40 things before 40!!!!

Picture the scene.

New Years Eve, 2017/2018 midnight.

Sounds of ‘Alexa play Auld Lang’s’ and ‘happy new year’ ring through the kitchen in a suburban semi.

In the background you can hear the ‘tweens’ playing their version of ‘beer pong’ while the younger children fight sleep on the sofa.

Suddenly through the noise a voice can be heard. It cries ‘I’m going to be 40 this year’ followed by hysterical laughter.

This scene could be taking place in any number of middle-aged gatherings. But this year it happened to take place in my social circle. It is a sound that has become more and more familiar.

Now Mr L turned 40 a few years ago, we had a great time. We went to Paris for a cheeky weekend, we had a party. Lots of merriment was had. But now it is my turn.

First my childhood friend turned 40. During her shindig her father tried to work out how long we had known each other, and after some calculation we worked out that it would be coming close to 30 years. I would have guessed 20 at most. But no. That was a rude awakening

Now it is coming up to my turn. The person crying ‘I’m going to be 40 this year’ was not me. But it will be next New Years Eve!

I am struggling with the idea of leaving my 30s. Being a 40 year old is, well , old ! It means I am a ‘proper adult’.

I’ll be looked at by other adults now, as an ‘adultier adult’ so to speak. I am now officially old enough to have a child in their 20s. I could be a grandmother, technically. I could.

One of my school friends announced only last year, the birth of his first grandson. He was in my English class. We used to share a copy of Macbeth, and now he is called ‘Gramps’.

So yes, leaving my 30s is going to be a struggle. I am not going to take it very well. I know this. I’m already panicking.

I have a plan though. I want to arrive at 40 next April, having had a great final year in my 30s. I’ve had a great life so far. I’m pretty successful in my career, I have a lovely husband, my children are crazy but wonderful. I have a great house, nice car, lots of nice friends. I am able to go on holiday every year. Life is good.

However I have yet to do anything I would consider ‘wild’, or daring. There are skills I lack, that I think I should enter my 40s knowing how to do, there are experiences I’d like to have.

So I have written by bucket list. My 40 things before 40. Things I want to learn, do, experience and live through before I leave my 30s.

Then I can face 40 head on, and really appreciate the saying ‘life begins at 40’, and just happily enter my middle age content in the knowledge that I am lucky to have reached 40 fit healthy and happy in the first place, and that I have 50 to look forward to.

And I’m told.. turning 50 is fun! Your 50s (so I’m told) means more freedom, end of mortgages, grown up children, disposable income! 50 is the boss.

But for now… I’m ready to spend the last 16 months of my 30s checking off my bucket list.

I’ll be keeping you up to date with my progress, blogging as I go along.

Enjoy.