40

So apparently you wait long enough and you stop just attending other people's 40th birthday parties and get old enough to have your own!  I wasn't sure I wanted to do anything to mark the occasion, but in the end decided this was the perfect excuse to get all my favourite friends together in one place and take them all out to dinner!  Of course this event was missing many near and dear on the other side of many oceans, but I am very grateful to be surrounded by so many lovely friends right here in the UK.    I planned the nuts and bolts of the evening, but Scott had a sweet surprise in store for me as well.  My 40th year has very much had an Indian theme kicked off with a trip to India with my family (which I have yet to blog about; I really wanted to record the memories of this special evening before the memories begin to yellow, but India blog posts will be forthcoming!).  So it would make sense that we had this party at an Indian restaurant.  Despite my recent bout of Delhi Belly, I love Indian food, and I love the colourful Indian culture.  No way was the tone of my 40th birthday celebrations going to have a dark, depressing "over the hill" theme.  I wanted vibrant, happy colours, festive foods and a cheerful mood.  And it was all of those things and more.  

It is fair to say this evening goes down as one of the single best nights of my entire life.  To have all of my special friends together in one place for an evening of good food and conversation was enough, but what I had not expected was the overwhelming outpouring of love and friendship.  I woke up the next morning feeling nothing but love.  I have never felt it in that kind of measure before.  One of the highlights for me was a special presentation that Scott surprised me with.  It included funny photos and a few curious anecdotes about me, but the piece de resistance was the gift he presented.  A book, full of letters from family and the dearest of friends from all over the world.  I was completely overcome and humbled at such an outpouring.  I have never received a better gift.  I absolutely love it, and cherish each and every word written therein.  We closed out the evening after midnight, and with sore feet, a full tummy, a happy heart, and wearing a smile I snuggled into bed, my heart bursting.  

Apart from a couple of the photos of the cake and the tables, all of these photos were taken by others, mostly a few of the pranksters in the house.  I didn't want to spend the night working photographing my own party!  So glad, however, that I took the time to get a picture with each and every friend who came.  Memories I shall cherish for the rest of my life!  

Gorgeous and delicious cake made by none other than Trina!  

Love, love this guy!

  

Fun snaps around the tables courtesy of Scott, Andre, Francis and Glen

Catherine and Scott, so grateful you came and feel so honoured you would make the effort when you had family in town.  

Lindsey and Alan

Trina and Francis

Andre and Ginny

Rachel and Gerry

Kerryn

Rachel and Glen

Becca and Chris

Raffy and Tony

Sally and Simeon

Karen and John, the irony of the one really bad photo being with my friend who is a keen photographer :)

Dee and Warren

Carrie and Donald

Heather and Kevin