The End

Thank you so much for following me my wonderful readers. I really hope you enjoyed all the posts that I did. I know from your comments that some made you laugh, some made you think and some made you sad. 

I have decided that its time to close my blog. Its the end of a story. 

Alot of you often ask...what happened with me and Mr Special...

Well

This is me.....

Take care all x 

Angel 

Hello

I'm not dead! I just write everything on my other blog!Sorry if you have missed me and my life stories here. 

But thought I should say to those of you who are still following this blog. Mr special and I got engaged in march :)

A Modern Day Love Story at Christmas.

I can’t really spend my life apologising for not blogging but I can’t help it, you see I'm in a love cocoon. All happy at home means that I don’t even visit blogger and it has been snowing over here, even more reason to snuggle with Mr Special.

Mr Special has moved in and things couldn’t be better. We are so happy it’s unreal.
I find myself praying a lot now as I’m so happy I’m afraid it will be taken away from me.

We have routines now, whoever cooks the other person washes the dishes and stuff like that. He cooks for me, wakes me up with kisses in the morning, gets me water when I’m thirsty in the night, massages my shoulders when I’m stressed, helps me take out my braids (yeah he even did that) he even lets me munch on those chocolates that I’m not supposed to have because it makes me fatter and then kisses the bits I think are fat. He is a darling. Just because he treats me well don’t take him for some weak guy, oh no, he is defiantly the man of the house, but I like it.

Then me, well….I also cook for him, peek at him in the shower, nibble his ears in bed in the morning, giggle when he grabs my breasts, do his washing, pedicure his toes (yeah I even did that) buy him the biscuits that I never would buy myself because they are overpriced and alone I would eat them in one go. Get in the bed before him and lie on his side so it’s warm when he arrives. Make him tea, smile when he arrives through the door, always ask about his day and more importantly listen to the answer.

Its good people!! It’s all good. Tomorrow it will be our first Christmas living together. We decorated our tree together and have been getting joint Christmas cards. Tomorrow morning I’m going to wake with him beside me, kiss him Happy Christmas and give him the gift I bought him.

Aawwww I’m happy, how are you doing?

Happy today....

Hey everyone, I hope you are all ok and glad you liked my picture of me as a little one. It was nice to hear what you guys did as children.

Anyway I write with joy today. Mr Special and I are (hopefully) be going to move in together before the end of the year!! Despite some negative opinions, I am so excited about it. People are worried we haven't been together long enough, or that if we move in together we will never get married and lots of things like that but to be honest I don't care. I know him, I love him and I'm happy if it's not meant to be at least let me enjoy this happiness we have had such a great journey.

His name is Andrew he is a year older than me, we met in 2007 on a Salsa boat cruise and became great friends. (hmmm perhaps I should write a post single ladies learn salsa lol). However, It was only in September 2008 that we decided to get together and I have loved every single moment. He has become my best friend and my supporter, he is of the only people in this world that I have full respect for. He has some amazing qualities such as integrity, commitment, intelligence, strength and courage. He is thoughtful, romantic and sexy, he has a great sense of humour and he is a fantastic cook. He really takes care of me and I couldn't ask for more only that I may be all those things to him. He makes sense of the world for me.

Comments? Questions?

Wanted One Best Friend

In Sickness & in Health - Not being actually married I have heard this line said a lot at weddings. It’s strange because I never really thought about it until I got the Swine Flu. Being ill gives you a lot of time to lie down and really think about things. I guess that’s the only upside (if there is one) of getting sick.

Whilst most of my friends stayed away, actually one offered to push food through my letterbox so I'm going to let them off, fearless Mr Special did not give a damn that I had it and was around my house looking after me. When I asked him if he was crazy and wasn’t he bothered about getting it, he said "baby if we were married and you got sick, what would I do? Move out?"

It really touched my heart that I had someone in my corner as some of my 'best' friends didn’t even call. Mr Special made sure I had food & flowers and kept resting. Incidentally it’s not as contagious as everyone is making out - he didn’t catch it.

As a teenager I spent a few weeks working with the Elderly, it was so sad as many of them were on their way out and they didn’t get one visitor. They were just dumped into retirement homes to live out their last days. The joke was that the moment they died, family from all over the globe turned up to fight over their money and belongings it was sad.

So I decided, I don’t want people that are only going to call me or be around me when the going is good. Friends that if (God forbid) I passed would suddenly be at my graveside crying and telling everyone how much they loved me and that we were best friends. I want friends that are around me when things are not that great, good friends and I realise I need a best friend. Ok you could argue that Mr Special is my best friend but he is my man of course he is a good friend. Nope I want another one, a real one, someone I can do girly stuff with.

I tried to write down some qualities a best friend would have and here are a few.

Best Friend Requirements

* We have to be friends in sickness and in health - but this doesn’t mean mental health as that, honey, I just can’t cope with.

* Since I haven’t known you for life I need to know every single thing about you from first kiss to that secret booty call you used to have. I even want to know your annoying side. I promise to let you know all about me too!

* You have to have time to invest in the friendship otherwise what is the point. Also we need to meet each others families just like friends do.

* You have to like Beyonce because I really don’t understand those women that just hate her for no reason other than jealousy

* You can’t have any designs on my man.

* If you are the type person that though fear of infection, wouldn’t visit if I had swine flu. I need a phone call each day.

* I can’t take a procrastinator, so you have to be pretty motivated, if you are overweight and want to loose it please do it. Don’t spend the next 10 years of our new friendship eating chocolate and KFC and telling me how you need to loose weight. Eventually this will annoy me.

* We have to have similar interests in my history opposites have never attracted.

* You have to be pretty normal, i.e. I once met a girl who only washed her face once a week (and admitted it). Or I had another that only ate four crackers a day…those things I can’t cope with.

If you are interested please submit your application.

Also if you have any to add lets hear them!

Oh it was GOOD!

I really don’t know where to start in describing the last four days, I had so much fun it’s hard to explain how loved and special I felt.

First of all I am on the T-mobile advert!!!!! Remember this post?

Well look, this is me – right behind pink, I nearly died when I saw it on TV.

View the full video here

On Thursday it was my work birthday, by 9am my desk already had flowers and cards and chocolates on!! I went to a bar and then onto the Karaoke it was fun and I loved singing. It was a nice warm up for the next few days.

Friday was my actual birthday and I woke up cuddled with Mr Special, we both took the day off and after opening lots of cards and lovely gifts we decided to go shopping for the dress for Saturday night! I still didn’t have one and was starting to worry.

Mr Special loves my writing and really wants me to write so he brought me a luxury writing pen and a leather notebook ‘to write our future babe’ he said…it was so cute.

There is a joke out there that men will just go into one shop see something they like it

and buy it, where as women will go into one shop, see something they like and then go to 55 other shops to see if there is anything better but end go back to the first one and buy the first thing they saw. This is a bit like what happened when we were shopping. I saw a dress in the second shop we went in but decided to check all the other shops just in case and ended up going back to that shop. Mr special actually chose the dress and I was really happy with it. We went for lunch and then when we got home he told me to get ready as we were going out.

I honestly didn’t know where he was taking me but I nearly died when I discovered two theatre tickets he had hidden in my handbag, he got us seats to see Havana Rakatan – I have wanted to see this for so long I was so excited. It was fantastic and I really recommend it, it was the perfect gift. Afterwards we went for dinner then went home and….well…..relaxed is the best way to put it.

Saturday was another great day, I met up with my friend and went shopping with her as she didn’t have anything to wear for the evening but I’m not going to talk about that too much, I’m going to skip straight onto the boat party where over 20 of us went and danced the night away...Check out my moves....what do you think of the dress and hair in the end?

Sunday….well that will have to be my next post!!

Life can sometimes be so…..refreshing…

It’s my birthday week and I'm in such a good mood starting from yesterday. Before I tell you about that I have some stuff to mention.

1) The dress that I loved in this post is sold out and they are not getting any more. If it wasn’t my birthday week I would be gutted but instead I have ordered three more dresses. When they arrive I will try them all on and pick one - you might have to help me.

2) My hair is done - on the eve of my party - I will get Mr Special to take some photos and I will post them. If I can someone to take a photo beforehand I will post them then.

3) Remember that trifilin brotha in this post? Well mini story…….I got an email from him saying

"Hey girl happy birthday for the 15th, I have booked an FBM for you as a birthday gift"
I was at work and confused I turned to my colleague and said "what is an FBM?" she didn’t know so curiosity got the better of me and I emailed him back.
"Sorry to be dumb but what is an FBM?"
"Full Body Massage" he replied
I was shocked and puzzled, why would he do that for me? So I replied
"Oh my gosh, that is very kind of you"
He then replied "yeah so when do you want me to come over and give it to you?"
"The voucher?" I said
"No" he replied "the massage"

LOL- you know I didn’t even have the energy to reply, very hilarious.

So now to the point of this post why I'm in such a good mood.

Yesterday

When I woke up I was relaxed and happy in Mr Special's arms. Strangely enough the night before Mr Special had given me a full body massage without even knowing the foolish story above.

Every time I open my eyes he is always awake and looking at me, he always tells me I'm beautiful even when I think I look my worst and you know something? That makes me feel beautiful.

We laid there and talked for a while and then we went jogging together. I love exercising with him as he is so encouraging it’s like having a personal trainer. When we came back we showered ate breakfast and enjoyed the day. When you are in a love cocoon, time just slips by, before I knew it, it was early afternoon and he had to go a meeting. I wasn’t too worried he had been with me all weekend.

When he left I realised that for the first time in weeks I had some spare time. It was a warm day so I took some water, some boiled sweets, a book, a mat, some shades and myself in a summer dress up to the park.

I love that park, its one of my favourite places (for Christmas Mr special framed a photo I took in that park and wrote a poem on top of it) I would have biked there but my legs were sore from the jogging. It’s not that near to where I live but it’s quiet. On walking in the park I clocked a brotha sitting on a bench reading.

I was so happy to see that, they say that we don’t read and here was a guy sitting just lost in his book. We nodded at each other and I then walked onto the grass laid out my mat and got relaxed. After a while of reading the sun was really beaming down so I decided to lay back and enjoy it warming my body. I don’t know how long I was there but on feeling a shadow across my face I opened my eyes to see that same brotha standing above me smiling.

Before I could get annoyed he said "would you mind taking a photo of me and my friend?"
I searched around for the friend as I had only seen one guy but it was true there was another brotha and he was also on the bench reading.

"No problem" I said but could he come here as all my stuff is here and I don’t want to leave it.

So he walked back to the friend and they both came back over. I noticed that the friend took ages and was limping. They handed me the camera and whilst they were discussing who would stand where I sneaked a photo, then they posed and I took another. I much preferred the non posed shot it looked so natural.

"Would you mind if I sat here and read with you?" the friend said "it’s my ankle, I don’t think I could get back over there"

I didn’t mind at all so then all three of us sat there reading in silence for around 30 mins.

I broke the conversation first

"So are you two on holiday?" I asked, they weren’t but I just presumed it since they wanted a photo. One of them was reading this huge book entitled 'Africa' the other was reading something called 'conversations with God'. We discussed books and what we have read before they were surprised at how fast I could read! I told them that 'my boyfriend thinks I'm a super reader' I thought I should drop that in quite early so they both knew that I had a man in my life. They were surprised that I had come to that park when I have parks nearer to me but I explained how I found peace there. Then we just talked…we talked about everything, about the state of the world, the children, how single women find a good man, how single men find a good woman, all about Mr Special, how that guy busted his ankle, all about hobbies, interests, jogging, biking, music and just life. Now no one can tell me that black men and women don’t get on.

I was there until 7pm!! And the sun was still shining.

When I left them there was no foolishness no "can I have your number" no corny chat up lines, all three of us just appreciated a good refreshing conversation and we went our separate ways.

I love these moments in my life.

Two Weeks Away to the Special Day

Well the fear has gone and I feel things are going to be alright between me and Mr Special. I just have to take each day as it comes. We are at my parents this weekend and im looking forward to it.

Also with the Charity, I haven’t given up but I'm going to contact head office and see what they say.

Today I'm feeling good for two reasons, the first is my birthday is coming…on May the 15th I'm going to be a big woman. I have been planning a long celebration and for once I'm looking forward to it.

Apart from 2005 (which is in my next post) I have never ever looked forward to a birthday I find it hassle and stress.

Everyone asks you what you are doing and what you have planned and it’s down to you to sort something out. Id love one day for someone to do a surprise or plan something for me I thought it would be this year but alas no…so I'm thinking that perhaps If I am blessed with children they might do a surprise 50th or 60th or something.


So this year my birthday week is going something like this (a lot of eating is involved)

11th May – Birthday lunch with a good friend and colleague, he has a gift for me :)

12th May – Birthday lunch with another colleague

In the evening I'm going to Yoga

13th May – Birthday lunch with two colleagues, one left our company a while back, one still works there and is a good friend

In the evening I'm going to the Salsa Club and will need it as I need to work off the three lunches.

14th May - Birthday Lunch with My Team

In the evening I'm going out to the Karaoke to dance and celebrate my birthday.

15th May MY BIRTHDAY - I'm spending the day with Mr Special, we both have it booked off and I'm not quite sure what we are doing yet.

16th May – I'm going on a Boat Cruise with all my friends, 19 are coming with a further 5 tentative I cannot wait but I don’t know what to wear

17th May – My entire family and Mr Specials Family are going to Lunch :)

18th May – Recovering.


So that’s what I'm up to, I hope it’s a fun/memorable week.

One of the other questions I get asked is “what do you want for your birthday?”

That’s always a hard one but I guess that this year all I want is to be surrounded by those who love me, to get a cake with candles on, to be sung to and if you really must get something then a Mercedes would go down well.

So…… What did you do for your birthday this year or what will you do if it hasn’t happened already?

What has been your most memorable one?
The other reason why I'm feeling good is because its 5 weeks to go until I go to Antigua!!! Whoo hooo!!

I’m Scared.

I’ve been assigned an Elderly person for my charity work but unfortunately there will be no recipes, it’s a man!! I’m getting a granddad not a grandma I really pray we get on well. Sunday is our first meet up. (if you have no clue what I’m talking about read here)

So you know what I’m up to this weekend the charity work, but next weekend I’m taking Mr Special to stay at my Mummy’s. He was supposed to come up with it was her 50^th but it clashed with his brothers wedding rehearsal so he couldn’t make it.

My family have already met him and already like him. They are happy because he makes me happy but as things get more serious suddenly I’m starting to feel scared. (sigh)

I have been through this twice before and the pattern goes something like this

Ten Steps to Doom

1. I met the person and got into a serious relationship
2. Introduced them to all my friends
3. Taken them home to my family
4. Family fall for the person and welcome him with open arms
5. Suddenly he is in the fold, they remember his birthdays buy him gifts for xmas etc
6. Things are happy for a few years
7. Then somehow it all messes up
8. I’m broken-hearted
9. They are broken-hearted as the longer the person is around the more they get to know and love them
10. And it’s back to square one…

(bigger sigh) I just don’t know if I can do it again not for a third time. To them or to me…I just don’t know if I can go through those ten steps again. I want it to get to point six and stay there for a lifetime and when I look in the mirror I have to ask myself, why cant it?

I’m scared in fact I’m petrified it won’t or that one day he will just turn around and stop loving me or taking care of me like he does. That tends to happen with me and its a real confidence kicker. However things are so so wonderful in our lives right now (only six weeks until we go to Antigua)

I have left myself totally open to him and perhaps it’s too much too soon but he has friends that were engaged within four months of meeting and we both believe that when you know its right you know.

Sometimes…by Angel

I have to hold my breath at the beautiful things he does…I am in awe

I have to try and reciprocate to show him how much I care….I am in love

I have to pray each night that we never reach point seven….I am in hope

Will you pray with me?

I’m doing my Charity thing...

Can you remember when I talked to the old lady in the Garden Centre? (Read here) Well obviously Mr Special knows the story and he found this charity for me called Contact The Elderly.

Basically you go to have tea with old people and I have registered to become a driver. So one Sunday a month from 2-4pm, I go and pick up old people and drive them to a tea party. It’s really good as some of these people can’t get around and all their friends are dead or not mobile so they don’t have anyone to talk to. After speaking to that woman I decided that I wanted to do more. I'm currently going through my police checks so I will let you know when I do my first job.

I really hope I meet some old black woman since you know how Grandmothers have some serious recipes that they have cooked for years and only they know about. I want to chit chat so that learn all the food secrets and cook something delicious.

Do you know that about me? Well if you don’t I have to say that I love cooking and baking, I just wish I actually had more time to do magnificence in the kitchen however if I have the recipe I can cook mostly anything.

Sometimes I get in a mood where I actually sit up and say ‘I feel like baking’ Mr Special & I call it the baking lovin’ mood. I just get the feeling and then I go in the kitchen and cakes get made. I have to fight it sometimes otherwise I might end up fat eating all those cakes.

When we first started dating and he found out about this Mr Special would stress to say “honey, if that baking lovin’ feeling comes over you dont hold yourself back just call me …call me anytime night or day, don’t worry, I will come and take the cakes off your hands so you are not forced to eat them"

Anyway I’m praying that I get hold of some old time recipes so when I do, well I would invite you over for a taste test but since some of you live far you might have to make do with photos

Do you do anything for Charity?

The Blue/Pink Bike

I'm laughing and for two reasons really. One is because when I went to that post I wrote about the mad man following me off the tube the adverts on that page were all for life insurance and the one about ‘Payback’ all the adverts were for debt consolidation LOL – Google is clever you know.

The second is becuase I checked out the meaning of my name (thanks for the link Curvy Gurl) and it told me;

Angel
You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality.You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.You are deeply philosophical and thoughtful. You tend to analyze every aspect of your life.You are intuitive, brilliant, and quite introverted. You value your time alone.Often times, you are grumpy with other people. You don't appreciate them trying to interfere in your affairs.You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

Well apart from aggressive, which I'm not its all true!! I am the best at everything lol
What does your name mean?

http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyournameshiddenmeaningquiz/



I also wanted to tell you about a little conversation I had with my mum.

When I was with my ex I never imagined that I would ever be with anyone else. I haven’t told you much about him have I? I might have to save that for another time.

Anyway when my mum first met him and asked me if he was the one I told her

“Mum, imagine if you were a little child and you wanted a pink bike for your birthday; imagine if you waited and waited years for it and when it finally arrived it was blue. Its still the bike you want, it’s even got the basket and the bell, you know that you can be happy with this bike and it will do all the same things as the other bike but its just not pink and its never going to look good with a re-spray”

That’s how I felt.

I wouldn’t say that I was settling or anything like that I was pretty happy and life ticked along. When it ended although it was a mess I can really look back and say everything happens for a reason.

So when I was chit chatting to Mum about Mr Special she said

“So Angel, I guess he is he the pink bike then?”
And I replied “yes mum he is”
You don’t know how good it makes me feel to say it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, even though many of you would be blissfully happy with the blue bike and no one would ever know the difference, the pink one is always worth waiting for.



Little Angel words of widsom...



Now what did your name mean?

Angel’s Valentines

I felt like I was in a romance movie…and it went something like this….

On Friday night before bed we spoke
"Would you mind coming to my place for about six thirty?" he smiled
"Of course" I agreed "what’s the plan?" he laughed and told me it was a surprise
"but what should I wear?" I asked hoping to get more information
"Whatever you feel good in" he replied

As we put down the phone I giggled and really wondered what he had in mind. I slept well thinking about the day.

On Saturday night I arrived at his place pretty excited, I had done my hair and was wearing a new dress with new underwear, stockings, heels and perfume. Although I was dressed up I had hoped that we were going to stay in as we can go to restaurants any time of the year and it would be nice to be in.

He met me from my car, kissed me slowly and then walked me in, taking my coat and bag and kissing me again.

As I walked into the room tears sprang in my eyes (I don’t know why I get quite emotional at times) he had gone to soooooo much effort.

He had dimmed the lights and placed the dining table in the centre of the room. It was decorated ready for dinner and he had added beautiful candles and pebbles. Also on the table was an enormous bunch of flowers, a card and two packages wrapped in heart paper and a chocolate bunny.


I couldn’t speak! In all my life no one has ever gone to so much trouble for me.

He sat me down and I smelt the flowers then I opened everything…the card was stunning and he had written a poem inside! The first package was quite amusing we had read each others mind, he had framed a photo of us both and that’s the gift that I gave him lol. The second I was in awe, he had used a photo that I took of a day we spent in the park and written a poem over it and then got this made up into a large frame. I won’t type the poem but I will say that the last line said

“My timeless sunshine…Angel”

WOW

“I love it babe” I said hugging him tightly “I love you” I said straight after

“I love you too” he replied and that’s when it felt like it couldn’t be real.

We talked for a while and then he left me putting his apron on to go and finish cooking. I sat sipping wine and listening to Jazz music.

Dinner was amazing, he had cooked me Garlic Bread, followed by this lamb dish and roasted vegetables which he had seasoned with some beautiful herbs and then chocolate cheesecake for dessert. He was like Master chef!

I felt really beautiful and special just like the time of our first date.

After we relaxed a while I gave him a little peep of my underwear and he excitedly said “WOW and I thought I already had dessert” or something like that and I'm sure you can guess how the night ended.

But wait…there is more..... In the morning he booked a trip to Antigua for us both I am SO excited we are going in June so we get to continue this romance hand in hand on the beach…

So that was my Valentines I know that I am lucky and blessed to have such a lovely guy in my life and I remain eternally grateful to whatever forces that brought him to me. :)

The Party was a success!

A few days before the party I said I wasn’t going to cook, I was going to get some Iceland Party Packs and give everyone finger food. I didn’t fancy slaving in the kitchen; I had even pre warned all the guests. However, the night before I changed my mind so when Mr Special arrived to go shopping I had made a huge list and he got everything on my list.

You would have been proud of me on New Years Eve by 2pm I had made a huge pot of Rice and Peas, two Macaroni Pies, a whole heap of Jerk Chicken (which I had seasoned before bed) another huge batch of Salmon Fishcakes, some potato salad a lettuce and avocado salad and some rum punch. It looked good. Mr Special would have helped but he was at work, when he came back later to say he was impressed was an understatement! I think I earned my points right there :)

When he came back he finished off getting the house ready and I got myself ready, I might add that I had on quite a bit of make up as my top lip had some surface scabs on (YUCK)

We were slightly worried we had invited too many people after all I only live in a small apartment but don’t you find that with events like these certain people drop out at the last minute and others decide they can make it? In the end, the right people came and in the right numbers, the crowd was just perfect a nice mix of his people and my people and everyone got on like a house on fire. The music, the food, the drinks were perfect, and when I looked around I saw people laughing, talking and having fun.

At 11.50 I realised that it was nearly midnight so I poured everyone champagne and we got in a massive circle. Usually after midnight everyone is supposed to cross hands and sing ‘Alud Lang Syne’ its a very English Tradition so none of us knew the words so we all decided to sing Bob Marley and had a bit of a practice whilst we were waiting. At midnight we cheered but then we realised we didn’t do the count down so I did it again and we all cheered louder and then drunk all the champagne.

We decided we wouldn’t be able to get away without singing the Alud Lang Syne and we were all a bit merry from Rum Punch and Champagne (especially me who had not had any alcohol in 2008) we decided to make it up as we went along with each person singing the next line, now that was hilarious.

After this we played a game of charades which I had pre prepared it was movie titles and let me tell you it was hilarious, imagine trying to act out Dirty Dancing, Rat Race or Planet of the Apes?

Then we chilled and chatted again.

It finished at around 4.30 am and it was a fantastic New Year.

What about you? I know im a bit late Did you have a nice time?

Fireworks & Unity

Don’t you just love fireworks? There is something so warm, fun and exciting about watching them. They take me back to my childhood when for Bonfire Night my family used to do them in the back garden. I used to hold a sparkler, eat toffee apples and the air was filled with the scent of bonfires.

Now times have changed, Bonfire nights are mostly organised, people can’t be bothered to do them at home. So last night at around 7pm myself, my special friend and around a few thousand other people walked up from Wood Green to Alexandra Palace to watch the Bonfire night fireworks display. There is never any parking in the area so the best thing to do is walk up.

I tell you I loved it, It wasn’t raining (until the display was over) the weather was mild, and the atmosphere was electric, I stood on that hill, arm in arm with Mr Special and all I could see was a sea of people, all ages and from all different races with eyes to the sky. We all clapped, cheered laughed and agghhed at the amazing display that lit the night sky. It was worth watching and just for a moment on that hill surrounded by all those people I thought to myself ‘this is what unity must be like, when no one cares about your age, sex or race and everyone is at one place at one time to do the same thing’ People must have had that feeling standing in the crowds of Times Square or Grant park when Obama was elected. I wish we could all feel like that all the time.

Anyway that’s the idealist in me – I’m off to Venice shortly so I will write and put up some photos when I get back see you soon x