Ready for the next chapter..... it's been emotional

Soooooo my first post in quite a while which I’m super sorry for (bad blogger!)…..it’s been one hell of journey this tour! I had to take a bit of time out as my life went a bit crazy and I had forgotten what the term sleep was!

Where to start or end as this will be my last post on this blog!

He asked and I said yes: enter massive life changes! I own a matching plate set, I have an engagement ring, I now drink real coffee and have one of those posh things that you put said real coffee in! Oh and I have resigned from my job at the Royal Society of Chemistry, put my house up for rent, I have a new garden fence, accepted a wonderful new job in Oxford, moving in with my super cool Auntie who is from South American iso n my head by the time I move into the Fit one’s and my house in December I will be fluent in Spanish (clearly!) I have some hunter wellies ready for the Cotswolds and I have cried many a tears at leaving my lovely friend’s, colleague’s and family but also snotty happy tears at the amazing new adventure I am about to begin!
 

Now R&R – that’s right everyone he came home! But in the lead up to that:

So you say you want a Rugby ball in Afghan because you miss touching balls (RUGBY balls!) and could I get you one…..from this I tweeted a few clubs and then before I knew it ABF Soldiers charity had pulled some strings with the super cool London Irish and we had an invite to go and collect a rugby ball from them on the pitch… at half time…..of a real rugby match! Q Pappa Peace hovering around me with puppy dog eyes…..YES YES I have a ticket for you to (secretly needed him to take me as I was pretty confident my driving ability would not have got me there!) Pops turned up looking like a football manager – “alright Harry Rednap!” When we arrived we parked outside the stadium by the director’s space??? Not illegally we were directed there by the people in high vis jackets and clip boards! “Don’t get out the car yet Dad no one’s looking!” In fact when we get out lets act like we are super important, for some reason I adopted a Russian accent!

We then meet the lovely Bernadette from ABF and two of the lads from your Rugby team and headed to our seats….IN A BOX!!!!!! This is amazing! Watched the first half, drank alcohol (In my head I should have stopped drinking but it just kept getting topped up and I didn’t want to be rude, I do have manners!) We then got called to go “pitch side” and walked right passed the players dressing room which I had to be dragged past.... Turns out a Rugby pitch is actually massive!!!!!! I started to panic that they may want to involve Rugby in the presentation of the ball and I would be asked to run and then maybe they would rugby tackle me to the ground....but no we just stood with the mascot and smiled lots and collected said ball!

A few weeks later I went to meet Lewis Moody….. It was the day when it was sunny and a little bit hot! I decided I should wear heals to try and look sophisticated: Arrived at Wimbledon on the train and asked for directions to which I was told “oh JUST up there” I repeat JUST was used! So I took my leather folder and headed JUST up there…….ARE YOU KIDDING ME this is like climbing Everest! I have to stop half way up on a bench along with a lovely tramp called Jack to try and remove my vest (or as my good friend called it the other day…a slip!!???? OLD SCHOOL) Jack holds my leather folder whilst sipping his scrumpy jack and once I have removed said vest through the sleeve of my dress (felt smug about that – skilful!) Said goodbye to Jack and continued my climb, this was like a personal challenge and this hill goes on for ever! I arrive to meet Lewis looking anything but sophisticated – sweating, my feet hurt and I can’t stand up straight and I have a vest in my hands! Lewis is so super lovely and he really is THAT tall! I often feel like a transvestite in heals due to my height but I totally didn’t next to Lewis. We chatted and some exciting things are planned for Military Smiles. At the end of the meeting I ask for a photo and I notice his book on a stand in the office and say “oh I totes read your book!” he asks did you like it? “Yes loved it – it was even better than 50 shades of gray…” OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOOD WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME, why would I say that *style it out style it out!

 

Mother’s day, my sister and I plan an extravaganza for mamma bear. It’s not widely publicised but I think I want to share how incredible my mum really is. My biological, birth mother whatever you want to call it left when I was a baby and then my Pops was left with me (poor man, went gray early because of that I think!) A few years later he met mamma bear, fell in love and they got married! Some people think “step” parents aren’t the same but I actually have the best mother in the world. She has been there for my first day of school, shit days at school, throwing up after discovering the adult alcohol cupboard with my best friend, first jobs, bad hair styles, gave me a right awesome sister (I will only say that once Nicola) saved me from many a house disaster and even when I don’t listen to her advice and she turns out to be right she never says “I told you so” We have had some awesome arguments and we are both quite feisty, as I get older I realise I am more like my Mum than I ever thought possible. If I can be half the women she is, strong, independent and loving I will be happy! I believe it shows nurture wins over nature.

So to show her just how much we love her we took her to Browns in Cambridge for afternoon tea and cocktails to get her royally pissed!!!! Cheers to you mamma bear!

After applying for a super cool job in Oxford I get offered an interview….OH CRAP there is so much pressure on this for me! Nervous Zoey is not a good look, it’s like a hyperactive caged animal! Stayed at my Aunties house the night before and she has bought me every type of "traditional" English food she could think of, I actually adore her! In the morning she even laid out breakfast for me! Went to the interview well fed indeed:

 

Interview was going well until I was asked “why should we hire you” to which I reply “because I will no longer support Cambridge in the boat race and will instead totally cheer Oxford on??” *I have totally messed this up, I’m sure of it! Two ours later “Hi Zoey we would like to offer you the job!” OH MY GOD YES YES YES YES so excited to work here and to start this new chapter of my life!

So..."GO OXFORD"

The next day through many a tears I hand my notice in at the RSC, here I have made some incredible friends, been given amazing opportunities, dressed up as Jonny Rotten, competed in the office Olympics and totally smashed “synchronised chair spinning” pub sessions after work, laughter, tears – just basically the best three years and a job I will always look back on and smile……. I better get a good leaving present!

Some of the ace people I will be saying so long for now to:

And then 4 days later…………You came home!!!!

Arrived at Brize Norton and went to get my pass to get me on site, when asked the car registration I proudly used the phonetic alphabet and then asked if Sam had landed….The bemused man looked at me and said “Sam?” Right ok clearly you need more information! Waiting patiently at the arrivals in Brize Norton I could barely contain my excitement, nerves, tears, smiles! Luckily there was a three hour delay for me to get a grip with said emotions….! THEN IT HAPPENED the man I had been annoying for three hours came over and said the words “he’s landed and he is in there just getting his bags, will be two minutes”

 

You came through the doors and lordy helllloooooo fitty!!!!!! Then you smiled dropped your bags and I had the best cuddle of my life! No tears just massive smiles.

To think I had nerves wondering if everything could/would be the same – it was better, it was like you had never been away! What followed in the best two weeks ever:

Lay ins

Cuddles a plenty

Cooking immense food creations

Drinking – plenty of it

Hotels

Dinner party’s

Good friends

Birthday extravaganza with some awesome friends and incredible dancing especially Mr Peacock, at one point he resembled a mash up of MC hammer can’t touch this and Kris Kross in the Jump video. Basically we smashed it with the 90’s dancing! All hail the 90’s!

 

Bromance:

 

A few more from your trip home:

 

 

 

 

 

I had the time of my life, saying goodbye again officially sucked and I have allowed myself this week to wallow in self-pity but then it’s onto the next project as your back in 5 weeks for good! 5 Weeks pfffffttttttt after 4 and half months apart we laugh in the face of 5 weeks – you don’t scare us!

So I leave Cambridge in three weeks, we get married in 6 months and move into our home at the same time. Until February has been my way of coping and sharing my first 6 month tour and it’s been the most incredible journey, when I started writing I could never have predicted the craziness that’s followed but that seems to be the way with our life.  Someone once said to me grab life by the balls – hang right on in there and enjoy every second! So here’s to the next project:

Project Cotswolds, getting married and moving in together…. What could possibly happen?

To everyone that has supported me, us and read the blog – THANK YOU

Until next time: dream as if you will live forever and live as if you will die today

In other words grab life by the balls! Worked well for me J

Zoey xxxxxxxxxxx