Raaar Birthyday!

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So. Yes. The weekend.

It’s been a while since my birthday’s fallen on Easter Bank Holiday weekend; and I’d forgotten the potential of having (essentially) four days of Birthday. Although, I actually worked friday and some of saturday; but from the arrival of the James creature, thoughts of university were put aside.

[a rambly “I did this” post follows]

I’d talked to James a while ago about doing a set of portrait photos; just for fun; James practicing his portrait photography and me having a bit of fun modelling. Anyway, after catching up (not like we talk on IM the whole time!) we went through my wardrobe, set up the lounge and started photographing… (can you say that?).

We ended up pushing it time wise, and Nikki and Kate arrived while we were still shooting; which meant that both James and I ended up performing a very, very quick change (as we were going in posh stuff) during which time John also appeared…and we headed out to my favourite restaurant (Las Iguanas). Having got there we had a really damn good meal. It’s one of the places that actually serves foods in quantities that mean you really can have a three course dinner; so we did…

And then we headed back to Nikki and Kates (my lounge still doubling as a photo studio) and chilled out before watching the new Dr Who. Plot wise not fantastically astounding (okay though), but the new doctor definately receives a positive vote from me. We then chilled out some more, before heading back here. James, John and I then chatted some more…. staying up far too late; long enough for me to actually enter the ‘birthday’ phase of the weekend, open cards, consider looking at the present…

Anyway we eventually headed to bed; James having partially disassembled the studio in the lounge so he actually had somewhere to sleep. In a move that was cruel even by my standards, I woke up at 8, and then headed downstairs at 8:30 (on a Sunday!); but knowing that Chrissy was coming down on Sunday and wanting to get some more photos in… Anyway, having fed him some tea he perked up to awake, and we had an *excellent* day shooting; well, I did. It’s enormous fun being a model for a day. Lots of changes, some leaping about, and crouching in odd positions. Despite me having the 372 photos(!) on my machine I’ll save it until I see the ones James processess and colour corrects and adjusts. So, no Kate modelling pictures for any of youze.

Anyway, Chrissy arrived during the final costume shoot (purple dress) and watched as I posed round a chair…

So, yes, it was really great to see Chrissy, and she brought CAKE! Chocolate and plum cake *grins*. She also brought kate-shaped prezzies. Well, more Rebecca shaped. *grins more*.

So, um, what happened then? Oh games. We had lunch and played Mashed and iNinja and chatted and had a generally spiffy time, and were joined by Nikki and Kate (who arrived with Cheesecake *and* Merangue *and* prezzie) and John, and we spent a long time just chatting and relaxing and listening to music. Eventually I decided to fulfill my end of the deal and wandered off with Nikki to the kitchen to cook curry. It was an incredible curry; 12 sausages, 5 cans of tomatos, 8 Naan breads… But it was pretty darn good (which was lucky, considering how much I’d made); and I even got the rice quantity about right.

We chatted and chilled some more, before discovering that the planned entertainment for the evening; Razor Blade Smile, had been viewed by Nikki and Kate (who we thought hadn’t seen it) – Nikki therefore suggested…. Abducted by the Daloids (Daleks). Nutcase.

We watched maybe 20 minutes of the dire, awful, staggeringly bad film. Really, truly awful. I am sad that I wasted a DVD on it – if anyone wants it then give me a shout, first come first served (pun intended).

Anyway, we stopped, Nikki and Kate were knackered and headed off, and we stuck on Divorcing Jack – which is one of my favourite films… That went down really well with everyone – the Nun with the Gun was seemingly popular! And then we sat and chatted until 2:30… Which explains the general tiredness in Chez Kate today; when we finally got our act together we had a fried breakfast, before slouching in the lounge and relaxing. Eventually we decided to rent a film… but ended up with Me and Chrissy buying DVD(s) and not renting any, then after a brief refreshment break we headed round to Johns for an afternoon of geeking.

Finally, about 5ish, Chrissy headed home, and at 7, James headed off. Leaving me to ponder what has been probably the very best birthday I’ve had for a long time. There’s a slight melancholy mood with Chrissy and James having headed off; and the absence of my friends in America from the party. But, the weekend did just rock.

The funny thing is, this year I am just happy. I’m older, and it’s scary, being 28 and no job, no house, no partner. But, *this* time I know how far I am from qualifying; I know where I want to be in a few years; I have, if not a plan, a good idea of how I want to get where I want to be and how I want to get there. I have the best friends in the universe; even if some of them are thousands of miles away. And now I’m going to go and munch on a tasty dinner and watch a filum and enjoy my evening off before I get back to work tomorrow.

KateWE

Kate's a human mostly built out of spite and overcoming transphobia-racism-and-other-bullshit. Although increasingly right-wing bigots would say otherwise. So she's either a human or a lizard in disguise sent to destroy all of humanity. Either way, it's all good.