Snow

After walking into a Winter Wonderland yesterday with the Christmas decorations in the hotel, I really wasn’t expecting to wake up to one!! Who ordered snow?!

I feared the worst. It happens when you have 600 people due to arrive for Conference. But I needn’t have worried. Pretty much everyone who was due to arrive did. And we even had a few who weren’t! Swan-mode was fully activated.

We kicked off tonight with a drinks reception. So far the feedback has been great. The alarm is set for 5:45am ready for the Conference Day and Gala Dinner. Shall we have a sweepstake on how many steps I walk tomorrow, how many hours I work or if I actually get time to eat? Good job I bloody love what I do!

Oh and today’s step count was almost 28K or nearly 13 miles.

Icey

Well this wasn’t quite what I expected to see when I arrived in Birmingham that’s for sure. Neither was I expecting to have to de-ice my car this morning before I set off. Conference is later this year so we’ve hit the Christmas run up.

This sings Christmas songs when you press the button. Now I’ve fallen foul of these things before. You know the ones where you innocently press the button and it’s so loud everyone looks at you. Or it goes on forever. So as much as I wanted to press the button. I resisted and let someone else do it.

It was very cheery indeed!

Gift ideas

Today hasn’t been my best. I had a mini-meltdown in B&M of all places. Who knew that was THE place to go on a Sunday morning?! It was packed. Thought I’d get most of the last minute things I needed for Conference in there. I was wrong, So ended up in Morrisons and Card Factory too. That took much longer than I’d planned so put me behind.

This did made me smile though. Not sure if it’s inspired or sad. I mean, I love crisps. But not sure I want a box as a Christmas present. Of course, if anyone does want to buy me one, I won’t say no…

8 years

8 years ago, I made one of the best decisions ever. I bought Buddy.

What better way to celebrate our anniversary than going to a jumping clinic! I can’t quite get my head around the fact it’s been 8 years since I bought this handsome boy. This year has probably been our toughest together with his injury and the challenges I’ve faced. But one thing is for sure, he melts my heart.

Looking back at the past 8 years, we have had so many highs. We’ve made so many memories together. We’ve achieved things I couldn’t have even dreamed. There are a lot of people in the Buddy Fan Club.

Today we had a lot of fun together. Especially after I remembered how to actually ride! Funny how muscle memory kicks in when you let it.

He is and will always be ‘My Absolute Diamond’. And I couldn’t love him more if I tried.

Details

Well it’s nearly time for me to pack my posh frock and very sensible shoes for Conference 2024. Today was working through the smallest details in preparation for next week.

Good job I love a spreadsheet. Think I had about 8 open at one time. To go with multiple emails, documents and other stuff. My brain is mush right now.

Still I think I’ve got everything covered. Just the last minute shopping to do and then me and 4,000 glowsticks are off to Birmingham on Monday.

Squatter

It’s the big conference I’ve been working next week. So a new colour scheme for the Gala Dinner means a new dress of course. Good old Vinted came up trumps with a gorgeous dress. Sadly it was a bit too sheer. So I found another one. That arrived today and is great.

Dodo instantly took up squatters’ rights on the bag. Much to Hugo’s dismay. They do make me laugh.

Cuddles

When you’ve been out for the second evening running and you’ve been terribly missed. Hugo is currently trying to get in my gillet with me. He’s so cute.

Not quite so cute when he woke me up at 4am trying to sleep on me. Then Dodo woke me up at 7am dry heaving. That’s a sound that means I’d give Usain Bolt a run for his money.

I am very tired today. So early night for me. Well once I extract myself from Hugo. If his purrs could heal, he’d be a master. They’ve both been very attentive since my Mum died. They know, they really do.

Armistice Day

Today is Armistice Day. So feel right to remember my Mum’s Dad. Meet Albert (my Grandfather). He was born in 1897 and died before I was born so I never met him. My Nanna used to tell me we were similar. Seems I got my love of horses from him.

When WWI broke out, he was working in a mine in South Wales. As he had come from a farm in Somerset and they had put him to work with the horses.

He tried to sign up but he was under age and in a reserved occupation so wasn’t allowed to join up. He took the King’s shilling and joined the Middlesex Regiment on the 15 January 1917 he went to France and worked with the horses there, driving a supply wagon between camps.

He was gassed at Ypres (known by the troops as “Wipers”) and later came home with Bronchitis. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps on 2 December 1917 where he was in France until the end of the war in 1918.

He came back, but war changed him. He wasn’t the same, how could he be?! The price of victory was huge. It was meant to be the war to end all wars. Sadly we’re still fighting. I wish I’d had the chance to meet him and say thank you.

We will remember them.

Camper fans

On my way back from my Dad’s, I stopped at Elveden to catch up with some of my camp friends for lunch. Going to camps with Buddy have been some of my favourite times over the years. They’re time away from the chaos of my life. Time with like-minded people, great instructors and of course my best camp Buddy.

I love this photo of us. It’s one of those natural ones where I had no idea I was being snapped. It sums up camp to me. Lots of smiles, laughs and love.

I’ve made so many friends at camp. I love catching up with them. After a few very emotional days, it was just what I needed. Lots of hugs, love, good food and even better company…

Robin Hood

I’ve felt wrung out today. All of the emotions from yesterday (and the past few weeks) have taken their toll. My Dad was feeling the same. So we watched one of my Mum’s favourite Disney film, Robin Hood.

I’ve seen it so many times, I practically know all the words. When Prince John gets called ‘PJ’, it always makes me smile. I’m a PJ too. So it was a running family joke when I was a kid.

The subject matter is a bit topical too. The nation being taxed to the brink isn’t new it seems. Very sad that we have seemingly learnt so little from history. Back then it was fund wars and conquests. Now, I’m honestly not sure what it’s to fund?!

I wonder how much I’ve paid in taxes so far in my life. A lot more than I’ve spent I’m sure. At least in Robin Hood’s time, the taxes were more obvious. Now they’re so widespread, it’s hard to even tell what you’re paying out.

I know I’m in a heightened emotional state, so forgive me if I’m off here, but the world seems very weird right now. What is it they say about the two things in life you can count on – death and taxes.

Thank goodness for Disney and a bit of escapism.