Well hello dear reader.

I thought now I am a few days in to being fifty (!) I would make a little blog.

I wanted to firstly say thank you so much for the birthday greetings - be they physical or electronic. It was lovely to feel the love. So thank you.

Quite frankly I’ve had a shocker of a year, and hopefully this milestone firmly marks the start of new beginnings.

I had a brilliant few days away in the Cotswolds at the Cowley Manor hotel. It was lovely to chill and escape for a few days for some me-time (many would say it’s ALWAYS me-time), lovely food and a bit of revitalisation with a couple of spa treatments - as well as a trip back to Bristol to see the Lion King!

Unfortunately the weather switched between rubbish and monsoon - but that didn’t dampen spirits.

The hotel room was gorgeous. A bit of a treat for myself. Upstairs stylish mezzanine bathroom, comfy bed, plenty of space and a separate sitting room. How fancy!

Also treated myself to spa treatments - a facial and back massage. They were amazing, but I still don’t look and move like a 25 year-old (!). And who doesn’t enjoy pottering around in flip flops and a robe? Tho I did have to be careful in the robe. Once size really doesn’t fit all. And there was the danger of it going a bit Carry On…

It’s usually around this time of year that mum used to come to Bristol to visit and we’d go to the Hippodrome for Les Mis or similar. She’d said last year that she wanted to go and see the Lion King - so I went this week on her behalf. I find it an emotional show at the best of times - but this time was particularly emotional. On the plus side I know she would have loved it, if she had gone - with great costumes, set, sights and sounds, but nevertheless I am a bit sad that she never made it.

Given the hotel is in the middle of nowhere (well - by my standards - if there isn’t a mobile phone signal or Tesco Metro within contactless distance it may as well be the surface of the moon!) the hotel dining arrangements were put to full use! The food was lush! Nice breakfast with made to order cooked elements; amazing afternoon tea (which was consumed on day of arrival); and great evening choices - whether a club sandwich (always a hotel favourite of mine) or the full three courses - not to mention lovely bar. As it’s so off the beaten track and there was hardly anyone else staying there it felt like I owned the place. Plus I had dessert wine - so am literally off of being posh.

So thank you again for the birthday wishes and enjoy a tiny summary video!

Happy Birthday to me - tiny video in my usual style.