I had a great week!
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Monday
A stressbuster workshop. Ommmmmmmm…
We were given a lesson in basic meditation. Not sure it’s for me because the only people I know with third eyes appeared in Total Recall, but the deep breathing tip really helped:
Nasty bus driver? Breathe in…breathe out…
Unexpected bill? Breathe in…breathe out…
Hub wants his dinner? Breathe in…hit out…
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Tuesday
A.M. Seven poetry books arrived from Amazon, thanks to my lovely friend Early Bird, who sent me a gift voucher. I was able to buy collections from poets I love but can’t usually afford. Thank you, EB!
Seven books for one reader!
P.M. The dentist. Ummmm…not what I’d usually consider a pleasant experience, especially when x-rayed teeth are involved, but I was so relieved to learn there is no infection in my mouth that I count the visit as the highlight of my day.
Every student bar needs the perfect setting.
Wednesday
A trip to Sheffield. Ecky thump! No one told me how pretty a city it is:
Such a pretty view…
A third of it is under the Peak District National Park and there are four trees to every person. Spud loved it.
We toured the campus… i.e. the city centre. Also one of the two student villages – there was a sports bar with a huge TV, which Spud took as a good omen. We had our picnic lunch in the Students’ Union (voted No. 1 in the UK). Everyone was lovely, friendly, helpful. I loved it.
We had time to kill between events so we visited the museum:
The highlight of Spud’s day was the visit to the Psychology lecture theatre. There were about fifty people in the room, half of them prospective students; Spud was one of just three males. Apparently, it’s more popular with girls than boys; though all of the top Psychology people cited by the (female) lecturer were men. The professor gave a fascinating talk, which left me half-inclined to enrol myself.
Spud came out of the room with a huge grin on his face.
Mum: Did you enjoy that? I think you’re really going to love it here. The course sounds so good.
Spud: Did you see the ratio of girls to boys??
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Thursday
A.M. To the doctor, to discuss test results and why I’m chronically knackered this year.
Doctor: menopause menopause menopause
P.M.
Earl Grey Tea in a fancy place in Manchester, with the stickiest, ickiest table I’ve ever been adhered to.
Click photos to see original links
That was followed by Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and a funny, rip-roarin’ romp of an afternoon. Sam Attwater, former soap star, a winner of Dancing On Ice, can act, sing, dance and ice skate. I’d never have married the Hub if I’d known the perfect man was out there. I just needed to wait fifteen years.
Dinner at Café Rouge. Yum, yum and triple-yum is all I can say. Oh, and hic.
Thanks go to my lovely friend Louise, whose birthday treat for me it was; and who was also fifty this year, so it was a double celebration.
Thank you, Louise, for the wonderful, wonderful day.
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Friday
Ender’s Game experience (Photo credit: Todd Awbrey)
Ender’s Game opened. At last at last at last! How have I managed to go twenty years without a movie of my favourite book?
Contrary to expectations, I didn’t hate it. I enjoyed it. I’d have liked a lot more Battle Room scenes but there wasn’t the time. The Battle Room itself was fabulous. Asa Butterfield was good. Harrison Ford almost made me believe he can act. Great stuff all round.
There were some changes, naturally, but they worked, for the most part, so I won’t complain; but I did agree with this critic that the
overly dry script feels like it’s trying too hard to cram everything in, yet still feels insubstantial. The key character beats are all there, but because you move from one to the next in the blink of an eye, there’s no sense of character evolution – one minute Ender’s a raw rookie, the next he’s an accomplished leader and saviour-of-humanity elect.
By the way, if you think you’re going to see Harry Potter meets Star Wars, you’re not. Read the book.
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After the cinema, I shared my final birthday gift with Spud and Hub: a £20 Nando’s voucher from my good friend Alison (who also bought me flowers on the day; as well as a meal and a trip to see Ghost the Musical).
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In conclusion:
A great week; a great summer; a great way to turn fifty. Thank you to everyone who made it happen. Old people don’t come more blessed than me 🙂
The Laughing Housewife 
I have the funniest readers in the blogosphere (not necessarily ha ha…)