Since I've Been Back ....

... I ain't bleeding stopped!

I came back to a mountain of mail regarding all my Dad's affairs, but had little time to sort them out. No sooner had I unpacked and done the holiday washing, than I was packing again to go and do a weekend in Manchester!

I was on at The Frog and Bucket, and had so much fun. The lovely Jeff Innocent was on too and I've not worked with him for ages. He's really on fire onstage at the moment and we had a right laugh offstage too.

I'd booked the Crown Plaza to stay, mainly cos I got a deal and I collect the Priority Club points, but it turned out to be even better cos its a stone's throw from the gig! Result.

As usual the shopping was divine, tho I purposely brought a small case to stop me going insane, and on the whole I was fairly restrained for me. Until Saturday afternoon when I was on my way back to the hotel and stumbled upon a Marahrishi sample sale!

I've coveted a pair of their combats since the All Saints days when those four were never seen without them - not cos I wanted to be in All Saints, but cos the combats were awesome! Two things stopped me having them then - price and sizes - I was too poor and too fat!

Not anymore tho! Well not too fat! I got a pair of awesome trousers and a gorgeous parka, both at approximately a quarter of their original price. Still not pennies, but affordable. Go me!

Back from Manchester on Easter Sunday - eventually - the obligatory bus/train/camel train/bus again journey that Virgin specialise in on a Bank Holiday. I must be blissed out still from Thailand cos I didn't get wound up at all!

On Easter Monday I went back to the fantastic Hazel at Urban Retreat at Harrods to get my eyebrow touch-up done. I shoulda had them done weeks ago, but life got in the way. You would think there'd be a great deal of pain involved in having your eyebrows tattooed on, but for the second time I fell fast asleep. Not sure if this was down to the numbing creme or my exhaustion, but it was good, and they look magnificent!

Tuesday saw me succumbing to more pain. About six months ago I noticed a lump on my groin and was more than mildly concerned. A trip to the doctor's confirmed it was a hernia, and finally the day arrived to have it fixed.

Bearing in mind I wouldn't be able to exercise for ages, I walked to St Mary's Hospital and by 11am I was being injected with "something to make me sleep".

The nurse said think of something lovely, and just as I was conjuring up images of Phi Phi Don, "Knocking on Heaven's Door" came on the radio!!!!!!! Not what you wanna hear as you're about to be knocked out. I had an oxygen mask on so couldn't point it out to them sadly.

Anyway, it turns out not to have been a sign, cos by 1pm I was in recovery bitching about the headache I had. By 4pm I was nibbling on a tuna sarnie and looking at the unshaven face of my mate Mickey who'd turned up to take me home. Its a health and safety thing I guess that if you've had anaesthetic you can't go home alone.

Mickey, bless him, brought me back and I got into my own bed at 5.30 on Tuesday afternoon. I didn't get out of bed really till Friday morning!

I had to get out then, cos I was off to work. This time it was Portsmouth where I was doing the Highlight club (formerly known as Jongleurs). I was MC'ing which was just as well cos the post-op painkillers had me a bit spacey. I doubt I could've concentrated for a whole 20 minutes!

I had a cracking line-up to introduce - Charlie Baker, Tanya-Lee Davis, and my old mucker Curtis Walker - so my job was fairly easy. Well once I'd gotten the audience focussed it was! Took me 20 minutes at the top on Saturday night to do just that!

Saturday daytime saw me making the most of the gorgeous sunshine by wandering round all the shops at GunWharf Quays. I even got some genuine bargains at the Gap outlet.


My old mate Jez let me know via Facebook that Portsmouth were involved in some kind of football match yesterday at Wembley, and god bless him for telling me! I decided to get the early train out and even that was rammed!

How on earth can anyone drink Fosters at 7.30am and think this is a good thing?????? There was no trouble, but it really was a cattle wagon and the train company did nothing to police it. Shame on you!

Got into my house by 10.30 and I was in my bed by midday. Turns out I'm not as healed from the op as I thought I was, cos barring being awake for about an hour yesterday early evening, I didn't wake up till 6.30 this morning!