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Journal of almareallymatters (15430)
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almareallymatters (15430)
almareallymatters
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Pretty Girls Make Gravy

Thursday September 06, 07
02:43 AM - "Life Begins at 40" and other bollocks!
[ ]
When we were dating the Sarge always used to say "I'll marry you before your 30 Alma!" and he did. He has always been a man of his word my husband...his integrity is one of the many things I love about him. To be fair he did cut it a bit fine though and we married the day BEFORE my 30th birthday on the 6th September 1997. Today we have made it to a decade of marital BLISS (!) and tomorrow I will celebrate my 40th birthday...worthy of a small fanfare I reckon!

Celebrating your wedding anniversary and birthday together isn't without it's advantages. Firstly it renders it almost impossible for your husband to forget either. Secondly you are pretty much assured of a decent gift! The Sarge is being very mysterious about my present this year. All I know it that it will be a bit late as he didn't ORDER it in time and when it does arrive at Chez Alma it will be on the back of a big TRUCK! I am suitably intrigued of course although I know better than to get too excited as he did once get me a steam iron!

So...to the celebrations...

Ten years ago today we went on our honeymoon to Paris. We had the most amazing time and did all the touristy things...climbed the Eiffel Tower...visited The Louvre...Notre Dame...drank wine in a smart resturant on The Champs-Elysees...took a moonlit boat ride down the Seine...it was wonderfully romantic. One evening I asked the Sarge if he thought we would ever come back to Paris...

"Yes Alma...I'll bring you back on our 10th anniversary...if you still want me by then!"

As I said my husband is a man of his word and tomorrow we will return to Paris for what I hope will be another magical weekend. The Sarges parents offered to have the children for us but I didn't even consider going without them. That wouldn't be a celebration at all...in my 40 years of life they have been my most amazing achievement...they are the fruits of our marriage and I want to share Paris with them both.

Its fair to say this won't be a romantic holiday! We will not walk the Paris streets holding hands in the moonlight watching the street artists at work or sip coffee in a Parisian cafe. For we, my friends, are off to...DISNEYLAND!

We are all terribly excited. Rachel and Dan are like little coiled springs waiting to explode! We have never been on the Eurostar so even the journey holds some magic to us all. Getting to France on a train under the sea? We are enthralled at the prospect!

The children are exactly the right age for Disney I would say. Old enough to enjoy all the attractions and rides and to have memories that will last a lifetime. Young enough to gaze in wonder at the place and be "touched by the magic" as the awful adverts promise.

I had a strange dream the other night. We were at Disney and the children needed the toilet. I took them by the hand and went off to find a loo and we found ourselves around the back of a huge rollercoaster. Stood there was Mickey and Minnie Mouse. They had their mouse heads off and tucked under their arms and were chatting and smoking fags! The "magic" was well and truly destroyed for the kids who realized that Mickey and Minnie were not only people dressed up but also that they smoked like chimneys which is very bad for your health...right kid's?!

Did you know that in all the hotels in Disneyland Paris you have to share a room WITH YOUR CHILDREN? It's quite bizzare to me...a bit sanitized somehow...adults, it seems, are forbidden to have sex at Disneyland! We will have a room with two double beds in it...so we will not be swinging off the chandelier on THIS trip to Paris anniversary or no anniversary!

If the Sarge had said to me a decade ago on our honeymoon in Paris that when we returned to the city we would have two children in tow I would never have believed him, much less imagined that they would be old enough to do there own bloody packing for the trip! Our children our old enough to have views and opinions of their own and play an active part in the decisions that we make as a family. They are little people in their own right. They have the ability to reason and be reasoned with. They are wise and they are thoughtful. The difference a decade makes!

Ten years is a very long time and in this day and age I guess remaining married for that long is quite an achievement...although it really doesn't feel like one. We tick along nicely, me and the Sarge, effortlessly you might say. We are two sides of the same coin. Our marriage is like your favourite sweater...safe and warm and comfortable....and if you fleetingly imagine parting company with it you quickly realize that it would be impossible and that life would be truly wretched without it....unthinkable. I look at him sometimes...when he doesn't know I'm looking...and I see in him what love is.

My great Aunt advised me yesterday that this is our TIN anniversary. Thats a bit shit isn't it? No silver or pearls or rubies or gold for us. After ten years together we are deserving merely of TIN! I fully expect the Sarge to present me with a can of coke this evening or a tin of soup maybe!...aaaahhhh...the romance!

I have a question for you. As we will leave for Paris very early tomorrow morning do you think I should open my cards and presents this evening even though I am not 40 until tomorrow? Or should I wait till we get back on Monday evening thereby prolonging the celebrations? A tricky one. Half of me thinks I should wait till I get back but the other half thinks I might get something wonderful (doubtful I know!) that I may like to take to Paris with me (no...not the tin of soup!) Decisions decisions....

You know reaching 40 really doesn't worry me at all..I thought it might...but it doesn't. I quite like the sound of it actually...40...it sounds so mature and wise and sort of worldy! I am none of these things of course...but I can always fake it I guess!

Anyway, I'm rambling now and I have lots to do. Last minute ironing and packing and stuff. I have books to return to the library too...don't want to come back to a hefty fine and the wrath of the miserable librarian whose evil glare can curdle milk from forty paces and often reduces small children to tears! I also need to find a neighbour willing to pop in and feed Elvin and Angela while we are away (yes!...they are still very much ALIVE!) The problem is all the neighbours know of my reputation for goldfish related disasters and seem to be avoiding me incase I ask them, the fish croak it while we are away, and they have to tell the children of their sad demise!

I can't leave you without a little Nanny Olive update of course. She is still in hospital and doing as well as can be expected. I would like to say she is "comfortable" but that would be a lie. She is anything but comfortable...but she's getting there...slowly.

Yesterday another elderly woman was robbed in the village but this time at knife-point. Luckily she was wise enough to release her bag without a struggle and was unhurt. She has managed to give the Police a really good description of her attackers though which is just the breakthrough they needed as Nanny Olive was able to give them very little to go on. Maybe...just maybe...the net is beginning to close on these cowardly people and they will soon be caught and suitably punished. I am not out for vengence you understand...I just want savages like them off the streets so that our elderly can walk around this world of ours in safety and nobody else has to be a victim of their cruelty. That would be the best birthday present I could possibly get this year.

Finally...a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to M-in-Oz and to Everybody's Lost...Virgos of the world...unite and take over! *WINKS*

See you next week!

Love Alma xxx
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"Life Begins at 40" and other bollocks! | Log in/Create an Account | Top | 12 comments | Search Discussion
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Fab at 40! (Score:1)
Happy Birthday for tomorrow, Alma!
40's a great age, one of my good friends recently had his 40th and he's immensely cool!

Have fun in Disneyland! My parents took us when we were about Rachel and Dan's ages, and it was the best holiday ever! You're going to have a fab time!

Give Nanny Olive my love, I really hope she's feeling better soon.

Take care,
Love,
Sarah x

PS I would get your pressies tonight! I couldn't wait until I got back!
SarahG -- Thursday September 06 2007, @03:13AM (#273297)
(User #15576 Info)
 Hear my voice in your head and think of me kindly...
  • Re:Fab at 40! by almareallymatters (Score:1) Thursday September 06 2007, @03:26AM
    What did you get?? (Score:1)
    I was going to say open the pressies too!! Can't wait for mine in the morning & my mum gave the ones from her, weeks ago. But I bet I get more, she can't resist.

    Congrats on the 10 year anniversary as well, I read parts of it out to my boyfriend, it was so lovely. Weddings (especially ones that last) are rare these days & should be celebrated.

    Have so much fun at Disneyland, well the kids will, not sure about that shared room thing, he, he :)
    M-in-Oz -- Thursday September 06 2007, @03:44AM (#273302)
    (User #13934 Info)
    thanks.... (Score:1)
    for the Birthday wishes (it's crept up on me this year while I wasn't paying attention) and a very happy birthday to you too!! :)

    and congratulations on 10 years of marriage!! and 10 years of GOOD marriage too..... It is really quite an achievement and is getting more and more rare......
    and although it's the thought that counts and yadda yadda yadda, I can't wait to see what the Sarge got you..... ordered? arriving by truck? you can yell at him for me for ordering it late.... are all men like that? where's the planning and/or rush shipping?!

    Have a wonderful time in Paris.... you need need to do a before and after shot when you guys get back...... the honeymoon and the anniversary ;)
    everybody's lost * -- Thursday September 06 2007, @08:07AM (#273340)
    (User #12791 Info)
     ...a chat with you and somehow, death loses its sting.
    • Re:thanks.... by almareallymatters (Score:1) Thursday September 06 2007, @08:19AM
      Come Wonderful Days Of Bliss (Score:1)
      Indeed a decade makes a big difference...
      and it is nice that you can see that the children have an opinion of their own... With a lil help from our friends**...
      Have a wonderful time On these two special occasions.. Its Seem you have quite a Karma this year Alma..
      hugs to you...:)

      Again..
      Happy Birthday and Wow Congratulations On your Anniversary

      ((CHEERS)) (_)& (_)& (_)& !

      Truly Marisela
      Marisela -- Thursday September 06 2007, @12:45PM (#273371)
      (User #1865 Info)
      I'v come to wish you an... (Score:1)
      ...extremely happy birthday!!

      40!! Bloody hell you're old! ;)

      Groove on Sister!

      xxx

      Anais Nin -- Friday September 07 2007, @02:56PM (#273463)
      (User #15329 Info)
       Wardrobe Mistress

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