Scary rides and home cooking

On Saturday morning Hubby and I had a nice lie in and then headed off to Thorpe Park (a theme park in the UK, known for it's thrill rides). Today was going to be hubby's birthday treat (the actual day is on Wednesday, but I'm away on a course for Tues/Weds).

I'm not a huge fan of thrill rides - I like them if they don't go upside down, but anything going upside down absolutely terrifies me. Or rather, the thought of them does. I know rationally that they are perfectly safe, but it's the sheer terror that cripples me.

Thorpe Park used to have a couple of rides that I really enjoyed. Rollercoasters that didn't go upside down. They've gotten rid of them. Now virtually ever ride goes upside down or drops you, facing downwards from a great height.

There was one ride there that I still liked, but Hubby didn't, so we didn't go on it. As it was, I ended up going on one thing, which was pretty rubbish - it was the SAW Live Action Horror Maze. Which was basically wandering around a few themed rooms from the film (not seen the film), with live actors (teenagers) pretending to be murder victims, jumping out and scaring you. We all had to do a sort of conga through, so yes, pretty scary if you're at the front, but not so much if you're in the middle and know what's coming.

Hubby went on all the rollercoasters while I waited for him in the drizzly rain. He had a blast, which is the important thing, as it was his birthday treat. Whereas I just felt worse and worse about being such a complete wuss and not going on anything with him.

It was only when I was 22 that I actually went on anything scarier than a Ferris Wheel or Dodgems anyway, so it takes me a while to get my nerve up!

We were all done in about a couple of hours - luckily through work, we only have to pay 25% of the ticket price - otherwise there's no way I would have only gone on one thing - I would have ridden the kiddie rides to get my money's worth!!!

We got home and I wrapped birthday presents and dyed my hair and then we went out for a lovely lovely dinner at a small pub in a nearby village that we very nearly didn't find - and couldn't get a phone reception to call for directions either!! Still, we did get there, and we had a delicious meal out.

On Sunday, I did chores most of the day - I went to Tesco to use their recycling centre and finally managed to get rid of 177 plastic punnets and yoghurt pots that we have been saving for a good few months. Good that we now know where we can recycle them too! Then I got to Costco to pick up a few essentials for the coming weeks - chicken, beef, cat food and litter etc. Then it was off to Sainsbury's to fill up my car - and get Nectar points. Then on to Asda for our proper weekly shop. I got home at about 1 after all that! Hubby had gone into town to get himself some new clothes so I had a sit down for half an hout and then baked him a birthday cake. I had just managed to get it iced and everything tidied away when he got home.

We made home made popcorn (thanks to a great popcorn and seasoning kit we got at Williams Sonoma) and watched 24. Then we made a great salad and delicious home made pizzas and more 24. All caught up now.

He loved the birthday cake... and I have stuck some cards in the post for him to open on the day... now just to hide some presents away and get him to "find" them on Weds.

All in all, a pretty perfect weekend. I can highly recommend The Bricklayers Arms in Flaunden in the Chilterns!! Delicious!