Special Birthday part 1

The week before last something strange happened. My Husband told me that he was going to take me to  National Trust property on the Saturday. He said it was in honour of my Birthday. which was actually not until the following Tuesday. It is a big number Birthday. I thought it odd, as he is not normally organised, and something had been said in passing by my Daughter in law when we were there. My Daughter was suddenly interested in my Sister's mobile number too.
My Daughter brushed off the comment when I asked her, and I was feeling really deeply suspicious, I questioned husband and he blinked a lot when he answered me. Hmmm.
I had to do my weekend shopping on the Friday, and on the Saturday morning, It was a cold morning so I decided to wear trousers, but smart ones. I wore a long sleeve cotton blouse that I bought whilst still in my sling last year. I also wore a cardigan, and my warm Winter jacket.
Husband said he wanted to be there at about 11.30, but we set off a little bit late. Aylesbury is always busy, but we were soon on country lanes, driving through small villages. Then, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, we arrived at Claydon House.
It was too cold to go around the grounds, the gardens were closed, so we explored the stable area. Husband said it was too early for lunch, so we went in the shop, browsed there, then the second hand book shop, then we went into the house. We explained we would probably go out again for lunch, so they let us keep the tokens with which we had been issued. The house was intended to be much biggger, but when the owners went bankrupt, trying to expand the house, 2/3ds of it was pulled down again. Some of it is in apartments too. We were fascinated by the whispering staircase, which has ornate metalwork, some of which is loose, and moves and makes a sound when the staircase is in use. Sadly the N T have decided it is too precious to use now, so it is roped off.
Th ceilings are really high wth some amazing roccoco work. the doors also are over 9 feet high,and different in every room. No photography is allowed indoors, so I am unable to show you pictures of the interior.
We were in about the third room, when husband suddenly looked at his mobile,and said 'we are summoned', and led me through the further rooms, out of the front door into the stableyard and into  the Carriage house restaurant. There were Daughter and Son in law, Son and Daughter in law and the three grandchildren. My sisters, and the cousins had been unable to come.

We had a very lovely 3 course meal, each having different things from the menu. Although 2 had only 2 courses, and Ethan had mush from a couple of jars. It was lovely to see them all, not too much of a surprise, as I had an inkling something was up.
 I chose tomato, onion and thyme tartlet, with creme fraiche, followed by fillet of pork with an apricot and sage stuffing, calvados sauce, parmentier potatoes,and savoy cabbage. Then for dessert I had raspberry ripple baked Alaska,with raspberry and cointreau coulis. Some of us finished with coffee.
Then we all trooped back to the main house. Husband and Daughter managed to join a tour, our Son did a bit of a route march, with his wife. I wandered from room to room,and Son in law tried to keep the little ones under control. They were not badly behaved, but a bit young to appreciate old things. The libraries in these places fascinate me, and I always check to see what theological books I can find. They actually had a Crudens concordance in the collection. Thye also had Bunyan's works
There is a rather ornate Chinese room there, and a bedroom where Florence Nightingale stayed many times, she was related to the Verney family. It was interesting too that during the Civil war, the father was for the monarchy, and the Son was for Parliament. The Father actually died at Edgehill.
After the house we popped into the church which was next to the house. I was glad of the gloves I found in my pocket. there was still  a bitterly cold wind.

 

Then we nipped home to see to lights and draw blinds, and then up to Daughters for a lovely tea, which included a Birthday cake for me. I forgot to mention that they insisted on me opening the gift they had given me,- a voucher for afternoon tea  for 2 at the Ritz, London. I also received some flowers from one of my sisters.
Poor Lydia had an awful cough and was wheezing, so Daughter took her to the urgent care centre, and later we got a message to say she had been nebulised an given an inhaler. She is too young to be diagnosed with asthma, but the doctor said he had treated a lot of young children with chest infections, so there is obviously something nasty going round.
On the Sunday, we went to daughters for lunch, a lovely spread, Son, wife and baby had stayed in a premier lodge. They had to leave mid afternoon to collect the dog from family, and Son was due at work on the Monday; altogether I had a lovely weekend. I was also given the church flowers on the Sunday evening, word had got round.