Seventeen: Make a collage

Okay, let's get one thing quite clear, I do NOT want cutesy, boring, little pressies on my 60th birthday. Bugger that.

No cake either. Knowing my kids, it would probably look like this! Mind you, a big, fat, fattening cholesterol -packed cheesecake would do me fine!

I've given it a lot of thought. How mind-blowing would it be to have my life presented in pictorial/art form. Something not only to treasure and giggle over, as it would have to be really cheery and fun, not heavy and worn looking, but also something to leave for the kiddies. Better than the mercedes and £200,000 (which I don't have anyway,ha ha)

Not being arty at all, I also thought of putting all my photos into some sort of convoluted picture on picture, tangled into one another like my very life is, tangled....but no, don't like that idea.
Maybe get the people I know who are artistic to create something following my direction. No, too impersonal, too hygienic and perfect. Not saying I'm not hygienic or perfect, but that would be too sterile and not me either.

Quandary, conundrum, puzzle, mmm what to do?

So I told Steve what I wanted and he mulled it over and we talked some more .

He has made a wonderful suggestion, which he has offered to do as his present/tribute to me.

Not gonna say what it may be, you all just watch this space!

Fifteen: Have someone/something named after me

What a rush, to wake up every day and know that the neighbour's new kitten is named after you.

Seriously though, what is the one thing we want to leave behind when we swoosh off into the blue beyond?

A bit of ourselves.

Otherwise, why in heavens name would we ever consider having kids? Yes, I know all about those 'moaning whores', better known as hormones.They do tend to interfere with one's everyday life to a large or larger or even larger extent. And do they make you do all sorts of crazy things? oh boy....

But other than that urgent 'something' inside you that demands procreation, there is no earthly reason why a woman would want to punish herself for the rest of her living days having another human being forever dependent on her in some way or another. This loss of freedom, loss of identity, loss of 'self' is not something we would willingly request if given half a chance.

And how many of us would consider repeating the whole process again if given a second chance?

Where was I? Oh yes, having someone or something named after me would be great. One of my dreams was to write children's books filled with thrills and spills, preferably set somewhere in deepest darkest Africa. But that one floated away a long time ago. So, you won't be seeing any of my publications on the shelves at Waterstone's any time soon.

That leaves me with either the neighbour's cat, er, I don't think so as I don't even like felines, or, er, something else. Really I don't mind what it turns out to be, a bench on the park with my name on it or a newly grafted rose named in my honour. I'm not fussy, but someone has to decide what and when and how, and pretty soon too.

Er, on second thoughts, maybe the neighbour's kitten will have to do.