Birthday - Vintage Edition 55-58. Middle age? Axe me If I care🪓

Two birthdays. Two vintage editions. One wild ride. And plenty of chapters still unwritten! 🥂

My husband and I share the same birthday (18th October). Apparently, Russell and I have officially entered that mysterious territory known as middle age.

Middle age? What's that? Something we're supposed to worry about? 🤔😂

Because from where I'm standing, life is looking pretty good. A little more mileage on the clock, a few extra stories under the belt, and considerably less patience for nonsense!

And frankly, I rather like this version of us. 😎

Same birthday. Different vintages. Double the candles, double the excuses to celebrate, and absolutely no chance of either of us forgetting the date! 😂

But beyond the cheeky birthday banter, what really made this year special was having our family together. The laughter. The spontaneous moments. Those are the memories that stick. The wood chopping.

And to everyone who sent us birthday wishes, thank you! Your messages, kindness, and good humour were genuinely appreciated.

🔥 Midlife Crisis? Darling, This Is a Midlife Renaissance!

There's a strange idea floating around that reaching a certain age means we should start slowing down, settling down, or behaving more sensibly. Says who?

At 55, I'm not particularly interested in becoming a more subdued version of myself. Quite the opposite. I'm more interested in trying things, laughing louder, being curious, taking chances, and occasionally making a complete spectacle of myself. Preferably with an axe and a cowboy soundtrack! 🤠

Age brings experience, certainly. But it also brings something far more valuable: perspective. You start to recognise what deserves your energy and what doesn't. You learn that not every battle needs fighting, not every opinion needs answering, and not every expectation deserves meeting.

And perhaps most liberating of all, you realise that you don't need permission to live life on your own terms. That's not a midlife crisis. That's a midlife upgrade! 🔥

🍂 The Art of Turning Gold

Autumn has a way of reminding us that change isn't necessarily loss. Sometimes, it's simply transformation. The trees don't become less beautiful as the season progresses. They become more spectacular.

And maybe that's how we should look at growing older. Not as a slow retreat from everything we once were, but as an opportunity to become more authentically ourselves.

A little less polished, perhaps. A little more weathered. But richer in stories, stronger in spirit, and far less concerned about fitting anyone else's definition of how we should behave.

Like autumn, we don't have to fade. We can turn gold. ✨

🪓 Still Sharp. Still Sassy. Still Swinging!

So here's to 55 and 58.

To Russell, my fellow birthday vintage and partner in this wonderfully unpredictable adventure. To our family, who make every celebration worth having.

To the golden memories we've collected and the ones we haven't even imagined yet. And to all of us navigating this so-called middle age… Don't let anyone convince you that the most exciting chapters are behind you.

Keep your curiosity sharp, your sense of humour sharper, and your appetite for life gloriously unreasonable!

As for Russell and me? We've still got logs to split, stories to tell, a little trouble to get into, and plenty of chapters still unwritten.

Middle age? Axe me if I care! 🤠🪓🔥

Cheers to the next vintage! 🥂🍁

With Hope, Purpose & Vision

Joanne Reed

Head of Story Operation