I had stupidcrazy busy week last week - it seemed that not only did I not stop at work, I was pretty much on the go after work as well with home stuff. Monday was the only evening I had in, and I enjoyed that very much. Tuesday was rehearsal, Wednesday I went to Salisbury to meet my parents and see Joan Baez in concert (she was AMAZING!), Thursday was another rehearsal, and Friday I got on a train and headed down to Devon for a hen party! Phew!

Hen weekend was great fun - an old farm had been converted into a set of 5* self-catering houses, complete with oak barn dining hall (with giant plasma screen TV), gymnasium, hot tub, huge lounge, all coupled with gorgeous views over the Devonshire hills and rustic charm. It was an expensive weekend, costing £123 each for the stay, but it was brilliant fun. We had all the usual hen party silliness with penis-shaped straw holders, a blow-up man, fluffy pink handcuffs, etc etc. BUT because it was in a complex in the middle of nowhere nobody had to suffer the embaressment of being seen in public covered in all things pink, fluffy and rude!

Saturday we did clay pigeon shooting, which I thought I'd be rubbish at but turns out I was pretty good - I got the bext score out of 12 girls, including one who'd shot before! I hit 10 out of 24 targets, which the instructors seems to think was pretty good. I had a natural aim with the shot gun; the thing that held me back was lack of upper body strength, when my left arm started shaking from holding the gun upright. Having discovered this new talent I'd like to do more shooting, and I'd even like to have a go at pheasant shooting. I know it's a thorny issue with some people, but in my eyes a bird that has a happy, free-range life then gets shot and dies quickly before getting eaten is far preferable to chickens, farmed in cramped indoor cages, force-fed antibiotics and hormones, bred as quickly and as cheeply as possible. Some friends of mine still claim that the fact you're gaining enjoyment out of ending an animal's life is the cruel part, and I do see their point, though I don't necessarilly agree.

Anyway...

I tried to spend as little money as possible this weekend. I ate frugally when out, and when we were back at the farm masses of home-cooked food was pre-supplied for us so I stuffed myself with cheese, meat, salad, cake and biscuits! Not a healthy weekend...

Hopefully things will be a little quieter this week, and I'll have the chance to do some much needed DIY (radiator needs bleeding, side gate needs repairing after the high winds, garden needs tidying, house needs general clean and tidy).

I'm looking forward to Thursday when I have my costume call for singing! Costume call is always hugely exciting, because you never know what you're going to get until that day. Previous societies I've sung with have had a first-come-first-served attitude to costumes, with those who turn up late getting left with older, tatty, usually massively too large costumes. This society tries to pre-match you with your costume, and you'll find one or two with your name tagged to. The don't always get the measurements right and the chorus normally swaps items round quite a lot until everyone is happy. This year, as a principle, I've had my costume custom-made for me! I think I've only got the one costume, but I'm incredibly excited about it! Plus I get a dressed wig to take home as well! :D