Off to the concert we go

Monday morning I was up early, packed and ready to go by 9.30am. Shocked!  So was I!  I am not renowned for being on time but early?  Unheard of.

We were waiting for Holly's friend Tammy who had decided to walk over early but as she wasn't here by 10.15, we set off, hoping to see her on the way, which we did.  She informed us that she had brought 'fake' moustaches!  Random or what?  Picked up Dizz who was carrying a box of bright funky sunglasses so we sat in the car, attaching fake mustaches and donning the shades.

We stopped in Aberlour, the home of the famous Walker's Shortbread and went into the local supermarket there to get munchies for the journey.  We caused great hilarity there cos we still had on our moustaches and shades.  The shop assistant, a guy, asked us what the occasion was and I replied "that we were off to a concert and just thought we'd add a little fun to the journey".  He laughed when I told him "my moustache is fake, honest" and he laughingly said that "there are plenty of women who come in here with real ones, I'll have you know".  We all cracked up laughing, even more so when he shouted, as we were leaving, "that there was a special offer on razors in the next ailse!".  I think we made his day.

What can I say? That's me bottom left.

A couple of miles down the road we came across road works and we wound down the windows and the girls were singing "Bob the Builder" and heckling out the window at the workmen!  The workmen joined in the fun and heckled back although we got a few weird looks for our dodgy moustaches!

By the time we stopped at a McDonalds in Perth we'd ditched the disguises.  After getting our food, much hilarity ensued and we caught the attention of the manager, who swept under our table a half dozen times, kept looking at us and smiling, especially when Holly, after opening the paper bag that held her blueberry muffin, stuck the sticker seal onto her top lip, really sealing it on and Dizz, without warning, reached across the table and ripped it off!!  Holly let out such a screech and I really thought I was gonna pee my pants!  I was laughing so hard that I couldn't breathe, tears were rolling down my face and Muttley didn't have a look in!  Meanwhile, Dizz and Tammy are equally helpless while Holly is cupping her mouth, groaning about how "if this is what waxing is like, then she was never ever getting it done!".

Got a sore lip Holly???

Finally we got to our hotel in Edinburgh.  We chilled for a while before having dinner then jumped on the bus, armed with a map and some sketchy directions from the receptionist.  We found the venue though and couldn't believe the size of the queue, since it was only 10 mins after the doors had opened!  Luckily it moved along quite quickly and this time I wasn't privy to any explicit teenage conversations like last time!! Shame really cos that did give me such a laugh and great blogging material too.

Inside, the venue was similar to the previous one and we manged to get near the front but down the side this time.  I endured (sorry Dizz, but really he was crap) a guy called Sage yelling to background music, mixed by some DJ, for about half an hour, then we patiently waited for The Midnight Beast to make an appearance.  Dizz and I had a difference of opinion about Sage.  She loved him and his music, whereas I thought he was shit! Eventually she persuaded me to cut him some slack.  It was either that or she was gonna torture me with his music at a later date! Some lanky guy in front of us, obviously overdosed on the beans before he came out cos he was farting for Scotland.  At some point, I swear I could taste it. Eeeeeewwwwwwwwww! Some people just take sharing to a whole new level.

When finally The Midnight Beast came on, the crowd went nuts and they were just as good as last time.  Within minutes, I was jumping around, waving my arms in the air and singing my wee heart out.  There were times that they got so close to us that we were nearly able to reach out and touch them, but not quite although Dizz just managed it.  Me, I took that opportunity to breathe some fresh air since 'smelly butt guy' had surged forward too. The concert ended with a bang, literally, as we were showered in confetti.

source

By the time the band were finished, we were hot, sweaty and tired but Dizz still managed to get up the energy to collect as much of the confetti that she could fit into her hat. Apparently she collects it at every concert. Eh, ok, weird but if it makes her happy who am I to speak.  When we got outside, Holly was most indignant cos some girl thought she was Tammy's mum!  This came about cos Holly was protecting Tammy, who is tiny, from being pushed and shoved by some random girls.  They stopped after Holly glared and one girl said to the other "her mum's giving us a filthy look!".   I couldn't stop laughing cos Tammy is 18 and older than Holly.  I think it was the highlight of Tammy's day.  Snigger snigger.

Outside, we waited to get a glimpse of the band.  I'd forgotten the camera (oops!) so Holz was using her iphone and she doesn't know how to put the flash on so we weren't going to get good photos.  After half an hour we were rewarded with the appearance of Ashley, Stefan and Drew.  There was a mad dash to be first to get autographs and photos but after much persistence from Dizz, we managed and my three teenagers were ecstatic. Dizz even managed to accost the really crappy talented Sage so finally I was able to persuade them it was time to leave.

Holly's signed calendar

Back at the hotel, it was after midnight before we fell into bed, they were so high.

Next morning we were up early, Holly in grumpy mode, cos hey it's morning............groaaannnnnnnnnn! When Tammy and Dizz joined us, Dizz looked equally grumpy.  It wasn't until she left the room for a minute that Tammy explained why.  It turned out that Dizz slept through her alarm and didn't respond to Tammy's gentle persuasions to get up (she had thrown a pen at her first!), so she dripped cold water on Dizz'z face! Holly and I exploded with laughter especially when Tammy said that "their room had been very quiet since, with Dizz just glaring at her!".  It's even funnier when you know that Tammy is so little and timid whereas Dizz is fearless!  When Dizz came back into the room, I was rolling about on top of my bed, holding onto my sides, crying with laughter. Her only comment was "so she's told you then!".

As you can imagine, the car journey home was much more subdued cos they were all shattered and every time I remembered about how Tammy woke up Dizz, I just collapsed into fits of giggles, much to Dizz's disgust. Great fun!

Lazy day

Yesterday, Sunday, I slept late and didn't get up til 11am. How decadent is that? For those of you who are carers, you will know that this is such a rarity and I suppose I appreciate it all the more because of that.

By the time I got downstairs, both Shiloh and Loki were cross legged and chomping at the bit to get out for a pee.  They are such good dogs.  Nothing fazes them and having to wait a bit longer to go out yesterday was not really a problem for them, they were still jumping about like a pair of puppies.  Once they were fed, watered and fussed over, I made a cup of tea and sat and watched mindless TV.

You see, I was totally 'child free' and the silence was absolute bliss.

Jack was in respite and Holly was staying at David's house.  I was coerced into taking her there Saturday night, after we went  through to Inverness to watch the movie Paul.  I wasn't sure that I was going to like this movie but it was really quite funny and it passed in a blur.  Afterwards, while we were heading home, Holly said that she just loves it when I go into a fit of hysterics cos it is really funny!  Eh, excuse me? Yeah apparently, I have a laugh like Muttley from the Wacky Races.  I wish I could say that I didn't but em, well, yep, I do! Click on the word Muttley to hear 'me'.

Muttley (source)

On the way back from Inverness last night, Holly and David are texting backing and forth and she informs me that he left his toothbrush at ours from the night before and could we go in past our house en route and collect it! I laughingly told her that he'd better buy himself another toothbrush cos I am not driving the 9 miles to Rothes every time he forgets it and he needn't bother thinking he is getting a drawer to leave his stuff here either!!!

I thought my days of sleepovers were over but since he lives quite a bit away from her, it makes sense for him to stay at ours, I have a spare room after all and I suppose at least this way, I get to know him too as they often sit and chat to me.  He has even expressed an interest in helping with Jack ie: learning how to recognize a seizure and using the magnet.  Teenagers get such a hard press these days but I personally think they are great.  They are so much fun and they see the world in such a simple way as they are not bogged down with responsibility.

So Holly stayed at his place on Saturday night and by the time I finally got home it was 11.45pm.  I just fell into my bed, didn't even bother to read.  Now that is a rarity, shows how tired I was.

So Sunday was a day of reading blogs, writing posts and catching up on tv programmes that I had recorded. Oh, that and doing bits of the never ending job that is housework.  I think I am finally getting to the bottom of my washing basket.....I can see the bottom, woo hoo but not for long as the 'duvet monster' will just replenish it when I am not looking!  She is soooooooooo sneaky that way.

I have also put away the mountainous boxes of supplies that arrived for Jack the other day.  Thankfully it only comes once every 4 weeks cos I am usually sweating by the time I am done!

Today, Monday, I am taking Holly and her friends Dizz and Tammy to The Midnight Beast concert in Edinburgh. We are so looking forward to it so it should be great fun.  A car full of hyper teenage girls is just my kinda fun, I think!  Ask me later, I might have changed my mind!

I have left my dad in charge of the dogs so hopefully they will get plenty of walks and attention.

Have a good day folks :-)

Retail therapy

Remember my post Lets Go Shopping?  I will admit that I didn't spend long deliberating cos they were just totally awesome so check them out............

Please ignore the 'peely wally' (white) legs!

The reason I loved them so much is because they were made to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Beano comic published by a Scottish company and it is a comic that I grew up with.
The best news is that I got them for £80 on her website instead of the £203 that was charged everywhere else.  BONUS!!! Don't you just love a bargain.

That meant that I had some money left over so I bought some underwear, which was a necessity rather than a luxury so now my boobies are happy! LOL

Not content with spending my money, I decided to spend Jack's Christmas vouchers too and since he has so much stuff to pack for respite, I thought I would buy him some groovy luggage.  The holdall that I have for his stuff is really big but still I find myself having to carry some of it.  I wanted something funky cos after all, he is a groovy kinda dude so I trawled the net and ordered this cool holdall.

This is the 'blog' design! Very fitting huh.

There wasn't much change so I bought a stethoscope as the physio had recommended one for listening into Jack's lungs so that I would know for sure if they were getting congested.  Holly and I had great fun with it!
I really could have done with it last week when his chest was really bad but hey, I'm sure he will give me plenty opportunity to use it in the future.

Jack is in respite tomorrow so the new luggage will get it's first outing.  The bag is huge!  The photo really doesn't do it justice but I should be able to fit everything in it.

He has been quite listless and lethargic today and in a bit of pain.  As it is not contagious, I phoned respite to check that they would still be happy to take him and thank god they didn't see there being a problem, as long as all meds were labelled with his name and the dosage. Huge sigh of relief cos really, I am running on empty and desperately need a break.

I plan to sleep, sleep and sleep!  Well not quite but I'm not gonna plan heaps of things as I am taking Holly and her friends Tammy and Dizz to a concert in Edinburgh on Monday night, to see The Midnight Beast.

It's an 8 hour round trip so that alone will be quite tiring. We are staying overnight so I will get a chance to recharge my batteries before heading back.  It should be good fun.  The girls are getting really excited about it now and the car stereo will be playing nothing but their tunes all the way there, I'm sure.

Oh and I am sure that I will manage to get some blogging in there somehow or other.