Cary's Cracking Birthday Craic... when we let JK as Robbie Entertain Us in Stoke!

As soon as we heard about JK as Robbie returning to the home of Robbie with Let Me Entertain You we were on it like a car bonnet.
Now considering it was Princess Pearce's birthday soon-ish we decided to make it a flipping mahoosive dooo and cram her 40th celebrations into what was gonna be an eventful couple of days.
Plans are well under way... phone calls, messages and emails are on the go to make this one of the best weekends EVER!

Arriving in Stoke, the girls meet up at Stoke Train Station and grab a Subway - yes it's still the official food of the PV Crew! I'm on my way and trying to sort one or two final surprises.
After a stressy time with the jewellery company about Cary's group birthday pressie - a gorge watch picked out by Kriss, I'd received a message from Paula to say that it had arrived in one piece earlier in the week... Lou had sorted out the group card to Cary, I had done the Crew card for Geoff... Kriss had also played a blinder in sorting a Peppa Pig cake for Geoff to present to him later that evening - but little did the Crew know that they would be seeing him before the show...

I was texting Lou with the deets... we were en-route but stuck in traffic... the lovely Lady who had made the cake was on her way to the George to deliver it (thanks to Debbie for a fab job and to Keith at the Vale for recommending her) and where was I? Yes, where was I? Stuck on the blinking A500 in a van in Friday afternoon traffic... after heading from the train station to the Regent to meet Geoff prior to his sound check I was now in hiding from the girls online as I was keen to get to the George with Geoff ASAP! And as they didn't know that he was coming to deliver said cake I knew that they were wondering where I was...

Upon arrival at the George, Geoff beeped his horn as Louise, Kay and Jac were outside. Cheers Geoff!! Talk about blowing your cover! I went over to meet Debbie and to settle up for the cake - wow it was actually fantastic. What started as a chat with the girls, some screen shots from "A Place to Crash" video, photos of Cary's wabbit ears and a picture in my mind that looked fantastic but sounded shit when I tried to describe it to Debbie - actually ended up amazingly good! Debbie was a little bit speechless as Geoff came over to the cake from her and looked down at the Robbie on the cake she had just made; then back up at Geoff to see that he was looking a bit like Robbie too!
Lighting the candle and shielding it from the breeze, we headed up the familiar steps of the George Hotel and into the bar where Louise had got all the girls together....

Singing Happy Birthday, we well and truly surprised the Birthday Girl, not only with her cake but also the Delivery Man too! Big thanks to JK as Robbie Williams who took time out of his very busy day to come down to Burslem and do the honours!

It then seemed appropriate to give Geoff his cards and cake from the Crew - cue PV Peppa on a plate (and a recycled candle, well we're environmentally friendly of course!) and another chorus of Happy Birthday! Of course, Peppa loved it, she's a right naughty little piggy!! Geoff took it all in good spirits, and after promising to meet us later headed back to the Regent to finish setting up for tonight's show. All going well, so far so good and everything is going to plan! Happy days!!

5 minutes later, the last of the Crew arrived... Rena bounded in and it was great to see her! And here we all were - Kriss, Louise, Anne, Shelley, Sue, Hayley, Kay, Allison, Jac, Rena, Paula, the Birthday girl Cary and myself - unlucky for some but not for us - 13 of us mad heads ready to party! After getting the beers in, we provided Cary with some more surprises - cue cards and gifts galore...Have to say was a little overwhelmed with all the effort everyone went to myself for my birthday so can only imagine how Cary felt as this was Birthday surprises in TURBO mode! The Crew were well and truly on it like a car bonnet!!

After presents, we did the usual and headed over to the George for a swift one before getting ready for the evening. And again - as usual, we were on the last minute for the limo - not just any limo but a shiny deluxe Hummer fit for a Crew Do! Back to the George. the lovely barman from last time remembered us; well I mean how could he forget...?! Never Forget!!
No time for grapes - the virgins will still be virgins until Chrimbo - but there was time for a couple of swift bevvies and some pics... lots of laughs with the locals yet again and we asked ever so nicely for a bit of Rob and Take That tuneage so we could practice our bouncing. Andy behind the bar was happy to oblige. Thanks again :)

Shizer - is that the time? Drinking up, we scoot back over to the George, following the usual trail of feathers, stopping traffic on Scotia Road, beep beep from the cars. It's like we were never away! We head up to our rooms to change and the evening is looking really good as we are all in great form and cannot wait to have a good bop later.
The hummer arrives - complete with 6 bottles of fizz. Yes, 6 bottles. Posh Limos are a local firm who had done a great job of looking after us before so I was straight onto them once I knew we would be heading back to Stoke. Lou provided the tunes and with us all in the back we are OFF - up Hanley Duck, and ready to be entertained. With lots of laughs already that day, we had a feeling that tonight was gonna be a good night!! And how appropriate that JK kicked off the show with a version of that very song!!

The hummer was fab, really enjoyed the spin and as usual the Crew stopped traffic! Arriving at the Regent, it is always funny to see everyone having a nosey at who is getting out... tis only us, the Port Vale Crew...! The driver is happy to take some snaps for us... we wave him off but not before Paula tries to get on it like a car bonnet - LITERALLY!! PMSL!!
Heading over to the Box Office to collect the tickets, we are a little against the clock. Again no change there, there ain't no party like a Crew party and the party won't start without us! Pit stop at the bar on the way in; we head to the door we are told to go to but then get told to go to another door... whatever! We just want our seats love! Eventually we find our seats and apologising to the people behind us in advance for what is going to be very much an "audience participation" row, we take our seats for what would probably be the only time that night!!