I had a fairly low key birthday on Tuesday. 32 years old. It was a nice day which involved presents, cake at work and lots of cuddles from the children.
32 is a confusing one. Usually I feel excited or a sense of dread with each passing year, but this time I felt nothing, 32 is a limbo sort of birthday. My barrier of what I consider ‘old’ has shifted again … I’m not telling you what to, for fear of offending anyone who is … around … umm … 42 … The Husband included.
I got some fab presents … an Emma Bridgewater mug, some books (which I want to read all at once, right NOW), some shoes, hair straighteners which go up to a whopping 260 degrees, expect some pictures of my bald heed in a few weeks … and an Amazon voucher.
I decided to buy a cook book, Nigella’s ‘How To Eat’ with my voucher. Since we moved The Husband has lost his cooking mojo and Betty Crocker has said she’ll lift the restraining order if I learn to make my own chocolate fudge brownie. So, if we want to eat well and not from a Dolmio jar, or packet I have to update my skills (or rather gain some skills). This is where Nigella comes in. I’m counting on her no nonsense 90% cocoa hips to sort me out.
I had some money left over from my voucher and in a moment of pure madness I decided I was going to learn to … knit. Yes, knit … and I bought a book showing me how to.
Knit one, purl one.
Anyone who knows me will be looking aghast at those 4 little letters ‘knit’. When the shock wears off they will be rolling around clutching their stomach and laughing.
I’ve already promised Erica a pair of socks with thistle embellishments for the harsh Scottish Winter.
I have photographs of My Dad (Gramps) in the early 1950′s wearing soggy woollen swimming trunks on the beach. I could recreate that look for him for the local pool.
One day I hope to be good enough to knit a ‘beard balaclava’ like this one for My Sister, for next time she goes camping.
I’m clearly having some sort of Pre-Mid Life Crisis. But I like it.
… and when I swear and throw down my knitting needles in disgust because I-just-can’t-do-anything-like-that and my application to the WI is rejected the 4 year old could always use them as swords. BOGOF.
20 Comments on "A Birthday, Brownies, Bald Heeds & Beard Balaclavas"
Hope you had a lovely birthday! Sending you my best wishes along side some pre-hair straightening balm (you’ll need it with that heat!!) xx
I missed your birthday! Oh well. Not as though I was going to buy you anything, but still belated good wishes and all that. Oh and I forgot your sausage too. Sorry x
I have wanted to learn to knit for years but didn’t dare confess. Now you’ve outed yourself will you teach me?
Knitting? Have you gone mad woman? Saying that I could really do with a red and white scarf please. You saw the please right?
sounds like a lovely birthday. my worse one was 22 when i felt that i was no longer ‘young’. 22 felt like such a non-birthday! i had a crisis before my 39th birthday when i burst into tears in front of a stranger. since then i’ve been embracing my birthdays…to the point that i make all the boys i teach write the date into their daybooks at the beginning of term! i am not joking.
reddskingyal x
ps i’m crap at knitting. hope it works for you!
I’ve dabbled with knitting. Am curently attempting bright pink ballet wrap type thingamyjig for Little E. I’m suspecting she may well be a teenager before it’s finished.
I wish I could remember how 32 felt *sob sob sob*.
i can knit!
my gran taught me aeons ago (true story).
i cant cast on or off but i can do the thing where you swing the wool round and then poke the other thing through it.
i might try and take it up again actually…
(‘again’ implying that i knitted regularly which is a blatant misdirection)
We could have a knitathon?
hehe Can I place an order for a knitted beard balaclava please?
Of course … I’m sure it will be a *COUGH* unique piece
Lol.. so funny! Good luck with the knitting, you will have to keep us posted! I actually started to cross-stitch last week, haven’t been back to do more since tho…lol !
I am just thinking about the offerings I will have to show you and groaning inside!
Oh bless your little knitted cotton sox….;-)
I taught myself to crochet this year. Now I’m completely obsessed. COMPLETELY! house is stuffed full of yarn, bank account emptied, Debbie Bliss laughing on the other side of her cashmerino face….
Happy Birthday! I sent you a little note and a photographic gift
hope you got it. And that you didn’t get ‘one’ of those…xxxx
See, I don’t even know who Debbie Bliss is, surely that is a sign to cancel the book order!
… and no, I didn’t get one of ‘those’
I freaked out a bit on my 32nd birthday last year, I didn’t go to the extent of buying books on knitting, but I feel your confusion
It’s so very strange. I wonder how 33 will feel!?
‘Socks with a thistle embellishment’…very ambitious for a new girl! Good luck though, it’s a relaxing hobby…and at least you’re sitting down!
I like the idea of a sit down hobby, it’s very me!
Waiting with bated breath.
YOu may be waiting some time x