Things have been a bit hectic here for various reasons but birthday was marked of sorts and we did have some presents such as a Beach Boys deluxe edition of their mid 1970's albums with unreleased versions and the like which was great cos they were an early gurlhood like of mine, having many singles and albums.
Things like that go back ages as do things I have around girlguiding like badges, activity books and even the odd period dressed dolly and this gurl loves hur dollies madly.
A few days after going around the sun again things remain the same,eh?
However you attempt to wrap this up, it's all about getting better at being you rather than really getting any older or different really as from the beginning of time people have tended to say by your early years they know what the chronologically older you is going to be.
For me it remains as it always did, a fine tuning here and there but basically the same me with no blinding "now I'm a grown up" moment so Mrs "happyasagrownup" I could never be you even if I tried, it wasn't there and I'm different. I'm happy not being one.
And that is okay really.
Like this is my birthday but it's just as it's always been essentially, routed over decades, very much in the first and a bit so you have the same sorts of things as presents cos that's what you enjoy and I'll add the odd post here and there about some of them cos I like things in some kind or order.
There were some more plushies, pretty lingerie, chocolate and money.
Although there will seperate entries later on I did get a Hall and Oates sacd of album I only have on record, a sacd box set of Violin Concertos and a few classical records.
The latest installment of Now Yearbook presents the '60's: 1963-1964 was a lp present, three discs that show the new sounds coming in that were to change popular music.
Why talk about them? Cos I'm more than any one thing, nay, this whole sissy gurl thing.
There were phone calls and cards obviously but every was as it remains and I'm happy about that.
It's been a while since I last made a post about GirlGuiding which is trying - being the operative word in the Post Cass Report era - to find their way though a desire for inclusivity which takes in those who are or feel they're trans and the constitutional issue of being from when Dame Agnes Baden-Powell set up GirlGuiding of being just for girls (and women) with legal challenges from activisits and some parents.
Anyhow, this is how the "top" of Girl Guides looks in 2026.
Senior Leadership Team (National)
Chief Guide: Tracy Foster (appointed for a 5-year term to champion volunteer and girl experiences).
Deputy Chief Guide: Sally Kettle.
Assistant Chief Guide: Mhairi Mackay.
CEO: Felicity Oswald OBE.
Chair of the Board of Trustees: Denise Wilson OBE.
Patron: Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
Ambassadors
These individuals help raise the profile of Girlguiding in the UK:
Anna McNuff: Adventurer and author.
Laura Anderson: Environmental scientist ("Less Waste Laura").
Katie Zelem: Professional footballer.
Ellen Buttrick MBE: Paralympic rower.
Dame Jacqueline Wilson: Author.
Tori James: President of Girlguiding Cymru and adventurer.
Made By Mammas (Zoe Hardman & Georgia Dayton): Podcaster
There many, many others who do help out, former girl guides, those not but with girls that are interested and those in Trefoil Guild which runs along Girlguiding areas for those who were or were not in Guides and still like to go things together as Girlguidling for adults helping out often to.
Trefoil is open to men and women.
Inclusivity isn't just about gender issues as important as they can be but also about ensuring that whatever religion, race or disability there's a space for to shine be it as a guide or as a helper.
Pictured is a former guide and now helper who has Tourette's which has been in the news, she might involuntarily say the word "Chicken" but she's making a difference and that's just what this thing is all about, helping girls be their best selves.
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