Workshop? Kitchen?
Wednesday, 20 April 2005
We need a bigger house!
I admit it, I detest cooking but hell.... how, precisely, am I supposed to cook should the fancy take me, when PG uses the facilities to fix friend's machines ?! ...... no room for culinary goings on here, heh.
Workshop? Kitchen?
Workshop? Kitchen?
Tuesday, 19 April 2005
A wedding and an alarm
Lisa's post yesterday, regarding problems her husband encountered over the weekend with his new Harley, reminded me of a situation I found myself in something in the region of ten years back......a tale of technology at it's less than helpful.
The occasion was my brothers wedding, quite a flash affair, he not being financially challenged as I am. Having always been a 'petrol head', it was decided that the horse and carriage or Rolls Royce scenario were not appropriate modes of transport for the big day and instead it was decided he would hire a nice car. He could enjoy driving said car for the day and my then husband (that's the first one incidentally) would 'play' chauffeur, to get the newly wed couple to Heathrow in the evening. As reward for his services, he would get to keep the vehicle for the remainder of the weekend, gratis.
As ever things didn't go quite to plan, courtesy of the aforementioned husband who chose to leave me four weeks before the wedding, nice timing eh? This presented a problem on the chauffeur front. No one else wanted to attend a wedding and have the dubious pleasure of not drinking! The honours subsequently fell to me, I am tee total, the demise of my marriage had caused me to move back to London, the location of the wedding, (how convenient) and the opportunity of a weekend playing with a flash car was not to be sniffed at. This new choice of driver threw up a new problem....what car to hire. At only 5' there are more than a few, that without modification I cannot drive, for want of the ability to reach the pedals!
I trundled around a few dealerships, testing the size of various models, until I found something suitable. The vehicle we chose was a Mercedes, please don't ask me what model for I can't recall any longer, but it was big, powerful, beautiful, steel grey with a cream leather interior, convertible and at the time would have set you back just shy of 80k. It wasn't quite what my brother had in mind, he was thinking more along the lines of something sportier but what use is a Ferrari or a Lamborghini when the driver can't reach the pedals and you have three people and luggage to transport!
And so it was, on the morning of the wedding another friend collected the Merc. and delivered it to us. My brother was to drive himself and his bride to be, to the ceremony and then to the reception and at that point I was to take over. First problem....how does one remove the hard top? Five of us struggled, there was no manual apparent but after much ado it was removed.....second problem, where does one store the top half of a car? In one's living room apparently, under the circumstances.
The wedding went off without a hitch, though there was one small hint of the trouble to come, when leaving the register office my brother seemed to have a little problem starting this expensive vehicle.
The reception, at a beautiful old mill restaurant, was to continue late into the night but the newly weds were to be deposited by 18.00hrs at Heathrow for for their honeymoon flight to Paris. I duly took over. More problems appeared.
Firstly, whilst this car may have appeared big from the exterior, as is the way with such elegance, the interior was most definitely not designed for luggage. Secondly, the mirrors and seat were obviously electronic though the controls were not obvious. My brother hadn't needed to move them but 'Ms. short arse' here was required to move both. Again, no manual. We managed the seat but the mirrors were lost to me for the entire duration. Third problem, my mother was suddenly taken with concern for me driving this large and strange car alone for a 100 mile trip and I was posted away for 10 minute to 'get used to it'. Fourth problem. Where does one turn a car of this size around in a country lane.....the answer became apparent, in the mud ridden entry to a field..... with a very narrow gate! Gah.
Problems having been mostly solved, off we went. The happy couple in the back seat, soft top down, massive leather clad roll bar up, most of the luggage in the front passenger seat, further obscuring my view, this was not quite the 'look' they were after but the only solution!
Eventually we hit the M25, bear in mind this was rush hour though the road was surprisingly clear and my brother, marginally miffed that he wouldn't have the benefit of this car all weekend, instructed me from the rear to 'give it some' and see what it could do. I made quick mention of the local constabularly but hey, this was his wedding, we had ribbons on the front and he felt convinced we would not be stopped. There were less cameras then but I was not entirely sure. Hell....it was his wedding after all and so I duly complied with his request, stuck my foot down and 'played' for the remainder of the journey to Heathrow. He was right and we were lucky, no cops!
Having deposited 'happy couple' at their destination, I took the white ribbon off the bonnet and went to 'play' for a while around the West End, this was not going to be an opportunity I would have often, it was to be made the most of.... and then hit the M25 again to head back. Arghhh....solid, nose to tail traffic, but to be stuck in such a car was more acceptable than the norm, after all, when the rain commenced I had an electronic roof to play with!
I 'chauffeured' a few more people home from the reception late at night and then it was home ....this was where the problems really began. Set the alarm? Simple.....errrr not! Eventually in the small hours it appeared to be set and off I went to bed.
The following morning my father and myself had to drive into London again to return the car to it's dealership. Could we get the alarm to de-activate? Could we hell. It appeared there were two, one for use with the top on, one for use with the top off. Which was which remains a mystery to this day, still no manual. This was 7.30 on a Saturday morning and we fought for an hour and a half, with the alarm sounding continually, to restore peace to the neighborhood. Eventually in desperation we found a number for the dealership and called. The only person there was a valet but he instructed us that the manual would be in the glove compartment. Great! Not great! The glove compartment was locked, we had no key! Mr valet man hunted around his employers premises and eventually tracked down a manual and there we stood, now deafened by the constant alarm, in the rain, cell phone to ear, for a further 20 minutes trying to disarm said alarm........big flash car, little stupid driver, annoyed neighbours....not cool!
Oh bliss, oh quietness, oh embarrassment over......the alarm finally fell silent, we hoped and we prayed for it to keep quiet, we could not be sure, we were after all not sure how we had silenced it. And then we had to get the hard top back on....again no manual.....just don't go there! Heh.
Trauma over and off we set. 'How the other half live' became much in evidence. Ok, so if I take my little car to a dealership to be serviced I am lucky to get a courtesy car. On returning this Merc. to it's home, we were immediately provided with a driver, complete with another very nice car, to return us on our journey home! We opted instead, feeling we deserved a treat, to be taken into the West End, where father and daughter enjoyed some R&R for the rest of the day.
Mercedes may well provide very nice cars and very nice services it's just a shame they don't provide very nice manuals that their clients can access! :o)
The occasion was my brothers wedding, quite a flash affair, he not being financially challenged as I am. Having always been a 'petrol head', it was decided that the horse and carriage or Rolls Royce scenario were not appropriate modes of transport for the big day and instead it was decided he would hire a nice car. He could enjoy driving said car for the day and my then husband (that's the first one incidentally) would 'play' chauffeur, to get the newly wed couple to Heathrow in the evening. As reward for his services, he would get to keep the vehicle for the remainder of the weekend, gratis.
As ever things didn't go quite to plan, courtesy of the aforementioned husband who chose to leave me four weeks before the wedding, nice timing eh? This presented a problem on the chauffeur front. No one else wanted to attend a wedding and have the dubious pleasure of not drinking! The honours subsequently fell to me, I am tee total, the demise of my marriage had caused me to move back to London, the location of the wedding, (how convenient) and the opportunity of a weekend playing with a flash car was not to be sniffed at. This new choice of driver threw up a new problem....what car to hire. At only 5' there are more than a few, that without modification I cannot drive, for want of the ability to reach the pedals!
I trundled around a few dealerships, testing the size of various models, until I found something suitable. The vehicle we chose was a Mercedes, please don't ask me what model for I can't recall any longer, but it was big, powerful, beautiful, steel grey with a cream leather interior, convertible and at the time would have set you back just shy of 80k. It wasn't quite what my brother had in mind, he was thinking more along the lines of something sportier but what use is a Ferrari or a Lamborghini when the driver can't reach the pedals and you have three people and luggage to transport!
And so it was, on the morning of the wedding another friend collected the Merc. and delivered it to us. My brother was to drive himself and his bride to be, to the ceremony and then to the reception and at that point I was to take over. First problem....how does one remove the hard top? Five of us struggled, there was no manual apparent but after much ado it was removed.....second problem, where does one store the top half of a car? In one's living room apparently, under the circumstances.
The wedding went off without a hitch, though there was one small hint of the trouble to come, when leaving the register office my brother seemed to have a little problem starting this expensive vehicle.
The reception, at a beautiful old mill restaurant, was to continue late into the night but the newly weds were to be deposited by 18.00hrs at Heathrow for for their honeymoon flight to Paris. I duly took over. More problems appeared.
Firstly, whilst this car may have appeared big from the exterior, as is the way with such elegance, the interior was most definitely not designed for luggage. Secondly, the mirrors and seat were obviously electronic though the controls were not obvious. My brother hadn't needed to move them but 'Ms. short arse' here was required to move both. Again, no manual. We managed the seat but the mirrors were lost to me for the entire duration. Third problem, my mother was suddenly taken with concern for me driving this large and strange car alone for a 100 mile trip and I was posted away for 10 minute to 'get used to it'. Fourth problem. Where does one turn a car of this size around in a country lane.....the answer became apparent, in the mud ridden entry to a field..... with a very narrow gate! Gah.
Problems having been mostly solved, off we went. The happy couple in the back seat, soft top down, massive leather clad roll bar up, most of the luggage in the front passenger seat, further obscuring my view, this was not quite the 'look' they were after but the only solution!
Eventually we hit the M25, bear in mind this was rush hour though the road was surprisingly clear and my brother, marginally miffed that he wouldn't have the benefit of this car all weekend, instructed me from the rear to 'give it some' and see what it could do. I made quick mention of the local constabularly but hey, this was his wedding, we had ribbons on the front and he felt convinced we would not be stopped. There were less cameras then but I was not entirely sure. Hell....it was his wedding after all and so I duly complied with his request, stuck my foot down and 'played' for the remainder of the journey to Heathrow. He was right and we were lucky, no cops!
Having deposited 'happy couple' at their destination, I took the white ribbon off the bonnet and went to 'play' for a while around the West End, this was not going to be an opportunity I would have often, it was to be made the most of.... and then hit the M25 again to head back. Arghhh....solid, nose to tail traffic, but to be stuck in such a car was more acceptable than the norm, after all, when the rain commenced I had an electronic roof to play with!
I 'chauffeured' a few more people home from the reception late at night and then it was home ....this was where the problems really began. Set the alarm? Simple.....errrr not! Eventually in the small hours it appeared to be set and off I went to bed.
The following morning my father and myself had to drive into London again to return the car to it's dealership. Could we get the alarm to de-activate? Could we hell. It appeared there were two, one for use with the top on, one for use with the top off. Which was which remains a mystery to this day, still no manual. This was 7.30 on a Saturday morning and we fought for an hour and a half, with the alarm sounding continually, to restore peace to the neighborhood. Eventually in desperation we found a number for the dealership and called. The only person there was a valet but he instructed us that the manual would be in the glove compartment. Great! Not great! The glove compartment was locked, we had no key! Mr valet man hunted around his employers premises and eventually tracked down a manual and there we stood, now deafened by the constant alarm, in the rain, cell phone to ear, for a further 20 minutes trying to disarm said alarm........big flash car, little stupid driver, annoyed neighbours....not cool!
Oh bliss, oh quietness, oh embarrassment over......the alarm finally fell silent, we hoped and we prayed for it to keep quiet, we could not be sure, we were after all not sure how we had silenced it. And then we had to get the hard top back on....again no manual.....just don't go there! Heh.
Trauma over and off we set. 'How the other half live' became much in evidence. Ok, so if I take my little car to a dealership to be serviced I am lucky to get a courtesy car. On returning this Merc. to it's home, we were immediately provided with a driver, complete with another very nice car, to return us on our journey home! We opted instead, feeling we deserved a treat, to be taken into the West End, where father and daughter enjoyed some R&R for the rest of the day.
Mercedes may well provide very nice cars and very nice services it's just a shame they don't provide very nice manuals that their clients can access! :o)
Monday, 18 April 2005
I dare ya
Blogsurfing this evening I found that Jennifer of Jennifers World had posted a picture of herself at age 4. I have possibly missed the point here, it's probably part of a meme and I missed the plot somewhere along the line but as I have a picture of yours truly at the same age, I thought I would brave the inevitable wisecracks and post mine too.
And yes, it was 40bloody years ago, no my hair is not still that colour but I hope my fashion sense has improved somewhat and I have ditched the knee socks!
Apologies for the quality.....it was er....some time ago!
Anyone else dare?
And yes, it was 40
Apologies for the quality.....it was er....some time ago!
Anyone else dare?
Spring has sprung
Comforting isn't it, when things return to normal! Not.
Of what normality do I speak, why, I am British, the weather of course. Spring, as we know it, has most definitely sprung over this past weekend and has hastened it's arrival this morning. Note please that I say 'as we know it', for rain has poured down with boring monotony, the wind has howled and the river that runs through the field behind us here, has burst it's banks. Drenched lambs, looking folorn, have been forced onto slightly higher ground, calves are huddled against what hedges they can find for shelter and every daffodil and tulip that had the audacity to poke it's pretty head above ground is flattened.
Yup....spring as we know it is certainly very much in evidence!
Of what normality do I speak, why, I am British, the weather of course. Spring, as we know it, has most definitely sprung over this past weekend and has hastened it's arrival this morning. Note please that I say 'as we know it', for rain has poured down with boring monotony, the wind has howled and the river that runs through the field behind us here, has burst it's banks. Drenched lambs, looking folorn, have been forced onto slightly higher ground, calves are huddled against what hedges they can find for shelter and every daffodil and tulip that had the audacity to poke it's pretty head above ground is flattened.
Yup....spring as we know it is certainly very much in evidence!
Sunday, 17 April 2005
Five scents meme
I have finally got around to Lisa's five scents meme....almost a week late but better late than never I suppose!
So here goes, my favourite 5 scents:
1. Poppy's coat.
2. Joop.
3. A two stroke engine.
4. Patchouli....yeah ok, I'm a child of the 70's!
5. Leather.
What are yours?
So here goes, my favourite 5 scents:
1. Poppy's coat.
2. Joop.
3. A two stroke engine.
4. Patchouli....yeah ok, I'm a child of the 70's!
5. Leather.
What are yours?
Saturday, 16 April 2005
Excuse me??
Every once in a while something small happens that really 'gets my goat' and reminds me just how insensitive and rude some people can be!
This afternoon during work, I was having a conversation with a colleague about marriage, or rather the fact that at approximately the same age I have been married twice whilst she hasn't been married at all. It was a relatively light hearted conversation, just one of those little chats one has in a few spare moments, nothing heavy, nothing long winded.
At the tail end of this conversation colleague number two butts in uninvited, with a little gem aimed in my direction. "Well I wouldn't boast about it" she said, looking me in the eye!
Excuse me??, boast about what I asked, "being married twice" came the reply, er....I wasn't I answered, "it was a statement of fact". "Well you don't seem to mind discussing it" she retorted, "no, you are right I don't I said......"but I would appreciate it if you didn't make judgments about me without finding out the facts first". One of those uncomfortable silences ensued, she was a little taken aback, as the norm I usually take the inevitable jokes I seem to be the butt of from time to time and smile sweetly(ish), but this time my tone was somewhat terser.
What had really aggravated me was that she had made assumptions about my morals and integrity and was judging me accordingly knowing very little about my situation. This particular lady is a long time married, very moralistic and idealistic individual, who has a tendency to moral superiority. Don't get me wrong, we are generally quite friendly and I admire her integrity but I do not like her attitude toward what she sees as we 'degenerates'. We have been this route before on other subjects but she is rarely to be persuaded that not everyone is the same as herself but that does not make them lesser beings!
I have been vaguely aware that she 'disapproves' of my marital history but until now she had never said anything quite so insensitive. Not entirely put off she approached the subject again to suggest that as I had 'run off with someone' she wasn't sure how she had been insensitive. Ok, let's put her straight here I thought and proceeded to enlighten her that my first husband had woken up one morning after 14 years of marriage, told me he didn't and had never loved me and shot through. I lost my home and job and was forced to move 200 miles back to my parents, I have no idea why to date...... and had he not taken the action he did, I probably would still be married to him.
Her face was an absolute picture, I think I made my point!
This kind of judgmental insensitivity is something I usually come up against where the "do you have children" question comes up. I am always surprised by the number of people who will ask in the first place why I don't have children and then tell me I must be odd or selfish not to have had them. Do these people ever think that maybe I don't have offspring because maybe I couldn't have them, do they ever consider that they might be directing these judgments toward someone who's life is blighted by the lack of a child....I doubt it.
Just for the record I don't have kids because I chose not to, in the main circumstances where never right and I was never massively maternal but those that ask in such a condescending manner don't know that!
Can you tell colleague number two annoyed me? Whatever happened to diplomacy and tact!
This afternoon during work, I was having a conversation with a colleague about marriage, or rather the fact that at approximately the same age I have been married twice whilst she hasn't been married at all. It was a relatively light hearted conversation, just one of those little chats one has in a few spare moments, nothing heavy, nothing long winded.
At the tail end of this conversation colleague number two butts in uninvited, with a little gem aimed in my direction. "Well I wouldn't boast about it" she said, looking me in the eye!
Excuse me??, boast about what I asked, "being married twice" came the reply, er....I wasn't I answered, "it was a statement of fact". "Well you don't seem to mind discussing it" she retorted, "no, you are right I don't I said......"but I would appreciate it if you didn't make judgments about me without finding out the facts first". One of those uncomfortable silences ensued, she was a little taken aback, as the norm I usually take the inevitable jokes I seem to be the butt of from time to time and smile sweetly(ish), but this time my tone was somewhat terser.
What had really aggravated me was that she had made assumptions about my morals and integrity and was judging me accordingly knowing very little about my situation. This particular lady is a long time married, very moralistic and idealistic individual, who has a tendency to moral superiority. Don't get me wrong, we are generally quite friendly and I admire her integrity but I do not like her attitude toward what she sees as we 'degenerates'. We have been this route before on other subjects but she is rarely to be persuaded that not everyone is the same as herself but that does not make them lesser beings!
I have been vaguely aware that she 'disapproves' of my marital history but until now she had never said anything quite so insensitive. Not entirely put off she approached the subject again to suggest that as I had 'run off with someone' she wasn't sure how she had been insensitive. Ok, let's put her straight here I thought and proceeded to enlighten her that my first husband had woken up one morning after 14 years of marriage, told me he didn't and had never loved me and shot through. I lost my home and job and was forced to move 200 miles back to my parents, I have no idea why to date...... and had he not taken the action he did, I probably would still be married to him.
Her face was an absolute picture, I think I made my point!
This kind of judgmental insensitivity is something I usually come up against where the "do you have children" question comes up. I am always surprised by the number of people who will ask in the first place why I don't have children and then tell me I must be odd or selfish not to have had them. Do these people ever think that maybe I don't have offspring because maybe I couldn't have them, do they ever consider that they might be directing these judgments toward someone who's life is blighted by the lack of a child....I doubt it.
Just for the record I don't have kids because I chose not to, in the main circumstances where never right and I was never massively maternal but those that ask in such a condescending manner don't know that!
Can you tell colleague number two annoyed me? Whatever happened to diplomacy and tact!
Friday, 15 April 2005
Friday's feast (43)
Appetizer
What was your first "real" job?
Retail sales at Bourne and Hollingsworth, Oxford Street.
Soup
Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?
Kew Gardens or an art gallery.
Salad
Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when...
...I feel intellectually out of my depth.
Main Course
What values did your parents instill in you?
Honesty, the importance of family and that money isn't everything.
Dessert
Name 3 fads from your teenage years.
'Slinky'
Rubix cube.
Glam rock.
What was your first "real" job?
Retail sales at Bourne and Hollingsworth, Oxford Street.
Soup
Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?
Kew Gardens or an art gallery.
Salad
Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when...
...I feel intellectually out of my depth.
Main Course
What values did your parents instill in you?
Honesty, the importance of family and that money isn't everything.
Dessert
Name 3 fads from your teenage years.
'Slinky'
Rubix cube.
Glam rock.
Bogus blogs
I wondered how long THIS would take to happen! That said, 200 in 8 million, I don't think I will be losing sleep just yet.
Thursday, 14 April 2005
What is it they say.......
about the best laid plans of mice and men going awry? It seems that birthday plans are not immune from this prognosis!
Having dithered somewhat yesterday morning as to where to spend our day I finally settled on the Scottish Seabird Sanctuary. Regulars here may recall that on New Years Day we made our way there with my parents without appropriate fore-thought and only realised on our arrival that it being deepest midwinter, there weren't going to be any birds......save for perhaps the odd seagull!
So plans made and and having watched seals and puffins on the sanctuary's webcams earlier in the morning, off we set in bright spring sunshine clutching camera and binoculars. Shopping by comparison seemed quite dull and hell.....I have lived here for three years and not seen a Puffin, it was about time I did. This place I had also noted on our last abortive attempt to visit has a coffee shop that serves a particularly acceptable latte and chocolate fudge cake!
(Pics, as ever, are clickable)
The as yet unseen Puffin. © Laurie Campbell.
Of course it was not to be. Almost within sight of the place the heavens opened, stair rods of rain, hail and sleet, vision obscured, sunlight gone! We persevered, after all we are British, we are used to this, it would pass we said....did it hell!
At the point we had to turn off the main road north a decision had to be made, no point going to see sea birds when the sea was barely visible. A new plan was hastily formulated and we headed instead for the closest shopping mall. Edinburgh city centre is beautiful but it is the most horrendous place I have ever the misfortune to experience where it's parking is concerned so we took the 'out of town' option instead.....and headed for lunch.
Bass rock in the rain.
'Out of town' shopping rarely has anything inspiring where lunch is concerned but this place did at least boast a Pizza Hut so Pizza Hut it was....one of those 'eat all you can for a set price' affairs, and eat we most certainly did, whilst we were entertained by the manager, most of whose staff had called in sick that morning and who was trying desperately to do the jobs of five staff alone and look calm. Oh how well I know that feeling. It was kinda funny to watch someone else and wonder if I look that harassed on the average Saturday.
Whilst eating copious amounts we made plans to peruse the local retail establishments and then go to the cinema, have dinner and meander home at a leisurely pace. That didn't happen either! 'Post lunch' we both felt fit for nothing, yes of course we had eaten too much, you just have to in those places, it's part of the deal. We staggered around a few shops, made one or two purchases and then headed for the multiplex BUT..... half way there we looked at one another, neither wanting to be the first to say that all we wanted to do was go home and chill. It was agreed, we hastily made our way to the car and set off homeward.
Firth of Forth.
We did at least make the effort to drive home along the beautiful coastal route. We stopped at the spot the boat sails to Bass Rock and Fidra from, to see the birds we never got to see..... and discovered that whilst the website is excellent in every other respect, it fails to tell one that sailings don't begin until the 16th April!!!! I took a few pictures, we briefly discussed if sex on the beach would be a good idea in the inclement conditions, decided that a charge of indecency bestowed upon us courtesy of Lothian and Borders constabulary was most definitely not the thing of fantasies or the kind of memorable birthday incident we were after..... and beetled off back home, where we collapsed in a heap to watch Coronation Street and stuff cream cakes!
I didn't even check my email....now that is tired!.
The moral of this story? Try to obtain more than 6 hours sleep in the 48 hours previous to a birthday. :o)
Having dithered somewhat yesterday morning as to where to spend our day I finally settled on the Scottish Seabird Sanctuary. Regulars here may recall that on New Years Day we made our way there with my parents without appropriate fore-thought and only realised on our arrival that it being deepest midwinter, there weren't going to be any birds......save for perhaps the odd seagull!
So plans made and and having watched seals and puffins on the sanctuary's webcams earlier in the morning, off we set in bright spring sunshine clutching camera and binoculars. Shopping by comparison seemed quite dull and hell.....I have lived here for three years and not seen a Puffin, it was about time I did. This place I had also noted on our last abortive attempt to visit has a coffee shop that serves a particularly acceptable latte and chocolate fudge cake!
(Pics, as ever, are clickable)
The as yet unseen Puffin. © Laurie Campbell.
Of course it was not to be. Almost within sight of the place the heavens opened, stair rods of rain, hail and sleet, vision obscured, sunlight gone! We persevered, after all we are British, we are used to this, it would pass we said....did it hell!
At the point we had to turn off the main road north a decision had to be made, no point going to see sea birds when the sea was barely visible. A new plan was hastily formulated and we headed instead for the closest shopping mall. Edinburgh city centre is beautiful but it is the most horrendous place I have ever the misfortune to experience where it's parking is concerned so we took the 'out of town' option instead.....and headed for lunch.
Bass rock in the rain.
'Out of town' shopping rarely has anything inspiring where lunch is concerned but this place did at least boast a Pizza Hut so Pizza Hut it was....one of those 'eat all you can for a set price' affairs, and eat we most certainly did, whilst we were entertained by the manager, most of whose staff had called in sick that morning and who was trying desperately to do the jobs of five staff alone and look calm. Oh how well I know that feeling. It was kinda funny to watch someone else and wonder if I look that harassed on the average Saturday.
Whilst eating copious amounts we made plans to peruse the local retail establishments and then go to the cinema, have dinner and meander home at a leisurely pace. That didn't happen either! 'Post lunch' we both felt fit for nothing, yes of course we had eaten too much, you just have to in those places, it's part of the deal. We staggered around a few shops, made one or two purchases and then headed for the multiplex BUT..... half way there we looked at one another, neither wanting to be the first to say that all we wanted to do was go home and chill. It was agreed, we hastily made our way to the car and set off homeward.
Firth of Forth.
We did at least make the effort to drive home along the beautiful coastal route. We stopped at the spot the boat sails to Bass Rock and Fidra from, to see the birds we never got to see..... and discovered that whilst the website is excellent in every other respect, it fails to tell one that sailings don't begin until the 16th April!!!! I took a few pictures, we briefly discussed if sex on the beach would be a good idea in the inclement conditions, decided that a charge of indecency bestowed upon us courtesy of Lothian and Borders constabulary was most definitely not the thing of fantasies or the kind of memorable birthday incident we were after..... and beetled off back home, where we collapsed in a heap to watch Coronation Street and stuff cream cakes!
I didn't even check my email....now that is tired!.
The moral of this story? Try to obtain more than 6 hours sleep in the 48 hours previous to a birthday. :o)
Wednesday, 13 April 2005
Birthday, birthday, birthday!
Well that's it, late last night I counted down the final seconds of yesterday, giggling and joking and with PG reminding me of my age as midnight rolled over into my birthday! My advancing years are occasionally the butt of jokes here given that he is, er..... somewhat younger than me. This year I can't even claim 'error' on forms and in the telling, I have to admit my true age, for both digits are the same. So here, live and uncut, in this world wide forum I admit it, this is a once only offer, never to be repeated......I am today 44!
Somehow 43 was a lot younger, transposition, in error of course, made me merely 34 but 44, no chance. PG, I might add has a fair number of years yet to hit even 40...gah!
Admissions over and onto the more fun aspect of birthdays. Despite an extremely late night the child in me was up again, coffee and cigarette (paints an elegant *not* picture doesn't it) in hand and ready for present opening by 7....PG was still in the land of nod but by 7.30 had been prodded into some degree of conciousness to attend the paper ripping activities. Ditto was of course assisting, in fact had already assisted overnight it seems. I could have sworn that ribbon on one gift had been tied in a pretty bow last night. Not so this morning! :o)
Therein was to be found things of delight, from PG, a USB2 interface card (yayyy, God love him), a Portmerion Studio cat, clothes and a set of porcelain mugs bearing images of sumptuous chocolate cake. I can't imagine why my sister should consider that appropriate....I really can't, well ok, maybe I have the smallest inkling!
Ditto is now requiring monitoring as she attempts to tie herself in knots with the ribbon, the best bit of any parcel in her opinion and I have a choice to make.
PG has said I can have a day out anywhere (ok maybe we won't be flying to NY for the day) on him, I just have to decide where! This is not an easy task, I don't 'do' deciding and I know I will get a stern look when in my sleepy state I say 'er...."can we just pull the pc apart please and get the usb card installed"....or maybe I could raise the energy for er....shopping! Hopeless eh? All this beautiful countryside and 'places of interest' to visit and what do I want to do.... yup go shopping! In my defence, I see the beautiful countryside every day, I am spoilt with green hills but real shops, now there's a thing I rarely get to see in this paradise. Oh and of course there are restaurants a plenty in the real world are there not?!
Who knows where this birthday will take us, I could easily be asleep again within the hour!
Somehow 43 was a lot younger, transposition, in error of course, made me merely 34 but 44, no chance. PG, I might add has a fair number of years yet to hit even 40...gah!
Admissions over and onto the more fun aspect of birthdays. Despite an extremely late night the child in me was up again, coffee and cigarette (paints an elegant *not* picture doesn't it) in hand and ready for present opening by 7....PG was still in the land of nod but by 7.30 had been prodded into some degree of conciousness to attend the paper ripping activities. Ditto was of course assisting, in fact had already assisted overnight it seems. I could have sworn that ribbon on one gift had been tied in a pretty bow last night. Not so this morning! :o)
Therein was to be found things of delight, from PG, a USB2 interface card (yayyy, God love him), a Portmerion Studio cat, clothes and a set of porcelain mugs bearing images of sumptuous chocolate cake. I can't imagine why my sister should consider that appropriate....I really can't, well ok, maybe I have the smallest inkling!
Ditto is now requiring monitoring as she attempts to tie herself in knots with the ribbon, the best bit of any parcel in her opinion and I have a choice to make.
PG has said I can have a day out anywhere (ok maybe we won't be flying to NY for the day) on him, I just have to decide where! This is not an easy task, I don't 'do' deciding and I know I will get a stern look when in my sleepy state I say 'er...."can we just pull the pc apart please and get the usb card installed"....or maybe I could raise the energy for er....shopping! Hopeless eh? All this beautiful countryside and 'places of interest' to visit and what do I want to do.... yup go shopping! In my defence, I see the beautiful countryside every day, I am spoilt with green hills but real shops, now there's a thing I rarely get to see in this paradise. Oh and of course there are restaurants a plenty in the real world are there not?!
Who knows where this birthday will take us, I could easily be asleep again within the hour!
Tuesday, 12 April 2005
Ditto's daily chore
As ever, when the daily chore of bed making is on the agenda Ditto feels it appropriate to hinder help! Gah.
This morning was no different aside from the fact that whilst I was out of the room she managed to jam herself between the mattress and a tightly fitted sheet, rendering herself in the embarrassing position of being unable to find a way out! I was summoned by pitiful cat wails to find a moving 'lump' rummaging around in a vain attempt at escape. How she had ferreted her way in in the first place is anybodies guess....but she sure as hell couldn't work out the escape route until I poked a camera lens in one side!
(Pics are clickable)
Stuck!
Way out please?
This morning was no different aside from the fact that whilst I was out of the room she managed to jam herself between the mattress and a tightly fitted sheet, rendering herself in the embarrassing position of being unable to find a way out! I was summoned by pitiful cat wails to find a moving 'lump' rummaging around in a vain attempt at escape. How she had ferreted her way in in the first place is anybodies guess....but she sure as hell couldn't work out the escape route until I poked a camera lens in one side!
(Pics are clickable)
Stuck!
Way out please?
Do blogs have birthdays?
Mine does....and this is it!
Today, coincidentally close to the other birthday, tsk....wouldn't you just know I'de be born on a 13th, my blog is one year old and for such an occasion should have a particular treat. That treat, coincidentally again came from an unexpected source. Lisa, my long time blog friend, kindly, generously and wonderfully had me an animated header made by blogtogs for the 'other' birthday, which arrived in my inbox just in time for the blog birthday makeover. And who says we don't make real friends in the blogosphere? Thank you Lisa, for one such as me there could hardly be a nicer gift.....methinks she knows me well!
So, a year ago today I began blogging. At the time I hadn't really the vaguest idea what it was all about or what I was getting myself into. I had been inspired by another friend, the commenter 'Only me', who had given me a link to someone's blog. Until that point had you asked me what a blog was I would have made a sound along the line is 'uh'? Hell, I didn't even realise that others gave their blogs an interesting name, hence I saddled myself with the very uninspiring 'gemmak's blogs' which I now can't get shot of, for fear that the infernally flighty web spiders will lose me!
I didn't start off at Blogger, to begin with in my ignorance I hosted it in a cobbled together, home made template hosted on my webspace but it soon became apparent that things needed to be improved and I headed for Bravenet. Unfortunately Bravenet doesn't allow access to the HTML, maybe they do now who knows, but I only hung around for a few days before beating a retreat and making my way to the Blogger we know and love. Blogger of course don't have an import facility so the few weeks post I had were copied into here and and my love/hate relationship with Blogger began in early May.
When I began this as I said, I had no idea what I was getting into. I didn't imagine for one moment anyone would read it, save maybe for one or two loyal friends of old and I certainly didn't expect to make real friends or to feel part of 'something' bigger.
I have loved my first year in the blogosphere, I cant imagine what I did before there were posts to think up and write and of course HTML to fiddle with unendingly! I have made friends here who I count as true friends, have found support when I've needed it, both on the technical and emotional fronts and have been touched by the genuine care that exists in this virtual world.
Some of you have been with me since almost the beginning, you loyal and brave souls!Jennytc was the first and then Magz, Menina, Dale, Lisa, True Willow, Jack, Snowbabies, Kaptain Kobold, Astrantia, WSH and Justitia headed this way. The inimitable BeFrank helped me enormously when he 'advertised' this blog on his and my hits suddenly took a turn for the better.
And so, in the region of 23500 hits later, Lord knows how many words or posts (Blogger stopped counting and I'm not gonna start), more comments than I could ever have hoped for, a baptism of fire where HTML is concerned and probably far too many cat photos, my little blog has reached it's 1st birthday and I thank you all for your loyalty, your friendship and your patience in never knowing if you have arrived at the right place, courtesy of my constant fiddling!!
Without you lot this little patch would have hit the recycle bin long before it made it to a year.....so a big
~THANK YOU~
to you all....
not just those I have mentioned but anyone who has taken the time to stop by and read my ramblings over the last year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today, coincidentally close to the other birthday, tsk....wouldn't you just know I'de be born on a 13th, my blog is one year old and for such an occasion should have a particular treat. That treat, coincidentally again came from an unexpected source. Lisa, my long time blog friend, kindly, generously and wonderfully had me an animated header made by blogtogs for the 'other' birthday, which arrived in my inbox just in time for the blog birthday makeover. And who says we don't make real friends in the blogosphere? Thank you Lisa, for one such as me there could hardly be a nicer gift.....methinks she knows me well!
So, a year ago today I began blogging. At the time I hadn't really the vaguest idea what it was all about or what I was getting myself into. I had been inspired by another friend, the commenter 'Only me', who had given me a link to someone's blog. Until that point had you asked me what a blog was I would have made a sound along the line is 'uh'? Hell, I didn't even realise that others gave their blogs an interesting name, hence I saddled myself with the very uninspiring 'gemmak's blogs' which I now can't get shot of, for fear that the infernally flighty web spiders will lose me!
I didn't start off at Blogger, to begin with in my ignorance I hosted it in a cobbled together, home made template hosted on my webspace but it soon became apparent that things needed to be improved and I headed for Bravenet. Unfortunately Bravenet doesn't allow access to the HTML, maybe they do now who knows, but I only hung around for a few days before beating a retreat and making my way to the Blogger we know and love. Blogger of course don't have an import facility so the few weeks post I had were copied into here and and my love/hate relationship with Blogger began in early May.
When I began this as I said, I had no idea what I was getting into. I didn't imagine for one moment anyone would read it, save maybe for one or two loyal friends of old and I certainly didn't expect to make real friends or to feel part of 'something' bigger.
I have loved my first year in the blogosphere, I cant imagine what I did before there were posts to think up and write and of course HTML to fiddle with unendingly! I have made friends here who I count as true friends, have found support when I've needed it, both on the technical and emotional fronts and have been touched by the genuine care that exists in this virtual world.
Some of you have been with me since almost the beginning, you loyal and brave souls!Jennytc was the first and then Magz, Menina, Dale, Lisa, True Willow, Jack, Snowbabies, Kaptain Kobold, Astrantia, WSH and Justitia headed this way. The inimitable BeFrank helped me enormously when he 'advertised' this blog on his and my hits suddenly took a turn for the better.
And so, in the region of 23500 hits later, Lord knows how many words or posts (Blogger stopped counting and I'm not gonna start), more comments than I could ever have hoped for, a baptism of fire where HTML is concerned and probably far too many cat photos, my little blog has reached it's 1st birthday and I thank you all for your loyalty, your friendship and your patience in never knowing if you have arrived at the right place, courtesy of my constant fiddling!!
~THANK YOU~
to you all....
not just those I have mentioned but anyone who has taken the time to stop by and read my ramblings over the last year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday, 11 April 2005
Who gives a damn
Hurtling headlong as I am toward yet another birthday, I am having a 'feeling old' day! Generally I don't but today I am.
The weekend was hard, short staffed as ever and with Joe Public more demanding than usual. By the time I navigated my way home in the late afternoon, through the ciccaine (sp?) of pheasants which seemed intent upon ending up under my wheels, I was done for! I recall working at this pace for 50 hours a week, partying night after night all with no ill effect...... instead of collapsing in an ungainly heap on the sofa!
Don't get me wrong, there are most definitely positive aspects to 'getting on'.....I could happily live without going through the teenage years and the 20's again but '40 something' seems to be accompanied by bits that hurt for no good reason and is a damn sight closer to dead than '20 something', a fact that doesn't fill me with joy. My niece kindly told me a few weeks ago that I am old and then promptly followed that little statement up with a tactful question, "will you die soon, auntie (my name)?".... having noted my age and the fact that I smoke.
Gah! Cheers sweetie, and I love you too. Kids..... don't you just love em sometimes!
Add to that I have finally been forced to make an appointment to visit the optician, yet again. As if it's not bad enough that I have eye sight that requires varifocal lenses, now even those need replacing. PG has long since been telling me that sitting infront of this monitor, with my head tilted hard back and squinting to get the correct bit of the lens to focus is not how it's supposed to be! I don't like going to the opticians, why do they have to puff that air thing into your eye? No matter how much warning I'm given it never fails to make me jump like a rabbit and feel like a fool! The financial aspect is no great joy either, vanity is not something that affects me as a rule but where my specs are concerned I am just not going to have something planted on my face all day every day resembling a milk bottle bottom! Hence this further sign of age invariably costs me in excess of £500.......which I can ill afford and even if I could, there are things more interesting to spend it on than another item of proof that I am getting long in the tooth!
Ok....that's it, moaning over, I think perhaps it best that I concentrate now on the good aspects of my ageing state, of knowing 'who I am' (well to a point), of caring less what others think of me, of knowing what I like and don't like, of having enough experience to know 'what's what' up to a point, even if it doesn't stop me behaving like a eejit with monotonous regularity and of having the confidence just to be me.
Age.....who gives a damn?!
The weekend was hard, short staffed as ever and with Joe Public more demanding than usual. By the time I navigated my way home in the late afternoon, through the ciccaine (sp?) of pheasants which seemed intent upon ending up under my wheels, I was done for! I recall working at this pace for 50 hours a week, partying night after night all with no ill effect...... instead of collapsing in an ungainly heap on the sofa!
Don't get me wrong, there are most definitely positive aspects to 'getting on'.....I could happily live without going through the teenage years and the 20's again but '40 something' seems to be accompanied by bits that hurt for no good reason and is a damn sight closer to dead than '20 something', a fact that doesn't fill me with joy. My niece kindly told me a few weeks ago that I am old and then promptly followed that little statement up with a tactful question, "will you die soon, auntie (my name)?".... having noted my age and the fact that I smoke.
Gah! Cheers sweetie, and I love you too. Kids..... don't you just love em sometimes!
Add to that I have finally been forced to make an appointment to visit the optician, yet again. As if it's not bad enough that I have eye sight that requires varifocal lenses, now even those need replacing. PG has long since been telling me that sitting infront of this monitor, with my head tilted hard back and squinting to get the correct bit of the lens to focus is not how it's supposed to be! I don't like going to the opticians, why do they have to puff that air thing into your eye? No matter how much warning I'm given it never fails to make me jump like a rabbit and feel like a fool! The financial aspect is no great joy either, vanity is not something that affects me as a rule but where my specs are concerned I am just not going to have something planted on my face all day every day resembling a milk bottle bottom! Hence this further sign of age invariably costs me in excess of £500.......which I can ill afford and even if I could, there are things more interesting to spend it on than another item of proof that I am getting long in the tooth!
Ok....that's it, moaning over, I think perhaps it best that I concentrate now on the good aspects of my ageing state, of knowing 'who I am' (well to a point), of caring less what others think of me, of knowing what I like and don't like, of having enough experience to know 'what's what' up to a point, even if it doesn't stop me behaving like a eejit with monotonous regularity and of having the confidence just to be me.
Age.....who gives a damn?!
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