Florida holiday, week 1, November 2015.........

We are so lucky to now have friends who own property in Florida and even luckier that they invited us to visit.

Monday 16th - early but sensible start leaving home at 8am and arrived at Gatwick about 10:15ish which is good for rush hour on the A12-M25. Check in, security check and double check, flight on time all according to plan. Landing at Orlando airport at 5:30pm (US time) and having to join the longest queue after queue after queue for at least four passport checks before collecting our luggage and then joining another long queue to get our hire car meant we didn't leave the airport till about 8:15pm and finally arrived at friendsL&K's villa at 9:45pm (that's 2:45am the next day UK time). So lovely to see them and L had made us spag.bol. so we had a tour of their US home then relaxed and chatted and went to bed around midnight.

Tuesday 17th - We went out for breakfast then had a tour round The Villages, having a guided tour by friendsL&K of some of the 30ish villages and four town squares and various recreation buildings

and sports areas. Really interesting with something going on in each place all the time and already getting decorated for Thanksgiving and Christmas. A lot of space is given to golf courses but there are also a large number of swimming pools and Pickleball courts and Bocce courts which we'd never heard of before. Our transport within The Villages is their golf cart

which most residents use here, no need for a driving licence or road tax (there are two seats at the back too)! We headed back to Sumta town square for 5pm for the live entertainment by Rocky and the Rollers,

they were brilliant and had everybody (including us) up and dancing. Unfortunately all the seating was taken so we bought some drinks from the "bait shack" street vendor and crossed the road to some comfy seating. A great first day!

Wednesday 18th - lazy day today. Three of us went to the supermarket after dropping friendL at the hairdressers. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying good catchup conversations. It had reached about 30°C so I was grateful for the air-con inside.  We headed out 5pm-ish to Brownwood Paddock Square for the live music

and a mooch around the shops and dinner.

When we got home we sat in the lanai having drinks watching the lightning, then the rain came down really hard and went on for a very long time.

Thursday 19th - We drove into Leesburg as they had a quick appointment (made especially for while we had the hire car) then onto Mount Dora which is a very pretty township.

It was about 28°C and very humid. While we were sitting having lunch on a restaurant balcony it rained again

but that didn't help the temperature, so we had a gentle mooch around the shops. All a bit drained by the heat we had an evening in with takeaway (sorry should call that takeout while I'm here) and actually we all had an early night with the ceiling fans on.

Friday 20th - We are off on holiday on our holiday hahaha. We packed an overnight bag as friendsL&M are staying about 90mins away and we wanted to all meet up. First we drove further to St Petersburg and had a look there and a walk on the beach (lovely soft fine white sand between my toes) after a quick visit into the posh Loews Don CeSar Hotel to use their toilets.

Actually that photo doesn't really show the lights properly as they were like cascades of falling bubbles, very pretty. I even had a paddle in the Mexican Sea, you can see nobody else got close to the water.

From there we drove back up the coast road through Treasure Island to John's Pass, for a stroll along the boardwalk looking at boats and pirate ships

and lots of pelicans and cranes stopping at Scully's for a wonderful lunch of fresh salmon char grilled which was billed as a sandwich but apart from the fact it had an open bun underneath it was so much more than a sandwich. I decided to try a drink called coconut creme and it was delicious and enormous, a bit slush puppy in texture and it came in a souvenir cup to keep which was lucky as I carried it around for the rest of the afternoon to finish it. Then we drove to Clearwater which was Hubby's only special request to see, nice beach but quite seaside commercialised. We reached L&M's rented villa about 6pm

and chatted for a while before sending the men out for Chinese takeout (see I'm getting the hang of this lingo). The portions were huge so lots of waste grrrr! Then we settled round the table to play Mexican Train

It was a late night!

Saturday 21st - I was up first then gradually as each one got up they joined me in the lanai. Great conversation putting the world to rights and lots of funny stories told. Eventually all up and out for breakfast (it was lunchtime lol). We went there in two cars so when we'd finished we could go our separate ways. We had to say all our big goodbyes and hugs in the entrance of Denny's as it was raining so heavy. It rained all our way back to The Villages but we still managed to make a pit stop at a massive candy store Russell Stover, hard not to spend a fortune!

Sunday 22nd - Don't know why but after waking at 3:45am for the loo I never managed to get back to sleep, so by 5:30am I got up and read my book till the others got up. It started raining again about 7am and although not heavy it did keep it up for most of the day, so a good day for shopping. I bought some shoes.

We ended our time out-n-about with dinner at Longhorn Steak House, which was the best fillet steak I've ever had mmmmmmmm. Back home and decided to watch a film......"Did you hear about the Morgans?" starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant.....please don't waste your time, it's sooooo boring! Quite a late bedtime, can't believe I've been up so long!

This first week has been brilliant and gone by so fast. Fingers crossed for enough dry days to fit in all that friendsL&K still have planned for us in our second week.
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We didn't come last........

Saturday evening we went out with neighbour-friendsP&A to a quiz night. It was just £10 each for a whole evening of organised fun and included a massive ploughman's supper followed by a large tray of homemade cakes on each table with tea and coffee. We were a table of eight and the church hall was packed with 12 tables.

It was a charity fundraising event and they raised £700.

The charity was one I hadn't heard of before. Talitha Koum, which translated from Hebrew/Aramaic means "little girl, I say to you, arise" this comes from the biblical story in the Gospel of Mark in which Jesus was said to have brought a child back from the dead with the words talitha koum.

Here in Ipswich in 2006 five women were murdered, they were all prostitutes, possibly driven into the lifestyle as the only way they could earn enough to feed a serious drug habit.

Following those murders, that shocked the whole community, sprang up a group aimed solely to help women struggling with addictions. Much needed funds are being raised as they are now building a residential help centre. Talitha Koum is the name they have given this very worthwhile cause.
Click here if you want to know more  http://www.talithakoum.org.uk

Oh the quiz, nearly forgot to mention, out of 12 teams we came 11th hahaha.
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Theatre: Beryl......

Presented by West Yorkshire Playhouse
By Maxine Peake
     The Greatest Woman On Two Wheels

      Maxine Peake’s witty, charming and critically acclaimed play celebrates the life of sporting legend Beryl Burton – the greatest woman on two wheels.
      When Beryl Charnock met keen cyclist Charlie Burton she was smitten, not only with Charlie but by the thrill and freedom found on her bike. She would outwork the men in the rhubarb fields, she could outclass the cyclists on the road, and still find time to over-knit young Denise an enviable cycling jumper. With her husband, daughter and cycling club at her side she became five times world pursuit champion, 13 times national champion, twice road-racing world champion and made it home in time for dinner.
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This was brilliant!

Four people on stage in tracksuits or lycra the whole time, who partly narrated the story to us and partly acted it out, swapping characters as needed. It was hilarious at times, like when one actress had to be the small child and reluctantly sit in a crate that was supposed to be the bike's sidecar and as they rode along she spun a wheel in her hand with a very sulky face! The tallest male actor also had us laughing when he wore a scarf and 'Dame Edna' glasses as the mother-in-law, also a tiara and white gloves as the queen and donned a small red hat and did the safety talk hands as the air hostess to show they were on a plane.

They all rode (static) bikes a lot throughout, mostly racing them fast, it must have been exhausting! Opening lines were something like "I'd never heard of Beryl Burton till I got this job" to which another actor replied "I didn't know what exercise was till I got this job".

This was a wonderful tribute to a sports hero that nobody seems to remember. She dominated women's cycling from 1955 to 1996. To be honest I don't think we would remember sportsmen as we do now if it wasn't for them appearing on quiz shows and reality tv. The cast were so obviously proud of Beryl and her utter determination to "make her mark" and that pride was contagious throughout the audience going by my feelings, my friends comments and those comments I overheard as we left the theatre.

And how funny that we only really booked this one because it was called "Beryl"!
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Halloween fly past.....

Traditions are the things we always do and look forward to doing, some of which are totally unique to me and mine, especially Halloween which I started doing my way so my children had the fun and the treats without door knocking which I've often thought of as begging with menace!

However, things change and this year Son had booked for him and Hubby to have a Brands Hatch rally event as a belated father's day present.

Daughter had told me there was an amazing event happening in Colchester that they were going to. So we bought some sweets for our local trick or treaters (I don't object to others for knocking just don't like mine doing it) and planned for a home alone day.

Son and Hubby left at 7am and by 11:30am they were on their way home having had a great time. So I told them to shop for lunch on the way back (about a two hour drive).

Meanwhile Daughter had asked if I would mind having R as she was full of cold and had a bad headache so was disappointed not to go to the Halloween event but couldn't cope. Hubby picked her up on their way back and the first thing she did was find our spooky decorations and spent quite a while sticking ghosts and spider webs to the windows and doors, these are homemade bits the children have made over the years and saved on the top shelf in a paper carrier bag, more special than anything bought!

Then another phone call from Daughter to say O was crying and insisted that she phone grandma because he didn't want to miss our usual Halloween, which can't happen anywhere else! And during that conversation E said she really didn't want to go without her siblings, so both costumed they came here instead.

Daughter brought dinner and before they came R and I rushed round to find the black sheet/tablecloth and candles and skull, cobwebs and spiders. Son shot out to Asda for more sweets and special drinks and toffee apples. 

After dinner we headed out to our dark garden with torches and looked up to see if there were any witches flying on their way to a party (we're on the flight path you know) and because broomsticks don't have shopping baskets or boots we usually find those greedy witches are carrying far too much party food and often drop some on the grass which we are happy to collect up! 

That's a mini carved sharon fruit as they'd run out of pumpkins lol. 

Traditions restored and life is normal :-)

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Theatre: Flare Path......

Presented by The Original Theatre Company at The New Wolsey Theatre
     An epic wartime romance by celebrated playwright Terence Rattigan, from the producers behind the hit touring productions Birdsong and Three Men In A Boat.
     Based on Rattigan’s experiences as a tail gunner during World War II, Flare Path paints an evocative portrait of life in wartime Britain for the RAF bomber crews, their wives and sweethearts, who were left awaiting their return.
     Set in 1942 against a backdrop of heartache and quiet bravery, Flare Path tells the story of former actress Patricia, the wife of RAF pilot Teddy, as their marriage is tested to the limits by the surprise arrival of Patricia’s ex‐lover and Hollywood idol Peter Kyle.
      An unexpected and dangerous mission over Germany puts Patricia at the centre of an emotional conflict as unpredictable as the war in the skies.
     Combining highly charged drama with a truly authentic taste of the fear, camaraderie and passion experienced by the men and women who fought to save their country, their families and each other.
     With heart tugging, human emotion, Flare Path opens an unforgettable window into a pivotal moment in our history.

It was excellent. Most of the cast were actors we recognised from various tv dramas. They were all very suited to their characters. The stories of these people at war and in complicated relationships were so easily related to the stories our parents had actually lived through. We were all moved by it and enjoyed it a lot.
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Photos never lie......

....well that's a lie for a start!

Mmmmm you might think, she's made a yummy bread pudding!

However after two and a half hours in the oven it's still soggy in the middle, so I cut and scooped portions onto a baking tray and they went back for another 45 mins and the middles of those still haven't dried out! Crikey if I'd just put a pan of water in for that long I'm sure it would have all evaporated.

So what's gone wrong?

I used to make bread pudding a lot and mostly it was a chuck unmeasured ingredients in and out came afternoon tea, but this time I used an online recipe. I thawed my frozen bread crusts (hate waste and useful frozen for breadcrumbs too), there was double the amount the recipe called for so I doubled everything else. My only other change was the water I soaked the bread in was made into tea first as that was always the way I used to do it and it adds a good flavour.

So, any suggestions for very soggy pudding before it hits the bin?
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The jury is out......

Last week and this week we've mostly been available for childcare because Daughter was called for jury service. She knew when to turn up on day one and we made lots of arrangements but it didn't all go to plan. Some of the time we had children here, sometimes just O, sometimes Hubby took Daughter to the court and she finished lunchtime and sometimes she wasn't needed in at all. She did get one case to sit in on. One day I'd arranged to go into town shopping with the children but O wanted to stay home with Granddad, the girls didn't need me to shop with them so we arranged where to meet when done and then Daughter finished early so meet me in town and I stopped shopping to spend time in the coffee shop together. That was her last day. She said apart from all the waiting around she enjoyed the experience and found it interesting. Hubby had done jury service twice, but I've never been called.

The other main news for me this week is good news. My last CT scan (only 3 weeks ago) showed up something on my left kidney (my only remaining kidney) that the consultant was concerned about. He recommended a biopsy which has to be put to the consultants' committee meeting and they decided that because "kidneys are famous for moving when poked" (their words) it would be tricky because the something they needed to get a bit of is very small. So I was sent for a full MRI Scan first. As you can imagine I've been more than a bit worried! Apparently they all discuss the scan images at the committee meeting too! I got a phone call followed by a letter to say the scan has very clearly shown it to be a renal cyst and no treatment is necessary YAAY!  Follow up blood test and appointment in six months and next routine CT scan in a year!
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Spain holiday - September/October 2015......

BfriendM now owns an apartment on the Costa del Sol so with her partner, friendsT&F, Hubby and I we've had a holiday together there.
Thank you BfriendM for arranging all our flights and transfers and providing great accommodation

Sunday 27th - went to bed early (about 10:30pm (early for me lol)) last night with a definite head cold, what bad timing!  A very early start with the alarm going off at 2am and away by 2:30am to give us plenty of time as Hubby had looked up road stuff and there were ongoing overnight road works on our route, but actually they must have finished and we sailed through and got to the airport with about an hour to spare which allowed a very welcome first coffee. When the desk opened we got in the queue and the others met us there before we got to the front so we grabbed friendsT&F case and checked them both in together. We arrived at Malaga Airport and our transfer driver introduced himself as Kenny with a middle name Roger so we won't forget Kenny Rogers haha. Hubby and I both liked BfriendM's apartment immediately we saw it. It's on the fifth floor (very top) so has fantastic views from the balcony,

but only feels like second floor from street level as it goes down as well as up and not too many stairs. It's gated so feels very safe and the grounds and pool are maintained beautifully.  My five companions all embraced the Spanish style by taking a siesta but I really can't do the daytime nap thing so a relax outside with lots of water, tissues, cough sweets and my book. That evening we walked down to the beach - I say 'down' as it's down stairs to street level which is still the top of the hill, so down the gentle roadway which is a huge sweep round or the shortcut which is a very steep rubble slope on an unmade plot, they left it up to me each time which way depending on how my knees were. We stopped at George's Bar first and they have free WiFi   :-)

At the beach restaurant I had paella my Spanish favourite meal.  When we got back there were a few more drinks then there was the pumping up of the air bed ceremony to make up a bed in the lounge for T&F and they shared the wardrobe space in our room. I think we got to bed about 1:30am.

Monday 28th - awake just before 6am but couldn't get back to sleep, can't do anything without pockets full of tissues and continuously sipping water. We walked down to the restaurant that advertises English Cooked Breakfast and that's what we all had about 11am-ish then to the bus stop. BfriendM wasn't feeling well so we left her and P there and we walked up to the taxi rank and sent a taxi to get them them and take them back home while we went to the supermarket. Hubby had carried the heavy beer yesterday so friendF carried the water pack today. We all relaxed sitting around while BfriendM slept but that made the men restless so they went out for a walk. FriendT and I had a good old natter which was lovely. Rested and fully hydrated again BfriendM felt better and arranged to meet the men at the bus stop to try again. We went into Fuengarola and M&P left us for a while to go and buy a washing machine (the handle had broken off her's the last time she was here) and they caught up with us at a bar by the beach having successfully bought and arranged delivery for Thursday including removal of the old one, not easy with language and time restrictions and her apartment being up on the fifth floor! After that was a lovely roam around the shops as they were all opening up after siesta time.

We decided to have an early dinner at a beach restaurant they know for sardines mmmm. Back on the bus and into Dave's Bar so the men could play pool and the girls could meet the handbag seller again to haggle and buy.

Back to the apartment and all the nibbles came out with the drinks (well we had had an early dinner). So lovely sitting out on the balcony late at night.

Tuesday 29th - I'd slept really well till about 2am when the lorries outside were emptying the big recycle bins so thought I'd go to the loo, I was just going into the bathroom in the dark as friendF opened his door and he jumped right out of his skin! Very funny! Six of us and one bathroom hasn't been a problem so far but it does take time. So now all up, showered, lots of tea and some toast and ready to head out by 11:30 hahaha. Bus to Fuengarola change bus to Mijas.

Lots and lots of shops to wander. Tapas for a late lunch. Italian dinner. Ended the night at George's Bar to meet the handbag seller again and he sold another three  (Hubby thinks they are mad). Then the lightning started and the thunder so we drank up and made our way home as it started to rain, we got a little wet but thankfully we just got through the front door as the heavens truly opened, lucky eh? We then stayed up till the early hours storm watching (any excuse lol).

Wednesday 30th - Think my cold is on its way out but now have a very irritating cough! First stop was to the breakfast cafe (although it was nearly lunchtime) then we went to the beach and walked the boardwalk to La Cala which is only about 2.5km and it felt like about 28°C but thankfully with a bit of a breeze.

There was a beer stop of course and later a very welcome icecream stop in a lovely shady square. We took the bus back so they all could late siesta before heading out for the evening. Fuengarola by bus to Moochers Jazz Bar which is up Fish Alley (think that might be a local nickname). Singer who apparently had been with Eddison Lighthouse many years ago, he was good and then the owners wife joined him (she had been our waitress) and sang Annie Lennox style and they were brilliant. All up and dancing and all got very drunk ('cept me) so two taxis home as the buses finished at 11pm. There was more drinking before bed about 2:30am.

Thursday 1st - First thing F said was "I hate you for not drinking because you can't know how rough I feel" hahaha I've no sympathy when it's self inflicted! We had to stay at the apartment for the washing machine being delivered. It was an excellent delivery, two men carried up the machine, plumbed it in, carried the old one down together with all the packaging, paperwork signed and away within about 15 minutes!  We decided to stay by the pool for a while, I had to move to the shade, Hubby got bored quickly and went back up F had a proper swim said it was bracing, T had a quick swim said it was freezing and M dipped her toe and declared it too cold so I didn't bother lol. P went for a walk to hunt for some plant babies he could take home. Another siesta and more reading for me, then P left as he had to go back to Moochers as he'd left his bag there. For our evening meal we tried a beach restaurant none of them had been to before.

Very attentive waiter. Free appetiser thing, free bread rolls and we finished with a free limoncello shot!

Friday 2nd - unfortunately woke to find that BfriendM had been ill all night. She thinks the clams she had last night had been off! Having made an effort to use up food before the last day there was just a croissant each for breakfast. We took today's bus in the opposite direction to every other day and got off at Marbella. We wandered round the old town which Hubby and I hadn't seen when we were there about 12 years ago. Stopped in a pretty square and had lunch after a little shopping (as afternoon everything is closed for siesta).

We've had a bit of hassle with the gate keys but after a bit of back and forth discovered the locksmith won't be open again till Monday so M will have to sort it next time she comes. Dinner tonight was in La Plaza, which had to be booked in advance as it's so popular because of the live music. The singer was really good doing Frank Sinatra,   Michael Buble, Dean Martin etc. Nobody drank much and although it could have been an early night because of leaving in the morning we were having fun so stayed till the end and got to bed just after midnight.

Saturday 3rd - alarm was set for 6:30am, six of us through the bathroom, beds stripped, air bed deflated and our transfer taxi arrived in good time. ...so airport and flight home.
It's been a great week :-)

Watched kettle and all that......

It's always been a big disappointment to me that every time I've bought an orchid in a pot it had looked beautiful for a while then lost its flowers then rarely flowered again. I've two healthy plants kept upstairs as just leaves didn't warrent public display, one flowered in January after quite a few dormant years but the other didn't, I may even have blogged about it as I was quite excited.

When sisterS bought me a new orchid just before our holiday in August I did warn her that I'd do my very best, however....
Well as you can see not only is it still in beautiful bloom but it is producing more buds all the time :-)

AND maybe it had brought me orchid luck as both of the original plants have produced three new stalks each all covered in buds. I've checked on them every day (sometimes twice) for what seems like weeks now, waiting for the first flower.

We go on holiday Sunday so I guess it will all happen while we are away!
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Four-day sleepover......

Daughter and E had their last trip for this year to Kentwell Hall as Tudor players and as always R comes here instead. This time we are having O here as well because there are no other players so Daughter would find it impossible to organise the school groups and keep an eye on O too.
Pinched this photo from Facebook

Friday - So bags packed they came Friday afternoon and O was so excited "my first time ever having a four-day sleepover!"
Quick cup of tea and Daughter and E were off as E has county music wind band rehearsals first.
Usual sort of evening with no screens for O after dinner so a little tv and books reading in bed.
First night of the Rugby World Cup, so R and I stayed on our own screens while Hubby was watching the England v Fiji game.

Saturday - R had drama so after Hubby went off for a whole day fundraising for the Bloodrunners, O and I tried pancakes for breakfast which were a bit of a disaster but don't know why (obviously got the proportions wrong as I never measure) then got R out of bed with just enough time then out. While she is there we wait in the comfy seating area where they also run a tuck shop, keeping my six year old very happy and while buying his sweets I was presented with a specially made cup of tea that Daughter had ordered the night before, bless her :-)
Back home and late lunch and both children spent most of the afternoon on screens. I fed the fish

We'll be out lots tomorrow so I'm not too bothered.

Sunday - using the same pancake mix that I'd kept in the fridge, today's breakfast was much more successful, cooking on a lower heat for longer. O said the first one was good, second was delicious, third was legendary, forth was epic and he even managed two more so six in all (quite a small pan), leaving just enough mix for me to have two.
R had brought leathers and boots with as she planned to spend the day fundraising with Granddad which means travelling there and back on the blood-motorbike, but last night she said she couldn't face getting up in time to leave by 8am, so I said I'd take her whenever she's ready.
She didn't get up till 11:30am and O had been grisly saying he was desperate for MarioMaker that he couldn't bring with, although promising me that wasn't the reason because he really really was a bit homesick, so a quick text to his dad and yes he was home all day so O went home for a few hours. I then took R here to meet Hubby

As I had a free pass to get in and a little while to kill I had a wander round before heading home. The show ground was full of all sorts of stalls and exhibits and demonstrations and the sun was out so the people were out too. I did take a couple of photos of the SERV stand with R wearing her bloodrunners hi-vis jacket but you know what it's like when the sun is on your phone......got home and the photos hadn't actually taken :-(

Home in time to put on a roast dinner and make some rock cakes

Retrieved O and he remembered to bring his own toothpaste as he doesn't like my minty one he likes his fennel flavour!  Hubby and R arrived back soon after so dinner followed by his favourite game at the moment

Then bed with two more Beatrice Potter stories. Hubby had gone bowling so R and I settled down with X Factor Bootcamp.

Monday - so much time is spent like this

Have to admit I'm finding it a struggle to get them to do much else, thankfully the computer O uses does get hot underneath so I'm making him turn off at regular intervals for it to "cool down".

R slept in all morning again. I did a little gardening but couldn't get either of them to help though they did play some crazy game together. 

O enjoyed a really long bubble bath

He is cute isn't he :-)

I had every intension of making trifle for dessert but as Hubby went shopping quite late I thought I should make the jelly separately or it wouldn't have time to set then O and I spent ages in the bathroom. Making dinner and dessert all at once I found that not only had Hubby forgotten to buy the Swissroll but he'd opened the freezer and thrown in a bag of veg RIGHT ON TOP OF THE OPEN DISH OF JELLY! Actually the children thought my not-quite-trifle of peaches covered in spooned jelly under custard and letting them put squirty cream on top themselves was a success! 

Tuesday - followed the same sort of pattern as it poured with rain all day. O played for a while with Hubby on our home gym so he got plenty of exercise and I did get R to learn some more of her lines for drama. And I got two loads of washing done which had to go upstairs on the clothes horse. 

Daughter managed to leave kentwell a lot earlier than expected so came here in time for dinner then she took them home. .....and all was just a bit too quiet! 

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