I'm at that 'Difficult Age'

Well my birthday was ok-ish. There was an incident which went some way towards spoiling the evening. I'll just say 2 words 'Theo' and 'trouble' and leave it at that.

But since my birthday - well, how shit is the weather? It's so bloody cold. And this brought up something I was hoping I wouldn't have to think about.

When we go back to uni on the 1st October I will need to use public transport more often than the odd occasion (when I go into Leeds to get drunk.) This is due to car parking on the Headingley campus having had a major revamp, ie there's no parking for students any more except for about 3 spaces, and also I have some subjects that'll take place in one of the Leeds city centre sites.

And this has brought up a problem. for the last million years (ok - about 7) I have managed to work/shop/be a student where I can park my car pretty close by. So I have survived the last 7 years making do with cardigan/scarf/glove/umbrella combos to get me through the cold and wet weather.

But now I will need to get to and from the train station, or bus stops, or even the outskirts of Edinburgh (which is probably the closest I'll be able to park to the Headingley campus.) And given how cold it is already, what the hell is it going to be like in November?

So, I need a coat. I'm not a coat person. I think they're uncomfortable and cumbersome. And a lot of them are simply ugly. But I think I actually need one for this coming autumn/winter. So I have been looking at coats.

I scouted through loads of 'stores' online for ideas about the shapes and varieties that are in the shops now and there were some that I thought were OK. And then I went into Leeds to 'try some on'. Bloody nightmare. The ones I liked just did not like me. The ones I didn't like looked equally awful.

The one I liked best for comfort and fit was in M&S and was a shiny black down filled knee length puffa coat with fur trim round the hood. Until I looked in the mirror. Oh my GAWD. Did I look a twat or what.

And that's the problem really. My head and heart want young and trendy shiny metallic parkas and the new 'bubble' shape, but my reflection in the mirror is telling me I need a camel 3/4 length car coat or a dull red lightly padded quilted anorak.

As a 49 year old student, I really am at that difficult age.

Poor old bugger

It's my birthday tomorrow.

I shall be very, very old. But not as old as Jonathan. And not old enough to get unsolicited mail from SAGA or insurance companies offering special deals for the over 50s.

But I shall still be old. And wrinkly. And grey. (So why do I still get the occasional zit?)

So please will someone tell me when I will be grown up enough to realise how totally stupid I must look walking through Leeds pissed at 6 in the evening.