Saturday 7^th February

Had all good intentions of having a productive morning…but bed was too warm and comfy and I was too sleepy! Got up about 10.15 and slowly got ready and packed my bag. Rachel picked me up a little late as her car didn’t want to start, so we got to the office just before half 12, meeting Dan and David there. Drove to Chiddingfold, playing the yellow car game – Dan and Rachel being very violent and me stuck in between them! The last 4 or so miles were through tight country lanes and woods, not sure the Sat Nav took us the most direct route! We were performing in the Village Hall which for some reason smelt of TCP! It was a very nice hall though, with a nice big stage. We arrived to start setting up at 2.30pm and were all done and gaffered by 5pm! Rosemary made us tea and the most amazing hobnob/flapjack cake she had made which I had 2 ½ bits of! We ate dinner at 5.30pm – lasagne, garlic bread, salad and chocolate mousse for dessert. We were able to relax a bit and spend some time praying for each other and the people that would be coming. We had the luxury of male/female changing rooms and ours had a toilet with a shower and loads of little people’s wellies – very cute! More To Life went really well, lasted about 1hr50mins which was great. The audience were sat round tables with fake candles on. They were a very clappy audience – clapped in every blackout! Had tea and the most amazing cheese straws after and chatted to a few people. By 10.15pm people were still chatting so we had to switch on the houselights and start packing down! All loaded by 11pm, back at the office by 12.45 (I slept all the way home) and then unloaded, home and in bed about 1.30am! Very tired!

Friday 6^th February

More To Life Technical rehearsals today. We went to the office first to pick up the van, then over to the barn and unloaded and set up pretty much everything. We spent the morning going through the 3 Acts of More To Life doing a cue to cue to sort out the exact timing for lighting and sound. Had lunch and watched ‘Bernard and The Genie’ – awesome 90s Christmas film starring Lenny Henry and Rowan Atkinson – very silly and funny! Mike arrived at 2pm and we spent 2 hours going through all the sound and visuals and a run through of the 3 Acts. Packed down, loaded up, back to the office to drop off the van and back home at 5.45. Caught the end of Neighbours – where Bridget told Declan she’s pregnant…ooh tense moment! Had dinner and a lazy evening – watched an episode of Waterloo Road and then to bed!

Thursday 5^th February

One day to re-learn More To Life in preparation for the presentation on Saturday. Re-learning because the last time we did it, it was just Rachel and I, so we had to re-learn with David in it. I thought it would be a hard task to get it all done in one day, but obviously not… We went over the lines and blocking, had lunch and I was back home by 2.30pm! So I spent the afternoon going into town and getting some books out the library, looking in New Look and then home to watch TV! Had dinner and had a nice long shower and watched an episode of Waterloo Road and a fairly early night!

Wednesday 4^th February

First Opti-Training in a long time! Lindsay picked me, Ollie and Kate up and we drove through the snow covered countryside to the snow covered barn which looked so pretty!

 Some of us ran outside to take photos in the snow:  Then we had drinks and biscuits and year old chocolate swiss roll Lindsay found in her freezer. Mike arrived and we spent the morning studying the part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapter 5) looking at Salt and Light and The Fulfilment of the Law (verses 13-20). It was interesting and a bit confusing, but wrote some good notes. We had lunch (chicken noodle cuppa soup) and then Jayne did the worship session where we read 2 Timothy 4:1-8 and individually wrote what thoughts came to our head. I ended up doing a brainstorm with lots of words all over it…which kind of evolved into a plan for a youth group session on Evangelism! We smoothly went into personal time for 40mins where I continued my plan! We then got into 2 groups of 4 to share and pray with each other. I was with Jayne, Jeni and Ami. Then after tidying up we went home! Lindsay wouldn’t let me walk the 3 minutes from Kate’s house to mine, she insisted she would drive me round the corner! Got home just after 3.30pm and had a lovely 3 hours to get myself ready for a night out. Ahh the bliss of a long shower, face mask, hair mask, using nice Christmas Present toiletries, having time to properly shave my legs, moisturise, paint my nails, spend ages curling my hair, doing makeup and choosing my outfit! Bob refused to let me walk to Billericay train station so drove me to Shenfield at 7pm where I got the train to Chelmsford and then walked through Chelmsford (scary!!!) to wait outside Baroosh (wine bar/restaurant) for Lewis, Wendy, Andy, Tom and Eun-Jeoung to arrive. Lewis had no idea I was going to be there (although I thought he must have guessed as I do a surprised something for him every year, and had failed to come up with a decent excuse for not being able to come to his birthday meal, and he had looked over my shoulder at a facebook conversation with Wendy talking about the meal!) I went in once they were in and poor Lewis was blindfolded (with a pink eye mask that said ‘sshhh’) and had been since leaving home so had no idea where he was and had had to walk through Chelmsford like it! He guessed where he was and was allowed to take off his mask and it was a couple of seconds before he noticed me and was really shocked! I couldn’t believe he hadn’t guessed, and he said ‘But you said you couldn’t come and I believed you! I trust you!’  We then had a lovely meal, I had a grilled Halloumi and Aubergine Burger with fries which was yummy. Skipped pudding…but then ate half of Lewis’s very yummy sticky toffee pudding…then there was cake! I felt so fat after!

We left about 10.15 and Wendy very kindly drove me home. Spent about 5mins scraping the makeup off my face and went to bed very happy!

Tuesday 3^rd February

Woo Happy 24^th Birthday LEWIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So my plan was to get up early all bright eyed and bouncy and wake him up and be all excited. Instead I woke up early, stayed in bed for a bit, then stumbled into the lounge, woke him up and was too asleep to say anything. Made him a cuppa and then sat in silence all bleary eyed! He had offered to take Wendy to work so I got dressed and we took Wendy to work then went to Tesco and Sainsbury to buy waffles, potato scones, hash browns, bread and frozen fruit. We then went back to Lewis’s and I cooked the most amazing breakfast of scrambled egg, bacon, hash browns, potato scones, fried tomato, fried bread and berry smoothie. So nice, yet so bad. And then we were too full for waffles. Lewis spoke to family and open cards and presents from me and then we drove to Colchester and went to Aqua Springs, the Spa. Spent the afternoon in the jacuzzis, saunas, steam room and cool pools. Was really relaxing and gave us a good opportunity to chat about stuff which was great! We then wanted to go for dinner at Prezzo (I had a half price voucher!) but the one in Colchester didn’t open til 6 and Lewis has to be at Choir rehearsal at 7 so we decided to go back to the one in Braintree but got stuck in traffic so ended up having a quick McDonalds before going to Tesco to buy cake and then to Choir! I sat watching the rehearsal and then we went to Matthew Dransfield’s house for a creative team meeting while I fell asleep on the sofa! Left there at 10pm to go to Mum and Dad’s house to pick up my clean washing and Lewis’s present and then he drove me back to Billericay and I got to bed just before 12!

Monday 2^nd February

Oh so much snow!!! Far too exciting – like 6inches of snow, and still snowing! Was supposed to be looking after Emi for the day with Mum while Sarah, Matt and Maddie went to London for Maddie’s hospital appointment but the trains weren’t running so they couldn’t go. Was at a bit of a loss as I had no waterproof shoes and didn’t really know what to do! In the end Lewis took me to Mum and Dad’s to find some wellies and then I went round to Sarah’s. Maddie had made a snowman with Dan and Lauren, but wasn’t too impressed with the snow – too cold and wet! We had cheese on toast for lunch and then began the great get ready to go out – layers of clothes, hats, scarves, gloves, raincover, waterproof shoes etc. It took us best part of half an hour to walk into town as Maddie insisted on walking, picking up snow and throwing it and putting her foot in the snow, pulling it out and then going ‘ooh. Foot. Mine!’ was very cute!! She then went in her buggy and fell asleep. Sarah, Maddie and Emi went to Tesco while I did some shopping for Lewis’s birthday. We then walked to Janets, met Matt there and had a drink. Maddie did not want to play in the untouched snow in the garden, much to mine and Sarah’s annoyance! We then went back to Sarah’s, Lewis came and picked me up and we went back to his for dinner. Lewis then went out for a meeting so I was left wrapping up his presents and then chatting to Wendy and Andy before going to bed at the respectable time of 10pm!

Sunday 1^st February 

Pinch and a punch! I forgot to pinch and punch, and when I did remember I pinched Lewis rather too enthusiastically! Went to church in the morning, sat up in the balcony – rare treat! And had the opportunity to share with the church what I have been doing over the past few weeks and months. Lots of people commented afterwards at how happy and glowing I looked!! Lewis and I then went to Freeport and met Sarah, Matt, Maddie and Emi. We had lunch at BB’s Muffins (mmm apple and cinnamon muffin, my fave!) and had a quick walk round Freeport, but it was FREEZING (and starting to snow!!!!) so we went to Crazy Kids instead, oh so much fun!! Chasing Maddie round and going down the slide squillions of times and playing with Emi in the ball pool! Went back to Sarah’s for a cuppa and then it was time to be back at Church – 5pm. I was singing and Lewis was leading worship. It was James’ baptism which was really great! I didn’t know a couple of the songs and everyone else did – felt a little out of touch! Got back about half 9 after dropping people back and watched a bit of TV before going to bed!

Saturday 31^st January

Alarm went off at 9.30am, dragged myself out of bed, got ready and packed and Lewis and Mum picked me up just after 11 and we drove to Lakeside. Met Russell, Becci, Chloe and Sam outside Primark and then went for lunch at Girafe. We had nachos and wedges and garlic bread for starters and then I had a brie, chicken and cheese Panini which was yummy! Was nice to spend some time chatting to everyone, as I haven’t seen Russell and Co since August! We then had a little wander round the shops and headed to the cinema where we watched Beverley Hills Chihuahua…pretty silly but quite funny film and Chloe and Sam loved it which was good! Got to have some nice cuddles with Chloe in the cinema! We then went our separate ways. Dropped Mum off home and then went back to Lewis’s, where Lewis spent some time on the computer and I watched TV before going to bed.