I landed in London on a cold, rainy Friday morning. I embraced the wooziness of the red eye with a gin and tonic and a delicious lunch my Dad at the Gilbert Scott in the formidable St. Pancreas hotel, built out of the former train station. A highlight of the lunch was asking Dad what he was doing the next day and him responding “Well we are going to the bastille day celebrations, then we are meeting back here at 6pm for your surprise birthday cocktails [pause] aaah I suppose you didn’t know that did you? Oh no, everyone is going to shout at me. Just act surprised”.
The next day I met up with Dave and Sarah who surprised me with a day at the spa. We all had body scrubs and facials, and then spent the afternoon lounging around by the pool and catching up – it was perfect.
The next day I met up with Dave and Sarah who surprised me with a day at the spa. We all had body scrubs and facials, and then spent the afternoon lounging around by the pool and catching up – it was perfect.
After the spa, we met in the bar at the St. Pancreas Hotel for cocktails. I probably did a questionable job of looking surprised. Inexplicably a group of twelve of us managed to spend over £500 on liquor in less than an hour. We then cabbed over to a tapas restaurant where we had the basement and a big round table to ourselves. I t was the perfect collection of my favourite family members and friends. A few of us didn’t know when to quit and continued on until the sun came up.
On Sunday we headed back to Tenbury Wells where I spent the rest of the week. The night before my actual birthday I honestly found it hard to get to sleep I was so excited and woke up at 5am hoping it was time for presents only to realize I had to sleep for a few more hours, just like when I was little! Mum, Rosie and I had a lazy morning and did coffee and presents in bed. We took a little jaunt to Ludlow for afternoon tea and then I went to Dad's for some more presents and the first drink of the day. Of all the amazing gifts I recieved this has to be one of my favourites:
Mum cooked an amazing dinner at home, Dad brought up great wine and there were even fireworks! I was exactly where I wanted to be as I welcomed in a new decade.
Mum cooked an amazing dinner at home, Dad brought up great wine and there were even fireworks! I was exactly where I wanted to be as I welcomed in a new decade.
The week was finished off with Dad and I going to see the British Open at Lytham St Anns. The weather cooperated, mostly I suspect because Dad bought a new umbrella, and we had a fantastic day watching the greats go around a course with the deepest, scariest bunkers I have ever seen. After the Masters the British Open felt a little crowded, but Dad and I were mostly basking in the joy of being able to make the comparison.
As ever, time at home went by way too fast. As I said goodbye to Mum at the airport I felt the usual urge to have a little cry. I normally exercise mind over matter and kill the urge, but for some reason I decided to go for it and as we hugged goodbye the tears flowed. I’m so glad I did because Mum and I shared a really sweet little moment.
By Nicki (aged 30)
