Friday 6 July 2012

Nearly Aud Revoir......

First and foremost, I could not start this weeks post without mentioning a very moving and sad day last Friday. AG, the mother of one of our dear friends, John, passed away and the funeral was a humbling experience. Siggy was asked to help carry the coffin in and was genuinely honoured to do so and more than a little spooked when John repeated his own sentiment that "it was the least he could do."  It was a humanist ceremony, and I have never been at one before. I don't know what any of you believe but recognise "each to their own" in that respect, and a service with no hymns did at first seem unusual. Then I listened to John saying his poignant final farewell to his mum and whether you believe she could see it or not, it would have made her proud. I had thought about this a lot during the week before and even more since.

Everyone should cherish what they have before it's gone. 

On the way out, Siggy and just walked in silence, reflecting on a lovely ceremony. Siggy was more moved than I realised because when I did comment to him on the way back to the car, he was actually speechless - not something that happens often.

Of course, he later claimed that the reason he was temporarily speechless was because I happened to mention, as we were passing the hearse, that it would be a good car for me if I wasn't married - I had noticed that the registration was AM 10 AMM and those were my maiden initials. I don't believe that though, because he did respond to that when we got back to our car - something about when I was in that car HE'D no longer be married. 

Funerals always bring out the blackest of humour in me and I have a terrible fear of breaking out into giggles, but so far have been fairly lucky in that regard. Perhaps that's why I've never followed up on my idea of becoming an undertaker - I really think I'd suit the black outfit with that nice purple trim.

So that made for a fairly quiet and reflective weekend. A quiet night in on Saturday with a Chinese meal at Pheobe and Bobby's as they had came back from their holiday and let's be honest, any excuse for a few drinks is a good one. It was also another part of our ongoing teenage babysitting programme. Scott is only 11 and therefore still needs a sitter, but as we have the three *TEMs in the house, we have now decided that sitters should be paid in board and lodging in future (I think Siggy would have quite liked some of our previous sitters to have had board and lodging, but that's another unpublishable story). Saturday saw Gordon take his turn and he managed admirably. Strange to see the reversal of roles starting to kick in and find HIM sleeping on the couch waiting for US!  We reckon if we adopt/foster/borrow another 10 children or so, and therefore have each of the TEMs babysitting for a straight 15 years each, they will just about have repaid us. 

So we kept the trial going and actually went out on Monday night as well - Blood Brothers at The Kings. My favourite ever, ever show with Marti Pellow as The Narrator (need I say more?) That was when the wheels came off. Siggy, in some weird pang of responsibility, has decided that we need to cut back on midweek nights out as "it's not right". Nonsense, he doesn't have a term-time contract, I do. He's Jealous. Simple. Twat.

That aside, though, I've had a really busy week. I've been running around chasing my tail all week trying to get ready for our holidays. oh, apart from Monday afternoon, when I went out with my friend Ruby for Afternoon Tea with cocktails. That was an odd experience and actually meant that Siggy was speechless for a second time. You see, he seems to think that just because I have lived in the same city for, lets say over 30 years, and just because the hotel I was meeting Ruby in was in the same street as HE worked in for five years, which happened to be one street down from where I had my Saturday job for about five years, too, that I should know where that is and not need Google maps printed off to find it. In fairness, asking him to print off the map wasn't what rendered him speechless, it was me asking him to print off the map and, when he asked me where I was going, responding "I don't know"   

Afternoon tea with cocktails,it must be said, does not include a lot of tea. Text or BBM me and I'll let you know where it is. Ruby and I did feel it would have been rude to turn down the offer of the remainder of the wine bottle as well. Term time contracts make for some really nice afternoons. Like the one later in the week with Fee, Jen and Jan. How I ever managed to fit in shopping for our holidays, I don't know.

Especially as I, like everyone else, have been a bit pre-occupied this week with a certain Mr. Grey. Writing's awful, but who cares?

So, a really quiet week to build up to our holidays. Siggy has spent almost every waking hour either trying to clear his desk for the holidays, booking our hotels on route or, lucky me, proving that he really doesn't need to borrow my book for tips when I'm finished with it. (he needs to borrow it, I just haven't told him yet.)

The on route hotels have been a nightmare this year. You see, every year we drive to the South of France or Italy  and every year we need to find a hotel to stay in en route because we have travel with the worlds worst passenger. Now, I know many of you are nodding sagely thinking "Yes, I have a child like that as well, just dope them up with Kalms (other herbal remedies are available) and you'll be fine)" but you couldn't be more wrong. Kalms don't work for our terrible passenger on account of the fact that he insists on driving the 1000 miles or so himself. OK, I will never, ever drive abroad, but there are lots of UK miles I could help with. Except we drive that section overnight and after my Manchester experience of last week, I'm not driving overnight under any circumstances. Over £700 that puncture cost in the end! We even considered flying briefly but Siggy views the drive as part of his "easing in " period. Like I said - Twat.  Who else do you know that needs preparation time to relax?

The pace of preparation is really hotting up as well - I'm starting to feel my usual nausea at the thought of leaving Dappy with the outlaws and Siggy has booked his and the boys holiday haircuts for later today. Mind you, he "helped tonight by tidying up my fringe for me as it wasn't quite straight and I was really struggling to see - anyone else noticed how hard it is to cut your fringe with both eyes closed? Mind you, as Siggy managed to cut my eyelid, he won't be "helping" again. He claims I moved, I know I didn't. So what if he was the one with his eyes open? Personally, I think he was  just being miserable and trying to save the cost of me getting my eyebrows done tomorrow,

A girls work really is never done.

Next weeks news will be from the South of France, but for now I need to go as I'm really, really busy now - the 2013 holidays have just been released and I'm busy again looking at options.

PS - Well done Andy Murray and good luck later today!


*Teenage Eating Machines (in case your reading this for the first time)    

No comments:

Post a Comment