What a trip!!!!
Well, it's 3.50pm on Sunday afternoon and I am absolutely cream-crackered but have the biggest grin! lol What a fabulous weekend....
Yesterday began 2 hours later than I had planned (didn't get out of my lovely warm bed!).. and then ensued a manic dash through my list of things to do before heading off to Birmingham and the WeMitt meet...
I had to get the house cleared up a bit, more washing in the dryer and in the machine, loaded dishwasher, packed case, ironed
jeans, dashed out to pick up Zoe from her fella's place (it was heaving down with rain, blowing a hooley and lightening!), got cash out from the one and only cashpoint is my town!, dropped off stuff at Sally Army shop, dashed off to Higham Ferrers to the Farmers Market and bought a couple of rabbit pies for Sarah when she comes home for Chrimbo (I promised I would and I don't know when next one is!)... also bought a 3litre box of apple juice for Zoe (there is a supplier there from Ely and he sells the most delicious apple juice in so many varieties! Zoe's favourite is Bramley Cox, I like the one with ginger in.. but that'll be next year now!)... also hot-footed it to the stationers and bought my diary for next year and a date stamp for work...into the CoOp next door and grabbed some water for the weekend.. struggled back to the car with everything and then quick drive home (via McDonalds for Zoe - who when I asked her to let me sniff her fries, diligently held one under my nose... she told me she was so proud of me for still sticking to it and told me that I will be a right skinny bint soon! lol - bless her, she makes me smile)
Home and loaded the case into the car, grabbed Zoe's hair straighteners, last minute panic to copy cds to put in car, wrote a thank you note to chap who sent me his ticket to the gig Thursday, also to my mum and sis to thank them for my birthday prezzies,... put iron etc away... made muffin and crisps to take with me, and bouillon is packed too!
I sat with Zoe and asked her what to do at the nightclub - she just said, mum.. it's not about who looks the best or is the slimmest, it's just about getting out there and having a laugh! As I went to drive off I said to her that I couldn't believe I was going , she laughed and said she could! lol (I also had my instructions to call her when I was leaving to come home as she wanted time to clear up!)... the house was pretty tidy so I wondered what she had in mind!
The journey was great! No traffic problems on the A14 nor the M6. I had a bit of a panic when I got off the M6 but managed to find the hotel pretty easily (thanks to maps and ability to look at map whilst driving, watching the road, lights and obscure road signs!!). Felt very nervous and excited as I parked in the hotel carpark and made my way in!
The hotel was Jury's Inn, Birmingham and was lovely! I booked in and went up to my room - top floor! (16th) She told me that there were hen and stag parties on the lower floors - lol I was more than happy and went up to my room... I was so thrilled when I opened the door - it was a lovely room and the view was of the canal and also Birmingham itself and off into the distance was countryside - it was wonderful!
I unpacked, made use of the facilities, drank a litre of water , brushed my hair, took a deep breath and prepared to go and meet everyone!!
When I got down to the lounge I spotted Ailsa and Ann and Irene and Cat. I introduced myself to everyone and sat down for what turned out to be a 4 hour chat! The time flew by! Mary came next, then Michelle and Mandy and finally Gill (Cah Ching)... we were yabbering away from Britain! Ailsa and Ann put on a pair of Ailsa's old size 30 trousers (1 person in each leg) did them up and did a twirl!
It was an incredibly sobering sight.. having only just this month hung up my own size 30's I felt a mixture of absolute horrified embarassment, shame and insecurity (
my issues entirely) and absolute and sheer joy for their success! They both are stunners! Ailsa looked amazing in her size 10 jeans, boots, pink sparkly blouse and blue/white jacket... she really looked fantastic! Ann looked so elegant - in a green dotty top and black skirt and jacket and the most sparkly green bracelet! What an inspiring pair! Proof positive that if you stick to this damn diet you CAN lose massive amounts of weight and in a relatively short period of time too!! When Mary arrived - what a lovely person, very petite and also having lost a monumental amount of weight! Between the 3 of them they had lost a staggering 35+stone!!!!!
Ann and Mary had brought with them their weight loss charts and before photos... incredible! The three of them, well, you would NEVER guess any of them had once had a weight problem!! Amazing. THEN Mandy and Mich arrived... well... Mandy is tall, incredibly slim with the most fantastic long hair! She struck an impressive figure and with her tatoos was a real stunner. Mich is so beautiful... and looked great in her brown flowing top and jeans and boots... I just can't get over how good they all looked!!
Well... Cah ching arrived and boy, is she a star! She has such a great attitude to life and we had quite a discussion about the events of late on here and in life in general! She has a dazzling smile and a personality to match!
Irene is simply one of the loveliest people I have ever met in my life... a gentle, caring soul who is simply lovely! Cat (her daughter) reminds me so much of my Sarah.. same age, same youthful confidence
Such a great girl!
We all just hit it off immediately! We agreed to part so that those who wanted to could go and have a munch and others could prepare for the evening - I was one of the latter having already nipped up to my room for a mug of hot bouillon and my crisps... and I started to prepare for an evening in a night club! I was very nervous - I haven't been in a night club in over 10 years.. in fact probably closer to 12 or 13! I got ready, straightened my hair (which took an hour!!) and then got a text from Ailsa to say they (her and Ann) were still in the cafe next door and to meet in the foyer as they were off home soon...
I ummed and ahhed about whether to wear my coat or not...so I did.. I was feeling very cold.. and got the lift down to the foyer...
I couldn't see any of the gang there so loitered a bit for a while and was soon joined by Mary - she looked lovely... her make up was incredible! (I had put on a teeny bit of eyeshadow and mascara - not one for wearing the stuff normally as pants at putting it on! lol)... and we waited for the others... soon we were joined by Ann, Irene, Ailsa and Cat... then Gill, then Mich and Mandy. Everyone looked so glamourous! Mandy in particular looked incredible! She is very tall and slim, with hair that is so long it must be down at least to her waist.. she was wearing a top that showed her fab figure off perfectly and her tatoos too... stunning pictures on her back and on both arms.. very talented tatooist who did those! Everyone looked fab and Cat and Irene nipped up to their room to change and so, once assembled we headed off to Flares!
Well... I can't begin to know how to describe the place! It was a total throwback to the 70's!! It was great! They wanted £1.50 to hang your coat up so, being the tightwad I am, I hopped back across the road and put my coat in my room! lol Well...
Mary did the same! We both froze on the way back though! lol The music was fantastic - all 70's and I sang along to them all and simply couldn't keep still all night! When they opened up the upstairs dance floors we headed up there and found a seating area by the bar and a dance floor that was empty! So... we took to the dance floor and that, really, was where we all stayed, on and off , all night! I have to confess... it was a real eye-opener for me!! I haven't been to a night club in SO long!!
There were so many people there - women dressed in all kinds of fancy dress outfits... on hen nights... birthday parties... just dressed up for the hell of it... there were all ages, all sizes.. all nationalities... it was heaving!
Well, there was me in my jeans and pink hiker boots and me black top... and I was just having a belter of a time on the dance floor - so much fun! I thought it was hilarious most of the time.. the only thing that soured it a bit was one particular bloke who seemed to think he had the right to grab parts of your anatomy!
He grabbed one of Cat's boobs and that was it! I switched from party mode into fuming mother hen mode!! I was in his face, wagging my finger and demanding he apologise to her! He did some stupid face gesture thing (clearly trying to offend me.. LOL) and all I did was turn my back to him.. he was WAY out of line, and not just with our group but with another woman who was VERY drunk and he was really getting out of order and all her mates were laughing and doing nothing about it... in the end some other lads stepped in and all was ok. It wasn't nice though and there were a lot of very peculiar men there!!! I had lots of very flattering comments from a couple of the young men there... which has done wonders for my self-confidence! lol
I was really enjoying myself and before we knew it, there was just me and Mich left as the others had (very sensibly) turned it at a reasonable hour! lol We just carried on having a right giggle, bop and singalong! We finally traipsed back to the hotel about 3ish... and then sat in the lounge bar for a while having a chinwag and setting the world to rights.. lol THEN, we got online! hee hee... good job it was me typing (I was on water all night)... lol We had SUCH a giggle though.
I loved every moment... despite having drinks spilled on me and smoke blown in my face by one very objectionable man as I tried to leave the place! There were a lot of pretty objectionable men there I think.. lol... but were pretty ok where we were dancing and just tended to have the fellas around near us that were having a right laugh - you know? NOT the ones who wanted to grope and snog yer face off, but the kind who were having a giggle dancing and singing too... it was very relaxed I thought. It was also VERY interesting to see all the women there - and their behaviour!!! My goodness - I had no idea women were like that nowadays!!! LOL They are flippin' predators!!! ROFL
Anyway, finally said goodnight to Mich and shared a lift with her and off to my room... I texted Zoe to tell her about my night and, well,.. despite being tired I was on a high and as I stank of fags and booze (all by proxy!)... I had a wonderful shower, ate my muffin (was a bit hungry) and then climbed into bed... missed my leccy blanky... lololol but the room was lovely and warm in the end... I set my phone alarm for 10am (we had arranged to meet at 11 the next morning).. and finally drifted off to sleep. I woke up briefly at around 7.30 and having turned the heating down (I KNOW!!) and drinking some water... it was back to sleep until 10! Got all packed up and then down in time for the 11am meet... had another wonderful chat with the girlies and finally said cheerio at midday. They were off to the shops, Mary to the station and me to the car! (Parking was £9.60) so not too bad and I only spent £10 all weekend!
I am so glad I went... I have a great weekend of memories and inspiration now to keep me going!! I'm really looking forward to seeing them all again in Newcastle too in January!! If this weekend was anything to go by, that weekend will be just as good fun!
I got home in good time and have been on here ever since! I must go and put my smelly jeans etc in the wash or they will be even more rank!! lol
I've put my pics of the weekend in an album on the gallery and hope I did it right! lol
I'm off to have a kip and rest this horrendously painful foot of mine! I'm out tonight to the pub quiz again with Lucy so that will round off a great weekend! I'm a happy bunny and looking forward to my weigh in on Tuesday (all that dancing MUST have helped!! lol).
Yawwwnnnn... sweet dreams folks!
