James’ Prom, Eddie’s birthday and everything in between. It’s been quite the week.

Prom

Shoe-horning a sixteen year old boy into a tuxedo is a herculean challenge, but one we pulled off with exceptional results. James looked a veritable James Bond rather than Houghton. Collecting him from his pre-load Prom party to drive him to the bash in the Mazda (vintage!), he gracefully declined my offer of a lift in favour of the alternative – a soft-top Bentley pre-owned by Roman Abramovich. Fair dos. That was transportation way, way, way out of my league.

Little was said of the Prom after-party, I suspect primarily due to an over-consumption of Aspalls cider and Moscow Mules. I left well alone, and made sure Berocca and Paracetamol was readily available…

The end of exams

After months and months of revision and the intensity of A-Levels and G.C.S.Es, we treated ourselves to a slap-up supper at The Woodspeen on Friday. It never disappoints. I had a samphire margarita to kick things off, sitting outside on a stunning evening, with William our taxi (amusing to see The Twinkie nestled between Jaguars and Range Rovers in the restaurant car park. Lowering the tone? Us?).

We went on to have a medley of starter options including roast pigeon, pea and mint risottos and mille-feuille terrine, followed by rare steaks for the boys and lamb with asparagus for Eddie and I. We shared an incredible peach melba-esque pudding, as were too stuffed by then to cope with individual options! Despite the obligatory cross-table family niggles, it was great to go out together, been too long.

N.B. If you want to get the boys to do anything with you, bribe them with food.

Eddie’s birthday

A success! The sun shone, present choices were well received, and the day spent meal hopping. Smoked salmon scramble for breakfast al fresco. Then we glammed up for our inaugral trip to The Boxford and a fabulous lunch with the Greens (gorgonzola pizza? Hell yeah).

Back home after our lunchtime feast for a power nap before heading back out to An Evening of Burlesque at The Corn Exchange.

As Burlesque virgins we weren’t sure what to expect, but quickly got immersed in a world of glitz, glamour, bawdy jokes and bonkers tricks. Loved every minute. Just time for a post-show download over black sambucas at The Globe, before we trundled home to collapse, way past our bedtime. Now and again it feels good to down tools and just have a lovely time.