This is 31

So, it’s officially less than a month until my birthday and with this milestone looming, I thought I’d do a reflective post about my 31st year.

I’ll start with how much I’ve grown up. This began with my first few days of being 31 compared to my first few days of being 30. True, I’ve never been a big drinker and I’ve definitely never been a “wild child!” And while my 30th Superhero birthday party was absolutely amazing, the three day hangover I had afterwards ,finally showed me that Vodka wasn’t my friend. So instead, for my 31st birthday I had equally exciting and social (but sober) celebrations with a family BBQ and a night at the races where I got more excited by a winning horse than vodka coke ever made me.

My “grown upness” continued this year as I finally said goodbye to my pink palace and moved into my first home with Stuart. This whole process has seen me mature in many ways, from no longer having a bright pink kitchen (although I stand by that interior choice) to taking my relationship with Stuart out of the dating stage into the real world of living together - not to mention this is the first birthday ever I won’t be asking for more clothes but instead interior bits to do up my dressing room!

However, unsurprisingly despite being another year older, I can’t escape the fact that being me I will still inevitably do things that would make you question if I am actually a grown up/ of sound mind. For example, just in the past month I thought it was a good idea to microwave some seeds after over watering them to get them dry quicker. Using the same microwave I caused a mini fire in the kitchen when I was baking and decided I wanted to melt the butter but didn’t think I should remove the foil first. Stuart doesn’t let me use the microwave unsupervised now.

Despite the radioactive seeds and burnt butter, I have somehow come through this year alive, although it hasn’t been quite what I thought it would be. In July when things took an unexpected turn with our house move, I had to move back with my parents (all the gory details can be read here )

Now, if you’d told me on my 31st birthday that I’d be spending almost a quarter of this year living with my parents again I would have thought you were nuts. But somehow with patience, a lot of mediation from mum and the fact their house is bloody lovely, we got through it.

Secondly, if you’d told me on my 31st birthday I’d be spending a good chunk of my 31st year in lockdown, I would have thought you were crazier than the guy they just told me I’d be living with my parents. But like the house move, I know I’m coming out of this experience stronger and while there is still a while to go until we will be on the other side I know it will be worth it in the end.

So, what are my hopes for the big 32? Well to start with I’m keeping everything crossed that being a fellow Gemini, Boris is going to let me have some sort of birthday celebration to mark turning 32. Stu has worked very hard on our garden throughout lockdown and we’ve just got a new BBQ so to share it with even just a few family members would be amazing.

Slightly further ahead I’m of course hoping that 32 will be the year I get married. Originally it was going to be the first month and now we’ve pushed it back to the April. Like everyone, we still don’t know what state the world will be in then but hopefully we’ll be somewhere closer to getting our “new normal.”

And other than that I really just want to have fun, continue to enjoy my thirties and carry on with my happily ever after with Stu. If the last year has taught me anything it is definitely to expect the unexpected.