I had been meaning to post this since arriving back home Wednesday evening but this is the first opportunity I have had to do so. I'm still in awe of the man!
Wed 27th July 2011 On the train home from Sandown Park
"Sexbomb sexbomb you're my sexbomb
you can give it to me when i need to come along...."
I've had a verrry long day today culminating in seeing Wales' finest export Sir Tom Jones at Sandown Park. What an absolute legend. 71 years young and still grooving with the best of them. The man is phenomenal. His voice is still as strong and the timbre extraordinary. Singing live, he really does sound like his records.
Sir Tom sung a lot more rhythm and blues and boogie woogie which I didn't mind (although some of the crowd did get twitchy during this bit) and what with his voice and his rather good band made for a little bit mental dancing from us! Loved the arrangement of 'Delilah!' He funked it up a bit with some Spanish guitars and trumpets and what with the sell out crowd singing along too made this the highlight for me.
Prior to Sir Tom making his appearance, as it was Sandown Park we had a flutter on the horses. Out of the four races we bet on, Mat and I got a big fat nothing! Nada. Horse racing is definitely not our thing!
To be fair, my strategy of putting money on a horse because a) I thought the jockey's face was cute and b) The horse's name sounded good was never going to bring in the big bucks!
All this whilst having a picnic too with Mat and his work colleagues. Sage's tiramisu was to die for. The woman deserves a prize - it was that good! Apparently, it's all in the masala wine.
Anyway, you can leave your hat on as it's not unusual because the green green grass of home beckons. D'ya get what I did there?!
I am still on a bit of a high from this evening (so excuse my writing!) as we have just returned from an amazing experience of dining on the London Eye. Mat and I were lucky enough to be one of the first people to try out this new concept. And we had a fabulous time.
Still not quite sure why but Mat's company were looking for 8 volunteers to take part in this and give feedback to a market research agency as part of a focus group so the London Eye folks could ascertain as to whether this would be worth rolling out as an experience for people to enjoy. Mat did try to get all 8 seats but wasn't able to but did manage to get 2 seats for myself and him.
I wasn't really sure what to expect. I was very curious about how they were going to serve food and wine as we had been informed it would be a 3-course meal with coffee for an hour and a half whilst sat in the pod going around. I had already been on the London Eye twice and enjoyed it very much so knew that it doesn't really stop for no man, so figured it would be around half an hour for each course.
We were told to get there for 8pm but there was mis-communication and we should have been there for 7pm. Bugger - we only had just over an hour to eat three courses! Never mind.
Our fellow diners were a nice bunch - a real mix bag of personalities but we all got on and our 'waiter' for the evening said we were the most relaxed group he had seen so far. Apparently, we were the only ones that actually got up from our chairs and were very active in taking photos of the incredible London views, wandering around the pod and generally having a bit of a chit-chat with everyone. Or, umm that might have just been me....
Anyway, our dining experience. Once I have found the camera lead to download photos taken you will see that in the pod was a beautifully laid out table with real plates, cutlery etc, comfy chairs, music (from which we could choose what we wanted to hear via an iPAD) and the exclusive use of the pod complete with waiting staff. We did feel a little bit like Z-list celebrities as some people from other pods were gawping in at us and waving and being all paparazzi taking photos. Check. Us. Out.
The food and wine were surprisingly very good. They were transported onto the pod in what can only be described as metal suitcases and had been prepared at the County Hall Marriott nearby. We had champagne to begin with and very good red and white wines to follow with our meal which consisted of a mixed fish starter, beef salad main and champagne-soaked rhubarb knickerbocker glory for dessert followed by coffee and petit-fours. Yum!
Unfortunately, as you may have noticed from the menu I have just outlined, there isn't much of a vegetarian element to it and until their veggie mains came after the first rotation, the three veggies were left chomping on bread for their starters. Oh dear. Shame.
Given the small amount of time we had to eat everything as well as bouncing around taking photos, I did feel a little bit acid-refluxy on the way to the Marriott for feedback. General consensus from our group and the other diners from the other pod was that it was a great experience.
Food and drink were both highly rated and the exclusivity welcomed. If or when they do roll this out to the masses, I think they are still deciding the how and to whom and most importantly the cost because I think if the powers that be do decide to introduce this as part of the London Eye selling point, it would cost an awful lot more that what we paid for it this evening.
Dare I say that this whole unique and fantastic experience we got for........free!
Mat's scissor hands doing their salad harvesting thing
Whilst getting ready to go home earlier, a work colleague asked me if I fancied joining him for a drink. Can you believe that I actually said that I would love to but I couldn't tonight as...... I was harvesting salad.
I must have sounded such a loser but as you can see from the above photo, I was indeed harvesting salad with Mat. It wasn't a euphemism for anything! Our first row of salad leaves was absolutely delicious. One of the leaves was an odd but good flavour combination of pepper and mustard. It tasted like rocket but it wasn't. We had the leaves with a home made vegetable bake so talk about healthy. Well, apart from the cheese!
It is quite satisfying all this growing and gardening lark. I just wish it would stop bloody raining. Oh my life! It feels like November in July. Where did all the sunshine go? It is supposed to be summer! It's getting quite depressing. Almost as much as all this hacking and News International malarkey. Yesterday a showbiz journalist's dead body is found. Today an idiot throws a custard pie to the face of a billionaire media mogul and his wife gets to show off her impressive right hook. Tomorrow? How about David Cameron resigning?! I really hope not. It could mean another general election. I don't think I could take any more of this in the news.
There are other things going on in the world! Like the fact that there is some nut-nut going around tampering with saline solutions in a hospital in Stockport potentially killing wards full of people; the Euro is imploding; the NHS is getting privatised up to its eyeballs and Cheryl has left Ashley. Again. And my hair is still really curly. I'm going to end up looking like one of those 118 blokes.
Swaying in the kitchen at half past one It was after the last glass of "Ten" when you came undone Falling asleep sideways Off the stool a good indicator A day of partying and drinking Your hangover precursor
Now, sloth like and fuzzy and a little bit smelly Watching the Tour de France like it's the best on telly! Finally arisen after hugs and teasing Crisps, cakes and pies please My, how appealing...
Hangovers are good for teaching sobriety Until the next round comes... Along with the party!
I wrote the above as I thought it summed up most of today!
Having had a good day of partying celebrating Caroline's 40th birthday yesterday afternoon and yet more conviviality later on at Portal Restaurant with Mike, Sylvie, James, Bex, our waif and stray for the evening Sarah and of course, Mat - we were feeling, shall we say, delicate. A good time was had by all and it's weekends like this that make me so appreciative of all the fun experiences I get to have.
It's all about enjoying the ride - drinking and eating crisps, cakes and pie ;-)
Recent press reports say that Princess Charlene tried to escape Monaco prior to her wedding but she was thwarted by mysterious henchmen loyal to her Prince Albert.
Rumours are that after two illegitimate children, Prince Albert has a third possibly a fourth in the pipeline and that Princess Charlene's 'contract of marriage' is to produce a legitimate heir and a spare. Apparently, they spent their honeymoon apart in South Africa and they had to cut their honeymoon short because of these paternity claims.
Apparently, these are tears of joy....!?!
And the press release 'from Charlene' surrounding these vicious rumours is;
“It is a shame that those rumours came at such a bad time, but I think they were timed to sabotage such a happy occasion. They are categorical lies. I won't dignify them with any response other than to say that the photographs of me and Albert in love and getting married will speak louder than any vicious gossip and empty rumours.”
Somebody send the A-Team to rescue her. Or Shrek. Or Rambo. Or Jason Bourne. Navy SEALs. The Milk Tray Man. Anyone! That's full on sobbing if you ask me, not tears of joy. Compare her demeanour to Princess Catherine marrying Prince William. To any bride marrying her groom that you may have witnessed lately. There is no comparison.
Somebody please rescue the Princess quick! I can't bear the thought of her locked in her ivory Monaco tower like some latter day Rapunzel waiting to be rescued. She just looks so very sad it's heartbreaking.
Emerald cut diamond with step baguette diamonds Art Deco style
BLING!!
Just in case you are reading this blog from the bottom up, yes you read that correctly from my previous post. I finally now have an engagement ring I absolutely love.
I think we have informed most people but apologies if we have not got around to telling you. We will be celebrating it in some way, but to confirm, Mat and I are engaged. It happened during our Indonesia trip. Specifically, on Friday 13th May whilst watching an electrical storm on Pemuteran beach at Taman Sari resort, northern Bali. It's a good job we're not superstitious!
Unfortunately, the gesture ring Mat bought for the occassion wasn't really 'me' so I got him to swap it for a lovely watch instead :-) To mark the passage of time and one year since my cancer diagnosis.
He knows I am a fussy cow so was kind of expecting this. Anyway, above is my engagement ring. I am very lucky. I have a beautiful ring that I have always wanted but most of all, a most generous and amazing husband-to-be :-)
No date set or even plans made so don't get too excited. We've been together nearly nine years now so you can't really hurry these things...
Since my last post, almost 3 weeks ago, quite a few things have happened and because of either busy-ness, laziness, tiredness, headaches, hot weather, hangovers or a combination of all six, I haven't had a chance to post on here in great detail.
So, in no particular order, she with a capital V;
Got given her 6-month complete remission The 24th June saw me be told that 6 months on since my stem-cell transplant back in December, I'm still in complete remission. Given that the 6-month mark is usually the earliest when this cancer flares up again (if it does flare up again), I was a little worried and nervous. It was one test I really wanted to pass and I did. My consultant was very matter of fact about it as they all have to be I suppose in case it is not good news. I just sat there stupefied. Mat just kept stroking my knee! I am by no means in the all clear as I still have to undergo regular check-ups and monitoring and my body is still settling down to how it was. But it's a start and I will take it. We celebrated by finally buying me an engagement ring that I actually liked, in fact, love.
Saw 'Take That' at Wembley Stadium
Take That Progress Tour June 2011 at Wembley Stadium
Yes I was there. On the first night of their 8 night stint at Wembley - myself, Kira, Debs and Fran along with around 77,000 other people (mostly women of a certain age) sang, danced and generally had a fantastic time to the fab four and Robbie.
I have been to a few gigs in my life but this is probably the only one where before the start, I was quaffing champagne at the top of Wembley stadium where the sun was shining and laughter and chat was flowing. How civilised! And very, very cool. Equally, I haven't really been to many gigs where you get to hear people say; "Mind how you go down those steps, they are ever so steep" or "The toilets are really good, they are ever so clean" or "Look at all that rubbish down there! Some poor person has got to clear that up" or "Another bottle of your house champagne please". How terribly middle-class! Grown-up even!
But I suppose that's what you get when you go to see everyone's favourite man-band. They were amazing and the show was superb. What a class act. Robbie did his thing and at times it did feel a little bit like Robbie Williams and Take That but it was still a great evening.
I was quite emotional throughout most of it. When Sean managed to organise the tickets for Kira's surprise birthday present it was way back in December - when I was literally on my death-bed and although appreciative, not even thinking beyond the next day let alone a Take That concert in June. Six months on, I am listening to Gary, Howard, Mark, Jason and Robbie singing Rule the World and seeing a sea of hands and listening to a stadium of cheers. Back for Good indeed.
Said au revoir to two friends (Sam and Marc) One to a new job. The other to a new life abroad with his beloved. For both, bigger and better things. I'm really happy for them but a little heavyhearted too as I will miss them both in different ways. It made me think of this quote;
"And I hate when things are over when so much is left undone"
And this very cheesy 90s classic it came from. Love this song! Whatever happened to Deep Blue Something?
Deep Blue Something - Breakfast at Tiffanys
Finally, got told how to 'solve' a maze after all these years
Unfortunately, it took about 20 minutes of copious laughter at my expense whilst I drove myself demented trying to get out of the maze at Tatton Park.
Mat, Amy and Fraser - thanks! Some photos of the Japanese garden at Tatton Park below which was beautiful.
Has watched our garden grow even more
I know it's only salad leaves, pak choi and ping pong courgettes amongst others but Mat and I are ever so proud. Freshly weeded by my own fair hand, our vegetable patch is looking luscious n'est ce pas? Can't wait to eat it!
