Warning people growing old before their time!

I was in the travel agent last week sorting out travel insurance ( I might be taking a big jump and travelling to the states but I'm not ready to totally disregard my family, if plane crashes they'll get a nice pay out!) while there an elderly man came into the shop (out of the rainstorm raging outside), nice little man, soft cap, old style raincoat, not a trendy old person, real old skool! We were both waiting to be served, and as I have a sign on my forehead saying "talk to me", that's only visible to the elderly, tourists and crazy drunk people, he struck up the conversation about the weather that we've all been having for the last 6 weeks. He appeared to be a very average OAP, I was waiting for some paperwork and he headed up to the counter when the agent was free.

This was where the first surprise came, he was booking a trio for eight to Las Vegas, wow....I was stunned as they talked about dates and day trips. Then a mobile started to ring and it turned out to be the gentleman's, he excused himself from the counter and took the call, he was berating whoever was on the other end of the phone for not turning up at the forty foot for the swim that morning! OH MY GOD! This man has more fun in his life that i do!


So it got me thinking, our childhood years are a wonderful time (sometimes) but also the restrictions on your freedom can mean you don't get to do all the things you'd like to do. A few of my friends who are the same age bracket as myself and have kids and partners and mortgages, and feel like they have to "grow up", acting all responsible and "parent like" (whatever that is) I was suffering from a similar feeling for years, the difficulty of balancing a work and home life along with a social life of sorts! I've given it up though because it just doesn't work! Obviously I am a responsible adult, I've been doing this parenting thing for nearly ten years now and I'm not too shabby if I say so myself! But I realised somewhere along the way that my kids wouldn't thank me for sacrificing all the things that make me happy, just to be the "perfect" mother. I do honestly believe there are all sorts of kids and therefore all sorts of parents but the best parent is, of course a Happy Parent!

I was in my friends house Saturday night, herself and her hubby had us over for a yummy meal (and some vodka!), their two little ones were in the play room and we were in the kitchen eating and drinking, my hubby and I were struck by how funny it was, every time the weenies came into the kitchen to look for goodies or just some attention we reverted back to naughty teenagers trying to look like we hadn't been drinking!

Personally, I am looking forward to my "autumn years", when the kids are self sufficient enough that i can stay away for a week and not worry about school runs and washing their smalls.. just not worry as much, I will still worry but hopefully not so much!

My youngest baby will be 16 on my 50th birthday, so that morning it'll be nuddy swimming in the forty foot followed by a huge party and then off to Vegas the following day!