Friday, August 10, 2007

 

Old before my time


I have a tendency to round up the ages of everyone in the family once they have passed the half-way mark of their year, and I do this particularly when the birthdays are in the latter part of the calendar year. With the kids that habit is probably due to the age divisions they are placed in for sport. Zoe, for instance, doesn't turn 9 till October, but I've been thinking of her as '9 this year' all year because she has had to be in the 9 years age group for school sport, and for netball. Alison played 12s rep netball, so her birthday in July seemed somewhat of an anticlimax, because I'd been thinking of her as 12 all year.

So for a good part of this year, I've already started thinking of myself as 'almost 45'... '45 in August'.. and so I know when the actual day arrives this Sunday, it won't actually feel quite such a landmark. (I think. I hope.) Being a '_5' birthday seems a little more significant; perhaps only as a top of the hill marker, from whence it is is a downhill run to 50. Which IS just a teeny bit freak-me-out-ish, and I will probably only cope with that because, thankfully, so many of the other mums I hang around with seem to be all about the same age.

I have also had to become a bit hardened and blasé about my age because I married a man two years younger than myself. With his birthday only 5 days before mine, he delights in using that age difference to keep himself feeling younger. "Not as old as YOU though", he chuckles, poking me in the side. (Nice bloke, huh?)

I just hope I don't subconsciously apply my 'rounding up' modus operandi to the decade, and start thinking of myself as 50 before my time.

45 .. "mid-forties"... seems so much younger, and on my birthday I intend to 'celebrate' by going bike riding so as to keep deluding my body that it is younger than it is, and so that I can burn off enough calories so as to enjoy a few quiet wines over a meal that I don't intend to cook. Maybe someone will make me cake and not stuff it up! Yes, I know my ideas of a good birthday are a bit weird (the exercise bit, anyway, and no mention of party-partying) but that's the way I am these days, and I am finally becoming comfortable in my own skin about it. Perhaps at 45 I am starting to accept who I am, regardless of whether it is how other people are.

I'm also planning on feeding my inner sloth by a self-indulgent sleep-in. What a bonus that this year's birthday falls on a Sunday!!

I'm also going to attempt a blogging-free weekend! Wish me luck!

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Comments:
Happy Birthday! You get my vote for "Successful" at a VERY young 45! You're healthy, great at the relationships that are most important in life, positive, and at peace with who you are- congrats! You deserve a great day!
 
Happy Birthday for Sunday, hope you have a lovely day.
 
You are very kind, jerseychick... Successful is not a term I'd choose for myself. "Trying to get my sh** together" is probably more apt. If I can come across as better than I am it might hold me in good stead when I finally figure out how to get myself back into the workforce sometime, at which point I might vaguely be able to consider myself remotely "successful".

If I blog about my 'activity', it's to make it happen. (Pity that doesn't seem to work when it comes to domesticity..)

No, I'm not successful, nor at peace with who I am, but I'm working on it.

Thanks shish!.. I'm fishing for birthday greetings with this post, aren't I!!
 
Have a fantastic day on Sunday!
 
Happy Birthday! I quit counting at 41. And old age is 30 yrs older than wherever you are now. I'm with you on the parties, better a nice meal with some people you love, and presents. Lots of them.
 
Have a great birthday! You deserve the sleep in - take advantage.
 
Have a very happy and delightfully wonderful birthday tomorrow. I hope you get treated like a queen (freedom to do as you please and royal servants abound).
My ideal birthday celebration involves going out to lunch with my husband and kids and no one else. I am not into parties for myself either.
 
You already know that I think you are special and better than you give yourself credit for most times.

Happy Birthday friend.
 
Thanks "y'all" !! (That's the Southern influence creeping through via my blog reading!)
 

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