A long weekend

Wow. I haven’t had a weekend like that for a long time!

Was at work late Fri night because Seth was trying to submit two papers in the final hours before he’s off on two weeks holiday, and the stress of these things has a trickle down effect, and they suddenly become my problem. Got home about 8, after my hour in Tescos food shopping for the month. Gabriel was very hungry and very happy to see me – big headbutts and chainsaw purring…

Sat morning I went out in my car to buy a bed. Actually found a fold-up-into-a-couch futon for a decent price in the first place I looked. And then they knocked some more money off since I wanted the ex-display green matress as opposed to the navy blue one (navy will just not co-ordinate properly!:) It’s being delivered on Thursday.

Wandered around Cambridge Retail park, which I’d never been to before. It’s basically an outside shopping centre, but all the shops are supersize – like the massive hardware store B&Q, the huge Homebase.. it’s not really that interesting, and there’s pershaps 10 shops, but I drove myself and hadn’t been there before, so…

Sunday I was up, breakfasted, and out of the house by 7:45 on my way to Portsmouth. It’s a 2.5hr drive from mine (which took me 3 on the way back cause I came off the motorway at the wrong exit & ended up in downtown Luton!) I stopped just off the M25 for a cup of tea, and arrived at the Dockyards at about 10:30. Spent about 90mins on The Victory indulging my tall ship fetish & photographing everything I possibly could (most turned out ok, too!) and was terribly impressed. Imagining the noise and smoke, the shuddering of the ship as a broadside of 50 guns is fired… toally freaky. And going down into the bowels of the ship, where the surgeons rooms were (where I couldn’t stand upright, the ceiling was so low!) really makes you think about what it would have been like to be wounded by cannonfire. Also makes you think about what it would have been like to be the surgeon and spend all day not stnding upright! The best thing, though is that I only had to duck down for 2 or 3 rooms, so I could have lived/worked aboard ship (had I but been born a male in 19th century England :).

Also saw The Mary Rose – freaky to think that thing is 500 years old. Also terribly impressive. I remember watching programmes about the raising of it on TV in Oz..

Went in one of the museums – but kept most of it for when I return with Mum & John in Sept. It’s definitely a place they should see! Bought a CD of Sea Shanties (I know, but nostalgia is a wonderful thing, and I’m actually really enjoying them!) and a fabulous book on Capt Cook. And when I got home and played the disc – it’s got that song that they used to play on ABC to fill in the time – the one with the medieval looking dancers and the guy thumping away on a bodhran! It’s called Portsmouth :)

Was in bed by 9pm Sunday night – exhausted. I haven’t driven that much in one day since I lived in Oz! Of course, it would have not even added up to a one way trip to Mum’s place, but still.. And driving in Britain is different. These people don’t know how to merge! It’s a lot more stressful than driving in Oz. It IS!

Monday was washing day / cleaning day and also went to Tesco to pick up a few things I forgot on Friday. A bit late in today to make up for last week – but it was very hard to get out of bed this morning.

But I had a fabulous weekend, all up. Probably spent too much money, especially on petrol, but had a great time.

Going to try the paella tonight.. bought some raw prawns yesterday, along with some mussels and squid.. seafood paella from my spanish friend Begonia’s family recipe.. yummy! I’ll let you know if it works.