I have been talking about being 60 for quite a while. The bells of Big Ben had just fallen silent after ushering in 2022 when I announced “I’ll be 60 next year!” Catering was less than amused by my premature adoption of the big SIX 0 as he worries that people will assume we are the same age, when he is in fact 18 months younger than I am, and so still not 60 for quite a while, and in 2022 he was only 56.

So 60 finally arrived and so far it’s been a blast.

Instead of one big bash, I’ve been eking it out with several smaller celebrations (some done & some yet to come)

Book Club 60th dinner (done), Locals 60th drinks at the boathouse (done), Ladies Wot Lunch 60th weekend away (date tbc), Rugby World Cup tour of France (in progress as I type), Cromer weekend with my Oldies (October), Italian weekend with old schools friends (date tbc) this list goes on. I am packing as much as I can into what remains of 2023, because in 2024 I will be galloping towards 65.

A huge thank you to everyone who has helped me celebrate, with particular thanks to Catering and the Not-so-Small-Boys who all worked really hard to deliver a perfect weekend of fun, even the weather played ball. No one needed the many layers I had urged them to bring – it was a very lovely evening by the river.

The morning after the night before – a little jaded but still going