Posted by Tania Kindersley.
Dreich old afternoon. Pigeon in slight disgrace, as she snuck down in the night and consumed an entire box of Bonios. I try to keep a straight face as I reprimand her for this egregious transgression, but I find the small bits of red cardboard all over the floor absurdly funny.
Last day of being forty-four. Not sure what I think about that. Age is biologically actual, but also a human construct. It is oddly relative. Forty-five is young for a prime minister but ancient for a tennis player. It's a good, sharp number, at least. I think I'll take it.
Besides, I happened to see press photographs today of both Diane Keaton and Helen Mirren. They are sixty-six, which is considered old for a woman (cloppety clop goes the high-stepping quarter horse that is the double standard) and perfectly antediluvian in Hollywood years. Neither of them appears to have had plastic surgery. They have lines on their faces. When they smile, the marks of past laughter appear, like mapped traces of joy.
They both looked absolutely marvellous, not just in terms of beauty. They looked happy and interesting and real. They are poster women for treating age as what it is, rather than something of terror and invisibility.
I thought: forty-five will be fine.
Pictures:
That's all there was of the hill, today:
I'm so relieved that you are okay with 45 because the other day I think you called yourself "middle-aged" (I'm hoping it was tongue in cheek) and I hate to think of my husband who is 41 as approaching middle age (I'm "only" 36). Birthdays are good for you. The more you have the longer you live. Happy Birthday.
ReplyDeleteI'm 45, and I feel more empowered and free to be me than at any other time in my life. I'd much rather be here than (mentally) where I was at 20, imperfections and all. You are an incredible person who touches so many lives, and that it pretty damn wonderful. Age is simply a number.
ReplyDeleteHappy happy birthday to you, and I wish a year full of positive thoughts and empowerment for you...and more Bonios, of course!
robyn
I have had a very positive year being 45. (46 next month). I' m sure you will too.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful birthday. Many happy returns for tomorrow. Xxx
I'm also 45, and still don't feel it. Other people seem surprised when I tell them, but who knows if they're just buttering my arse.
ReplyDeleteAdd to your list Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, two more Brit actresses who've realized that acting your age is a great way to get better parts! Honestly, the young chippy love interest role gets tiresome after a while, and there are such juicy parts for actors with life experience under their belts (and on their faces)!
As an avid movie lover and an American, I admire British actors immensely for their overall refusal to plump, inject, slice, tuck, pull, and laminate. If they have crooked teeth, so be it. If they have wrinkles, so be it. A face has more depth, is more interesting, when it gets older. I find silicone boobs and permanently surprised eyebrows distracting from the plot of any movie (unless the character is a streetwalker).
I don't count coloring one's hair, because young women change their hair color all the time. Changing hair color is more about preference, having a bit of a change, keeping things interesting, than about age. Also, actors (since we were using them as examples) of both sexes must change their hair color for different parts, in any case... so it doesn't count as "cheating".
Hooray for aging honestly, because the alternatives are just not anything to cheer about.
All the 'fives' are good, in my opinion. Just far enough into a decade to have hit your best stride for it, but not so far that you're staring the next '0' in the face. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteBird
Happy Birthday, have a lovely day tomorrow. And enjoy your 45th year, I'm starring at 50 this year!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to you, Tania.
ReplyDeleteAnd remember the roots tomorrow (ie. Love and Trees).
Cristina xxx :)
45--a very good year. Enjoy it, with very best wishes from just this side of 70!
ReplyDeleteCrossing fingers and toes and everything else that this comment gets through the internet monster that is eating everything I try and publish...
ReplyDeleteIt is the 31st here so a Very Happy Birthday, dear Tania! I will be joining you at 45 later in the year. Although 1967 does seem *quite* a long time ago to have been born it's just a snippet of time. So keep your gorgeous red hair, unsuitable shoes and know that you are fabulous. Have a wonderful, wonderful day xxxx
PS Oh, Pidge. You are too funny. :)
Happy birthday for tomorrow Tania. I have just turned 68 and still feel young.
ReplyDeleteTrust me my darling girl...45 will be fabulous! With your attitude, your pigeon, your hill, your dad, your racing, how could it not be. Life is good...numbers are well...just...numbers.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Tania. May your new new year be filled with warmth, laughter, kindness, as much solitude as you need, some really good rants, good reads, and plenty of good food (soup, beautiful soup)!
ReplyDelete45 will be brilliant - full of books, friendships, racehorses and more superb blogging. Happy Birthday! Rachel
ReplyDeleteHappy happy birthday to you. Thank you as always for your beautiful writing which so often says clearly what I'm muddily attempting to think. With much love, A Dear Reader xxx
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