Cakes and lunches

Saturday was Amber’s birthday party for friends. However, having reached the grand old age of seven this year she had a cupcake party for ten friends at We Love Cakes down the hill in Bexley Village.

As usual, less than an hour before the start, two mums texted to say they couldn’t come. That’s an improvement on last year when half the dropouts didn’t bother to tell us, but still annoying as we’d already paid per head. Luckily, Fay – big sister of Amber’s BFF, Izzie – was free. She took one place, and the other meant free cupcakes for the Lovely Melanie and I. 🙂

It was a really nice afternoon. The prospect of two hours with a gang of sugar-high six-and-seven year olds doesn’t sound particularly attractive, but they were all really sweet, polite and fun to be around. And I can highly recommend We Love Cakes, who were fabulous with the girls. Everyone came away a little bit fatter but a little bit happier, too.

We’ve still got some cupcakes lying around, if you’re hungry. Please say you’e hungry…!

Sunday we went out for dinner with friends at the Ravensbourne Arms in Ladywell, which was just as much fun and just as heavy on the calories. Oh, well…

I wanted to see my friends this weekend, but didn’t fancy going out drinking, so instead of going to the pub Friday or Saturday “What about meeting for lunch on Sunday?” I suggested – and was surprised how almost everyone jumped at the offer!

Lately, even if I don’t have a hangover from a few friendly Friday night drinks, booze still affects my mood, making me a little grumpy. And that’s no fun for anyone. So Sunday lunch seemed like a nice alternative – still with some drinks, but with kids and food and dogs around to keep things from going all skew-wiff, as it were.

Nice food and good friends, all packaged in a charming pub (just across the road from where Millie was born). Thank you for a delightful afternoon, Ravensbourne!

It was nice to be out with the girls and our friends. Virtually none of my London friends have children, and although I swore when Millie was born that we were going to be “cool parents” that ideal just isn’t affordable or reasonable most of the time.

Some friends don’t like any children (which seems stupid to me, but then, I’m a dad, so…) More generally, they like our kids, but aren’t terribly interested in them, which is fair enough. I’m not interested in football but I don’t dislike people talking about it.

Anyone who talks about one thing only is going to be terrible company no matter what they talk about!