All the little cryptic things I have been saying for about the last month finally came to a head yesterday in a rather spectacular manner.

Because the secret was redoing Nic's garden (in a 'Groundforce' type of way) while she was away at her mum's this weekend, ready for her 18th birthday party on Friday.

And oh my, were we good.

So I missed out on Saturday (as I rather slyly alluded to in my blog of that day), but Sunday afternoon I was picked up by Jen and Rachel and we went to Nic's house, meeting Jo and Eric there.

We built (after a little trial and error) a gazebo.

We went to Homebase and Argos, and bought plants and (get this) a garden bench! Oh yeah baby!

Meanwhile, Jen went to collect Katie and half the stuff she had forgotten, like plant pots and fairy lights.

Sam also joined us briefly.

We put up the fairy lights all along the fence (some small issues occurred when we realised half of them weren't on, and only quick thinking from Katie saved the day), Rachel planted the flower beds and myself, Eric and Jo fought with the bench, while Katie and Jen amused themselves dancing around and offering help to anyone who needed it (and taking photos).

At last the bench was done.. or so we thought. Three of us sat on it whilst Nic's dad made sure it was all secure (much to Jenny's consternation, but then, who wouldn't be concerned about a drill less than 2 inches away from their bum?) and then we carried it to the end of the garden and positioned it appropriately. Jo and Rachel left, and it was time to make the card.

I was relegated to sitting on the rug whilst Eric, Katie and Jen directed my every move paper-wise from the bench. At one point, Katie got off the bench and Eric moved along it - barely a moment later, a bird poo landed right where his head would have been. Major lol-age ensued.

Nic's dad supplied us with tea and biscuits whilst we added the finishing touches to the card and wrote the damn thing. After some hilarity with more bird poo (I swear they were watching us), we finished it. Eric went home, and Jen dropped me and Katie home too.

We all went back to Nic's house in the evening to surprise her when she arrived back from her mum's.

She was pleased :)

And today, I met her in town, bought her breakfast, and then we shopped and met Roma people for lunch in Clowns (uber cheap and pretty tasty, even if the staff are a little incompetent at times..). We spent the afternoon in the sun, lying on the grass and being chilled. It was lovely.

And this evening, I did some Latin revision (Shock! horror!) AND I have been making my costume for Nic's party.

No-one can say I have not had a busy long weekend.