My Weekend in Wolvo

Okay so Wolverhampton is not everyone's destination of choice for a weekend away, but I was up there visiting family not on holiday!
When my Mom asked me to go initially, I wasn't sure since i hate travelling, my Auntie doesn't have Sky and, most importantly, Torquay were playing at home. Literally, i can't remember the last time i missed a home game but i hadn't been to the Midlands for years, so decided to go.

Friday was spent packing then straight after school we had the dentist. Traffic was horrendous so it took 45 minutes just to get to Torquay! Still managed a quick cuppa at home before Mom picked us up though.

My Mom has a suburu so with my brother's uni stuff in the boot had to put our luggage by our feet. No idea how i squeezed both our clothes etc in a rucksack! Me, littlun and my niece resembled Sardines crammed in the back seat.

Long journeys bore me to death so i occupied myself tweeting and listening to The Saw Doctors. Only me and my babe sang along though which i found utterly unacceptable! Haha.

Mom practically had to crowbar us out at the services but it was well worth it as we crossed the bridge and got KFC. The service wasn't brilliant and we got rained on but i made the sacrifice for a Toasted Twister Meal. So yummy.

My relief arriving at my Auntie's with our circulation intact was short-lived. In her 9 year old wisdom, my lovely niece thought it would be a good idea to put an open juice carton and sticky sweets in the bag with our coats. It was a right mess plus she'd left sweet wrappers and junk in the car. Littlun got the blame for that too which set me off because it had nothing to do with her.
Superb start to the weekend!

Saturday didn't start well. The only cereal in the house was those pathetic little boxes which are totally pointless and my partner called saying the electric key wouldn't work. While i was telling him to call EDF, Mom was going on that she was ready to go out. In the end i told them i couldn't do everything at once and burst into tears!
It's weird really because I'm not a crier. It was only 8.30 though and i hadn't even had chance to brush my teeth or have a cup of tea.

Finally i made it out the door and we went to Hooty's. Somehow i managed to spend £52 in there. Oh well, i have a new ted and a travel pillow!! Next stop Sainsburys in Bentley Bridge. It was dead quiet. All i can think is it isn't as popular up there because there are so many other supermarkets to choose from.
Don't worry, i made sure to buy a big box of Frosties and got a free bowl - bonus!

Littlun insisted on pointing out all the people in Wolves shirts as if it made no sense they would be there. Meanwhile she's walking around in her Torquay away shirt. What else would you expect someone to wear in Wolverhampton!! Geography is clearly beyond her comprehension.

My Auntie was at a line dancing social event at Tamworth Castle, so after munching mini pizza and chips for lunch, Mom decided to drag us to that. My brother got to stay behind which hardly seems fair.

Meanwhile, i made a call to EDF and arranged for a replacement key to be picked up from Co-op. Called Mark with the reference number but he was at the footie so told him to ask his mum to collect it. He would still have to slot it in our machine to register before he could top it up though. To be fair it seems like a right hassle but that was the best i could do hundreds of miles away!

Anyway we set off out again with no idea how to get there. The whole experience was traumatic. First of all the SatNav took us on the M6 toll, so we had to scrabble around for change, then Mom missed the exit on a roundabout. Unlike a normal person, who would go around and try again, my Mom thought it would be better to cut across 2 lanes of traffic! We still missed it and i think i may have screamed a little!

The afternoon was pretty pleasant when we finally made it. The kids joined in so i sat in the sun trying to keep track of the action at Plainmoor. Torquay drew but, typically, i missed an absolute goal fest as it finished 3-3. For future reference, Mark's goal updates are rubbish!

Thankfully we avoided the toll on the way back.

Just about gulped down a cuppa before heading out to Mom's cousin's daughter's 11th birthday party. Our family is very close so it isn't as distant and complicated as it sounds.
Supplying me with vodka and coke was a bad idea. I posted on my partner's Facebook how much i loved him and nearly broke the lights playing Just Dance on the Wii. Of course me and littlun destroyed everyone on that.

We arrived home about 1am I'm told. I vaguely recall putting arnica cream on my child's bottom  where she'd fallen off the trampoline, but the rest is a blur. Shame on me!

Amazingly i felt no worse for wear the next morning, despite having to be up insanely early.
The journey to Wales wasn't too bad, apart from one place where the skyline was full of factory chimneys. They were all pumping out steam or smoke that smelt terrible. It cannot be good for the locals breathing that in every day.

Funnily enough it rained the whole time we were in Wales. By the time we reached Bangor it was torrential. My brother's peer mentor was great though and met us to tell us where to go to get keys etc and there were loads of helpers around if you needed them.
When i went to uni we were just left to our own devices so i think it's really nice that Bangor offered so much support to the freshers.

So his hall is called Reichel which is pronounced with a phlegmy sound in the middle. To be fair the whole place looked really lovely. Once I'd helped him connect his laptop to ResNet we left. Then came back as he had left a bag in the car! Haha.

Yes, i blubbed, don't judge me. It's hard knowing i won't see him until New Year now.

All of us were hungry and thirsty so we drove through MacDonalds. With my Mom's erratic driving, it was a mistake to order tea since it ended up sloshing onto my lap. Some places are too delicate to be scalded. Not a fun experience for me.

The scenic route back through the mountains was beautiful. The girls had fun spotting the waterfalls and sheep. The lack of radio or phone reception was an issue though. I couldn't even go to sleep like the children because i needed to keep Mom company.

As was the theme of the weekend, we packed the car at my Auntie's, had a drink then left for home.

Don't get me wrong, it was wonderful to catch up with family and to see my younger brother off to uni, but i was seriously relieved to see the Devon sign. It sounds silly but you can almost smell the air getting cleaner as you drive south of Bristol.

On a parting note, the littlun seemed to be the most excited by the football grounds she'd seen. We may not have gone in any but we passed the homes of Wolves, Walsall (The surrounding area did not look appealing there.), Bilston, Bangor, Shrewsbury (Totally in the middle of nowhere!) and Villa.

We still love Plainmoor the best though. :)