You Spin Me Round
Ooops – it seems I missed an update at the end of June but, Dear Reader, that’s because I’ve been so busy doing lots of fabulous fun things and ticking lots off my 40 for 40 list ! So, where to start…
After a fairly foodie May, June started with the dreaded Tax Return – Eugh… Two weekends of sorting through receipts and spreadsheets – Enough said! So by the middle of the month I was all set to “Boogie Like Britney” with Debs, who is currently in training to climb Mount Kenya for Trekstock, a great charity that supports young people with Cancer, so we thought heading to a dance class would be a more enjoyable way to train, sadly the place we went to was a bit scuzzy with a rather creepy man watching people entering the changing area, so we ditched that and went for Dinner instead… Oh well!
I did however do some exercise in the form of Item 28 – Take A Yoga Class. I headed along to the recently opened Life Centre in Islington, for a “New To Yoga” workshop led by Graham Burns, which was brilliant. I’ve sort-of attempted yoga at home following a DVD before, but aways end up forgetting to breathe and tying myself in knots, so as I’d never been to a proper class I thought this would be a good introduction. It was. Being clearly told what to do, and guided into position by a very gentle instructor, really made me understand why so many people rave about yoga! This is something I am certainly going to continue after the 40 challenges are done.
Carrying on the slight holistic theme, I had my Item 8 – Have a professional beauty treatment once a month in June at Eastern Natural Care in Covent Garden. This consisted of a full hour-long back and shoulder massage followed by 15 mins of Hot Cupping. It’s a very odd sensation when the cold glass cup is slapped on your back and you can feel your skin being sucked inside. You’ve probably seen photos of Celebs with strange round ‘bruises’ on their backs, and yes, I had them too… I took photos – but it’s not pretty so I shall save your eyes from that.
As the following weekend was rainy and miserable, I finally got around to something I’ve been meaning to do since January, Item 17 – Watch the Godfather Films as FilmFour very kindly showed all of them, which I’d recorded, but just hadn’t watched. WARNING – I may lose some of you forever at this point, and I do realise what I’m about to say could result with me finding a horses head in my bed, but I was a bit “Mehh!” about them… Yes, the talent is amazing, yes the cinematography is stunning, yes I’m sure some people do thing they’re the best films ever made, but they’re just not my kinda thing. There I said it. My name is BlobbyJogger and I didn’t really enjoy the Godfather films. Sorry.
Moving swiftly on for those of you still with me, another item on the list Item 15 – Do something ‘cultural’ every month this month was less cultural, more Camptastic, as Liz and I went to the O2 for Glee Live! We had amazing seats on the floor, and could almost touch Chris Colfer and Lea Michele when they were on the middle stage. Was a bit sad that Sue Sylvester wasn’t there, but we sang our little heads off anyway. Fab night!
Not the busiest of months June, but I needed to get ready for a very hectic July – especially as my Brother and Nieces were visiting from California. As I see them in person so rarely, I took a couple of days off work to spend with them, and managed to complete several items on the list at the same time (I do love a bit of multitasking!)
Heading to my parents house for the first weekend of their visit, we all – Granny Grandad, Brother, Devon, Charley and I – went for a day trip to the Milton Keynes Museum. I personally didn’t realise Milton Keynes was interesting enough to have a Museum, but actually isn’t bad… OK, it’s pretty rubbish, but the sun was shining, and I got to stroke a ferret, so that was Item 15 Do something ‘cultural’ every month done.
The following week, and excited to make the most of my time with my family, I took two days off work and my Brother and the girls came to stay with me in London, where we spent a very brilliant afternoon catching up and having fun at the local park, and then a wonderful day on the South Bank, doing Item 39 – Be a tourist in my own town, starting with Item 24 – Visit the London Aquarium (which I want to go back to – it is brilliant!), before going on a Duck Tour (again, fascinating and fun!), and going round on the London Eye (tried to see my house but there was a building in the way!)
After a very full day, lots of sunshine and a Flake 99, we all headed into China Town as Devon wanted a proper Chinese meal – but poor Charley was pooped and nearly fell asleep at the table!
On the Saturday I sent the family packing back to Granny & Grandad, as I it was finally time for Item 20 – Have a night at the opera in style. Liz and I put on our fancy frocks and headed to the Royal Opera House for Madama Butterfly. In a word AMAZING! For those that aren’t sure about Opera, do try to go – they even had subtitles so you know what all the warbling is about. Yes, it was horrendously expensive, but for a very special night out, it was worth it. The Champagne and Smoked Salmon sandwiches were pretty fab too. Although the very old lady I saw wearing the exact same top I have in my wardrobe wasn’t… Hmm, don’t think I’ll be wearing that again!
I then rejoined the family for their final day here on the Sunday as we headed to Dunstable Downs for Item 36 – Fly a kite on a big hill. Very convenient of them to hold the annual Kite Festival while the girls were over here. Armed with my £4 Tesco kite, off we went. We had to dodge the torrential rain a couple of times, but I got to fly my kite (rather good it was too – especially for less than a fiver!) as did the girls, before they found the fairground rides a bit more exciting.
After all that dashing about and saying goodbye to my family for a while, it was time for the July Item 8 – Have a professional beauty treatment once a month so I went back to Floatworks for a bit of a calm down. Ok, it doesn’t strictly tick the box of a professional beauty treatment, but it’s relaxing and calming and I came out feeling very Zen again with lovely soft skin, and that’s all that matters.
I was very very very lucky to be invited by Debs to be her ‘plus one’ at the Coldplay gig at the Roundhouse iTunes Festival on 22nd. The evening went something like drinks, laughter, friends, dinner, laughter, drinks, music, drinks, dancing, laughter, drinks, chips, laughter, blisters, bus, bed… Brilliant!
Finally, last weekend, Debs and Jude accompanied me to complete two more items. Item 19 – Do the Maze at Hampton Court and Item 21 – Ride a giant rollercoaster. Pretty self explanatory, we started at Hampton Court Palace, where I nearly had an adult tantrum when I saw the maze. Not sure why, but I had something totally different in my head, much bigger and better and far more impressive, so I was a little disappointed at first glance as it’s a bit tatty and worn to look at from the outside, but once inside we had (OK, I had) a race to the middle. I won. To be honest I’m not sure the others were really joining in the race, but they got there eventually.
Then we had to find our way out. Jude cheated and took the Buggy exit. We had a picnic lunch in the gardens before taking the short drive across to Thorpe Park to go on a Rollercoaster.
Now, I’ve done ‘rides’ before, but never a big fat, think you heart is going to explode, full of fear, scream your way around, eyes screwed shut, can’t walk afterwards with wobbly legs, rollercoaster. I have now. It’s called “Colossus”. And “Nemesis Inferno”. Poor Debs had a bit of a moment in the queue for Colossus, getting quite anxious, but she had said ages ago that she hated rollercoasters, so we let her be our official photographer instead. We waved at her at the start of the ride, full of smiles, happy at that time – unknowing of what was to follow. Fear, screaming, swearing, screamyswearing, panic and seeing the sun above my feet as we hurtled through the corkscrew going upside down about 10 times – that’s what followed! And I loved every second. We did manage to get Debs on the slightly calmer, but no less petrifying Nemesis Inferno a bit later in the day, which I think she secretly rather enjoyed. We went on Tidal Wave too – which has this sign while you’re in line…
It isn’t lying! We were soaked through. In fact if we had jumped in the water we could not have been any wetter. However a quick ride on the backwards and in the dark “X:/No Way Out” and “Zodiac” dried us off a little – Zodiac is how I imagine getting into the spin cycle in a washing machine would be! Giggles, Screams, Laughter and friends – a fab fab day out.
And that’s it. Another month (actually two) done. And twelve more things crossed off the list. You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned Item 2 at all. I’m not going to either…
Till the next time
xoxo
BlobbyJogger 