Friends

It is said that a true friend is someone who you don't speak to for a couple of weeks/months/years but when you do catch up everything falls back into place and it's as though you haven't been away.

This was so true on Friday night. Since leaving Sheffield four months ago there have been occasional e-mails/texts/telephone calls but no real chances to catch up. This was until Friday night when we all decided to have a mini re-union. Last trains back to Hull leave crazily early so up step Laterooms.com. I love this place, as I haven't paid full price for a hotel room for years. Upstep the Mercure Hotel just outside the Winter Gardens. The room was fantastic, the view amazing (although I should apologise to those people having dinner across the square after my shower, as I forgot that I had opened the window, and the breeze chose the worst possible moment to blow the curtains aside!) and the service first class, and I would hugely recommend it for a night away.

As it was a Friday, and with plenty of holiday days left I decided to take the day off. I could check in from anytime after 12pm so a leisurely morning, a quick train ride, and I was in Sheffield in time to use the gym, pool and spa.....yeah I know really manly but so worth it. Was a fantastic way to relax after a hell of a week and to kick start a night out.

Soon it was over to Ha Ha Bar to meet up with friends who had come with me to Manchester, some who had left at the same time but moved elsewhere, and those who had stayed. It was such a great time, seeing people who had been on maternity leave, catching up with others and within minutes it was as though we hadn't been away.....making the same jokes......making fun of the same people.....it's such a shame that we had to split apart a very close team and that we no longer see each other every day.

As it was a few too many drinks later and it was off to Reflex/Flairs - an 80s bar where one of the guys used to work as a club dancer - a bless 'Huggy Ben' where they had somewhat foolishly installed a pole dancing pole.....unfortunately we found it......and a spin-off ensued (probably not the best idea after a meal and several drinks) until the staff threw us out.

From there to a club where the husband of one of my surrogate mothers was DJ-ing (is that a real word or have I just made it up?) for dancing like a fool with a lot of friends around.

Crawling into bed at 3.30 on a Saturday morning is something that I haven't done a lot of for a while. When I lived in York it was twice a week, but 3.30 bed for 5am start don't really mix....unfortunately cos I love a social life involving dancing and mixing with friends.....and I hope that I can pick this back up again in Manchester.

I have soem very close friends who I see every week or so, and I know that I have some great friends who I see or speak to less often, and I would like to say a huge 'Thank You' to all my friends, and apologise if I have let our friendship slip, but you all mean a great deal to me!

A Wonderful Weekend!

Okay so some of my plans for the weekend failed to materialise. Admittedly they were the ones to head to Beverley Westwood to watch the sun rise (getting up at 5am is so much easier when you know that you have to....and I have to hold my hands up and admit that when the alarm went off at 6am on Saturday morning it was almost thrown across the bedroom!)....but although I failed most miserably in watching what may (or may not have been) a glorious sunrise, the weekend was still really enjoyable.

Saturday saw me in York, a wonderful city, where something seems to be happening every week. This week (other than a York City football match and a race meet at the Knavesmire) saw the York Festival of Traditional Dance. I accept that I am not really clued up on what constitutes "Traditional Dance". I think that the last time I tried "Traditional" dancing had been at my Sister's wedding, when the Groom and I thought (after a number of fizzy fall down waters) that "traditional" meant trying to breakdance.....(something I hadn't tried to do for a good 10 years) and which saw us taking it in turns to try and do headstands whilst the other one would spin you round by the legs! (it was a highly classy event although thankfully neither of us were wearing kilts at the time!)

The Festival saw groups of dancers throughout the city centre, dancing with poles, swords, handkerchiefs, floral arches.....all sorts of things, and was really enjoyable. Everywhere you went you were followed by the sound of folk music, and all of a sudden you would come across a crowd of people watching dancers in highly colourful clothes. It really brightened up the centre and gave it a somewhat unorthodox carnival feel.

No trip to York is complete without a trip to Betty's Tearooms, although the queing out of the door to get a table can on occasion be annoying. Fortunately on Saturday the sun was shining, and with a troupe of dancers around the corner, entertainment was on tap. If you have not tried a Betty's Tea I would highly recommend it. It can be expensive although walking in is like stepping back to the 1920s, where all the female staff wear high collared white shirts, and long black dresses with little white aprons, and the male staff, black trousers, ties and highly polished shoes. You could almost expect someone to snuff it over salmon paste sarnies and Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot to appear from somewhere (not I hasten to add due to anything in the salmon paste sarnies [if they even do salmon paste])

A catch up with friends + a few friendly drinks + glorious surroundings = a great Saturday!

Sunday was somewhat taken up invalid visiting, one of The Guys has managed to rupture his ligaments in his right knee so is extremely disgruntled and bored (he can't battle at the moment, and to make matters worse his internet connection is down so he has found himself extremely bored - I am told there is only so much daytime television that you can watch - I have never given it a go but I can certainly understand and commiserate from the listings guide!) Other than visiting the sick.

Perfect weather + garden + good book + BBQ = an equally great Sunday!

I hope everyone else in "Blogland" enjoyed theirs!

Come on Friday!

Well it is here and I can almost smell the weekend!

Although this week has only been a four day week it seems to have taken forever.....for the first time for a while I am not working, travelling or re-enacting and I am looking forward to a weekend for just me, with a chance to lie in (or if I so choose to not get up at all)

The calendar is currently amazingly clear, in fact so far only contains a possible trip to York on Saturday (something that I am really looking forward to....it's been a couple of months since I have been back to York, and I have lot of friends still there so it should be great to catch up with some of the old guys.)

Other than that I'm not sure what to do with my time. I know that at the moment when I have set off to the train station, there has been a large amount of ground mist, and if I can I may head up to Beverley Westwood one morning to watch the sun rise or set, ideally rise (that is if I can drag my carcase out of my pit in time). There is something spectacular in watching the sun rise over Beverley Minister through a band of mist. If I do manage to get there I will endeavour to remember my camera and (sunrise permitting and the photographs being worthy) will put some shots up for "Blogland".

Now all I need to do is clear Friday. This is usually never really a problem.....the first part of the morning spent catching up with what colleagues are planning for the weekend (usually around the coffee machine, and as far away from my desk as possible). Lunch is invariably a somewhat more drawn out activity than normal, and then back to the office for the home stretch, before a dash to the station for the train home. Being a Friday, and with no travel being required at the other end (other than walking home!), it may even warrant a drink on the train. This something that I rarely do, as there is something slightly desperate in climbing onto the train with a six pack of beer, or 2 litre bottle of cider for the journey home (it is even more concerning when it occurs at 6.30am on the journey to work......seriously how can a bottle of superstrength lager be good for you at that time.....and the 'gentleman' in question was dressed in a suit with a briefcase, as though heading to work! I may not love my job, but thankfully things have not got this bad yet!)

Enough rambling.

Wishing all in "Blogland" a wonderful weekend whatever you are doing!