Birthday Suprise

[MrsJ1]

My husband has organised a suprise for my birthday. I believe it entails going away as I know he has had to book me some time off work, but he wont tell me when, where, how long or what it is. He's giving me clues each day and I thought I had it until this morning's clue. So far, the clues are:
1. It's something that happens in the summer.
2. A film
3. Bakewell
4. The letter V
I thougth it might be a trip to Rome (Roman Holiday, Angels & Demons, Peak District - 7 hills of Rome (tenuous I know!), and the Vatican) but today's clue of "subsidence" has thrown me. Any ideas? I'm hoping to get a new clue every day.

[sara3]

I don't know, but your husband sounds like a star.. lucky you!

have a fab birthday :o)

[FoxLee2]

Could subsidence be to do with a volcano - Vesuvius? Not quite Rome but maybe an Italian tour?

Please keep us posted we're now as intrigued as you.

[MrsJ1]

I did wonder if Pisa could be the subsidence clue but it's a long way from Rome. Maybe the tour is right. Will let you know as the clues mount up!

[squarebear]

Something that happens in summer and subsidence might be a tent in the mud at Glastonbury! You certainly be giving him a V sign then :-)

[flopsymopsy]

Bakewell goes with tarts, plus the letter V, could be a Vicars and Tarts fancy dress party lol

[squarebear]

Or he's hiring you out as a tart lol

[mazie]

what a great husband you have MrsJ

1. A holiday
2. Death in Venice
3 not sure about this one!
4. V for Venice
5 subsidence,
"subsidence of the Venetian Plain. Major attention is paid to the Pleistocene-
Holocene stratigraphic sequence in the Lagoon of Venice"

Maybe :o) have you been to venice before Mrs J ?

[SpodoCommodo]

It's v for versus because he wants to film you versus Joan Bakewell at naked mud wrestling (would be too cold in winter).

[rogerr]

Bakewell was founded by the Romans.

(Hi Mazie)

[mazie]

Hi rogerr x

[Totterdown]

V could stand for the figure 5, so perhaps a 5 day holiday (or even 5 weeks if you are lucky).

[MrsJ1]

I never knew Bakewell was founded by the Romans (and I dont think my husband would know that either!) Five weeks? I would need to do some serious planning!

[FoxLee2]

So have you had your birthday surprise? Were we anywhere near guessing the destination?

[MrsJ1]

Yep, just got back. He stole the idea from the film Pretty Woman and took me to the opera. Not a local production, not even a swanky London one. He flew me to Viareggio in Italy, the home of Puccini to see La Boheme and Tosca from the best seats in an open air theatre built beside a lake. Lovely man is on big brownie points!
So, the answers to the clues were: 1. the Puccini Festival, 2. Pretty Woman, 3. Bakewell - Tart - Julia Roberts played a tart in the film (okay, that one was pretty tenuous!), 4.Viareggio, 5. the Leaning Tower of Pisa, - we flew into Pisa.

[FoxLee2]

As you say, big brownie points to your husband. Were you any where near guessing by the final clues? If not, did he tell you where you were going before you left?

Now the onus is on you to come up with something grand for his birthday!!

[MrsJ1]

He told me we were going to Italy on the Monday (we flew on the Wednesday) but didnt tell me about the opera until we got there. It was a wonderful surprise.

I have surprised him in the past with a flight in a bi-plane (clues were an airfix model and a small flying pig in a leather helmet!) and a course with Hugh Fearnly Whittingstall (clues left around the house for him to find). As for next year...... Watch this space!

[FoxLee2]

You really know how to make birthdays exciting. We just tend to go out for family meals or to the theatre. I might have to shake things up a bit in my house.

[MrsJ1]

Ah well, it was a special birthday (50 - where did it all go?!). We dont do this every time. Some birthdays we just spend the day together and go out for a picnic, but surprises are lovely.