Tomorrow sees the start of this years cruise! We have a long trip and a short trip! So tomorrow the first contingent leave Leeds Bradford airport to fly to Barcelona for a couple of days before group two fly out on Monday. Then everyone joins the cruise to sail around the Mediterranean and sing on board the prestigious MS Noordam with Holland America. Sadly on this occasion I won’t be joining them – so 'happy sailing' to one and all, I know you will have a fabulous time and I’m sad to miss it!

I’m almost there with Florence – so fingers crossed it should be complete by the end of today and we can get it out there!

The girls are busy working on the next round of the TV show and we were happy to see Teresa return from her holidays yesterday. She’s had a fabulous time and is looking very healthy and tanned. Melanie also came to give us a helping hand so it was really nice to get caught up with her.

Let’s hope the weather improves for the weekend – I’ve got my fleece on this morning!

I am hopeful that within the next two days I have the Florence trip ready to go out! As you know I have been working on this ever since Laraine and I went on our pre-tour visit way back when! It has taken quite some putting together with the various different things we are going to be doing, and I think the final piece of the jigsaw came through yesterday, which means I now have to fit it all together! I mention it because I know we have people preparing for the cruise at the weekend, who I know want to go to Florence, so I am hoping to e-mail it to you, if not have a look on the website before you go!

I have been very focused on this since I got back, so I still have unanswered e-mails, but I promise I will get back to you! This is also interspersed with the last minute preparations for the cruise which I’m finalising, so it’s all go! However, it was nice to catch up with Steve yesterday – it seems like an age since we have seen each other – so it was no surprise when our meeting was broken up by a phone call asking ‘what was for tea and when was I coming home’ it was 7pm!! I’m pleased to report by the time I got home tea was on the table!!

Today’s photo is a taster of Florence!

I’m sure it’s the same the world over – one full day back at work and you wonder if you ever went away – and then you get home to continue the washing and ironing which starts the minute you get back and grows – and the reality check is complete!

Even though I did some work while I was away to prevent a build up when I got back I now realise that all I did was increase the amount I came back to! So there’s a reason to leave my lap-top at home next time I go away!

Today’s photo is of the wonderful ‘Diamond Jubilee Garden Party’ where we helped raise money for the Lady Taverner’s, back at the beginning of July. It was an honour once again to be part of this special event and although it seems a lifetime ago as so much has happened since then, it’s lovely to take a moment to reflect on it.

Win and Caroline are in today, so we will get the full ‘low down’ on this past weekend!