Tuesday December 2008
What a wonderful memory!
I thought I was on my way to spend the weekend with one daughter, celebrating Christmas early and also my 80th birthday.
Instead, I was brought in the dark to Toad Hall, to this beautiful dream place, and not only one of my families but as the evening went on my Yorkshire family of six arrived, then my family of four from Worcestershire. "The dream went on!"
What a wonderful house; what wonderful scenery around us! What a fantastic surprise! We walked our dog, Lily through frosted pathways, looking across to shadowed hills under a clear, golden winter sky - so beautiful.
Then the birthday celebration day with a feast cooked and presented to perfection by our "chef for the evening". The whole weekend has been just wonderful, from the lovely welcome tea set with sponge cake (perfect!) and bottle of wine, to the beautiful spacious ballroom - the table and chairs which was perfect for our group of 14, the comfortable beds...... I could go on and on and on!
Thank you so much for this perfect 80th birthday celebration, set in a perfect place, made perfect by enabling my family with seven grandchildren to celebrate with me - what a wonderful memory.
Muriel Shepherd and her family.