Birthday Girl!

I turned 36 over the weekend!  Gosh.  That's getting dangerously close to 40 now.  I had some lovely treats though that make the ageing process slightly more worthwhile.  The night before my birthday, I came home from yoga to find that the husband-to-be had made me a selection of canapés, including mini lamb burgers and cauliflower pizza bites.  We then watched Nashville (we're obsessed) and drank some good red wine.  On birthday morning, I was excited to receive a red leather handbag, a '70s style hat, a bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin, a garden trowel (!), some thermoset jewellery (that I'd chosen) and a wonderful selection of books and DVDs, including Good Housekeeping from the 1920s and 1930s and a 1950s guide to Household Management.  Hmm, I hope those last books aren't because we're getting married...




As my Baby's birthday is 6 days before mine, we'd held a joint party that day for some close friends.  On my actual birthday we popped out for a bit of shopping but it was such a dreary day, so when it turned cold and wet, we headed home, stoked up the woodburner, and spent the afternoon cosying in front of the fire with a bottle of champagne and 'Home Fires' on catchup.  Absolute bliss.  For the evening we dressed up and stayed in, with a slap-up meal of smoked salmon, and we listened to some Kate Bush on vinyl.





The next day we headed to the seaside, to Clevedon in Somerset.  I was reviewing a hotel and wedding venue and was lucky enough to get to stay overnight in one of the most fabulous rooms.  A full review of the venue will follow, but here's a sneak peek.





There was an electronic toilet that did scare me slightly.  Every time I walked into the bathroom, the seat rose automatically.  The seat was also heated (very disconcerting the first time you use it!).  But you bet I made use of that fantastic copper bath.

There have been quite a few 'presents to myself' over the last few weeks as well, including a tad more vintage jewellery from some charity shops, a Tamara de Lempicka glasses case, and a black slip that I was told by the seller used to belong to British singer Cilla Black.










That doctors and nurses book was quite good, which man will nurse Leona marry?  The doctor or the lawyer?  And who is that woman who turns up all 'bad girl' in her sports car and wearing trousers and make-up?!  I love the doc smoking on the cover too.  Well worth the 25p or so I paid for it as long as you can view it through a modern woman's eyes and not take the sexism too seriously.   The tapestry placemats have already had some use and earned their money, but I have to say that Brigitte Bardot film was really awful!  Have you seen it?  Or any other Bardot films?  I'd love to hear some recommendations for some good ones.

I feel as if I have been quite indulgent, and it's back to austerity measures now and rationing.