Diary
of the
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Jen came over the evening before we left for Darlington - she had asked to
see some of the video collection I have. I packed as she was subjected to 'Wild Oats'
followed by several rather ancient clips from 'Going Live' including the one
where Jon turns up a week early for his slot on the show - oh the shame! I was
scared poor Jen would catch a dose of the horrendous cough I had developed so I had to sterilise the old throat.........with whiskey.....lots of
it!! Well I couldn't have her catching it now could I?
We set off for Darlington on the Thursday morning and met up with Claire at the hotel. The room was huge and we had everything we needed - music, booze and room service - lol!! Bet they wondered what we were doing with all the ice they were sending up! I still felt like death warmed up but the ice kept me cooler - my excuse and I'm sticking to it. We won't mentioned the amount were shovelling down our throats surrounded by numerous concoctions of alcoholic beverages - no Sex on the Beach to be had this time!! We headed off down the theatre (after we had raided the shelves of the local supermarket for anything vaguely alcoholic and drank quite a lot of our findings) The tickets were calling us and we wanted to go and see if Jon was around - any excuse. Whilst Jen picked the tickets up Claire asked for him at the stage door. He sent a message back and said he would meet up with us after the show - would we be in a fit state to go back we wondered?? As you can see from the photos below we just about managed it. I just wanted to sleep by that time and felt like crap but it was worth staying up for. |
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When Jon arrived the other two were propping up the bar and refreshing our beverages!!
I warned him to keep well away from me but when the others had their photos
taken he
insisted on coming over for one with me - you can see from the shot on the left I looked like
shit by that time. God help me if he catches anything before the end of the tour
(only one more week left to go) I have to say I really appreciated the fact that
he did come over - felt like a bit of a leper but if you have seen him when he's
been rough you would know why I kept a safe distance.
We had a couple of drinks and a nice chat - found out what he would be doing next and Jen has now decided she can't afford to eat for the year - lol!! I'm now praying the annual leave lasts out with my trip to Texas in the fall etc. I had to politely inform him of Jen's reaction when she saw the video of 'Going Live' - the week Jon sang his record. I think her words were "It was probably very good for its day" - you little smoothie!! When Jon had left we discovered our schnapps and the night sort of livened up somewhat - PARTY TIME!! Well in my case it was either 'kill or cure' - not sure exactly what it did but I suddenly came pretty much alive! |
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Jen decided she was a budding Litchfield and promptly started to shoot at
anything in sight - namely Jon's rear end - as if we haven't accumulated enough
of these poses over the years! Well it was a first for Jen so I let her continue
until the camera turned on us then I had to retrieve it and remove the evidence.
That's the beauty of a digital camera - you only keep what you want!
We bid our farewell to the landlady and requested our supply of blackcurrant schnapps be replenished for the following evening. Failing that ANY kind of schnapps would do. My last stop, before we hit the hotel, would have to be the Ford showrooms. On the way to the theatre I had discovered two fabulous trucks on their forecourt and anybody familiar with my likes and dislikes will know I'm totally addicted to the darn things. Claire decided they were not alarmed after bouncing on the side of one so we decided to stop so I could get a couple of photos. Not really a good idea as they have turned out pretty crap with the lighting - or lack of it. I keep contemplating driving lessons again but not even the prospect of a Ford truck can persuade me it's for the best! On arriving at the hotel our friendly night porter descended on us with yet more ice so we had to put it to good use. As Claire was rapidly falling into a deep coma me and Jen decided the night was young, the booze was flowing and the country music was far too low!! Think I have a new recruit for line dancing here - may I also point out I did not go dancing around the hotel as rumoured by Jen. I kept my antics inside the room and ended up falling over numerous cushions in my feeble attempts. |
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It's amazing what you can achieve by 02:30. I had worked out how to use the
timer on my camera - probably through touch alone as all other senses has by
that time faded into oblivion. Jen decided we should do our own take of 'That's
Show-business. The one where Jon does the impersonation of - oh hell, now I
can't even remember who he was taking off.
Anyway I obliged and here's the result. Two complete idiots. I'm just glad I had finished my drink, unlike Jen. At this point Claire woke up to find the camera balanced on the bottom of her bed and her two moron room-mates sprawled over the cushions and looking like something from another planet. I think we decided at this point it was time to hit the lights and try and get a few hours sleep. |
| Rose and Sarah would be arriving around 1pm on Friday so we had decided to go down for breakfast then slob around for a while before they arrived. I started off feeling pretty ok but soon slumped back in bed where I remained for the rest of the day. The welcome Sarah got when she arrived had her in fits of laughter. Me lay dying, covers over head and two arms waving from sides. I had forgotten just how bad a hangover could be and on top of this stinking cough my head felt like someone was stamping on it. You all know the old saying 'Never again!'. Rose and Sarah went out to replenish the alcohol supplies and do a bit of surfing in the internet cafe next door and me............I just died again. Darlington looked such a nice place and I hadn't never even got the chance to take a look around - damn the schnapps. | |
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We all left for the show later that evening - everybody had a couple of drinks as they got themselves ready - no way would I have dared. Jen will tell you I poured the first one...........and that's where it stayed........in the glass. Sarah was really excited as she had never seen the show before and Jen had seen it but been under the influence so couldn't remember it!! lol!! Although there are only the two characters in the play (three if you can't Jon's stand in...yes Sarah he did have a stand in) I have to admit I could sit through it several more times before I got bored and this would be the last time so we all made the most of it. After the show we headed over the road and didn't even have time to get acquainted
with our glasses before Jon arrived. Sarah's face was a picture when she turned
around and Jon was sat with us. As you can see from the photo below it didn't
take her long to come around!! I think what broke the ice was the story of how
she wanted her ******* ticket!! |
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Jon had to get off shortly after so we stayed around and had a few more
drinks - well I still had to live up the name of 'The Alcoholic' as I have now
been christened by the Gang! Don't you worry though, by the end of the
night most of us had our nicknames!!
We had intended to get Jon to take a group photo of us all before he left
but forgot and had to ask a very nice lady who was sitting in the corner if she
wouldn't mind. We even had our very own barman in the shot for 'good measure'.
OK so the jokes are getting worse - not as bad as the fish and wall I hasten to
add!! Sorry Carolyn! She reminds me so much of Jo and Sonia it's untrue. Well I suppose we needed someone to fill the gap. Things just have not been the same without those two around. |
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What I didn't bargain for is Jen promptly drinking the dregs from the said
glass - now that really is sad!! I'll probably lose my left arm the next time we
come into contact after giving away her little secret but hey, this is a caring,
sharing website - lol!!
We finally left the bar and headed off back to the hotel - complete with Jen's new trophy. By this time I was pretty shattered to be honest and didn't think I would make it much past midnight - how wrong can you be? Before we went back to the rooms we decided we all had the munchies and ended up on Burger King - not by choice I can promise you that! It could have been the fact nobody had any energy to go much further as we had all developed this incredible thirst and needed liquid refreshments like NOW. |
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The night porter at the hotel must have thought we were a bunch of lunatics
but yet again we were treated to our, what had now become a ritual on entering
the hotel, buckets of ice. Yes I said two of them this time. Must have known we
were in for a long night.
Back in our hotel room we finished supper (processed crap) and lounged around for the next couple of hours until some of us got slightly the worse for wear with alcohol - some of us developed this fantastic Irish accent and gave Jen's boyfriend the shock of his life when he rang her phone expecting her to answer it! Sarah I'm sure you could give Jonathon a few tips with that accent. We would also love to see some photos of a new Boswell family - all will be revealed at a later date with the help of Sarah's mum. |
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The trophy was still out and someone suggested that since a certain group of
people had worshiped Jon's picture then so should another certain group worship
his glass. Oh this is getting ridiculous - I did warn you it was bad!
I think me and Claire were the only sane people in that room by this time. Three adults in nightwear bowing down to a bloody pint pot - now come on! I don't know how I even managed to stop the camera from shaking long enough to take this but it's certainly a memorable moment and Jen did ask me to add it to the site!
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It was at this point some of the other nicknames came to light. Rose had been scoffing Smarties and thrown them all over the bed. Sarah ended up with them stuck to her rear end - hence the name Smarty Pants. Rose had also been scoffing crisps so we nicknamed her the Human Dustbin. Jen was most definitely the Glass Thief but I can't remember what poor Claire ended up with so maybe someone can help me out here. Poor Rose ended up in a world of her own and eventually drifted off to her room. Sarah couldn't stand the heat in there so she ended up jumping in bed with Claire and it was lights out.......or was it!! For the next hour we must have laughed our heads off at some of Sarah's stories. Before we knew it the church clock was striking 2am yet again and we had a long journey ahead of us in a few hours......GOODNIGHT DARLINGTON - we hope you recover soon. |
