It was decided that today was the day for running around like a lunatic, talking to myself and ensuring every item on every list that had been created over the last few weeks was bought and ready for packing or had been posted as appropriate.
With all the photocopies collated and ready for distribution I still had several items to purchase and forms to complete, tickets to collect and belongings to store, a delivery to be made, all this before 7 o'clock when Ian and I were being treated to a fine meal at Colleys Supper Rooms in Reading by Mum and Dad.
We arrived at the supper rooms late, as expected, and I was still ticking off lists in my head until we began with the Hors d'Oeuvres. A little advice was offered by Mum, a regular, suggesting that we might want to just try each dish without loading the plate as there were six more courses to follow...
The Hors d'Oeuvres were incredible, even the anchovies, and they were followed by soup, which in turn was followed by the Entree, and then the sorbet. All four courses so far were delightful and I was amazed at how much I had eaten at this point, certainly assisted by the perfect timing of each course. After a short wait our fifth course arrived and I began to feel full as I tucked in. This was the first plate I failed to clear thus ensuring adequate room for one of the delicious sweet offerings paraded around the supper rooms as temptation. With my sixth course devoured I ended with a cup of tea and a taste of cheese and biscuits before receiving a truffle as a final offering.
We were truly spoilt this evening and treated as royalty.
Mum and Dad graced me with a couple of gifts before we departed and I shall, with slight reluctance, share one of them with you. A small gift wrapped parcel was passed to me with a note attached, reading:
If you ever feel homesick just read this and you will realise what homesick really means!
I immediately guessed the contents of the wrapped parcel and carefully opened it. Inside was a photocopy of a letter sent home from my first residential trip away from home when I was just 12 years old. It read:
4th February 1989
Dear Mum, Dad, Matthew, Snowy,
I am only on the second
night, first day and it's not all that
brilliant. I wanted to come home really eagerly and I still
do!
The foods awful and I hardly eat
anything at all. The
weekend organizers name is 'Dena' and I don't like her very much.
I shall be glad when the week is over!
Tomorrow I go orienteering and I also
go on a treasure hunt.
I bet I shan't win!
I've been crying every day so far and
I know I still will be by
Thursday! Even before we got on the coach I was crying and I'm
sure Dad told you about that.
I was going to phone you up and ask
you to come and pick
me up but the teacher wouldn't let me! It's so awful!
I've still got another five days to
go and I don't think I will
last that long.
Don't worry about the money because I
know that I won't be
going next year.
The good news is that I just found
out that we have walked
the furthest distance and we don't have to do that again. The
distance that we walked was 12 miles, up and down waterfalls
and everything. We walked up the sugar loaf mountain during
the walk. The height of the sugar loaf is 335m but we only walked
85m because Tirabad is already 250m above water level.
I got soaked during this
walk and I didn't enjoy it either
because I am very, very home-sick.
All my friends are supporting me but
I still cry ever such a
lot!
I am not enjoying it at all but don't
worry.
I hate it here and I can't wait to
get back!
See you soon, (I hope)
Lots and lots of love
from Helen.
xxxx
P.S. I hate it and I
can't wait to get back!
P.P.S. I got here safely.
xxxx
Would you believe I did return the following year? I really did! Obviously I couldn't read this without a tear in my eye from laughing so hard! To this day I still remember that feeling...and I will fondly think back on this evening should I feel homesick in the coming months. Thank you Mum and Dad, you're the best.
Copyright 2002 Helen Fuller. All rights reserved.