Proof

Undoubtedly the best way to celebrate twenty-five years (TWENTY-FIVE YEARS *shakes head in disbelief*) as a Londoner:

- don nun outfit (courtesy @peabee72 circa 2010, I've been waiting that long for the right occasion to wear it)

- enlist other Von Trapp family devotees (Liesl and Gretl who obediently stayed by my side; Captain Georg and Sister Bertha who ran off into the distance, tsk)

- join forces with some two and a half thousand other half marathoners

- majority of whom are also in fancy dress

- complete course - up hill and down vale - in ridiculously long time

- because there was lots of wine to taste

- at every feed station

- and dancing

- and laughing

- and singing

- including karaoke on demand (Elvis, Spice Girls, Abba... we ROCKED, I tell you)

- finish in one piece albeit with sore feet

that'd be two of the Von Trapp children
disappearing in the distance,
escaping Mother Superior

And just in case you doubted any of the above, here's a taster of what was going on en route:

So. Happy anniversary to me. 

Who would have thought it?

I only came for a couple of years...

What I have learnt since my return

1. I can say "No." It won't kill me. Or the person asking, for that matter
2. I can chase up contacts without the "I'm on holiday, call me back in September," excuse being levelled at me
3. I can still hit the < delete > button with relish, and quite vigorously - and frequently - too
4. If someone annoys me on Facebook, I can happily hide their posts
5. If someone stalks me on Facebook, I can change what they can see of mine, ie virtually nothing
6. Some things never change: people, perspectives, perceptions
7. Some things do change: people, perspectives, perceptions
8. Almost nothing surprises me anymore, ref points 4-7 above
9. Doing absolutely bugger all exercise for three weeks takes willpower 
10. Knowing that you have a half marathon approaching and are totally ill-prepared is not worth fretting about
11. Because there will be wine
12. And laughter
13. And fancy dress
14. And who said we would be running it anyway? Tsk.

yes, our theme - I will wearing a nun's habit