Thursday, January 30, 2014

Strictly Fun and a long travel saga...

Hi folks...crikey doesn't time fly when you're having fun...before we could blink the workshop was over and we were whisked off to catch our train back into Leeds to head to the hotel for a quick wash and brush up and a sprinkling of glitter all set for a fun night out at the Strictly Come Dancing Tour...Oh Aljaz...be still my beating heart...
and what a lovely surprise when our lovely chum Gill...
presented all the Strictly girls with a beautiful box of chocs...a gorgeous calendar and matching coasters...thank you so much Gill...that was very kind of you.
Wrapped up like Polar Explorers against the howling wind and driving rain we kicked the night off with a beautiful Thai meal...jumped in a taxi to the venue and guess what...another taxi driver who didn't have a clue where he was going but we finally arrived after a tour of city and suburbs and took our seats...
Sue and Julie...
 Gill
 and the crafty hooligans...
 and oh boy...what a great show...
Lisa Riley was an excellent compere (watch out Brucie)...Len...Bruno and Craig were on top form...the music and singers were fabulous and the celebs and pro dancers were spectacular twirling around the floor in their gorgeous sparkly costumes...go and see it if you get the chance...much better than watching it on TV...a real treat for us girls to see Artem...Aljaz and Robin strutting their stuff...thanks Sue for a wonderful end to a fabulous day.
But it's time to make a cuppa and find a comfy sofa for the next instalment in the great travel saga...little did I know that Sunday's journey home would be another fiasco. Said goodbye to my lovely bud Enfys and with 2 hours to fill before my departure in what must be the coldest draughiest train station on the planet I grabbed a comfy sofa in Starbucks and topped myself up with warming hot chocolates (4 in total) before heading for Platform 11D...thinking that in 10 minutes time I would be speeding my way North. But you know what thought did...don't you...why oh why do they always wait until you're stood shivering on a freezing platform to announce that the train you were hoping to board is going to be an hour late...believe me I was so cold I was tempted to open my suitcase and don every bit of clothing I had and it didn't get any better when I finally got on the train...no heating all the way to Edinburgh so I snuggled up in my Nanook Of The North coat with the hood up and had forty winks.
Could it get any worse...oh yes...I discovered that my ticket from Edinburgh was an "Anytime Ticket" meaning I could get on any train travelling that route but had no seat reservation and being Sunday trains are a bit thin on the ground going to my neck of the woods. The next available train had come all the way from London so resembled a cattle truck as it pulled into the station and with hundreds of folks pushing and shoving to get on...I ended up sitting on my suitcase outside the toilet all the way to Dundee which is about halfway and again no heating. But it could have been a whole lot worse...thank the Lord I wasn't on the London-Aberdeen East Coast route train...it had terminated at Edinburgh due to engineering works on the Forth Rail Bridge and all the passengers were travelling to Aberdeen by coach...now that would have well and truly sent me over the edge.
Oh boy was I ever so glad to finally reach my cosy central heating going at full blast home...don my jammies...pour myself a large glass of something alcoholic and snuggle up on the sofa with my Furry Hot Water bottle to watch Dancing On Ice. But the gremlins weren't done with me yet...I had filled a hot water bottle and popped it into my bed while I undressed and cleaned my teeth...a little extra top up you understand...what I didn't know that the darned thing was leaking and instead of a toasty bed I now had a great big wet patch just where my bum should be....could I be bothered stripping the whole bed and drying off the mattress...definitely NOT...so I spent the night...sleeping like a baby...atop 6 doubled up big fluffy bath sheets.
I've been suffering with the old "day after the day after" syndrome since I got home...the baltic "time to build an ark" weather certainly hasn't helped either but I really need to give myself a good old kick up the bum and I have the very thing to entice me back into the cubbyhole...thanks Sue and Julie for the gorgeous bundle of brand new Craftwork Cards goodies...
Flower Shaped Cards...
Colourwash Patterned & Embossed Cardstock and Papers
and woohoo Burlap
See you all tomorrow 
Hugs Kath xxx
Posted by Kath Stewart at 12:00 AM

18 comments:

  1. Christine B.January 30, 2014 at 12:19 AM

    Oh Poor you Kath, no wonder you were glad to get home. All you needed was a leaky hot water bottle and a wet bed. Take care, love and hugsx x ChrisB

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  2. Craftin Suzie (Susan Wykes)January 30, 2014 at 3:57 AM

    Gosh what a saga Kath. It always makes my blood boil that you pay all that money for a train ticket then you don't even get a seat - where else would they try that on?? Susan x

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  3. Cheryl W.January 30, 2014 at 5:02 AM

    That's an amazing travel story. I'm just glad you made it home safe and sound - mostly, anyway. :)

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  4. carol edwardsJanuary 30, 2014 at 7:05 AM

    Gosh Kath what a nightmare especially after having such a fantastic time. No wonder you still feel a bit worse for wear and glad to be back. The pictures are great and Strictly show looks wonderful, thanks for sharing x

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  5. JaneJanuary 30, 2014 at 7:09 AM

    What a shame your journey was such a disaaasster darling (think Craig ;0) after such an amazing show. I would love to see it but pretty sure it's sold out near us. Hope that mattress is dry now.....eek, what an end to the day. Happy crafting Kath x

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  6. SammyJanuary 30, 2014 at 8:30 AM

    Having done the Leeds-Aberdeen train journey many, many a time before hubby got a car a few years ago, I would love to tell you that your journey was just a one-off nightmare, but I'd be lying! It was consistently a (minimum of) 6 and a half hour misery, with delays, cold or boiling trains, trains going missing all together, coach replacements and once an entire station shutting down and leaving us stranded there for 4 hours!
    And it got so much worse once the kids were born!
    Needless to say I for one am happy we're not doing *that* any more!

    Glad you had such a good time at the show though. Things like that make it all worth while, no? x

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  7. hotpotatoJanuary 30, 2014 at 9:24 AM

    Oh Kath I do love to hear about your travel escapades.

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  8. UnknownJanuary 30, 2014 at 11:36 AM

    Oh my goodness, that sounds awful! You need a personal chauffeur!

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  9. KatJanuary 30, 2014 at 11:46 AM

    Bet you were glad to get home Kath. What a journey! I suppose it could only happen to you lol!

    Looking forward to seeing what you make with your new goodies.

    Kat xx

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  10. rachelJanuary 30, 2014 at 12:34 PM

    sounds like your travels were quite hard Kath - thank goodness you had the image of Aliazjh (sorry can't spell) to keep you going! Lol xx

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  11. UnknownJanuary 30, 2014 at 1:54 PM

    Oh my. What a saga!! Still you arrived home safe and sound (ish, lol)

    You certainly tell a jolly good yarn.

    Hope the mattress is now dry and you are nearly recovered.
    What great memories you will have. Keep smiling. Jan.

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  12. RedanneJanuary 30, 2014 at 4:46 PM

    Have you ever thought about writing a book of travel adventures (train and taxi)? You should, it is not great for you but it would be a good read! So glad that you had Strictly to look forward to though and that you got home safely....eventually. Hugs, Anne x

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  13. craftyfoxgloveJanuary 30, 2014 at 4:47 PM

    They say escapades like yours are all good character building stuff. It's worked, 'cos you are some character!! Thanks for sharing. Valxxx

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  14. ginny cJanuary 30, 2014 at 4:56 PM

    What an awful end to a lovely weekend hope you have recovered now best wishes ginny x

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  15. Paula (PEP)January 30, 2014 at 5:00 PM

    Oh my Kathy - well I think Bristol Temple Meads is pretty good competition for the draughtiest station so I definitely have an idea, but the hot water bottle saga - a good job you found your way round that one!
    You just take care of that body of yours.
    I'm jolly glad you're home safely!
    Paula (PEP)

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  16. trishJanuary 30, 2014 at 5:10 PM

    Hi Kath,I bet you were glad to see your own home, I can't stand the thought of sitting on a case freezing on a train, we've used that Gold Bus for a few times now and it's fantastic. Cheap fast and you get fed too, only thing being it maybe wouldn't be going to where you wanted to go. The dancing must be super to watch live, we love it on the telly.

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  17. ShazzaJanuary 30, 2014 at 6:02 PM

    oh my what a journey, glad you had suhc an enjoyable time the day before that. I too had the hot water bottle incident this week. Tuesday 4am got up as couldn't get comfy with back. Onto couch with hot water bottle only to discover 15 mins later I was soaked through and all the water had leaked out lol! The joys x

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  18. Karen PFebruary 1, 2014 at 12:30 AM

    Glad to hear you arrived back safely. Looks like you all had fun at the class and at the show. Looking forward to seeing what you make with the CWC goodies, the burlap looks fab! xx

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