On The Island

VE Day and a lot going on, maybe not the best day to go to the theatre…didn’t realise when we booked it a long time ago. Having said that, by the time I arrived in Canterbury, there was nothing there, no flags, a very poor show, even at the Cathedral. Canterbury really is horrible now, so many closed shops and “beds” in doorways. Awful. It used to be such a lovely city.

However I looked around the few decent shops that are left and then met up with the Hatters in Spoons (The Westgate Inn). Midday they had two minutes silence which was nice. It is a good Spoons we got to and on Thursdays a curry and a gin and tonic 10 pounds 21p!!!!

On to the theatre to watch “Pride and Prejudice (sort of) ” . It was so funny  and the actors were so clever in their various roles.

We really enjoyed it although maybe some people thought it was the original P & P as a few seats were empty after the interval!

In the evening wonder of wonders Spurs are through to the final of the  Europa!! They will be playing Man U!!

 

A lovely walk in Eastry.

We then collected Ellie’s food from the vets.

In the evening we met up with Natalie and Tris at The Bell in Minster and had a lovely meal. Always good food at the Bell.

Our Red Hatters lunch at Lemongrass Thai restaurant.  Pam, Ali and I were there and waiting for Penny and Nikki. By 12.45 I decided to phone Penny, she was certain it was Wednesday erm no, she had it wrong and she was supposed to bring Nikki as well. Penny got straight in the car and drove up to meet us!! Senior moment but it was too late to tell Nikki.

Really lovely staff in there who couldn’t do enough for us and when they heard it was my birthday soon they gave me a free dessert!

Poor Nikki did miss out. Other members are on holiday so it was down to the “Fab 4”! They gave me birthday cards and also a really lovely Margaret Merrel rose for my birthday.

Yes, a bank holiday but I was volunteering. Jack arrived and the door wouldn’t open enough to enter the shop! Meanwhile the alarm was going off and Jack had to push and push to get in, in fact really force it. The overhead door closer had dropped and jammed the door.  Jack had to do a temporary job on it as obviously no one would be in at Head Office on a Bank Holiday!

A little pointless opening again as we didn’t take much and ended up closing at 3!

As requested we went back to Zoe and Matts at 10 for breakfast, Matt had lit one of the heaters in one of the outside “rooms” and told us to go in there so we could chat. He brought tea in for us and then returned to the kitchen to cook breakfast for us and the sons and girl friends! I offered to help but he wouldn’t hear of it. We all ate together. They didn’t go to bed until 3.30am and Matt was up again at 5!!! Amazing man.

What a fantastic time we had and then eventually left them in peace and the drive home. We stopped at Lou and Rhys’s for a cuppa and to collect Ellie and then on home.

By the time we arrived home it was half way through the Spurs v Hammers game….a draw!

We were invited to a 50th birthday party in Stevenage. Zoe is a girl I was at day release college with many years back and we have kept in touch. Her husband Matt contacted me to ask if we would go as she would love it, of course this all had to be a surprise. She knew there was going to be a family party but this truly was off the scale. There were 80 of us there in their house (large house and garden) with a marquee in the garden. He said out of every one he had invited she would cry when she saw me (and she did!) In fact she was shaking she was so shocked, bless her. She has had a really bad year and Matt really wanted her to enjoy this. She did.

We dropped Ellie off at Lou and Rhys’s and then went on to Stevenage, stopping at a pub for lunch and then on to the hotel.  Early evening off to their house to lay in wait for Zoe coming home, she hadn’t a clue this was going to happen……her arrival

She was so shocked when Matt called me forward, she burst into tears and was shaking. It was so lovely to see her after all these years.

The house and marquee were filled with food and drink, a disco with smoke, Matt had thought of everything and he even made her birthday cake.

What a fantastic night. I think we left about  1am just as the shots were starting! BUT Matt insisting we return for breakfast in the morning!