The 21st & 22nd; Happy Birthday to me!
The 21st of January. Happy Birthday to me!
It's also a year since I stopped steroids today and the difference in my face is insane.
I had some Nutella on toast for breakfast before I started opening my presents and cards. Carol had sent me the book about A Streetcat Named Bob, Auntie Hilary had sent a Lars Kepler book, and an Amazon voucher to buy the 5th book in the series when it comes out in May. Mommy and Daddy had bought me a necklace and the "perishables" was some macarons from Macarons & More, super tasty!
We went out late morning to do some shopping, and I got some cashmere socks, merino wool and silk socks, and a pair of leather trousers all half price! Daddy and Christine both phoned to wish me a Happy Birthday, and we came home for about half an hour before going out to pick up Grandma to go to Harvey Nichols for afternoon tea.
We met Daddy in the car park, and were a little bit early so had a little bimble around the shop before going into the champagne bar/restaurant for our tea. I had an egg sandwich and a cream cheese and cucumber sandwich, one and a half scones (which were incredibly good, even if I did throw half of one on the floor) and a chocolate delice. I was also presented with a glass of champagne, Grandma gave me the Happy Birthday charm from Pandora, and Mommy and Daddy gave me a pair of diamond earrings and I was floored, not expecting that at all.
Tonight, we're having birthday cake and more champagne with Becky and James. Happy girl. I am so lucky.
The 22nd of January.
Happy Birthday pt. 2!
Early start for our trip to London! Arrived at New Street at 10, bought coffee and paper, then barely had time to get settled in the assistance area before the chap came to take us to the train! On the journey, I had to cope with a girl having to vomit in the toilet near me several times, and I saw two girls with four blue WKDs who I was glad not to be seated near.
Got a cab very quickly and he took us to The Savoy. The doorman did something to the door so we could get through the rotating panels with the wheelchair, then we sat on some large pouffes while waiting for Christine. She emerged somewhat weather-worn and relieved to sit down, then regaled us with tales of her stressful morning. She'd had plans to go to all sorts of cake shops, then arrange them in a box for me. There hadn't quite been time, so I got them in there own bags/boxes. She got me a vanilla bean and a chocolate truffle doughnut from Crosstown, an Oreo cheesecake crodough from Timberyard, a zebra crodough from Harrods, and a s'more from Cutter & Squidge! All that PLUS a Moomin make up bag and notebook. She is the best.
Onto foods! Started with champagne (again). Mommy and Christine had the same four course Escoffier menu, which meant a came to explain each dish they were having. We all had the same starter, the glazed omelette Arnold Bennett, and I can totally understand why he ate it every day - it's fucking delicious. Then Mommy and Christine got a ravioli while Daddy and I munched on bad. The main courses arrived soon after, and I had an excellent steak on the rare side of medium-rare, and I was very pleased that they left the peppercorn sauce on the side, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to eat it.
I knew I wouldn't fit in a pudding, so after watching Mommy and Christine's sour cherries get flambéed, I went to investigate the toilets. They were incredibly fancy - I love a place where you dry your hands on a flannel then chuck it in a bin. I also had no qualms about taking a selfie or two in the big mirror. Upon my return, our coffee was being served, so we drank that while we ate the tiny extra desserts, paid, and said goodbye.
Our plan was to go to Picturehouse Central, because Christine is a member, so we went to see The Big Short with 3 discounted tickets and one free for me! We sat on the back row of sofas and wrapped up in blankets because the heating was on the blink. The film is so good, so important, but entertaining as well. It made me hate everyone including myself (because at one point I was rooting for the guys who wanted the economy to fail). It also made me want to squirrel all my money away in suitcases
We still had an hour before we needed to get back to Euston, so we sat in the café downstairs where I was refreshed with an orange juice and we saw Adrian Chiles from football. We were lucky and grabbed a cab very promptly, from a cabbie whose daughter is at Birmingham Uni. At Euston, the others bought some food (I was still full from lunch), then we saw Paddy McGuinness as we were heading to assistance. Daddy had been complaining about not having seen any famous people while we were at The Savoy and now we'd seen two!
The train home was packed. I listened to St. Paul and the Broken Bones and was very chilled out.
