(As an aside, do I look like I'm doing my best impersonation of the Mona Lisa in this photo? Perhaps that's what her enigmatic smile is all about - a pregnancy glow...! Note how I like to rest my hand on my bump in an attempt to ensure people know I'm pregnant and not just hugely fat.)
Next stop, Starbucks (natch) for a little light refresehment in the form of a gingerbread latte, and a hazelnut & chocolate muffin which tasted just like a Ferrero Rocher, which can't be a bad thing.
And finally, the piece de resistance, the Albert Hall 
for Carols by Candlelight, tickets for which hubby had bought me for my birthday. Admittedly, the 'candles' were electric ones, presumably a health and safety thing since the orchestra were wearing 18th Century costume, including wigs which could have gone up in smoke at the merest hint of a naked flame. 
But not to worry, we had bigger fish to fry in the complaints department. All started well, as the choir kicked off proceedings with something lovely and classical in Latin (I don't claim to know anything about classical music and so won't try and tell you what it was), plus there was a little musical interlude from the orchestra, again something classical and lovely. Unfortunately, it went a little downhill after that as the conductor tried to tell jokes and then invited the audience to join in and massacre pretty much all of the rest of the carols (except the Latin ones, which the choir kept for themselves). Now, don't get me wrong, hubby & I love carols as much as the next man; however, what we don't love is carols sung by the next man. We had gone along thinking that we would be entertained by a fully-trained orchestra and choir so we could sit back and soak up the atmosphere. Instead, we had to contend with Joe Public belting out the tunes to the best and worst of their abilities. Bah humbug. It seems we are doomed as far as live carols go - last year we went to the carol concert at the church in Henley where I was constantly annoyed by a man in the row behind me jingling the coins in his pocket during each carol; this year we decide to go up-market and are no better off; next year we'll stay at home and listen to a CD and be grinches in the comfort of our own home.
for afternoon tea, which was served in the library - sooooooooooooooooooo lovely.
We had fabulous finger sandwiches with smoked salmon, beef, tomato, egg, and chicken; eight varieties of cake; and warm scones with jam and clotted cream.
When we had finished eating we decided we didn't want to leave so sat out in the Great Hallwhere hubby indulged in a G&T while I wondered whether it would be possible to go in to labour there and then and give birth in the library. How fabulous that would be. Must book afternoon tea again for the beginning of March...
Czech Republic
Hungary
India
Switzerland, Laos, Vietnam, Mexico, Latvia, the Netherlands, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, and approx 4 million from the USA and New York - including a large number in the form of Starbucks annual 'red' Christmas cups.
It would seem that the entire western hemisphere had decided to go to Bath that day to help me celebrate my birthday, which was nice of them, although in all honesty I wish they'd all just stayed at home. The place was jam packed, making it nigh-on impossible to get to the stalls in the Christmas market - which was the main reason we had gone there.
We managed to buy two hot dogs (a must at any Christmas event, clearly) and a Christmas tree decoration, but that was about it, apart from the free cup of mulled wine - yum! By about 4.30pm I was pooped so we decided to go home. On the way home hubby said I could choose where I wanted to go for my birthday dinner and, to his utmost disgust, I chose TGI Fridays! Poor hubby spent most of the journey home along the M4 trying to persuade me to go somewhere else, but my mind was made up. Let's blame it on the hormones... Luckily the food was served very quickly so hubby didn't have to spend too long in his own personal idea of hell, and we were home by about 8pm, and I was in bed by about 9.30 - rock and roll! 
I'm sure hubby would like me to point out that we are not fans of Wozza's cooking in general but, with a Gabrel Machin sausage in his hands, he can do no wrong. After scoffing the bangers, hubby and I went in to the local 'department' store, Facy. Having lived in Henley for five years, this was the first time I had ever been in there, and what a revelation - it seems to be the sort of shop where you can buy anything from clothes to carpet, pinking shears to duvet covers. Talking of which, that was what hubby and I managed to buy - isn't that what everyone gets when they go to a Christmas Fair? We were so engrossed in choosing the duvet cover that we managed to miss the Christmas Tree lights being switched on, but we were in time to hear the Salvation Army band start the carols. 
Three Quality Street, one piece of cheese, a hot dog and a cup of mulled wine later it was time for us to wend our weary way home (and it wasn't even 8pm). Not only has being pregnant affected my bag-carrying capabilities, it also prevents me from staying up past 9.30pm - what a party animal!
