Burning the candle at both ends

The past week has been a manic flurry of social activities, and this week will be no different. I have every faith that by Friday night I shall be dead.

The highlights of this past week include:

Seeing old friends who I haven't seen for years

Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year Final

St John Ambulance Presentation Evening

The jewel in the crown was definitely seeing Wacky, Pap and Biles again. You know you're talking about people you grew up with when you refer to them by derivatives of their surnames. James (Biles) in particular I haven't seen for certainly a few years, I may have seen Wacky and Pap more recently, but it was awesome to be hanging out and chatting with them again, like old times. It's clear they've all become much closer over the years too, which is lovely, there's some proper brotherly love going on there.

This was all at Lorraines birthday party, she invited me on Thursday having suddenly realised was a Northernite. I met Lol through some friends in college. It was a rather lovely cocktail bar called the Albert and Pearl in Islington. Jo and I turned up just before 9pm and it was strange....and refreshing.....to be surrounded by people who were pretty blotto (not Lol's mates I hasten to add)...I don't know what time they'd started, and whether the A&P has a happy hour, but if they do then these guys had been taking full advantage. One young lady got up from outside to go back in and just staggered around and fell to her knees. There was a distinct thudding sound, she seemed relatively ok, but I bet she had some nasty bruises and some trouble walking when the alcohol-induced anaesthetic-fug wore off the next day. Her mate made a gallant attempt at preserving her integrity by yelling 'that's what you get for waering stupid shoes!'.....no.....she can't hold herself upright my dear.

We supped a couple of lovely cocktails, Summer Breeze and Long Island Iced Tea, supped them slowly, I find most cocktail bars to be a rip off! But we wanted to have some cocktails instead of the normal pints we're downing. After a couple we decided we'd wander off and look for somewhere slightly cheaper, and with seats! Yes, we're old ladies, all we wanted was a nice comfy chair!

Eventually we found ourselves in The Library, a quaint little place....book-themed. We peered through the window to check out the seating situation, and the bouncer kindly identified a small empty table by the bar for us. Back on the lager-beer! Now Jo and I had, uncharacteristically, made a little bit of effort that night. Whilst I'd replaced the printed tee with a nice white asymmetrical top and swapped the St John issue boots for ballet type shoes, Jo had dusted off the heels, put a necklace on, and donned a nice 'boobies out' bra. It might not sound like much, but if you know us, you'll know it's extravagance. We might even have had some nice chappies come up and talk to us.....had we not been slumped grumpily over our beers. Posture is important, it really is, but the temptation to lean on the convenient table was all too much.

As it was, a couple of blokes did come over, one clearly off his tits...and he wasn't a nice drunk, he was an obnoxious one! At one point he grabbed a hairband of mine and yelled 'Stick your finger out!' When I hesitated he yelled again 'stick your fucking finger out!!!'. At which point I told him just how lovely and charming he was. I eventually relented and stuck my finger out, whereupon he proceeded to try some kind of trick where the hairband flicks from my finger to his. It was less than impressive. The other bloke was nicer, and didn't seem quite so drunk, until he suddenly turned white as a sheet and started gulping and looking down in the manner of someone who expects to vomit in the immediate future.

After a trip to the toilet and a very bad joke told by our intoxicated friend, and very possibly disgusted by our lack of overt interest, they bimbled off.

Jo and I had one more pint and headed for the nightbus, it being too late to catch the last tube. It was at this point that we realised what the fabled 'beer-jacket' is for, we were FREEZING our tits off, this would never have happened had we been drunk! In a feeble attempt to warm ourselves up we grabbed some chips and started the walk to the N38 stop. The N38 is not something to be experienced unless you're a little bit merry that's just some advice from me to you dear people.

In other fab nights out, well done to Rob Beckett who won Leicester Squares London Comedian of the Year. It was a tough competition, I'd seen about half of the finalists before, and the ones I hadn't seen before were equally excellent. I did very much like Tanya and Sarah's sets, and of course, George Ryegold was as hilarious as ever. The whole atmosphere was really supportive and feel-good, anyone who was anyone was there dahling!

The aftermath included staying in Waxy's Little Sister until it closed, and then onto the good old Royal George afterwards. Jo and I got a little overexcited at one point when I mistook the time and thought we could make it home in time to call Mr Domino's. I'm a little concerned at just HOW excited we were, and Jo was very upset when she realised my mistake and that our dreams had been shattered. It turned out to be Western Fried Chicken for the FTW!! They do a mean chicken burger.

So....fun fun. Another week of joy lays ahead. I'm seeing lovely Kayleigh tonight, things are looking up for her which is fantastic, new home, soon-to-be-healed foot! Tomorrow is Party Piece, Jo is on and Linda is coming by to scope it out, after all the fuss we've made. Wednesday Nicki and I are seeing The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassuss at the Electric. It's all go go go, and I would like some sleep please. Dragging myself out of bed is bad enough at this time of year when it's still dark.

Hope you all have simply wonderful weeks :o) xx