Am I a grown up?

As I sit chatting to an old friend about her life and all the things we have to catch up on, it reminded me of my 19th birthday.  Getting ready to go out, planning where we were all going to stay that night and needing only to think of, where we were going to drink, and who may be out that night.

Almost nine years on, the conversations we were having were rather different. As I flicked through her wedding photos, discussing her job and my business, it all seemed rather surreal.  At what point did we grow up? I read an article in a newspaper the other day that highlighted how you know if you are a grown up or not.  Many of the 'life-affirming' things on there were moments I am yet to experience.  Buying a house was top of the list, closely followed by having a baby, which was at number six and getting married at number nine.  These three are clearly, by society's standards, the epitome of being a grown up.  I am not sure what it says for me being close to not even one of these, well maybe the house, it is a daily aspiration of mine, but anyway.

What I did find really interesting was some of the more tenuous links to being deemed a 'grown-up'.  As per my last post I find myself in this cross between relishing in drinking my cares away to priding myself on living alone and taking care of myself!

If I am to be judged on this list then the results were quite alarming. Taking the key milestones of ones life away, I was surprised at how 'grown-up' I must be.  Number two was 'mum and dad no longer make your financial decisions', well I can't remember the last time they did that. Conducting a weekly shop and being able to cook from scratch were also in the top ten.  If I couldn't cook a meal, or several for that matter, from scratch, not only would I probably be a lot thinner and rather hungry, but I think I, personally, would be embarrassed.  I love having friends over and feeding them is part of the charm!

Number 11 was recycling.  Having lived with housemates who didn't recycle I used to find my blood pressure rise.  'What is wrong with you? Don't you care? Often met with nothing but a shrug and a blank stare, whilst being told I shouldn't sweat the small stuff.  Also in the top 20 were, watching the news, taking trips to the tip and knowing how to bleed a radiator.  Well, when you live on your own you have to learn these things you know. My radiator key sits close to hand in my kitchen, and I even have a 'man drawer', packed full of essential items such as a flat head, a Phillips screwdriver and even an array of alum keys.

A few of the things did make me laugh, but petrified me also...such as having a 'best' crockery set, enjoying cooking, buying a Sunday paper, filing post, finding a messy house annoying and even, on the odd occasion, listening to Radio 2.  That is me, I seemed to sigh out loud.

Firstly, at what point did I turn into my mother, secondly, I have many more to add to the list, such as my collection of blankets, vintage tea sets and buying anti-wrinkle cream, and thirdly, I have just glanced at the paperwork on my desk and realised I have a tax return to file and a stack of papers to file.

So, that is enough from me, as I still need to cook dinner, have a stack of ironing to do and a bottle of wine to drink, yes, there are some much loved pleasures in being a grown up. It really isn't all that bad.