Hello!

Welcome to my new blog - one specifically set up to celebrate my biggest birthday yet. That's 40 years of age (which I was on January 13). Suddenly I feel a little bit faint.

Needless to say I don't feel 40 - and, oh, you flattering people thankyou for reminding me that on the phone I sound 12, and with my twinkling Malteser eyes - I've got two of them you know - lustrous busby of hair and girlish laugh that could cut glass, my real age must surely be anything from 21 to 106 depending on where I'm working, what I'm drinking and/or what I've been up to the night before.

Anyway, it's highly likely that you've come here in search of some guidance in the 40 Licks challenge - that's 40 things for me to do that I have never done before, in the next year.

Well, that's for another day as tomorrow I'll be posting a few helpful hints, some more info about me and, unfortunately, a couple of rules that I thought I may have to put in place so we don't all go bankrupt or break our necks.

I'll also be having some spin-offs such as this Ben Myers blog

from yesterday on morris dancing, also qualifying as something that I've never done before, eg. being in The Grauniad. Thanks, Ben!