Oh, how we laughed......

..yes, the Nov Ops weekend - together with programming and the office staff - including the lovely Laura - was very good, lots of discussion, lots of listening and sharing, lots of silliness and much laughter. In fact I only cried once and that was just a tiny bit so doesn't really count. I love that community, the time spent with Good Friends, and the fact that when the joke was on me - as it was once or twice! - my caring friends checked out to make sure I was ok about it and not upset. That was very sweet - but I loved every minute of it, so don't worry!

I loved the planning, the evenings with David working on the pub quiz..oh how we laughed........ the journey to Yorkshire, via Toys are Us in Luton., buying up the shop with little presents and toys for our friends..trying to get to Dalesbridge early to lable all the doors, put the presents and sweets on the pillows, and then light the log fire and have the tea made before anyone arrived...failed slightly but it didn't matter...

LIz has blogged well about the weekend and really summed it up....there were so many stories...me and David trying to cook breakfast on the Monday morning for 7 people, and David wanting to do it his way which meant it took about two hours and two sittings..his determination to make Doggit and Maria a fresh pot of coffee although he had nothing to make it in....while we were arguing in the kitchen over how to cook the sausages, Liz said, if you two were married, it would end in divorce, but on the grounds of whose unreasonable behaviour???

It got worse...the 'hour's' joutney to Edale to look at another possible centre for next year..... me and Maria chose the route. daid tried to look a the map and choose another way, but I said, bugger off, we have decided, just shut up and drive and leave it to me....... almost three hours later, when we have literally driven up hill and down dale, and headed south and west, then I decide we can't access the Edale valley from this direction, there is only one way, so although we hav been following signs in the Manchester direction, suddenly I get him to follow signs to Sheffield, it's just this little road on the map......the atmosphere is getting slightly frosty in the car - and very frosty outside..maria texts from the car behind..'It's very beautiful this way'. My point entirely. When I say, 'this is the scenic route, isn't the scenery lovely,' once too often...... Doggit and Maria are treated to the sight of David stopping very suddenly on the top of Snake Pass and get out of the car. I get out too, and seeing David heading for me, throw the map over a dry stone wall and start running..down hill and can't stop...David catches up with me and the momentum nearly takes us into a boggy ditch.. I am shreiking for him to stop before we fall over, and am laughing so much I have no control.

'Why the f*** did you come this way?' asks Doggit. I laugh more and David says, 'Don't make her laugh, she'll wet herself.' Actually it is too late for that, and I am made to sit on a towel the rest of the way home. And I am not allowed to drive. We visit Edale for an hour, and meet the lovely priest in charge, Adrian, who has waited over two hours for us.

We eventually arrive in St Albans at 8pm, having had no lunch and no tea, cos I had been very naughty and made us late. But was it worth it? Every minute.