This is it. This is THE weekend

This is the weekend we have all been looking forward to.

It is finally here

We have our tickets in our hands.   Tickets we bought before we even knew who the headline acts would be.    Before we knew who would be speaking at all.   We just knew we had to get tickets as soon as they were available.

We have left our children behind, rolling their eyes and saying “you are doing what?”   “you are going where?”   “oh grow up”.

A month of people saying “wish I was going but can’t make it.   I am SOOO jealous”.

We have spent a month trying to work out how to get all our stuff in a rucksack.   And six months working out the best clothes to wear.   The comfiest shoes.   What will the weather be doing?  Do we need layers, or can we risk short sleeves?  Tweeting options to friends to see if the choices we have made are right.

Some of us  have made epic journeys half way across the country.   Some of us setting out at the crack of sparrow fart to make sure we get the best spot.  Taxis / trains / some have even flown in just for this.   Even those living close by have booked to stay over, you can’t do it and go backwards and forwards.

There has been a lot of talk about Bruce.   How will Bruce cope?  Is he up to this challenge?  Is it all too much?

I fear this weekend will be spent drinking too much

Spending half the night awake, talking, reliving our youth.   Wondering if we are missing a party down the road.

We are going to sing at the tops of our voices.

We are going to do things we wouldn’t normally dream of doing.   Like talking to complete strangers.    But that is what you do in these situations, isnt it?  You talk to your neighbour.    All walks of life, coming together.

We are going to get high.  On life.  High on life.  Not illegal substances, I thank you.

And we are going to get messy.  Oh yes.  It is going to get very very messy.

What am I talking about?

No, not the Isle of Wight Festival

 

IT IS OF COURSE:    BRITMUMS LIVE

 This week it is Britmums Live.  Finally.   A year in the planning and it is finally here.

Five hundred bloggers, mostly women, but also some amazing men, all meeting up in London for a two day blogging conference.    All of us ready to listen, share, learn, laugh and explore taking our blogs to the next level.   To make new friends.   To meet people we have chatted to over the web.   To find people we have never heard of and after two minutes feel we have known forever.

As you read this I am dashing for the train.   I have nine different outfits (yes for two days and I am still panicing that is not enough) and six pairs of shoes.  I have business cards and I have Give As You Live pledge cards.   I have goody bags for a dinner tonight.   I have chocolate ducks for a tweetup tomorrow.   I have two mobile phones, one Playbook, one iPad and a laptop.  A camera and a video camera.   Notebooks, pens, assorted other bits of stationery junk.

I have new pyjamas.    In light of the fact I am sharing a room with Super Amazing Mum I thought it only proper.

I have a cheeky couple of bottles of wine for a midnight feast.

I am off on an adventure.  My blog is only a year old so there is so much for me to learn.  I cannot wait.

And then tonight after the final sessions I will be changing into a new dress and heels, in the loos before the party starts.  And before the BiBs awards ceremony.

Remember I asked you for a cheeky vote?  Well I got through to be one of the finalists, down to the final eight.    And tonight …. well this is it.   I haven’t got a snowball in hell’s chance of winning, the competition is amazing but the atmosphere is going to be electric.

There is  a lovely blog post about all of us finalists in the Fresh Voice category here:  Tough Competition

Now if you will excuse me I have to practice my “Oh no don’t worry, I really didn’t expect to win” face.  .    So I have to get this face right.