Hen Weekend Part 1.

Well, what an amazing weekend... there is far to much to put into just one blog.

We set off nice and early to get to the Airport in time for the flight. Unfortunately the week before I had set the sat nav to avoid motorway's and we had forgotten to change it back. It was a lovely trip, if not a little slow.....

Yes we admired the back of this lorry for many miles..........
Ok so we got to the airport, got the car parked and got ready to get through security. This is an ordeal in itself. getting the fluids out of the bag's, emptying, pockets, taking off shoes etc. Why is it that I am always the one who gets frisked? I guess I did look a bit dodgy It was a gloomy morning in Bristol and there was me in my shades and black trilby hat. (which I had placed in the tray).  I was then thoroughly  patted down.

Once we finally got past security, It was time to settle in for a well deserved cup of hot chocolate.

I then bought myself some reading material for the plane...

This book is really good and deserves a blog of its own.

As I was going to be spending the night with 40 Scottish folk I decided that this might me useful......

Ok I have a confession to make......I don't like flying! The up in the air bit is fine but the getting there and back is a different matter. I cant stand the feeling of taking off and Landing. I have to close my eye's as if I look out of the window my tummy makes a big lurch. If I had my way we would take the train. It causes LSP to laugh as I am holding onto the seat in front with my eye's tightly closed, trying to breath deeply and relax. We arrived safely.

I was blown away by the beauty and architecture of Glasgow.

more to follow!

How I nearly missed the Royal wedding!

Well, as you all know! OD (Older daughter) was moving out today. The idea was that we would get all of the moving done in time for me to sit down and watch the wedding. 


Did not go to plan! 


OD did not arrive! YD (youngest Daughter) was no where to be seen (she had stayed at a friends house) so LSP and I moved the contents of her room into the car and then to her flat ourselves. This has been a planned move and she has been packing for more than a week. So we had cardboard city in the dinning room as well as bits and pieces still in her room. 


I don't know how many trips to and from the car we made. 


LSP has a large car and boy did we fill it. 

Half full...

Every girl needs to remember her Numchucks! 

The boot is nearly full. 

I was really rushing by the end. More haste Less speed should have been the order of the day! At one point I had out moving trolley in one hand, A bag in the other with a computer monitor tucked under my arm....I stopped and put the monitor down. 

We had packed a few house warming gifts as well. 

(this fell off the trolley) 

There were a few minor disaster's while we were going back and forth...

This was what happened to the stamp box which lives in the hallway! 

Here are half of the boxes in the sitting room.

(I have no idea where she is going to put it all) 

I also have no idea where it all came from! i am now convinced that her room is a Tardis. We did build in a lot of storage but still to fill the back of an estate car. We have another trip later as we did not include any of her furniture... Desk, storage unit etc...

I remember once when I moved house at the age of 20 when all my worldly Good's fitted into the boot of a Ford Sierra..... However, 

We eventually made it back home... I raced to the TV just in time for the Does any one know any lawful reason why ....... 

So then I was hooked and I am still watching it now. 

I would have loved a wedding like that, trumpets and all. Catherine's dress was amazing so serene and beautiful. I am a fan of lace on wedding dresses, so much I had one myself. 

(I had a look to see if Catherine has a tattoo as well but I could not spot one.)

Friday feeling on a Thursday!

Well I have that Friday feeling! that mad last rush at work to get everything done before you switch off the PC, gather your bags and walk out the door.

I had another manipulation after work today, lots of pressing, twisting and traction. I do feel the benefit of it. I am sat here with no headache (at the moment). I hope that it is good for the weekend!

This weekend I am going to a hen party!!!  Then a nice lunch on the Sunday....Its going to be exciting I will tell you all about it when its done. (2 nights out in 2 weeks)

I am on the sofa, having eaten a take away curry....

I have been shopping today and will post the photo's soon!

Tomorrow will be a mad rush of moving OD, before the royal wedding starts... 

Hope you enjoy your Friday tomorrow.

Half empty nest!

OD (older daughter) is running up and down stairs with various bags and boxes.

Tonight is the last night that she will live her. (she can always come back)

Tomorrow she picks up the keys to her her new flat!

I cant quite believe its real.

Its like the years have been put on fast forward. it does not seem 5 minutes since she was tiny!

Tonight we all went out for a family meal, to celebrate/commiserate her last night.

She is not moving far......(10 minute walk) I will pass her house every day and we will still see her lots...

But still.... We will miss her, very very much!

Why half an empty nest? Because YD younger daughter is very much still with us. :)

headache and more Brighton.

So today was my first day back at work for a month. I had had a discussion with my GP and we said that the 3 day week would be a good way of easing myself back into work. Friday and Saturday were quite good days. not 100% headache free but still not to bad. ...


Sunday and Monday were not so good. Yesterday I spent most of it on the sofa wearing sunglasses.  However I was hopeful about today. (especially as it was due to be cloudier and cooler)


How wrong I was, I made it through the day and carried out my duties however, on the bus at the end of the day I just wanted to cry. I am going back in tomorrow so wish me luck! 


In an attempt to halt these headache's, I am not eating chocolate, cheese, having caffeine or alcohol (apart from those daiquiri's at the weekend). I have now been suggested to avoid oranges and try having some ginger. Any other suggestions of things to try/avoid are welcome. 


Now you have sat through my winge, I will treat you to some more photo's from Brighton. 

Good friends and give-away's. part 2.

Brighton is special to LSP and I for 2 reasons. The First is because it was our honeymoon destination. The 2nd is because we have friends down there. 


They are friends who are very dear to us and it was great to spend some time with them. Just having the time to sit and chat and catch up was brilliant. We plan to return again sooner so we can catch up again. 


We are blessed by having some very good friends, I have really noticed this since being off work unwell. People sending supportive text's. visiting me, facebook messages etc. 


One of our friends has moved house this weekend and I have mixed feelings about it. It is really good for her, but means she will be an hour away so we will see less of her. So I am pleased for her and a little sad as well. 


She has however left me a legacy....... 

Her beautiful dolls house! 

She has put a lot of work into the house already but there is a long way to go. 

So this is the Legacy, I will love, take care of it and slowly finish it. 

OK now for the give-away.....

I put all of the names into a bowl and LSP did the honour's of pulling a name out of the bowl.

Well done Kathryn, 

if you send me your detail's. 

my email is, 

saphy76@gmail.com

Hope everyone has had a very good Easter.

my weekend!

We had a lovely weekend! 

It started well as we headed south, traffic was a bit slow in places but the sun was shinning and the radio was on so it was enjoyable. The only clue I had was the sat nav, telling us our ETA. 

As usual there was a fair bit of facebooking going on. 

11.29 me: sat nav says we are an hour away from our destination.

12:02 me: 12:02 another traffic jam, Sat Nav says we are 55    minutes away .

12:31 me: and another traffic jam, sat nav tells us we are 27 minutes away

12:50 me: and again, we are now 20 minutes away!!!

We arrived at 1:30 at Arundel, this was just a lunch stop. As usual Arundel was beautiful, the sunshine was gorgeous. 

The natives were friendly. 

After lunch and some browsing at the antiques, It was back in the car. LSP rebooted the Sat nav and it told us we were 40 minutes away! I was excited as I hoped this meant Brighton. (not Bogner) 

It did! you can't tell from this photo but this was my first glimpse of the sea. 

So off we went to the hotel. LSP had found a nice little hotel for us. 

The Grand is a very special place. It is also very special for us as it's where we had our honeymoon. That was 5 years ago in September. 

We checked in to our lovely room. 

After some shopping and getting ready for the evening we took a taxi across town....

LSp had booked us into a glam vintage indoor street party. However it was cancelled :( 

we were disappointed. 

However it did give us the opportunity to take some sunset pictures. 

Ok so here's the funny bit, once we had taken lots of sunset photo's we went to find somewhere to eat. 

Due to my headaches I have been wearing sunglasses all the time. However the combination of High heel's, sunglasses and a velvet dress. combined with a rustic pavement lead to the most spectacular fall I have ever had. 

I slipped off the pavement, and lost my balance. You know when you lose your balance but do not lose it altogether, so you try desperately to right yourself. But you can't. 

I was trying to not fall for about 10 yards. All you could hear was the squeak of my shoes along the road. Eventually gravity took over and I went down. 

LSP had been trying to catch me but my momentum prevented that. Apparently I resembled a bouncing ball! 

A nice gentleman asked me if I was ok and did I need any help. I said I said I was fine thank you. LSP then said to him that it was a shame we did not have a video camera as we would have earned £250  from that! At which point they both descended into laughter!

My Pride was hurt more than anything, I have 3 scrapes on my knee a small scrape on my arm and a bloody and bruised knuckle (I was holding my camera) The camera was fine as were my new glasses that went flying down the road in front of me. 

We continued down the road, me looking slightly less glam with a ladder in my tights and a bleeding knuckle (like I had punched someone) 

We could not find anywhere that we wanted to eat and we ended up in the Old Steine at the same pizza restaurant that we ate at 5 years ago. It is a nice one with a wood burning oven.  

It was very busy but we were able to squeeze in. I had my favourite pizza (which has anchovies, olives and caper's)I was tucking in quite happily when a stray caper dropped into my bra. There was no way of getting it out without plunging my hand down the middle! (it stayed) 

We managed a nice and uneventful walk back to the Hotel. We then Sat in the hotel bar and chose a night time cocktail.

mmm Strawberry Daiquiri

At that point the piano started playing, earlier in the evening we had been listening to some lovely piano music. The music now was a bit different. It was not being well played and we thought that a guest had hijacked the piano. There was a Diverse mix of music which included Tainted Love and and Elton John medley. 

The person playing the piano was getting up to speak to different guests and was very over familiar. 

We went to bed as it had been a very eventful day! 

It was a fantastic 2 days away, I have so much more to say but have rambled on for to long now....

more tomorrow. 

With many thanks to the most wonderful Long Suffering Partner ever. 

X