Birthday and Boris

J had a great birthday. When asked what cake he'd like, he asked for a homemade ginger sponge with white icing. Et voila!
Official blow out at lunchtime. The cake lasted 3 days which in this house with M and J is pretty good going......even Grandma got a slice. At lunch time we bombarded him with streamers, balloons, blowers and party poppers......bliss for a boy. He ate a light lunch though to save himself. The curry he ate at the restaurant was massive and the waiter, who has a soft spot for J, came out with a special chocolate mousse pudding complete with candles and sang happy birthday - none of us expected that and J was made up!
Boris who we are now 98% certain is Doris has moulted. In secret. She's been hiding away in her web and when M checked her we could see the shadow of the moulted skin. She is refreshed, her hair is plush and her colours bright. No sign of tibial spurs or clubbed pedipalps so looking more and more like a lady spider. So from today she is now referred to as 'she' and renamed Doris!

A brief bask in our awe and she disappeared back behind her cork bark to her web and hasn't been seen since.