Stop messing with my plans

A lot has happened – and not happened – over the past few days.

Turning 49 wasn’t too bad at all. If I didn’t have so many wrinkles, I’d be positively buoyant about it. (Though I am a little put out that I had both a pimple and period pain for my 12-months-til-I’m-50 birthday, where’s the kindness in THAT, universe?)

The day kicked off with my co-worker Alison making me an underpants cake … sadly everyone was a bit put off by me asking if they wanted to eat my undies, so it wasn’t the most popular of her office creations.

But I had such a laugh reading comments on the photo on my Facebook page. My friend Mel, for example, said: “Happy birthday Alana! I’d wish you wonderful things, but you already got a pants cake.”

To which I replied: “Too right – doesn’t get better than a pants cake.”

I got a pants cake because I told my co-workers over pizza lunch one day that I used to have a pair of lucky green undies when I was a kid that I only wore on my birthday each year, it being St Patrick’s Day and all.

After work, I headed out to teppanyaki with my family, plus DD and his mum.

It was a bit of a joint celebration, as the youngest’s birthday is on Wednesday.

DD’s mum (with a little help from me) gave the youngest a combined whiteboard/pinboard for her birthday and you should have seen the look of absolute delight that spread across her face. A whiteboard!!!!

I got lots of awesome presents too, plus some money, which I’ve excitedly spent on a cheapie bike rack for my car.

After dinner, I dropped the kids to their dad and headed to my sister’s place for French bubbles in the spa. We weren’t going to let a little thing like rain stand in the way of our happy place, but it WAS quite torrential …

Still fun though.

Things got a bit less fun on Saturday morning when I checked the weather and decided we’d need to postpone the youngest’s birthday party on Sunday because it was going to be too dangerous to be on the water. She was VERY upset and I felt like such a heel. But I think I’ve managed to reschedule everyone until next weekend. Please, please, please let the weather improve by then.

Then I hoofed up to Newcastle for a fundraiser my sister’s best friend Lindy was having to help pay for her daughter to go to a soccer competition in Dallas.

It was a gorgeous high tea. I sat at a table with my sister on one side and a lady called Kay on the other. I whispered to my sister at one point: “Do you know who Kay is?” and my sister whispered back: “No, but I feel like I should.”

Finally, I asked Kay what she did for a living and she told me she was the Mayor of Lake Macquarie. Ohhhhhh! Fortunately I hadn’t been telling any outrageous stories in the presence of greatness – apparently she’s a cracking Mayor.

I was particularly dazzled by the cupcakes at the high tea – Lindy’s sister Alison watched a youTube video on how to make buttercream roses and VOILA! They were so cool.

Then I hoofed back to Sydney to let the fur babies inside. I’d also been (originally) thinking I had a birthday cake to ice (plus sausage rolls to make), but that little project has been postponed.

So instead of partying with the youngest  yesterday I cleaned the house. Hurrah. It was a blast.

(It wasn’t a blast – I farking hate cleaning and I am VERY bad at it.)

And then, last night, I went out for curry to  celebrate the birthday of one of DD’s besties, Cliff. It was slightly spooky because it was at one of my ex’s favourite family dinner spots, Nilgiris. We’d often head there for the curry buffet on a Sunday night.

Fortunately Nilgiris has moved since I last went there with my ex, so it felt fairly clean slate.

DD looks a little pink in the photo because I’d just regaled the table with a VERY inappropriate story – involving nudity and howling dogs – that had him shaking his head and Cliff’s wife crying with laughter.

And those were my weekend’s ups and downs. How was yours?