Brighton for the Beautiful Maisie's Birthday

It was lovely to be met at the airport by my great mate Jo.  Mark and Frankie were both working, so I took her up on her offer, and of course we had a good ole catch up on the way home.  We made our way back to Brighton where Frankie was teaching one of her dance classes, then home to Frankie and Jordan's little flat.  Jordan had picked Kaci up from her nursery, so it was lovely hearing her shout "Nanny!" as soon as she came running through the door!

I was very sad not to see much of my son Mark or my beautiful Maisie over the holiday.  My first day was taken up at the dentist, which of course lead me to look like Nanny Mc Phee for the next few days, when I really didn't want to see anyone.  Mark was working long days over that week and Maisie was at nursery all week, whilst Callie was also working hard.  Sadly I didn't feel great over the holiday so I only saw a handful of good friends. 

I did wrap up like a mummy of the Egyptian type one day, and took Kaci for a walk along the seafront at Hove.  It was a beautiful day with blue skies, although blooming chilly. 

Kaci with the lovely colourful beach huts at Hove Seafront

She likes to strike a pose!

Lolly Time

I did manage to see two very special friends.  Polly, Mo and I were all neighbours when we all first married in the early 80's.  We were all great friends then, you know kind of friends that you may not see for a while, then it's like you had never been apart, well that was us.  We had all been working hard and had moved about, and our children had all grown up.  Mo had also moved to Spain and her and her lovely hubby Les had come up to see us last year.  It was great to catch up, and we laughed so much.  Mo was one of those salt of the earth friends, always laughing, and would give anyone the shirt off her own back if she thought someone needed it more that she did.  Dear  Mo had  had a lung removed due to cancer about 2 years ago and we knew it had spread.  She really was the most inspirational person I have ever known.  She would keep us all up to date by email, and they were always funny, positive and remarkably upbeat.  We had a lovely afternoon together.  As usual we laughed and reminisced and Mo was having a good day.  Sadly since arriving home my dear friend has passed away. Just a few days ago, leaving a loving husband, family, grandchildren and friends that adored her.  I'm so pleased we managed to meet up, even though it took me bloody hours to get to you on the bloody bus Mo, it was so worth it!!! I had Kaci with me, and she was the photographer for the afternoon.  Not bad for a 3 year old!

Polly, Mo and I

Polly and Mo with the little photographer

It was also great to catch up Cathy, Claire and their gorgeous girls and of course the beautiful baby Daisy.  Your food looked gorgeous ladies.  Can we do it again and I'll eat double as I couldn't eat this time?

Two beauties, Lucia and Daisy

Great friends!

If you are wondering about the nudies on the wall, Rich is a great artist, as you can see.  Here's the link to his website http://www.richard-newman.co.uk

Frankie kaci and I popped over one morning to see Callie and Maisie, Maisie was getting ready for her ballet lesson but was feeling a little tired.  I did manage to get a couple of photos of her all ready for dancing! 

Pretty as a picture

My gorgeous girls

At last the weekend was here and I could see Maisie on her birthday and Mark too.  I couldn't believe I had been in Brighton nearly a week but not managed to see him, due to working long hours.  We had a great time for Maisie's birthday party at an indoor play area.  It was perfect.  The kids had a great time and the food was included too.  At one point they even had a little disco which of course the girls loved, and they both had a good jig about.  After the party we went back to Callie's house, whilst Maisie opened her presents, helped by Kaci naturally!

Mark and Maisie

 My beauties

Cheeky Girls

 Maisie singing Happy Birthday to herself!

 Cutie

My lovely family! (Maisie smelling the playdoh!)

On the Sunday we had planned that Mark, Laura and Maisie, plus Frankie, Kaci and I would all go to a little farm near Lewes.  Boy oh boy was it cold!  We spent a long time eating lunch in the warm, and the girls did manage to hold and stroke a few small animals.  It would be a great place to take the kids when the weather warms up a little, as there was also a huge amount for the girls to play on.  Slides, trampolines and even an indoor play area.  The highlight of the day for us all, I think was when both of the girls were brave enough to go on the ponies.  Kaci was extremely brave from the word go.  Maisie was a little more nervous but the lady held her hand as she went round.  She was so excited bless her at one point she shouted "Daddy, I'm on a horse!"  Love her!

Lunch in the warm

Patiently waiting for animals

 Stroking a little mouse

Getting ready!

Clever Kaci!

Clever Girl Maisie!

Towards the end of my stay the weather turned so cold and we had snow.  One particular day we had a light snowfall over night, but living on the coast it never usually comes to much.  I continued to go with my plans to meet best mate and her family in Newhaven.  On the bus I phoned her " Wendy, how's the weather your way?"  "It's fine, hardly any snow here!"  Oh great I thought, I had been considering turning back, it looked like a blizzard from the bus!  The man beside me on the bus said "Don't worry it only looks bad here because the snow is blowing off the golf course!"  Silly me why didn't I think of that.  "Oh great, thanks" I replied.  Wendy's daughter Jenna, my Goddaughter had arranged to pick me up in town.  After "ooohing" and ahhhing" at Wendy's beautiful grandaughter Mia and rattling through all our news top speed we realised it was getting worse, much worse!  Jenna head off back to Seaford first, followed quickly by Wendy's sister Mandy.  Jenna phoned Wendy having skidded and spun her car within minutes of leaving the house.   Poor Wendy was so worried about her.  Jenna promised she would take it slowly and phone the moment she got back home.  The next phone call was Mandy who was at a stand still on the South Coast Road.  The road was gridlocked in both directions and when moving the tiniest bit her car was sliding.  She was so scared.  The next phone call was Jenna saying my bus was just leaving Seaford and she thought I should head to the bus stop in case the buses stopped running, it was that bad.  Quick kisses and hugs from Wendy, and her hubby Richard drove me to the bus stop, well he tried but he skidding pretty badly, so I walked the last few hundred meters.  The bus stop had 3 other ladies waiting.  One said she had been waiting nearly 2 hours, the other said she had heard the buses were being diverted and not even going through that particular part of Newhaven.  Wendy phoned "Lorna come back here, sleep over!"  If only!  My flight back to Spain was the following day, and in the morning.  "I'll be fine, I'll let you know when I'm home!"  Luckily we spotted the bus about half an hour after I got to the bus stop, I was lucky.  

The bus crawled, but at least it was moving.  It was like we were all in the war together.  Discussing how long we had waited for a bus and where we were going.  Wendy phoned, "I'm on the bus, don't worry."  About half way home passengers were muttering.  They had heard the driver say he wasn't happy driving.  The buzz went round the bus.  Going down the steep hill to Rottingdean the driver stopped and stepped out to talk to us.  "I can't control the bus down this hill, I'm so sorry you will all have to get off.  Bad news though all the buses have been told to go to their neared depot!"  Bum!  I was about 7 miles from home, and was dreading walking the rest of the journey, especially in a thin coat and high heel boots.  

As I was about to get off the bus with everyone else, a slightly hysterical lady began shouting for a phone she could use.  Everyone else ignored her, but I said I didn't have much battery but she could use it quickly.  I believe this helped me, and I received my reward when I got off the bus last.  A lady in a car wound down her window, as she crawled along beside me.  She was travelling alone and said "Can I give you a lift into Brighton?"  Obviously once again we were in the war together and being a lady on her own I jumped at the chance.  It must have taken some courage for her to ask me too.  As I climbed into the warm car she told me she had been following the bus and watching it slip sliding down the hill, and she was considering giving someone a lift, and when I was last off she felt she couldn't drive past me.  How lucky!

In actual fact she was going home to Shoreham, practically passing Frankie's flat and drove me almost to the door.  We talked lots.  What a lovely lady, an angel in fact.  She worked for the NHS, inserting IV drips into patients with cancer, and had just finished work for the day.  If anyone from Brighton knows who this could be please tell her to contact me. I hope she would have told her colleagues of her extremely good deed.  I left her my email details in the car but I haven't heard from her yet.

Frankie was home not long before me, she had been teaching and 2 parents were having problems getting to her.  That night became a planning operation for the following morning and my journey home.  First check were the planes flying out from Gatwick, then were the trains running from Hove our nearest station, otherwise I would have to get to Brighton Station. Step 3 would taxis be running?  Ok up early the following morning .... easyjet Gatwick to Malaga...check, Hove station, open but with cancellations and delays.... check, taxi?  No chance!  A very nice man said between a one and three hour wait, so if I could walk to my destination in less than 2 hours he recommended I did that!  Bum!  The clothes were thrown on and a bite of a hot cross bun was had, as I still can't eat due to my dental work, a quick kiss on the cheek and told my gorgous girl I loved her and off I went dragging small (thankfully) case behind me.

It took me 20 minutes to walk to the station,however I was very lucky and managed to get a train after just a short wait.  Unfortunately my flight was delayed which meant I did miss my train connection from Malaga, so I had to wait 2 hours for the next train.  I had decided to take a zumba class that night so I wouldn't be letting the ladies down, I so wish I hadn't but I did it, as of course we always do!