Family Fantastic

I often contemplate that fact that I never chose my family and, as far as I know, Toby certainly didn't chose his either, so it is always so great when you really enjoy time with your family.

Tomorrow is the 40th birthday of one of my brother in laws, so we offered to take him to The Fat Duck as his present. A precedent was set early this year by my mother in law that may be we would like experiences rather than presents, the theory being that as we get older we have all the material things that we need but what we are lacking in is experiences, be they new and exciting or tried and tested. So my 'I wish she was my' sister in law had a financial contribution towards inversion therapy (I have no idea but she said it was great), we took the mum/mother in law to a restaurant that she had not been to since before dad/father in law had died, and yesterday we took Jont to The Fat Duck. Although I have to admit I still like presents and am not about to ask for an experience. When my birthday rocks round I would still like to have pretty parcels to unwrap!

But I had thought about us taking the brother/brother in law to The Fat Duck about a year ago. I remembered seeing one of Heston Blumenthal's cookery books on his Christmakkah wish list and I thought 'now there's an idea for his 40th'. It's not the kind of place that you would rock up to on your own and it is such a special place that it really is befitting of a very special treat. It was so smashing to witness his excitement and enthusiasm, from the night before "I am excited" text message to his beaming face at each and every sensational course that I think it really was a quintessential birthday experience. And it was fun to share that with him.

Then today one of my Aunts and Uncles came to visit. I always joke that Uncle Reggie is 'my favourite Uncle', but I think that he could well be. He is different to my Dad and his other two brothers. My Mum often says that he is more like my Dad's mum, Nanny, who died far too long ago and far too soon. But I think that there is something a little softer about him, I used to think that he cared more but is doing a disservice to the other siblings. I think that he just is a little more emotionally honest if that makes sense. Anyway, they both are keen photographers and Aunty Penny took the photos at both of our weddings, so tomorrow they are spending the day photographing water voles in West Malling, well why not I guess. I haven't seen them for literally years and it was great to spend all day chatting, catching up and remembering why families are one of the most special things that we have.

It is so easy to be dismissive and distant with relatives, but the last two days have really made me happy and proud of the family that I was both born into and then chose to marry into.