Another year older... another year wiser?

On the 17th it was my birthday and honestly I am like a kid in a sweet shop when this time of year comes around.  This year I turned 26 and I had an amazing birthday, made very special by all my friends and family - who I can't thank enough.  But this little person makes everything so much more magical...

This has to be one of my favourite birthday presents of the year... I won't add the photo here which explains the mankini's either!  But the dollars will certainly be buying me a few bottles of goon when I arrive in Australia this year, or maybe a few shots of Jager too?!

I had an amazing night out with all of my friends at Walkabout in London, where we said hello to a few shots of Tequila and of course Jager, which no Australian themed night out would be complete without.... my head ache wasn't thanking me too much the next morning though, oooops. 



However, I wasn't the only person with a Birthday this week either.  My nan also turned 70 (well we pretended she only just turned 70, she likes to pretend that she is a year younger than my Grandad rather than a year older... But I am sure you can all keep a secret too), so we celebrated in true Irish style, with a carvery, lots of birthday cake and singing.

Happy Birthday Nan, I hope you had a fabulous 70th (wink wink) Birthday and THANK YOU everyone for making my birthday this year so special!

Don't forget to follow me here too:

A Love Story

This week I attended a funeral of a beautiful lady named Audrey.  When I say beautiful, I mean inside and out.  She was a caring and selfless person, who dedicated her life to looking after and caring for others.

As a teenager she met her husband Alex, however her Dad said she wasn't allowed to marry him and so he went off to do his national service and he met another lady and had 6 children.

Many years later, Audrey still hadn't married and Alex's wife had sadly passed away.  Alex decided that he would go back to his old home in Southend and look up some old friends, one of them being Audrey.  It took Alex 30 minutes sitting outside the house that Audrey grew up in, to pluck up the courage and knock on the door.  Audrey recognised him straight away and not so long after they did, finally, get married.  Audrey was 66 when she married Alex, a long time to wait for someone you love.

They lived together for a further 17 years and now share some amazing memories together.

Unfortunately this weeks event isn't a first for me, but it was the first time I have ever seen so many people at a funeral.  There were over 100 people at Audrey's funeral which I think is a true testament to the kind of person she was and how many people cared and loved her, even the Vicar became chocked throughout the service.

Audrey was my Nan's cousin, one of many, but she was a lady who as growing up I was close to and fascinated by.  I loved the stories that she and my Nan would tell me about growing up in Southend together after being evacuated there during the war, going on trips to London with me and generally spoiling me with her time.

I now have the best gift anyone could give to you in life, some amazing memories and an extraordinary story of her life, which I have just shared with you all.