It’s kinda weird, but I like it

Happy birthday to meeeeeeeeee!

It’s already shaping up to be a good one, albeit with a few quirks.

But I figure quirks are part of the territory when you’re 12 months off the big 5-0.

There’s the pile of gold-polka-dot-wrapped birthday gifts waiting on the dining table from my kids via my ex-husband …

There’s my 10-year-old promising to make me a coffee to drink while I open my presents …

There’s my first birthday wish of the year being from my first boyfriend …

There’s the crazy birthday cake that will be waiting for me at the office, baked by my workmate Alison and decorated in her inimitable style …

I can’t believe I’m so perky about turning 49 (especially since the universe has chosen to coincide it with PMT and a week of relentless rain) but I’m feeling gooooood.

Maybe it’s all the exercise I’ve been doing this week … including a rather saucily named “express pump” lunchtime gym class yesterday.

I reckon I’ve doubled my physical exertion and halved my carb and alcohol intake.

I will throw it all to the wind today as I scoff my crazy birthday cake, then again tonight when my mum and dad take me out for dinner. A couple of bottles of bubbles are parked on the breakfast bar in anticipation and there’s a Crunchie ice-cream cake in the fridge for dessert (lovingly chosen by the youngest).

I mean, it doesn’t get much better than that. Does it?

The party will be abruptly over when I wake up tomorrow morning and throw myself into the frenzy of preparing for the youngest’s birthday. Saturday morning will be devoted to birthday cake and cupcake creation (she’s requested a beach theme for the main cake and vanilla cupcakes with salted caramel icing and a Malteser garnish). Saturday afternoon will be spent haring up to Newcastle for a friend’s fundraiser. Sunday morning will involve rising at the crack of dawn to bake homemade sausage rolls and bacon and egg tarts (the pastry is better when it’s fresh out of the oven), then collecting kids from 8am onwards for the festivities.

Can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Keep your fingers tightly crossed for me that the rain holds off.

Song of the day: Kool & The Gang “Celebration”