What a week!

Get a cuppa, make yourself comfy, today's post is going to be a long one.

Last Thursday I packed for my weekend away, all the important things - clean knickers (I have been known to forget them), snacks and a bottle of wine. At the last minute I decided to take my purse (it usually stays in my work bag), but I had a little cash I thought might come in handy. 

That night I slept at Ellie's. She has a great blow up bed! Plug it's in and up it goes in seconds, it's about two foot deep and very comfy. Alas, it felt like I was lying on a block of ice! After a few hours of frozen feet and not sleeping I dragged myself up and got a bowl of hot water to stick my toes in. I put a towel and blanket on the bed under me, wrapped up in Ellie's cosy dressing gown and had a duvet and thick blanket over me! Half an hour later my feet were freezing again and I didn't sleep. Of course the best bit is that they following night in the hotel the bed was blissful and I slept like a log. 

We got coffee at the train station Friday morning. I booked my Scotrail ticket through my LNER app. There was no QR code just a reference to go to a machine. I needed my credit card, which I only had because I'd picked up my purse at the last minute. Ellie then asks if I have my driving licence. What for? Do'h for ID for the flight. Good grief, it's in my purse! Someone was looking after me! Then, downloading my boarding pass I noticed I'd booked my flight in the name of Gilly, and of course my licence is Gillan! Nooooo. Can you believe that not a single person at the airport looked at my ID. Wow. 

The play we saw 'Woman in Mind' was ok, but a bit weird. The Malmaison was nice and we had a couple of great cocktails, and breakfast was fab. 

We landed at Birmingham just as hour before Mark appeared off his flight, great timing. At my nephew's birthday event we played The Traitors. I was a traitor, and won the game with another traitor. How on earth this happened I have zero idea. When 'Claudia' tapped me on the shoulder to select me I let out an enormous scream! This did not go unnoticed yet I managed to not get voted. I also kept putting my foot in it when saying 'we' when talking about the traitors. I was truly terrible! 

That night Mark was up all night with sickness and diarrhoea. I slept through most of it which was just as well as Sunday morning he really just wanted to get home. Once we were happy the vomiting had stopped, and I got some Imodium for extra insurance, I drove him home. 8½ hours - not too bad considering we stopped twice for wees (just me - Mark drank not a drop of water in case the spewing started again), lunch (again, just me - no way he was trying any food) and fuel (the car!). I was gutted to miss a Mother's Day roast dinner at my sister's but hubby was very relieved to be home. He was totally fine the next day, by the way. Oh, and we had some amount of rain too. Next to Preston the heavens opened at biblical proportions! The motorway was a river and the visibility was so poor all the rear fog lights came on. 

Tuesday at work I made my delicious (even if I say so) Baileys cheesecake for 32+ service users at work, for St Patrick's Day. It (three big ones I should say) went down very well. It was great fun. 

Well after that exhausting week I am finally having a day to sit and relax. Have a great week and I'll see you next Friday. Woo hoo!

P.S. I've been meaning to tell you for ages - I lost that pesky lb. Back to my normal weight again!

Life is what happens when we are making other plans. 

Fruit platter

At work this week we had little kiddies over from the local primary school, to sing and dance for the service users. At half time we offered them plates of fruit, and what was left was offered to me. I had a great platter of all sorts and was excited. I put it on my desk, but obviously not properly because it promptly fell off, upside down and the fruit went everywhere and I let out a little swear. I was gutted especially as the raspberries and blueberries were so delicious! This is Anna 'helping me' to clean it up as I was too busy taking photos for this blog! Lol. Thanks Anna.

Had the best day ever yesterday. My colleague, Kelly, organises a monthly community event called Boogie in the Bar. Have I mentioned it before? Free to anyone and especially those in need - care homes and elderly, folks living alone etc. We offer hot drinks, sandwiches and biscuits. This month's theme was St Patrick's Day. The hall was decorated and we wore those big hats, the band played some Irish ditties too. The bar was busy so I helped Anna, yes the Anna from the paragraph before. First time in almost 3 decades that I've pulled a pint. I still have it though! Enjoyed the afternoon so much. I recon I could get a part-time job in a pub! Loved it! And the hall was full, near capacity. Kelly does the most amazing job! 

Today I'm in Glasgow with Ellie. We've got the theatre tonight.'Woman in Mind' with Sheridan Smith and a nice stay over in Malmaison. We're going to have a great mother daughter stay celebrating Mother's Day. Then Saturday morning we fly from Glasgow to Birmingham. It's my nephew's 30th birthday - Happy Birthday James. Mark is also flying back to Birmingham after his snowboarding week in France. Then we'll drive back up the road Monday. Just a lovely few days with family. Feeling blessed. 

Have a great week everyone and thank you for reading.

Healing doesn't mean the pain never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives. 

Sausages

I'm sat in Thaikhun waiting for Ellie. I have a cocktail as you can see. I'm not driving so had to be done really. 

I've lost one of my pesky lbs. Just another to go and then I'll be a happy Gilly again.

You'll all be delighted to hear that my 6 week sleep program has come to an end. My sleep efficiency started at 46% and is now 92% which is amazing. I've started to go to bed at a much more reasonable time and am getting to sleep pretty quickly so I think I'm now getting between 7½-8 hours a night which is magic. I feel super tired come bed time but I guess that's a good thing. And I've not had a sleep pill for a three or four weeks! Good grief, I feel so much better now! 

I've been having lots of thoughts and plans about our move to Newcastle. It's scary but not trying it is more scary. I feel such a feral pull to go home. I need to be with my mum. Life is so short don't we have to just do what we need to do. Waiting is for losers! Let's just sort the logistics and be on our way. 

I missed strength training again. Ellie has just given me a right telling off. Anna couldn't manage so I just let that be my excuse to stay home. Though that's lame and no excuse really. I need to be more determined or I'll be a cripple when I'm older (Ellie's words not mine lol - a bit dramatic I think but she's sure lol). 

Tonight we are going to The White Company (shop) for an event. Fizz and snacks and discount. Ellie has already told me she's not buying me anything tonight, for mother's day. So rude! Having a sleepover at her flat which will be fun.

Short and sweet today. Have a great week and see you next Friday.

Don't give up your power by thinking you don't have any.