What a nice surprise

Hey C, I've booked the Cricket club tomorrow night for my mums suprise 60th birthday party. If you and GO aren't busy you're more than welcome to come. Got a band booked, pie & peas so plenty of dancing. I didn't invite you both earlier because you don't really know my mum and M didn't think you'd want to come but then I thought we're all family and my mum is lovely so if your free and fancy a dance your more than welcome to come xxx 

We had nothing planned, and as GO said, you can only turn people down so often before they stop asking.   We arrived at the club and we're greeted by GO's brother, shortly after Finlaw and Minlaw arrived.  It was a great evening and a real surprise for the birthday girl.  The band, which I thought were called Pie and Peas, were brilliant. They had me up dancing from the start, but as I said to GO if I don't dance then I have to talk to people.  

Did I mention it's my birthday?

I have been, well and truly spoiled, as the social media greeting goes.  My birthday this year was a biggie, 40, but I'm not really too bothered about celebrating.

Most often the parties are for other people, so I have decided that each month for the next year I will do something that celebrates me.  OK, it's just a way to drag my birthday out for twelves months, why not.  My plans so far, although not set in stone are;

September - go to a show

October - fortieth photo shoot

November - pamper day

December - go to London

January - take a class (drawing, burlesque...)

February - go skiing

March - party

April - go dancing

May - do a big hike - like Hellvellyn

June - go kayaking

July - do a charity run (colour run)

August - have a bit of a do to celebrate my one year anniversary of turning 40

To celebrate my actual birthday GO took me to a the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield, it is a gallery that celebrates Northern artists, Wakefield it self was a ghost town.  The gallery is a place for exhibitions and was set up by Barbara Hepworth.  

G.O was going to take me out for a meal to a local steakhouse but it was closed, as the day before had been a bank holiday they had taken the day off, how rude!  So we went to the Chinese Buffet (not glamourous but very very yummy). 

I received a lot of well wishes, on last count it was well over a hundred people had set me cards, texts, messages and had posted on my wall.  It made me feel all warm and fuzzy seeing all these people taking time out of their days to wish me well.  I was also lavished with many gifts; handbags, earrings, books, and a lovely print by an artist I have loved for a while.  

GO discovered that he was at a local shop and arranged for us to visit.  I was able to meet and chat with the artist, who wished me a happy birthday.  As a treat he signed the print for me and gave me a model.

All in all I had a lovely day, the perfect end to a lovely summer.

I was born 40 years ago today

I do love how naive Facebook can be sometimes.  I woke up this morning to a lovely post reminding me that forty years ago today I was born.  As if I would forget that. 

 

What is to come?

As my thirties draw to a close I can't help but ponder my life so far and think ahead to my future. 

My Childhood

I have an amazing childhood, while I don't really have any close friends from my childhood, I do have lots of memories of my family.  We were ways there for each other.  Each move, each new quarter, new school, new set of temporary friends, they were my constants.  We were/are a tight unit of four, although we have expanded now (probably a good thing) to a six+.  We are happiest when we are together, swapping stories, irritating each other and having fun.  We travelled the world together I went to school in Cyprus, Belgium, Germany, England and Canada.  I didn't excel as a student, always just getting by, I enjoyed school,  I enjoyed the creative aspects, the Friday afternoons when we would, sing, dance, cook, bake, make things and just spend time as a class having fun.  My report card/parents evening always said the same thing I was shy, quiet and needed to speak up more, I know that doesn't sound like me, but I had to start from somewhere. 

Teenage years

I hated being a teenager,  it wasn't cool to be a geek/nerd in 1990.  I was too English when I arrived in Canada (to be fair the briefcase I was holding probably didn't help matters) and I was to Canadian when I arrived in Germany (I got sick of being asked to say things just so people could hear my accent).  I always seemed to find my closest allies in the nerd squad, unfortunately their studious ways didn't really rub off on me.  I managed to keep my head just above the parapet in Junior High/Secondary school by being funny enough to get noticed but that loud to draw too much attention to myself.  Those who knew me knew that I was worth getting to know, funny, bubbly, kind, caring. Those who didn't bother, who couldn't see past my Deidre glasses and lack of a poodle perm, have for my at least faded into oblivion.  I have, through social media, managed to stay in touch with a few people from the teenage years.   My favourite story is about the girl (now mother of a sixteen year old) who should have/could have been a very good friend.  We lived nearby, we have lots of classes together, we travelled to school together everyday but for some reason she didn't like me (I wasn't, I am afraid to say a slapper, her friends were).  She made my life miserable, she would point out when my hair was a mess, when my clothes didn't match, she was just cruel.  The day of my maths GSCE she managed to get all of the other girls to start whispering about me.  I was sad, distracted and didn't do very well with my GCSE.  I never mentioned it, I just rose above and got on with things, I think it made the person I am today....  Nice.  Well karma is a bitch my dear, she has posted a lot recently on social media about the tough time her daughter has been having at school with bullies, and people judging her on superficial things.  Oh Karma, I do love you. xx

My Twenties

My twenties were all about the party.  I had such a good time in my twenties, I met people who I know will be life long friends.  I finally decided that I wanted to become a teacher and went back to school to get the qualifications I needed.  I studied at Christ Church University College, where I, just about, managed to get my Primary Education degree.  I had a great time at uni, I lived the typical student life.  I was not good at the exams but the essays and practical aspect were where I excelled.  Unfortunately I couldn't transfer that in to exam room success.  After uni I moved to London and for the next six years I had the time of my life, I met new and exciting people.  experienced things I never thought I would, visited countries and places had only read about.  I tried to meet the one, I tried blind dates (Moose), Random hook ups (Fireman Jon), Speed Dating (Emec) and online dating (Policeman Mark), all to varying but never lasting success.  I gave up on men and decided to have a break......

My Thirties

My thirties have been about meeting and falling in love with Stuart (Ginger One).  I have had the happiest of decades with him.  Together we have visited far flung places, fallen in love, moved in together, gotten married and made plans for our future family.  We moved up the country so that we can be close to a support network , for when we bring our little ones into the family. 

Birthday Celebration Number 1 (Mamilein' s)

"What's for tea tomorrow?"  I ask this everyday.  I need to know from on remark to the next what I'm going to eat, it's lessens the anxiety, ha ha.

As it was Mamilein's birthday, it was her choice.  "I don't want to cook anything she said, let's go out!"  Well the choice here is broad but as a family we only ever go to a couple of restaurants, either Italian or Chinese.  So of to Pizzeria Venezia is was.

It was nice to sit together and have a chat.  Talk of the evening turned to what would you do if you won the lottery jackpot.  Mamilleins plans are quite simple; buy houses in MG, UK and USA, let people in need use the Bünde house and that was all.  

My Birthday

Today is my 38th Birthday and I have had a lovely time.  

I was a little worse for wear this morning, I struggled to sleep after two or three Brandy Sours, just when I did drift off I was awoken by an almighty crash.  We were smack bang in the middle of a summer storm.  

It was a doozy, the whole roof was shaking.  The back garden resembled a small lake, amusingly within a couple of hours (when my parents woke up it was all gone!  

I have just chilled out today, which is very difficult in the middle of this heatwave.  As a treat we went to the Eis Cafe and had some yummy ice creams.

Miss B Jr's 30!

It's my 30th celebrate with me.  I couldn't believe that Miss B Jr. was about to turn 30, there was no question that we'd celebrate too.

The plan was to get the Oxford Tube bus together, GO would get the bus in Oxford and would join at the park and ride, but that didn't work out because not only was every bus jammed, the driver didn't take cards and there wasn't a card machine in sight.  I would have to drive into the next village and get back.

So I made a snap decision to drive to Hillingdon and get onto the Underground from there, I would take a train to Marble Arch and meet GO there.

When we arrive at the pub, it was full, as usual but also it had a nice relaxe vibe.  It felt more like an Oxford bar rather than one in the centre of London.

The Birthday Girl was  in fine spirits, no thanks to all the people who bought her extra drinks with each trip to the bar.

It was after a chat that we realised we hadn't seen each other in almost a year.  It is shocking how quickly life is zooming by.

The end of the evening was a muddle of hugs, goodbyes, promises not leave it too long next time and quick dashes into burger bars, a everyone had forgotten to eat.  Nothing says cosmopolitan, like sitting on a bench outside Selfridges at eleven o'clock stuffing your face with burgers.  A good night wad had by all, the following morning is another story.

What's under the bag?

It's G.O's birthday and I have outdone myself this year. 

Feel accomplished

Normally when I get home in the evening I can just about drag myself upstairs to the shower and watch the soaps.  Call it holiday refreshed, I smashed it tonight.  I made G.O's birthday gift, sensory rice and bonfire playdough as well as do a small supermarket shop, and make a puppet theatre (at school) all before half past seven.  Considering according to my body clock it's half past eight I am very impressed with myself.  As a treat I'm snuggled on the sofa with a truly decadent hot chocolate.

It's My Birthday!

"Happy 35th Birthday!"  G.O whispered at 12.01am this morning, I smiled sleepily and then went back to sleep.  Only to sit bolt upright and say "What do you mean? 35!" 

"Yes, that's what app on my phone says,!"  He replied, "I'm 38!" He looked sheepish and a little confused.  He is 34 and I am 3 years (4 years now, until November) older than he is, what is confusing about that? "Ah he said, stupid app!"

G.O made up for it though in the morning (the real morning, not stupid o'clock) by presenting me with my gift (a Kindle HD, I have wanted one for a while now, I have too many books, and yes you  can have too many books!) and a beautiful heartfelt card. 

 

Last year I didn't receive a card, I was told it was at work" and that he would get it to me when he returned to work.  I never got the card that said "Happy Birthday to my wife" on my first birthday as someone's wife.  This is still a sore spot as you can tell.

 

We lounged around the house, I replied to Facebook and text messages and Skyped my parents in Germany.  The we decided to go out for a spot of lunch.  I have always wanted to go to the Crazy Bear restaurant in Stadhampton.  It is a wonderful kooky place with a bear hidden in the ceiling and reception housed in a double decker red bus.  When we arrived I looked everywhere for someone to talk to but the place was deserted, just as I was about to give up a man emerges from the floor, I should have looked down!  "We have no places available all weekend, you should have booked!"  "We were just passing anyway!" I lied. 

 

Just when I thought my fate was to go to the all you can eat Chinese buffet and partake in a spot of ten pin bowling, like a spotty teenager (I love bowling, I'm just being dramatic) I remembered a pub that we had visited years ago.  It have a lovely garden with lots of nooks and crannies, you can sit around the table behind a hedge and never be seen by another sole again.  G.O couldn't remember a thing, even as we pulled into the car park he wasn't convinced he had ever been there before.  As we walked through the garden and he saw the  building he said "I do remember this place we sat over there!" 

The place hadn't changed much, it has a very chilled, calm vibe and as we arrived we were greeted by the landlady who showed us to a table tucked away in a nook by the, thankfully unlit, fire.  The menu was simple,  I can't cope when there is a lot of choice, and they had a set menu to choose from.  I went for the dressed crab and Sea bass, with crushed potatoes and G.O  had the risotto and belly pork.  (Simple menu but it still took the pair of us ten minutes to remember what had to eat).  We sat and chatted, putting the world to rights as only we can, we made some exciting decisions (I won't share just yet)  one of which was that we would make the Mole Inn our new local, everyone needs a place that they always go to, Pizzeria Venezia anybody?

 

 

Happy Birthday Mamilein

 

Happy birthday to the best mama in the whole world.  65years ago in a little village outside of Rheidahlen 'Die Kleine Hexe' was born, my kleine schluntzi.

Mama is always a good sport and loves to have fun.  The biggest insult to her would be for someone to call her boring.

Mama has been a dutiful army wife for over forty years, she has travelled the world and made many friends, who all adore her.

In her younger years, she loved clothes and fashion and would often volunteer to model for friends and colleagues.

 Mama is an animal lover, always finding waifs and strays, but she never wanted any pets.  It was the hair and dirt, too much for her OCD.

Mama can always be relied upon to take or pose for a cracking picture.  She has begun writing a memoir all about her life growing up in a family of eight children.  Keep an eye out for 'The Kleine Hexe'.

 Mama has relished being a mum, and is without a doubt the loveliest, funniest, craziest mamilein in the whole world and we love her to pieces.

Happy Birthday Mamilein, Ich liebe Dich xxxx