Goodness a lot has happened since I last posted, and all with a temperature and a somewhat dodgy tummy.
I'll not go into detail about temperature and dodgy tummy - just to say a bit uncomfortable and it's clinging on in there!
On Friday I met up with my brother and his girlfriend so we could enjoy my Christmas present together. First though let's mention the girlfriend. It was the first time I have met her, though I've hear her name and about her a lot from brother. It's not a small thing, he left his wife of 24 years last year. We're unsure about whether girlfriend came first or second.
Though a friend of mine has observed that on the whole men don't leave a relationship unless they are confident there's a back up plan.
That aside, girlfriend seemed really lovely, very easy to get on with and we had genuine giggles, so good news. Don't get me wrong I still get on very well with his ex and I know my mum maintains a really strong relationship with her. Obviously they have a son together and so their paths will continue to cross regularly.
Needless to say it's all a little awkward and I'm already wondering what the guest list will be next Christmas. Frankly I'm happy to invite them all, it's not a mess of my making after all.
But why did we meet, SUPER EXCITING - present from my brother was tickets to Kerry Godliman. She is my favourite comedian and she really doesn't seem to tour often. Also historic tours never seem to be available on DVD or on telly. Apart from one Live at the Apollo, which I am happy to watch again and again.
As a result I'm quite the fan girl and it was really exciting to be just 4 rows back from the front. The venue was the Corn Exchange at Brighton Dome, which is a smaller venue - which was great because it really felt like we were there and close. Sometimes with big venues you end up watching more on the screen than what's going on on stage.
Needless to say she was as fabulous as I'd expected. I was howling with laughter.
It being a Friday night and me being tired after work, once the show was over we went our separate ways. I didn't want to stay up too late, I knew there as a lot to get done by 13:15 on Saturday.
Saturday morning I got up early and got dressed on the off chance the builders would turn up to finish off wall (they didn't turn up). After a caffeine shot I had my next task for the day. My friend was having a party later and they'd put in a requested order for a vintage 70's pineapple and cheese hedgehog.
The theme of the parky was 'Pink & Sparkly' - so I'd purchased a pink cake board as the base. I've never made a hedgehog like this before, though the ideas for a traditional one were easy to find online. I hollowed out half a honeydew melon (had the fruit for breakfast). Then covered the melon case in tin foil. Then it was just a case of using a cocktail stick and adding a chunk of tinned pineapple and some mild plastic cheddar (all important for the 70's feel). The idea is that this then just gets stuck into the melon.
It wasn't that easy to be honest. I ended up having to get a skewer and poking holes in first. Otherwise the cocktail sticks were going in, but never coming out again. Anyway once finished I made eyes and nose with glace cherries and my 70's display was complete. In case you have no idea what I'm talking about - here's a picture....... Tin foil balls in picture were simply to make sure it didn't slide around in transit.
Friend who was having the party had arranged an open house for the day. So that people (as long as they stuck to the pink and sparkly theme) could turn up at any time from 14:00. As I knew I needed to get back for son later, I'd decided to be there at 14:00 on the dot. That time that you think nobody is turning up.
But before I went I needed to get my outfit together. I'd spent ages prepping it. In the end I wore a hot pink sequinned jacket - I purchased in a sale years ago and never thought I'd have an excuse to wear. A black satin shirt pinned with pink pearl buttons, black trousers, pink glittery boots - a pink feather boa, a pink wig, and an ugly pink fascinator (I never do anything by halves - if you say there's a theme - I'll go for it - subtle is not my forte). I also did my makeup with pink glittery cheeks, pink lipstick, blue eyeliner and blue mascara.
I thought I looked great - husband said I looked like a drag queen.
In the end I decided not to do the 40 minute drive to friends house in wig and jacket - it was just asking for the car to breakdown. So I went with 90% of the outfit on and finished dressing outside the house.
I was so impressed by how many people turned up. If I did an open house from 14:00 at best about 4 people would turn up - the house was absolutely heaving. I didn't know anybody there as friend tends to have different groups and the other person in my group was in Glasgow. I made some small talk (very difficult for me) and enjoyed the buzz until 16:30. Then a group of about 20 people turned up and so I thought that I could probably slip away confident that friend was having an awesome time.
Husband had gone away to Portsmouth with the boys for the night, so I'd promised son a McDonalds. On the way home I drove down to the Marina and put in my order. Although it's a drive through they always ask you to park up - and every time I do that I'm convinced they forget me. I waited for 20 minutes before chasing and by the time I got home the food was literally cold. Not helped by the fact that as I got out of the car with all of my bits the McDonalds bag split and half of the food spilt onto the street and had to be thrown away.
In the end that fact was ok because cold burger and chips isn't great. I'd also purchased some vegan nuggets (which is probably why I had to wait). I lost some of these when the food dropped, but I'll be honest they were absolutely disgusting. With vegan food there's an obsession with adding check peas - I can't stand chickpeas, they make me want to hurl. I'd even checked what the nuggets were before ordering. It said peppers and pesto - that sounds lovely and I purchased for some much needed vitamins to go with the burger. It said nothing about chickpeas or I'd not have ventured.
Anyway, son and I sat down with what was left of the order and watched Hunger Games together - and that was Saturday.
On Sunday I woke still feeling ropey and curled up on sofa - I decided not to bother getting dressed in case the builder came as it obviously wasn't going to be this weekend........................ yup you guessed it, front doorbell rang and it was builder.
I'll not go into much detail - except to say - that at long last - since the incident pre-Christmas when the storm blew our wall down - we now have a brand new wall. Now all that's needed is to sort out the fence, the leak in the shower room and the electrics in dining room #fml!!!!!
After getting the builders sorted dog and I went out for a walk up in the hills - I have to say the sun was shining, but it was bitterly cold - how did it suddenly get so cold again.
Once home son and I went and did something we literally never do - we drove to an out of town shopping place so he could get an outfit for a wedding we're off to in a few weeks. It needed to be something that would then become his school uniform in September when he starts 6th form.
I thought he'd put up more of a struggle about trying stuff on, but he was great about it actually. Even though it took ages. At the changing rooms I sat at the entrance waiting patiently. In the men's changing room it was literally heaving with women - all standing around and nattering (very loudly) whilst waiting for sons and husbands to come out and show stuff they were trying on.
I knew that this would really disturb son who likes his privacy. I asked the person from the shop who was policing the changing rooms if it was right for so many women to be in there. They just shrugged. I did point out that if it had been a women's changing room full of men that people would kick off.
It's not often I stick up for the boys - I'm guessing it was mother lion coming out.
Once home all that was left for the weekend was to prep supper - and before you know it the weekend was over.
Terrible night's sleep on Sunday. I seemed to wake up every hour on the hour having had very stressful dreams I didn't want to slip back into. I've woken this morning feeling surprisingly untired, but my gut is absolutely killing me and I'm still running a temperature. Watch this space on that.
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