Geoff's O.B.E.* Lunch

Geoff  celebrated his 80th birthday At Chef Peking, Wokingham yesterday.

                                                                * over b....y 80

Reaching eight decades of a life lived is a momentous milestone......one that should be celebrated.
So yesterday Geoff's friends got together to celebrate.  It was a very enjoyable occasion as you can see from the photos.
We received a warm welcome when we arrived to a beautifully decorated table.

The waiters were attentive, bubbles as soon as I arrived, and the food was really good.

                                          The service was spot on and they treated us so well.

                                         
                               Cutting the cake to a chorus of Happy Birthday and Congratulations.

 
                                       Joan was having such a good time she didn't want to leave!

                                                  We hope you will join us in wishing Geoff a
                                                                Very Happy Birthday.

By the time you're eighty years old you've learned everything.  You only have to remember it. 
                                                                                                                          George Burns.

Birthday Treat

Another birthday so the family gathered together for my birthday treat at The Jetty in the grounds of the Christchurch Harbour Hotel.

It is a stunning location at the water's edge with views across Christchurch Harbour to Mudeford.

The Jetty itself is a one-storey, prefabricated timber, glass-and-steel  building - a sort of sexy shed.

                                                          Row, Row, Row your Boat.

The food is excellent and the setting magical.

There was no children's menu but child sized fish, mash and mushy peas which Emmie and Chloe really enjoyed.

We spent the best part of four hours devouring the food and spectacular view.

We then had coffee outside and a beautiful birthday cake arrived (courtesy of Gemma's kitchen).

Thank you Gemma.  The cake was delicious.

A lovely day celebrating with the family.

We then stayed on at The Beach House where the garden is looking beautiful - well done Phil.

Note the white Agapanthus from Madeira

and on Sunday, 11th August we watched the start of the Fastnet Race.

After spending a couple of nights with us Chloe helped Nanna to change the beds.

Good girl.

Yo Ho! Stuart's Pirate and Princess Birthday Party!

Shiver mi timbers, it's Stuart's very own Pirate and Princess Party.

Grab yourself a bottle of rum and come with me to find some pieces of eight.......

                                                            Ahoy Pirates

A magnificent imagineer Stuart designed, created and built the Pirate Galleon, complete with rough sea and desert island.

Come sail away!

When Captain Stuart Bubbles is planning a voyage, he doesn't have to look far for his shipmates.

Capt. Stuart sees all kinds of wonders after he's kidnapped by his Tina and goes sailing on the Queen Anne's Revenge looking for the Fountain of Youth....

Pirates love the adventure of searching for buried treasure............................

                                                          travelling to new places

                                                        and getting into duels

                                                               Pirate's booty!

Tina, as usual, produced a banquet table not only fit for a pirate

                                                          but fit for a king!

Yo yum yum.  Captain Stuart needs more than limes and grog to keep him going...

                                                 It's a Pirate's Life.

                                                      How great is this cake...

                                                                   "Very rough sea!!!!"

                                                                     Wee buccaneer

                                                                Seaworthy shindig

                                                                Shiver Me Timbers

                                                     The Princess and Pirate theme is such

                                                      fun and everyone came dressed up.

To get to the Princess Castle (also designed and made by Stuart and Tina) I had to travel through the

butterfly garden, past the mermaid cove and the pirate ship to Once Upon a Time Land just under the Rainbow.

                                                                The Pink Princess with her brother:-

                                          With a lot of sparkle and adorable tiara this celebration

                                                                 was a royal hit!

Stuart had wanted a pirate party for years and he was so pleased all his swashbuckling scallywags came to this pirate party he will never forget.

                                             Of course, some pirates had to walk the plank.

                                                 Afternoon tea in the Castle

                                                                     then a royal cuddle.

                                         THANK YOU SHIPMATES FOR A TREASURE OF A PARTY.