More birthday fun

So, on Friday I had a very nice evening, catching up with an old high school friend. He'd been in London for a week on business, and was actually looking around to find a flat for himself and his wife. He'll be moving here next month for a year or so, on a contract through the American company he works for...and his wife, lucky devil, will spend the year traveling around Europe as she pleases, since she will not be working over here. We had dinner at a little tapas place near Hyde Park, and finished at a lovely wine bar in Covent Garden. It was very nice to have someone treat me to dinner and drinks, and also to hear from someone who hasn't seen me in years that I look good ;) Apparently, I'm very fashionable too! Oh, and, a girl who was a good friend and teammate in high school is moving to Spain in July, just after she and her fiance get married-- I now have her email, and as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait-- guess I'll be going to Madrid after all, sometime later this year!

Saturday I was pottering around home, doing home management tasks as we would call them at work, relaxing, and sleeping. But early Sunday morning, I was up and out of the house, and on a train for my last trip out to see Rob and Nicole in Guildford, before they move. It was a beautiful morning, a bit windy, but a bit sunny too. We went for 4 mile hike in the hills around Guildford-- there's some beautiful countryside right near their flat. They then drove me to the Half Moon Pub in Windlesham, near Bracknell, which used to be a favourite of my parents'...every time they had guests whilst they were living in England, they took them to this pub. It had changed a bit- there was an addition to the pub, in which they now have a proper restaurant, still keeping the pub bit of course. The big dog was missing, and there was no fire as it was too warm for one, but otherwise it was exactly as I remembered it. The food was just as yummy, and I had some Hogs Back T.E.A. (Traditional English Ale), which really went down a treat! I hadn't been familiar with that brewery until I went to the Reading Beer Festival last spring, but now I definitely look for it when I'm at country pubs. And thus ended my week-long birthday celebration, although technically my yoga and hiking weekend in Wales coming up on Friday is a birthday gift to myself.

Lots of stuff happening at work, but I'm still processing info from the Bobath course I was at on Thursday and Friday, and need to do some reflections for my CPD on what I learned, as well as update my CV, so I'll get into what's happening with my patients another time.

Looks like Viv and I are leaning toward Peru, final decision probably tomorrow or Wednesday. :)