Music, Merlot & me

I admit to looking forward to getting home from holiday but seriously only a few days back and it feels like we’ve never been away; Fuerteventura is like a distant memory.  Why oh why did I ever complain about the Canaries weather when we’ve returned to the grey, cold miserable skies of home.  Autumn has definitely arrived; give me Canaries weather any time.  I was really looking forward to sleeping in my own bed but I’d only been in mine less than an hour when I had to get up and sleep on the sofa because of Phil’s snoring.  For some bizarre reason he came out with a sudden cold as our plane descended. Phil has a weak chest and is very susceptible to changes in air temperature.

Thursday, our first day back due to sleep deprivation was a bit of a haze.  Sue, bless her had been in to the flat and stocked up the fridge and had even made us a cottage pie so I didn’t have to go food shopping which was a nice surprise.  I unpacked and got the washing machine going. I was surprised to see how little post we had whilst we were away but then I opened a letter from Royal Mail telling me that they had suspended our postal service because of our outside steps. Apparently our postie complained and they’d sent out a representative who had deemed them unsafe.  Okay I admit we do have a couple of loose steps but these are the bottom ones and besides, me and Phil are up and down them several times a day.  They do need sorting mind.  Yesterday I went out and brought a post box which will solve the problem temporarily.  

After lunch Phil went over to Overstone to pick up the post from The Manor and also to check on the caravans. Meantime I went over to Sue’s armed with 2 bags of wet washing and 200 duty frees.  Sue let me use her tumble dryer and while it was spinning she and I caught up over numerous cups of tea.  Sue had had a busy couple of weeks and so there much to talk about.  Thursday evening was spent ironing.

Friday was frustrating; we had to stay home because BT were arriving to install the super speed broadband and the BT Vision service and Curry’s were delivering the new tumble dryer; both deliveries were scheduled for an 8 – 1pm slot so we thought at least we’d only have to stay in for the morning.  Well the tumble dryer arrived no problems but BT didn’t show.  I don’t I was surprised because every dealing that I have with BT goes tits up.  I couldn’t track my order on line because it was in progress and I couldn’t face an hour on the phone at the end of Friday complaining but it needs to be done this morning.  Somebody needs to pay for wasting my precious time. Phil spent all of Friday dealing with paperwork for Daphne’s estate.  He wrote lots of letters before we flew away and needed to deal with the replies.  Admin is not Phil’s forte but he cracked on and I think he had a successful day.

We couldn’t decide where to house the tumble dryer.  At first we moved some kitchen stuff around and put the dryer on top of the fridge/freezer but this didn’t look right and it was too high which meant I would have to stand on a chair to both load and unload.  In the end we decided to put it in the bedroom which meant having to take all the stuff out of the wardrobes and shift the wardrobe nearer to the door. It was a bit of a palaver but I was happy how it turned out.  It’s not perfect and it would have been much better if it could have been in the airing cupboard but when space is limited a girl has to make do.

Harriet came round after work on Friday evening for pancakes and to pick up a pack of Lambert and Butler that we had got for her.  She seemed in good form maybe because she had finished work and had Monday off work.  She wolfed down at least 6 pancakes and went away happy and full.

Phil didn’t sleep very well which was a shame because we had planned to go to Melton Mowbray early on Saturday morning.  In the end it was 9am by the time we left the flat only 2 hours later than we had wanted.  It was a shock to the system to have to scrape the car windscreen and a reminder that winter is well and truly on its way.  We made good time on the motorway and got to mum and dads at quarter past ten.  Phil fitted some casing for the newly fitted pipes; he only took one bit of trunking as he wasn’t sure it would fit.  It did fit but only just.  He needs to buy a bigger size next time.  Mum cooked us roast chicken with all the trimmings and I have to say it was lovely.  Why is it that food always tastes nicer when somebody else cooks it???  We left Melton after tea and cake and our Saturday evening was quiet.  A film, X-Factor and an early night.

We’ve been back just 5 days and the holiday is now just a distant memory.  The holiday clothes are all washed and put away ready for the next trip away.  I am not sure when they will be because we have lots of stuff to do before then.  One of the first things we need to do is renew our passports. I already got the forms before we went away; Phil needs to do our photographs and we will get Rashmi, our accountant to sign to say we are who we say we are when we see him on Tuesday.

The clocks going back threw me a little and I was in the wide awake club at 5am.  This was fine as it enabled me catch up with all my soaps.  Two weeks worth of Corrie & Emmerdale and I was a bit soaped out by the time the sun rose but at least now I am up-to-date.  Phil was fast asleep in bed so at least he didn’t have to suffer. 

I went to the gym on Sunday morning as I really need to get back into some sort of fitness regime.  I started before we went away but then obviously I couldn’t go whilst we were on holiday.  As we were pretty horizontal on holiday I was surprised I hadn’t put on any weight.  And actually neither did Phil but the scales show that he is at all time high, weight wise, so he needs to start back on the diet.  I am hoping that he too will come with me to the gym but I’m not sure whether he is going to have time this week, maybe next.

We met Harriet and boyfriend Billy at the church in Bradwell Village for Tom & Youngja’s wedding blessing ceremony.   Tom and Youngja got married in Malaysia but wanted to celebrate with family and friends.  Youngja looked beautiful and and it was a lovely service, one too many hymns for my liking but the vicar had a sense of humour and made if fun. Jim and Shirley must have felt very proud; Tom is a top guy and him and Youngja fit very well together, I hope that they will have a long and happy life together.

After the service we walked to Cruick Barn for the reception.  It was a grey and drizzling slightly but I had taken an umbrella and it was only a 5 minute walk.  It was cold mind you and Harriet was complaining about pain in her high heel wedges.  As it happened, we were the first ones to reach the reception and the first ones to the bar!   The round tables were all laid out with table gifts, cameras and bubbles upon white table cloths.  Tom & Youngja didn’t have place names so you could sit where you wanted.  It was certainly a ‘different’ wedding reception but probably one of the most fun ones that I’d been to.  I have said it before but the Robbs certainly do know how to a throw a party.  There was no top table and no formal meal but there was a hog roast served on a silver platter with other meats and salad stuff. 

Phil unfortunately didn’t eat; he got stuck into the red stripe and the complimentary shots of Soju which Youngja’s family had brought with them.  I had one shot but I know from previous experience that this stuff is lethal.  Dan had compiled the music and it was great, all tracks which made you want to get up and boogie.   And boogie I did; I grimace now in shame as I recall some of my moves at the reception. Why oh why, when music and Merlot are involved, do I think that I am the female equivalent of John Travolta on the dance floor??  It’s very sad.

It was a great day and evening; it was lovely that Youngja’s family had made the effort and travelled all the way from Korea to attend the wedding.  The ‘international’ presence certainly added entertainment to the reception and Youngja’s brother in law provided the top highlight when he got up on the dance floor to teach everyone how to the Gangnam dance. Or at least I think it was that, please correct me if I am wrong. It was hilarious and I wish now that I had taken a video.  Even Phil joined in which either goes to show how much fun it was or either how much red stripe he’d consumed! Actually I have just been on Facebook and saw that one of Tom's friends took a video, not sure if this is legal but I have copied the link. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GGe-YVRITfU#t=242s

Needless to say that we were one of the last to leave the party; Harriet phoned cabs but we couldn’t wait for ours to turn up so we high-jacked Harriet & Billy’s cab and made them go all the way to Newport Pagnell before going on to Caldecotte which was a bit selfish really.  Thankfully we all made it home safely.  We were staying at Sue’s as we had lent our flat to Youngja’s best friend and boyfriend.  Sue was just going to bed when we turned the key in her door so just time for a quick catch up before heading up the stairs.  We crashed out straight away but sometime around 5am Phil had a sort of asthma panic attack and woke up struggling to breath.  I sort of came round to see him trying to get into the glass sliding wardrobe doors.  It took me a second then I realised he thought he was at the GP flat as Sue’s wardrobe is exactly where our bedroom door is.  Unfortunately his wheezing woke up Sue who thought Phil was having a heart attack. She pulled on her dressing gown and was just about to knock on our bedroom door when Phil found his way and opened the door totally naked.  I had to laugh the next morning but when I wasn’t laughing much when I had to clean the toilet where Phil had thrown up.

I didn’t feel too bright when I finally got up yesterday morning but Sue made me tea and got me some fresh fruit and yogurt and I came round slowly.  Phil got up at 11.00am and he looked terrible.  He was suffering from the worst hangover ever.  He did manage to eat some breakfast but actually he didn’t come round all day.  We stayed at Sue’s as we weren’t too sure what time our house guests were leaving but this was fine because we had arranged to see Skyfall, the new James Bond movie.  When I booked the tickets I had quite forgotten that it was half term.  The cinema was packed out and we were forced to sit right at the front which was not ideal but it was the only way we could get 3 seats together. 

The movie was okay, we all agreed that the beginning and end were good but it was a bit boring in the middle and certainly not as good as the last JB film.  With stiff necks we were relieved to get out of the cinema some 3 hours later.  We went to Chimi Changa in the Xcape for a bite to eat afterwards.  Unfortunately Phil was fading badly by then and wasn’t feeling hungry and I had stuffed myself with sweets so I wasn’t that peckish.  In the end I had the chilli, Phil had a cheese burger and Sue had a starter with some Mexican rice.  I felt a bit sorry for Sue as we weren’t the best of company but she knows that this is a one off for us.  I dropped off Sue, picked up our bags and I was tucked up in bed by 7pm.  Phil stayed up to watch the Grand Prix which he’d recorded but I don’t think he was late to bed.

So all in all quite a busy, action packed post holiday few days.  Thank you to Tom & Youngja for letting us share their special day.  Also thank you to Sue for giving us a bed and sorry for the panic attach in the early hours of the morning!  It was nice to finally meet Harriet’s boyfriend Billy.  It’s no secret that I haven’t actually liked any of Harriet’s boyfriends, especially Shane, but both Phil & I liked Billy and thought he was a great lad.  As to what he thought of me and Phil, well we won’t even go there! After all the excitment, I need a quiet week.