Friendship is very important to me and I’m very lucky to have core groups of fabulous friends. And what is better than fabulous friends? ….. Weekends away with those friends!!
In the past year I have been fortunate enough to partake in quite a few jollies with my gals.
The BMT drinking club is made up of 6 paediatric oncology/haematology nurses who became friends in the 90’s, working on the bone marrow transplant unit in Bristol Children’s Hospital. We had our annual weekend jaunt to New Quay in beautiful West Wales. We are lucky to have the use of a fabulous house overlooking the sea. I always feel both energised and rested by these weekends. We spent quality time walking, chatting and laughing so much, especially when playing Cards against humanity!
The Class of 83 are a group of friends who met at senior school at the age of 11. Our friendship group became stronger following a school reunion a few years ago and we have tried to meet up regularly ever since. We discovered a lovely cottage in Draycott, near Cheddar in Somerset in November last year and decided to return again in May. Whenever we get together we all laugh so much and this was especially so on our second visit to the cottage when we found the dressing up box! Very clearly provided for the children but that didn’t stop us trying to squeeze into the outfits and making it work!
The New year new challenge club is made up of 3 adrenaline junkies, well actually just me and 2 friends that get dragged along to stuff that terrifies them, like zip wiring! We are the 3 amigos namely Arrr Carole, Arrr Debb and Arrr Selena who met working in the paediatric oncology/haematology research team. When we are not doing death defying challenges, we go on weekends away. This year we took ourselves off to Liverpool to do all things Beatles, Cilla and Liver birds!
A weekend away in the Big Smoke was in order for 2 fabulous friends, Bev and Deb, who turned 60 this year. From our temporary home on Bankside, on the first night we had cocktails in the Shard with most amazing views. Then the following day, dressed in our 70’s chick best we headed to the O2 for the Mamma Mia party night. It was a fabulous weekend in old London town filled with laughs, dancing and singing all things Abba.
Last but definitely not least, not really a weekend away, but a lovely night’s stay in our own city of Bristol. My bestest bestie Jane and I went to see an outside performance of Much ado about nothing at the Orangery at Godley Hall in Hotwells. It is a very special place for Jane and her family as her daughter got married there a couple of years ago and we met up there with the happy couple, Holly and Jonny, to watch the play. As copious amounts of fizz was consumed we needed a hotel room in walking distance to stagger to, but we were bright eyed and bushy tailed the morning after for a spot of breakfast and a really good catch up and laughing till we cried session at the Clifton Lido.
Time with treasured friends is never wasted time, to maintain friendship takes effort and mutual respect, and should never be taken for granted. I value every minute I spend with all my close friends and really hope those relationships continue for many years to come.
Carole Gardiner
back to life 