Yearly Catch Up

It's been ages since I last blogged. Last summer. I do say it repeatedly but time really does seem to be getting away from me, the older I'm getting. Plus, this is only really being done for the benefit of my own family and close friends. Preserving the madness for a future generation. Speaking of, look at these beauties. So grown up now. Three of them are dating. I've never felt so bloody old in all of my life.

Mr G had another op! I know, fancy that... And this time, it fell on the 6^th December. So as you can imagine, Christmas was sorted by the 5^th December. This year, I did Christmas like a proverbial boss. It was bought, wrapped, hidden, bagged, cooked, and frozen. And what little wasn't, there was Amazon Prime, Amazon Pantry and Mum and Dad. So, we had a nice Christmas, but it felt a little... flat, I suppose. There wasn't any of the last minute rushing around. I was just waiting for Christmas to come for weeks, and it took the shine off it, somewhat. 

Mr G couldn't drive for 6 - 8 weeks after the op, he was going stir crazy, I was just going bog standard crazy. 5 weeks and 6 days after the op, I could see him getting twitchy.

Mr G: I can drive tomorrow.

Me: Er, no? The six to eight weeks is a guideline, not a target?

I managed to buy Mr G a surprise Christmas present, and it was a bargain too. A Tassimo coffee machine for £39.99 on a deal on Amazon. I don't normally get bargains like that. And it is, quote unquote “The best present I've ever had”. Now, bearing in mind that I've bought him a Summer House and a set of drums... perhaps I should have just saved my money? He's now obsessed with Latte Macchiato (a crystal meth habit would be cheaper to fund) and I have fallen in love with Mocha. Mocha is the new Merlot.

In November last year I completed my third year of NaNoWriMo, and somehow I have managed to drag my one story out into four separate books. Two finished, one nearly done and one work in progress.

Yassssss...

Currently looking into self publishing the first of them, but there's a long way to go yet and a lot to think about. It's really funny how I had a clear vision of how things were going to turn out, and some how, some way, the villain of the piece has turned into one of the heroes, albeit a flawed one, and the couple that I ripped apart in the first few lines of the first draft in 2015 have spent the last two years clawing their way back to each other. Curse you plot bunnies. Curse you.

Mr G: So... what are they about?

Me: Hard to say, really. Normal life. Not chick lit as such. Not fluffy. But funny in parts.

Mr G: Are they filth?

Charming! What's he trying to say?

In July we had a lovely day and evening out in Manchester, a mucky overnighter, where we went to see Sister Act in The Palace Theatre (so that's another thing off my 40 before 40 list – which, seeing as I'm now 42... I am going to have to adapt and amend this into a 50 before 50 list!). 

Fish and Chips (what else?) and a glass of Vino in Yates, Oxford Road

Followed by a few scoops in Thirsty Scholar

We stayed in the Northern Quarter of the city, had a lovely meal out, a few pints and it was lovely just getting away, me and him. Sister Act was fantastic, thanks M&A for (yet another!) wonderful birthday present! 

This year we have lots of rugby league matches to attend. After a somewhat dismal season last year, where it seemed that there were very few home games, this year every team will play each other home and away. 

It hasn't been a bad start to the season, two pre-season friendlies, against West Wales, which we won...

... and Saint Helens, which we didn't, but we put in a great performance against a team which had current Super League players in.

Altogether now... ♪ We've got the beeeeeeeeest kicker in the league ♫

Including the verra handsome former Wigan Warriors player Matty Smith. 

Oooh 'ello!

A home draw to London Skolars, 24 - 24...

and a storming Challenge Cup tie against Keighley Cougars, where we came back from 6-24 down at half time to win 28-24 and progress to the Fourth Round...

… which is this Sunday! We've drawn Featherstone, at home, so that's a trip to Queensway (weather permitting, Beast from the East part deux!). 

Mum is going to babysit the boys, as apparently the fans can get a little rowdy? So, it's an early start, pop into Everland for some fish and chips before we get to the stadium, then go and see if we can be of assistance setting up. And have a few cheeky pints of Wrexham lager. I had to laugh when we arrived last month and saw the new sign erected on the stands.

Mr G tutted, turned to me and said:

Mr G: You've probably paid for that sign. Or rather, I have...

What can I say.

Speaking of alcohol, or rather, no alcohol. In October we went to Crusaders Awards evening. This time it was slightly different to the previous year, which was at a Hotel. This year, it was in a community centre type place in Gwersyllt. We booked a Premier Inn not far away, in Gresford and we had another mucky overnighter. Although, it has to be said, the STATE that Mr G was in when we arrived back at the hotel, nothing remotely mucky happened...

It went downhill rapidly from here...

Well. What an evening. Probably one of the best nights out that I have ever had in my life. 

Mr G and my favourite player Danny Price

Mr G got drunk, so drunk, that he hasn't touched a drop of alcohol since. Not even a glass of vino with his Christmas dinner. Not even a pint on New Year's Eve. Nor our anniversary. Nor his birthday. He hasn't had an alcoholic drink since 21^st October. He doesn't drink much anyway, but it's just been a flat out 'NO.' ever since. If I was writing this on my iPad, I would insert a laughing emoji here 

I have never seen him so ill, so hungover, in my life. 

Or so mortified the next morning, when I told him that when we'd reached the hotel, he'd got out of the cab that we'd shared with friends and after me nudging him to free the moths from his wallet and pay for the thing, he chucked a fiver at Martin, said 'See you tomorrow' before walking off ahead of me and ending up on the wrong floor...

I asked him if he thought that the taxi had taken us back to the 1980's, the last time that a taxi, at one in the morning, going that distance would have cost a fiver?

Live by the sword...

A hangover that lasted from the Sunday, until the Wednesday. And, you couldn't make this up. We were walking up a side street from the car park into town on the Wednesday morning.

Mr G: I'm only just starting to feel better now, today.

I heard a noise and looked around to find this Wrexham Lager wagon, Wrexham lager being the drink that he had got so drunk on at the awards night, parking up behind us. Never seen one anywhere near our neck of the woods before. I didn't even know any pubs sold it locally.

Oh, how I laughed...

Mr G took one look at it, retched and said 'I'm never drinking again. Ever.”

He turned 56 and celebrated with lattes and a couple of lovely meals out. Table Table and Cafe Doda

We do occasionally eat other things...

Snickers Milkshake. Trying something new AND blowing my daily calorie intake with one drink!

Hog Roast Wellington. Lush!

Cafe Doda Double Burger for the birthday boy

Cafe Doda Lamb and Mint Burger - best burger ever.

And I'll leave you with this 'Family WTF?' moment from last August. Camping in Llangollen. I was sat outside with my wine and Kindle, and Mr G was lying down, having a minute, on his campbed. Like so...

Ryan walked to the door, looked at him and uttered these immortal words...

Ryan: 'Paint me, like a Latvian hillbilly...'

I don't know. I really couldn't tell you. And on that note, I'm off to work on my 50 before 50 list!