This weekend I met up in secret with the 18 year old apprentice hunk from the office and we stayed inside a 5 star hotel suite all weekend having marathon sex together then we went back to work on Monday and pretended that we didn't know each. Our secret rendezvous has been going for months, and it all started at the Christmas party last year when we both had one too many. Initially, it was the occasional little 5 minute quickie in the cleaner cupboard in the office, then we stole an hour in the hotel next to the office after work, before we headed our separate ways back home. Recently I told my partner that I'm going on these weekend yoga retreats so hunk and I can spend the whole weekend together.
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
Sorry, 
Ok, let's start again.
This weekend I met my friend Susan from my university days which I hadn't seen for nearly four years and we went on a day out to a town called Tewkesbury together then had dinner before parting, not knowing when we'd see each other again. Susan lives in Hong Kong and she came to UK last week because her daughter is starting university this year. I said I'd meet her at Tewkesbury because that's the mid point for both of us, and it's a nice old medieval town.
We started the day walking along the River Avon, with the Severn Ham on one side and the idyllic countryside houses along the river on the other side. Just so everyone doesn't get too confused, "Ham" is an old Saxon word which meant bend in a river, flood plain or water meadow so Severn Ham is a big piece of green land next to River Severn which joins with River Avon here.
From the river side walk, we looped into the high street. This is the second time I've been to Tewkesbury and I really love how many of the buildings have remained its original character. There's a mix of medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings scattered across town, taking visitors on a historic journey through times.
One of the town's most famous feature is it's alleyway between buildings. In the old days there used to be over 90, now there are only around 30 left. Some are more famous and well kept than others, such as Fletcher's Alley which has it's own sign. It's quite a long alley way, very well maintained with houses on either side as I walk though.
Others have been assimilated into properties like this one which is now part of an old second hand book shop. Entrance is from the street through this alley way which has shelves of books all the way along.
The book shop used to be a pub. Gone are the barrels of beer, and replaced by books stacked from floor to ceiling in the three rooms. Book lovers will love the quirkiness of this place, rummaging through the shelves looking for gems.
And, if you love maps - for those who don't know or remember, these are physical pieces of paper you hold, not something on your mobile phone - you will be in heaven here. There were boxes full of them of different locations in UK, and the shop owner said they are UK's largest second hand map dealer. Some of these maps dates back to nearly 100 years ago. Susan and I rummaged through the boxes and were delighted to find one for the town of our alma mater, as well as for her daughter's university town and my home town.
I couldn't resist, and bought a 1946 edition one of my hometown, it just felt really cool to buy a bit of history for £3.50. The original price for the map was 3 shillings which is the old currency we used up till 1971. 3 shillings is worth £0.15.
On the way out, I saw this above the door. So very true.
We had a great day out, trying not to feel too old even though the next generation had started university. We reminisced what we were like when we started university ourselves, how we met, shared a house together with two other girls, met boyfriends and split with them (except one girl who's been with the same guy all these years), survived three years of fun and exams, graduated and all found a decent job in London, before going our own ways, and building our own families. After dinner, Susan and I parted, she and her daughter back to university, me and hubby back home, till the next university friends reunion.
