Bag of revels

Life is like a bag of revels, just when you think you've sussed out the toffee you find yourself biting into a creme (or in my case a coconut) one. Yuk! Yes I'm old enough to remember when there was a coconut in there rather than the equally despised coffee. Little did we think when we got married, a year ago today, that we would be two guests down having mis-placed Sharon and now Paula (the rest of you better watch out I reckon).
The tributes to Paula have been done so much better by Sandy and Phil to name just two of her friends from across the pond. Instead I'm going to do a bag of revels, facts about Paula tribute. You'll have to decide yourselves which, if any, are the dreaded coconut.

Paula hated my courgettes with a passion. It was so bad she wouldn't even have them in her house. The poor things travelled all the way there just to be discarded.

Paula liked to listen to her music in the car at very high volume which meant every time B. got in the car after her he would find his eardrums practically bleeding.

Paula's favourite film was Predator closely followed by anything that would give a sane person nightmares and Steven Seagal action movies.

Paula used to go to work in a dress and Dr Martens and her friend Chris who she worked with often had to tell her to keep her giggling down as the senior partners could hear her upstairs.

Paula's favourite group was Metallica (hence B.'s bleeding eardrums) and she loved Alice Cooper, Bowling for Soup, Def Leppard and generally "noisy" music (or should that be noisy "music".)

Paula had always planned to marry a 6' 5" blond builder, but to quote B. himself, she married him instead. Having said that, B. wanted to marry a page 3 girl and got Paula instead, so it was a fair exchange.

Paula had a wicked sense of humour and I mean just plan mean. She would send Chris, who knows nothing of knitting or crochet, to get her wool. Now Paula knew that Chris knew nothing and would send her knowing she would be asked questions such as "DK or baby?" "What gauge needle is it for?" "What's the tension?" Poor Chris would plead with Paula not to send her, but Paula showed her no mercy.

Paula was stubborn. Auntie Anne recalls Paula's mom taking her to get her hair cut and Paula stubbornly refusing to have it done. It was cut in the end, but Paula just sat at the table and screamed for a long time after.

Paula would always order something different from the take away menu. While B. like me stuck to the same thing, Paula would flit from dish to dish like a gastronomic butterfly.

Paula has left a big hole in so many people's lives, but she wouldn't want us to dwell on what we have lost, but what we gained from knowing her.

The beautiful wedding present Paula made for us.

So we will raise a glass to Paula and Sharon tonight as we celebrate our first wedding anniversary. I'm just annoyed I didn't get the crocheted bed spread I was promised.