Of the Lakes and being terrified
03.12.08, 10:33 pm

Another ridiculously large gap between updates, so that I am left with the impossible task of trying to remember what I�ve been up to for the last fortnight. I guess the main event is that I went off to the Lakes this weekend to see Rich, along with Em, Hannah and Mel. We went to have a nosy at his new fianc�e more than anything else, if I�m honest.

Me and Em drove down Saturday morning in the freezing fog, which was distinctly TERRIFYING, and I was made to listen to Hilary Duff�s album for a large portion of the drive. Lesser events have driven people to therapy. We eventually rolled up at lunchtime, met Richard�s friends (who were also up), were joined by Hannah and Mel, and then all sat around eating chicken and pheasant pie. We then went for a walk around Derwent Water with Rich�s amazing dog, Will. Derwent Water was just beautiful at sunset and I took many a lovely photo (they�re on Facebook if anyone�s remotely interested), and then my feet turned numb due to the combination of my sad trainers and the -5 degree temperatures, so we quickly evacuated and went off to get some booze for the evening. Spent the evening watching Hole In The Wall (inexplicably, given the sheer visual horror of Vanessa Feltz contorting herself into strange tight silver lyrca-filled positions), Strictly and then X Factor, becoming more and more inebriated. I nearly told my scary chilli + sex story, but managed to restrain myself. Finally got to bed at about half two in a sleeping bag on Rich�s sofa, with Hannah on the floor on an inflatable lilo.

Woken up at the crack of dawn by Very Hungover Rich putting the meat on for the roast dinner he was planning for lunchtime. Pissed about on Guitar Hero all morning and then had the most amazing roast ever � Rich cooked for all ten of us and there was loads to go around, was seriously impressed. Ate too much and then said our goodbyes and drove the two and a half hours home. To summarize, had the most amazing weekend. It always makes me a bit nostalgic when I see the housekids en masse though, and makes me wish that they could all just live on my street in their separate houses, instead of being scattered throughout the country.

Charity event in two days, which is frankly terrifying, as I am singing Ain�t No Sunshine and it�s 50% a capella and I haven�t sung in front of an audience since I was at primary school. Can also see that I am going to get hideously drunk as it�s the students� last night and is consequently half their leaving do. Oh God, I am so underpractised and so unconfident. Wish I could just sing with all of the lights off so that no one can see me. Am bunking off work early on Friday to go down and �help� set up, and MUST NOT START DRINKING FROM 3PM ONWARDS. Must instead drink orange juice and be a responsible adult and resist the slow slide towards drunken ridiculous for as long as possible. If anyone receives a drunken phonecall from me (because I always think phoning people while pissed is the best idea I've ever had ever) then I apologise wholeheartedly now. To be honest, it'll probably be you, Zoe, if anyone. Old habits sadly die hard.

Amanda�s being the usual bitch. Rang my dad last night about the pre-Christmas meet-up with my gran that we do every year, and asked if he�d be able to pick me up on the way to Nottingham as Sheffield�s on his route and he agreed to amicably, despite Amanda making annoyed noises in the background. And then this morning he rang again and said that actually, it�d probably be better if I got the train, because Sheffield wasn�t completely on the way, was it? So very blatant that Amanda�s told him that she can�t be bothered to pick me up on the way. I ask just the one favour all year and it�s a huge issue, yet she�s perfectly happy to make my dad drive her up to Manchester endlessly to move her stupid son�s belongings from one defunct dead-end flat to the next. She�s such a complete bitch, and I don�t even care anymore that she clearly can�t stand me. It shows I�m doing something right. Still filled with annoyance over the whole thing, not least because I just want to slap her stupid face.

Better go to bed, especially as it�s incredibly cold in my bedroom and my fingers are turning numb. We�re getting heavy snow tonight (apparently), so it could be a fun walk into work tomorrow morning. Despite that potential nightmare, yay snow!

P.S. It�s mine and James�s two-year anniversary on the 13th. SCARY SCARY LONG-TERM BIG COMMITMENT SCARY SCARY. My massively over-developed independence gene is having the mother of all freakouts about it.

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