Cousin LL (as in Cool J)

The post I wrote last week about my dear Dad on his birthday has been quite the subject of the family chatter.  Whilst I'm delighted they are all reading the blog so avidly (apart from Cousin TL who asked me 'Can I set up an alert so it tells me when you are writing about me?') this does put a little bit of pressure on me to write something meaningful about them all on their birthdays. 

Quite frankly, there are an awful lot of them so I'm not sure they will all be as long as Dad's Ode. 

But today is the birthday of Cousin LL who I have looked up to and been bossed around by since before I could hold up my own head.  She is 10 months older than me and never, ever, ever lets me forget it.  I followed her to the same Uni and then moved in next door to her when I moved to London at the tender age of 22 and needed to be shown the ropes a bit.  I'll never forget her kindness at bringing me into her huge circle of friends and getting me up and on my feet when I was heartbroken and a bit green to all things London. 

She is effortlessly stylish with the lovelist nose ever known to man.  There are few people I'd rather turn to in a crisis as she has a cool, calm view on the world and always useful and thoughtful advice.  Even if I disolve into dramatic tears she will always cheer me up.

We've had some incredible holidays and mini breaks together.  I think the week we spent in Bulgaria learning to ski will go down in history as the funniest week of my life so far. 

She is birthday-ing today in the St Tropez having a boat trip - as you do.  So Happy Birthday dear Cousin LL!

Rose xx