Hot on the heels of a great couple of days at the Reading FC hotel was this week’s first …… the first time Si’s parents, brother, sister in law and niece have come down to visit for the day, and the first time we’ve had to cook for everyone.
I use ‘we’ in the loosest sense of the word here …… I entertained, Si cooked :oD
This week was Simon’s birthday (I won’t say how old - I think he’d kill me ;o) ) and I set up a little treat for him.
Being as he’s a huge Reading fan, I booked us a room and meal in the Millennium Madejski Hotel - the hotel at the ground. Neither of us have been to the hotel before. I’ll refer you to Si’s blog for the full info on the day/night, but needless to say we had a great time!!
A work related first this week. As most of you know, I help organise and run the Women In IT days that are run from IBM Hursley in local schools. This week saw me running my first workshop of the new year at a school in Romsey - a school I’ve never been to before. Standing up in front of a classroom of teenage girls and asking them to listen to you is a relatively daunting experience, but luckily the girls were great, and I had loads of help from other IBMers :o)
A sparkly related first this week. After spending friday night on traffic duty at the IBM Hursley firework display, Si and I headed down to Kent for the weekend. Si and I went to our first Tyler Hill fireworks display together - I think he can probably still feel the heat from the bonfire now! ;o)
Another culinary first this week. We headed off to Casa Bodega with a couple of friends for a nice meal and a good night out. I decided to do the usual, and try something a bit different …… so I ordered Guinea Fowl. Actually quite nice - not at all like I expected it to taste - I’d recommend it! :o)
Well, I think this week’s first could well be my favourite so far. This week, Si and I headed up to Anfield to watch Liverpool v Reading in the Carling Cup. It was my first trip up to Anfield, and being a huge Liverpool fan it was an amazing experience. The result wasn’t bad either ;o)
So, we spent Wednesday night up in Liverpool, staying in a hotel near the Albert Dock. Thursday morning we got up and went to explore around the dock area, then headed over to the ground to have a look around and see if we could get into the museum. Luckily for us, they had 2 cancellations for the tour of the ground, so we managed to squeeze onto that! - usually you have to book this months in advance, as I found up when I rang them previously. We got to see the trophy room, which is absolutely stuffed with silverware - got to see the real FA Cup and Charity Shield(bad luck Chelsea :oP) as well as numerous Milk Cups, European Super Cups, UEFA Cups, Worthington Cups, Coca Cola Cups, and the icing on the cake has to the the 5 European Cups and the original European Cup that now belongs to Liverpool :o)
Also on the tour, we got to walk in the player’s entrance, stand in the place they do the pre and post match interviews on tv, go into the ref and away team dressing rooms, and go into the Liverpool dressing room, complete with all the shirts hung up round the outside. It really was amazing! Then we got to walk down the tunnel, touching the famous ‘This is Anfield’ sign on the way, then out onto the pitch to sit in Rafa’s seat in the dugout, before heading over to sit in the Kop.
A truly amazing couple of days!!
After last weekend’s little jolly around the Forest, Si and I have caught the outdoor bug. All the time Si’s Achilles still bad, it’s difficult for him to play sport, but walking is good exercise for it.
The thing is, I don’t have any walking boots any more - I used to have some that Mum and Dad bought me when I was younger, but they’re gone. So, this week’s first was me purchasing my first pair of walking boots for myself. They’re being tested as well - off for another walk to break them in!!
Well, week 41’s first was an active one. Si and I decided to go for a nice little walk in the New Forest. So we went, armed with a book of walks and an OS map, and wandered about in the Forest for a bit - I say a bit, I mean about four and a half miles. Still, the first walk Si and I have done together in the Forest, so it was a good first :o)