Tuesday 5 March 2013

birthday dog

My birthday started early this year and is ending late. A week ago I was at a concert in the Guildhall, a Jake Bugg gig to be precise. I had not gone out to a gig since I was about 20 and this was entirely inititated by me on the back of Chris Evans' recommendation, I bought the tickets having heard one song. Anyhow, live music is up R's street so I took him along. It was great! I was not the oldest person there, neither was R, there was a real mixture of people who admired this hardworking and talented guitarist and singer, he is 19 I think, and a real story of hard graft, practising and gigging and then being spotted. He has a huge voice and is better on the guitar than me. So, that was a great evening. Then my actual real bday involved a bring and share lunch for all the February birthday girls, with a big bouquet for me, then a bouquet arrived from R in the afternoon. Then a normal evening. But more was to come!

On Friday I was whisked away from school at 3.40 by my family, we headed to Guildford and then swapped to train for the journey to Waterloo. We walked to our centrally located and fab modern hotel, the Park Plaza Westminster bridge. After a quick taxi ride we were eating Mexican (food not people) in Leicester Square, then on to watch Matilda. Wow. Tears rolling off my cheeks - a completely awesome musical which makes me want to cry right now. Joy and sorrow mixed together are the perfect combination. It is up there with Blood Brothers and Chicago in my all time greats.  Always a sucker for good triumphing over evil and a story about a teacher's passion for education always going to get me... After a very good night's sleep and a tasty breakfast we had a quick dip /steam/ sauna and then headed to the dinghy show, before remembering why we didn't go last year - it is too expensive, boring for the girls and basically a trade show. However we met a pirate who we knew (Rob G's brother) and were videoed saying how much we liked the show for next year's promo. We lied. On our return we made a brief appearance at a wedding party, then home to find that R had bought us a new TV! And its bigger than our old one.

The giving goes on and on, as R has acquired himself a dog. I do love her already, but she is his dog. She is adorable. She has 3 legs, and seems to be well trained and as good as gold so far despite being a rescue dog. She is 3 years old. She has to go back to be spayed (ouch) next month. She is called Lacey. She has a stump where her leg was which takes some getting used to. She has a big smile and floppy ears. She is brindle and white. I will attempt to upload a photo sometime soon.

Our 'playroom' aka bike storage facility has 6 bikes, a sail and a rudder and a bike rack in it. There is no room for my bike in it. That is in the lounge. I always suggested that my bike be kept on the wall in the lounge. However, the walls of the lounge are now adorned with BIG TV and guitars  x 3 and a mandolin. I like them being up on the walls. I think they are pretty.