Saturday 7th March
Had a nice lie in, got up about 9.30 and had breakfast with Mum and we chatted for a while and compared diaries for the next few weeks! I then got ready and walked into town for my Specsavers appt at 12.30. The lady checked my eye and said it was all better, although I have got a small scar left on my eye which will probably show up in future eye examinations! Was supposed to be meeting Lewis but Matthew Dransfield had visited with someone and so was running late! So I wandered around town for a bit until he was ready. We did a bit of shopping and then went back to his for lunch, Wendy and Becky were there too. Then decided to go out to Notley Bowl for a walk and a run and jump on the play equipment! Lewis tipped me off some bouncy chair thing and I tried to get my own back but failed! Then Lewis was off to a Essex Christian Camp meeting and I went to the cinema to meet Loïs from her last shift at Cineworld. We went to Tutti and ordered drinks and a caramel pecan brownie and hot chocolate fudge cake to share. We had a good chat about stuff and her upcoming trip to Peru! I gave her a bracelet and I’ve got one the same. Then her Mummy very kindly offered to take me back to Billericay as all the trains were replaced by buses. Said goodbye which was very sad L Got home around 9 and Bob and Julie’s daughter Mandy and her husband were there. I arrived just in time for dinner and a glass of wine! Then excused myself to finish packing last minute bits and get some sleep!
Friday 6th March
So I was up fairly early…about 8.30 which I feel is pretty good when I didn’t have to be out til 12.45! Spent the morning finishing off my essay (apart from a read through and conclusion which I’ll do another time!) and packing. So complicated, had a bag which was to go with me to More To Life and then staying in the van for Scotland, a bag to take with me to More To Life and then home for the night, and a bag for Scotland. Very confusing! Managed to get myself sorted and then had soup for lunch with Julie before she went off to speak at the Women’s World Day of Prayer. Rach picked me up just before 1 and we got the office with plenty of time to spare. Met Dan and Mandy there and we left the office at 1.30pm. Due to be at Ilford at 2.30pm so plenty of time. Went to fill up with diesel and check water and tyres and then on our way. Hit traffic on the A120…Rachel decided to turn off, we had no idea where we were going, ended up going through Hornchurch and hit more traffic and ended up being almost half an hour late, oops! David met us there. So a slightly reduced set up time but we managed! Had a bit of fun with their screen which was suspended from the ceiling. We decided to project onto it but it was about 2 inches too low and wouldn’t go up, so we had to curve it to rest on top of our flats. Then had some fun with sightlines and blue material but got it all sussed in the end! I was quite nervous about this one as our rehearsal yesterday had gone so shockingly and Mum and Lewis were coming to watch! We had dinner – Chicken with leeks and apricots, potatoes and veg followed by strudel and custard. Had a few line runs of the bits we always got wrong. Got a text from Lewis at 6.50pm to say they were already here….yes that’s 40mins early. Yes, that’s right, Lewis was early!!! See, he can do it when he wants to! I peeped through the flats and saw him and my mummy sat there, then I was very nervous!! The performance went very well, although I think the church were a bit disappointed at how few people were there. Had a cup of tea and a custard cream after whilst chatting to a few people. The minister of the church grew up in Braintree so we chatted about that for a while, and then him and Mum were talking about people that they both knew! Pack down was fairly efficient, with Lewis to help carry stuff out to the van! We left at 11pm, me with Lewis and Mum, took about an hour to get home, I stayed at home home, in my nice bed with a hot water bottle!
Thursday 5th March
Forget it, I’m wearing my contact lenses! In the office today. Big scary reviews with Lindsay. Started off the day checking email and facebook and sending some emails. Then did something really exciting! Dan needed a recording of the Footprints Poem for a Golden Years event coming up so wanted me to do it. We recorded in the new studio which is very flash, used a proper microphone like you see the professional recording people use and I had headphones and everything! So exciting. Worryingly only took 2 takes, and I had to listen back to them…ugh my voice is so high and squeaky! Then I sorted out all the props for More To Life, All About Abi and the other sketches for Scotland. Then it was my review with Lindsay, Rachel and David. Took about an hour and went really well! Talking about what I’m enjoying and not enjoying, what I need to work on, future plans etc. Then it was lunchtime – Covent Garden Tomato and Basil soup…really good! We spent the afternoon faffing a bit and line running More To Life (which really didn’t go very well!) and loading the van. Also finished off a bag of chocolate éclairs! And got to tick the last box on the grid of plays/sketches…a momentous occasion!! Got home at 5.15pm, had a cup of tea with 4 white chocolate fingers…oooh so nice! Watched Neighbours…nooooo Harold!!!! Actually had tears in my eyes L and Home and Away then had dinner with Bob, Louise (their daughter-in-law) and George & Ruby (grandchildren) which was good fun, the children were on top form! Cleared up and by then it was 8pm! Written up some blog entries while listening to my new Chicago Soundtrack and shall have a fairly early night. Not leaving til 12.45 tomorrow, so the plan is to get up early and do stuff in the morning! Lets see what happens…
Wednesday 4th March
Couldn’t wake up today. Stayed in bed for an extra 10minutes and then forced myself up! Another glasses day, ugh. Said goodbye to Hazel and met Lindsay on the way to pick up Ollie. Met everyone at the barn for training. Ryan said to me ‘You look dead today Laura. No I didn’t mean it like that…I meant dead inside.’ Such a way with the ladies! Joth Hunt (Baptist minister and husband of Sue Hunt who works for SOLID) took the teaching session on Matthew 6:1-18, looking at giving, praying and fasting. Was very interesting and helpful, especially the stuff on fasting. Felt slightly guilty eating lunch after that! We then had personal time, scripture test (one of today’s was the Lord’s Prayer – brilliant!), share and pray with Lindsay and Ryan and then Lucy did worship on why we were created and looking at our blessings, which was really good. Went into town after training and got some more books out of the library. Walked home and had a cup of tea with Bob and Julie before forcing myself to do something constructive, tidying my room up a bit and writing some blog posts. Then Neighbours (rubbish ending today, and they are so waiting for proper Libby to come back before she gets married!) and Home and Away and a little bit of Hollyoaks. Dinner was Lasagne and Vegetables and homemade trifle. I don’t usually like trifle but this one is really nice!! Coffee and now watching Waterloo Road. Didn’t see last week’s and Maxine is dead and I don’t know how!!!