I can’t tell you how close I was to tears following my assignation with the consultant at St Helier Hospital.  Fortunately I had no time to come home and hide under the duvet, I had an appointment with the Director of Fun!

Those of you who know me, will know that I can’t resist a little mischief and fun when it’s on offer.  Some of you refer to me as the ‘yes girl’ because given an invitation to do something, I’m there with a big YES.  True form tonight was due to my ‘yes girl’ behaviour.  I was chatting to a friend about what she was doing to celebrate her birthday and also take some time on holiday.  She had planned to go to Italy for a couple of weeks – one studying art history in Florence and the second R&R elsewhere in Italy.  She suggested that I could join her and we started plotting where and how it would happen.  Sadly the crazy cost of flights and accommodation over the weeks that we wanted put paid to overseas mischief (and as it turned out, enabled us to avoid the earthquakes on those particular weeks).

However, a call to her at the end of last week established that she was going to enjoy the UK, more particularly the Oxford area.  She suggested I join her at a fabulous little hotel for one night, prosecco and beautiful dining…. hmmm ‘YES’ was my very quick answer.  Thank heavens as I needed some mischief after the hospital appointment… so quick change and in the car.

Sadly the car was playing up and I was starting inclines at 70mph and ending them at 20mph with my foot on the floor.  Anyway I finally limped my way into the hotel just in time for a bath before dinner.

Shame I only had 30 minutes to enjoy the fabulously deep bubbly bath!

Oooh and then on to my favourite sort of bubbles… and the sun was shining!   I almost forgot the afternoon that I’d had and that my car was somewhat ‘dumped’ in the car park.

We had a fabulous dinner and caught up on all sorts of gossip (the car and hospital long forgotten).  After a nightcap we both headed off for a good night’s sleep.

The next day, I managed to get my car checked into a VW garage for the ‘damaged’ valve to be replaced.  They however weren’t going to be able to get it fixed until Friday which would mean my scooting back to London by train and coming back down to Oxford on Friday to collect – but hey they could fix it!

There was another added surprise bonus to my car problems.  The garage was at the end of the street of friends who had just come home with their first baby boy, Gorgeous George, a few days earlier.  Any excuse for an Auntie Anna cuddle!

Car booked in; baby cuddled; it must surely be time for lunch?  

I thought I’d introduce MC to a favourite place of mine, The Crazy Bear at Stadhampton.  The sun was shining and we were able to dine alfresco before a wander round the farm shop.  I then introduced MC to another fabulous place, Waterperry Gardens.  Worth an amble and particularly fun during Art in Action.  We then headed off in search for all the ‘Bartons’ (have a look at Oxfordshire on your map and see how many there are!), we realised that it was already late and the ‘Yes girl’ was going to stay another night!  Oooh bubbles, dinner and bed (sound familiar).

Our final day we decided that we should really go for a walk along the Thames and found a fabulous spot starting from The Trout, Wolvercote, which you may recognise from the series, Inspector Morse.  A spot of lunch and then I picked up my fixed car.  Bless them they’d finished it a day early.  Quick dash back to London to take up my Auntie Anna duties for Alex and Naomi.  Fortunately bathtime and bedtime went fabulously – only 5 bedtime books read and then they were out for the count.

Oooh I’d best explain the Director of Fun.  MC is the Director of Fun and leads me astray.  I however am now the Director of Mischief and ___________ _________ __________* (I shall leave you to complete!)