Birthday Memories

August means my birthday, so I thought I'd put together some birthday memories from years gone by :)

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Not my actual 0th birthday, but ten days after I was born - my first photo, with Mum and Julia (and Coco).

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On or around my 3rd birthday, which occurred on this holiday in Great Yarmouth.  That's me in the groovy bloomers, with sister Julia and cousins Gerry and Sue (to whom we are still close). I remember going out on a boat with Uncle Geoff and Gerry, and crying because I was scared.  

(I've just realised that Julia was wearing said bloomers in the photo above.  The curse of the second child - you don't get to wear new clothes!)

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My 18th.  I remember being most pleased with that jumper - it was £1 in a Miss Selfridge sale the year before.  Light blue sparkles going darker towards the top.  Well, it was 1970s.  Kept it for years.

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22nd.  Staying in a hotel in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire.  Can't believe I ever had that much hair!

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My 29th birthday party.  The 2 litre bottles of Websters/Adnams beer show what a classy bash it was.  This is me clearing up afterwards.  Sort of.

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My not-so-big 3-0.  I was going through nasty divorce at the time and not in the mood for partying, but my friends Ruth and Lesley took me out for dinner at Luigi's, which was the best authentic pizza restaurant that ever existed.  I can still remember the Napolitana.  Olives and anchovies.  

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35th - The Foundry pub, Northampton.  Always loved this photo, not least of all because there aren't many of me, my brother and sister all together.

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My 36th.  In the Rubicon casino, Northampton, which my then-boyfriend Marcus (standing) used to frequent.  Opposite me is my friend Abi, but I don't know who the bloke is - some gambling mate of Marcus's.  

Those who spent many hours at the Rubicon used to think it was great that they got free lavish meals (great breakfasts, or three course lunch/dinner), never considering that they'd paid for them a hundred times over....!

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On my 37th it rained all day!  Had stayed at my friend John's house the night before, and in the morning were walking the three or four miles home.  Then the downpour came - had to give up and get on a bus, and we were so drenched, dripping onto the floor, that all the passengers laughed when we got on.

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38th - the aforementioned friend John threw a party for me at his house :)

Abi, John and my brother, Eddie.

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My 40th - had a party at our house that started in the early afternoon, so that my parents and people with children - like my best friend from school, Ruth - could come before it got too raucous.

Much later... it's my party and I'll pole dance round the coat stand if I want to.

Then-husband and I spent the whole night in the garden because lots of people wanted to stay over and all the beds and sofas were taken.

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43rd - in the King's Head, Cromer, Norfolk; had moved there two years before.  The very beautiful Claire (on the right) had the same birthday as me, and we would usually have a drink together at some point during the day.  Claire's mum Kirsty was the landlady of the Kings Head.

Birthdays in Cromer entailed drifting from one of the six pubs to another, and being bought drinks, I seem to remember.  A very small town where everyone knew everyone, and life centred around licensed premises!

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45th - actually the day after.  In Sheringham, about five miles up the coast from Cromer.  Julia and me at our friend Denise's cafe.  I loved that top I'm wearing but someone nicked it off my washing line.

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48th - a blowy night on Cromer pier, with Julia and John (and Steve who took the picture).  There's a bar at the end of the pier, but many people just take bottles of wine etc to drink at the tables outside.  Amazed it's allowed, but have had many a jolly afternoon/evening there!  

The square pale yellow-ish building next to the long grey one in the background is where I lived at the time, a flat on the ground floor.  Moved out a month later because it was cold and damp - but I loved living there, and being able to look out on the sea. 

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A couple of days after my 50th.  Turkey.  Too hot to wear make-up! (and yes, I'm wearing the same dress as I was in the picture from two years before!). 

Little bit of background here: the holiday was actually a 50th birthday present from my employers - but I could only go to Turkey, as that was where their main suppliers were located (thus, business expense).  Six weeks later, I told them I was leaving (to move to where I live now), so they scoured MySpace for evidence of a reason not to pay my final month's salary, thus recouping any money they'd spent on the holiday.

The offending pictures?  A toy rabbit in various places around the engineering establishment.  They got me on health and safety, and wasting work time.

Offending rabbit.  He had his own MySpace page.

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52nd.  Love this photo!  In our flat where I live now, with dear husband.

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Another 'milestone' birthday (no numbers mentioned!) - an idyllic few days spent in Cromer for get-togethers with old friends  Still the same - the afternoon traipsing from pub to pub, albeit more low key than when I was younger!  

....and the cake Julia got DottyAboutCakes to make for me!

More Cromer pictures from that lovely week here.

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2021 - no make-up, waah!  Not making a statement; I just snapped it when I got up :)

....and 2022 - with presents, including Leo socks from Julia :)

2023 update... this is how we like them after a certain age, especially first thing in the morning with no make-up on - nice and blurry!!!

~ Happy birthday to all who are August born! ~