with speed unwrapping presents followed by cake! It came out rather well and the sunken middle was filled with bananas, strawberries and ricotta! Then we were in the car for the long and windy journey to Nelson. Esme obligingly fell asleep and woke up refreshed and charming for guinea pig world - a handful of squeaky guinea pigs living in splendour in a jazzy village. On to the beach near Nelson and the cafe (the most colossal salad for me) and the first playground. Then to the mini zoo with a rather random selection of meerkats, porcupines, very loud monkeys, native birds, terrapins and goats. There was also another satisfactory playground with a mini climbing wall. Then on to each of the impressive array of playgrounds and a frolic on the magnificent beach. There was umming and aahing as to whether a trip to the vegan restaurant was pushing our luck but we decided to go for it. A massive drink of freshly squeezed orange juice revived Esme in time for us to polish some more good food. She conked out as soon as we got back in the car - for precisely 2 minutes and was revived enough to be utterly charming for the two hour journey home! It's good to be four!
Photos courtesy of Himself and Joe, I haven't had time to download mine yet!
And I was safe to hear of Hilary Mantel's death. coincidentally I am rereading the Mirror and the Light, which I purchased over here during lockdown and left it in the house
I am absolutely in awe of her Cromwell trilogy, what a legacy.