birthday girl

Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to meeeeee
Happy birthday to me

Am having a deliciously lazy day, & as a mother of 2 children normally with stuff to do and who then tends to feel guilty when sitting around reading or aimlessly internet browsing, it's just blissful to think to myself;

'it's my birthday, I refuse to clean the hamsters out (they can wait till tomorrow), I shan't change the beds (they can wait till tomorrow too) and the children, I'm afraid will have to have fishfingers, chips & peas for tea and like it!'

I admit that tomorrow I am going to be a tad busy (what with cleaning out the rodents and changing the beds on top of doing my German, and all the normal household shit that has to be dealt with) but do I care?

Hah!

I shall continue with my slothful ways until bedtime, I get one day a year to use as MINE and only MINE, so if I want to:
- go out for lunch I shall (tick)
- have a relaxing walk with the dog I shall (tick)
- read a book until I swear my eyes are going square I shall (tick)

Back in the day, when I earnt money for working (afterall I still work, it's just I'm at home, caring for 2 children & keeping a house functioning 24/7, not out at an office for 7.4 hours/day x5 - bitter & twisted? moi?) I always made a point of not being at work on my birthday, I took great care to book the day as holiday so that no-one could be bossing me around on my day, I would take myself off shopping or lunch with a friend or to a spa, anything to mark my day in a little, special way. So, although now I can't actually book the day off I try to make it as much mine as possible!

My alarm went off as usual (6.25am is an ungodly hour of the day) and I lay there, savouring the fact that for once I didn't have to jump up and wake B&J. Simon already had that in hand & very soon a cup of tea arrived, along with children and presents. I do enjoy a cup of tea in bed, it's not a common occurrence, so whenever it's offered I jump at it, and this morning I even got a refill! Heaven!

My darling husband had paid thorough attention to my present suggestion list (he likes to be provided with one (it makes his life so much easier & then he doesn't have to spend valuable time shopping) so I always try to oblige, I have sometimes even given website details & article numbers...I'm very thorough!) so my presents included the beautiful fountain pen I asked for -I love writing in ink and have 2 fountain pens, but both are very old.
My lacquered Parker pen I've had since before we were married and it's slowly falling apart and I feel it needs retiring. The Waterman is one I bought myself in Bayeux, so it's probably 16-18 years old but is more of a functional pen and not especially stylish - whereas my new pen, is beautiful! It's a Mont Blanc but it's not a full size fountain pen but a lady's size, gorgeous & delicate, I just hope we get on, as a left hander I do struggle with some ink pens. But I'm sure we'll be fine!

Other presents were a new perfume 'Magnolia Nobile' by Acqua di Palma, I had a sample of it from Harrods when we were buying an aftershave there for Simon back in August and thought it was lovely. Also some dvd's I'd requested and the latest Mika cd, which I've been playing on a loop this afternoon. My friend Alison bought me a lovely bead for my bracelet & Rebecca a voucher for a Thai massage place here in Kettwig, had a scarf from my mom and some chopsticks(!) from my sister in law.

My brother is erratic to say the least about presents but that's ok (I guess) he's busy in Barcelona trying to drink a beer for each of my years at the moment! Crazy fool that he is!

And my friend Mareike, who is away from the Kettwig area for these 2 weeks rang me to wish me happy birthday and to invite me to go to an art museum when she's back - which is dead spooky, because just this morning I went online to find out the details for that same exhibition...spooky!

My mom also rang me to wish me happy birthday, I received the card and present from her yesterday - she wrote the loveliest thing in the card 'we're so proud of you' - that really touched me! I love my mommy! And best news is that they're coming over for Christmas - YEAH! They can bring the Christmas pudding! (Can't get such a thing here of course & can't be bothered to make it either, although I will make a cake).

Simon is going to make tea for me tonight - I bought all the ingredients yesterday, stuff he can do and has done well in previous years - steak, mushrooms, green beans - nothing flashy, just nice to sit and watch someone else do it all!! Oh, and I bought a bottle of pink German fizz, so I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening!

I don't feel 44...but it sounds so old...I really should have stuck to my guns at 40 and gone with the counting backwards - then I'd be 36 today...but it confused the children dreadfully so I had to give in, ho hum!