Mark vs London, 'The Wright Stuff' and Andressa

Hiya Popettes,

Wow its been a busy one and will be a busy one next week so excuse the way I rush through my journal!

On Thursday I got the train down to Oxford to stay a la Frank (Mr W) and we chilled with beer and wine and Footballers Wives (on TV...not the real thing!) as we had to be up at 4.15am the next day to be on The Wright Stuff...

(TV..Channel5 ...the real thing! I HOPE you saw us!)

We got the bus to London. It only took just over an hour and we were there before 6.30am...We had to be at the studio (in the Whiteley Centre, Baywater) for 8am...so had plenty of time.

Although we were very early we waited by the wrong Tesco....so only got in bang on 8!

We were taken to a Starbucks and given a sheet as to what subjects would be discussed on the show and who would be on it. Matthew Wright was off with toothache so it was presented by Anne Diamond.

The panel included Melinda Messenger, Robyn Ince and David Grant....with Dr Miriam Stoppard (who looks embalmed!) ...

It was good fun and I got on TV a lot because I was wearing a multi-coloured jumper and was generally smiling! What was sad was some of the audience (there were only about 15 of us) come every day! WHY?

'Korin' who e-mailed me about the tickets is the girl who sits in the phone booth by the goldfish (This will make sense to anyone who watches the show!)

We met up with Kirsty about 11am in South Kensington and spent a day 'DOING' London. this included Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden (lunch), Oxford Street, Regent Street,. Leicester Square...A LOT of walking!

Frank left about 4ish and Kirsty and I found a pub, near Liberty (The Argyll Arms on Argyll Street) and got merry on Taylor's Landlord Ale.

We met up with Laura after she finished work and went to Soho...to an Italian restaurant called 'Italian Grafitti'.

Kirsty went home and Laura and I went back to where she lives in Battersea. And YES I saw the dog's home and the power station (the latter both stark and impressive!)

On Saturday morning Laura was going back to Cannock Wood! (For Eddie's 50th) So I got the bus and tube with her as far as Victoria and got my bus back to Oxford and met Mr W at the Park 'n' Ride.

He lives in an estate which seems to have had the facilities taken out! So....we had a snack and bussed into Oxford.

We spent the afternoon 'doing' Oxford. We had a lovely lunch at 'Tootise' @ Oxford Castle. We were served by a Brazilian girl called Andressa (who was gorgeous AND had a name which sounds like 'undress her!')

If by any chance she gets to read this...she was the topic of conversation for a lot of the evening! lol

By the time we got back to the house..via a pub, many shops and a European Market.....I was shattered.

Today in Mother's Day so we had to get home....Tomorrow I am off to Cheshire to see my old uni chums (ooh that sounds very Famous Five eh) Rod and Sarah and hopefully meet up with Jen too...

On the media front. Apart from The Wright Stuff and Radio WM (Isn't that enough?) my village news and a feature I wrote about the ghosts of Nunswell Park are in the 'The Mercury.'..I have an article in 'Take A Break' next week.

Lots of pictures taken in London will be on http://groups.msn.com/marksucks very soon! (THEY NOW ARE!)

Thanks for all the texts from people who 'saw you on TV again'....my phone was on burn-out mode!