Happy birthday Frances Grogan

[Jo]

Not sure if you're still in Finland or back in the UK, but hope you enjoy it, wherever you are!

[englishangel]

From me too.

[Fjgrogan]

Many thanks - I am finally back in the UK - planned to fly on 29th but we were all recycling the common cold, so Maria insisted on postponing my flight until Saturday. Even then I was worrying that I would sneeze at passport control and be whipped into quarantine; every one I have spoken to since has accused me of having swine flu! Anyway it is now on the wane, although everything still tastes like cardboard unless it is highly sweetened. Nevertheless according to my bathroom scales I have managed to shed five pounds in the six weeks that I was in Finland - that can't be bad, although I have no idea how it happened. I'm still not sure that I was of any great use, except as a spare pair of hands occasionally. Postponing my flight meant that I was in Finland for Vappu, which is the May Day Holiday - starts on the previous evening, which slightly worries me (shades of Walpurgisnacht - the Satanic big festival!). In fact it seems to consist mostly of students donning their graduation hats, scrubbing the statue in the centre of Helsinki with champagne and then drinking a lot. In South West Finland there have been bushfire warnings because there has been no rain since the snow melted and everywhere is very dry and therefore a fire risk especially if families are celebrating with barbecues.

I'm not expecting anything special to happen today, except that Kirri and her partner Steve are coming over, mainly to collect more baby stuff from our loft. Apart from the fact that their baby is due at the end of July, Maria and all her family are planning to come as well in two weeks for a family wedding, which is proving a bit of a logistical nightmare - staying with Kirri in Aylesbury, borrowing my father's car from Worcester Park and equipping it with required car seats for the children, then getting us all to Hastings for the wedding, including collecting us en route from Surbiton, as we have no transport. Anyway it will be good to see all the rest of my family - including two great-nephews born in the last year whom I have not yet met. My family is beginning to look like the cast list from Buffy the Vampire Slayer - the last three babies were named Finn (actually Fynlay), Spike and Xander! Perhaps Kirri should have a girl and call it Willow!

It is now 12.45 and I am still not dressed; Kirri is on the way; I have spent most of this morning 'sanitising' the kitchen - it is not wise to leave my husband in charge of housekeeping for six weeks - he has even managed to lose the plug from the kitchen sink!! Happy days!

[lonelymom]

he has even managed to lose the plug from the kitchen sink!!

It'll be in the composter in the garden! Mine always is anyway

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

[blondie95]

Many thanks - I am finally back in the UK - planned to fly on 29th but we were all recycling the common cold, so Maria insisted on postponing my flight until Saturday. Even then I was worrying that I would sneeze at passport control and be whipped into quarantine; every one I have spoken to since has accused me of having swine flu! !

Happy Birthday! I have been in Edinburgh for the weekend, and this morning whilst in a shop I sneezed and the lady in front of me looked round and gave me the nastiest of looks and moved a bit further away from me!!!! I mean can a girl not sneeze anymore. Secondly on sat when leaving Edinbugh castle a coach load of Japanese toursits pulled up and they ALL had face masks on..now either they all had swine flu or they heard there were a few cases in scotland and thought best not risk it! I had quite a chuckle at that

[midget]

Happy Birthday, Frances

[MKM]

Happy birthday from me too.

[J.R.]

belated wishes from me, also.