happy belated birthday to me

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belated birthday, birthdays, cake, celebration, friends, gifts, photography, photos, post

This year my birthday fell on a Wednesday – right in the middle of a very busy week. It was an odd day, no letters to open, no gift to unwrap, just a few bings of my phone wishing me a ‘happy birthday’ via text. So as I walked into work I realised that I didn’t feel birhday-y at all – and not even in a bad way, it just all felt very grown-up and matter of fact.

My one treat of the day was free tickets to go to the preview screening of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. A little bit of magic and enchantment to excite the child within, ending the day on a much less adult note.

When I arrived home I found the post had been there and had left me a notice to come an pick up what didn’t fit through the letter-box, which is exactly what I did late on Friday afternoon when I had the time.

So yesterday morning I celebrated my birthday a few days late, unwrapped the thoughtful gifts that had arrived in the post. I sat surrounded by love in the form of cards and wrapping paper, each word and surprise making me feel special.

When my neighbour showed up, a song on her lips and a cupcake in her hands, I couldn’t help but notice the giddy feeling rising up inside me and I couldn’t help but think that I’m not so grown-up after all.

So maybe you’re never to old for birthday surprises but sometimes you just have to wait until all the grow-up tasks are done to be able to enjoy it. And even if it was  a few days late I really enjoyed this years birthday and took the time to thoroughly enjoy it.

a treat brought over by neigbours accompanied by a song

some gifts arrived in the post

mornings on the go

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airports, birthdays, family, flying, Ireland, leaving Dublin, life at airports, travel

I’m currently in the middle of six weeks of family birthdays, it starts with my nephews and ends with my own. And since one them is celebrating a wonderful noughty (or maybe it is naughty) birthday I am giving up some precious hours of sleep and boarding an early morning flight to Germany.

And although I had to drag myself out of bed just a few hours ago there is something really nice about airports in the morning. While the rest of the world is only slowly waking up the airport is already a hive of activity – it’s a bit like an enchanted universe all of its own.

I treated myself to a double espresso at Butlers and enjoyed the complimentary chocolate too and sat to watch the people around me. Curled up on a few seats were two little boys, still fast asleep beside their parents who were waiting to be called to their gate. Next to me sat a business man in a dark gray suit that matched his complexion, clean shaven but with dark sleep deprived bruises under his eyes, he was shouting into the phone in short busts of a language I  couldn’t understand. A loved up couple cuddled up to each other as they shared a croissant, the rest of the world fading away their rose-tinted eyes.

And then it was time to take off … I left Dublin before the sun rose and as I flew towards Germany the sky was dipped in pink.

 

a season for birthdays

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autumn, birthdays, family, friends, gifts, neighbours, photography, photos

Every year, when autumn shakes the leaves from the trees and colours our days grey and nature hues of orange, a season of birthdays begins for me. There are aunts, my sister, a cousin, friends and then finally me, who celebrate getting older and hopefully a little wiser.

So, at this time of year, I spend some of my time writing cards and wrapping gifts, sending parcels and making phone calls, all to congratulate and celebrate some of my favourite people on this planet.

Today it’s my lovey neighbour’s turn to jubilate in the simple fact that she is turning a year older, and I will be taking her out for a cup of coffee and some cake to mark her special day. And since it is her birthday I think she also deserves to unwrap a few surprises, even if only small ones.

And I have to admit, I enjoy this prelude to Christmas as I don’t think there is anything nicer you can do with your free time, than show people that you love them, think about them and make them feel special.

a few birthday treats

celebrating others

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birthdays, double pleasure, expensive gifts, friends, gifts, home, love, making, personal twist, presents

I love birthdays, not mine as much as those of others. I love celebrating the life of those I love and getting a chance to come up with an idea to spoil them as much as I can. Well, this and next week I am getting ample chance to celebrate others as  a glance on my calendar showed me lots of names written down in red, indicating one birthday after the other.

Today I head up north to visit a friend who had her big day yesterday and I can’t wait to see what she thinks about my little gift for her. But as she and her boyfriend have just moved in to a new home together, I get the double pleasure of celebrating this too.

Most people say it’s not the gift that counts but the thought behind it but I disagree. While of course I value all the thinking that goes into picking, choosing, making and wrapping up a gift, the main thing for me about any present I give is the enjoyment I get out of all the preparation.

Because my friends and family are so important to me,giving them something I hope they will enjoy makes me happy. I am not one for expensive gifts, I don’t have the money nor do I think that spending a lot of money really says what I mean, so I often make bits and bobs myself, buy little things that reflect who they are or what they like and try to give it a personal twist.  I love coming up with an idea and trying to figure out how to make it happen, spend time thinking of the person the gift is for and relish the joy they have when I got it just right.

Of course sometimes a gift can be just a card filled with words of love and because I am selfish I don’t want to limit myself to just one day, so I do send cards and give small treats throughout the year. But in my books birthdays and Christmas are the best, I get to really enjoy thinking of my friends, celebrate who they are and spend time with them, sometimes just in my heart, even if they live far away.

So with lots of birthdays lined up for me to enjoy I know next week will be good, but I am looking particularly forward to the double whammy today. I can’t tell you what I have made , bought and come with with as I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I do the time I spend doing it has been a blast.