Birthday Celebrations

As is usual for us we have strung out Mike's birthday over the course of several days. On his actual birthday last Thursday, I took him for a surprise trip to Brighton, somewhere we haven't been for a couple of years. We had a great day and managed to go on the pier through all the amusement arcades and Charlies face was agog with the noises and flashing lights of all the machines. Lunchtime I had booked a table at a wonderful little tapas restaurant called Casa Don Carlos, I would highly recommend it, the food was amazing, authentic Spanish home cooking. As is the case with us, we totally over ordered and even Mike struggled to eat the enormous portions that just kept coming. It was fabulous and a real treat. In the afternoon we walked down the laines, browsed in the shops and did a spot of people watching. Brighton really has some weird and cool people and a complete contrast to the Chavs who were all on the pier pouring money into the machines and stuffing their faces with chips and donuts.

Saturday we took Charlie swimming and had the pool to ourselves which was brilliant, he loved it and and was squealing and laughing as he swam around on his back. In the evening my brother Rob and new girlfriend Tay came over for dinner and we made the most of the warm weather and sat outside gorging on grilled crevettes and Thai beef noodle salad. Last night 16 of us descended on our favorite restaurant Wheelers for the usual culinary delights that they serve. A rowdy evening ensued with much wine and chatter. Today we are feeling rather jaded and nursing sore heads.