Turning forty | we bought a french house

A trip to Istanbul to celebrate getting old!

And so readers, it’s at this point in the timeline of my blog that I turn 40. I’ve never really worried about ‘big’ birthdays. I truly believe the only reason for melancholy around them is if there are things you wish you’d done. A life you wish you’d led or something you fundamentally wish you could change about where you are right now. And at this point I am perfectly fine with just how its all gone to date.

A good friend of mine recently starting blogging about her approach to fifty http://5til50.com/ as it had thrown up all sorts of questions in her head about life and where it takes you. In her case, as in mine, life has been pretty amazing (as I pointed out to her while we reclined on a rattan sofa in Soho House LA, drinking champagne) And I sincerely hope not to sound smug but I point this out only to underline what facing milestones is all about. Its about working out where you’ve been and deciding where you want to go. Life is linear, there’s a start and sadly there will be an end (well not that sadly I really don’t want to live to be 102 and fed thru a tube – can’t see the point really. Though a friend recounted the other day a visit to his 102 year old gran, when I asked what she did all day he said ‘mostly plan her meals and watch Loose Women’ suddenly it didn’t sound so bad!) Anyway the point is, there’s no going back you’re heading in one direction and even Walt Disney and his cryogenics or plans for eternal youth or whatever he tried can’t hope to change this so MAKE IT COUNT and NO REGRETS.

And owning this house in France has for sure added to my life contentment. Madness at times? Cause of huge rows in the White House? Yep. But an adventure for sure. Not as crazy as emigrating to Australia aged 24 and not if I’m honest, as much fun as my year spent living in LA aged 26. But an adventure. And one that offers future fun for all my family. So when I AM sitting in a chair watching Loose Women 2073 (presented by the offspring of Nadia Sawalaha and Lorraine Kelly no doubt) I know that in rural france somewhere my sons and their offspring are probably finally getting round to replacing that cheap kitchen. Good luck to them…. For now I’m 40 and I’m fine with that and I OWN a house in france. This is what french forty looks like…… fun huh?