Aw shucks - thanks everyone

Thanks for all the messages and the d-cards - and Astrid, your message on the phone was hilarious
Spent a lovely day out in the wilds of Dorset, since we decided it would probably be a little too hot down our beach hut (sad isn't it, can't wait for good weather . . .). We visited beautiful Athelhampton House and gardens (Darryl and I have been wanting to visit for a few years now, one of those local attractions that you never seem to get around visiting

). As a Most Haunted fan, Athelhampton had starred in a show - but didn't see anything, or feel anything (apart from the heat in the beautiful gardens

). We sat for a while in the gardens alongside the River Piddle (honest, that's what it IS called

).
Got surprised Saturday night after cricket by Darryl's family who were all waiting in a superb Italian restaurant in Brockenhurst for me. Embarrassed myself on film by blubbing when I saw everyone was there for little old me

. Seem to have done nothing but eat for the last few nights - we also went out for a pre-birthday dinner to our local on Thursday night to say cheerio to my brother and his DW who had been staying with us for a couple of weeks. They've gone back off to Hong Kong now to pack everything up as they're moving back home over here after 11 years over in Hong Kong. It will be nice to have my neice and nephew nearer, although I will be back in Hong Kong in 2005 for the opening of
Disneyland Hong Kong - my brother is one of the architects who has been working (very hard) on this project - it will be fab
Thanks everyone again - I'm off now to check on the latest offering from one of my pressies . . . a bread making machine. Yum yum, the house smells divine
Annie xx