DIY wardrobe and futon number 2

We hadn't actually intended to decorate and re-vamp Pixen and Drake's room but when MY wardrobe nearly collapsed on me under the weight of all my dresses (yes, seriously) and the flatpacks of the new one arrived, we realised that their room was the only room it would fit into, because in true Jolly Holly fashion, we had bought a bargain without measuring up properly. 

(Meaning..."Yes ... that should fit")

So Husb painted a bit of wall and then we started to build. It had to be built lying down on the floor.

It was massive! It completely filled the floor. (I have got a lot of dresses)

We soon realised that if we put the back on before lifting it up we would have no chance.

There WAS a point when we thought that to  lift it up at all we had no chance. It was just too long.

But... forward an inch...up an inch...forward an inch...up an inch ...(times 10) and we managed to stand it up.

The drawers went in well. Totally slidey. Big tick for those.

I've now got a high rail and a low rail, a low shelf and a high shelf because I can't reach the top shelf haha

Once the wardrobe was done and filled, the blind and the curtains were fitted and the awesome mobiles that have been hanging for 28 years went back up. 

I have yet to find a mobile I love as much as The Toucan.

Futon number two then slotted in perfectly.

(So long as I didn't want to open a wardrobe drawer hahaha)

Jokes! Of course I can open the drawers.

I have tiny thin wrists.

Its really comfy.

And of course my favourite 28 year old teddy rugs survived the revamp. Never in doubt.

Pig mirror got sanded down, Pixen's paintings for Cub's 18th went up and I framed two of my favourite greetings cards. 

So this is what futon 2 looks like as a bed.

(I have to say this was definitely one of my Great Groupon Purchases woopwoop)

It's got sheets and pillows and everything.

It was all finished in time for when Pixen and The Bellster came to Chester.We really HAD worked like Trojans and she had no idea!! 

They picked a fabulous weekend to come.

And meanwhile, as all this was happening back home, Cub was being a Jolly Holly in The Getty in Los Angeles  because Team Zesty hopped on a plane to LA for the  July 4th celebrations.... because ...when you are your own boss.... you just can. :)

Chester Half Marathon 2014

"I SPY with my little eye, something beginning with TOBH.."

THOUSANDS OF BOBBING HEADS!

That would have been a good one, wouldn't it!?

We had S for shirt, shorts, slowpeople, SWEAT!

 T for trainers, teeshirt, tiredpeople, TARMAC!

and before we knew it

WE HAD CAUGHT UP WITH THE 2.10 PACEMAKER!

Not only did we catch him up, WE PASSED HIM and we never saw him again!

It was the hottest day of the year so far and a lot of people struggled, judging by the amount of bodies stretching out by the roadside or dousing themselves with water.

But we weren't IN IT TO WIN IT.

I just wanted to finish... WITH DRAKE and WITH BOTH ANKLES.

The support was immense, and I was so excited by all the cheers on that final uphill bend at the top of Garden Lane that I nearly fell into Sinead's arms...

but then I heard Drake shouting "MUM!!!!! DAD'S OVER THERE!"

ooops! 

So I promptly did a few starjumps for the photo, as you DO when you have just run 13.4 miles...

13.4?

THIRTEEN POINT FOUR?

(I kept running up and down a side lane while Drakester had a wee)

...and then we had to attempt a sprint finish after all that messing about high fiving people all the way round.

#1

GO ME!!! Look out Paula Radcliffe... :)

#1

GO US! Look at us go!

#1

I can't believe she beat me! How did THAT happen?

#1

We had truly, crazy. deliriously happy faces at the finish.....

#2

...with enough energy left to lift our arms...

#2

OH MY GOODNESSSSSS!

A proud girlfriend...

...with her very proud boyfriend.

(And sweets! Thankyou!)

Bridge did it too! in just over 2 hours.

I was 12th in my age group! ha!

We were amazing (there was a sign up telling us we were)

2 hours 9 minutes!

and now I have to recover!

#1 photos thanks to Nigel Fish

#2 photos thanks to Laura Hennie

Edna's 94th birthday potato

Edna was 94 in April (94!!) so as a birthday treat I took her to Hickory's hahaha. Do 94 year olds even GO in Hickory's? What do you BUY a 94 year old? I told her she was the trendiest pensioner in there. I'm not sure that the waitress believed me when I asked for a table but MY face must have been a picture when she offered us a bar stool (did she really think Edna could hoist her bottom up on to one of those??)

We needed the parking space though so we ordered a cheesybeantayro each and a pot of tea.

This meant we could leave the car there while we sat by the Groves and we had an icecream. 

I can highly recommend the stem ginger flavour.

AJACCIO, CORSICA

To me, Corsica would be a beach stop. A dip in the sea and some decent sand. 

So a skyblue sky THIS skyblue was just perfect.

The daily exercise was a stroll around the market which sold "meat" which was more white than brown (eek) and then a stomp along the prom round to the palm trees...

...and back again, studying the astroturf and local school security on the way round.

Nelson shone on his column.

I temporarily lost the Husb but knew exactly where to find him, we were in "France" remember, they make a good pain au raisin as we well know. Turn my back for 2 minutes and he's darted into the boulangerie.

It was the best pain au raisin EVER. :)

What followed next was quite hooty but my Husb likes excitement so why go to the bit of sand next to the cruise ship and get maximum rays when you can sit on a bus in the sun and go to a different beach..

but the lady in 

Tourist Information looked horrified that we were considering going to Tahiti Beach which was right by the airport and WHAT DO YOU WANT TO GO THERE FOR so we took the Number 5 bus for 1 Euro each to Palm Beach on her recommendation which consisted of travelling about half a mile in half an hour in the most RIDICULOUS traffic jam EVER so we got off and yes you've guessed it walked all the way back to the bit of sand next to the cruise ship just like all the other passengers of Ventura judging by the amount of P+O towels on the sand and the noticeable LACK of locals AND IT WAS FANTASTIC!

FANTASTIC!

PROPER FRENCH SAND! BLISS!

And a warm sea!! Yippee!

ArtyAli

We managed to avoid the Great British Sailaway that evening (sorry Rich) as we had a perfect spot on deck in the sun (we've been to plenty of sailaways to be fair.)

Flying home over the ALPS was spectacular but we still don't like flying.

It was a great week. 

2 culture days, Venice and Rome.

2 beachy days, Corfu and Corsica.

1 climb-a-mountain day, Montenegro.

Great ship, good food, superb entertainment and  a constant supply of laughs with this Husb. 

The ginger biscuits were delicious too.