There is room at the Inn

Did you know that Travelodge is offering a free night's accommodation in any of their hotels over the festive period to any couple whose name is Mary and Joseph! How cool is that?! Their press release says it's to make up for the hotel industry not having any rooms available 2007 years ago!! They can also accommodate a baby and a manger, and a parking space will be provided outside for the donkey.

I love it when a large corporation shows that they are not only prepared to do something for no profit, but also have a sense of humour!!

Christmas is coming

With less than a week to go, I am now feeling quite Christmassy! Yesterday Lydia and I decorated our 7ft (!) tree. We excitedly emptied our ‘Christmas box’ to reveal all the lovely things we have gathered over the years. I like to buy decorations that remind me of the different places I have been to. I have some from Las Vegas, Bethlehem, Denmark (lots) and some that Lydia and I have made (they are the best, obviously!). The lights are twinkling as I write, and there are not many doors left to open on the advent calendar. I’d better start that shopping list for Christmas lunch!

Party time

Many would say that Christmas is just one day, so what’s all the fuss about - but it’s not really just one day is it? What about all the parties? Office parties….dinner with friends…..family get togethers..... most evenings throughout December there are lots of people dressed up and out enjoying themselves.

So, not to miss out, I’ve had 3 Christmas evenings out in the last 2 weeks!!

1. ‘hen party’ at The Deep, Hull.
2. Dinner with the HR and Reception staff (5 in total) last Thursday. It was a quiet, civilised and pleasant evening at a good fish restaurant in Beverley. Nice.
3. Company Christmas party in York last Saturday.

About 250 staff and their partners attended the Christmas party. A traditional turkey dinner was paid for by the company (!) AND we each got 6 free drinks vouchers (!!) AND we could book a hotel room and breakfast which the company would pay for (!!!!!!!!!!!!!). How could we not enjoy ourselves?

We had our party at the Royal York Hotel, next to York station, so I checked in at about 4pm Saturday evening (yes of course I booked a room!), and then wandered into York for a bit of shopping. The city was looking wonderfully festive with twinkling lights, Christmas decorations and loads of gorgeous shops tempting everyone to part with their money. I managed to get a couple of gifts, and then went and had a browse in Habitat, which always makes me feel happy!

As I said, partners were invited, but being the eternal singleton and having no partner, I decided to book myself a single place, and a single room (sad, but indulgent). Then, a week before the party, Toni suggested I ask my nephew Benji if he wanted to come with me. I was fairly sure he would not be keen – let’s face it how uncool to go to a dinner dance with your old aunt? However, as a student, the offer of free food and drink is always tempting, and he lives in York anyway, and indeed I got a reply text saying “yep sounds good to me! Am I your plus one?? Whats the dress code”. Obviously I told him that wearing a dress would be inappropriate, but mine was red if he wanted to co-ordinate his shirt. I asked at work if I could book a last minute place and that was ok. I also checked if I could have a twin room in case he wanted to stay over. I decided not to tell anyone who it was I was bringing, only that his name was Ben. People never like to ask, do they? I’m sure they like to speculate, but it’s bizarre that they are happy to assume, but not to ask! So if a middle aged man can bring a 20-year old pretty girl who he refers to as his ‘niece’, then I thought it completely appropriate that I could bring a good looking, 20-year old young man who I could refer to as my ‘nephew’. Lol!

We had great fun, and Benji was a complete star! He did me proud!! He even joined me on the dance floor…..well, I guess none of his student friends were watching. Then, just like Cinderella, he left at around midnight, to go home, and I managed to stagger my way back to my hotel room alone but happy.

Usually when you stay in a hotel, you are an anonymous, transient person who knows no-one. So, it did feel a little weird to go for breakfast and see so many familiar faces of people who I work with and were partying with the night before! I was invited to join one of our Directors, Eugenio and his wife at their breakfast table, and although I felt a little like Shirley Valentine joining Douggie & Jeanette, I did manage to enjoy a delicious full cooked breakfast, before heading off back into York for some sightseeing and more shopping…… I almost felt like I was on holiday!

*sorry, we were so busy enjoying ourselves we forgot to take a photo!

A fishy hen party

Friday night I was invited to a hen party. One of the girls...sorry, women, at work is getting married soon, and said she didn't have many friends so thought it would be nice if some of the girls from work could go. How could I refuse? Admittedly, I was tempted by the venue - The Deep in Hull which is the world's only submarium. Bizarrely, tables had been set out, followed by a disco, surrounded by fish tanks, and more importantly the main shark tank!

I was a little apprehensive about how much fun we could have - everyone was rather odd (so I guess that includes me!). Therefore, the evening could only be better than expected and I ended up having great fun. The food was good. We had to wear dangly, flashing things on our heads and badges stating we were part of the hen party!! Each of us had forfiets, and I managed to swop mine (find the ugliest man in the room and snog him) for another that seemed more appealing (find 6 men at the bar to kiss). Sadly, I didn't manage to complete my task(I won't tell you how far I got), as the evening just seemed to run out of time, and I got far too distracted looking at the sharks and weird fish which were really mesmerising.

I charged up my camera especially, and then managed to leave it charging on my dining room table! I had my camera phone but we were not able to take flash photos (actually I don't know how to do that on my phone!), as it might scare the sharks!!! So, excuse the poor, grainy photos. However, I think they capture the atmosphere quite well....

Celebrity comes to Driffield

Exciting news....celebrity spotted in Driffield!

Now, having come from Weybridge where celebrity spotting could be a weekly occurance, and having an actress sister, which allowed me introductions and access to a great many celebrities, you may be forgiven in thinking that I am no longer easily excited by a bit of celebrity spotting. But really, do any of us tire of that? Even Mia still loves a bit of celebrity spotting!

So, you can imagine my excitement when I dropped in to see Lydia at her Saturday job and found I was just in time for the arrival of local celebrity, weatherman Paul Hudson from BBC's Look North, who was doing a book signing at her shop.

Being the cheapskate that I am (in fact it's hard to believe I was not Yorkshire born!), I managed to resist buying his latest book on extreme weather, but I was cheeky enough to just ask for an autograph (for my mother......I guess they all say that!) and take a photo. He was very chatty and friendly....and he's rather cute!! (apologies to those of you not in the Yorkshire/Lincolnshire area who will not know who I'm talking about!)

Government blunder....getting personal

We listen to the news and allegations where the government has made a blunder, and it's tempting to ignore it as yet more spin. However, the message always seems more important when it has a personal significance! Recently, CDs went missing from the Child Benefit Agency containing 25,000 people's personal date - name, address, NI no, bank details, childrens details, date of births, etc. It was a big news story. Scarry if this got into the wrong hands, as the threat of identify theft has serious consequences.

I listened to this news story with the usual 'tutting' of government incompetence. However, when I had my letter to say that my details were included in those lost, it made it all a little more worrying!! It makes my home shredder seem suddenly insignificant!


* some of the personal information has been covered up.....although I realise that sounds ridiculous considering the events above!

Feeling Christmassy?

December has arrived, and we have opened the 2^nd door on the advent calendar. It’s just over 3 weeks until Christmas, and I’m all excited and feeling Christmassy. NOT!!

Yesterday I went Christmas shopping in Hull. Today I went to an out of town Designer Outlet centre near York with Liddi. Queues for car parks. Shops heaving with people. Queues for the tills. Kids crying. Husbands and boyfriends shuffling outside shop doors looking bored. Large shopping bags being pushed into your back and your shins. Christmas songs playing in every shop. Tinsel, glitter, bling everwhere. I don’t have loads of people to buy for, but still it’s hard. I shopped for hours yesterday and today and my feet hurt, my back hurts, my debit card hurts, and still I have managed to have hardly any presents bought!!

I’ve decided to give up going to the big shops and the big cities. Whatever I buy now will be from Driffield, Beverley or the internet.

Liddi and I did buy some party clothes for ourselves! I have a few parties coming up (which I’m not looking forward to either), so I decided I would try to cheer myself up with some new, bright clothes. I think it’s going to take more than that….!

(* like the photo? I made that decoration!!)

Ba Humbug!