The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

I was really happy with the training session I’d organised, despite the usual grumblers. The exercises and activities that I’d devised got everyone involved, and I listened in on some productive discussions within the groups. My boss was there for the start of it, and I hope she was impressed by what she saw.

After work, Laura revealed her big surprise for me: tickets to “A Christmas Carol” at the Lowry! What a brilliant surprise!

Nothing flash

Great pleasure is found in the simplest of simple things. Food and wine, good company. A shared meal, shared smiles. We went out for dinner. Nothing flash – Zizzi at the Triangle, in fact – but pleasant enough to be a treat. A beautiful montepulciano, a couple of pizzas, a smooch, and a cuddle in the taxi home. It only takes these little things. Bliss.

Robbie's getting married

That's right, married. Blimey! The sly fox had kept it under his hat since back in the summertime. He's asked Rachel up a hill in the Peak District, back on their anniversary in July, maybe August. I was full of questions: where? when? In Heron House, as it happens, and during the middle of December too. Heron House, then the Midland Hotel, the Christmas markets, and Sam's Chop House for food. Grand!

What struck me was the quick turnaround between proposal and the big day. Consider the others: Ange and Lewis, two years; Durex and Whelan, eighteen months; Guardi and Vicky, eighteen months; Whitehouse and Flora, eighteen months; John and Zoe, fifteen months; Col and Jane, at least a year; Robbie and Rachel, five months. Wow!

I wonder who's next. Ollie and Zoe? Chubb and Steve?

Driving back from Wellingborough gave space to reflect, space I’d lacked all weekend. My family, my father, my brother and my past; faces flashing around me as Radio 4 echoed in my ears. Weirdness and unease, coupled with familiarity, an unsettling scent of déjà vu, through-laid with relief at moving away. The long cloud of Japan offers soothing shade from the overwhelming heat of a small town past. My small town past.

Pippa and Hula

Text from Pippa: "Let's go for a drink DTRMCR, I haven't seen you in ages!"

Yes, good idea! How about some two-for-one cocktails at Hula bar?

Great!

Round up since April.

It is, I accept, a long time since I blogged. A very long time. I hope that I haven't alienated any of my already limited readership with this reticence. Plenty has happened in the last couple of months, but I've not been very good at writing it down. Since we last spoke: 

• Everything with Laura is great, and I'm very much in love.
• I moved house, and now live with my friend Kate at the other end of Chorlton.
• I have an amazing new bike. It's fucking amazing.
• My college course has moved on quickly: I've submitted all but two assignments now, and have nearly made it to the end.

Zoe's getting married to John

He asked her in Rome. How romantic!

Death of a Fuckin' Salesman*

RICKY ROMA: Fuck you, Dave. You know you got a big mouth. You make a close, this whole place stinks with your farts for a week - how much you just ingested. Oh, what a big man you are! "Hey, let me buy you a pack of gum. I'll show you how to chew it." Whoof! Your pal closes, and all that comes out of your mouth is bile. Ooh, how fucked-up you are!

Date night

It's stolen from Woody and Clare, and from a thousand other lovers I'm sure: Laura and I decided to make Wednesday nights our regular date night. Tonight? DVD and dinner. We went to Asda to find ingredients for a red thai curry, and then to the big Sainsbury's in Salford looking for cheap DVDs.

Wild purple hair

This is the blue eyed punk. Pretty, eh?

Dinner and the theatre

"I said I'd fix my mate's bike," said Laura on her knees, "can you hold... that for me please... thanks..." Her hands were covered in black oil. I grinned. "I just need to wash my hands now," she said.
"You can do it at the restaurant," I said, "the table's booked for five."

Wizard’s Sleeve, F.L.A.M.E ,Clown’s Pocket and so on

The scratch-marks down my back burned all evening; it had been an intense afternoon. I headed home after we’d eaten spaghetti, and went to ready myself for Eileen’s 30th birthday. Dunk and Kate were sat at the kitchen table when I arrived, eating pizza. We chewed the fat over a cider, and it was lovely.

Twice bitten by the same beast

Helen was at it again.

“Winnie, have you got any plans for the weekend?”
“No I haven’t, why?”
“Can you feed my cat?”

Again, poor Laura had been sucked into her trap. Laura texted me to explain it all, and again, my blood raged. "Feed it broken glass," I said.

It was half-term, meaning college was off, so my night was open. Laura texted.

L >>Do you have any plans later?
D >>No I haven’t. I thought about going for a run, but I remembered I’m injured Would you like to hang out?
L >>Can you look after my cat?

She’s hilarious! She’s so, so funny! *Swoon*

Valentines Day

We lounged in bed until noon, then strolled down the Meresy, round the water park, and through the Southern Cemetery.At the Chinese New Year celebrations, we bought some buns from Wong's that Laura didn't like. The Filmonik screening at Trof didn't feel right, so we snuck of to Sand Bar and tried some tasty ciders instead.

A stranger took this picture of us. I really like it.

Birthday trip

The first act of my thirties was lazily nostalgic: I lounged in my bed, leafing through the amazing book that Louise had bought me for my birthday. Sporting my new Superman underpants, I headed downstairs, to find a sea of balloons that Kate had inflated for me. Just look at them! Look!

Final preparations

Preparations for the barn were drawing to a head. All the shopping was done. The guests had been allocated to drivers, to cars. I knew who was bringing what games, and roughly what the plans were for food. Now it was time to get cooking. The menu consisted of bean chilli, and spaghetti Bolognese. For 25. Yikes!

A letter...

Laura sent me a letter in the post, because she didn't think she'd see me today. How sweet!

Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

"My parents are staying from Wednesday night until Saturday,” said Laura, “so this is the last time we’ll be able to spend the night together until the weekend. Would you like to come round for dinner?”
“Yes,” I replied, “that’d be lovely.”

"Put your finger in cider"

Laura and I went to the Manchester Winter Ales Festival, and tried lots of ciders. We tried:

Crones Rum Cask
Dunkerton Kingston Black SV
Gwynt Y Draig Scrumpy
JB Cider
Lyne Down

But the winner, by miles, was...

An unexpected, but welcome guest.

Steve, our builder, pronounces Chaw’s name as “Chew,” as in mastication. He came round with his son to make the repairs and improvements that the police had recommended. As I was helping him to move in a fencing panel, Laura and Emma showed up outside my house. “I was locked out of my house,” said Laura, “in my pyjamas. Can I hang out with you?”