London Calling.

Yesterday was quite a big day for me. To some people a trip up to London may seem a walk in the park but for me it was huge. I am you see a total home bird and very rarely do I venture too far on my own. If I am with the family or a group of people I am fine but for some reason when on my own I tend to stick local.

The Husband works in London 2 days a week and has been pestering asking me to come up by train and meet him for dinner. The thought of this turned my tummy and made me get the sweats so I managed to find excuses reasons not to go.



So to cut a long story slightly shorter.........I went. YIPPEE, YAY ME!!!

I smiled the whole way there at the fact I was on a train, on my own going up to the big city. The train ride took about an hour and a half and once the first 3 stops had gone and the school kids from The Teenagers class had got off (bloody hell they can talk some rubbish) I relaxed into my journey. The Hubby kept in constant contact the whole way as I gave him a running commentary of the people on the train....A real mixture of people including...

1. A very loud business man who talked very loudly to his secretary Katie and said the word b*****k's every time we went through a tunnel as he lost reception.

2. American business people who didn't like someone called Clayton and didn't trust him with their money and then promptly said very loudly that in 6 hours they would be on a plane and out of this freaking awful country.....Nice!!!

3. Depressed looking woman who at one point sneezed so loud I very nearly wet myself.

4. ME..........A smiling loon that looked like I was on day release and had never been on a train before.

So there I am all proud and bubbling with excitement. The train arrives at London Bridge and the words of a good friend of mine ring in my ears...."When you get off do you no which exit to take because there are a few ways out". How hard can it be I thought to myself, surely you just follow the other people.....WRONG WRONG WRONG! I followed these people up some stairs and suddenly realised I was no where near the exit. I went back down the stairs and stood for a while looking at the unorganised chaos before me. I know, I thought. I will ring the Hubby...
"Hello, its me....I cant get out"
"WHAT!! What do you mean you cant get out, are you still on the train.....wait there I'm coming" was the reply I got.
"Oh no hang on, I can see an exit sign. " I said, then the phone cut off, and in the words of the loud business man I said......b****k's.
As I walked down the very long platform to the EXIT sign I suddenly realised that somehow I had managed to end up 3 platforms away from the one I came in on. The barriers were fast approaching and I heard raised voices...

"MY WIFE IS STUCK ON THE TRAIN AND I NEED TO GET HER OFF BEFORE IT HEADS BACK"
"Sir, you need to calm down, we will get to you wife just tell me which platform she is on" the ticket man was saying.

Ooh I thought, I've only been here 2 minutes and already I am witnessing a case of train rage. It was at this moment I realised that the shouty man was in fact my Hubby and he had misunderstood me when I had said I couldn't get out. WHOOPPS !!!

I sheepishly went through the barrier and tapped him on the shoulder, "Hi"....The look on his face was one of those looks you give a child when you have lost them, you know the look I mean the one where you don't no whether to slap them or hug them. Needless to say he didn't slap me (he wouldn't dare) he hugged me like I'd just been rescued from a burning building.

As happy as I was that I was with him and in London there was one thing that was causing me a great source of discomfort.......My shoes. I do have this rather annoying habit of wearing totally inappropriate shoes in the name of fashion and then walking like a ......well like a.........like a person wearing very painful shoes (sorry couldn't think if anything at that moment).
As I hobbled off with The Hubby as if by some force of magic a mirage appeared in front of me.........Next Clothing Store. I ran in only to be told they were just about to close, I don't know whether it was the desperation in my eyes or the fact I was holding a credit card between my teeth that the lovely young assistant waved me in and asked me to be quick. Seeing exactly what I needed I grabbed a pair of flat loafers and put them on my throbbing feet.....Ahhhhhhh !!!!

The evening was fantastic and we took in some lovely sights as well as having a beautiful dinner, I even tried mussels which up until this day always made me think of lady parts but with this new found courage I tried one, then two, then three. Yummy yummy yummy. As we boarded the train to come home The Hubby looked at me and smiled "I am so incredibly proud of you tonight" he whispered in my ear. And I was too.

So there we go, I'm still feeling on a bit of a high today and planning my next trip up there, one things for sure.......I wont be wearing wedges and next time I am not following any crowds.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my pictures.




Lots of Love
Me
xxxxxxxx

 

Bikes, Boats and Boobs

I am back from 4 of the most wonderful days. Myself, The Hubby, The Whirlwind and The Teenager headed off for a fun filled adventure to Centre Parcs in the middle of Longleat Forest.
It would take me ages to blog about everything so here is a slightly edited version of our time away....

Thursday Day Time.................Kids at school, Hubby at work, Me...........Clean house, do all washing and ironing, charge up various electrical forms of communication, shop for food and drinks to take with us, pack clothes for summer and winter for all of us, pack shoes for all weather, take a medicine bag with everything from plasters to Rescue Remedy in and finally sort the dog out.
Please note:- The reason I pack for everyone is that last year when I let them pack their own bags we ended up with no trousers for The Whirlwind , no underwear for The Teenager and no shoes for The Husband.

Friday morning ....Time to leave the house (45 minutes late due to The Hubby deciding to go and get his hair cut at the last minute)............Yippee we are on the road.........Nope, we are going back as The Teenager has left her bag with all her art homework in.............

We are really off this time........ Journey going well until we get stuck behind a caravan for 2 1/2 hours, with no chance of overtaking we just look at the back of it. As we fly past Stonehenge and finally overtake them, the old man gives us a 2 finger sign and calls us a very rude word. (OAP rage or what).

We reach our destination........ Kids are both asleep and wake up with the hump and stiff necks, Hubby needs a wee so badly that he cant walk properly and I am in need of a Gin & Tonic and its only 2pm.
Friday Afternoon....Check into our cabin. All lovely, kids happy, Hubby happy, Mummy very happy.

Off we go to pick up our bikes.....(This is something that I was dreading due to the fact that the last time I rode a bike it hurt in all the wrong places and gave me a nasty case of chaffing.) 4 bikes all ready and waiting for us. Kids jump on excitedly, Hubby has managed to have a wee by now so he mounts his and cycles off to find the kids. This just leaves little old me........Walk my bike outside and find a secluded spot, get on the bike with all the grace of a rhino and have a little practice ride around the pick up area. Find that I am quite surprised that not only did my nunny not hurt but I actually really loved it.....Whizz past the kids and Hubby with my legs outstretched shouting "YIPPEEEEEEE" !!! (Receive a round of applause from a group of women on a hen party).

Saturday....... Everyone slept like logs and we eagerly get on our bikes to head on down to the lake where we were to board a pedalo.
It is at this stage I must explain something to anyone who doesn't know me and the Hubby. I am terrified of boats, water and fish, The Hubby is not terrified of anything but is 6ft 2ins and built like a shed. The kids begged me to go aboard so I had to leave my fears on the beach and grow a pair.
The pedalo itself was very sturdy, so myself and The Teenager sat at the front whilst the boys peddled at the back. The trouble was that there was no room for anyone over the height of 5ft to pedal so my poor husband was in agony the whole time.

The Teenager then swapped places with The Whirlwind and I screamed as the boat rocked back and forth threatening to capsize me and revealing the hundreds of fish underneath me. They then thought it would be funny to drive it into a set of bushes whilst I was looking through my bag for travel sickness tablets thus ending up with more screaming and twigs, leaves and foliage getting stuck in my hair as well as one very cross moorhen who then chased us away.
Sunday.....Another good night sleep was had by all. Today we had promised the kids a day at the water park. With swimming bags all packed we again took to our bikes ( I, by this stage thought I was Lance Armstrong and had even ventured into 5th gear).
The Lagoon/rapids/swimming pool was a short journey away, myself and The Teenager arranged to meet the boys by the waters edge.
As I appeared round the corner the Husband looked at me very strangely (not the reaction I was looking for as I was wearing my new swimsuit). "Have you got full make up on?" he enquired. "Yes, I have" was my reply. "What about when you get your face wet" he said........."Don't worry, I have no intention of getting my face or hair wet" I said.
Well that was the understatement let me tell you. As I flew down the first rapid holding my nose and straining my neck to stay above water it all went horribly wrong. The only way I can describe how I felt was a bit like being put in a washing machine and then spun. As I came up for air choking and spluttering the kids and hubby watched on with hands clamped over their mouths...."Has my make up run" was the first thing out of my mouth. "Errrrrrrrrr......Just a bit" replied the kids.

I managed to catch sight of myself just before I was thrown down the next slide, if Alice Cooper went swimming then this is what it would look like.
As if this wasn't bad enough, my left boob popped out of my costume just in time for the same hen party who cheered me earlier to see. Another round of applause. GREAT !!!!


Monday....Last day, so we decided to take the kids to Longleat Safari. A fantastic day was had by all, although we lost a few bits of the car due to the monkey enclosure. Hubby NOT HAPPY !!!!!

Kids had a great time and we all said that we would definitely go back next year. Said our goodbyes to all the animals and headed home.
Monday night.........Basically repeated the packing process but in reverse, said hello to a very excited dog and collapsed into a heap.

So there we go, my holiday in a nutshell. We had such a great time that we have already booked up to go back next year to do it all again...........This time I will be taking waterproof mascara and a swimming hat.

Apologies for it being such a long one.

Lots of love
Me xxxx