Cosy Cottage Retreat 2008

On Wednesday the 5th of November I drove down to collect Kt and bring her to my house, we have known each other since May and it was great to finally meet up. We spent a day relaxing before Friday the 7th of November arrived - I set the sat-nav with the postcode of the train station, and Kt and I went to pick up HayleyM and Lesley Wigston . Oh dear - disaster struck we ended up BEHIND the station instead of in front!! I decided to turn left and go through a underpass only to find that I was in a taxi-rank full of irate taxi drivers (OMG great start I thought) so after mounting the pavement and decking a few startled pedestrians I finally arrived at the front of the station. Kt and I found Hayley and Lesley and return to the car. Hayley explained her suitcase handle had stuck in the open position. We opened the boot (already full) and looked at her suitcase (so big I thought that maybe she was never going home again) and realised there was no way it would fit in without taking everything out of the boot. We then spent 15 minutes trying to re pack the car - a bit like the Krypton Factor !! With everyone packed tightly with bags and baggage and provisions we were soon whizzing up the A1, heading North on a busy Friday evening. Just as I was remarking that when we see the sign to turn off for the cottages that we will have to turn right immediately, that very turning appeared very quickly - as I was doing 70 miles an hour in the fast lane …….screech ……indicate……..screech…….emergency stop…….just managing to avoid careering in front of the traffic on the A1 travelling in the other direction. All the bags and the passengers hurtled forward and things dropped on the floor. ‘Oh‘, I said ‘Ooops’ , ‘almost there’ (thinking ‘ho hum’, ‘almost killed them all then’). How we got there in one piece I will never know. Eventually we did all arrive safely (but possibly a bit shaky - I am sorry girls) and I showed them the cottage and everyone was happy with the accommodation. We piled in, unpacked our bags and headed to the pub, conveniently situated on the back of the cottage (good planning or what!!).

Day 1, Saturday

The rest of the gang were arriving today and we had breakfast and dressed and waited for everyone. Penny arrived, and decided to go exploring the area as she couldn't stay all week and Lesley Wigston decided to go with her. They saw Lindisfarne (Holy Island) and Bamburgh. Steffy was picked up from Berwick Train station by me, Hayley and Kt. Carole (caroledico) arrived by car, Metzy and Escoffier also arrived by car and were there in time to receive the shopping from Asda home delivery (who organised all this - Gold star award -- oops that was me tee hee) Debbie and Denning arrived after a loooong drive from the deep south. Once everyone had arrived back at the cottage we ate together (food cooked by master chef Escoffier) and then the wine was opened and Quiz night began. Copious laughter and funny moments ensued as various members read out their prepared questions. Kt had some funny questions which we found quite difficult (actually they were all quite difficult), Carole and Denning also did ‘rounds‘. This night was an excellent way for us to gel together as a group and everyone enjoyed it. I have no idea who won!!

Day 2, Sunday

Some people nursed hangovers! Penny went home (sniff sniff). The braver among us, me Denning, Carole and Lesley decided we would go on a shopping expedition to the Living North Christmas Fayre at Newcastle Racecourse. Denning ‘blagged’ at the front desk and somehow we got in for free (???? - don‘t tell Thomas (admin) how she did it) and a grand shopping extravaganza began, with lots of Christmas presents purchased, including a fairy for the Christmas Tree and a super Pirate Raincoat for Carole’s son Sam. After we had ‘spent up’ we drove to Newcastle train station and dropped Lesley Wigston there as she had to go home ready for work the next day (boo hoo). Kt and Hayley stayed in the cottage while we went to shop! They eventually got up and showered. Hayley, Steffy, Debbie, Escoffier and Metzy then went to the beach to have a look. They had a stone skimming competition, Steffy was the winner and Metzy decided they should train her for the Olympics! Escoffier decided that Limpets are food (???????) and collected some to cook later ….ewww. They then went back to the cottages to collect Kt and they went off to the pub only to find they weren’t serving food anymore. So, of they went to a little café and had a nice lunch. Afterwards, they went back and Hayley and Escoffier played tennis!! Meanwhile, Debbie and Kt went to Newcastle Airport to collect Kate2003 and her friend Maggie. Debbie had brought a huge joint of Venison with her for tea and she charged Steffy with the job of basting it every 20 minutes while she drove to the airport. Poor Steffy was up and down all afternoon and was quite exhausted by the end of it!! A delicious meal was produced, with vegetarian options for those who weren’t keen on eating/trying Bambi.

Day 3, Monday

Pamper day for Debbie, Denning , Jools, Hayley, Kt, and Carole at the local Spa - massages, Indian head massages, facials, manicures and pedicures (in various combinations) helped us feel a little more human, if poorer. Carole had a couple of 'senior moments' whilst at the spa - firstly, she complained that the locker had kept her £1, turned out that she hadn't noticed there were no clothes in the locker and her key was still attached to the dressing gown she was wearing (yes, that's right - completely wrong locker!!) Later, she lost her shoes (doh!) had all the spa staff and Denning searching high and low for them, eventually Denning found them under the treatment bed in the beauty room, whilst the poor therapist hung around with her coat on waiting to lock up!! Meanwhile Escoffier, Laura, Steffy, Kate2003 and Maggie explored Berwick for the day. They purchased a stunt kite and some lovely food. We ate, had long talks and a few drinks to help the evening along.

Day 4, Tuesday

Lazy Day. Denning, Debbie, Escoffier, Metzy, Carole, and Steffy walked, skimmed stones and flew the stunt kite (and killed it!!) on Beadnell and Bamburgh beaches. Me, Hayley and Kt watched Flashdance and sat in Pj’s until the evening and then almost everybody had fish and chips for tea. Penny had gifted us with an aromatherapy massage kit and hand and/or feet massages were performed by Denning and Metzy (lovely). Lots more talking and sharing of experiences took place.

Day 5, Wednesday

By now morning rituals were established where Escoffier woke up anyone silly enough to want to have a sleep in with loud bashing of a wooden spoon on a pan !! Songs were sung to welcome everyone donwnstairs, ‘Good Morning, Good Morning’. After shoehorning Kt (who can sleep for England) out of bed the whole gang went to Alnwick Gardens for the day. Denning again worked her magic and we wangled a discount on the entrance fee (how does she do it???). Carole hired an electric scooter for Kt, and Kate2003 had a wheelchair. We saw the large fountain and the sculpture garden, and ate lunch too. Later Denning chatted up two (young and cute) gardeners who were a lovely shade of red by the time Hayley, Carole and I walked past them (whatever did she say to them??) A visit to the Poison Garden was enjoyed and there was even an opportunity to bow down in honour of the poisonous chemo trees (yew) as our saviour from cancer!! Some went on a rope bridge walk among the tree tops - but no -one saw Ant and Dec, and we peeked into Europe’s largest tree house!

Day 6, Thursday

Debbie and Denning had to go home -- booo hooooo -- and many tears were shed after we did the 'good morning, good morning' song and the ‘everybody dance now’ dance routine (you had to be there to see it) to see them off. Escoffier and Metzy stayed back at the cottages - then went to explore SeaHorses (SeaHouses really but it’s Escoffier’s Spanish accent you see). Carole, me, Kt, Hayley, Steffy, Kate and Maggie went on an expedition to a craft village - only to discover that it was closed (it was like a set from some creepy horror movie) - so we diverted (hastily - The Hills Have Eyes, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, etc. come to mind!!) and visited Alnwick town instead. It was raining so we sat in a café and everyone but Hayley (feeling car sick) ate – me and Hayley walked around the shops and bought some Christmas cards. Hayley got hit on the head by an umbrella (we don't think it was deliberate - Poor Hayley!) Everybody went back to the cottages and ate (yes, more food!!!) Carole, Kt, Kate and Maggie did return to the cottages via a little diversion .... because Carole made the exact same mistake as Jools almost had on the first day and missed the turning, unfortunately she was in the wrong lane on the A1 so had to go up to the next exit. (Thank goodness for SatNav!!)

Day 7, Friday

Everyone said bye bye to Carole as she left for home laden with presents for Sam (ermm..... not sure you can get to Manchester via Berwick ..... shhh - don't tell Pauld (hubby), she'll never hear the last of it! and she wondered why the SatNav kept saying 'turn around when possible')). Escoffier and Metzy ‘did’ Edinburgh for the day – they can tell you how that went but I know they enjoyed it.

Me and Hayley drove Steffy to the train station in Berwick then had a nosey around the town. On the way back to the cottages I took Hayley to see something but ended up driving into the wrong place - a farmyard, where a big black dog barked and barked away (told you ..... The Hills have Eyes!! (lol)). I turned the car around and as we were driving away the dog was running along right next to the car! Hayley wanted to take a picture but I said no because I didn’t want to get bitten! Later Kt, Hayley, me, Kate and Maggie went to eat at the local hotel, then went back to the cottages and chatted away.

Day 8, Saturday

Escoffier and Laura left after breakfast to drive home, and Maggie and Kate2003 were chauffeured to Newcastle Airport for the flight back to London by a handsome friend of mine. And then there were three! Kt, Hayley and I stayed at the Cottage and chilled and then went to eat out at the pub (can you see a theme starting here??).

Day 9, Sunday
Jools and Hayley and Kt said goodbye, Kt’s Mum and Dad visited for the day and took Kt home.

Outcome: People made lifelong friends, some gained confidence, lots were able to offload feelings and emotions, muscles were soothed at the Spa and Northumberland is still in recovery! Over the week we shed tears - by the bucket - we almost needed shares in Asda tissues!! It was a humbling experience to sit together and listen to people's stories and experiences of cancer in a receptive understanding atmosphere and to be able to cry openly and not worry about upsetting anyone. The best bit was we could provide real rib-crushing hugs , not just cyber hugs - and it felt brilliant. It has been a pleasure to have enabled this special event to take place, I am hoping that other members who have formed friendships on the site will not see our event as an ‘exclusive’ one (after all I couldn’t invite everyone!), but as an inspirational one and to maybe think about doing something similar themselves, or attending the next event (Madchester Dec 6th). Thanks to Whatnow for getting the communication started in the first place and thanks to you all for listening, Jools (exhausted but happy) x x x