birthday

My Sunday Snapshot – Angel and Dragon

January 26, 2020 by Anne Sweet 20 Comments

Angel

Neon Angel Wings in the Bullring Shopping Centre, Birmingham.

Yesterday was a special day. Not only was it Chinese New Year and Burn’s Night, but it was also my Eldest Son’s birthday. This year he insisted on taking the whole family out for his birthday meal. He’d wanted to go for Chinese seeing as it was Chinese New Year, but we left it a bit late (ok, I left it a bit late) to book anywhere. So we went into town and enjoyed a yummy Pizza instead.

The Bullring seemed to be in celebratory mode too, even though China Town is right next door. In this photo with the Neon Angel Wings, you can also see a big red heart in the background that was flashing a lazer display into the sky and also lighting up St Martin’s Church behind it. Leading up to the Angel wings there was a tunnel of lights. I have a short video of that but there were lots of other people around.

The Dragon Bull

The Bullring bull is a famous bronze statue and he likes dressing up too. Yesterday he was dressed as a Dragon.

The Bullring Bull dressed as a Chinese Dragon — *Boo with the Bullring Bull dressed up as a Chinese Dragon*

It’s a shame they had to put a metal fence around him, I guess the red ropes where not enough to stop people. Usually you can go right up to the bull and even sit on him, although that’s not really allowed and you may get told off!

Birthday Meal

We’ve done some very different things over the years for eldest son’s birthday, including a Korean BBQ, where the food is cooked on a pit in the middle of your dining table. Teppanyaki, which is also cooked on your table with an entertaining chef and Frankie and Benny’s (which I felt was overpriced and underwhelming.)

Yesterday, we decided to go to Pizza Express and they were very accommodating considering there are seven of us including a wheelchair. The food was lovely, and we had a good evening.

Next up is Graham’s birthday which is in February, then I have a break until The end of June.

Word of the Week 4 – Changes

January 24, 2020 by Anne Sweet 13 Comments

Hello and welcome to the home of Word of the Week. A nice and simple weekly linky, with everyone welcome to pop by and share. The idea of the linky is to reflect back on your past week and share it with us. It’s great if you can sum it up in a word or phrase, hence giving us your Word of the Week. My word this week is changes and you can read more about that below.

I’m not totally strict on using just a word or phrase. But please try to stick to the theme of summing up your week.

There are not too many rules with this linky, just remember to read at least another couple of posts in the link up after adding your link. I will read and comment on all posts and tweet them out for you. I also have a Pinterest board devoted to Word of the Week and I will add posts to Mix Please add the badge below to your post so that others may find us and join in. If you comment or tweet then please use the hashtag #WotW

Word of the Week is open from 6am on Friday Morning to 12 noon on Monday. Plenty of time to join in!

If you are unfamiliar with the Word of the Week linky then please feel free to ask any questions. New linkers are always welcome, we love to hear what you have been up to in the past week.

MY WORD OF THE WEEK – Changes

Can you believe that we are approaching the end of first month of the year? Although, if I’m honest, Christmas seems like a lifetime ago. Have you made any New Year Resolutions? I did actually decide last year that I would get out of the house more, but I guess continuing with that could be my New Year resolution along with some other changes I’d like to make

This week has been a little easier than last week. I’ve not done much though, I seem to have real trouble just staying awake all day, and then I’m not sleeping too good at night. I’m most likely getting used to the changes in my medication routine.

I wish we could get some changes in the weather, I’m so cold all the time. I need to force myself to leave the house. It’s hard to go out when you’d rather cuddle up under a duvet. I’ve been out twice this week already and tomorrow it’s eldest son’s birthday and we are going out for a meal. It’s also Chinese New Year so we may get to see some celebrations in China Town. We want to go for a family meal to celebrate but we’ve not booked anywhere. We like to try something new every year, but now I just hope we can find somewhere that all seven of us can eat.

Now it’s your turn, what word or phrase sums up your week this week?

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Today is the last day for nominations for The Mad Blog awards. I’d truly appreciate you considering me for a nomination if you enjoy my blog. I think I fit in the Tween and Teen category best. You can use my URL https://www.raisiebay.com and find the nomination form here Thank you so much! Don’t forget to find some other bloggers to nominate too!! xx

Word of the Week 2 – Plans

January 10, 2020 by Anne Sweet 13 Comments

I’m not totally strict on using just a word or phrase. But please try to stick to the theme of summing up your week.

Word of the Week is open from 6am on Friday Morning to 12 noon on Monday. Plenty of time to join in!

If you are unfamiliar with the Word of the Week linky then please feel free to ask any questions. New linkers are always welcome, we love to hear what you have been up to in the past week.

My Word of the Week

Plans

This week we had many plans. Some good, some not so, and some changed.

The kids didn’t go back to school until Tuesday but we had plans for Monday. First it was a hospital cardiology appointment for Star. Then we planned to have lunch in town and a little walk around the shops. We did have lunch but the walking around was abandoned as we all just wanted to go home.

Tuesday the plan was back to school. I think it’s going back after Christmas that I dislike the most. The kid’s have so much fun with all their new stuff and games and it just seems a shame that it all has to end and everything cleaned up. It’s truly the end of Christmas. The girl’s had a good day, the Little Man not so.

Wednesday, no plans, which was good because I was really not well all day!

Thursday it was time for another hospital appointment for Star. This time to see her neurologist. We’d made lots of plans on how we were going to pick her up from school just after lunch, then Graham was going to leave us at the hospital while coming home to pick up the other two from school. Then he was dropping them at my sister-in-law’s before coming back to town to pick me and Star up. It was a plan, but it was also stressful. Star was stressed about leaving school at the right time. I was stressed at being left alone with Star in town for nearly 3 hours, and Graham was stressed about driving in and out of town and dropping the kids off and getting back to us in time.

But, on Wednesday afternoon we had a call from the hospital to say that the appointment had to be re-arranged. After all that planning!

The change of plan had a big effect on Star and the stress ended with her not going into school on Thursday.

Future Plans

I’ve also been thinking of some future plans this week. I’ve booked tickets to another ballet in February, I’m taking my friend to see Matthew Bourne’s ‘The Red Shoes’ and I really can’t wait. I love Matthew Bourne’s take on the classics.

Then towards the end of the month it’s my eldest’s birthday. He want’s to go out for a meal as usual but we are having trouble figuring out plans. He wants to go out lunch time with the kids and in the evening with the adults!! I’ve asked him maybe to split it over two days as I don’t think my stomach could take that much food.

Now it’s over to you, what have you been up to this week?

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My Sunday Photo 28th July 2019 – Friends

July 28, 2019 by Anne Sweet 11 Comments

Three girls sitting on settee — Boo’s Friends

It was Boo’s 12th birthday yesterday and she had some friends around for food and cake. These two (Boo is far left) have been her friends since we moved here over five years ago. One of them went to a different secondary school but they still keep in touch.

We did invite two more of her classmates around but they didn’t turn up. This is so common when you have an older child who’s birthday is in the School Summer Holidays. We are used to it as all my three young children have summer holiday birthday’s. Star gave up on birthday parties after her 6th birthday. We’ve not decided what to do with the Little Man on his birthday yet. I’m thinking maybe a fun day out. He has decided that he doesn’t want party.

I’ll Be There For You

edited photo putting Boo and her friends in Central Perk Cafe from the Friends set — In Central Perk

I had a go at editing the photo above and came up with this! If you look closely it’s not perfect. But it took me ages to get the girls from UK to New York!

Friends was one of my favourite television shows, and I’ve been watching the re-runs lately and found that my kids love it too. So, I put Boo and her friends in Central Perk Cafe. If I could give them characters, then the one on the far right has to be Pheobe because she’s nuts. The middle one is Rachel and Boo would have to be Monica as she’s my little chef (And a bit of a control freak!)

The birthday months begins. In less than two weeks it’s The Little Man’s 9th birthday, then two weeks later it’s Star’s 14th!

You can see last weeks Sunday Photo Here

The Flaming Teppanyaki Birthday Meal

July 2, 2019 by Anne Sweet 9 Comments

I don’t talk about my older kids on my blog but my daughter turned thirty on Sunday. When I was thirty I was already married with two children, but that’s a different story. She wanted to go to one of her favourite restaurants, Miyako Teppanyaki in the Arcadian in Birmingham City Centre. My daughter has been there several times now, but my only previous visit had been for my son’s birthday meal a couple of years ago.

The Arcadian in Birmingham, at dusk. Showing two levels with a fountain below and restaurants above

6.45 pm.

We started out on our journey which on a Sunday evening should have taken 20 minutes. The reservation at the restaurant was for 7.30pm so we figured that leaving at 6.45 pm would give us plenty of time.

Our journey into the City Centre takes us past Edgbaston Cricket ground. Now, if you are a sports follower, you may have realised that there was a very important match Between England and India. Daughter did mention it but Graham reckoned it was all over by the time we left.

Yes, the match was over, and yay! England won. But, everyone was still leaving the cricket ground putting us in the traffic jam from hell. There was no way we were going to make it. As soon as we could we turned off and headed away from the traffic, and our destination to go the ‘long way around.’ While panic ensued in the car and a hasty phone call was made to the restaurant, we continued on our journey. Arriving just before 7.30 pm.

We got out of the car and Graham removed my wheelchair, but it wouldn’t move. We had left the battery at home! It looked like we were set for disaster, but fortunately the restaurant wasn’t too far away and my eldest son was able to push me there.

The Teppanyaki Meal.

Teppanyaki is a Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook the food. At Myako Teppanyaki the chefs cook the food at the table while telling jokes, performing tricks and generally putting on a show. They start by setting the griddle on fire.

The flames on the griddle as the chef sets it alight

Meanwhile, we are tucking into our starters.

I was served a delicious trio of appetizers along with a side salad with a heavenly dressing.

The Chef then brought out the tray of meat and fish he was going to cook. There were four of us on the table so this was for all of us. There was lobster, salmon, scallops, prawns, duck and steak as well as noodles and vegetables to go in the rice.

tray of uncooked meat, fish noodles and vegetables.

Main Course

I’d chosen a very fishy main course from a set menu. We watched as the chef set to work. He started by frying off some garlic which he then put to the side. He then tapped some eggs on the grill to break the bottom and built them up into a tower. The eggs where then cracked and cooked on the grill very quickly. He then added the vegetables to cook them and finally the rice. They served each of us with a bowl of lovely egg fried rice with vegetables.

It was amazing watching the chef work on cooking, he used his two iron spatulas to cook everything with precision, adding flavourings as he went along. The end result was four delicious looking meals. Here’s mine before he added the noodles.

teppanyaki main course, rice, lobster, scallops and salmon

I had fried rice, lobster, scallops and salmon and noodles. My son gave me a piece of his steak to try, and although I don’t normally like steak, it was perfect. Then the guy sitting next to me insisted that I tried his duck. It was heaven. I will most definitely ask for duck next time.

Dessert

If you have a set menu, the dessert is always the same, coconut ice cream with fruit and mango sauce. It really is delicious and refreshing. You can order other desserts though and my daughter had a Matcha ice cream.