To Do or not to Do

Precisely 2 months from this day, I will have another of those inevitable birthdays. And as uninclined as I was last year to celebrate, I suspect I'm even less inclined to do so this year!

Perhaps the old folk are right - after 30 you just stop remembering your birthdays and/or celebrating them.

But then there's the issue of prezzies and an excuse to make good food and have friends around...

I'm known for my son's fantastic, imaginative parties every year. His social standing goes up a few notches (briefly) in June as the boys rave about what we did this year.

But when it comes to me and my birthday, I somehow lose focus and can't think of a thing I'd like to do. I did a Chinese braai (stirfry over the fire) one year that went down well. I had a bunch of people around for snacky type food and a lay-on-the-lawn-and-chat the next year. And then last year I didn't do a blessed thing. Brothers insisted on coming by to wish me, so I baked a cake for them to eat. One or two friends dropped in too, which was nice. But I wasn't in a celebratory mood.

I guess it stems from my lack of confidence as a party-thrower. You're more likely to find me in the kitchen sorting out food or washing dishes, looking after the kids or out in the yard at parties - which is a bad place to be if you're the hostess, and not a very good place to be anyway if you're the guest. I over-cater, then don't eat a thing I've made, rather feeding others and worrying over details than stuffing my face. I'm not the life of the party, and I've never been too great at fun, adult events. I grew up sorta partyless (parties being equated with drunken behaviour and loud music), never really knowing how a "good" party looks (without the booze and inappropriate behaviour). I'm a bit fed-up with our living space too, so don't enjoy having folk over - there's not enough room to really do something good, hang out in a decent-sized yard or even find space for a dining table.

So what to do - do I just forgo the entire thing like I did last year? Do I have the rellies over for eat-till-you-explode good food again? Do I actually plan something? Dunno.

Hey, after all it's just another day on the calendar. And I've been around long enough to know I'm nothing spectacular. May just let it slide again. It certainly would be cheaper than throwing a do! :)