It’s been busy, for sure…
First thing, I think, is my big news. In an impulsive, spur-of-the-moment, je-ne-sais-quoi kind of a move, I asked Fiona to marry me – and she said YES! Quite why she did that, I can’t fathom, but it takes all sorts, as they say. And the more romantically-inclined will be slightly disappointed that the question was popped in the departure lounge of Bergerac airport – and it took about ten minutes to convince her I was serious! Honestly…
No plans as yet; we’re thinking about some kind of a small ceremony middle-ish of 2008, but nothing’s set in stone. Don’t worry; you’ll be kept informed!
This weekend we’ll be taking a flying visit to Ireland for my dad’s birthday bash – an overnight visit only, as we’ve run out of holiday between us. Oh, we jet-setters, we love the aerial life! Anyway, the family are aware of the plans, and all sound very stoked at the news. Which is nice…
Last weekend was spent (as you may have gathered) with great mates Howard, Jo & Amber in Bergerac, where we enjoyed radiant sunshine for the most part – up to 34 Celsius at one point. So as you can imagine, pool frolics and antics ensued; what a life, eh? Up to the point where I nearly broke my nose on the edge of the pool, but that’s another story. Involving me in a silly diving manoeuvre, of course. I think the less said about that the better – I’ll wear my scars with great shame! 🙂
The weekend before, while Fi and her pal Julie searched vainly for dry weather in Barcelona, Pete & I clambered up Scafell Pike in the Lake District in very wet & windy conditions – so wet, in fact, that I couldn’t take out my camera at the peak to photograph the grey, wet landscape (what we could see of it, anyway!). So the promised pictures were taken at the hostel, which is a very fine place indeed and very recommended (as hostels go). A three-course dinner for £9.95 – beat that! Contrast that with the pub down the road that fancied itself as a gastropub: I dined on roast duck while Pete had fillet of shark – and all we wanted was bangers & mash or fish & chips!
The bike saga continues; I sent the form – with a sizeable cheque – to the DVLA to register it in the UK and get a new V5 and tax disc, only for it to be returned a couple of days later. Apparently I need to get certification of UK roadworthiness from another government department, which will cost me another £70 – and will require new UK-spec headlights and a MPH conversion to the speedometer and odometer. Jeez… A pair of used headlights and an electronic wizard gizmo for the speedo later, and I’m almost in shape to start the process again. And you never know – I might be on the road before the end of September! Taking into account that I also need to insure the bike for each application, which only lasts two weeks before they cancel it again due to lack of registration number, and you can see how this might be a rather frustrating process. Not to mention expensive… So I’ll be on the road in time for winter – joy!
But it’s all good; got a few busy weekends ahead, what with the aforementioned Ireland visit, then John & Gwyneth’s 10th wedding anniversary the following weekend, and Stuey’s flatwarming bash the weekend after. After which I think I may take a weekend off.