Curry, Cruises & the Queen Elizabeth

It was our 5^th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.  It’s hard to believe that this time 5 years ago we stepped off the Queen Mary to tie the knot on a beach in Barbados.  It was the most perfect day ever.  Five years married and the anniversary is celebrated by travel so quite fitting that we jet off on a Costa Not-a lot-a Mediterranean cruise on Sunday.  I don’t think the Costa Pacifica will be any match for the Queen Mary but I am looking forward to our anniversary trip nonetheless.

What a beautiful day it was on Tuesday, okay a hard frost in the morning but it was so good to see blue skies and sunshine.  I scraped the car and went to the gym and after lunch I got out my paint brush and gave the new staircase a second coat.  The second coat was much easier than the first and I quite enjoyed the job in hand.  The stairs looked much better when I had finished.  I don’t think a 3^rd coat is needed, perhaps just a touch up here and there and then it will be job done.

On Wednesday, as usual Phil met up with the Wednesday night boys at The Nags Head and I went to Sue’s for supper. We had already decided to have an easy night and it certainly wasn’t a late one but I felt very fragile on Thursday morning.  So fragile in fact that I decided not to go to the gym.  It doesn’t hurt to have a day off now and then and I did have a slight ham string pull.  That was my justification anyway.  At midday I picked up Sue and we drove to the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham.  I was quite surprised at how heavy the traffic was and the journey took us just under 2 hours, just leaving enough time for a quick cup of tea before Sue’s appointment at half past two.

Sue’s appointment was for a post op check-up and she expected to be in and out.  But it wasn’t to be. Sue had an ECG, a chest x-ray and general obs before finally being seen by the consultant.  We had to wait for ages but thankfully when Sue saw the consultant everything was okay and they are pleased with how everything went.  Her ECG was fine as was her chest x-ray.  It was nearly half four by the time we left the hospital grounds which of course landed us right in the middle of rush traffic.  Getting home was a nightmare and believe me I do not exaggerate.   There had been an earlier accident on the A38 and it took us forever to reach the M6.  It didn’t help that it was wet, grey and miserable.  I thought we would never get home but we did eventually. I dropped Sue off in Newport and I think it was half past seven by the time I got back to the flat.

It was just unfortunate that I’d invited Harriet & Billy round for a homemade curry.  Phil had shopped for all the ingredients and made a lovely curry.  Thankfully they didn’t wait for me to eat and Phil heated me up a plate when I got home.   I was starving but I think I was more in need of the red wine rather than food.   Harriet had brought me a new swimsuit and some heart shaped earrings for mother’s day, both of which I will pack in my case for the cruise.  She had also ordered me a Moonpig card but this hadn’t yet arrived.  Harriet & Billy left at half nine, we stayed up another hour and then called it a day.

This maybe the last posting from me for a week or so.  I know that Phil has a few postings already lined up for next week so we won’t be totally quiet.  I am undecided on whether to take my laptop away.  I usually do and if I do then I know that I won’t be able to resist sharing my Costa experience.  Fingers crossed it will be a good one……………