Having recently
turned yet another year older, and
with my husband reaching the big ‘FIVE O ‘ in less than two weeks, I’ve been
thinking (possibly over-thinking) about what birthdays mean to me these
days. As the years have gone by, I guess
I’ve looked forward to them less, but
actually I don’t really know
why? I read a quote recently which went
something like “If you didn’t know how old you are, how old would you be?” and
yes, some days the answer to that question may well be “65 plus”, but in all
honesty, most of the time it would be a figure considerably younger than I
am. All things considered, I’ve decided
that more good than bad comes with age, and it’s just a matter of seeing our
birthday tipple glass as half full and not half empty. So, this is how I’m going to view the passing
of the years from now on...
The Good
My birthdays
will be a day (or more, if I can manage to drag it out) of pure, unashamed,
indulgent ME time. They will be seen as my special day, a time to sip champagne
and eat cake (lots of cake). My mobile
will be non-stop (hopefully) with texts and Facebook notifications from
well-wishers; birthday cards of the hand-crafted, cute, sentimental, humorous
and pure filthy variety will adorn my mantelpiece and window ledges, and all in
celebration of the day that wonderful, unique moi entered the world! If I’m lucky, my birthday celebrations might
also include parties, evenings out and, of course, pressies! See below - a few photos of some of the lovely
gifts I received this year, which might also offer a bit of Christmas gift
inspiration.
The Bad
Harsh (but true)
being forty plus, I am fully aware that the champagne sipping may well leave me
needing the loo in the middle of the night, unable to get out of bed in the
morning, and with raging heartburn. The
cake will more than likely leave me feeling bloated, guilty, and will almost
certainly lead to tears the next time I get on the scales. I will also prepare myself for the fact that
birthday surprises at this time of life might include a few extra fine lines
around my eyes, age spot multiplication, and the odd addition to my growing
collection of grey hairs. I accept that
I may also notice an increase in my short term memory loss (although actually,
that will possibly be more to do with the excessive champagne sipping, in which
case it’s more than worth it!).
And...
the Ugly?!
Well, I reckon,
this will only set in if I don’t spend my forty plus birthday celebrations enjoying
the ‘good’ and gracefully accepting the ‘bad’. My plan to avoid any ugliness is to embrace my
maturity, and the knowledge and ‘wisdom’ that come with it. In future I’m going
to celebrate the fact that yet another birthday means I’ve been lucky enough to
have spent the last year enjoying my
family and seeing them grow, have had chance to form new friendships and see
existing ones deepen, and have had the benefit of a further twelve months’ life
experience (good and bad). And, with all
that under my belt, I can begin to look forward to the adventures and
challenges of the year ahead... that is, until my next wonderful birthday!
Okay, that’s
enough deep and meaningful thinking from me... time for pressies!
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| I love this
grown-up, sophisticated take on the recent satchel trend, and it’s such a
fabulous colour. http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_17,acc_1.1/5890143000 |
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Posh Wellies - I’ve been wanting a pair of these for ages
and they’re just the job to ‘style-up’
my winter dog walking. If they’re
good enough for Her Majesty, they’re good enough for me!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=hunter+wellies&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ahunter+wellies |
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‘Lovely’, by
Sarah Jessica Parker. Gorgeous fresh,
day time fragrance, and a beautiful bottle that looks so pretty on your
dressing table.
|
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Body Shop
scented candle, room & fabric fragrance spray and home fragrance oil, in
‘Aloe & Soft Linen’. Lovely pressie.
http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/search.aspx?search=aloe%20and%20soft%20linen#/search.aspx?search=aloe%20and%20soft%20linen
|
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Visit to the
Theatre – surprise trip to see “Thriller Live”. If you love Michael Jackson’s
music you’ll adore this smash hit West End Show. I had such a fun-filled evening! http://thrillerlive.com/
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Pretty little
Pandora Charm to add to my collection. I’m
hoping to fill my bracelet by the time I turn fifty... running out of time fast!
http://www.pandora.net/en-gb/explore/products/charms#!791224CZ/metal/05,04,11,06/sort-by/pl
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I also had some
beautiful flowers delivered (always a winner with me) and the fact that my 19 year old music
student son, living 200 miles away, even remembered my birthday (let alone sent
me flowers), was enough to make my day! Unfortunately, these were well past their best by the time I got round to taking photos for this post :-(
So, here’s to
many more happy returns! J
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