We've been watching Top Gear for as long as I can remember, of course we have - it's a boy's favourite. The Cat's Mother is a recent fan...not so much of the weekly show, but of the 'Specials' - driving across South America, driving to the North Pole, driving to the Holy Land. A regular quote, erm quoted here, is 'Poo is coming out' when something goes wrong. As we all know this was Jeremy Clarkson when driving the Road of Death. Many people object to Mr Clarkson for his outrageous views and outspoken-ness. He can be really quite offensive. But I've always felt this was his TV personality, and the real Mr Clarkson was a different beast. My chance to find out was at a bar half way up the slopes where we happened to bump into the man. Much to the embarrassment of the Teens, I went up and said hello, "Excuse me Mr Clarkson, would it be very rude to ask to have a picture taken with you?". "To be honest I've got the worst migraine I've had for years and I'd rather not", he said. "I hope you've got something for it" "I've just taken two pills and vommed them up", he replied. So we left him in peace. Clearly he was suffering his own private Room 101.
The Cat's Mother's Room 101 is simply skiing. She takes no pleasure from it at all. In fact it strikes terror into her, so on her second skiing trip, which this was, she hasn't made it out of the nursery. Simple terror that she will slide down the mountain and nothing will stop her. Completely irrational, but that's what makes it her Room 101.
Mine is more rational. It is just getting communications from home.
And this holiday was the worst ever:
Saturday - new tenants needing a key which they hadn't been supplied with
Sunday - other tenants' boiler going wrong
Monday - letting agent wanting to renegotiate a tenancy
Tuesday - The French Girl off sick, leaving the office empty
Wednesday - other tenants "Hi hope you're having a good holiday. I don't want to disturb you, but...."
Thursday - new tenants at 8 o'clock in the evening: "Hope you're enjoying Switzerland. Can we install Sky?"
So yes, for my holiday, I got Friday free from interruption.
Getting those texts were my Room 101.
Apart from that, the holiday was fantastic. Zermatt is great, the journey there was fab, and we all had a wonderful time. And I managed to keep an eye on my favourite hobby...middle-eastern chaos.
