Returning to QVC after a girly weekend away

I have missed you!! Just a couple of days off and a few days away, and I found myself looking forward with eager anticipation to returning to QVC Towers... seriously!! But you know the great thing is that when I do get back, everything's the same, which is why I love it :) 

Did nearly have a minor wardrobe crisis though, as I'd eaten something for supper that clearly didn't agree with me and my stomach filled out like a barrage balloon!

I couldn't get into my black trouser suit and was only able to encase myself in a rather tight pencil skirt thanks to Slim 'N' Lift! Luckily I was only ever standing head on to the camera otherwise comments like, "Isn't she rather old to be having another child?" would have been rife. 

My brief break to Hay On Wye was one of my twice yearly holidays with the five girlfriends who've been in my life ever since I moved down south from Shropshire over 15 years ago  We used to pick a different place to stay each time, but have found this fabulous house that we keep returning to.

Guess the road sign...

Gosh, it was a busy old weekend wasn't it! Never mind previous listings of parties and reunions, I spent Saturday and Sunday here at QVC Towers and in the company of some lovely guests. Not sure if you saw Tova at all, but I was spoiled with three hours of her company and not just her fragrances but the jewellery too.
 
I always make sure I check with her as to what she'll be wearing so that I don't clash! I do remember one time having to present a fitness hour beforehand, and although I managed to cover the lycra with a dress, my trainers didn't really work... Tova though, was far too much of a lady to mention it :)

Guess the road sign

Talking of memorable moments, while driving into work along my usual route - the M1 - I noticed in the middle distance a rather strange pink and orange light. This was on Saturday when the weather was appalling and my wipers were moving faster than a Geisha's fan in their vain attempts to try and shift the water that was sloshing down from the heavens. 

Well, the pink and orange light got closer and I was able to see it was actually an illuminated warning triangle, with the words Slow Down highlighted underneath it and the number 30 by the side. Nothing unusual there, until you look at the position of the car inside the triangle. See??? (Sorry the picture is a tad poor as my passenger had to try and take it through rain, screen and wipers!)

My Christmas checklist

I have to admit to nearly choking on my licorice tea when I heard Dawn Bibby say there were only 89 days until Christmas, which made me realise I needed to start gathering my thoughts and my plans!

Ordering the turkey

To be honest this year - as with the last two - I shall order my Christmas turkey, gammon, sausages and other meats from Exmoor Style here at QVC because you can either have it delivered in November or just before Christmas - depending on how full your freezer is! Or in my case how much room there is as I haven't defrosted it for ages!

Seeing the London sights with my Mum

I escaped my domestic duties to have a day out with my Mum in London which was great fun! Mum had suggested we take one of those river cruises down the Thames from Westminster to Greenwich. We would have lunch and then get the boat back in time for the train home. 

I met her under the clock at Waterloo Station, and then we walked over the footbridge to Embankment Station (I would recommend keeping large stones in your pockets, it's VERY windy) and caught the 'Kathleen Sarah' - Mum's name! - to Tower Bridge. 

It was a relatively small boat but the river was pretty choppy so when Mum started to turn a pale shade of pistachio, I tried to be a comfort by reminding her that the Thames wasn't all that deep in the middle... forgetting momentarily that she can't swim. I tried to backpedal by reminding her that I did get my lifesaving badge when I was a Girl Guide, but I don't think that helped!
 

Just how much excitement can one girl have in a week...

...I ask myself as I remove a dead shrew from underneath the armchair in the sitting room. After Sam's skydive, life has started to quieten down a little but if you're a cat, this time of year is heaven! 

The field behind us has just been 'mown', or whatever it is you do to a field, and this in turn has uncovered masses of little mice and shrews' nests. I lost count of the number of baby shrews I saved, returned to the field, only to see them back again 10 minutes later in the middle of the kitchen floor!

Well, I say them... in truth it's almost impossible to differentiate between one shrew or another, but suffice to say I did my best to rescue them all whilst chastising the cats with some choice language. However, one little soul clearly escaped underneath a very large, low chair, and ended its days among the dust that had gathered there. 

How did I find it, I hear you ask? By a process of elimination... the rather unusual odour wasn't my feet, or Colin's, or the somewhat damp carpet I'd attempted to remove a rather large cherry Lambrini stain from, or even a stray sock I found jammed between the cushions. It was indeed the, now rather stiff, body of the shrew.

I'm happy to say the room has now returned to normal and Willows and Dodge are having to content themselves with catching rather large spiders - for which I will be eternally grateful!

Plus, having finally succumbed to the cold and moved the heating switch from 'off' to 'timed', I went to buy a leaf rake and passed this... (see photo above). I was so shocked I felt the need to share it with you... XMAS DECORATIONS ALREADY!!!!! Please don't tell me you've seen them as well!  

Oh go on then... looking forward to hearing from you :).

Love Ali xxx

Sam's 'awesome' skydive!

Well the great British weather proved to be Sam's undoing at the weekend, when his planned skydive was postponed because of low cloud, oh and howling winds, and did I mention the rain?? 

It was all so promising to begin with. Bright blue skies and not a cloud in sight as we turned onto the M1 to make our journey to Nottingham and Langar Airfield. We got there in great time to be greeted by the world and his wife, who were also there to make a jump. Only five in a plane at one time, and an hour turnaround, so it was going to be busy.

We all bundled into a small room where 'Dave' - a giant of a man - told the gathering that yes, as tandem sky divers, they would be literally jumping without a parachute. I think I sort of glazed at that point and tried not to listen to Dave's dulcit tones waxing lyrical about 13,000 feet, freefalling for the first 10 seconds or more (during which time your brain won't allow you to recognise what you're doing, so you'll feel very little!) Funny that, I would have thought the only message in your brain would be "What in heaven's name am I doing????". 

All is to be revealed in Ibiza Uncovered...

Well, I promised you 'Ibiza Uncovered'... and by crikey did we uncover it! From the moment we landed in 28 degree heat at 3am, I knew I was going to like this island. Three hours later however, having spent two hours trying to check in, I was just desperate for my bed! 

There must have been a faster way of doing it, but at least the receptionist's photocopier broke down so we didn't have to wait for him to photocopy all 15 passports! Yes, we were 15 in number as Rosie and Laura joined Rae and Dan and made us an even more formidable force on the beach and in the bars! 

The teenage holiday I never had!

I have to tell you it was a hoot! It was the teenage holiday I never had, even though I was the oldest in our party they treated me as an equal, and we all got on so well. Days were spent laying in the sun on the beach - we comandeered the south quarter and set our sunbeds in a circle so no interlopers could join our party :) 

Some great news and embarrassing moments

Miracles can happen...

What a glorious day to share some fabulous news with you, more than two years on from Sam's dreadful road accident, where he was so badly hurt. My boy was able to get up on water skis! Not the easiest thing to manage with a prosthetic leg, but after weeks of trying, he did it!

Before the accident, he could wake board, ski and mono ski, and I know he was doubtful he'd ever do these things again... I can't begin to tell you how proud I was, or how pleased he was, but I think the photo (left) says it all...

Off the back of this he's decided to make a tandem sky dive on the 5th September, so there'll be me all grey and shaking on the ground, and him floating above me with a smile no doubt as wide as his parachute! I guess there's an element of devil may care when you've survived what he has... so I will be brave and applaud him :)

Ibiza here we come!

I plan to sit in the sun and share a beer with him over this next week as we've decided to take a last minute break to Ibiza. We're going with Sam's best mate James, my Jack, Colin and his entire brood of children and various others... 13 of us will board a plane this weekend for the sunshine island that I haven't visited since I was 18! 

I want your birthday celebration suggestions!

My daughter Lucy has just packed her little bedroom up and flown the nest... this time permanently. Pathetic I know but I still can't bear to go in there now it's so empty. I never really expected her to come home to me once she'd left University, but the fact that she's been with me over the last two years has been such a comfort, particularly while Sam was so ill and in hospital. 

Sam too is talking of setting up home possibly next year, and now that Jack's 16, he's hardly ever here... I feel a little as though I'm trying to hold sand in my hands, and it keeps slipping through my fingers. My role as a full time mum is coming to an end. Not quite sure what will take its place, although my expert laundry service is still of use to Lucy, so I may utilise that skill!

Always guaranteed to raise a smile though is time with my friends. The group of girls that I go away with twice a year arranged for us all to have 'tea' at Luton Hoo on Saturday (see photo above). It was a joint birthday celebration and we had a ball! Nothing like putting on your posh frock, jewels and high heels, and eating your entire body weight in scones, cakes and sandwiches. LOVELY! Especially when you don't have to do the washing-up. 

I thought it was quite an original way to celebrate a birthday, but as Sue's is still to come in August, could you possibly suggest anything that the six of us could do that would be completely different? I'd love to hear from you, so we can book it up!

Love Ali xx

Spot the rounders ball in the photo!

It feels like I've hardly had time to draw breath over the last six days, and have so much to fill you in on... I thought I'd put fingers to keypad now!

Rounders! Or should it be rounders? In my case it's very much a bit of both. For those of you who have no idea what I'm wittering on about, QVC Towers decided to suggest a night of sociable exercise for us presenters - in the shape of a rounders match. 

We obediently formed a formidable team of 10, and were pitched against a frighteningly fit and youthful side made of all those boys and girls who work backstage here. 

I personally haven't even picked up a rounders bat since I was 13 and had trouble hitting the ball then - now I can't even see it! We didn't get the chance to practice unfortunately and so when it was my turn to bat, I positioned myself, raised my bat, swung... and hit myself in the head with the bat, missing the ball completely!