My Boy's Birthday

Today is my boy's birthday. There must be some mistake. There is nooooo way I am the mother of a 17 year old. Is there?


Well, it appears so. 

For starters we had some prawn cocktail and

...smoked salmon with lemons.

We also had a fruit medley - mostly consisting of melon and grapes, because that's what Catherine likes. She was boss in the kitchen today!

I don't have photos of the main course or the dessert.

The main course was Chicken Parmigiana from the Pioneer Woman's site. Catherine has made this a number of times, and we love it. Tonight, however, seeing as Gran and Grampa were with us, we didn't serve it with pasta. It's not their 'thing'. We had roasted vegetables and new potatoes. 

Our own potatoes? Oh, thank you for asking. They were, seeing as you ask. The children do not believe that the many conversations I've had with them over the past months made any difference. I beg to differ. They were delicious. And it's all because I was so nice to them.

For dessert, Catherine made brownies and chocolate sauce. We had it with white Italian ice-cream and fresh strawberries. Don't ask, 'cos they weren't our own.

Here's Catherine giving DR the cake she made. It was a Red Velvet cake with cream cheese icing.

We covered this part of the kitchen wall with 'stuff' today. 'Stuff' that spoke of DR.

I'll try and explain some of them.

Home.....someday! This is his dream. I tell him when it comes to it he wont want to leave his Mum and he'll live right next door to me when he marries.

Oh well, a woman can dream!

This is him on his 1st birthday. And then on his 1st day of school. This was before we'd heard of homeschooling.

He can now drive.... legally. Not that we'd ever have allowed him behind the wheel of a car before now. I think I'll say no more.

I must apologise to any Northerners for this. I don't really apologise, but I wish I could explain. His heroes are Stonewall Jackson and Robert E Lee. His all-time greats.

I know this flag has been adopted by *some* undesirables, but the fact remains....we're Rebels.

Please don't fall out with us, Yankees. Pleeeeeeese.

Oh, the photo is of Ronald Reagan and Maggie Thatcher. 

You know, I should really have left this photo off this post. The flag will send the Northerners running; the photo will send most Scots scurrying for cover. Most Scots would not have Maggie on their Christmas card list. Let's just leave it at that.

Here's the Birthday Boy himself. He's wearing a Phillies cap - just to prove he loves the North too.

I suppose this will send the Yankees and the Mets scurrying. I'll have nobody left reading my blog. Please don't leave me. I need you. I live a very lonely life. 

Please don't go. I do love you all!

So, DR, happy birthday. I couldn't have wished for a more wonderful son. 'Yet one thing thou lackest'. If it was possible, I would give you this gift. But that is God's to give. There is no doubt that more than any other thing, I wish Christ for you this year. God bless you, my dear son.