So there we have it. I told Christine about booking a break in the Lakes and she quickly gets excited and says “Brilliant, I have never been to the Italian Lakes, is it Lake Garda, Lake Como, Lake Maggiore, I need to go shopping, I have nothing wear”. I get that deja vu feeling all over again and ask her if she has been talking to Kev.


If you are keeping up with the blog you may have some vague idea what I am on about if not then you need to start reading, from session one would be a good.


She’s a bit confused now and asks me why she should be talking to Kev about our trip to Italy, “is he coming with us, it is our ‘diamond’ wedding anniversary you know” and suggests it would be nice to be just the two of us. Now were both confused, up to this point I hadn’t thought about Kev coming with us but as I have said many times you can get too much of a ‘we’ thing and if Kev was along at least I could slope off quite regularly for a pint or so while Christine busies herself with the dozens of bottles of potions and creams etc that will no doubt take over the hotel bedroom.


But realistically it is our ruby wedding anniversary so I think it should be just the two of us so I will have to break the news to Kev that can’t come along. I bet that’s a relief for him.


So I now only have the problem of explaining to Christine that we are not going to the Italian Lakes but to the Lake District in Cumbria without trying to look like a cheapskate. I decide that the best way is to mention the other places I looked at and explain why I chose the Lakes that way it shows that I did put some thought into where we should go. I explained that Paris should be in the springtime and Christine agreed. Travelling to the US made New York difficult at this time but we could look at that next year and Christine agreed. Shopping in Barcelona was interesting but not at the moment, “Christmas maybe” she says. Christine agreed that trains were definitely a no no so the orient express was happily left off.


This was going too well, the Italian Lakes, according to Christine would be good sometime but with our trip to the Bahamas coming up soon, a few days in the Lake District was ideal. Bingo! I got it right and saved some dosh into the deal as well, I wander off to some more decorating on a bit of a high with myself.


Ten minutes later Christine walks up with, if I’m not mistaken something that looks like a Black Book in her hand. I take a double look, it’s actually a large diary for next year that looks like a black book. Now I am totally confused it looks like we are going to do some planning and maybe make so lists of things to do, I am not sure I can cope.


“We can fit Barcelona in during November” says Christine “it will be excellent for Christmas shopping, what dates shall we go”. Hang on, I didn’t say we were going there as well as the Lake District. “New York can be visited on the way back from Alex’s next year” says Christine “do we need three nights or four, I’ll find a hotel”. Hang on I didn’t say ..........! “Paris in April I think” she says “what dates? I need to get them in the book” Hang on I didn’t.............................! “We may need to put the Italian Lakes off till next September, that’s the first window in the book”. Hang on etc.


I’ve had enough, I can’t take anymore, Christine with a diary or black book if you like making plans and writing them down, it’s just too much. I suggest that I’m a bit busy at the moment and maybe we should look at these plans later. Christine takes her diary away with her saying something about a planning meeting over afternoon tea. Apparently we need to make the plans as she is very busy organising all the finishing touches to the newly decorated rooms.


I don’t suppose a guys weekend is possible with just me and Kev in the Lakes, it couldn’t happen, could it? It would give Christine more time to organise her room ‘dressings’. No, it couldn’t happen! I'll just give him a ring to see if he’s free.