Laura's Life!

France 2003

Ode to Holiday – France 2003

Weeks of planning, weeks of chat
Diets and exercise to loose the fat.
Waxing, shaving, eyebrows done.
Getting ready for the sun.
Cases packed, nothing left over.
First stop of the journey arriving at Dover.

We met the Kemp’s, it was a lovely day
We looked for Baba on the way.
At Hotel Bitch we stopped and stayed
With Zoë and Matthew the children played.

Up in the morning, back in the car,
‘I need a wee is it far.’
Howard he led, we sped through the toll.
The alarms were sounded. They’re after my Lol.

La Bocca we’re here we stopped at last
The queue in Reception was not very fast.
A few bad moods, a shout and a tear,
Not to worry it’s like this each year.
Isabelle and Martin relaxed by the pool.
Harry and Rosie swimming to keep cool.

Time to unpack and settle right in
Give me some beer, I’ll even drink gin.
The kids are hungry we need to eat,
I think ‘sans viande’ means without meat.

Carly is up she looks a bit dead,
She buys the croissants and loaves of bread.
Out by the pool, Howard grabs the chair
Jo jumps in the pool and gets gum in her hair.
Karen and Laura find it quite strange
Not to chat on a computer makes a big change.

The Dellins arrived they live down the street
I think in the morning by the pool we will meet.

Poor old Matthew was unwell today
He slept for hours and didn’t play.
Rosie was happy today she was five.
Emma and Zoë were learning to dive.
Jaimie and Jonathan all day in the pool.
The men used the noodles to swim and look cool.

Howard visited the Doctor with Matt
He checked out his tummy and said ‘there’s no fat’.
Have sugary water, pasta and rice
Your tummy will get better and feel very nice.

Paul was the driver, he took us to Cannes
It’s cool in their car you don’t need a fan.
Isabelle and Martin, their last night here
A very safe journey with lots of cheer.

Carly and Jo to the ‘croisette’ they went,
They went with Lol whose money they spent.
Out for dinner all seventeen.
I think it’s the noisiest the restaurant's been.

Now it was the turn of Harry to be ill.
He threw up in the toilet
The men paid the bill.
Karen K was fed up could not eat her meal
She should have saved money and holidayed in Deal.

Laura tripped over and busted her knee
She got no sympathy from room 403
Two Karens and Paul thought it so funny
It hurt so much she called for her mummy.
We went to Antibes Joëlles chips forgotten.
We ate ice cream, the shape of a front bottom.

Very strange man, out on the sun bed
Fell down on the ground was he drunk or dead.
Jaimie is still trying to pull out her tooth.
Its been wobbling all week and that is the truth.
We think she glued it safe and sound.
She doesn’t want euros only a pound.

Howard and Laura at the pool by nine, putting sunbeds in a line
Mo is there with towels and all
We’re told to throw them in by the wall
Mo comes back with hands on hips
From sun beds towels she tips.

We’ve been to La Bocca, Antibes and Cannes
Tonight we dined in Juan Les Pins
We ate at a restaurant out on the sand
The waiter tripped over, drinks fell out of his hand.
Zoë and Matthew on the roundabout they went
Karen, Jaimie and Jonathan, money they spent.
We bought some ice cream, so much to do.
Off to the Ambassadors for the magic loo.

Karen got angry when Mo moved her chair
She screamed she shouted but Mo didn’t care.
Mo sits by the pool, fat ugly and lazy
Murray apologised and said she was crazy.

We all went to Nice (Neece) or is it Nice.
The kids ate chicken mushrooms and rice.
The market had lots of shmutters to sell.
And guess what? Another carousel.

Karen K unwell with a sore tum
So out for dinner she could not come
Up the mountains to Cagne we followed.
Into the car park the vehicles were swallowed.

Last day there, in the pool till eight.
Go and get showered or for Antibes we’ll be late.
We ate Italian, just room for all.
The portion Karen got was really quite small.
The waitress did “tut” and moaned quite a lot
We had to remind her because things she forgot.

Off in the cars, a very long day.
We swapped a few children as we went on our way.
Zoë came with us they played and had fun.
Jaimie with the Kemp’s did not miss her Mum.

Here we are on the ferry at last
Are you sure that it’s moving it doesn’t seem fast.
What a great holiday it’s now at an end
So glad we could share it with many dear friends.

P.S Saying of the holiday "And what would Nina do?"

I'm Back

Ok.....I'm back from my hols. Lots to tell and photos to download. Keep watching this space.

"Flash Mobbing"

I hadn't even heard of this expression before I read about it this morning. Flash Mobbing started in the USA but is arriving here. Bizarre, people must have a lot of time on their hands! Very funny though.
Keep your eye out for more of these around the country!

Health Issues

The latest news about the link between breast cancer and HRT is a big worry. At least I am not on the combined one. The thing is I am so ill without it and the doctors said beacause I lost natural hormones when I was young it is essential that I take it. Still I will continue to go for checkups and maybe seek out alternatives.

Summer Camp

I went to visit Carly who was at JLGB camp in East Mersea (just outside Colchester).
What a lovely week to be on camp. She looked good, she had no voice and she informed me she hadn’t been in trouble. It was great to see some old faces from my time in JLGB.

Carly and her camp friends

I watched Carly play with Redbridge Band, and immediately after she changed to participate in a Judo display.

I stayed to watch the parade and then came home with all of the dirty washing!

A Day in Cambridge

Joëlle and I took a lovely drive to Cambridge. It was an easy drive and we were able to use the “Park and Ride” nearby.

We started of with a tour of the colleges on the river. It was so peaceful and relaxing and surprisingly not many people around.

Then we found a lovely spot by the river to eat our lunch. We spent the rest of the day just wandering around.

"Scorching Hot in Broxbourne"

Well Carly is at camp for the week and Jaimie is at Camp Beaumont for another week. Joëlle and I decided to have a “special” week together. Our first day was today and we had the added bonus of having the lovely Charlotte with us. We decided to visit Paradise Park in Broxbourne. It has been some ten years since our last visit.

Never too old for the swings!

Joëlle and Charlotte escaping the sun

There was a lot to do. It was very hot and we had to keep piling the sun cream on. Charlotte said hello to all of the animals. She especially liked the parrots.

We had time to play on the old fire-engine. Then on to look at more of the animals.

It was nice to sit in the shade to eat our lunch.

Then it was off to have fun on the bouncy castle and the roundabout.

The Lions

Joëlle just had time to pan for gold before we went home tired and exhausted.

Blog Readers!

It seems that my blog is not just for my own benefit but there are some friends out there who read it!!! Mainly because they can't sleep at night! Hopefully I can help them, either by making it an interesting read......or by making it so boring they will fall asleep! This one is dedicated to my dear friend Tracy or is it Tracey? I'm never really sure. Well after three weeks in the USA she is still a bit jet lagged and up at night. Happy reading Tracy. I'll try and keep it interesting!

The "Swearing In" of Judge Kemp

What an honour it was to be invited to such a momentous day. Although the “Swearing In” was a mere five minutes or so it was a moment that was very special for Howard, Karen, Zoë, Matthew and of course Jackie and Ron and the rest of their families. Laurence and I both felt very emotional during the ceremony along with a combination of pride and happiness for a dear friend, united with wonderment of being involved in the tradition of the English judicial system. I can only have a mere inkling of how Jackie, Ron and Karen must have felt.

The proud parents and the Judge!

Judge Platt performed the ceremony and said many kind words to Howard.

Judge Kemp, Judge Platt and the Kemps

Following that we all went back to Howard’s Chambers for tea and cakes.

Matthew and Zoë celebrating Dad's new appointment

The Family Group

Not many people will ever have an opportunity to be a part of something so special.

"Will the court please rise"

Thank you Howard and Karen for letting us join in this wonderful celebration. We wish Howard many years of happiness with his new appointment.

Members of the Jury