#longtings = #goodtings

Ever had one of those days when you’re ready to collapse on the sofa as soon as you get home? Try having one of those weeks.

The last 14 days have probably been the busiest of my life. I’ve been exhausted, kidnapped, flown across Europe, blindfolded, put on a boat, wined and dined, tricked, and all on separate occasions, and even in different countries and cities. To say it’s been hectic is just funny. But, I wouldn’t have changed a minute of it.

It started when the deadlines for the month were over. That’s when you know it’s time to party. Thursday 24 April I let my hair down as I rocked my way to the O2 to see McBusted live. Boy was that a treat. Along with my sister and her friend, we strung our air-guitars to the likes of Air Hostess, Star Girl and Obviously after some cocktails and a Mexican dinner.

If that wasn’t enough, the following day a friend and I checked out the latest Google Glass which was crazy. It was like having a little computer screen in front of you, but not. You could talk to the glasses, tap them, stroke them and move your head about as if you were a robot (or maybe that was just me). All in the name of work, ay. After a couple of hours too long playing with the gadgets, it was time to rush to The Grange Hotel in St Pauls for the first ever National UK Blog Awards. There wasn’t any time to rest as I bit my nails, networked, wished everyone luck with lots of whoops, ended up winning my award, tripped up on the way to the stage, and had the biggest cheesiest grin ever.

I danced my way to the exit for an early night because I had to be up to catch a plane to Amsterdam in a few hours. Thirsty for some water (after sipping a little too much) my friend and I couldn’t find any shops open to buy a drink. We looked through the goody bags we got from the awards for something to drink and found some cocktail mixers (aka pure thick sugar). Beggars can’t be choosers when you’re thirsty. We looked at each other, shrugged, and started downing the liquid sugar.

On a sugar rush and me just being me, I packed my suitcase five minutes before I hopped on the train to the airport in the morning. When I arrived in Amsterdam I was blown over by the beauty of the city. The rivers, the buildings, the food, the weather, the roads, the boobies, yes the boobies, and just the general feel of Amsterdam.

I was lucky enough to visit on King Day where everything and everyone is painted orange, even the dogs, and I spent the afternoon on a boat down the canal being wined and dined. After a couple of hours we were taken to the biggest venue in Amsterdam where the party continued until the early hours of the morning in the form of what some people call a rave.

Oh yes. I raved. I’m cool.

Lucky to catch my plane home that Sunday morning at 7am, I flew back the UK, went into work for a couple of hours (no rest for the wicked) and I was picked up by my partner for us to venture onto Wales to see the amazing Derren Brown.

I’ve mentioned in an earlier post about my dilemma with Mr Brown, and thought there was some crazy curse upon me that wouldn’t let me see him live. But it ended up that I broke the curse! (There probably wasn’t even one) but still, we got to see him live in Cardiff, after yet some more cocktails. This time I tried my first coffee-flavoured cocktail. Tremendous.

Sadly the trip to Wales in our hut was short-lived as I had to be back on the road for a couple of days in Brighton for my work’s AGM. Now, to say the company I work for is normal, is again, just funny. My boss set the tone for the AGM this year when he decided to blindfold us all, shove us into cabs, drop us off in groups outside of Brighton and we somehow had to find our way back with a tenner between us and a bag of water and biscuits. It certainly differed to last year’s AGM where we ran around Brighton a scavenger hunt!

I was in fact in the losing team who found our way back after 3-4 hours, while everyone else returned in little under an hour. There was an incident with a dog walker, a bus and a pub, but it was all in good fun. Especially the part where we had to swim in the cold Brighton sea. That was fun.

After an exhausting couple of weeks, nothing felt better than when I came home, collapsed on bed my bed and shnuggled next to the one and only, Mr Frodo. He makes everything better.

Following all of that, I’ve realised that yes I need to learn to say no to a few things (especially when I’m on deadline) BUT, then I wouldn’t be able to experience the things I’ve had the opportunity to recently. I’m lucky and need to remember that. So please, next time I sigh really loudly and say “#longtings” – slap me round the face…or just nudge me (!) so I remember that I’m grateful.