A wonderful surprise!

On Saturday I had a really wonderful surprise!  Hubby and son told me they were off to the local DIY superstore and because I really am not into DIY in a big way, I decided to stay home and do a bit of sewing.  So off they went and I sat on the deck to make a couple of things.  A couple of hours later they returned and we went inside to have some coffee.  We'd not been inside long when there was a knock at the door, so I called out for the visitor to come on in as I thought it would be one of the neighbours......but who should pop her head through the door, but my MUM!!!!!!  She and my brother had decided to fly over for the weekend from the UK to help me celebrate my BIG 5~0 birthday, which was yesterday and they wanted it to be a surprise for me!

Hubby and son were in on it of course and hadn't been anywhere near the DIY store, they'd actually been to the airport to pick them up!!!!!  I was so shocked that I cried!!!!!  My mum is 75  and my brother has learning difficulties so although they go on many trips, they are usually planned months in advance with near on military precision, but not this time!  My mum decided about two weeks ago that she really wanted to come and share my birthday, so she got on the phone to hubby who booked the plane tickets on line for her!  Now this in itself must have been a challenge as there are not many times when hubby and I are apart so he must have been very secretive!  It turns out he planned his conversations with her very carefully, such as when I went to the hairdressers or to the supermarket.  But I'm so glad they came, even though it really was a very short visit...it made my birthday extra special!

My mum and brother enjoying a stroll on the beach yesterday morning.......

Monday morning rush hour, beach style....

This morning we took them back to the airport and off they went home again....I hope they'll be back in September and stay a little longer then!!!

In the meantime, we're still here at the coast and have no plans to return home yet awhile.  The weather is beautiful and the sea breeze very welcome, especially when it reaches the high 30s centigrade.

In other news, the person who commissioned me to customise a Blythe for her daughter, received the doll today!  Her daughter wrote to me telling me that she is absolutely delighted with her and the photos she posted on her blog are beautiful.  I felt really quite proud!!!!