It was Freyja’s birthday on Monday. We all went to York. Tabitha and Gareth didn’t - they were back in Cambridge and Taffa was back at work. But the rest of us did.

We had lunch in an amazing vegan tapas bar. Not only is it vegan but the menu is also gluten free. And the food was amazingly tasty. El Piano it is, on Grape Lane, near the Christmas Angel shop. Those of us who are neither vegetarian nor on a gluten free diet were pleasantly surprised by how tasty the food was.

Then we hit the turist shops, looking for touristy socks for Lindsey to take back as holiday presents. Failed dismally.

Then Freyja ambled into Octopus. Big mistake. Lindsey went in too. And came out with a huge back of stuff and an imploded credit card.

And then we went to Freyja’s birthday treat. The York Dungeon. Not an absolutely ideal place for a mild claustrophobe such as me. All dark and misty. Actually - I quite enjoyed it. I didn’t enjoy the “maze” room much at all. But the rest was quite fun.

Then back to Chesterfield and out for dinner at The Nettle. It must be said that The Nettle does absolutely fantastic food. But it is a little unusual to have to wait an hour for a menu. Mind you - I’m not sure why we bothered to wait. The menu never, ever changes but the specials board changes regularly and we nearly always order from that. As we did on this occasion. It was a bit disconcerting to find no veggie friendly food available on either menu. But when we asked, choices were offered.

Ian took Freyja back to Sheffield, accompanied by Austin for company.

Freyja went back to work on Tuesday.

The rest of us jammed several quarts into the Vixen’s pint pot boot (actually, the boot is quite capacious but we did have an awful lot of stuff to cram in) and relocated to Cambridge.

We’ve been to The Boathouse (of course) and for a potter about. We went to Girton yesterday and had lunch with Peter and Joan in the “pub” across the road from their place. Ian cooked a mighty steak dinner. We’ve been into town and Austin has Built a Bear for Kaori and bought it lots of clothes. We found an Octopus in Cambridge too. Lindsey was slightly more restrained than she was in the one in York. The sun has shone and shone and shone and shone. We really have been quite remarkably lucky with the weather, although it is cloudier today. But still - we’re drinking out morning cup of tea out in the garden.

Peter and Joan were in good form yesterday. They seem very well and quite cheery. They are gearing up for a slightly longer than 3 week cruise in September, around Ireland and then around North Africa. Next year they are cruising to Greenland. Peter says that he might not book any more cruises after that. Irritating to book one and then die before you can go on it. But I bet he does. I’d have thought it would be even more irritating not to book one and then also not to die!

The internet has gone down at Taffa and Gaz’s place.. Once again we are cut off from the outside world, apart from my iPhone. Hope it comes back soon. I could really do to et some banking done. If it’s not back tonight I might have to follow Ian - who I’m sure will have found an internet cafe somewhere in Cambridge!

Austin is going home today. The Builder and I are taking him to Heathrow at lunchtime. Suppose I ought to consider the possibility of getting dressed. It’s all very well sitting about in the garden in my nightie, but it might garner some funny look at the airport!