‘Shirley Valentine’

I have had this site for sometime and with all good intentions apart for setting up my information I have written nothing!

I have two special women to thank for this, my daughter Claire whose amazing IT skills far surpass mine and a wonderful artist I have the pleasure to work with, Heather. She designed my beautiful sunflower ring as sunflowers are incredibly special for me.

So here is my first blog the first of many I hope, my intention is to reveal much more as the months roll by.

I guess I am a storyteller, I believe we all are, whenever I regale my tales I am quite often told I must write them down. A blog seems perfect for this. I have recently acquired the nickname “The coolest kid in town” which makes me smile as (A) the person calling me this is far cooler than I’ll ever be and (B) at age 55 to be referred to as this, makes my heart sing, especially as I don’t feel I have ever in my whole life been ‘cool.’

So, I thought I would start with my first solo adventure, this wouldn’t normally be anything unusual for me as I have many solo adventures except for the fact that this time, is the first time, I am travelling solo to a distant land.

I haven’t been abroad for five years, the last time was with a group of girlfriends to celebrate our fiftieth year on this planet in Spain. I have flown on my own to meet friends but never completely alone on holiday with me, myself and I.

There’s a first time for everything right?

I love airports and planes, I really think I could be the geek (sorry plane spotters) with the pad, pencil, flask, and cheese sandwiches at an airport watching the planes take off and land.

Where I am currently staying is on the flight path to the airport, for some this may be irritating, but for me, heaven. I have already downloaded the flight app you point at with your camera phone to tell you where the plane is headed and masses of information about the plane. I am totally embracing my inner geekiness.

So it seems apt to start with my flying journey to Corfu in Greece.

Of course I’ve seen and read Shirley Valentine (I have the playscript) I adore Willy Russell and I think he connects with women like no other writer. I too connect with Shirley, I think we all do.

I arrived at the airport, I stood in a very long queue listening to excited and bickering families. I found when travelling on your own, people give you far more attention. The lady from Jet 2 helped me with my case and it became a little easier than I expected.

I mooched around the airport and bought a cheap watch as I had left mine at home and I really didn’t want to leave my iPhone on the beach while swimming. My thoughts being that a £20 watch is far easier to replace than my iPhone (to tell me the time) while away.

I had dinner at the airport, there was a young guy next to me on his own and I concocted the story in my head that he was obviously, a young DJ off to Ibiza.

When I boarded the plane a young Irish Air Steward noted my name and said “You’re Becky’s family aren’t you? We have been told to take good care of you.” My niece Rebecca is an Air Hostess for Jet 2 in Belfast but I hadn’t expected her to mention me. That made me immediately emotional. You will discover that it is something that happens to me constantly (being emotional I mean) especially when confronted by kindness.

I found my seat which was an aisle seat, my travelling companions were an older gentleman who sat next to me and then next to him, I think, was his teenage Grandaughter.

After an hour or so the aforementioned Air Steward came to say that Becky had left instructions for a drink to be sent to my seat, cue happy tears.

I almost felt like superstar, such a sweet thing to do.

Although, I had almost finished my drink when the gentleman next to me, ask me to move and in one foul swoop I managed to spill the remaining wine all over him. In true British fashion he was incredibly nice about it, even though I had soaked most of his leg!

To be fair it wouldn’t have been me if the journey hadn’t been without incident.

I read for most of the flight, a book I have now finished. Not a remarkable book but interesting ‘A Street Cat Named Bob.’ from the film of the same name.

We landed safely and smoothly and I found my suitcase remarkably quickly.
I emerged from arrivals and saw my full name on a white piece of paper.

Silly I know, but something I have always dreamed of.

Now I really did feel like a superstar…