How long is this post which has taken me 3 days to blooming write..???

Well I think this will have to be done in installments, lol I have just had the best weekend ever. If you dont know what I am on about, I decided I wanted to do something for my birthday this year. I,ve never made a fuss about my birthday as I am usually to be found working at a show, but following on from my life changing year, I decided it was time. I thought for ages what I would like to do and then it came to me in a flash. I wanted to be selfish, I wanted to put me first. I wanted to spend a few days doing just want I wanted, with my closest friends there as well. But would it work..???
I booked a cottage in the Dales and paid for it straight away, so I couldnt cancel, no matter what, lol. Then I asked the people who I wanted to be there. And to my delight they all said yes. Woop woop..!!!!  We had one last minute inclusion and one last minute drop out, so that left me, my two girls and five friends. Now these 5 friends didnt really know each other, in fact some hadnt  met at all. But I needn,t have worried because we had a fabulous time. Everyone got on brilliantly and there wasnt one cross word. Everyone pulled there weight and did their own thing. If you wanted to do it , you did, and if you didn,t, then you quite simply didnt.

So here we go....

Luckily some got there before us and were in the midst of setting the fire and working out the Wii.

Between us we only had the essential food groups..!!!

Susie and Emmi hit it off straight away, they both love to frequent the party section in Matalan.

We soon had the Wii rocking and the girls were giving a fine rendition of everything.

Not that anyone was enjoying themselves, lol.

The lovely Marie baked me the most unusual, but gorgeous birthday cake. Blueberries and Philadelphia cheese

Methinks shes gone a bit camera shy.

Look no hands...

One night down, two to go.

Off we all tottled to bed (me at about 4.30). I had baggsied the room at the front of the house. But didnt realise the implications. There was a larder downstairs wirh stone walls and shelves, remember this cottage was built in the 1600's. Well the beer came out colder from there than it did from the fridge, we christened the room "the morgue"because it was freezing. Well my room was directly above it and so I shivered all night long. At home I sleep under a slightly open window, with my ass and one leg always hanging out the covers, so I am used to cold, but thios was something else, I was bitter cold right deep down in my bones.

So after not very much quality sleep, this is what I was greeted with....

Now I,m not sure what happened but i never had Our Ems down as a domestic goddess

As you can see, everyone just did their own thing, it was so satisfying not to have to please anyone but you.

Me Jay and Em's had come prepared with outdoor games. We had badminton, croquet, rounders etc, but unfortunately the garden was on an 80% incline..!!! lmao.
So some of the girls actually got dressed and went out for a walk.Here's Ems and Susie checking out Wallace n Grommit's favourite place.

This was our lovely home for the weekend.

 

I just love this photo.

Ali made the mistake of asking if anyone wanted a drink..!!!

I had mine in one of my birthday pressies from Bezzie Su

 

Jay cooked a scrummy tea of cottage pie..what else...!!! and Emmi tastefully decorated the table whilst enjoying a swift Desperado. ( oh how addicted to them am I..???)

Oh no  please don,t make me share my Champagne..!!!

As you can see I spent the whole weekend in my Jammies and shock horror, without a scrap of make up on. I dont think I have ever gone nearly 3 days without it. Although I always look as though I dont wear a lot I actually always set out with primer, foundation, pressed powder, bronzer, blusher, eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, mascara and lippy......  So apologies for the au naturelle look.....

Susie is  a whizz at raspberry mojitos and soon utilised whatever was to hand
.

Think the girlies were ecstatic...

Marie couldn't cope with a small measure....

unlike moi who always takes it steady.....!!!

We then let off some wish lanterns into the sky. This was hilarious as the slight breeze nearly caused a mishap.

Hows about that for a parting shot...????

The whole weekend was fantastic from start to finish, yes there was lots of tears as a lot of the girls needed to unload, and what better way to do it. But there was also zillions of laughs. Not a cross word to be had and even more great friendships were formed.  It was hard to believe that the only thing everyone had in common at the start was me. There was no pressure, no expectation, no backbiting, just a really special and magical time.

By 3.30 on the sunday everyone had left to go home ( Mothers Day calling) and I was on my own.  I decided to chill in the front room, and I journaled to my hearts content. I did a page in honour of my Mum and shed a few tears at the same time. I then loaded my box set of Hustle into my laptop and watched it back to back whilst doodling  and drinking Mulligatawny soup....Heaven.

Early the next morning I loaded up the car and began the drive back into complete madness.....lmao...

So to  my gorgeous Bezzie Su, who even though she was away from home couldnt help Mothering us all..!

The gorgeous Kirsty who worries about everything and nothing, but who is the darlingest of people you could ever meet.

The gorgeous sexy Susie, who on the outside is the life and soul of the party, but on the inside is facing a really challenging time in her life, deciding the best way to follow her heart.

The gorgeous Ali who quietly took it all in, but came away looking years younger.

The gorgeous Marie, who despite her nutty exterior is the calmest, most gentle of souls, always ready to dispennse her wonderful advice. She has a way of making you think of things you didn't think you needed to think about.

The gorgeous Jay who came alive and giggled through. She astounded us all with her culinary skills and her drinking abilities.

The gorgeous Emmi who whipped us all into a frenzy with her dancing, singing, drinking, twirling, and loving.

And of course  the gorgeous me, well I have to say it don't I..???

8 very different women, all very different personalities, all facing different problems, all very different ways of dealing with them, all strong in their own right, all believing that they aren,t, all worthy of everything wonderful that life may throw at them....My word for the year is Gratitude, and I am extremeley grateful to know, be friends, and spend such a magical time with them. How lucky to have such a feeling.

I love you all from the bottom of my heart and wouldn't change a thing about any of you, long may it continue. Are we going to do it again...??? Bring it on.... XXX