Self-Portrait Challenge: Introduce Yourself, Week 5

The Story of Deb Four weeks ago, on The Story of Deb: Episode One - The First Ten Years, I began my introduction for this month's Self-Portrait Challenge. Three weeks ago, I continued the story with Episode Two - The Teen Decade. Two weeks ago it was all about Episode Three - The Roaring Twenties. And last week we made it through Episode Four - Thirty Little Secrets. Now, to continue my (unbelievably long, but finally about to end!) introduction, Red Shoe Ramblings is pleased to present: Episode Five - Forties Fun Way back in the very first paragraph of this epic, I mentioned learning the concept of cake as a major food group. It only seems appropriate then that I start out this final chapter with, yep, you guessed it - cake! I know it's hard to see beyond the glow of all those candles, but there really WAS a cake under there. A coconut cake, to be exact, made by my friend Morven. She's the cute blonde lighting the candles in the center pic below, along with the lovely Bev. That's fabulous Nancy looking over my shoulders as I then blow the candles out before the smoke detectors start shrieking. Nice look I've got going with the whole puffy-cheek thing, eh? (clickable if you want to see it larger in a new window) I know people who think of the forties as a scary age, but I've loved this decade so far. I think the older I get the more ME I feel, if that makes sense. Plus J and I have done some really fun things the past few years, in particular we've traveled to some places I hadn't been before. We've moved around a lot in the time we've been together because of his job, but so far in this decade we've also been doing some traveling just for FUN. A few weeks after my 40th birthday we went to Hawaii. It was the first time I'd been but I'd love to go again! We did all kinds of very cool stuff there, like walk through a tunnel created by lava, drove to the top of a volcano, went deep sea fishing (I caught a 35 lb. fish with teeth!...I mean the fish had teeth, not that I used my teeth to catch it. Heh.), and we went on a helicopter ride where we saw stuff like this: (I don't know the real name of that waterfall, but it was part of the scenery in the film Jurassic Park, so that's what I call it.) A couple of years after that we went to Belize and climbed to the top of an ancient Mayan pyramid. This is a photo I took from the top: And last year we went to Grand Cayman and Mexico, although I can't find a decent photo with me in it except one from dinner one night. Woohoo! So even though my life has continued in pretty much the same path I started in my 30's, I feel like I'm trying new things and having a great time. I count my blog as one of the New Things of my forties. When I first heard about blogs I couldn't imagine why anyone wrote one or read them, and neverEVER pictured doing so myself. But here I am! I started RSR a little more than a year ago and I'm having a blast writing it. (I hope you're having fun reading it too.) It makes me wonder what other new things might be out there waiting for me to see them, try them, experience them! Oh yeah, and I guess you'll have figured it out from the photo, but another New Thing I tried after I turned 40 was red hair. I'd wanted red hair for years but had been too chicken to try it becauase I was afraid it would look stupid on me. But a couple of years ago I woke up one day and thought "Sheesh, so what if it looks stupid? It's hair! It'll grow!" and I went out that day and bought hair color and changed it. And I love it! The older I get the more I appreciate the idea that I can make even ordinary days at home something special if I try. I may not be able to get away to a tropical beach right now, but I can find a few minutes now and then to put on a satin robe, paint my toenails pink, and sip a frosty beverage while I watch an adventure unfold in front of me. "Classic" (This is today's Daily Art Thang too...clickable if you want to see it larger in a new window) I hope you've enjoyed reading The Story of Deb. I don't know what happens next, but I'm looking forward to finding out! This time next week we'll be starting a new Self-Portrait Challenge: Pop Art. I think that one has the potential to be a lot of fun!