Birthday Blog! Excess Cake!!

It was my birthday yesterday. Of course, wishes of many happy returns will still be gratefully received.

I'm usually a jolly, perky sort and haven't really been upset by milestone birthdays so far, but it's occurred to me that I'm now only 12 years away from being 50! Don't know how I came to this realisation but it's stumped me a bit. I hope some fabulous 50 year olds can reassure me that I have much to look forward to! Ladies seem to be able to do it with much more grace tho - lots of older ladies manage to carry it off with such style.

It was also Shrove Tuesday here yesterday. As I'd already been out to a swanky do on Monday, I didn't really feel like going out last night so we had some chums around and did the pancake thing, which was a hoot. I love pancakes but they don't half fill you up don't they?!

We really went for it on the fillings front and after some concentrated efforts at trying almost everything, I had to surrender before my trousers gave out and guests were injured.

The other half then sprung out a cake with musical candles - hilarious - and decorated with marzipan dogs! I'm a bit of a marzipan fan so it was a winner of a cake, obviously had to sample a slice and have a nibble on one of the dogs with a cup of tea before bedtime!

On Monday the other half and I went out to a Gala Dinner at The Dorchester for the English National Ballet, thanks to our friend Craig. It was great. Lots of good food and wine. Lots of seriously glamourous people and an awful lot of impressive cleavage about. I discussed the decolletage issue with the lady sitting next to me (she had a particularly fetching plunge in her outfit and it pays to advertise). She explained that hers were real. Bizarre. I drew the line when invited to actually 'have a feel' but assured her they looked the genuine article. She was a lady of a certain age and a good example of my earlier comment about being 50, or thereabouts, and pulling it off with great aplomb. After such a conversation I became suddenly aware that a knock-out dress really can be improved when it's got a great chest squeezed into it with some spectacular jewellery to dangle provocatively...

Rick Astley (80's singer from the same musical origins as Kylie Minogue) sang at the event and he was really good. No, really!! He should return to recording. He sang a whole set of swing music and knocked spots off the likes of Robbie Williams' lame attempt at a similar thing. I was impressed. Yay for Rick!!

There was also ballet, which I'm still new to but enjoyed immensely, much to my surprise.

Yesterday, on arrival at work I discovered my colleagues had decorated my desk with banners and stars. I'm not a blusher but I got a bit flustered and flappy with all of the attention. They gave me presents too which is so brilliant! I don't normally work on my birthday - I take a day off or travel somewhere lovely but yesterday was a nice day.