A little older, as the weather’s turnin’ colder

So, today I turned 30. Hopefully an auspicious moment to return from blog hiatus. I’ve been treated to a couple of gloriously sunny, if incrementally colder, winter’s days. Quite reminiscent of winter in Canberra: strong sun, a still and cold day outside, high blue sky streaked with cloud. Until recently, there was even a bit of an Indian summer: great weather for photos, some of which I hope to get up soon.

In a significant move, today was the first day I wore gloves cycling. The wind froze my hands bad enough last night that when I got off my bike coming back from the pub (and, well, London) I hardly had any feeling left in my little fingers.

“But you’re 30!” I hear you exclaim, “Doesn’t that scare you at all?”

Actually, no. I’ve eased into it. My first birthday celebrations were over a week early on 5 November. It just so happened on that date I could persuade a friend who’s a college fellow (read, academic) to book a nice wood-panelled college room for a party. Together we sorted out a selection of four different wines and I instructed all guests to bring cheese. A lot of very civilised, if slightly tipsy, wine tasting and cheese eating followed.

Saturday, I was at a London friend’s 30th near Tower Bridge which kind of took the spotlight off me for a bit and gave me some company in the aging process. Actually, other than catching up with friends, a real highlight of the night was seeing the Tower Bridge lit up on a cold night. Quite magnificent.

And so I stumbled back into Cambridge on Sunday in time for a night at the pub with a friend whose birthday is tomorrow. Earlier this evening I even crept away to a wine tasting where I got to taste a half glass of a 1990 French Cabernet that now apparently sells for £120 a bottle. Rather worryingly, it tasted not that much different to most red wine as far as I’m concerned.

So yes, relaxed, comfy and a little older. Possibly a little wiser and feeling more settled in my life path (academia, ho!), but certainly no taller this birthday (see photo).