Growing older - The Middle Ages

My lovely friend Cala runs Rose and Lula - a wonderful bag and accessory business, and in tandem she writes an inspirational, whimsical blog about setting up shop, realizing her dreams and achieving her goals. She recently posted a very entertaining piece about turning 40 - you can read it here and has allowed me to shamelessly copy her (thank you Cala). Whilst mine isn't a milestone birthday, I'm certainly another year older, definitely greyer and just possibly that little bit wiser. So here are 47 random things about me I thought I would share with you:

1: Happiness is being on a beach, anywhere, in any weather.

2: I wish I could play jazz piano.
3: My favourite book? "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

4: The song that makes me cry - "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol.
5: I can't bear busking accordion players - they bring out the worst in me.
6: Wardrobe staple? Converse Allstar lowtops in white or cream.

7: Donny Osmond or David Cassidy? Definitely David Cassidy.

8: I can happily watch "Finding Nemo" on a loop.

9: Would like to spend the day? Discovering Paris with Inès de la Fressange.

 
10: New Year's Eve makes me melancholy.
11: Favourite movie - so hard to choose but I'll say "The Way We Were".

12: Clothing obsession: Breton tops - blue and white stripes are like a magnet to me.... I have one that was my father-in-law's by Armorlux, it's still going strong.

13: I'd like to escape to - Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos.

Photo: www.cntraveler.com

14: My favourite season? Spring.

 15: In 2013 I'm trying to "dare greatly" as Brene Brown puts it - watch her TedTalk and be inspired.

16: I dislike bananas in any shape or form.
17: Anger is such a negative energy - I try to give it as little houseroom as possible.
18: I'm superstitious about magpies (1 for sorrow, 2 for joy), ladders and the number 13.
19: Lifestyle guru: Mary Poppins. There's nothing she couldn't solve with a dash of common sense and good humour.

20: Audrey Hepburn is my ongoing inspiration, for her style, sincerity and love of humanity.

21: I take great satisfaction in crossing things off my 'To Do' list.
22: I'd say I'm a patient person except at 8.19 in the morning when we should be out the door.
23: I'm a very British girl who doesn't drink tea.
24: If I could come back in another life?  I'd be Karl Lagerfeld's cat Choupette -with 2 maids and a Twitter account, what's not to like?

 
25:Herbal tea or stiff drink? Stiff drink - preferably a Martini (Hendricks gin, stirred, with a twist of lemon - or cucumber).

26: Best smell - my childrens' hair when they are sleeping. Yes, I still do it....
27: Good mood food: a Thai duck curry.
28: Best song lyric: "Don't get me wrong, if I'm looking kind of dazzled, I see neon lights, whenever you walk by" - The Pretenders.
29: Practising yoga makes me a nicer person - fact.

Photo: Pinterest

30: I find other people very interesting - I think I am inherently nosy.
31: I wish I had skin that tanned easily - sadly with my Celtic roots, factor 50 is essential to avoid the lobster look.
32: Laughter is definitely the best medicine - my boys' laughter is the best sound in the world.
33: Favourite Christmas movie: "White Christmas" - I am completely word perfect (ask English Gent).

34: Other people's junk is so often my treasure - upcycling is my byword.
35: Fresh flowers will always lift my mood and I would love to be a trained florist.

Flowers: Scarlet & Violet

36: Favourite art form? Cinema. I was lucky enough to work in the film industry for 10 years - crazy but good.

37: My greatest achievement? Giving birth to my two sons.
38: Yotam Ottolenghi is my current culinary hero, I am obsessed with sumac.

39: Glass half full or half empty? Half full.
40: Guilty pleasure? Watching "Lewis". (I have a secret crush on Laurence Fox.)

41: I don't like wearing skirts.
42: I absolutely love a bargain, in any shape or form.
43: Hope, truth and love are my three Graces.
44: I believe if you spend time doing good, then good things will come to you.
45: Favourite love song? "Fix You" by Coldplay.
46: Shoes and handbags - you can never have too many.

Jane Birkin & her Birkin bag/Photo: Telegraph

47: Official Middle Age: more time to live, laugh, love well and be true to myself, oh and try to grow old gracefully...