A day at the races......

I'm back from my very long day at Ascot. My friend collected me at 6.15 yesterday morning & I remembered to take my camera!!! I'm not very good at taking photo's....some people just love it don't they???

I haven't been to Ascot for years, not since it was re built, I couldn't believe how much it had changed. Everyone was really impressed with the stand but I thought it lacked charm.

It's very big!!!! What do you think???

We were guests of Exeter race course so we were allowed to go to most areas. Everyone was really dressed up..... they looked like they were going to a wedding!!! This wasn't even a big meeting & the racing wasn't that good..... no top jockeys there. I don't really do this kind of meeting even though I've been to some top race meetings in the pass. It's just not me...paying £4 for a pint & £9 for fish & chips.

As we were waiting to go in the course we met up with some of the top bods of Exeter, they had been drinking champagne on the train at 8.30 & were all dressed up to the nines .....more on that latter.....

We were rather sensible & took a picnic lunch & some wine then found a quite corner as we were there 2 hours before the racing started.

These are my friends.... Claire in the sunglasses is my closest friend, we've been friends for about 16 years... I went to Bristol last year for her birthday. Her sister is in the bright dress, she works at Exeter race course so hence the free tickets!! The lady in the middle is the Deputy Editor of Horse & hound...... it was great to have someone to talk to about the racing because the others just choose the nice colours!!!

Just before the first race I spotted this.........

Can you see Willy Carson??? He's the little fella!!!! Sorry not very clear as they were a long way away.

This is the winners enclosure......

Sorry to say none of my horses came in :(

We didn't have any winners between us...... lucky I was only betting £1 to win!!!

At the end of the day we needed to clear up our picnic area.......

opps!!!!!

So we headed to the nearest pub....... big mistake..... we couldn't get in the door but thankfully found the toilet!!!

Lots of people had been drinking all day & it was starting to turn in to a nightmare. After a terrible journey back to Reading we then had to wait for nearly an hour for our train home. The station was full of police, football & rugby fans & race goers..... it was not nice.

The train was very busy but we had booked seats so thankfully got to sit down. I at this point had really had enough....... I'm a bit of an odd ball & don't really fit in with these people. The top bods from Exeter got on...... how funny was this...... one of the Ladies came over to sit with us... remember she was drinking champagne at 8.30???? She had lost her shoes & her stockings were around her ankles.......her hair was a mess & she had been crying so her make up had run....LOL!!!! I had to chuckle!!!

Anyway I switched off by listening to my music & drinking my cider....... then everything turned nasty.... the socking lady had a go at me for being rude & not speaking to her..... the lady in the photo with the bottles turned on me saying I lived in a really common area etc etc......

I gave up & left them to it, I stood up at the door praying I would be home soon.

Then we had tears & shouting & hugging.... OMG!!!

Why do people drink if they can't handle it??? I was so embarrassed!!!

Finally got into Exeter at 9.30 & after trying to get them in the car I arrived home...thankfully!

So the morale of the story is....... don't mix with ladies & wine!!!!

Hope you've all had a great weekend. Back to work tomorrow for me :(