40 not out !

Yesterday was that particular day. The day when I just wanted to bury my head under the covers and not get up. The day that I was desperately trying to avoid, despite my best attempts at forgetting it !

But none of my friends or family would let me forget about it. Granted, some of them were kind enough to send just normal birthday cards that didn't have 40 plastered all over them - thank you ! But as for the rest of you .....

Hubby scooted off to work at his normal ridiculously early hour and then the children burst in on me at 6.30 laden down with presents which I had to let them open !! And they were all lovely pressies, with not a number 40 in sight !

I then had a lovely day shopping at Bluewater with my very good friend Amanda and even managed to treat myself to a gorgeous dress in Karen Millen (I've never bought a single thing in that shop before so it felt very special !) Then it was back home for a lovely chinese meal with my family, followed by chocolate birthday cake !!

All in all a lovely day and the only time that particular number appeared (apart from on a few cards) was when I was driving down a road that I don't normally go down and the illuminated speed sign suddenly lit up and flashed the number 40 at me !! Never mind, I'll just remember to slow down on that particular road in future or even better - don't go down that road again !!

So, back to normal everyday things.

A while ago I was reading on a blog post (can't remember whose) that they had decided to re-read some of the Enid Blyton books. What a good idea I thought - so I started scouring ebay for old copies of the Malory Towers series and also the St Clares series of books that were published around the time I first read them (in the 70s!) Sadly my Mum had got rid of my original copies, which were all in immaculate condition and in box sets (they'd probably be worth a fair amount of money now), so I had to make do with buying secondhand from ebay. The thing is - both of these series of books are still in print and have been updated to fit in with today's way of school life which is fine, except I wanted to read the copies that I remembered.

I was fortunate enough to buy both sets on ebay (one of them very cheaply) and the other was quite expensive, but they are fantastic - very old, very battered and I'm sure were very well loved. I don't remember them being so un-PC though !! There's an awful lot of slapping and ear-boxing going on and some of the girls are really quite spiteful !! But all of the midnight feasts, tuckboxes and games of lacrosse are exactly as I remembered them and I'm having a whale of time snuggling down every night and re-reading these fantastic stories.

Perhaps that's what happens when you get to my age !! Don't bother with Cosmo, Heat and all of those trashy mags (save them for the hairdressers!), get yourself some great vintage books and relive your youth !!

Next week I shall be back with news of more FELT !!! The 4mm thick felt is on its way and will be on the website probably towards the end of next week - I'll let you know for sure when, next week.

Have a lovely weekend !!

Sarah x

Feeling grumpy

Today I'm feeling a tad grumpy (apologies now for this moany post !)

It all started last Friday when the oven packed up. Not the first time this has happened and probably won't be the last. That oven is starting to cost way more than it's worth but I refuse to replace it because we're hoping to get planning permission to do some major building works and if we do, then the kitchen will be moving into what is at present the dining room and that oven will be replaced with an Aga (fingers crossed). A nice shiny new turquoise or lilac coloured Aga would be fantastic, but after having just looked up the prices, maybe a plain cream reconditioned Aga is more likely !! Anyway, I'm drifting off the subject. So, the oven broke, then yesterday my camera decided to stop working for no apparent reason (hence the lack of photos in this post). This is VERY annoying because I wanted to take photos of some new buttons that came and also some different photos for this blog. It would appear that it's a problem with the battery and the manufacturers are aware of it and will send a replacement battery free of charge - thank goodness !

But, as I was sitting there getting more and more cross with the silly camera (before I was aware of the fault !) I suddenly realised that in 3 weeks I will no longer be my current age. My new age will start with a 4 and end with a zero. I am panicking. When I was 30 it all seemed quite funny to be getting older but 40 seems to be a whole different ball game. I know everyone says 40 is the new 30, but I'm not convinced. I am consequently burying my head in the sand, slamming the brakes on and generally trying to completely ignore the fact. I DO NOT WANT TO BE 40 !!!! I feel like crying. I wish everyone would stop going on about it - even my little man decided to broadcast the fact that I would be 40 to anyone who would listen as we were walking down the lane to school this morning !!

So, I shall try and console myself with the fact that at the end of next week I have lots of lovely new stock arriving - let's hope that the new camera battery has arrived by then !

OK - moan over. The new series of Hustle is on so I shall go and snuggle up on the sofa and try to banish all thoughts of that particular number !!