That's blown the blues away. Getting there wasn't easy. Although it is just across the lane it is on a higher level to us and from the gate there are about 50 million steps up to the house. Did I say it was raining and MTL doesn't do umbrellas - I do however. The path was well lit - happily - and we reached the door without mishap. It's an upside down house so more steps but the first faces we saw was our charming host and my dear pal Jackie. I had guessed correctly and it was R's birthday and he was also celebrating his new appointment of Station Master at Dunster.

We have a wonderful steam train railway at Minehead which all the grandchildren have enjoyed over the years. R told me he had lived in at least 15 different homes as his father had been in the army. I asked him what made him choose to live here and he said his father wanted the sea, his mother the countryside and he himself was passionate about railways so Minehead filled the bill. He has been Station Master at Minehead previously. It is manned entirely by voluntary workers - it must be every little boy's dream.

R's help had offered to do the catering and there was a splendid spread. There were about 25 of us but there were enough cold cuts, salads, baby quiches, sausages , roast potatoes and delicious blobby mixtures to feed 100. The wine and cheeses were just the right temperature and the bread was good. Eventually they cleared a space for the desserts: flans, apple pies, a meringuey trifle and the most wicked ice creams and mousses that gave everybody - especially moi - a happy glow. It was great to see everybody having a good time and R had enlisted two sons of a neighbour who looked after everybody and got us all to secretly sign a giant card for R.

Everybody was friendly and there was a nice mix of people. Jackie and I share a chiropodist - Lynn - and it's always a pleasure to sit in her office and watch the dozens of birds who visit her bird feeders and pond. Apparently she had an embarrassing moment recently when a male client of hers said:
'Oh Lynn I do like your tits.' An innocent remark which made her turn pink.

Birds are singing , the sun is shining so we're going shopping. So glad we went.