Skip to main content
search
Tag

mum & Ian

My Thirtieth Birthday

By Friends & Family, Happiness & Joy, Life, Thinking3 Comments

Yesterday I Became:
30

Thirty years old. It was a busy day with many highlights. My close family and I went out for a meal in my favourite restaurant Gallimore’s. I was so pleased that almost everyone could and did come. Here are photos of my cake and balloons:

my-30th-birthday-cake

My 30th Birthday Cake: Minion Bob.
my-30th-birthday-ballons

My 30th Birthday Balloons.

Gallimore’s Fine Restaurant served sublime and tasty food and the service was excellent. My thanks to Gallimore’s for making my birthday even more special.

I was completely overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity from my family and friends on my birthday. I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the Facebook messages, the cards, the balloons, the gifts and the money from family and friends.

At the end of the month, some good friends and I are going to Chester Zoo to see the new Islands Exhibit.

Big birthdays always cause me to reflect on my life so far. I think about what I’ve done and not done. What I’ve experienced and haven’t experienced. I play what if scenarios out in my head for both the past and the future.

We are all a work in progress. We are constantly growing as we experience life and learn. I am proud of what I’ve achieved in life so far. I could list my achievements like overcoming adversity, becoming and being a good Nurse, being creative and my ongoing recovery from a mental health illness.

But the thing I’m most proud of is to have a wonderful loving family and a bunch great friends whom I would trust with my life.

Write soon,

Antony

Share on Social Media:
Sunday 15 May 2016

A Celebration of Love: Mum & Ian’s Wedding

By Friends & Family, Happiness & JoyNo Comments
mum-and-ians-wedding

Ian & Mum, with the Bagpiper playing in the background.

 On Wednesday 1st July 2015, during the hottest afternoon of the year, Mum & Ian celebrated their love for one another by getting Wed. I’ve never seen my mum so full of excitement, she was like a child on christmas day. She looked exceptionally divine.

Even notoriously grumpy Ian, smiled and laughed often.

Mum and Ian were both lit up with happiness and radiated joy. I have never seen either of them so ecstatic. I was lovely and I felt honoured to see it and share the day with them.

As the Best Man, I had come up with the idea for the fishing trip stag do. But my role on the day was to get the men dressed in full traditional Scottish dress – including kilt and sporran. I think looking at the photos below, I did a pretty good job.

As Son of the Bride (I’m not sure if this is an official wedding role, but if it isn’t, it should be), I spent my time greeting, getting and entertaining.

Being so busy doing these two roles, I didn’t get time to take many photos. I was too busy being in them! But here’s a few photos I’ve managed to get hold of from other people:

mum-and-ians-wedding-1

Ian and Mum.
mum-and-ians-wedding-3

Left to Right: Neil (my brother), Me, Ian, Mum & the Bagpiper.
mum-and-ians-wedding-4

Left to Right: Auntie Sue, Me (showing off in a kilt) and Chris

After the ceremony, we all went back to Mum & Ian’s for a barbecue that went on late into the evening. This was followed up on the Friday by a much bigger party. It was a joint celebration of Mum and Ian’s Wedding and Mum’s Fiftieth Birthday (which had been on the same day that they had got married on).

I had a great time and wish them many, many more happy, joyful and exciting times ahead.

Write soon,

Antony

Share on Social Media:
Wednesday 8 July 2015

My 29th Birthday – No Plans, No Pressure and Plenty of Presents

By Friends & Family, Gigs & Shows, Happiness & Joy, LifeNo Comments

Recently was my 29th birthday. For the first time since I can remember I had no plans. That week I had gone back to work on a phased return, so although I was off work on my birthday I was exhausted. So I took it easy and did as little as possible. It felt great to have no pressure to do anything. But next year I’ll be making big plans, especially as it’s the big 3-0.

By 11:30am I was overwhelmed by the number of people who’d left birthday wishes on my Facebook wall. Mum and Ian nipped round after lunch time and that was it for my day. As always I was fortunate to kindly to receive many cards and presents off family and friends.

new-crystals-birthday-2015

My New Crystals: Christina, Chris and Quartzy. All on my new Clear Quartz Crystal Bed.

 The presents were plentiful and are still coming. These included a clear quartz bed and three quartz crystals (pictured left). I’ve named them Christina, Chris and Quartzy like when Sid off Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs names the T-Rex eggs Egbert, Yoko and Shelly.

Simon got me a Yankee Candle (among other things) and we went out for dinner. Kay bought me Him & Me by Michael & Jack Whitehall (pictured below left).

I’ve started a Minion Family. Steve bought me the small wind up minion Bob (the one with the teddy). I was bought the medium-sized minions that flashes multiple coloured and the small wind up minion Stuart (the one with the guitar) (Pictured below right).
birthday-presents-may-2015-1

Yankee Candle off Simon and Him & Me book off Kay. 🙂
my-birthday-minion-family

My Minion Family – New Minions are the medium sized one that glows different colours and the two smaller wind up ones.
birthday-presents-may-2015

Books & DVDs Bought With Birthday Money 🙂

 People were incredibly generous and gave me some money. With the money I bought some books, DVDs and a box set off Amazon (pictured left). Here is what I treated myself to:

Top Row: If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern, The Humans by Matt Haig and Gavin And Stacey – Series 1-3 And 2008 Christmas Special.

Middle Row: Jack Whitehall Live, Jack Whitehall Gets Around and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion.

Bottom Row: Jerry Maguire and After Earth.

Jayne kindly bought us tickets to see Ruby Wax in her show Sane New World. There’s so much to say about the show that I’ll write a separate blog post. But words that spring to mind when I think about the show are: inspirational, funny and informative.

A huge thank you for everyone that sent me well wishes, bought me cards and presents. Thank you again. It is very kind of you.

At one point on my birthday, I felt a little sad that I’d done nothing and planned nothing on my birthday. But I’ve realised that as the year roles on I’ve got plenty to look forward to including:

  • Mum and Ian getting married and my mum’s 50th.
  • A fishing trip stag do.
  • Simon’s birthday.
  • Summer is coming which means warmer weather and more sunshine.
  • Watching Nina Conti live with Simon.
  • Watching Wheatus with my cousin Jenny.
  • Watching Southport Fireworks Championships Show with Simon.

Blog soon,

Antony

Share on Social Media:
Wednesday 27 May 2015

Christmas – Over Too Quickly

By Friends & Family, Happiness & Joy, HomeNo Comments
Christmas Presents Wrapped

The Presents for Others Wrapped

 Christmas snuck up on me this year. Like a cat stalking it’s prey it pounced on me, causing a mad panic to get everything ready in time.

For starters Christmas cards didn’t get written or sent due to a bout of illness. The fibre optic tree was a last minute purchase and while most of the presents were ordered online, I had to dash out to the shops for a few people I’d forgotten about.

I was still wrapping the presents on the week of Christmas. Food wise, I had to go shopping with Steve for our Christmas dinner and arrange what time I had to be at mums for their christmas dinner. The prep. felt completely chaotic and stressful this year.

But Christmas Day came and it was all worth it. It was a wonderful day, starting in the late morning at mum’s watching my two year old nephew open his presents with his dad (Neil – my brother). Seeing and spending precious time with my family is always my favourite part of the day.

Then it was home for my first Christmas dinner with Steve and an exchange of presents. A quick nap followed before heading back to my mums.

Back at my mums, I had my second Christmas dinner with mum and her partner (Ian). Mum and Ian had opened their presents off me earlier and seemed pleased. I opened my presents from them, before heading back home to spend the night reading. Time seemed to speed up and the day flew by; it was over far too quickly for me.

I got lots of great presents this year:

My Christmas Presents

Presents People Bought Me

The theme of my presents seemed to be: minions (yay!), chocolate (double-yay!), smellies (tripple-yay!) and stories in the form of books & DVD’s (quadruple-yay!).

Hope you had a great Christmas!

Antony

Share on Social Media:
Thursday 26 December 2013
×