As my birthday gets nearer I begin to feel older!! EEKK

Perhaps this blog is not avoiding the mid life crisis but is making it worse!!

Celebrating and talking about being 40 is making me feel it!!

oh dear

On the more positive side I have some new ideas to add in:

1) roller skating - we use to go all the time in my youth and it is coming to Reading
2) cycling the Reading Monopoly board (with Claire) - in honour of living here when reaching 40
3) taking the 'Ferry cross the Mersey' in honour of growing up in Liverpool (or something similar when back there next week)
4) afternoon tea

There could be so much more!!

For now I am in planning stages of next task(s).

Number 36- bike ride with family.

Managed to complete this one (this time) when on holiday in the New Forest at Sandyballs. George and Sophie had their bikes (thanks mum and dad for bike rack!) and Iain and I hired our bikes.

We followed a short route (over 7 miles) through the New Forest were we saw wild donkeys. Sophie wanted to meet every one of them!!

The views across the New Forest:

Although hard work (getting George and Sophie to pedal up hills) we had a great bike ride. It was sunny for a change (yes as always on Wallace family holidays it rained a bit every day (only one thunderstorm!!)).

George and Sophie also spent a couple of hours on their bikes as mudrats - cycling around a forest trail through mud, playing games and having fun!!

Here are the mudrats



Here are some more shots from the holiday:

Our tent (which was fantastic)

Inside the tent -don't look at the mess but do notice our carpet and wardrobe!! (yes that's right in a tent!!)

The rain!

playing monopoly in a thunderstorm!!

We went on a forest trail walk

When we came here 2 years ago we met a family in a tent next to us. There were Jo, Phil, Katie and Emma. It turned out that Jo went to my primary school at the same time I was there (Woodend). She was in 2 years above and my mum remembered her. Anyway they were there again - was great to see them! They had upgraded to the same tent as us - and agreed it is fab!

Number 18: Enjoy a day at the races (and place a £10 bet)- completed.

Thank you to the Laybourne's who have, for our 40th birthdays, treated us to a day at Ascot races.

Th Wallace's arriving:

Some of the girls

Julie, Sophie, Me, Bethany and Emma

Who went (in our group):
Julie, Mark, Kieran, Bethany Laybourne
Emma Laybourne and Danny (her boyfriend)
Maureen and Harry Laybourne
Claire, Simon, Samson and Harry Lace (Claire is also 40 this year!)
and the Wallace 4!


We found some nice chairs to sit in for a moment:

Ascot family day http://www.ascot.co.uk/index.php

Day of 6 races jockeys (and horses) in team, GB & NI, Europe, the rest of the world and The girls.

The venue and stands:

George, Kieran, Sophie and Bethany

Claire looking good with the union jacks

Much fun was had while not watching the races including fair ground rides, big games of Mario Kart (boys loved it!) BMX displays (and the chance to have a go) and meeting Scotty the Mascot

Then the racing:

I failed in my task. I could not bring myself to bet £10 on one horse - I was not that into it. But did bet on a couple of horses. My last bet was on the last race for Mince (each way). He won!!

The winning ticket!!!!

Claire and I are forty this year so here we are having some Fizz with Julie to celebrate!

After the races there was an 80's concert:

Playlist

Katrina (from Katrina and the Waves)

T'Pau
      Midge Ure
      Howard Jones
      Belinda Carlise
      Rick Astley
      Bananarama

A conga line during concert (the children did not have a clue who the bands were!!!)

A great day was had by all.