Happy birthday week, Greggie - project me day 142

Let the celebrations begin!
In true style, Greggie passionately gets swept away by build up of his birthday and has never been shy to indulge in the blessings of turning another year older. Yes, he actually gets excited about his age. He totally gets excited that it's his birthday and of course, he claims an entire week.

I must admit that I've tried it, but I have tunnel vision when it comes to focus and get lost in the anticipation of one day, while my best friend dives in and begins with a celebration with his family, while ending with a party with his friends.

Family lunch was doubled with his granny's birthday who is now a styling 88 and boasting about how it's called two fat ladies in bingo. You go granny!

I love spending time with Greggie's family ... they are a laugh a minute and over the years I've really felt more and more a part. Which basically means I can be myself and feel as loopy as them without any shame. Well, I did have to hold back on the chance of perpetuating shame at the thought of having to reveal the tattoo to family. It's simply because ?they are not a tattoo family. When you're not, you're not ... and there's going to be shock factor. It's not a little butterfly on the ankle, after all.

Yep ... it got the reaction I expected. Granny took it worst of all and asked a few times if it was stuck on maybe a T-shirt. Luckily the exquisite buffet distracted away from it back to the celebrations.

I adore his sister-in-law, who forced me to go back for thirds, has a spunk for life and a creative flair that would obviously speak to so many parts of my nature. We are now swapping Jamie Oliver recipes ... considering I'm cooking the dinner for Greggie's birthday party and he picks the one thing I've never made before ... stew! Yep ... I'm not a stew girl, besides the minestrone soup that Greggie christened as stew.

PS ... Jamie and Greggie share a birthday ... down to the year! I'm sure Jamie has taken a week to celebrate too ... guess who's cooking?

We went to the most awesome restaurant called La Rustica, where Sunday just happens to be eat as much as you like buffet. It was?genuinely an array of colour, flavour and passion for food and Greggie's crowd is the perfect family to experience it with ... they love to eat!
As 'project me' goes, it was a perfect day to relax, have fun and be totally goalless considering I'm not going to gym?while the tattoo heals and letting my slide into one indulgent plate of food was a conscious pleasure. Ok ... so it was two plates and the additional serving forced upon me ... followed by dessert and the additional left over complimentary ice cream to honour Greggie and Granny ... sparklers, singing and all.