Well here it is - the day I have been dreading for some time has arrived, 50 years old today!!!! It is very hard to believe and take in. 50 for me is one of the birthdays I have been least looking forward to, and I can't really explain why ( some deep philosophical mortality thing I guess?).
But when it arrives there is no way of avoiding it.... ( much like death and taxes) .... even though you may wish to.

The whole thing is made much easier to take by being surrounded by a good ( if a tad ,sarcastic!!!) family, for which I am extremely grateful.

For example the cake above was lovingly made by my 18 ( soon to be 19) year old daughter ( Emily has 2 children Abbi 17 months and Jaycob 5 months old). emily has had a difficult time during her teenage years and we have gone through some very low and difficult times - but she spent all of Friday afternoon at my mum's house making this cake for me - it is pretty well all her own work and it really made me feel proud of her, and the way she has grown into a woman and a mother. So far that single action has made me feel that perhaps I should just be grateful, and just grow old DIS-gracefully!!!!!

The balloon and card avalanche arrived this morning ( following many hushed conversations at home that I was told to keep away from!!!!!!) Many thanks to all for their congratulations. Most of all to my wife - who has all of this to come next year ( tee hee!!!), after all she has been very brave and put up with me for the past 24 years!!! ( most prisoners are let out after 10!!)You will dear reader have noticed that so far I have avoided getting myself in shot - sadly this could not last.... so here are some pictures of the person who usually prefers to stay the other side of the camera lens!!!
I plan now to start counting backwards for birthdays and hope to goodness I don't make it to a century!!!! As for presents well....... there is the small matter of a track day at Silverstone behind the wheel of a Ferrari 355!!!!! Hey I could get used to this .... 51 here we come : )