.....no more worries for a week or two... tra la la la tra la la tra la.
Come on, sing along! Ok, ok, no singing.
Well that's it...everything's finally packed, Fletch is home (flight delayed as ever) Hammy is relocated for the duration and the crossing is booked from Dover for 12.30 hrs today. First night in Strasbourg, second in Milan, third hopefully the destination, Positano, and then Europe is our oyster.
I'll try to post here and there along the way, though I've been banned from taking a lappy so it's down to internet cafes or my phone and consequently likely to be intermittent.
Now for a few hours sleep and then I'm gone, back in approx. two weeks. Yayyyyyy :o)
Saturday, 30 August 2008
Friday, 29 August 2008
Just another day in gemmak's-ville
So, I woke to no water supply at 6am, that, it transpires, was the easy part of the day!
Midday the water was restored and we discover quite rapidly that some dipstick has left water running somewhere in his flat. He is of course not in residence. The building houses a fair number of 'elderly and infirm', there is much panic among said elderly and infirm as the water begins to flood the four floors below.
The floor immediately below houses a man who is almost 90 years of age and blind. His property is quickly 2 inches deep in water, he won't let anyone in to turn off his electrical supply and no-one can gain access to the flat above creating the problem.
I can't silence the fire alarm which is shrieking, I can't persuade the blind man to let me in but he tells me he is trying to locate his power to turn it off!!!! Whaattt??? Stood in water, blind and infirm???!!! Noooooo!!
I am now joined by various elderly souls issuing me with information that the flood is making it's way rapidly down the other four floors....and flapping.
Why has all this suddenly become my responsibility?
Ok....'firm words' issued to blind man about getting the hell out of his flat please and now, 999 call made, this may not be an emergency of enormous proportions but I don't have the local station number and I do have an old man trying his best to fry himself. E.S. operator wants to know everything but what colour my underwear is, strangely I don't have to hand contact numbers for a complete stranger in a building of 40 flats! Stopcock located but of course its too tight for me to shift, flats lower down checked for anyone else in distress and finally old man appears, wet and somewhat confused.
Boys in red appliance show up (sorry, the usual girly 'firemen' aspect is lost on me....I was married to one), narrowly beating the shame-faced owner of the offending flood, access is gained (damn, he deserved to have the fire brigade break down his door) and we discover he has left his power shower turned on and laying on the floor! WTF??
Daughter in law arrives shouting the odds, (hello?...how is this my fault exactly?) and takes charge of blind man, fire brigade 'make safe', owner paddles back into his flat to find insurance papers and finally I can go get a cup of coffee.....all this and did I forget to mention that I had Hammy in my handbag the whole time!!
Well, I didn't know it wasn't actually a fire when the alarm sounded did I??....and I sure as hell didn't get a chance to just 'pop' her back home for a while.
She is one very miffed hamster right now.
Really, I will get packed for this holiday!
Midday the water was restored and we discover quite rapidly that some dipstick has left water running somewhere in his flat. He is of course not in residence. The building houses a fair number of 'elderly and infirm', there is much panic among said elderly and infirm as the water begins to flood the four floors below.
The floor immediately below houses a man who is almost 90 years of age and blind. His property is quickly 2 inches deep in water, he won't let anyone in to turn off his electrical supply and no-one can gain access to the flat above creating the problem.
I can't silence the fire alarm which is shrieking, I can't persuade the blind man to let me in but he tells me he is trying to locate his power to turn it off!!!! Whaattt??? Stood in water, blind and infirm???!!! Noooooo!!I am now joined by various elderly souls issuing me with information that the flood is making it's way rapidly down the other four floors....and flapping.
Why has all this suddenly become my responsibility?
Ok....'firm words' issued to blind man about getting the hell out of his flat please and now, 999 call made, this may not be an emergency of enormous proportions but I don't have the local station number and I do have an old man trying his best to fry himself. E.S. operator wants to know everything but what colour my underwear is, strangely I don't have to hand contact numbers for a complete stranger in a building of 40 flats! Stopcock located but of course its too tight for me to shift, flats lower down checked for anyone else in distress and finally old man appears, wet and somewhat confused.
Boys in red appliance show up (sorry, the usual girly 'firemen' aspect is lost on me....I was married to one), narrowly beating the shame-faced owner of the offending flood, access is gained (damn, he deserved to have the fire brigade break down his door) and we discover he has left his power shower turned on and laying on the floor! WTF??
Daughter in law arrives shouting the odds, (hello?...how is this my fault exactly?) and takes charge of blind man, fire brigade 'make safe', owner paddles back into his flat to find insurance papers and finally I can go get a cup of coffee.....all this and did I forget to mention that I had Hammy in my handbag the whole time!!
Well, I didn't know it wasn't actually a fire when the alarm sounded did I??....and I sure as hell didn't get a chance to just 'pop' her back home for a while.
She is one very miffed hamster right now.
Really, I will get packed for this holiday!
Wot....no coffee???
The day has not started well!
Having woken with a start to the sound of my alarm clock, a particularly horrible noise that I consider should really be outlawed, and having scrambled out of bed very bleary eyed as the result of an hilarious night on Skype that went on way into the wee small hours...... I discover we have no water!! Zip, zilch, nada, not a drop.
The water board have no idea why at this juncture but promise service will be restored soon, despite their not yet having traced the problem, hmmmm, excuse my cynicism... and I have the big and final pre-holiday laundry to get done somehow!
But worse, much worse than any laundry issues, no water means no coffee, this is unthinkable, or it would be if my system had suitable levels of caffeine racing around it to enable me to think at all!
I'm beginning to believe Fletch when he says I'm jinxed, thus far the kettle, microwave, washing machine and amp. (though the amp. remains subject of some 'discussion') have all disintegrated on me, the Internet connection was as flaky as hell until recently and the power in the flat trips out if I use more than two items at once!
In fact there have been so many incidents of electrical failure in just six months that I have lost count and last night another was added to the list, the cooker hood extractor blew up on me in a reasonably spectacular manner!
Now no water!!
Having woken with a start to the sound of my alarm clock, a particularly horrible noise that I consider should really be outlawed, and having scrambled out of bed very bleary eyed as the result of an hilarious night on Skype that went on way into the wee small hours...... I discover we have no water!! Zip, zilch, nada, not a drop.
The water board have no idea why at this juncture but promise service will be restored soon, despite their not yet having traced the problem, hmmmm, excuse my cynicism... and I have the big and final pre-holiday laundry to get done somehow!
But worse, much worse than any laundry issues, no water means no coffee, this is unthinkable, or it would be if my system had suitable levels of caffeine racing around it to enable me to think at all!
I'm beginning to believe Fletch when he says I'm jinxed, thus far the kettle, microwave, washing machine and amp. (though the amp. remains subject of some 'discussion') have all disintegrated on me, the Internet connection was as flaky as hell until recently and the power in the flat trips out if I use more than two items at once!
In fact there have been so many incidents of electrical failure in just six months that I have lost count and last night another was added to the list, the cooker hood extractor blew up on me in a reasonably spectacular manner!
Now no water!!
Thursday, 28 August 2008
On the home stretch
These last few weeks have seemed interminable and fraught with difficulties and problems of varying degrees of magnitude but I think I made it through pretty reasonably, even if I do say so myself! Not everything is resolved but much is, the outcomes are some good, some bad but along the way I faced, and I think won in the main, a pretty big personal battle....and I'm still here to tell the tale!
Now, (fingers very crossed here, I hate to tempt fate) at last, we have made it to a good bit and a break from the day to day carrying-ons in the shape of three weeks much needed and anticipated holiday. We are on the home stretch and it's all looking good from here!
Fletch, 'Mr Workaholic-I-badly-need-a-break-geek' flies home on Friday night and sharpish on Saturday morning we hit the road for Dover, en-route to Positano in Southern Italy for a family wedding on Tuesday.
Post nuptials we have the rest of the time to do as we please, we have the tent, the car and no firm plans other than to meander about Europe and stop where we fancy. There is a vague idea we might do Venice, Rome and San Gimignano (well it would be rude not to) then head on into the Austrian Alps for the majority of the time...or until the money runs out! Even without the pleasures of the bike I can't wait!
We hadn't planned on doing Europe again this year. Holiday rule#1: never go back, there are too many other places in the world to see, but the wedding is a damn good excuse and the Alps just has to be a place worth breaking all the rules for!
And then, once the holiday is over, it is almost October and that brings with it even more great excitement because it is at the beginning of October that Lisa arrives in the UK and I finally get to meet my best friend for real!!
Now all I have to do is get my ass into gear to get the packing done (more coffee please) and then we can revel in a fun bit of life for a few weeks.
Yayyyy.....yipeeee.....hurahhh.....wooooooo!
:o)))) <------- very excited face!
Now, (fingers very crossed here, I hate to tempt fate) at last, we have made it to a good bit and a break from the day to day carrying-ons in the shape of three weeks much needed and anticipated holiday. We are on the home stretch and it's all looking good from here!
Fletch, 'Mr Workaholic-I-badly-need-a-break-geek' flies home on Friday night and sharpish on Saturday morning we hit the road for Dover, en-route to Positano in Southern Italy for a family wedding on Tuesday.Post nuptials we have the rest of the time to do as we please, we have the tent, the car and no firm plans other than to meander about Europe and stop where we fancy. There is a vague idea we might do Venice, Rome and San Gimignano (well it would be rude not to) then head on into the Austrian Alps for the majority of the time...or until the money runs out! Even without the pleasures of the bike I can't wait!
We hadn't planned on doing Europe again this year. Holiday rule#1: never go back, there are too many other places in the world to see, but the wedding is a damn good excuse and the Alps just has to be a place worth breaking all the rules for!
And then, once the holiday is over, it is almost October and that brings with it even more great excitement because it is at the beginning of October that Lisa arrives in the UK and I finally get to meet my best friend for real!!
Now all I have to do is get my ass into gear to get the packing done (more coffee please) and then we can revel in a fun bit of life for a few weeks.
Yayyyy.....yipeeee.....hurahhh.....wooooooo!
:o)))) <------- very excited face!
Wednesday, 27 August 2008
Hamster in hiding!
Yesterday was our six monthly 'inspection'. By that I mean the day the letting agents who manage this flat come snooping around to check that we aren't wrecking the place, housing forty seven illegal immigrants or using it as a bordello.
It's always a pain, in the main of our own making I have to admit, because we smoke and the lease forbids such heinous activity, so inspection day always requires much rushing around with all the doors and windows open and cans of sweetly smelling air fresheners pressed into heavy service.
This time though there was one extra problem...Hammy! We aren't allowed pets either and whilst maybe we would get away with a hamster I wasn't going to test the theory, so the crack of dawn yesterday saw me racing around hatching a cunning plan to make her disappear temporarily!
This was no mean feat, given that her 'house' begins to resemble NASA and wouldn't fit in it's entirety in the designated hiding place, which from very limited options was the wardrobe! The whole kit and caboodle just wasn't going to fit and so I had to dismantle the whole issue and re-design a more compact pied a terre....all with one very stubborn and grumpy hamster still 'in situ'.
Eventually the task was complete, Hammy was installed in the bottom of the wardrobe and the multitude of spare parts were hidden away in cupboards...we were ready for inspection.
Oh no we weren't!
The inside of the wardrobe of course is dark, hamsters are nocturnal, her body clock was almost instantly thrown into confusion and she just wouldn't go to sleep, instead choosing to race around her (supposedly silent) wheel making a god-awful racket and scratching like merry hell trying to burrow her way out! Much faffing and many treats later she settled down some but as I was about to go out to the dentist and leave her to the inspector alone, should he arrive in my absence, she started up again!! Arghhhh.
I could think of no other option than to pretend (waddya mean 'pretend') I was a half-wit and turn on the bedroom radio, loud, in the hope that it would drown out her noise making antics and Mr Inspector man would assume I had left in a hurry and forgotten to turn it off!
In the event of course he didn't arrive until long after I had returned, so instead I steered him in and out of the bedroom poste haste and hammy remained safely undiscovered...then of course came the re-building NASA process and this time around an even more seriously disgruntled little hamster, who was by now completely fed up with all the disturbance and has very sharp teeth!
What a performance!
It's always a pain, in the main of our own making I have to admit, because we smoke and the lease forbids such heinous activity, so inspection day always requires much rushing around with all the doors and windows open and cans of sweetly smelling air fresheners pressed into heavy service.
This time though there was one extra problem...Hammy! We aren't allowed pets either and whilst maybe we would get away with a hamster I wasn't going to test the theory, so the crack of dawn yesterday saw me racing around hatching a cunning plan to make her disappear temporarily!
This was no mean feat, given that her 'house' begins to resemble NASA and wouldn't fit in it's entirety in the designated hiding place, which from very limited options was the wardrobe! The whole kit and caboodle just wasn't going to fit and so I had to dismantle the whole issue and re-design a more compact pied a terre....all with one very stubborn and grumpy hamster still 'in situ'.
Eventually the task was complete, Hammy was installed in the bottom of the wardrobe and the multitude of spare parts were hidden away in cupboards...we were ready for inspection.
Oh no we weren't!
The inside of the wardrobe of course is dark, hamsters are nocturnal, her body clock was almost instantly thrown into confusion and she just wouldn't go to sleep, instead choosing to race around her (supposedly silent) wheel making a god-awful racket and scratching like merry hell trying to burrow her way out! Much faffing and many treats later she settled down some but as I was about to go out to the dentist and leave her to the inspector alone, should he arrive in my absence, she started up again!! Arghhhh.
I could think of no other option than to pretend (waddya mean 'pretend') I was a half-wit and turn on the bedroom radio, loud, in the hope that it would drown out her noise making antics and Mr Inspector man would assume I had left in a hurry and forgotten to turn it off!
In the event of course he didn't arrive until long after I had returned, so instead I steered him in and out of the bedroom poste haste and hammy remained safely undiscovered...then of course came the re-building NASA process and this time around an even more seriously disgruntled little hamster, who was by now completely fed up with all the disturbance and has very sharp teeth!
What a performance!
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Monday, 25 August 2008
Just one memory
I got this little game from Karen's blog.
The rules are simple;
1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! And if we've never met in real life, leave me a comment of your favorite post I wrote and why it was your favorite.
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually quite funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.
The rules are simple;
1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! And if we've never met in real life, leave me a comment of your favorite post I wrote and why it was your favorite.
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually quite funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.
Sunday, 24 August 2008
How did he do that?!
As previously mentioned, next week we are driving to Positano for a family wedding, this is all good, save for one aspect....wedding's require a suitable outfit, this aspect is not good!
Firstly I don't 'do' posh clothes, it's just not my style, I don't like frocks and stuff of the flowery and flouncy persuasion and secondly and more importantly, it's almost impossible to buy 'grown up' attire for someone my size.
Years of trailing around shops getting hot and frustrated has taught me to dislike the whole dressing up carry on, because if you're a size 6-8 and only just five foot tall it just isn't happening...... and childrens size shoes are never what you could call elegant!
But, Fletch insisted that in 35-40 degree heat I just couldn't be dressed in anything I already have (the suit and boot kind of stuff) and consequently yesterday morning decided he was going to 'deal with' the issue.
I was far from convinced that in a village with only one clothes shop catering for the under 70's he was going to achieve anything other than failure but I humoured him and trailed without hope, into the aforementioned store.
I kid you not, literally within 5 minutes he had selected a dress he considered suitable and thought would fit and I was dispatched into the changing rooms, convinced I would re-appear looking ridiculous. I just don't suit dresses, they never fit, why wouldn't he be told!
Wrong....I scrambled into the provided item and looked in the mirror, it fitted like it was made for me!!! There was someone one staring back at me from the mirror who looked like a girl, with flowers!!! Bloody hell fire, where were my leathers? Much to my amazement it actually looked good, despite the fact I wouldn't ever have imagined myself in a flowery dress. Really, the last time I wore a dress I was still at junior school.
So I crept out of the changing room (as you do in that horrible self conscious way) for himself to assess the situation.... thinking only that I could still save the day because there wasn't a hope in hell of finding shoes to go with it.
Wrong again, while I was changing he had also found from somewhere the perfect pair of strappy, girly, heels which were handed to me with the instruction to 'put them on and stop faffing'. I did, they too fitted and were perfect with the dress!!! Done deal, he paid while I got out of the ensemble and home we went.
So, it looks like I'll be wearing a dress for the first time in forever, ok, it's a bit 'hippy' so I don't feel too much like a dogs dinner and it fits like a dream so I won't be uncomfortable but what I really want to know is....how did he do that??
Men aren't supposed to be able to shop for anything other than gadgetry, cars and bikes but from door to door the whole outing took twenty minutes and was a complete success!! Alone I would have spent three days scrambling into ill fitting items and still gone home empty handed!
I'm impressed, though I hate to admit it!
Firstly I don't 'do' posh clothes, it's just not my style, I don't like frocks and stuff of the flowery and flouncy persuasion and secondly and more importantly, it's almost impossible to buy 'grown up' attire for someone my size.
Years of trailing around shops getting hot and frustrated has taught me to dislike the whole dressing up carry on, because if you're a size 6-8 and only just five foot tall it just isn't happening...... and childrens size shoes are never what you could call elegant!But, Fletch insisted that in 35-40 degree heat I just couldn't be dressed in anything I already have (the suit and boot kind of stuff) and consequently yesterday morning decided he was going to 'deal with' the issue.
I was far from convinced that in a village with only one clothes shop catering for the under 70's he was going to achieve anything other than failure but I humoured him and trailed without hope, into the aforementioned store.
I kid you not, literally within 5 minutes he had selected a dress he considered suitable and thought would fit and I was dispatched into the changing rooms, convinced I would re-appear looking ridiculous. I just don't suit dresses, they never fit, why wouldn't he be told!
Wrong....I scrambled into the provided item and looked in the mirror, it fitted like it was made for me!!! There was someone one staring back at me from the mirror who looked like a girl, with flowers!!! Bloody hell fire, where were my leathers? Much to my amazement it actually looked good, despite the fact I wouldn't ever have imagined myself in a flowery dress. Really, the last time I wore a dress I was still at junior school.
So I crept out of the changing room (as you do in that horrible self conscious way) for himself to assess the situation.... thinking only that I could still save the day because there wasn't a hope in hell of finding shoes to go with it.
Wrong again, while I was changing he had also found from somewhere the perfect pair of strappy, girly, heels which were handed to me with the instruction to 'put them on and stop faffing'. I did, they too fitted and were perfect with the dress!!! Done deal, he paid while I got out of the ensemble and home we went.
So, it looks like I'll be wearing a dress for the first time in forever, ok, it's a bit 'hippy' so I don't feel too much like a dogs dinner and it fits like a dream so I won't be uncomfortable but what I really want to know is....how did he do that??
Men aren't supposed to be able to shop for anything other than gadgetry, cars and bikes but from door to door the whole outing took twenty minutes and was a complete success!! Alone I would have spent three days scrambling into ill fitting items and still gone home empty handed!
I'm impressed, though I hate to admit it!
Saturday, 23 August 2008
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Friday, 22 August 2008
Two good things!
#1. Fletch comes home for the weekend tonight :o))
#2. Because he has been away all week I have had his nice big, new, comfortable, fast, shiny black, corners like it's on rails, all the bells and whistles, I don't have to pay for the fuel, car.
I'm off to my parents for the day and collecting himself from the airport on my way home tonight...it should all take about half the time it does in my old jalopy and be way more fun! ;o)
Note to self: *keep sharp eye for speed cameras.... yellow things on stalks old jalopy can't muster speed to activate*
#2. Because he has been away all week I have had his nice big, new, comfortable, fast, shiny black, corners like it's on rails, all the bells and whistles, I don't have to pay for the fuel, car.
I'm off to my parents for the day and collecting himself from the airport on my way home tonight...it should all take about half the time it does in my old jalopy and be way more fun! ;o)
Note to self: *keep sharp eye for speed cameras.... yellow things on stalks old jalopy can't muster speed to activate*
Thursday, 21 August 2008
Finish this sentence
I don't recall where I thieved this from but if it was you, I hope you don't mind!
1. My uncle once: won the world diamond design competition.
2. Never in my life: have I achieved my dream...yet.
3. When I was five: I pushed a peanut up my nose that required medical intervention for removal! Ack, kids.
4. High school was: all girls and boring!
5. I will never forget: the day Tilly had to go to her new home.
6. Once I met: (albeit briefly in most cases) David Bowie, Paul Mc Carney, David Essex, Liam Neeson, Terry Wogan, Simon and Yasmin LeBon, Jasper Carrott, Paul Daniels, Bob Geldof, Louis Malle, Paula Yeates, Nigel Lithgoe, David Seaman, Vinny Jones, yada, yada, yada....
7. There’s this girl I know: who races a Ducati with the best of the guys.
8. Once, at a bar: I was asked outright and with no preamble, by a complete stranger "do you f*ck"! Smooth line mate...not!
9. By noon, I’m usually: tired!
10. Last night: I was trying not to scratch my eczema ridden legs...attractive huh?
11. If only I had: Some antibiotics for this bloody tooth abscess.
12. Next time I go to church: will probably be a wedding or a funeral, it's the only time I ever go in a church.
13. What worries me most: Everything!
14. When I turn my head left I see: a white wall.
15. When I turn my head right I see: This....
(sorry, appallingly done but no time)
16. You know I’m lying when: I don't lie. I occasionally tell tiny fibs but I do that well!
17. What I miss most about the Eighties is: The [relative] naivety.
18. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be: Puck.
19. By this time next year: I hope life is a little simpler.
20. A better name for me would be: Hmmmmm, I have no idea.
21. I have a hard time understanding: Man's inhumanity to man.
22. If I ever go back to school, I’ll: make the absolute most of it this time.
23. You know I like you if: um......
24. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be: Lol...doesn't that depend on the award?
25. Take my advice, never: count your chickens, because the buggers invariably do the off.
26. My ideal breakfast is: made for me!
27. A song I love but do not have is: I have what I like.
28. If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: call me and we'll go for a beer/coffee.
29. Why won’t people: make love not war.
30. If you spend a night at my house: please help yourself to stuff, I'm a crap hostess.
31. I’d stop my wedding for: which one?
32. The world could do without: The tabloid press.
33. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: see a spider, no contest!
34. My favourite blonde(s) is/are: I hope I'm not that shallow.
35. Paper clips are more useful than: Gordon Brown.
36. If I do anything well it’s: very unusual.
37. I can’t help but: watch Big Brother.
38. I usually cry: too easily.
39. My advice to my child/nephew/niece: Do it your way, not the way expected of you.
40. And by the way: I miss Fletch.
Tag - You're it..
1. My uncle once: won the world diamond design competition.
2. Never in my life: have I achieved my dream...yet.
3. When I was five: I pushed a peanut up my nose that required medical intervention for removal! Ack, kids.
4. High school was: all girls and boring!
5. I will never forget: the day Tilly had to go to her new home.
6. Once I met: (albeit briefly in most cases) David Bowie, Paul Mc Carney, David Essex, Liam Neeson, Terry Wogan, Simon and Yasmin LeBon, Jasper Carrott, Paul Daniels, Bob Geldof, Louis Malle, Paula Yeates, Nigel Lithgoe, David Seaman, Vinny Jones, yada, yada, yada....
7. There’s this girl I know: who races a Ducati with the best of the guys.
8. Once, at a bar: I was asked outright and with no preamble, by a complete stranger "do you f*ck"! Smooth line mate...not!
9. By noon, I’m usually: tired!
10. Last night: I was trying not to scratch my eczema ridden legs...attractive huh?
11. If only I had: Some antibiotics for this bloody tooth abscess.
12. Next time I go to church: will probably be a wedding or a funeral, it's the only time I ever go in a church.
13. What worries me most: Everything!
14. When I turn my head left I see: a white wall.
15. When I turn my head right I see: This....
(sorry, appallingly done but no time)16. You know I’m lying when: I don't lie. I occasionally tell tiny fibs but I do that well!
17. What I miss most about the Eighties is: The [relative] naivety.
18. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be: Puck.
19. By this time next year: I hope life is a little simpler.
20. A better name for me would be: Hmmmmm, I have no idea.
21. I have a hard time understanding: Man's inhumanity to man.
22. If I ever go back to school, I’ll: make the absolute most of it this time.
23. You know I like you if: um......
24. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be: Lol...doesn't that depend on the award?
25. Take my advice, never: count your chickens, because the buggers invariably do the off.
26. My ideal breakfast is: made for me!
27. A song I love but do not have is: I have what I like.
28. If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: call me and we'll go for a beer/coffee.
29. Why won’t people: make love not war.
30. If you spend a night at my house: please help yourself to stuff, I'm a crap hostess.
31. I’d stop my wedding for: which one?
32. The world could do without: The tabloid press.
33. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: see a spider, no contest!
34. My favourite blonde(s) is/are: I hope I'm not that shallow.
35. Paper clips are more useful than: Gordon Brown.
36. If I do anything well it’s: very unusual.
37. I can’t help but: watch Big Brother.
38. I usually cry: too easily.
39. My advice to my child/nephew/niece: Do it your way, not the way expected of you.
40. And by the way: I miss Fletch.
Tag - You're it..
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Adrian Sudbury - Baldy's blog
Adrian very sadly died in his sleep this morning with his parents at his side. It was in the end inevitable but the news is no less shocking or sad for that knowledge.
I of course never met him, I only knew him through his blog but he was one of the most inspirational and courageous people I am ever likely to have the privilege 'knowing'.
My thoughts are with his much loved family and friends, he was a truly special man and one who leaves an amazing legacy that we now have the honour of continuing.
Rest in peace Adrian...you were one in many millions.
I of course never met him, I only knew him through his blog but he was one of the most inspirational and courageous people I am ever likely to have the privilege 'knowing'.
My thoughts are with his much loved family and friends, he was a truly special man and one who leaves an amazing legacy that we now have the honour of continuing.
Rest in peace Adrian...you were one in many millions.
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
The secret....
.....is not a secret anymore! I can tell you now what it was that I was blethering on about the day before yesterday. I am sooo excited!
We all have, if we are very lucky, a friend or two in our lives who we can really really count on and I have been very lucky
to have always had good friends who have stood by me despite my not always being the er... the 'easiest' of people to deal with along the way sometimes, but I have one friend who probably knows me better than almost anyone else on this planet.
For almost five years now we have shared just about every aspect of our lives on a daily basis, the ups and downs of what have for both of us been a pretty turbulent period in our lives one way and another, I doubt we have any secrets from one another and no matter if it's 3 in the morning or a more civil hour, if I need her or just want to share something with her she is there!
We met via blogging, a chance in a million (or however many blogs there is out there in the blogosphere these days) when she posted something about a cat and I mailed her a response instead of commenting...and that was that, we became friends. I wouldn't like to hazard a guess at how many emails we have sent between us, on an average day it can run into tens, it has been literally a five year ongoing conversation, almost everyday about everything, no matter where we are one way or another the wonders of technology keep the 'conversation' up and running!
Anyone who knows me well knows who I am talking about, even the few individuals I know who can be pretty skeptical about the 'validity' of internet friendships, refer to her and enquire after her, as though she lived just down the street but she doesn't, she lives in Nebraska in the U.S and for those of you who don't know who I am talking about it is LISA, she of Lisa's Place....and what's all the excitement and secrecy about?
Well, circumstances and luck have conspired and worked in our favour...... and one very early morning at the beginning of October she will land on a flight from the U.S. at London Heathrow and finally we will meet!!!!
I am just sooooo excited! Ever since it began to look like it might actually happen I have been bouncing up and down like a small over-excited child, I can't believe it! We always planned to meet up but life being how it is we never imagined that it would happen anytime soon but it has, and much plotting and planning later it looks like we can finally have a conversation over a beer instead of over the internet and real American pancakes for breakfast!!!!
We all have, if we are very lucky, a friend or two in our lives who we can really really count on and I have been very lucky
to have always had good friends who have stood by me despite my not always being the er... the 'easiest' of people to deal with along the way sometimes, but I have one friend who probably knows me better than almost anyone else on this planet.
For almost five years now we have shared just about every aspect of our lives on a daily basis, the ups and downs of what have for both of us been a pretty turbulent period in our lives one way and another, I doubt we have any secrets from one another and no matter if it's 3 in the morning or a more civil hour, if I need her or just want to share something with her she is there!
We met via blogging, a chance in a million (or however many blogs there is out there in the blogosphere these days) when she posted something about a cat and I mailed her a response instead of commenting...and that was that, we became friends. I wouldn't like to hazard a guess at how many emails we have sent between us, on an average day it can run into tens, it has been literally a five year ongoing conversation, almost everyday about everything, no matter where we are one way or another the wonders of technology keep the 'conversation' up and running!
Anyone who knows me well knows who I am talking about, even the few individuals I know who can be pretty skeptical about the 'validity' of internet friendships, refer to her and enquire after her, as though she lived just down the street but she doesn't, she lives in Nebraska in the U.S and for those of you who don't know who I am talking about it is LISA, she of Lisa's Place....and what's all the excitement and secrecy about?
Well, circumstances and luck have conspired and worked in our favour...... and one very early morning at the beginning of October she will land on a flight from the U.S. at London Heathrow and finally we will meet!!!!
I am just sooooo excited! Ever since it began to look like it might actually happen I have been bouncing up and down like a small over-excited child, I can't believe it! We always planned to meet up but life being how it is we never imagined that it would happen anytime soon but it has, and much plotting and planning later it looks like we can finally have a conversation over a beer instead of over the internet and real American pancakes for breakfast!!!!
Monday, 18 August 2008
I'll be brief....
(I know that will make a nice change won't it!).....because I have to go sleep.
Last night's itinerary;
Out for early dinner and a beer, early night (no smut please) in readiness for a 4am start today to get Fletch on his flight.
Easy.
WRONG!!
The actuality;
Early dinner and a beer, very relaxing in readiness for the 4am start. Bed early....all went horribly wrong.
Bed collapsed, making big scary cracking noise (honestly we were sleeping), spend hour trying to fix in sleepy miffed state, couldn't fix, grumpy and very unrelaxed. Back to now very sloping and unstable bed, much rolling downhill, no sleep until 3.30am, up at 4.00am, drive to Luton, fight annoyingly happy Tenerife/Malaga hordes. Drop off very tired Fletch dragging bags through heavy rain to terminal, drive home in still very heavy rain, struggle to stay awake, miss last turning (bugger), do extra 20 miles, make it home, get tool box, mend bed (no mean feat)!
Moral of the story: Don't buy an Ikea bed!
Sleep, I need sleep........
*Update;
Fletch's flight delayed, missed connecting train, stuck in middle of nowhere waiting for next one...two hour wait. Total estimated travelling time Luton-Scotland: 10 hours!!! This week is starting well then I see.
Last night's itinerary;
Out for early dinner and a beer, early night (no smut please) in readiness for a 4am start today to get Fletch on his flight.
Easy.
WRONG!!
The actuality;
Early dinner and a beer, very relaxing in readiness for the 4am start. Bed early....all went horribly wrong.
Bed collapsed, making big scary cracking noise (honestly we were sleeping), spend hour trying to fix in sleepy miffed state, couldn't fix, grumpy and very unrelaxed. Back to now very sloping and unstable bed, much rolling downhill, no sleep until 3.30am, up at 4.00am, drive to Luton, fight annoyingly happy Tenerife/Malaga hordes. Drop off very tired Fletch dragging bags through heavy rain to terminal, drive home in still very heavy rain, struggle to stay awake, miss last turning (bugger), do extra 20 miles, make it home, get tool box, mend bed (no mean feat)!
Moral of the story: Don't buy an Ikea bed!
Sleep, I need sleep........
*Update;
Fletch's flight delayed, missed connecting train, stuck in middle of nowhere waiting for next one...two hour wait. Total estimated travelling time Luton-Scotland: 10 hours!!! This week is starting well then I see.
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