Joe's Birthday

Another Birthday
Last week was Joe's birthday, following hot on the heels of Lola's three weeks' earlier.

We're usually on holiday at this time so for the past three years Joe has celebrated his birthday abroad. However, as we're going away later this year, we celebrated it in Cambridge.

Thai Delights
Joe and the children spent the day looking round Cambridge while I was at work. I met up with them for lunch and we went to a lovely Thai restaurant called Ma Thai. It's in a very picturespque setting overlooking Parker's Piece and on a sunny day you can sit outside. However, although it was sunny for most of the day, it poured with rain during lunch, so we stayed inside.

I'm not a great fan of spicy food - my palate simply can't take it - but I do love the delicate flavours of Thai cooking and Joe and the children had never eaten Thai so it was a new experience for them. They loved it, especially the exquisite presentation. Every dish looked like a work of art, served with a real flower, and was almost too good to eat!

Think Pink
The restaurant itself is decorated in white and pink, which sounds quite garish but is actually very calming. Even the drinks that Joe and I had were pink! They were called Sabai, a mixture of hibiscus juice and wine and slipped down very easily.

The staff also wear pink and are very courteous and friendly in the way that people from Eaatern cultures often are.

Bubbles and Books
We all travelled home together on the train and then opened Joe's presents while we drank champagne and ate chocolate birthday cake.

Joe was especially thrilled with a book I'd bought him from Forbidden Planet by one of his favourite artists, Alex Ross. I wasn't sure it would arrive in time, so was very relieved when the postman delivered a large parcel in a brown box which Joe was under strict instructions not to peek at!

Laughter and Labyrinth
Afterwards we all watched Labyrinth which features Jim Henson's wonderful puppets and has David Bowie in the unlikely role of the Goblin King. Although a children's film, it was hugely entertaining and the music was fab. The children also found the jokes very funny, especially the farting 'Bog of Eternal Stench'!

It was a very enjoyable way to end a busy day and, most importantly, Joe had a great time and said that his birthday had been 'brilliant'.