Cyprus Wedding

This went surprisingly well :)

Tuesday 13 October: had to send pets to bootcamp, in a lovely but remote kennels. 3 cats, 1 dog, and a dirt track that had abandoned 4-wheel drives along it. Not Chelsea tractors either, but real working Land Rovers! The Yardis is still in shock. Packing was horrendous, and I didn't get to bed at all.

Wednesday 14 October: Tyler and Phoebe were brilliantly behaved on the flight. At Nissi Beach, the Big Sis took a complete dislike to our rooms and lodged a strong suggestion they should move us. My room was fine, but the downside of beautiful mature trees is the lack of light they cause. They also hid the karaoke bar opposite, but they didn't really help the soundproofing. The kids were in a fantastic beach bungalow, beach 100 yards from front door.

Hit Ayia Napa for the hen night, which I left after the drinking game but before the karaoke. Was excused as at this point I'd been awake for 40 hours so had proved I could last the course. And the drinks were overpriced and watered down, not really worth staying for!

Thursday 15 October: did some exploring of Nissi Beach and Ayia Napa, which is beautiful out of season. Sun, sand and sheer laziness. Perfect. Throw in the superb burgers at the Pool bar and the booze, heaven.

I also found out that there were many cats in the hotel grounds, and the grounds of the adjoining pubs and restaurants. Sleek, shiny and wary, they live happily on the local furry creatures and treats from the guests, with minimal intervention from the owners. They are not pets; they are highly effective pest control.

Friday 16 October: beautiful day, beautiful venue, and the bride & groom scrubbed up quite well too! I was entrusted with a nice digital SLR, which means that Douglas has all my photos. He'll know which ones are mine, the crap ones.

My brother made a brilliant speech, so proud of him. He nearly cried when he mentioned Mum, and Kev's grandad Fred. Diane (Kev's mum) was so glad he'd mentioned Fred, as I think that sometimes people forget that strong capable mums are still someone's baby, and she was missing her dad. We've all been honest with each other about how we feel about Rosie; I think Diane had been doing the brave face thing too well.

Several members of the party ended up on the beach, some ended up in the water but no one drowned. Our venue closed at one, so it was across the road to the karaoke bar! Those formally dressed got changed for the occasion, I'm pleased to say. My brother and Rod, father of the groom, will appear on YouTube at some point with their rendition of 'You're 16', an age either has seen in 40 years.

Saturday 17 October-Tuesday 20 October: Sun, sand, food, more sun, and so on...great!

I tried quadbiking but gave up after 10 minutes. It was too much like hard labour.

Wednesday 21 October: our plans to live feral in the grounds with the hotel cats were discovered and we were dispatched to the airport pronto. Damn.

Thursday 22 October: Eric had enjoyed his stay at the cattery so much, he refused to leave. That is the BEST endorsement anyone could give! But he was caught in the end, and the scratches have nearly faded.

Wedding prep and all that.

Yes, I've booked the flights.
Yes, I've printed copies of everything for everyone (including a 2-year old, who can't read).
Yes, hotel and transfers booked.
Yes, I've got travel insurance and,
Yes, I've checked it includes quadbikes (!)
Yes, I know where my passport and EHIC card are, and neither is due to expire.
Yes, I've got a dress that the bride should like (I like hers, she can be nice about mine or I'll wreck her wedding video).
Yes, the pets are innoculated and booked in an appropriately luxurious kennel.
Yes, I've booked the time off work and know what deadlines I have to finish before I go.
Yes, I know I need currency and I will get it sorted, ok?

But I'm still sure I've forgotten something.

Bugger.

Go Team Tootill - AND WE DID

Saturday morning, 10.30am, Tatton Park.

1600 runners (or or 1590 runners and 10 members of Team Tootill) set off round the course. We even had a team logo, thanks to our mate Pete in Graphic Support Workshop. Check it out here

And I don't know how many finished, but WE DID!










Fastest Team Tootill-pootler was Steve at 52mins 30s.

I got round in 1 hour 25, according to the DJ. So did Lisa Frowny Baby, but she did wait for me so could've crossed about 5 minutes earlier. Jolan paid the price for getting stuck in jogging traffic and finished just behind.

Our Janey McN was the last over the line, so at the goading of the DJ we legged it back and crossed the line with her. Have a sneaky peek at the Running Pictures website Our bib numbers were in the 801-900 group. Be warned this page takes forwever to download.

And we've earned a shitload of cash for Cancer Research UK, thanks to our very supportive and generous mates :)

Phoebe Jane is 1 on Friday!

Our little Phoebe is nearly a year old.

I really think she should have been born on the 10th, the day they switched on the Large Hadron Collider for the first time. With bets taken on which would destroy the Universe first ;)

Instead she choose 11th September 2008 (that's 11/9/09 in the UK NOT 9/11 which is four days after Guy Fawkes as any fule kno). Which means I've got til Thursday pm to find a present.

Her mum has suggested I find some kind of funky bib/jacket thingy - Phoebe is enthusiastic about feeding herself, and both she and Tyler are going to graduate to proper paints soon. Covering the house top-to-toe is a bit extreme but covering the child is eminently practical.

I feel I should really find another present too. But I really need to find something robust and interesting to the child. She seems to have a penchant for her brother's toolkit, but I haven't found a girly-ish one, yet. It needs to look different to Ty's or there will be a real scrap.

I've found a fully-functioning adult's toolbox in pink, apparently real girls can't do DIY unless they have a pink screwdriver! So I ask, is it inappropriate to give a year-old child a real toolkit?
She's very bright for her age...

We're back! Sort of...

Well, since the last post;

* I've been to the Cambridge Folk Festival (check link down the side as I couldn't be arsed taking photos)

* Tyler is now 2 years old, he's got the tantrums down to perfection as he's been practising for Terrible Twos since Christmas

* Phoebe the Red-Haired Wonderkid has graduated to her first pair of shoes, and chose the bright purple shiny ones (that's my girl!)

* Bailey is still my personal trainer, although I will be doing the "10k stagger round and try not to have a heart attack" not the 10k run for Team Tootill

* My friends Lisa (Frowny Baby) and Jolan have offered to join me on the run. Stars, both of them. *especially if they carry me over the finish line

* The cats have launched a hate campaign against my sister, for tidying up the garden. To be fair she did decimate it, and the skip was not a suitable replacement

* I passed the Level 1 Deafblind Communication exam I took back in May, despite falling asleep in the final presentation with all the exam info in.

* As the child of a mixed marriage - Salford MUFC mum and Miles Platting MCFC dad - I am watching the pre-season shennanigans with great interest and no conflict whatsoever. I want them in the top two positions, with everyone else playing for 3rd place. No pressure there, lads.

And the lovely Elegant Eric was caught having a mad moment this morning! Chasing about like a true mad thing, not his usual cool self. But he's not daft - he waited until I was just about to leave for work, and couldn't film it. He's really missed Mum, so it was nice to see him perking up a bit.

We are all getting back to normal, slowly.

Bare faced cheek

To keep it brief:

A colleague in another department clashed with his boss.

This woman had been promoted beyond her level of ability - the promotion put her in charge of a department where she had no experience, and it was very tekkie so her transferable skills couldn't save her.

She and my well-qualified and experienced Colleague were on a collision course from day 1. After yet another meeting where she failed to delegate, and interferred to a point where she became dangerous, Colleague decided to quit. He was old enough to qualify for early retirement, so he took this option to get his well earned benefits.

We were out at lunchtime for his presentation.

She had made his life hell, and yet stood there and praised him in the way you would praise an elderly dog for not peeing on the carpet.

He is 56 and brilliant at his job, much missed by his colleagues.

She is now the target for a lot of revulsion and sarcastic comments.

I am wondering how this is going to pan out. His friends are talented, creative and seriously pissed off. I'm hoping their creative natures will construct some witty and extravagant revenge.

But in case that fails, they can have the box of weedkiller powder I found in the shed.

Go Team Tootill!

Our friend and colleague has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

She's getting the appropriate treatment, but we all decided that something should be done to fundraise for cancer research.

So what do a bunch of hard-drinking exercise-dodgers choose to do?

A 10k fun run, that's what....

So check us out at Team Tootill, http://www.run10ksponsorme.org/teamtootill!

She likes cats. Therefore a good sort!