Happy Birthday Pete!

I felt exhausted and it was difficult to get going this morning. Stayed in as long as I could to receive two parcels via UPS – had a message to say they were arriving between 9am and 1pm. Gave up at just before 12pm, as had arranged to meet up with Pete S. for birthday lunch. Phoned UPS and they are being re-delivered tomorrow.

A very hot day, too hot for me! I met up with Pete at the Cley NWT Visitor Centre. We had to queue to get in, as only so many people allowed in the cafe and shop at one time. Luckily we got an outside table as we didn't want to sit inside anyway for Covid reasons. The last time I had a jacket potato and salad lunch here it was and has always been first class – disappointingly the salad has shrunk to one small lettuce leaf, two skinny slices of tomato and cucumber (now just about a garnish) and the prices have gone up. The salad used be chopped up, with red onion and other salad bits and looked colourful and well presented – not impressed today at all I'm afraid! Aside from the boring lunch, we had a lovely catch up and then left. Too many people here, goodness knows what its like at weekends!

Pete went to Walsey Hills and I headed to the Cley Deli to buy our dessert – yep, you know what's coming next...... pear and ginger cake! I'm glad to see the deli have not increased their prices and the cake cut looked even larger than normal – £2.50 a slice, which is far too cheap for the best cake in the entire world! I even persuaded a couple in the deli, who were eyeing up the cakes to buy some! I should have been in sales...... I rattled on about how "if you like ginger and pear, you will LOVE this cake" and "I only come in here for this.... I've been buying it for years" The lady bought two pieces!

Anyway, I then met up with Pete again and we sat in deckchairs in the car park at Walsey and Pete had his first ever piece of pear and ginger cake! Now, Pete is not a sweet toothed person at all, but I could see he seriously enjoyed this cake, which shows how good it is! We bumped into Carl and Tania Chapman here, who later told us they had seen a Woodlark on the field at the back of Walsey – we promptly went to look, but failed to see it. Red-legged Partridge and that was about it. Red Admirals, Commas, bees and hoverflies adorned the masses of ivy here, but no birds of note.

The afternoon disappeared far too quickly, Pete left to return to his home for birthday tea and I diverted to Wex, to return two card readers I had purchased the other day (not compatible, long story) and then crazily on the spur of the moment, decided to visit the Apple Store in Chapefield! I somehow managed to park up in a free 30 minute spot, speed walked into the Apple Store at Chapelfield at 5.52pm and came out with a new purchase by 6pm – more on that another day! Arrived home late.