My First Bet at the Races AND McFly Gig

Last weekend was a double whammy for firsts. My girlfriends and I went to Market Rasen Racecourse to watch some horseys run and jump. I also got to see one of all time favourite bands, McFly.

Now, if you’ve read My First Watch of War Horse you will know I’m not a very big fan of horses. But I was a good distance from them and they looked beautiful going around the Parade Ring. One in particular caught my eye. It was a  huge grey horse with a beautifully plaited mane and tail. It was stunning. As I knew very little about horse racing and how to pick a winner, I thought I would go with what I liked. So, I went to the man at the booth and saw that the horse I liked was called Silver Dragon. What a name! A beautiful horse, a fantastic name, but one problem: its odds was 25/1 in a 5 horse race. No else reckoned it was going to win. I ummed and ahhed for a minute but went with my instinct and bet £2 each way on him. Well…let’s just say my instinct didn’t prevail. Silver Dragon was trailing in last place for the whole race. Not my finest moment. It dampened my spirits until the final race. This race had a horse in it called Hannah’s Princess. My friend Hannah was with us but refused to bet. So, me and a couple of others bet on it as we felt it had special significance and was a good sign. She was in third out of five for most of the race. We had our whole group screaming for Hannah’s Princess and I think that she heard us as she pulled ahead. Leading the way of the finish line my friends and I were jumping and hugging each other with joy! I won a whole £3.50! I know, I’m a big spender! It was such a good high to end on though. I was really chuffed.

The second half of the day was just as exciting for me. I have loved McFly since they started 10 years ago. When they came on stage, I felt just like my eleven year old self. I knew all of the words to all of the songs and even had a little dance. We didn’t joining the twelve year olds crowding the front of the stage, but we could hear and see McFly from where we were. In addition, they were so funny. They are real entertainers and I just want to see them again and again. I want a miniature version to keep in my pocket, so I can pull them at and ask them to sing to me if I’m feeling down.

It was a perfect evening to spend with friends. I think I need to learn more about picking winners before I go again though…

My First 30 Day Fitness Challenges

The other day I was at the pub and one of my friends was telling me how she had started the 30 ab challenge that day after recommendation from her sister. I wanted to get in shape after a summer of indulging too much and thought this was a good start. So, I went on 30dayfitnesschallenges.com and found the calendar of exercises. I decided to do the 30 day squat challenge and 30 day ab challenge, I want abs and buns of steel (or at least firmer than jelly).

Today was my actually my fifth day of the challenges. I’m finding the abdominal exercises fair so far. My muscles ached a little afterwards, but its not painful. The squat challenge on the other hand is killing my ass, literally it feels. I had to do 70 squats today. Now, to the fitness  fanatic that might not seem like a lot, but I can tell you for the everyday person that is 70 too many. Stairs are a struggle. I wince with every step. Only 25 more days to go! Wish me luck.

My First Festival

I disappeared last week to volunteer at Leeds Festival. My goodness, what a few days it was. Mad, muddy and music filled. This is going to be a long post, but I will try and summarise and break it down as best as I can.

Firstly, festivals are gag reflex inducing. Don’t get me wrong, people go for the music and to meet new people. However, there are so many revolting repercussions as a result of the event. Let’s start with the showers. They are disgusting and very few of them, so the campers just don’t care about their personal hygiene, and it’s perfectly acceptable because everyone’s smelling like a badgers backside. Personally, as I was a crew member, we got slightly better showers and more accessible for us so I got a couple of showers; my sister took one everyday. But even these were grim. Drains were blocked with god knows what (some were found to be blocked with used tampons, boxer shorts and condoms). I do still worry what bacteria I have on my feet even after three showers at home. Sticking the personal hygiene theme, the toilets were questionable. Some involved you peeing straight into a hole in the ground, however the crew ones were proper portaloos. Now I understand going to the toilet is perfectly natural, but I tried not to keep too hydrated so I didn’t haven’t to go to the cubicles that made you want to throw up. On a regular occurrence you would have to check 4 to 5 toilets to find a clean one because people POO ON THE SEAT! People cannot aim their faeces into hole. Disgusting. Don’t even get me started on people’s attire! It is not acceptable to walk around in your bra, thong and UV paint. And that’s just the boys.

As a volunteer, I was supposed to be in a campsite assistant team (CATs). However, when we arrived, my sister and I were told we would be TowerCATs. We later found out this meant we were Fire Marshals. We had next to no training and were told we had to stand at the top of a piece of rickety scaffolding and look out for fires. Two key issues with this were a) Neither of us liked heights and b) 2 out of the 3 shifts we worked it was chucking it down with rain, so little chance of fires and didn’t fancy a vertical climb on a metal frame in a thunderstorm.   This being said, our final shift was very fun. It was the final day the sun was beating down and we were forcing the campers out. Now, some silly billies decided it would be fun to set the stuff they leave behind on fire. Tents on fire, I can safely say will never be a Yankee Candle flavour. Me and my sister thoroughly enjoyed going around with our water filled backpacks looking like ghostbusters. We felt we finally deserved the title Fire Marshal.

Finally, the MUSIC! The primary reason I went. There were so many firsts here, but I’ll just let you know my favourites.
1) Fall Out Boy were immense. They could have easily headlined. Everyone in the crowd knew at least one of their songs. I sang along to their whole set. I cannot express how ecstatic I was to finally see one of my favourite bands
2) Biffy Clyro headlined Friday. The shirtless hairy scots embraced the awful weather as did the audience. A neighbour on my campsite perfectly summed up the set for me, she said “The rain made it poetic. It made the words of their songs have a deeper meaning that I had never thought of before. ”
3) Imagine Dragons weren’t on the main stage but they still drew in the crowds at the NME stage. They knew how to perform; how to get the crowd built up and how to settle them. It sounded identical to the record, and I know they’ve got so much more to give.
4) I have to give Eminem a mention. Although I am not an avid fan, I have followed his music so I knew a few of the tracks. The place was filled with guys reminiscing about their teenage years singing along to the Real Slim Shady. I was a little disappointed that he used a voice track to help him out, so it almost looked like he was miming, but then I remembered he is ageing a bit. He probably can’t catch his breath so easily nowadays, especially when rapping so fast. The best moment for me was actually when Dido came out to join him for Stan. He didn’t use a voice track then, and I appreciated and enjoyed that much more. Despite some minor flaws, I was pretty chuffed to be privileged to see Eminem live, and for free!

Lastly, little shoutout to the Great British summer weather. Thanks for pissing it down, making my tent leak, making me think I was going to get hypothermia, and leaving the whole of Leeds Festival a mud bath. Despite having a face like a slapped arse when it poured, when the sun came out the mud was embraced and all the miserable times will be forgotten when I apply to do it again next year.

My First Watch of War Horse

I’m going to go right out there and say it. I cried. Bawled like a baby. Sad bits and happy bits. The whole film. About a horse. That’s right, I cried over a horse. Now I am not a horse person. Don’t get me wrong, I love animals and horses are beautiful . But also a little scary, with their giant mouths containing giant teeth. Not to mention their hooves that can crush you on one stomp (small exaggeration there). Alas, I cried over a horse.
I don’t how familiar you are with the popular Michael Morpurgo story of War Horse, but in summary it is about a horse in the war. I was drawn in with each mini story as the horse encountered different people and their own struggles during WWI.  You get rather emotionally attached. Spielberg really know how to pull on your heart strings. The horses were the best actors in the film by far. I’m not saying the other actors were bad, they were brilliant. However, I think that just emphasizes how good these horses were. How do you train a horse to lift its head in a certain way on command? Absolutely incredible. Yet, they weren’t even mentioned in the credits! My Dad and I watched the credits twice. Yes, twice. That’s a lot of names across a black screen. Not a word of who played the beloved war horse, Joey, anywhere. I felt a little bit of anger rise up at this point. That horse deserved an Oscar! Ok, exaggerating again, but that horse deserved more credit as the main character than German Soldier # 3.
I would like to say here, thank you to the horse that played Joey. You were amazing and I would love to see your next film. I now see horses in a new light. And will try to love them more.

My First Bulmers Bold Black Cherry

Bulmers is a lovely British cider that I tend to buy in bulk over the summer. I find cider a sociable drink. And I don’t mean it makes friends easily, more that its easy to drink with friends. Original is always a classic. It’s like alcoholic apple juice. Not a huge fan of the pear one, but then again don’t like eating a pear normally, so I’m putting my dislike don’t to that. Absolutely LOVED the Crushed Red Berries and Lime version they added to the line up a couple of years ago. It’s like drinking fruit juice that gets you merry. Bulmers have recently added a couple more to their collection, Bold Black Cherry and Pressed Red Grape. I took Bold Black Cherry to a BBQ last night to test out. I did not regret my choice. I thought it would be heavier than the berry and lime one due to its imposing name, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought, as it was still just as refreshing. Bold made me think I was going to be hit in the face with a strong personality that you may want to avoid next time, but instead it stood out from the crowd like a large font. In my ranking of Bulmers ciders, this has just shot to the top. Well done Bulmers. I feel good to be British.

My First Listen to Hadouken!

I’m going to Leeds festival next week and was scrolling through the line up and I saw the name Hadouken! Not going to lie, I had never heard of them before. Their name seemed interesting and intriguing. I think the exclamation mark really got to me. Plus, I have no idea how to pronounce the name yet. Anyway, I did what I always do when I don’t know something, I googled it. It turns out they are quite original. Their music is a giant mash up of indie, electronica, grime and god knows what else. Normally, I’d only like this kind of music when I go out. I prefer listening to quite mellow, even melancholy music at home. But Hadouken! were great. Something about it just put a smile on my face. I love it. They’ve been around for a while now, how I’ve missed out for so long I don’t know. I really can’t wait to see them now. I’m sure their set will get everyone excited and loving life. I definitely recommend a listen. They may not be to everyone’s taste, but from the genre’s they cover, there’s a good chance you’ll like them too.

My First Meal at the Red Lion in Redbourne

The Red Lion is a restaurant pub in the North Lincolnshire village of Redbourne. I was expecting good things as my sister and her fiancé go there regularly for a meal out, and she had requested it for her family birthday meal. So off we went. It looked good. Standard cute English pub. We walked in and it looked busy which I like because it means it’s popular, so must have good food and service.
The waitress that took our order was friendly, bubbly and generally loveable. However, she failed to tell us we would have to wait half an hour for our food, which we had tried to avoid by not ordered a particular dish that took a minimum of 30 minutes to cook. Having said that, it gave us time for conversation and a catch up. My stomach growls just interrupted us a lot. Then the food came. This was when I realised I had made a mistake that I had not ordered last. When I go out for a meal with a large group, I tend to ask around the table to see what everyone else is having and base my decision off that. The reason being I get terrible food envy if someone else’s food looks better than mine. My sister’s fiancé ordered a chicken tikka masala, which came with enough rice, chips AND naan bread to feed an army. I got handed a plate with a pork belly slice with a bit of BBQ sauce and cheese on top. My mum had the same. My older sister had a plateful of gammon, egg and salad. My younger sister had a giant burger and mountain of chips. My dad had a bit of fish with some rubbery prawns on top. The waitress that brought the food seemed to have a scowl painted on her face (not the same woman from earlier). She thrust some bowls of chips and salad on the table (presumably for some of us to share, as she hadn’t told us protocol), then told us to enjoy our meal. I yelled after her that my dad was supposed to have new potatoes with his meal, at which she looked confused then said she’d go get some. She came back with 5 half potatoes in a bowl. No dressing or herbs, no nothing. No one came to check if our meal was ok, and thank god as I would have complained. The food wasn’t bad, just inconsistent. It was better than I’d cook for myself that’s for sure, but I expect better service in a restaurant. Maybe I’d set my expectations to high for the little place. The food was yummy, the service was not tipped. I think it is lovely for a drink with its beer garden and cosy atmosphere inside. But for a meal, I think I’d rather go to Nandos.

My First Irish Cream Flavoured Ice Cream

I love ice cream, especially on a sunny day. 8th August was a very sunny day, so I went to my usual place. Daisy Made Farm is in Skellingthorpe on the outskirts of Lincoln. This family run business makes various flavoured ice creams to tickle everyone’s taste buds. During the Summer, I feel I become quite a regular here. The beautiful farm setting with a little entertainment for children (or big kids like me). I love stroking the goats (not a euphemism) and playing crazy golf (beat my boyfriend by 11 points). Today, I moved away from my usual fruity flavours in favour of Irish Cream. And oh my goodness…I took my first lick and it was like Bailey’s on a cone. Incredible. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the liqueur.  How they get flavouring into the ice cream is beyond me. Frankly ,I don’t need to know. It tastes amazing and I will definitely have it again. Also, to people who live in Lincolnshire or simply passing through, I would recommend the place in general. Daisy Made is a great meeting place whether its a date, friendly get-together or a little family time. It’s a wonderful spot and shows Lincolnshire at its best.

My First Pandora Bracelet

I got a Pandora bracelet for my 21st,  but it needed to get resized for my chubby wrists. But, today (7th August) was my first day I could wear it! I don’t really own fancy jewellery, so I felt special. I love it and each time I look at my wrist it reminds me of my family. I can’t wait to get more charms to go on it. I currently have a purple glass bead (my favourite colour) and a silver gift with pink enamel ribbon. My parents also got me safety chain, which basically means it’s more difficult for it to slip off my wrist for me to break or lose. I would like to point out that neither my older or younger sister have a safety chain on their Pandora bracelets. After, a few seconds of being a little miffed at their mistrust in me, I remembered I am the clumsy one in the family. However, I appreciate the beauty and sentiment nonetheless. I am very happy and feel very special.

My First Trip to Doddington Hall

Doddington Hall is a country house on the outskirts of Lincoln, in Lincolnshire (my hometown). I have often heard it’s name but had never ventured there so I thought now was a good time to investigate. Despite being an occupied family home, they are kind enough to open up this historic estate to the public. However… my boyfriend and I failed to look at the opening times or days. It turns out it is only open on Wednesdays and Sundays and Bank holidays, so Tuesday 6th August was a bad day for this first visit. Fortunately, there was a walled garden open. This contained vegetable plots as it was located nearest the kitchen, rather handy when you want some fresh runner beans. From here, we could easily see the grandeur of the house. I couldn’t help kicking myself for not checking opening times earlier. It was a beautiful and I would like to return to see the interior. One reason being that I quite enjoy history, another being I love being nosy looking around rich people’s houses. A bit of a disappointing trip to be honest, but that was due to my incompetency not because Doddington Hall lacked character and intrigue. I shall return!