A guest post by Lewis. Hi!
This is very cool!
I want to try and beat the current comments record on this post! Please comment! Laura might let me write some more…
The bigger the words the more Laura uses them! Hmm.. she does use the word ‘went’ and ‘back’ and ‘home’ a lot! A challenge for you all. Who can make the most interesting sentence out of these words? The prize is a mention in Laura’s blog!!
Bye for now!
Tuesday
We started the day in the barn, learning monologues, trying my best not to be distracted by David! Then at 10.30am we went to the office as David and Rachel had a NET (National Evangelism Team) meeting from 11am-1pm.So i was sat by myself, on my own, shivering upstairs with my laptop,learning my monologue, working on a video I’m making, trying and failing to print my newsletter and perhaps visiting facebook once or twice! Then Rachel went out in Ivor at lunchtime, I ate the gammon out of my sandwich and carried on working on my video. Then the fire alarm went off! Oooh excitement for a Tuesday afternoon.We trooped out the building and over to the bit of grass the other side of the road (our designated meeting point was the only tiny bit of grass to be in the sunshine!), but it was only us and one other unit out so while i head counted, Lindsay went into the main reception to see what was going on. They had no idea but assured us there was no fire so we went back in with the siren still going and had to carry on working til it stopped! I borrowed (with permission) the radiator next to Lindsay’s desk because its COLD upstairs!! We spent the afternoon talking about the Christmas show, sorting out props and generally faffing, before going home at 4.15pm.
I went upto the library to take back some books and get some new ones, stretch my legs and get some fresh air!
Dinner was pasta and sauce and apple pie and custard…mmmm 
Then spent the evening sorting out for Wednesday, and more importantly catching up with Holby City (silly anaesthetist, annoying Faye and horrible mean nasty Jac!). Had a reasonably early night.
Wednesday
Alarm went off at 5.05am. Hadn’t slept very well so wasn’t too chirpy. Got ready blurry eyed, Rachel picked up Ollie and then me at just after 6am. We drove to the office, jumped in the van, got a few metres before David saying the oil light was on so slamming on the brakes, Rachel leaping out to check the oil, throwing open the side door to get some more, filling the tank, jumping back in and zooming off. (We’re a theatre company – everything is dramatic!). Not too much traffic, got over the bridge before 7 (Toll prices have gone up!! £1.50 now!) and arrived at Christchurch High School just after half 7 after slight difficulty finding it (They go there every year, you’d think they’d know where it is by now!). Had to wait a bit for Andy (the guy organising us for the day) to come, then we had to move the van, unload into cages,get it all in the lift, then down a loooooong corridor. I think we started setting up at 8.05 and were done and soundchecked by 8.35! Pretty good going. We had 5 lessons, all Abi (and with the first appearance this year of Jerry Springonion – David, very funny!!! all year 9s. By the last lesson, a lot of them had seen it already and were skipping lessons to see us, saying our lines before us – very annoying! We also had a first ‘appearance’ of the teacher in one particular scene (David backstage just going ‘blah blah’ into a microphone – but sounding very much like Pingu), so hard to keep a straight face! Rachel also introduced ‘Mr Sharp’ as another teacher in an attempt to make me smile! Was a good day, the pupils were very vocal throughout, difficult at times, but generally ok!
By the time we packed down, carried everything down the stairs because the lift wasn’t playing ball, loaded and left it was 4.20pm. Hit traffic before the tunnel but was moving all the way. I tried to hold my breath through the tunnel but inhaled a bubble so ended up spluttering everywhere. A fairly violent game of punch when you see a mini developed between me and Rachel, as we were giving advice to David on how to be more ‘alluring’!! Back to the office just after 6, unloaded and then back to Billericay at 6.40pm. Had dinner straight away (Jacket Potato, Sausages, Creamed Parsnip and Carrot, Apple Pie and Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream) then spent the evening finishing my newsletter, tidying my room, finishing my video, printing labels and went to bed!
Thursday
Lie in!! Rachel picked me up at 9.45am…aah nice! We were in the Barn all day, blocking monologues, going through the other sketches and learning and blocking the final one. We watched an episode of Doctor Who in David’s attempt to get me to like Doctor Who…it was called Midnight and was actually quite good! All took place in one room and was all skill of acting…so it was educational! I had egg sandwiches today, yum! We decided we’d worked hard for the day so finished at 4 and came home! Got to the end of Wednesday in writing my blog, but then the computer crashed grr. Watched Neighbours (Yay for Libby and Dan) and the news, then had dinner – Salmon & parsley sauce, new potatoes, creamed parsnip and runner beans, blueberries and mango sorbet. Then this evening I have been writing out my testimony and content for some links that we did in Scotland and I’m going to watch Never Mind The Buzzcocks, pack for going home, have a bath and go to bed!
Saturday
Had a lie in, yay! Then slowly got myself ready and packed and Julie kindly drove me to Shenfield. Renewed my young persons railcard (it’s gone up to £24!!! shocking) and got myself a homeward bound ticket. Arrived at Freeport at 11.45 where my chauffeur driven chariot awaited (Lewis in Yo-Yo Stanley) and we went home to see Mum who hasn’t been very well and gave her some flowers (not from me, I could have pretended that they were and I was a really nice daughter but that would have been lying which is bad. Julie bought some roses for mum which was very nice of her!) and stayed for a little bit. Then we went to Tesco and bumped into Phil and Carol (criticising my choice of clothes as always!), bought some food and then went back to the penthouse suite at Balmoral Court. We cooked omlettes (Lewis cooking, me instructing) and then spent the afternoon being lazy, watching TV, wrapping some Christmas presents (oh how organised am I?!). Then we decided to go and get a film out so went to Blockbuster and spent aaaaaaaaages in there but there really wasn’t anything, and then we asked the nice man if they had any Prince Caspian’s returned which they did so we got that! We then went back and had some meatballs and pasta and watched the film, then watched X Factor and the results on fast forward, then it was about 1am so went to bed!
Sunday
SNOW!!!!! Aaah how exciting!!! We had to drive to Basildon (via Sarah’s to lend them Prince Caspian, borrow a pair of boots and Maddie and Emi were in matching clothes – SO cute!) in the snow which was fun, got there a bit late so Rachel and Ollie had pretty much loaded. We then all got into the Fun Bus and drove to Kilburn. We thought we were going to be an hour early, but ended up being 4minutes early due to the craziness of driving in London and dodgy directions! We were performing at the Gospel Tabernacle Church which is the downstairs of a Methodist Church so after initial confusion, we sorted out where we were going, unloaded and set up. The Youth Service (actually all age, about 70 people, about 20 were children and youth) started at 2.30 and we did Abi, then they did some worship and a story, then we did Trasha and it was great fun! The kids really got into it and at the end gave Abi some really good advice – the best being from a little girl called Stephanie, who was about 4, who said ‘She should pray.’ Aww!! We stayed around for some food and then packed down which was quite crazy with all the kids trying to help! We left at 6.20, got back to the office just before 8 and was back at home at 9. I think Lewis enjoyed being on the road with us, his comment to me being ‘You were better than I thought.’ Cheers. Stayed at home Sunday night, so nice to be back in my own bed with Twinkle, my furry cat hot water bottle!!!
Monday
Got up about 9, i think I’m getting old – the whole ‘got to make the most of the day’ thing. Hmmm. Got ready and did some bits at home then Me and Mum went round to Sarah’s. Maddie was poorly 
had a bad cough which was giving her a really deep voice and she wasn’t happy. Quite cuddly though! We had lunch and then Me and Sarah took a buggy each and went into town so that Maddie could have a sleep in her buggy. Cold!!! And Me and Sarah had our matching coats on so we proper looked like sisters! Met Lewis in town and sent him to Tesco to get biscuits and then we went home and he drove round. We had marylandcookies, chocolate fingers AND big cookies filled with chocolate. Mmmm. We left about 5.15 after Sarah wiped Maddie’s nose with my scarf, nice, took Mum home and then went back to the Penthouse. Had a lasagne and then people began descending for Stephen’s 16th birthday. 17 of us went to Go Banana’s in Colchester and we had great fun! I found 4 flags in the first game, we played a relay race, was hilarious watching Tom and Lewis fly round, we had lots of free time where the boys were pelting each other with ball pool balls. then there was a blindfold game which I watched and was very funny! It finished at 9.20 and we went to McDonalds for food, mmm bacon cheeseburger! We then drove back, dropped people home and then Lewis dropped me back in Billericay. I was in bed at 12.04, so close to my target of midnight!!
Another day at the Barn. We had Ben with us today, he’s on work experience for a couple of weeks. I think we scared him. We learnt another sketch and blocked it. We practiced the others from yesterday and played ‘It’ whilst learning lines! We, well Rachel and David had a lengthy conversation about people who would be in their gangs. So childish :p We then had a meeting about Christmas and all the timing arrangements and what day’s we would need sandwiches.
Finished at 4pm, came back and had tea and cake with Julie and a little chat. Then watched Neighbours and then had dinner: Plaice (never had that before, quite nice!), sweet potato and vegetables and blueberries, grapes and mango sorbet for pudding! Trying to be healthy and lose the weight that got put on over Scotland!! Then this evening Bob and Julie have gone out Babysitting so i’m catching up on things that need to be done, that’s after watching Hollyoaks, and Monday’s episode on E4………..*SPOILER ALERT*…..Niall’s back….#dramatic sound effect#
Back home tomorrow for a nice day off, then we’re off to Kilburn for a youth servie on Sunday, letting Abi out to terrorise the people of London.
Best to start at the bottom and work your way up this one. If you can be bothered SARAH.
Thursday 20th November
6.5hours of nice deep sleep later…First day of Christmas rehearsals. Rachel picked me up at 8.45 and we met David at The Barn for 9am. Then we spent the day reading scripts, learning lines and blocking two of the sketches. (and me giggling as I remembered bits of last night!)I’m not going to give you any details of our Christmas stuff, if you want to know you have to come and see a show! We’re doing lots in and around Essex so no excuses! Finished around 4.15, came back home, relaxed a bit and watched Neighbours and Hollyoaks, had dinner and am now spending the evening updating my blog. Will possibly have a bath later.
Wednesday 19th November
First Opti-Weds for a long time! Lucy picked me up and we got to the Barn just before 9am. Had a Viz-a-Viz monthly Bible Study first, led by David, looking at Colossians 3. I was in a small group with Kate, Clive and Den (yeah no pressure leading a group with the founder of Viz-a-Viz!!). We then had our training session, two teaching slots on Study and Guidance, led by David, La Roche led worship, where we played hug tag, made things from paper, ate wine gums and held handfuls of rice! We then had our own personal time, and had a time of sharing and praying in small groups – ours was just me and Sammy J. Then I had my review with Lindsay, Rachel and David. All went well and positive which is good!! Then off to the O2 to see Lee Evans!!! Met up with Sarah, Matt, Teresa, David, Ryan and Lewis en route and got to the O2 with time for a Starbucks and a muffin. The show was from 7.45-11pm and was BRILLIANT!!!! I came out with total cheek ache! Lewis dropped me back home and I was just about in bed by 1am!
Tuesday 18th November
Went round to Sarah’s and looked after Maddie and Emi for a bit while she went to get her insoles sorted. Then we went to Baytree Farm and saw the animals…the big ugly pigs and the cute little piglets and the rabbits, geese, ducks, goats and lots of mud! Had lunch there where both Maddie and Emi were grumpy! We then went to Crazy Kids. Oh so much fun!!!!! As Maddie is only 23months old, unfortunately she had to be accompanied on all the play stuff….RESULT!!! So Auntie Laura had lots of fun running around and climbing and drowning in ball pools and going down the slides! Mummy did some too, and the best bit was all three of us going down the bumpy slide on mats. Definitely more fun had by me and Sarah!! We came back and had dinner, bathed the girls then Matt came home and took over and Sarah drove me back home to Billericay and had a peek to see my room!
Monday 17th November
Lewis picked me up about 10.45 and we went to Lakeside. Wasn’t too busy which was great and we had a fairly successful shopping trip, including a coffee and toffee apple muffin at BB’s and lunch at La Tasca. And as our treat for doing well we had a milkshake from Shakeaways….seriously amazing place. They make all kinds of weird and wonderful flavours; I had a Parma Violet one and Lewis had a Ferrero Rocher one….just divine! Then went back to Lewis’s and we dyed each other’s hair…aaah.
Sunday 16th November
Went to Sawyers Church with Rachel in the morning, then we went out for lunch at a pub, one of those local pubs where you feel like an intruder! Then we met Lindsay and drive up to Sandy near Bedford for Beth’s induction service at Sandy Baptist Church and stayed for a bit of cake after which was very nice! Came back home and watched Antique Roadshow….the first ever one with a million pound estimation…I was expecting some amazingly old valuable something or other, but no it was a preliminary statue of the Angel of the North. Very disappointing!! Caught up on an episode of Holby City and went to bed!
Saturday 15th November
Had a little lie in but then woke up quite early because I was excited to see Lewis 
He came round and we stayed in for a bit then went out to Southend, got Fish and Chips and wandered along the front. The we went up into the town which was crazily busy and BBC Essex and Essex FM were doing various things, so we got a Starbucks (Gingerbread Latte-makes me feel all warm and Christmassy!) and some ridiculously sugary doughnuts and sat in the park watching it get dark. Then just as we were about to leave there was a massive fireworks display which went on for about 10mins and was really impressive! Then Lewis dropped me back and went home for a poker night with the boys while I watched X Factor! Hurrah Daniel has finally gone (although I think he did better than Rachel this week!)!!
Friday 14th November
Arrived at 8.20am for prayer meeting then:
9.05-9.45: S6 RE Lesson: Chatting to them about their beliefs and what they thought of the week.
9.45-11.05: S5: What’s It Worth, College Of Knowledge, Q&A
11.05-11.20: Break (Scones in the Staffroom which is like a conservatory on the roof over looking the race course which has the school playing field in the middle of it. Crazy!)
11.20-12.05: What’s It Worth, College Of Knowledge, Q&A
12.05-12.40: Lunch
12.40-1.00: Whole School Assembly: College Of Knowledge
1.00-1.45: Lunch: Music Workshops
1.45-2.25: S2: Abi and Trasha
2.25-3.45: Junior Assembly: Gordon clowning again – so funny!!
Then we packed down, loaded the vans and headed home! Stopped off for dinner at Rosie (SU Worker) and Pauls house and then stopped a couple more times on the way down, arriving back at the office at 12.40am, unloaded and came home and was in bed just after 2am!
Thursday 13th November
Apparently I was beating up Rachel and hogging the covers in my sleep. I remember nothing! Arrived at 8.20am for prayer meeting then:
9.05-9.45: S2 RE Lesson: Speed Dating
9.45-10.25: S4 RE Lesson: Speed Dating
10.25-11.05: Break
11.05-12.00: J6, J7, S1: ABT
12.00-12.40: S1: Abi and Trasha
12.40-1.00: Whole School Assembly: What’s It Worth
1.00-1.45: Lunch: The Point group (amazing fun!!! Three legged race, After Eight Game, Hotseat Questions, Props game and Ask Envizage Anything!)
1.45-2.25: S3: College Of Knowledge, Q&A
2.25-3.45: Preparation for Concert
4.00-6.00: Concert. Had about 40 kids come to the concert, which percentage of the school wise, is the same as last week, but obviously less in number. They all seemed to enjoy it though!
Went to Gordon’s Parent’s House for dinner – nice curry with apricots in it! Then back to hosts for some TV watching. Found out that there had been a delivery for me, but no one was in so it had gone to the post office in Lanark. So Simeon phoned his Dad to ask him to pick it up and drop it off at the school!
Wednesday 12th November
Arrived at 8.20am for prayer meeting then:
9.05-9.45: Junior Assembly: Gordon was clowning – hilarious!!!!
9.45-10.25: Work
10.25-11.05: S2 RE Lesson – Speed Dating! (Small group of them to one of us asking questions to each other)
11.05-12.00: Break
12.00-12.40: Lunch (Junior school JAM Club – What’s It Worth)
12.40-1.00: Whole School Assembly: ABT
1.00-1.45: Lunch: Street Tuff
1.45-2.25: Break
2.25-3.45: S4: What’s It Worth, College Of Knowledge, Q&A
Meal at School then a debrief at Jim and Romy’s and back to hosts where Karen’s dad came round and we played more Wii!
Tuesday 11th November
Arrived at 8.20am for prayer meeting then:
9.05-9.45: Free: Readjusting lights etc
9.45-10.25: Break
10.25-11.05: S1 Drama Workshop
11.05-12.00: J6 & J7 Remembrance Day activities
12.00-12.40: Lunch
12.40-1.00: Whole School Assembly:
1.00-1.45: Lunch: ABT
1.45-2.25: Break
2.25-3.45: S3 Forgiveness and Freedom: Abi and Trasha (Worst performance of Abi we’ve ever done, everything seemed to go wrong, but no one noticed!!)
Meal at School then a debrief at Jim and Romy’s and back to hosts where Karen’s dad came round and we played more Wii!
Monday 10th November
Not too much of an early start, Hamilton College being 20mins from our host and we had to be in at 8am. Unloaded the van and then went for a prayer meeting. Then from 9-11 we set up the hall, from 11.05-12 there was a Junior Assembly, then after we did final sound checks and sorted ourselves out. (Bit of info about the school: It’s one of the few Christian colleges in the UK, a private school for ages 3-16, school size approx700. A lot, but not all of the teachers are Christian and the the school operates a Christian morale and teaching throughout) The rest of the day looked something like this:
12.40-1.00: Whole School Assembly: The Watch
1.00-1.45: Lunch: Signature Bingo
1.45-2.25: S2 Values: What’s It Worth
2.25-3.05: Free
3.05-3.45: S1 Values: What’s It Worth
We then went back to Jim and Romy’s for dinner, recharge and debrief and then back to our hosts for some Wii time!
Sunday 9th November
Same breakfast as yesterday…yum! Then off to Hamilton Baptist for the morning service and then to Jane’s parents for dinner. Romy and Jim have a lovely house which just goes in all sorts of directions, is jam packed with stuff: vases, pictures and furniture everywhere, including 2 baby grand pianos and a cuckoo clock which caused hours of entertainment! Their garden runs down to the river clyde which is a gorgeous view! Andy and Joy were staying there and had the bottom floor to themselves. Dinner was salmon and vegetables and 3 different puddings! Romy used to be a caterer so made the best food! And I discovered Ginger Beer with lime cordial…yum! We just chilled and chatted and had a nice lazy Sunday afternoon before heading off to the evening service where we performed What’s It Worth and shared a little bit about what we were going to be doing in Hamilton College. Then headed home and discovered the wonders of the Nintendo Wii!!!! There is incriminating photo and video evidence….
Saturday 8th November
Slept in, got up about 11 and were treated to square sausage in a bun with a tatty scone and ketchup. Could so get used to that!!! We then got ready and headed to Braehead shopping and entertainments centre in Glasgow. We met up with everyone else for a bit of shopping in the afternoon (bought some boots from Primark ) and then to see James Bond at 5pm. Never seen a Bond film before, not sure I’d be fussed if I never saw another one! Bit silly and too many guns! We had dinner at Tony Romas, pasta and ginger beer, yum! Then headed to our hosts to watch X Factor. OH MY GOODNESS HOW AN EARTH DID LAURA GET KICKED OFF???!!!!! I think our screams could be heard for miles!! Simeon seems to have a minor crush on Diana Vickers and as she wasn’t singing due to illness, we watched her performance from the first show, which was all loaded in exactly the right place on the sky+ box…hmmm! We then all went to bed grumpy and outraged!
Friday 7th November
Last day at Mackie Academy! We had a few different lessons and presentations, more performances of The Watch and some Q&A. We then packed everything down, loaded the vans, said goodbye to people and headed for Hamilton (just outside Glasgow, bout 3 hours from Stonehaven)! We stopped and Gordon and Jane’s amazing house in Blackford on the way for dinner – a lovely chilli (with a ginger beer!). They have a really old nice house and the most incredible country kitchen with an aga, big wooden table and a proper larder! We then drove to our hosts in Auchenheath, getting slightly lost and then stuck at a red light that we soon learnt was broken! Our hosts for the week were Karen (teacher from Hamilton College) and Simeon and lived in a gorgeous modern shiny bungalow. We pretty much went straight to bed – Claire in one room and Rachel and I sharing a bed in the other!