Work avoiding again

If I've omitted anything I'd love to be corrected, but I think that after Giraffe we went to the vicinity of the Theatre, via Covent Garden where I got the Stormtrooper hoody that I'd seen a kid at the Pub quiz wearing, and the 'robots in disguise' t shirt that I'd wanted to steal off Chris TR for ages. Was really hard to choose, so many cool SW t shirts.


Then we checked out St Martin in the Fields church near Trafalgar Square, which has an awesome main window.. the lead is curved to make it look like the glass is distorted, in the shape of a cross. Was very cool, but I always feel like I will get thrown out by an irate warden if I take a photo. The crypt was cool too.. they've turned into a spacious cafe/gift shop/brass rubbing centre. Bit wierd wandering over gravestones tho.

Went to the theatre to collect the tickets then had a snack in a nearby park by the river. Unpacking our picnic we discovered that the 'Lucky Egg' had not been quite so lucky after all...

Le Cage Aux Folles was brilliant. We were both really glad this was Graham Norton's night off.. because his replacement was brilliant. Its a great story, about not being ashamed of who and what you are.. I cried when he sang "I am what I am". The Cagelles were great too, scary faces but great legs!!! One dance was hilarious, when they kicked the beach balls out into the theatre.. one Cagelle had this angry face on when he kept having to boot the ball back out. Anyway about to get all emotional and let my feelings about stuff out so will move on..

Alison knows me so well that we walked the wrong way for about 20m so I could take photos from the bridge. Tricky without a tripod, but a beautiful scene...

Still too full from Giraffe to go to a restaurant for 'Afters' as was our plan, so headed for the Youth Hostel at St Pancras. Got distracted by the roof in the station..

Alison kept herself amused (having already taken her own roof pictures last time she was here!)

Had a bit of bother getting in (lol) and checking in, and more bother getting a glass of squash and a hot chocolate but the new cafe bar place was nice. Was v late by the time we headed for bed, having tried to check for cheap theatre tickets on the iPod. The other people in the dorm must have hated us.. last in and first out!

Fruit cake and coffee for breakfast, whilst revising plans due to the crap weather. We were going to go on the eye first thing, but the rain came way earlier than was predicted on the previous night's weather report. So, went to Leicester Square for second breakfast in a Pret, while we waited for the theatres to open. Got tickets for Billy Elliot. We were really tempted by the bargain tickets for Hairspray, but they were only for the evening performance, and it would have been a horrid drive back that late for Alison. The afternoon sorted it was off to London Bridge to go to the Dungeons. Gave up when we saw the size of the queue, esp as there was no sneaking in a different door this time, and neither of us wanted to wait in the rain for 40mins to be scared silly!

Lots of un-necessary train journeys and killing time in stations followed. I won't start my rant about the toilets in St Pancras! Food in Spoons at SP, then to the theatre. Billy was brilliant. Love the story and the adaptation was fab. Really clever use of the set and the policemen's shields. Was a bit shocking to hear kids swear at first.. dunno why.. I should be used to that!! The song with Billy and Michael was great.. Michael in a dress telling Billy that Ballet was weird lol. The dancing was the best thing tho.. I think I will have to go see a real ballet.. although prob one with mostly men.. something about the strength and grace that really draws me in.

Unfortunately the performance was more eventful than we had hoped.. after a long interval we got asked to quickly leave the theatre.. got outside to find lots of people.. and 3 fire engines. Eek. Still a bit of time before needing to meet Ruth at Stanmore, so I tried to be decisive.. and took us to Hamleys hehe. Very tempted by the Rogue Shadow on sale (but still more expensive there than on the Lego site!) and the Clone Trooper was cool..

Couldn't resist the Apple store either, so a bit late for the train back to the car park. Still, lateness not our fault, train had to stop for ages to get some poor woman medical attention. Hard to text people to let them know when you're stuck in a tunnel. Got really sad on the train home. Really sad now too.

Poor stolen Giraffe didn't make it... but its ok.. I performed Bostick surgery, he's fine now..

Well, it's finally over. Had my last trip away with Alison, a couple of days in London. Am devastated now that its over, it was the last thing I had to look forward to. I absolutely loved being with her, but it was really hard knowing that it was so different to last time and that everything had changed, and that I'd never get to be with her again.

Alison drove down to Stanmore station and we only just went past the entrance! Left Ruth and Sophie on the train (not because we had forgotten them.. different plans, we just gave them a lift).. and went to Madame Two Swords. Once we found an employee that didn't try to make me feel like a complete idiot for coming in the Easter holidays, then I went straight in the card holders massive queue avoiding door, leaving Alison to go find a nice cafe. MT was really stressful.. packed and people getting in the way of each other's photos. I think the appeal of the place is probably to go with mates and to get your picture taken standing with the 'celebs'. Oh well. I amused myself by researching which models had the most interesting shoes. Judge for yourselves... Actually lets make it a quiz.. answers on a postcard.. well, email please..

Also found some interesting shiny things...

and met Spidey..

and the Hulk..

and I got a picture of JD for Karen (although he just looks miserable if you ask me)..

and a picture of John Wayne (and Thing) for Uncle Chalkie..

Escaped from MT and found Alison.. sat in the sun at the cafe opposite :-) Made our way to Notting Hill Gate for a mooch around, looking for Hugh in a bookshop. Had gone off Alison's map, so found our way to Portobello Road market with the aid of a teatowel outside a shop! Lots of very cool houses around here, like this one we decided looked like a Happy Meal box..

..and the highest concentration of All Stars shops anywhere in the world! No size 6 on sale tho :-(

Walked all the way from there to Kensington High Street via the Park, all at 'Norwich Union lunchtime speed' so that we would make it to Giraffe on time to enjoy the lunch menu. Well worth it.. by half 3 I had worked up quite an appetite! Our meals were yummy...

The pictures were cool too... I got distracted on the way to the loo...

very true...

Vicky from school came over Thurs night. Was good.. had a chat, scoffed pizza, made cookies. Dropped her off at the train station this morning, then went for a cuppa at the flat before church. Got sad again. Church was ok (yummy hot cross bun to start). I think my head is not really with the whole Easter story this year. Other stuff to worry about. Rushed Tesco trip after church and failed to eat decent dinner before next church. The8 service was good, they were great as usual. Rest was quiet and thoughtful. Sad about stuff again.

Baked a fruit cake when I got home. Managed to not burn it. Starting loft sorting while it was cooking, then tested a slice while reading in the conservatory. Then made my second Lego movie. It will have to wait until Sunday for its premiere though.

Really, really wanted to watch the new episode of Red Dwarf on Dave. Stupid smegging Sky+ box played up though. Kept cutting out. Grrrr. Now watching some old episodes whilst updating website etc. Trying not to raid the crisps.

Tim Lee sent me this... inspiration for my own film making career... but I don't think I'll ever do as good as this.. its Baaaaa rilliant!

Wed: went for a walk around the Longshaw Estate in Derbyshire with A and Andy and Bren Travis. Was nice scenery, very windy and not at all taxing. Got sad after lunch tho. Went to the David Mellor cutlery museum on the way back too... bought a baby rabbit and a fish cookie cutter.. can make 'christian' cookies now!

Bob the dog eyes up the ducks...

Good start to the To Do list on Monday. Painting..run..food..cut grass..Ben massage..painting.. clean rat cage.. clean bathroom.. post.. make first Lego animation..book London trip.. Translate meeting.. update website.. read Numbers.. sleep.

Tuesday good too. Did the great Lufbra-Shepshed bookcase swap! then had a bacon butty with A in the layby 5 mins from home hehe. yummy. Got to get painting now :-(

... finished the priming. Then went to Ikea to help Mark get all the stuff for his new house. Set a world record.. I spent 98p!!! 30p of which was for school! and NO candles!! Cooked curry when we got back, then went to the pub quiz with Tim and Joy. 3rd.

Nice (very) early morning text. Went to car boot for only 40 mins, which was only enough to do the first row (I am incredibly slow) but got some awesome stuff.. am having a bit of a Guns and Roses fest while I do this post, and the skate shoes were only 2 quid!! I'm guessing they will be lived in (providing they don't make my MT arch go ouch)..


and how cool/hilarious is this... they obviously thought.. we need to make a toy for big kids that like star wars.. and motorbikes.. and came up with...

Had breakfast at the flat, which meant a lot. And sat with Alison in church, which also meant a lot. Cried lots. Hope I didn't scare Naomi. Dinner with Ruth (full of profiteroles now hehe) then GH drums, DVD cataloging and blogging. Hoping to set the new web cam up in a mo. In the middle of all that, Tim came over. He is being wonderful and forgiving me for being an upset git last week, and he also brought me the perfect present. He's so amazing.. he saw my Lego club book on the table when he was round weeks ago... and got the most fabulous brand new out model..

Thank you, thank you, thank you Tim. And he already said he wants to see it made.. hopefully (if the webcam works) he will see it being made.. I have big plans for project this week.. could all go pear shaped.. but lets try hard to start positive.

Life going badly. Pray it all turns around again soon. Still I guess the Duckula pillow case for 10p did cheer me up.

Got even more big projects.. need to get these messes sorted by the end of the Easter Hols.