Happy Birthday to my only son!

 We have been so good with money for so long, sometimes I forget that I am allowed to spend it. We're watering the garden with shower and washing machine rinse water, we don't flush 'yellow', we don't waste anything, we save money to pay for everything on the nail, we don't shop and if we need something and can get if from a car boot sale or charity shop, we do. We haven't used credit cards since 2009 and have paid off credit card debt (still have car finance and home loan to go, but not for much longer). I home cook everything and waste nothing. We don't go to the cinema, theatre and haven't been on holiday of any sort since 2008. We've got it under control.

Last year, on my son and dad's birthday, the family came to me and I cooked every body lunch and we also did the same the year before that. This year we took our son out for lunch. We tried to coax our daughter to go with us but nothing will drag her out of where she needs to be to cope right now. She knows where we are.

Here's the events of our lovely day. We drove to Torpoint and took the ferry to Plymouth before picking up our son and heading into town.

 I purposefully persuaded them to park miles away from the restaurant as it's a beautiful day and I wanted to get a long walk into my day. I love Plymouth Hoe. It's where I used to take my children to roller blade and ride their bikes, where we used to walk our dog and a place where so many public events took place that we used to attend as a family with young children. I miss Plymouth in the summer.

 Here's the Plymouth version of the 'London eye'. I couldn't be persuaded to part with £21 for the three of us to go on it, even though I really wanted to.

 Plymouth really epitomises cafe society and there is nothing better than a stop off at a cafe on one of the terraces on the Hoe for a coffee in the middle of our walk to the Barbican.

 Here is me and my 25 year old only son! He works away from the area as a shop fitter and we rarely see him. It was just wonderful to spend the day with him. Time flies, he was ten years old when he, his sister and I moved to Plymouth. Below, is a rare shot of Dearly Beloved and I together, with the famous 'Barbican Prawn' sticking out of my head. We're standing by the Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower for America, behind us is the National Marine Aquarium.

We took our son to a restaurant that we know is his kind of place, 'Rocky's' on Southside. Our meal cost more than a week's groceries. If you're interested............how did I do this on protein only? Moule marinere, no bread! Chicken Caesar salad, without croutons, without dressing, without Parmesan and they grilled me some bacon to go with it too! Dearly Beloved and #1 son had Calamari and then burgers with blue cheese and bacon, plus chips!!!! Plus beer! I was good and had water, as, I'm also the designated driver!

It's the first time I've taken my son anywhere in years, I know it was a massive blow out but once in three years can't be bad or anything to feel guilty about. I had my pedometer on too today and we walked for 3.2 miles, so I stuck to the carb free/low fat diet (with the exception of some salad) and I kept to my daily exercise.