It was 50 years ago today.....

50 Years Young

12th April 2011

Yes, thats right - I am 50 today. 

12th April 1961 was an auspicious day in world history. Some say the big news was Uri Gagarin being the first man into space, but we all know that just as one man crawled his way off the planet a rather less assuming one crawled into it. I fact I am reliably informed that this great event took place between 6.00am and 6.30pm, so by the time I post this I will be nearly 50 years an 1 day old!

Birthday cake and coffee - no the knife isnt for wrist slitting!

I embraced 50 with a certain amount of disdain, celebrating the day by visiting the dentist at 8.30am! Actually, I arrived early and was greeted by a chorus of "happy birthday" sung by the staff. Maybe it was all part of a sub conscious ploy to treat the day as any other.

Celebrating a 50th birthday at work was more of a challenge. I now form pat of a virtual team and my colleagues are strung out across Europe, so I had to get creative and adopt some workmates to celebrate with. A tray of cream cakes seemed to do the trick.

There is no big party for me - its really not my style. Instead we had a meal at our favourite Indian, then cake and coffee back home. The real celebration is next week when we set sail for our Easter cruise round the East Midlands Ring. It will be the first real cruise of the season and the first holiday for a very long time. I cant wait.

My birthday coincides with the flowering of my favourite plant - my much abused Magnolia tree.

This hardy specimen was bought frost damaged for 50p 20 years ago and has been run over once and replanted three times - and Magnolia's hate being disturbed. Its a wonder that it survives but survive it does, showing off in all its early season glory in our front garden:

So here is to my 50's. I pledge to avoid the colour Beige, to try and maintain a constant weight, to retire before the next "big one" and to get in as much cruising as I possibly can with Belle.