This is one for the ladies who read the Cockfield Blog.

As everyone probably knows I recently celebrated my ‘half century + 1’. I just cannot bring myself to say 51!! Ooh there, I said it. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who posted on my Facebook wall and sent me cards and of course presents.

Having reached that age where everything either needs tucking in, stretching, lifting, filling, plumping up and dyeing I thought I would pen a few thoughts about heading gracefully towards the third age.

When I was younger I was adamant that I would grow old gracefully, wrinkles, grey hair, varicose veins, middle age spread and the rest and when the first signs of ageing come along, perhaps the odd wrinkle here and there, I would be proud to be older and wiser. Urgh Urgh! The truth of it was I was horrified and planned immediately for a face-lift, botox, tummy tuck, eyebrow lift, liposuction and any other elixir of eternal youth I could find in the glossy magazines, high street chemists and TV. shopping channels. Unfortunately I came down to earth with a very large bump, and have opted for a very large tub of Nivea.

Anyway, I was in the Gift Shop at Raby Castle looking for a gift for a friend who is fast approaching 40 (a mere spring chicken), when I came across a book by a lady called Bev Williams called ‘Older Wiser and Sexier’ and thought I would share with you my top ten quotations from it.

These are for all the confident, wise, sexy and funny over 40’s ladies out there, particularly those that live in Cockfield.

1. “Age is just a number; it’s totally irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine” Joan Collins.

2. “Chocolate, Coffee and Men – some things are so much better rich.”

3. “All women over 45 are really goddesses and should be worshipped daily”.

4. “One in five men think cellulite is a battery – God bless them”.

5. “Cooking is like love it should be indulged in with abandon”.

6. “Just how naughty can we be – and still go to heaven”.

7. “Fitness – if it came in a bottle everyone would have a great body”. – Cher.

8. “Never go jogging it makes the ice in your glass jump.”

9.”The lovely thing about being over 40 is that you can appreciate 25 year old men more”.

And my favourite of all.

Raise your glasses to Miss Bette Davies.

“There comes a time in every woman’s life, when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne”. – Bette Davies. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WILL BE DOING TONIGHT.