Sunday 16 September 2012

(Thirty) Seventh Heaven (and Hell)


Tomorrow is September 17th.





Tomorrow is my birthday. I am going to be 37.




Flipping heck, yes, 37. Three years off the big one. I remember my dad's 40th.....jeez this life is flying.





I can't quite believe it. I remember my sixth birthday - I had a disco at home and I wore denim dungarees. I remember my 13th birthday. My parents threw a massive disco for me in a village hall. I danced to Salt 'n' Pepa's Push It (still my favourite ever song) and wore huge silver treble clef shaped earrings from Tammy Girl.

I remember having afternoon tea at The Ritz with my family a few birthdays ago. The pianist played Happy Birthday while I scoffed dainty sandwiches and little cakes. Bliss!


I love birthdays. Every year without fail, all my family phone me separately and sing down the phone (in an operatic/choral voice) as soon as they wake up. This year though, I've told them to wait until the evening cos we are busy all day long on my birthday.

We move house at 7.30am tomorrow morning. It's been one hell of a weekend but we've had the most amazing help from both sets of parents and today, the Husband and I counted our lucky stars. Both sets of folks have given up their busy days to travel to us and help us out with packing, cleaning, scrubbing etc. Our new home is now gleaming, as shiny as a new pin, just waiting for us to move in and give it a new lease of life.

Tomorrow night, the Husband and I will be sitting in our new home. OUR new home (except it isn't new, it's old!) with fish and chips and Champagne, to toast my birthday, our 10th wedding anniversary (again...we keep toasting it!) and our new home. It's been a long time coming, all this!

My dad calculated that we have moved seven times in ten years. I hope now that we can stay put for a while. Put down roots as strong as oak trees, as one of my friends told me.

I have some cherry tree goodies to show you, but seeing that I have packed up the kitchen, it will have to wait. But I've made friends with the manager of a cherry tree shop and she let me go back stage - yes, behind the scenes. It was heavenly!


But more on that next time.

Til my next blog post (which may not be for a while until I am sorted and unpacked), let me show you a few photos:

The dear Prince started pre school for the first time ever.


Day one, wonderful. Day two, a few tears. Day three, more tears. Now he refuses to go. The photo above was day two. Then he started to miss me and wanted to come home.

The Princess started her big middle school. She amazes me, she is taking it all in her stride, bless her.



She also went to her first roller disco...




The Prince went to the barber for the first time ever.



I ate a massive ice cream during a break from packing and cleaning.



 Oh yeah, the packing. Oh it's been a right pain...



Two hours ago. We move tomorrow. Not good.

Him Indoors



That is a doll, not a human. This doll causes problems if left in the car...
So there we are. I am off for a while, I may check in but won't blog again now until I come up for air. I am so flipping excited for tomorrow, I don't think I will sleep, even though I am dog tired.


Please note my photos are crap because my camera has broken. I don't own a smart phone. I own an old phone. It takes poor photos. That's my weak excuse anyway!

18 comments:

Charis said...

Happy birthday Gem! :)

Mimi said...

HI!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!
it also is our daughter's birthday!!!
I love Birthdays..love celebrating that special day that she was born and came into our life!!!
I am sure YOUR MOM feels the same way
CONGRATS on your NEW HOME!!!How exciting!!!
EAT some cake!!!
Hugs,
jamie

thriftwood said...

Happy, happy, birthday! and Good Luck with the move ... can't wait to see the pictures!

Claire xxx

fee @ chipper nelly said...

happy birthday, happy new home...happy everything! hope it all went well Gem...fee x

VintageVicki said...

Happy birthday to you :)

Happy moving day too.

Hope once all is settled, little man will settle at pre-school too xx

justjill said...

Happy Birthday and good luck with the move.

Marina said...

Wow i'm so excited for you!! Happy birthday!!! And a big congrats on the new home!!!! No doubt as I write this you will be busy moving but hope you have a lovely evening with those fish & chips & champagne - bliss! xxx

Julia said...

Happy birthday Gem! Hope the move goes smoothly for you and your fish, chips and champers are yummy. What happened to Tammy Girl?! I used to shop there too!! Hope the prince soon settles too, my boy was just the same but he's in year 5 now! xx

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

DEAREST GEM!!!!

There is so much here to digest, but wait, one thing at a time:

37 ......HOLY COW that is young, girl! I am 54, going on 55 and I don't even worry about it. Eat well, get your exercise, laugh and LOVE a lot and you will be fine. teehee

YOU ARE MOVING AGAIN? SPLENDID! Are you buying this home?

THE KIDS are growing up!!!!!! THE PRINCE, he is getting his first haircut????? NOOOOO!

Well my dear, I wish you well and success on your new adventure. MISSING YOU! Anita

kmmms said...

Hope by now all has gone well and the worst is over. Kettle plugged in, champagne in a chilled fridge and kids beds made up? Sorted. Sort of. Happy Birthday Doll! I went to buy stamps today for all those birthday cards but they wanted £7-odd for a book of 12 stamps, and if I paid on my card that was another £1 extra! Will make strenuous efforts to get to post office tomorrow! xx

kmmms said...

PS - That took 6 attempts at stupid word verification! Torturous!

Missy said...

Luv, you're a mere pup!
Have a smashing birthday and hope all goes well with the move. Enjoy your new home.
I wish you well to live there!
xx

sandiart said...

OMG how exciting.......a birthday, and anniversary (again) and MOVING INTO YOUR VERY OWN HOME...... Happy moving and a very Happy Birthday I may still have made it in time (it is the 18th here now). I hope you are all sleeping soundly and happily in your new abode, after a few champs of course...lots to celebrate. Bless the Prince and go the Princess.
xo sandi

Musings Of A Gem said...

Hope you had a great birthday and a great move!! Your photos look just fine by the way!

I hope the prince settles down soon : )

Gemma xxxx

Tracy ~ If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Baked A Cake said...

Wow Gem sorry I missed your birthday its good to see you back girl. I bet you are all settled now sat on boxes eating the odd crumpet with a large brew. Hopefully that will be us soon all being well. You do make me laugh that doll looks real, hope little prince is settling in school we will be having the same carry on next year. Dont over do it! see you soon. Tracy x

Anonymous said...

Sorry I'm late with your birthday wishes Gem,I hope you had a smashing time and are settled in your new home,looking forward to seeing and hearing all about it.Xxx

Jay said...

Sorry I'm very late with this but... Happy Birthday & good luck with your move!Look forward to hearing how it all went when you reappear.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

My dear Gem,

Oh you have been working SO HARD! A MOVE IS NEVER EASY! You deserve such a good evening of whatever makes you SMILE!!!!

YES, a baby squirrel is quite adorable, and the mothers are surprisingly very attentive! The other day, a squirrel was binging on some acorns in our garden and ended up laying there, belly up and stained muzzle, with a look on its face as if to say, "I screwed up; I ate too much!"

Friendship is golden and I know you have some best girls pals that you just adore. Enjoy them and take the unpacking ONE DAY AT A TIME...I do hope you get to feeling better VERY SOON.

Peace and much love, Anita