What to do for my birthday?

[ShatnersWig]

Third world problems. My 45th coming up. I always take the day off work and, since becoming single 9 years ago, I'd mostly spent them with my best friend doing all manner of things. Unfortunately my best friend let me down several times when I needed her over the last two years so doesn't happen now.

I've got no idea what to do with the day (which is a Tuesday) on my own. Man, no kids or family, don't like sport. I genuinely can't think of something fun to do or somewhere to go (always a sod this time of year as a lot of attractions and places to visit don't open until Easter).

Anyone got any suggestions?

Spa day, massage, lunch?
Cinema and take away?
Shopping for a piece of jewellery?

Jewellery????

Oh Tuesday's are my day off!! My ds works in a delightful tea room and he makes the cakes!!

Does he make lemon drizzle?

Last year i jumped on the train for a day trip to the coast for a birthday picnic (and dog for company). Lovely sunny day in Feb!

It's a terrible time of year! Mine's in March so I sympathise..

Is there an exhibition you'd like to see? There are some lovely ones at the moment and coming up in London - Bonnard, Burne-Jones, Sohlberg, Ruskin.. There's the Anglo Saxon exhib. at the British Library.. Then treat yourself to something at the gift shop and a nice lunch..

I'm hoping to spend a night or two somewhere a bit isolated - I'm in Kent so I'm looking at Dungeness or Elmley - but probably not to everyone's taste! I'll potter about, knit, read, have a fire in the evening and just stare into space.. I kid myself that I'll draw but I kind of know I won't..

Walk and cake is also a good combo? Walk and pub? Walk, good book, and pub?

Roughly where are you?

@Birthday I think the drawback is that I tend to do walking at weekends to pass the time. I'd really like to try and do something, well, a bit more fun and something that perhaps I don't do regularly anyway. I'm not really a foodie (it's sustenance rather than something to spend time drooling over). I'm up in London two weeks later to see a show and two weeks after that, so I'm thinking not London.

Gloucestershire

I'm still puzzled over the idea of shopping for jewellery....

It was my birthday last week on a day I wasn’t working. I went to Fortnum and Masons for lunch and a glass of champagne, taking a book for company. It was bliss! I had to collect the kids from school but perhaps you could go and see a movie? Munch sweets and popcorn?

Just seen your latest posts, ignore mine!

Ellenborough spa is lovely for a day or overnight if you fancy a change of pace. I went on my own when DH had a crappy conference in Cheltenham.

@stclair Not at all. I like going to the cinema but it's something I do regularly with friends anyway (saw Can You Ever Forgive Me and Green Door last week, both excellent

Have you got any future plans that you could start properly on yr birthday?
I'm going to make soap/plant a hedgerow/keep chickens/write a cosy mystery, so a whole day to plan and start would be a real luxury..

Or an indulgent day course? I'm a woman so obviously we have no interests in common, but round here there is foraging/hedgelaying/dream interpretation/shamanic stuff/willow weaving/hydrosol workshops..

Indoor skiing?

I did a learn to ski thing for my 40th. Was great. Then I went last year and someone snowboarded into me and I was on crutches for four weeks. Put me off a bit!

I think one of the problems is probably that because I am single with no family, I tend to spend a lot of time on my own at weekends (so many friends have families that they don't necessarily have much time to 'spare') so I end up doing quite a lot of planning then as well. Already planned a major overhaul of the garden last autumn and have already done all I can until the weather is sorted and no more frosts.

What about an experience day? Driving a racing car or fire engine or something?

@ShatnersWig
Sorry for causing offence by replying to your thread with my ideas.

@askingalways Not offence, just curious - seems an unusual thing for a man to do, go shopping to buy himself jewellery, that's all.

It was a mistake, I missed that part of the post.

@SimplyPut Would you believe Ellenborough is a 15-minute walk from my place!

I’d probably go into work, take cake, have everyone say happy birthday, meet friends for dinner.

@Sukochicha Only two of us where I work [weeps into bucket and plays tiny violin]. I'm having a meal with friends on the Saturday.

why not book in to a lovely hotel take advantage of the pool and other facilities?

@ShatnersWig how typical. On the upside you could walk and indulge in some birthday champagne 🍾

See if there are any cookery workshops arranged locally?
Go to a wine/beer tasting session.
Go to a professional football/basketball/ice hockey game.
Go to a local NT property.
Theatre.