Swings and Roundabouts

If I have been rather quiet, it's because I've been busy 'celebrating' a horrendously big birthday.

Don't get me wrong, I've had a lovely time, it's just the number that is causing me problems.  I may have mentioned previously that I'm sure someone made a mistake with the date on my birth certificate, because I don't think I can possibly be that old.

Anyway, I spent the day (last Wednesday) at the last meeting of our Spectrum textile group.  It was meant to be our 'end of term' meeting, but unfortunately, three of the group decided to leave, and it just isn't feasible to keep it running with only 6 of us, so sadly we've had to call it a day.  On the plus side - and I do always like to find the plus - it'll leave more time for me and our mentor Gina to go to exhibitions and eat cake.  Talking of which, she made a fab chocolate birthday cake.  I forgot to take a picture, so I am just going to blatantly steal one from her blog

Tadah! (or 'ta-dah!' if you prefer, the hyphen is optional)

Then in the evening I had more cake when I went to a birthday 'sew-in' at The Creative Sanctuary the shop where I managed to convince them to take me on as a slightly more mature member of their Work Experience scheme. We stitched and chatted and ate more homemade cake, this time a delicious sponge with cream and strawberries at the centre of which was a massive firework shooting flames about 18 inches high.

On Thursday I went for a five mile walk with a friend, followed (naturally) by cake.  I did wonder how long one could exist on a solely cake-based diet, before developing scurvy, but I am reliably informed that if I have the odd lemon I should be fine.

On Friday I met my cousin and her husband at the Albion Pub in Islington.  

The venue was chosen as, according to the 1891 census, our Great Grandmother Alice was living and working there when she was 21. 

The pub looked good, and although it's obviously been renovated over the years, it still has lots of character and apparently the structure of the building hasn't changed much. (A bit like me!)

We went for lunch in the garden

No cake, but great fish and chips

So, am I coming to terms with my new decade?  Reluctantly I suppose. 

And like everything, it has certain benefits - I've applied for, and received my senior rail card, and yesterday I picked up a prescription and I didn't have to pay!  And only this morning I received a mailing about Saga holidays, AND a letter from the NHS offering me a medical testing kit (I won't be any more specific in case any of you are reading this over breakfast.)

So, I have to come to terms with the fact that I'll never headline at Glastonbury, I'll never learn to surf, and I'll never get invited to a Libertines aftershow party, but on the plus side, it'll cost me a third less to travel into London to gigs, and I get free drugs.

Swings and Roundabouts - Terrorvision