February is birthday time for Malcolm and Bridget. This year thankfully both birthdays fell outside Lent, so Malcolm had a birthday cake with chocolate buttons, and Bridget's birthday also included some chocolate, but more of that later. See if you can spot the number on Bridget's cake.... Bridget had a special birthday this year, celebrating the end of her 4th decade (make sure you work that one out correctly). After a family outing to Winsdor Castle and birthday cake on the day itself, we had a "grown up" dinner party at the weekend for ourselves and six friends. Rather than rushing around entertaining and cooking at the same time, we decided to bring in caterers. We felt like Lord & Lady of Prestwood Manor, with nanny (well, a 15 year old babysitter) putting the children to bed, whilst cook prepared food, and the parlour maid served us. Like Mrs Dalloway, we could spend the afternoon arranging the flowers and table decorations. On Bridget's birthday itself we spent the day at Windsor Castle. Although we only live just over 20 miles from Windsor, and have been to the town several times, we've never been into the actual castle. It's far larger than we were expecting, and although you don't get to see round the Royal family's private rooms, there are many state rooms to see. Following the fire in 1992 much has been painstakingly restored. In some cases they have left the original timbers and wall panels, clearly smoke stained, alongside the replaced panels. The area where the fire started has been completely refashioned, and has been designed with both classical and modern lines, quite charming. In the February half-term we spent a long weekend at Whitemead Forest Park, a CSMA site that started life as a camp site and now has several log cabins and apartments that are very comfortable. We stayed in a log cabin - the same one we stayed at 18 months before. Also on the site is a large swimming pool which is great for children, and an entertainment complex. It's a bit like a really small Centerparcs, and that means more intimate and far less packed. Matthew was hilarious in the swimming pool, and James unstoppable singing a Robbie William's number at the disco. Whilst at Whitemead we had several trips out to local walking spots, including the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail. On our way home we stopped at Bristol to see Alex and Anna, and new baby Cecilia, and to re-visit the SS Great Britain. Much work has been done since our last trip just a year before, and you can now walk down to the bottom of the ship and around the screw and rudder, under the inch-deep "sea" supported on a glass roof.