Soop I think you are being very hard on yourself. I have lost count of the number of times i have tried to improve a drawing or a painting and never managed to better the one before. I had one particular picture that I framed and put on the wall, that drew complimentary comments but that irritated me because I thought some areas could be improved, so one day I took it down, got out my paints - and ruined it. At a stroke. I spent ages lamenting it’s loss and my own stupidity. Your deer are better than anything I could do.
N&G that is one very happy birthday boy! Have we ever seen him without a smile on his face? And what a splendid cake! You’re absolutely right about it being the age of innocence though, and do I miss it! And tell grampy no, you haven’t met them yet - that’s the next step 
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Charley that’s so annoying. When we were redoing our kitchen we went through the ‘discontinued tile’ thing on several occasions, and the ‘yes we can get them but not for xxx months as they have to come from Timbuctoo’ or wherever! Keep plugging away.
I have put a picture here of the river at Bakewell, where we were today. We set out in blinding sunshine and then halfway there the sky really darkened and we didn’t know what to expect, but fortunately it didn’t last. When it comes down to it, there is not a lot to keep you busy in Bakewell, even on market day, but there was a Salvation Army band playing carols in the square, and lunch was very good - if a little on the large side! The ladies of the W.I. were holding a tabletop sale in the townhall and we won a packet of Cheddars and a tin of peach halves on the tombola! My cup ranneth over .
[café] 
