Our friends Jess and Ju came up on the friday 24th which was our anniversary, and we stayed on the boat, eating, drinking and being merry! I gave John his card and gave him a map of the location of the theatre so that he could do some detective work. He found the theatre and so I told him that his present was a trip to the theatre on his birthday (Tues 28th) and that we were going to see our friends Susan and Malcolm in Greenford. This was true but not the whole story......
On Saturday we cruised down to Shardlow and although the weather forecast was dire, the sun shone and was warm enough for us to put a table out on the tow path and have a leisurly lunch. I'd booked a table for us at the Clock Warehouse and we had some very good steaks that evening, but not before the heavens opening as we moored - John and I got the pram cover up in the rain and I took Paddy out for a quick run before his tea and then there was a thunder clap RIGHT overhead, which made him jump and do a 180degree turn and head back with his tail between his legs! He doesn't react to it at all in the boat but outside and directly overhead is a different matter.
Anyway Sunday morning looked bleak again but we set sail and the weather improved rapidly so that we had another lovely day. It is so much easier when there are 3 people doing the locks! and with the double locks in that direction, most of the time there was another boat as well so not much time was spent waiting around.
We decided to go back to Willington that night as there were posters around the place advertising a 'Dragonfest' over the bank-holiday weekend at the Dragon. Amazingly we were able to moor quite near and then went down after a meal. As we trouped merrily into the marquee, Jess shouted to us that it was a private party and sure enough there were banners over the opening saying Happy 40th Birthday. Since that didn't apply to any of us we exited fairly swiftly and went into the bar expecting to find something happening in there but no... fest had finished early so they could do the private party. We ended up having a dring there and going back to the boat and watching a DVD. It was hilarious and in fact we had a brilliant night and spent a lot less!
The four of us enjoying our cruise - John was smiling inside (so he says) Ju managed to work the automatic shutter on the camera - must find out how to do this!
After Jess and Ju went on Monday we had a bit of a tidy and sort out and got ready for the big birthday surprise!
We get off in good time on Tuesday but the traffic on the M1 is awful and then on the M25 it got worse - it eventually took us 2hours 55minutes to get to Greenford. John gets out all ready to go in and relax and at that point I tell him that we are leaving the car here but we are going onto somewhere else! Susan and Malcolm very kindly loan us their oyster cards and we head up to Greenford Station. I tell John that he can have a clue when we get on the train if he hasn't guessed by then. At the station I looked at the map and told him we'd be changing at Bond Street. At that point he realised we were going back to Brown's. He had his 50th birthday treat there and I thought it would be a fitting place to have a celebration.
They were brilliant at the hotel and upgraded us to an executive suite and provided champagne and then decorated our room before we got back from the theatre with nightlights and a heart made of real rose petals on the bed! It was so thoughtful. They also gave him a card signed by the staff for his birthday!
This is what we came back to .... how romantic!
the Champagne, card and programme from the show.
Nightlights in the room - we left them on all night just because we could!
We went to the Prince Edward Theatre and saw the Jersey Boys - I'd recommend it to anyone. Absolutely fantastic. We sat next to two people who we got chatting to as we arrived a bit early and it turns out that they live in Burton - just a few miles up the canal from us! Small world.
We had great seats - just 4 rows from the front - which also meant that we saw the theatre as a whole - it's not that big really but beautifully renovated.
John looking nonchalant outside the hotel. It doesn't look much from the outside but think high quality, old fashioned service and you're there. If you've seen the Agatha Christies' 'At Bertrams' Hotel' it was based on Browns. Will have to save and go again one day - well worth it. Maybe John could surprise me one of these days?????????
Anyway, now we are getting ready to go off cruising again - off to the Llangollen at last! Hope to be off on Saturday so I shall be trying to put something on here most days.
One bit of sad news for us - our friends Norwyn and Sheila from Shell Bell (who were such a Godsend after my fall in) have decided to sell the boat and we said goodbye to them yesterday and as I write this, the boat is being taken over to the Brokerage. Hope to get to Suffolk and see them in the motorhome at some point.
No comments:
Post a Comment