HOW many candles?

Beach Hut - Hove - 010112

Yes.  It's my birthday … And I'm 49.  And I'm okay with it.   I've seen friends hit 50 and shrink up to 4" overnight and sprout bunions.  And I already have bunions from my wild stiletto wearing teens and 20s … eep! …

But … this 49 thing feels lighter than I thought it would.  I like it ... I was impatient with 39 but I'm going to relish this year ...  Really I'm fine about ageing, other than for the fact that there comes a point when there's more sand in the bottom of the timer than in the top ... But that is the same for all of us, whether we know it or not.

I'd love to have seen this video when I was 22 (LOL - the very idea of a youtube back in 1985 ??!!) … It's based on a 1997 article, posing as a graduation speech, by Mary Schmich for the Chicago Tribune,  which was made into this video by Baz Luhrmann  …

I go into my 50th year in the hope that it's not too late to act on some of this … or to pass it on to anyone else.  If you haven't seen this please watch through to the end ... forget all the schmaltzy stuff, the message is real and kind and something we should bear in mind more often ...

... every word is true ...

what advice would you give your 22 year old self?

11 01 11 - It’s My Binary and I’ll be Nerdy if I Want to …

Yay!  Nerdy heaven!  1111 ... mmmm nom nom ....

It’s actually my birthday too which makes it even nicer, apart from the whole time slipping ever onward thang …

I got back from work to a little parcel I’d ordered before Christmas, from Sew Mama Sew  - Yay!  Perfect Timing!   

Some fab Patty Young Sanctuary - Citrus Scrub & Zen Garden, the wonderful grey and yellow Wishes, from Night & Day 3 by Robert Kaufman, and the lovely teal scissors from Cosmo Cricket … 

Tonight will be spent relishing an early night and nursing a hot toddy to fend off the evil and most common cold that is threatening to rain on my parade.

Night all …