We're gonna have a good time...

well, yes. Much to Sherlock's disbelief, I did sort of forget it was my birthday. I mean, if you'd asked me my date of birth, I still know it, but it hadn't really hit me we were even in August, I've been so busy.

So my birthday surprise(s) came as more of a surprise than ever...

Last night, I got home, expecting some takeaway...and John had cooked. Cooked a bloody amazing dinner. (details here) It was really, really nice. And really touching that John even thought about it.



Then, today, Sherlock leapt on us at...I don't even know. Early. Clutching a big bundle of wrapping paper and sellotape. It barely fitted with him on top of us.

He'd already told me he'd made me a spider...I wasn't quite expecting such a large spider.

I should have put something in the picture to scale it. It's...huge. If it sits on my chest, it's legs are wider than I am. And it being handmade by Sherlock (with help), it's anatomically correct. It's to give me a cuddle when I have a bad dream, he tells me. Which is very, very sweet. (Danger has named it Alice.)

It's now in the hotel with John and I. Sherlock insisted. Yes, we had to check in with a rucksack and a tank bag with spider legs sticking out of it...

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Sherlock informed me we were going to have FUN. And you can't have FUN without pancakes for breakfast. So he'd got out all the ingredients for making them that he could reach, and I had to go and do that. (That'll teach us for telling him he has to eat his breakfast for energy when he's going to school...).

After that the consensus was that we needed a rugby ball and some practice. So we went out, bought one, and headed to the park. Mycroft and I were on one team, Sherlock and John on the other, with the dogs. Except it was actually Humans vs. Dogs, really.

Sherlock took exception to me picking him up when he had the ball, and carrying him under my arm to the try line...

Anyway, the dogs won. But we all had a good time.

And then...Mycroft informed me we weren't having lunch, and I couldn't wear my shorts or flip flops where we were going...

Afternoon Tea! Proper - I mean, it was amazing, little sandwiches and cakes, and scones and cream, chocolate mousse thingies, fruity things...champagne...everything. In a posh Knightsbridge hotel. Mycroft looked completely at home...the rest of us, maybe not to much. But we all had a great time. I believe it was Mycroft's idea, and it was brilliant. One of those things you never do, without good reason. I recommend it!

Once we were back from THAT...Danger told me to get my bike gear on and wait...whilst he went off to pack, as it turned out. but he wouldn't tell me where we were going. He did that as we went - I mean, literally, told me which turnings to take, as we got to them. And we ended up in prison! Well, a posh hotel, in an old prison. Our room is two cells knocked together, and then another cell is our bathroom. It's lovely. And...well, I'm just really touched that any of them did anything, let alone put so much thought and planning and everything into it.

And even if they hadn't, even if they'd all forgotten about it completely, it would still have been the best birthday I'd had, ever, just because I've got the three of them.

I spent my 44th working until late, then bought myself a decent bottle of single malt on the way home and drank a good few glasses alone, on the sofa, watching shit on the telly.

I never, ever could have imagined how I'd see in 45. And...I can't thank any of them enough. Especially John.


I love you, John. Thank you.