Birthday celebrations and back to normal

Well I've had a lovely couple of days with my Mum visiting. It was my birthday on Wednesday, and it was a day filled with nice things, though of course we didn't have time for half of the things I'd have liked to have done.
I spent the morning jamming and preserving including making lemon and orange curd, which I LOVE but had never gotten around to trying a vegan recipe. My jam shelf has started to look a lot healthier, but there is still a lot of fruit in the kitchen (and on the hedges) so I am just waiting on more jars now.

I had some lovely presents including a fabulous cushion from Pam and a Victorian book about ferns from Will

a new, much needed shoulder bag from my Mum

Flowers from the girls at Playgroup

a garden-y necklace from my mother in law

and (very handy!!) thermal socks from my sister in law

Mum and I (and Ivy) went for a walk in the morning and collected a big box of haws each (which are now dripping in a hedgerow mix ready for jelly). I may try to use the pulp this time as there's also apples, elderberry and blackberry in there. It will only go in the composting otherwise.
In the afternoon it was filthy weather. We went to playgroup with Ivy, and then later on Pam came over for tea and cookies and a chat which was lovely as always. We had apple and tofu stew for tea, and baked apples with ice cream to celebrate Autumn coming in. In all I had a very nice, very peaceful birthday.
We don't really need to go shopping this week. We did a big shop last week and it will last us for another if we just pick up a couple of bits and bobs while we're in Ammanford today. My mother in law is staying from today until Tuesday so hopefully we will get up to some fun stuff in the next few days. As long as the weather isn't horrible we are planning to go to the National Botanical Gardens on Sunday which is about my favourite place. I have jobs to do in the garden, onions to pickle and jams to make, so plenty to keep me busy - as always.