I met Al my husband in 1998 at the University of Birmingham. We both love nights in with our cat Pads, seeing friends and gardening. We share a love for a good restaurant, the odd discussion and a good book. Friends and family feel free to leave your comments!
So, after the beautiful baby shower things haven't slowed down at all! Not one bit; we've been very busy having fun!
On the 3rd September we had tickets to see a double header at Englands spiritual home of Rugby, Twickenham. We took Al's parents as a joint fathers day/wedding anniversary present. I'd only been to see Coventry play at the Butts previously and even though both my in-laws enjoy watching rugby on the telly every chance they get they had never been to see a live game. So it was quite exciting! Alex drove us all down to Twickenham and we parked at Rosebine where we eat our packed lunches on the grass, then we walked the 10 minutes to the stadium. Here we are in front of the ground.
Les, me, Bean and Alex
Les and Fran and hubby Al
We saw London Irish play vrs Harlequins and Saracens play vrs London Wasps - see I was paying attention!
London Irish
Our seats were right at the front!
Saracens and Wasps was the better game
The atmosphere was great, loads of famillies and fun and many fans had turned up to support 2 teams; one per game. Two rows in front of us was the touch line, we were so close to everything. It was a great way to spend a day doing something different and it was the first time literally in years that we four had done something together a bit different from sunday dinner or family meals. I got asked about a million times if I was alright but really, apart from needing a good night's sleep that night I was fine and thought it an excellent way to spend a day. Me and Al really enjoyed ourselves!
The next weekend Alex went to Phil's stag do and I went to Bath. I literally had 2 days left at work and am what would be termed heavily pregnant and for any other friends I probably wouldn't have gone but boy I'm glad I did! These girls are the absolute best mates anyone could wish to have - we all lived together in the first year and they carried on for a further 2 years while I thought it clever to get a place separately. It was not and I've wish thousands of times since that I'd carried on living with them, but there you are. We're all clever with hindsight aren't we?
I arrived at Susie's home and Emily was already there, bless her, helping to tidy up. It was the first time I'd seen Susie's new flat and it's pretty nice. We went and sat in the garden with a cup of tea to admire her mum's planting and have a chat while we waited for Sarah and Hannah to arrive. Once they got there we all chinwagged some more over a glass of wine (or juice for me :)) in the garden and had a real good laugh. Sarah got a great photo of us all on timer which I must get hold of. Whenever we see each other it's like no time has passed and there's always so much to catch up on. Susie's just left her dance teaching position in Bath, Hannah's writing a book and living her new married life in Bath, Emily's loving her teaching job in Southampton and being a mummy for the first time, and Sarah is nearing the end of her maternity in London. We all have partners and lives and gossip and quite frankly there's never enough time to cover it all!
After our gossip session we sprung into action and changed and went out for a delicious meal at Wagamama's. It amuses me that every building looks like something out of a Jane Austen novel, even Wagamama's. Then we walked to a sweet little cocktail bar where we had a cocktail or mocktail or two...
Cocktails in Bath
The next morning we went for breakfast (delicious) and then to Thermae Bath Spa for the best 3 hours of my life (apart from my wedding and maybe some life-altering holidays that currently escape me - it's that good). Seriously, it's a temple to water. If you like getting wet go there, if not probably best you stay away... although I reckon it could change your mind. The picture I'll always remember is of the rooftop pool glistening in the sunlight under the blue sky with picturesque Bath spread around and the rolling countryside spreading out away from us. You're in the city centre but feel like you're in paradise. And for me, feeling light as a feather for a few hours was a real joy. Getting dressed afterwards was a real pain! The spa is 3 floors and I'm not going into detail here or you'll think I'm on comission but I think everyone should go. Afterwards we separated to go back to homes and partners but it had been a delicious weekend
Susie Hannah Sarah and Emily
Pretty as a picture
The next day I had my penultimate day in work before maternity leave began but unfortunately I began to feel ill and went home early. I didn't make it in til the Thursday but I was fine and so was Bean, thank goodness. The girls and boys at Ernst & Young's CRT department made such a fuss over me and gave me a brilliant play mat (Ocean Wonders Kick and Crawl Gym, Fisher Price) and a gorgeous hand-made blanket that I have now packed in my hospital bag.
The play mat CRT got us, bless!
The Friday was my first day of maternity, although technically it was booked as holiday. Al had booked the day off so we could take his parents over to chez Richards for my parents' 35th wedding anniversary buffet. Mum outdid herself with delicious home made macarrones, chicken croquetas, salads, nibbles and more puddings than you could shake a stick at. It was a good chance to see auntie Shelagh and uncle David before the birth too and we were lucky with the weather otherwise I'm not sure we'd have all squeezed in! We all have a glass of Cava Codorniu and dad promised to write the children's stories down for me that he used to tell me at bed time (dad - take note; it is written down and you had witnesses, you have to actually do it this time). We all had a nice family day together and I hope that my parents had a good anniversary (a day early).
Dad, Shelagh, Al, me, mum Fran and Les
The reason my parents celebrated their anniversary a day early was that Saturday was Leon and Teresa's leaving do and I couldn't have coped with both on one day. I could barely cope with the leaving do as it was. Leon and Al lived together all through university. He's probably my best male friend (apart from Al, obviously) and the only one to have made an effort with Danielle and Lisa. We've seen each other through rough times and good. He's always been there for me. And I've tried to be there for him. In recent years I've been so proud to see him get his masters, marry the most perfect girl for him ever, become a da and we've done 2 plays together. He also gives brilliant hugs; a vital thing in any friend. He met Teresa (who's a New Zealander) and she is sweet, fun, kind, a real laugh and has adopted all of us crazy Brits without reservation. She's also supported him, sncouraged him and generally they're the nicest couple you could hope to meet. And tomorrow they fly to New Zealand to start their new life as a family. I couldn't be happier for them. But selfishly I couldn't be more sad! We (me and Al, Danielle, Nathan and Laura) got to the pub for 6.30pm and helped them set up - Nathan got the karaoke machine set up, we blew up balloons and tied them up with ribbons and generally helped out and waited for the first guests to arrive. In the end there were loads of us and Nathan became 'the compere without compare' manning the karaoke machine and putting on music in between our shocking renditions. Leon started things off with 'Lazy (I'm wicked and I'm)' which had us all in fits of laughter and got the party going properly. We all danced about then me and Leon sang possibly the worst rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen ever sung - complete with air guitar and head banging and generally atrocious singing on both our parts. About 10 seconds in I realised what a long song it was but it was too late to back out! It was hilarious and seemed to make everyone else laugh. Finally, after hours of hilarity, and I mean jaw achingly funny, midnight came and went and we were asked to turn off the music. No one wanted to leave. So many people had cried that night, miraculously not me (I'd already blubbed at the kitchen table that morning just putting together a photo album). We played one last song by James - Sit Down and all sat on the floor, just like when I was 17 at the Colosseum. After the song ended Alex got up and said a few words which were very touching about how we all knew they were perfect for each other and how although we'd miss them we knew they were going to be happy which is what made it ok. I could have kissed that husband of mine. A few others echoed Al's words and sat on the floor I heard people crying, saw people hug and knew that very few people in the world could engender this kind of reaction of love and sadness. It was something very moving to see so many men cry. But I was numb, and it only came out the next morning before church with Danielle. So tomorrow the Salters emmigrate. Leon Teresa and Sian I have three words for you: SKYPE US, PRONTO.
Leon, Teresa, Nath, Al and Laura before the party began
