The weekly one: A perfectly good waste of champagne

I am freshly returned from 2 whole glorious nights away with my friends in the beautiful Malvern Hills. I first met these 3 friends almost 22 years ago when we were all studying our first year undergraduate psychology in South Wales. We have shared many special times together in those years between our late teens and now. We've all been to one another's weddings and in recent years, struggled to get words in edgewise around our 8 kids. This weekend, however, was our first 2 nights together with no kids between us and it was utterly wonderful. We figured we'd make the most of our time together and get a place with a hot tub so we could soak up every minute together chatting and making memories.?

I had decided to take a bottle of champagne with me which had previously accidentally got put in our shed a few years ago and then forgotten about. When it was discovered recently, my husband suggested that we spray it all over ourselves in the garden. I declined based on 2 reasons: 1) it seemed like quite a pricey bottle of champagne and it seemed like a waste 2) I really wasn't sure I wanted to be covered in a load of sticky champagne. So, anyway, I took the 'shed champagne' with me, popped it in the fridge on Friday afternoon and then a few hours later, after we had eaten dinner, I brought it out. I took off the foil. Eased off the cage. Went to place the cage on the table, at which point there was an almighty pop as the cork flew in the air, the bottle whizzed across the table spinning on the floor and covering me and one of my friends from head to toe in cool, crisp, bubbly champagne. I wish we'd been filming it because I'm not sure I've ever laughed so hard. Once it was all over, I text my husband: "We were both right. Being covered from head to toe in champagne is fun at the time, but quickly becomes smelly and sticky!"?The worst part of this story is that we managed to salvage about 3 sips each from the bottle and it was indeed delicious! But I think, on balance, reminiscing and reflecting about that night will make each of those 3 sips worth their weight in gold!?

Funnily enough, reflecting on time and memories and important points is exactly the topic of this week's podcast episode. It's all about the first 6 months of the aspiring psychologist podcast. It's a great overview of the first 30 episodes and recapping on your favourites, but also a great way to listen out for what went on in any episodes you might have missed.?You can listen to episode 32?here.?You can listen by clicking the link, or via Spotify, Amazon, Google or Apple.?

• This week I am sure that Brad Pitt will be delighted to learn that his name and mine are now forever cemented in history, as I am discussing his 'face blindness' in an article for Yahoo. You can read it?here.
• Yahoo have been my biggest fans this week and so I have also been doing my bit discussing bee and wasp phobias for them too, which you can read?here.?

Thanks as ever for being part of my world. Take care of you!

Marianne