SURPRISE!!!!

My ex-boss from the hospital lab, Gilbert, has been retiring for the past fortnight. Let me explain. Two weeks ago, I went to the lunch in Llangollen which he had organised as a do for his retirement. I posted about that before. A week ago, on the Friday afternoon, was his actual retirement day and there was a buffet and speeches and presents at the lab, which I went down to in Wrexham. Then last night there was another party, hence the fact that he has been retiring for a whole two weeks!!

Last night was really great because he didn't know it was happening. He thought he was going to an engagement party for someone his wife works with. When he walked in the door, everyone stood up and started clapping and it took him a while to work out we were clapping him!! He was absolutely made up!! He said it was the kind of do he’d wanted but thought that the time had passed to organise something. Little did he know that all his staff had been organising it for months!

Most of the microbiology staff were there and some people form the other pathology departments. And some ex-members of staff and other friends of his. There was a speech from Dai and then Danny Williams, from Wrexham Football Club came and presented Gilbert with a football signed by all the players which he was well chuffed with, being a huge Wrexham fan. There was also a painting of Snowdonia from all the micro staff.



Here is a pic of me and my friend Becky. Like my new hair colour?


And I couldn't believe it when Gilbert arrived and his wife Mary was wearing the same dress as me!!! Hahahah.

It was funnier because when I was getting ready I'd said to Colin, does this look a bit mumsy? Ah well, shows we both have good taste. This is the second time this has happened to me at a microbiology do. A couple of Christmas's ago, I went to the staff party and someone else was wearing the same skirt as me. They weren't from our department though, somewhere completely different.

On a sadder note, we had to leave just as the dancing was getting started because Colin had to get up at 5am to fly to Ireland. One of his uncles, Peter, died on Friday and the funeral is today. (They certainly are on the ball when it comes to these things in Ireland!) So he flew out from Liverpool at 7.15am and is due back later this evening.

So I have a day of pottering, food shopping and ironing ahead of me. The supermarket should be just about opening now, so I'd better get that out of the way first.

Hair, parents, dress, footie & a bit of knitty stuff.

Cripes, where did that week go?? Actually I have been pretty busy.

Last Monday I had my twice yearly(!!) haircut. This is what I look like now, much tidier but the more I look at it, the more it looks like a child's haircut. I really can't make my mind up if I like it or not! It was supposed to look a bit like Michelle on Corrie but longer, but obviously she wears a lot of make-up and is very glam, and has stylists doing hers all day so yours never looks like that does it?


The picture was taken while my parents were up here visiting from Southampton. Here they are.................


We went for a bit of a walk along the river and took our sandwiches. While they were here we also went to Cheshire Oaks outlet village, where my step-dad bought a pair of walking shoes, and then we also got him a set of headphones for his laptop. I must say he is doing very well with the computer seeing as 5 months ago he'd never touched one in his life. Both of them had an hour of Reiki, and were very enthusiastic about it.

Before they arrived on Thursday morning, we had Paul from two doors up round for the Champion's League Final on Wednesday evening. He is a season ticket holder at Anfield, and has this thing that we are his lucky mascots for Champions League games because he watched them here when they won 2 years ago. Unfortunately we didn't help this time round.

While we were at Cheshire Oaks I saw some boots that Colin might like, (he wasn't with us cos he had to work), so yesterday the 2 of us went back up to have a look at them. He didn't get them but I ended up coming home with this..................


which I will wear to a "do" I am going to in July. Just have to get some shoes, which I hate cos I have pixie feet (UK 2.5!!!!!!) and can't get any to fit.

I got the new Simply Knitting mag on Thursday, and confirmed that I hadn't won the sock knitting competition. I wasn't that impressed with the winners, but appreciate the effort that went into them. However, on page 69.............


were my sheep!!!

A couple of weeks ago I joined the Crafty Threads n Yarns forum, and I have joined up for the Surprise Summer birthday swap. I have been given a partner to send something to on their birthday, so I just have to put a package together. I have done these things before on the bookcrossing uk group, and it can be quite fun. You never know what you are going to get.

Great news for Chris who I met on the Burton Manor knitting day. She has been offered two slots at the college to run two courses. Hopefully we are meeting up on Friday so she can tell me all about it. At least there will now be a course I want to spend my voucher on.

I'm still suffering with my thumb, and am not promising anyone anything for Christmas, it all depends on if it improves. I am just going to try to finish what I have OTN and see what happens next.