Life in the right direction
“Some people think it’s impossible to change the future…but in reality, the future is only what you make it” Dynamo
The last couple of weeks and weekends have been memorable. After a hectic weekend at the yacht, it was nice to spend last weekend relaxing and catching up with family recharging before a busy week at work. Since the yacht night I have thrown myself into networking as much as possible, pushing myself out of my comfort zone and as a result I have met some genuinely fantastic people along the way. I can feel myself slowly but surely shaking off the anxiety which consumed me the past week. It’s strange when you feel a shift happening and the world feels back to ‘normal’ again.
This weekend I celebrated my birthday sober * takes a bow * and I can genuinely say that it was one of the most memorable and special birthdays that I have ever had. A couple that we met whilst on holiday a few years ago who live in Australia were completing their bucket list tour of Europe and popped over to visit us (as you do) before they head back on their long flight home. It was so much fun to show them around the island that we are so blessed to live on. Steve and I have since made a pact to do more staycations exploring our island more regularly together, without needing a ‘reason’ …like guests all the way from Australia!
Phil and Di arrived Thursday evening, so they enjoyed a pint of our locally brewed Liberation Ale (obviously) and I enjoyed a soft drink in a fancy gin goblet at Cheffins, before getting an early night. We woke up on the Friday morning to glorious sunshine (which was a nice surprise given the weather predictions!) We started the day down at St.Ouens and showcasing our beautiful beaches, pointing out the local surf spots; followed by filling our tummies with a full english at El Tico .
Steve and I have talked about the ‘Escape Rooms’ at the Jersey War Tunnels for a while now and wanted to do something different that we’d not done before. The challenge is 1 hour and involves lots of puzzles leading to clues, finally leading to your escape. We were informed that there was only 20% escape rate which didn’t fill us with much confidence!! I wont go into the details as I don’t want to spoil the fun for those who haven’t been yet, but it was a great ice breaker and way to bond, we left absolutely buzzing (digging the natural buzz - you can see it shining out of me in the pic below).
Next stop, was St.Aubins. We popped into the Anchor Club for coffee and a recharge before bringing Di to my favourite local boutique Chi Chi for some retail therapy. We met the guys back at The Old Courthouse pub for another pint of local ale (and a Becks Blue AF Beer for me) before a quick drive (by Taxi Jo) to Corbier Lighthouse, swinging by St.Brelades Bay to see the beach and then heading home for a rest and to get our glad rags on!
We enjoyed views of the ocean at Nude Food on the Beach with the most amazing 3 course meal. I had scallops followed by a chicken buddha bowl and the chocolate desert (which literally melts in your mouth… did I mention that it’s healthy? Mind blowing!
Speaking of having your mind blown, that leads me nicely onto Dynamo, who very kindly came over to perform for my birthday…jokes aside, this was the icing on the cake in terms of perfect birthday endings. Di was chosen at random to be the luckiest person in the room (obviously she’s lucky, she’s in Jersey with us!) and as a result joined Dynamo on stage for the majority of the show, as his very glamorous assistant. Dynamo started the show by telling us about living with Crohn’s disease, revealing how he manages the pain from the incurable condition. You could see how genuinely happy he was that he was back on stage, doing what he loves most, after when he was at his worst, not knowing he’d ever grace a stage again. The evening was unforgettable, I could literally tell you a play by play of the show as I have it engrained in my memory; but I do not want to ruin it for those of you who have not seen it! If you’ve not seen it already and you get the opportunity, then you should definitely go and see it as it will open your mind and challenge your perceptions, which I think everyone needs every once in a while.
We continued the night with a visit to Krafty J’s, the new bar in town and were greeted with a big infectious smile by the owner John. John had kindly got some AF beers in to support my challenge, offering me one on the house to celebrate. I had the AF Guinness beer which was delicious; I’d say it is a close second to Nanny State by Brew dog which has become my go to.
We took the guys for a cocktail in the Blind Pig before I drove the troop back home. It was nice to feel fresh faced and on form all evening, with the reassurance that the next day would not be ruined by over indulgence.
Saturday morning we drove East to show off the historical castle and once again the sun shone over head. We took the dogs for a walk and gorged on cake and coffee before Di and Phil headed back to the big smoke for the final leg of their journey.
What was amazing was that the fun didn’t end there, next on our extended weekend was a trip to Chateau le Chaire to celebrate my dear dad’s 60th birthday. We share the same birthday and I can confirm that the novelty never wears off, it’s nice sharing your birthday with one of your favourite humans, it lends itself to shared smiley photos and simultaneously singing ‘happy birthday’ down the phone to each other every year to start the day the right way. Cue the cutest photo in existence of me and the man himself…Awwwww
Chateau Le Chaire was fantastic and felt like we’d gone on holiday. We’d booked a package that included cream tea, an eight course tasting menu (which was delicious!) and breakfast the next morning. The food was exceptional and I enjoyed every mouthful as much as the first. We also enjoyed a walk around the area which is picturesque and spent some time in the local Rozel pub. We enjoyed some much needed family time together playing card games and Cluedo. I can confirm that the girls team won and that it helps when two out of three of your team are sober!
As you can see, a lot was achieved over a long weekend and by the end of it, I felt full. Grateful, full of love for everyone around me. I felt lucky that I’d not wasted my weekend being, well, wasted. A weekend full of genuine connections with people that I loved.