4/9 Claire - Milo's christening

Milo’s big day! Today I promised to offer Milo love and guidance in the way of fun, laughter and disco… but in church I just had to renounce evil.

How very smart he looked. A total stunner!

3/9 Claire - Chris and Meera wedding

Chris and Meera's big day and the sun Gods have come good. It's rained pretty much continuously since these guys got back into the UK from Sydney so this is a big deal.

I arranged to travel from Kew Gardens back into the city to meet Lel from the train this morning, travel back with her so we could get changed and walk the 2minutes to the ceremony at 3pm.

Lel's been very excited to be "in London baby" so it was hard to tell her 20mins later that we had already left "London baby" and were in Surrey. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

The ceremony was beautiful, Meera looked gorgeous, the venue was amazing.

28/8 Claire - Shambala Festival

It was a bit like the big chill but smaller and a little bit home-made, full of hippies and played too much dub-step. Maybe the weather influenced my mood and my reaction. I have only ever been to the Big Chill, in the 6 years there it was ALWAYS sunny… Shambala = rain + mud

However check out Tank Girl and Booga…

I LOVE that costume, shame no one bloody knows who Tank Girl is!

15/8 Claire - Meera Hen Party

Not long until Chris and Meera tie the knot, they have 4 weeks back in the UK to fit in Hen and Stag parties, last minute preparations and the week of celebrations. I did wonder what it would be like going on a hen party with a bunch of people I hadn’t met before but all of the girls (and Gaz) were lovely. Afternoon tea in Surry, A riverboat into Westminster, murder mystery night in Leicester Square. I was a super-model y’know…

20/7 Claire - Ibiza

I know that at [ah-erm] 31 I should be growing old gracefully but we have never been and I wanted to go to experience it before I got too old (of course there’s lots of time yet)

The villa was nice from the outside, minging on the inside but after a quick wipe over with the cleaning fluids and a realisation that we’d be spending most time out partying or by the pool we decided we could live with it. Jamel the owner was a big, bear like, funny Algerian man who’s lived over there for 18 years with his English wife. They rent out the family home each summer to pay for improvements, such adding the pool, during the summer months. The thing about Jamel is not only is he lovely but he knows everyone. He said to ask him if we wanted to go to any of the clubs and he’d try to get us in for free. He didn’t just get us in free he got us VIP access at times also. What a star, I think he saved us about £500 over the week.

I was VERY excited to get there in time for Retro… look I met Paul! To anyone who doesn’t know this he was a bit (lot) of a hero when I was younger. As I may have garbled at him during this evening “you were the soundtrack of my youth…” gush, gush. This may be true but saying it out loud, and to him,

might have lost me a lot of cool points. If he was cringing he hid it well and was very gracious, or so completely wasted that he really didn’t care :o). Anyway, I think he’s great. Totally lovely guy. His mate Foxy was ace (and apparently owns half of Magaluf) , completely mad as a box of frogs but it a brilliant way. Loved them both!

Had some good nights for the rest of the week but I think we peaked that first Saturday. However, I must tell you that I was the only one to manage every night! Result! However by Thursday evening (before flight Friday morning) I could barely keep my head up above my dinner and was extremely close to a comedy face plant into evening meal situation.

10/7 Claire - Lel birthday

I love this girl!

Had a great night out with Lelly and crew in Yarm. I think the bird and the disco fingers all came out for an appearance, some a couple of times :o)

26/6 Claire - Gill and Brian wedding

Start of the day was not good!

My beautiful Karen Millen dress was dry cleaned after the only time I have worn this before which was a year ago. It’d been hanging on the back of my wardrobe for weeks waiting for the big day. I have a bag, shoes etc all ready to pop into the car at 10am on Saturday morning so I can drive to my parents house for a quick change and travel together to the church for noon. The sun was shining it was a beautiful day. As soon as took said dress outside into the bright sunlight I realised that the dry cleaners had completely ruined the dress bleaching part of it and leaving marks on other areas. In the artificial light of the house, nothing… in the sunny light of day, ruined.

At this point I have less than 2 hrs to drive to Teesside, through the roadworks, to parents, change and to Sedgefield. Panic, tears, stamping of feet. Ian tries to get logical but I am literally blind with panic. He suggested that I run into Diva in Yarm on the way to my Mum’s house (not enough time, not enough time!!) which I agree I need to do.

Poor Jean in Diva is dressing a window in the shop when I run in like a mad woman screaming “Help!! I am going to a wedding NOW and my dress is ruined!”… I literally pick out a green dress from the rack, run into the changing cubical, Jean finds me a bag from the wall display and I have a new outfit in about 6.5 mins. I love that shop.

Had a fantastic day and I can’t believe my lil cuz Gill is a married lady.