Well I have officially been a real life 30 year old for over two weeks now and I have to say, it’s not half bad! The sun is shining, I am as unwrinkled as I was last month and though I don’t understand taxes any more than I did when I was 29, I suppose one can’t have everything.
One very positive perk of hitting this new age threshold was being called up for my first Covid jab, which was a decidedly jolly experience. I was met on reception by a lovely lady I went to Uni with (she even managed to squeeze TMM later that afternoon due to a cancellation, which just shows that it’s always good to have people on the inside), had a lovely chat with the very nice pair of nurses in charge of the jabbing and got complimented on my hair by 3 separate people. Thankfully, I didn’t even have any side effects (except for being absolutely starving afterwards) so I’m rather looking forward to getting the second one now.
I can quite happily say though, that the whole birthday experience has been utterly delightful, and I have been spoilt completely rotten. I received a fabulous selection of presents from a fabulous selection of people, including but not limited to: the most delightful homemade cloche hat (Mother is just too talented), multiple fancy pants pieces of jewellery (because I am a fancy pants lady), a DNA kit (which is really a present for the whole family – I am DESPERATE to discover something exotic), an upcoming walk with llamas and a veritable cornucopia of other delightful bits and bobs. I even managed to completely exemplify my age by getting what some may categorise as “too excited” when I opened my new DOUBLE LAYER DISH RACK courtesy of Papa H (though I got far too carried away with the tiny wrench that it had to be assembled with and TMM had to actually put it together). My dishes can now all dry in a beautifully sensible tetris formation instead of a dangerously risky jenga tower and I am HERE for it.
TMM of course spoilt me to the nth degree because of who is he is as a person. Alongside a disgusting amount of sweets, books and some beautiful earrings, he took me to a spa (which was completely splendid). We got half a day of hot stone rooms, cold plunge pools, a beach hut experience and delightful food, all nicely underlined with the phrase “I could do this more often” muttered repeatedly at each other. As I was reclining in the hot tub (which might honestly be one of my most favourite things to do), it became abundantly clear that I am going to have to pull my finger out and make some millions because I really need to live that that on the regular.
We did, in fact, have so much fun that I managed to convince TMM to get an ear piercing (I’m going to get him SO MANY DANGLY EARRINGS) whilst he was still soothed and then had to come home and have a nap before tea with TMM’s parents. Honestly, this life of Riley is very much the life for me.
But ho! I hear you cry, surely that was it?
How foolish of you to say such things.
That was just one small section of my bountiful birthday bonanza. For the weekend just gone, I took Team to visit my family down in Wales (because I do like to keep all my loved ones in one place as much as possible) for what was ostentatiously a camping trip (but couldn’t really be categorised as one seeing as everything was already set up for us when we arrived – with bunting). I mean, I say “I took” when what I mean is I was driven in comfort and everyone got to wear party hats.
I enjoy these pictures for a multitude of reasons; specifically because TMM looks like the BFG in the front seat of Mrs Weasley the car, and he and Jonbles look like a same sex dad duo taking their over excitable daughters on a car trip.
After a good journey (which would have been made better if Jonbles had provided car sweets and was reminded of approximately ever 10 minutes) we made it across the border. We stopped firstly at The Neens’, where we got to sit outside and enjoy the glorious scenery and I finally got the chance to give out the last of my Christmas presents, which was good because it basically meant everyone got to to open something (which I like to secretly pretended was in honour of my birthday) and everything went down well. It also finally means I can start to share pictures of some of the things I made and have been waiting to gloat about.
Neens was on top form as always, looking beautiful with her periwinkle hair, and I got to be deeply concerned at how grown up my not so tiny cousins are (I’m sure they were only about 5 before Covid hit, but they’re definitely what could only be classed as “young ladies” now). Mother arrived too and I got to play dress up in her homemade Kimono (honestly, she’s really pulling it out of the bag at the moment with her craft endeavours) and she finally got to meet Woo and Jonbles which was exciting for all. Considering they’ve all been friends on Facebook for years and they all have to hear about each other constantly from me, it was nice to actually see them in the same vicinity. Woo was incredibly excited (“it’s like meeting the Queen!”) and was on top form. Jonbles immediately impressed her with his Ravenclaw hoodie and overall I had to give everyone top marks for performance. It was just like that first time you take you partner to meet your parents and everyone’s mildly anxious and on their best form, only with about 10 people.
After a nice long chat and some tea and scones (because it has to be done), we then moved onto the H&J’s (auntie and uncle) to discover the most delightfully campsite ever. Tent already set up, camping toilet beautifully displayed, fairy lights galore and chickens available for hugs on demand. G (cousin the younger) had completely outdone herself, and I am outraged at myself for not taking a picture on arrival, though thankfully H had already documented the whole shebang.
We settled down in the decadent outside seating area (with pizza oven) and spent the evening bonding and stuffing our faces with scrumptious food. It was so very very lovely to be able to sit around with them all again (with bonus friends) and just see people that I hadn’t seen for over a year. We were even treated to the most delightful and impromptu back porch session by Mikey, Dave and Edd (uncle, uncle, cousin the older) who are all ridiculously talented and had a folk music video that needed to be made (oh what a shame). Is there anything nicer than sitting in the sun with a bevvy listening to live music? You’ll be hard pressed to convince me otherwise.
As the evening progressed, we were got to sample to the specially curated “Curious Month of Mai Tai” cocktail as devised by Edd in honour of the event; a fabulously neon blue concoction that made my eyebrows sweat a little, and a martini that I’m pretty sure meant my breath could have stripped paint from 20 paces. I think it says something quite positive about good healthy Welsh Air that we were all shamefully sozzled by 3am and yet up and hangover free by 8am the next day.
These pictures are made even better when you realise everyone is completely sober in the 2nd and 3rd…
Even the weather decided to join in and after a few brews and a stonking fry up breakfast in the sunshine, we all went for a jaunt in the countryside, where there was much oohing and aahing over lovely local cottages and the standard sticky bud warfare that always happens on these kind of things. We even ended with the classic “lunge pose” which everyone dove into with much vigour.
Sadly though, as all good things must do, it had to come to an end and I nearly managed to make it through all goodbyes without shedding a single tear. Obviously I wasn’t quite successful and treated Team to an up front seat of me clinging to Neens like a small child and weeping pitifully, but they were very supportive about it and I managed to rein it in once we were underway.
I am pleased to say though the whole operation was an unmitigated success and I am now 100% convinced Woo and Jonbles could just turn up at any family doorstep and be welcomed with open arms, despite having me in tow or not. It bodes well for future parties at any rate. I think my 30th year has been celebrated as well as it could have been, and I have high hope for the rest of the year. We just need to get planning something for TMM’s now…
CuriousMonthofMay 