Paul O'Grady

As some of you noticed I deleted my entry about him last night.

I got an email last night from the TV company, and it said that Paul would not be doing any shows because he had a week off and that various guest presenters would be covering him.  The email didn't come until 10.30ish and I thought omigod, how could they let me know so late.  Poor Audrey over the road who I was going with was fast asleep and I was really dreading having to tell her that she would not be seeing her beloved Paul O'Grady after all the excitement and anticpation over the last few weeks.  She has not been well either and then her brother in law has taken ill, so its been up and down whether it would be ok for her to come anyway.  I knew she really wanted to go as he is her idol although it seemed like all the elements were conspiring against it.  But  ... when I last spoke to her last night, she was raring to go, had got her hair done and had planned her ensemble!  We had made our arrangements final and we were leaving early, so we could fit in loads of other things too as she hasn't had a trip up to London for quite a long time.

So, I sent a terrible email to the TV company, ranting and raving that we had been looking forward to it, how could they not let us know earlier, that my friend would be so terribly upset etc, etc.  I then sent my sister an email carrying on and also I then posted an entry on my journal ranting on and on!  My husband refused to speak to me any more about it as I was being boring - ooooh!!

Then .... I looked at the email again and then checked my tickets ... the dates they were talking about were next week.  Well my hot flush faded as quickly as it had come.  We were safe  ... it was next week that he wouldn't be there so we would see him after all.  Husband's comment was "silly cow".  I was past being upset by name calling though. 

I hastily deleted my entry with very red cheeks and then sent an email to my sister ... oh what a embarrassing moment, eh!  I then sent a really grovelling email to the TV company but checked the tickets and saw they had no numbers or anything to identify me personally, otherwise I think they would have said "stop that woman", she can't come in.

After all the excitement, I couldn't get to sleep so sat up until 1 a.m. and boy have I suffered today because I had to get up at 6.30 to get the kids organised for school.

And did we enjoy Paul O'Grady.  Not 'alf!  Audrey even managed to get his attention by waving her Liverpool Scarf in the break and he blew her a kiss, he made her a very happy woman. 

She did marvellously today - we have been to Oxford Street where she bought some new clothes from BHS and then had a little make over with make up in Debenhams. 

We then had coffees from a small cafe in a little side street off Oxford Street where they had the cheek to try to charge us a discretionary service charge of 10% (making the cost of two coffees almost £6 and the waitress said we had to pay it when we refused!  I pointed out the word discretionary and she didn't seem to understand it!  Then she got her revenge as she didn't bring the sugar I had asked for!! The ladies on the next table took the charge off too, we almost caused a mini revolution!  The other ladies gave me their sugar, so I was happy in the end.  Did we pay the charge, NO!  I would have probably given a tip if it wasn't forced on me. Hmmphh.  Audrey made me giggle when she asked those ladies if they were going to see Paul O'Grady too! 

We then took a taxi to Covent Garden as I thought it best to give Audrey a bit of a break from the steps in the underground but it was a bit of a problem getting her in and out of the taxi.  I never thought but if you are a bit stiff they are really hard to get in and out of.

We had a lovely meal at Maxwells, my favourite restaurant there.  We had seats outside and people watched.  We had a lovely waiter, who couldn't have been more pleasant and sweet to us and he was rewarded with a very nice tip.  See we are not that bad really.

We had a little wander round and I was surprised that not many entertainers were about, only a few jugglers and people pretending to be statues.  Even the little market that is normally full of bric a brack was full of punky things but I was pleased to find a little red and black jumper amongst them which I knew Rosie would love (she is a Beano fan).

We then made our way back to Covent Garden Tube.  Audrey was full steam ahead after her lovely meal and rest.  We decided to get off at Shepherds Bush Tube Station and to walk around to the Television Studios near White City Tube Stn.  We had a pleasant walk, stopping in a charity shop on the way!

We got to the TV Centre about an hour earlier and I was surprised to see a massive queue. It seemed we were the last ones there for a while and I wondered how long all these people had been queuing?  I was shocked that we only just managed to get in.  Some people were told they couldn't come in as the capacity audience had been reached.  I felt so sorry for them but when I checked the back of the ticket I realise they had covered themselves for the event of there being too many people.  So the golden rule is get there very early if you are going to one of these shows.  Apparently they want a full audience and always send out more tickets than seats in the studio, so there are always some disappointed people. 

Jade Goodey was on the show and I like her so was very pleased to see her.  She looked absolutely stunning, she is really pretty.  She has a cute new hairstyle and is really slim although she still has big boobs. I watched Jade's PA programme the other night and she really has lost a massive amount of weight.

There was also a chap on that does something called River Cottage and was talking about eating animals testicles but I found him very boring and could feel myself nodding a bit! 

Paul O'Grady was charming and he is a complete professional and I really enjoyed the show.  He has a sweet little dog who was on earlier in the show and it was wagging its tail enjoying itself.  I can't imagine my dog liking being on there when everyone claps and makes a noise.  He would be really frightened.  As I had never seen the show before I didn't even know how long it was going to go on for but I think we were there for almost 2 hours.  I also think the show went out live today so if anyone saw us we were sitting at the back of the audience.  I think Audrey waved her scarf around a few times and she looked very glam with her new make over!

We were really lucky getting home.  One tube to Liverpool Street and straight onto a train back home.  We were both back indoors with our feet up by 7.40 which is not bad going as we left the TV Studio at 6.15!

Anyway, off to rest now.  Next time I get an email from anyone about something I am going to do I will check the date carefully before I scream.

Catch you later.

Terry