Countdown has Begun

No we're not launching a rocket or testing a missile, well we're not planning to at any rate. No, we're heading to the sun for Christmas and New Year this year and just before that we have a milestone birthday to get through too. Yes my thoroughly un grown-up husband turns 30 next week....but I happen to think, compared with previous boyfriends and male acquaintances that he happens to be handling it in a very very grown-up manner. In the past I have seen all sorts of crazy "oh shit I'm about to turn 30" behaviour manifest itself. I was once the much younger girlfriend of a 29 year old reluctant to admit that he was hanging on to his late 20's by nothing more than the skin of his teeth and the hopes that if anyone saw him with me (then 19) that they might think he just looked older than he actually was, for example.But no there is almost a calm stoicism in our household when it comes to the ageing topic...no drastic new hairstyles or comical make-overs planned here...no, just a graceful passing from youth into middle age, possibly helped by uncontrollable excitement at the prospect of going on safari for two days in January when we are in South Africa. Perhaps it helps that my Dad will be exactly double his age on the very same day?

In fact what I mean by the countdown....is the very accurate and regularly reported countdown to the day next week when aged 30,my husband will be flying to South Africa for the first time. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited about going to see family and friends as I haven't been back in quite some time, but its not a "first" for me...oh and I'm still panicking about what to buy him for his 30th as every single person I speak to on the subject, reliably informs me that they have in fact just bought "exactly that" for him when I float my latest idea on what to buy for him.....I am so annoyed at this in fact that I have stopped getting involved in the conversation and dropped into pre-sulk mode as I prepare to be the person who gets him book vouchers while all those around me hand over exactly what he wanted!

But we should have a fantastic time once we get to South Africa, if we haven't missed the flight in the excitement of spending the book tokens in the airport shop of course! Which reminds me I still have some more Christmas shopping to do before we fly, or people will be getting duty-free gifts...which just doesn't score highly at all, not even in the "it was the thought that counted" stakes. I was so much more organised by this time last year! So much more! At this rate I'll be packing on the way out the door!