Christmas No 1

I love Christmas, it's great, it's a time of the year to think about friends and loved ones and try and spread a little cheer, yes, you buy gifts for people so it's always a lucrative time of the year for retailers.... but there is something that is always going to rankle people and that is using it to try and just extract money from peoples pockets by creating a TV programme that willl only have a finale at one time of the year and that is the peak time before Christmas to release a record to try and cash in on the season and see it get to No1, a nice little advertising coup. So is it any wonder people decide to make sure some pap wasn't rammed down their throat but to rally behind a different, less exploitative of the season song. What other means did people have to say to the producers on the X factor that they were sick of having Christmas hijacked so they could make money. I'm glad it's not No1, not because I hate the song, not because I hate the show, not because I hate the winner..... but because it's a time of year I want to mean something so everyone and I mean something that makes us all feel united which is what I felt the Xmas no1 symbolised, but once it became a money making machine it took something away from everyone whether they liked the xmas No1 in previous years or not.

Happy Xmas everyone.....

This has been a good year for me. x

The UK Xmas Number one is..............

What do bloggers have?

If writers have writers block, what do bloggers have.
I'm just caught up in nothing, absoluelty othing that I can't think straight, I'm worrying and stressing about Christmas but I'm doing nothing about it.

Even taking time off work hasn't helped.

Nevermind, soon be the New Year and a fresh start for everyone and a bit of a clean slate. Maybe then I wil find things easier to work on.

It's a struggle

The only thing I hate about Christmas is that I spend soooo long agonising about what to get people, I usually start out with a general idea of what I want to get everyone, a kind of theme and hen work things in from there. The problem is when I do that I end up getting the sort of things I'd rather get for myself so still end up rushing around trying to get presents last minute. I've decided that I'm going to try and get people food, things like olives and cheese and maybe wine. I hate getting things for people, things that are just things, but food is something they can enjoy and share with other people which is a lot nicer. There is one odd present I may get people and that is something called "Camp" it's a Chicory and Coffee syrup that when I was a kid I used to add to coffee and also take with me when I went camping, adding just the right amount always makes coffee taste a little mellower.

Countdown to Crimbo

So far I have a grand total of 2 presents to give to people.
There's time but the problem is I'm a terrible shopper I browse, I pick, I put down, I ponder and spend ages agonising over what I think people will love for xmas.

With so little time and believe me it's not enough I am going to need some help.

The cats Pyjamas

I love cats, I miss my cat lots, but this is just way too funny to keep to myself.

Chili outside and Chili inside too

Now the days are drawing in and I'm not heading out too much I'm listening to my music a lot more and as usual it goes in phases so I've decided to slip back into my Chili's phase.

Keeping the Status Quo

I can't believe it, I can't wait to tell my friend too who is Australian and a huge fan too that Rolf Harris and the mighty Status Quo are teaming up to release a Christmas song. It's great now I know what to get her for Christmas.

Creme of the crop

I love creme eggs they are btiiliant.
Not too happy at the moment that Kraft want to buy Cadbury's and Cadbury's Creme Egg has always had a ring to it for me so the thought of a Kraft Creme egg churns my stomach.

http://www.cremeegg.com/

Ebay

My ebay experiment is going OK so far, I've only sold a couple of things and so far I've made about a quarter of my money back and only sold 3 out of the 20 items I purchased. In the next few days the remaining 3 items that I put on there will expire, I'll either wait for a free listing day and relist with a few more of the items I have, but at a lower price than before or with no reserve and see how they go. Really I'm treating this as a learning experience, I think next time I will put fewer things on but more frequently with the idea of handling less items.

Going Mental

When it comes to Christmas I'm usually really well organised, I have saved and saved and I even bought a load of presents during the January sales so have 90% of the gofts for this year..... all this and I'm still stuck for what to buy people, I just seem to have a mental block......

Organised

I really need to get organised.
Last year by november Christmas was all sown up, most of the presents and gifts for people where bought, cards where written, money saved and plans made, so far I have exactly 0% of all that done, OK I have some coins put away which I susually use to buy stamps at the supermarket as during December you get extra ££'s for a full book. There have almost always been times in my life where I have had to stretch every single penny out to it's maximum so I've always put a £1 coin away every month as it really helps take the bite out of Christmas.

This is an OUTRAGE!!!

We have to do more to protect children from these very dangerous individuals, what is the government doing, why wont they do more to protect children from these evil fiends.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1226056/Mother-trailed-policeman-warned-council-telling-son-checkout.html

Politicians are always talking about Broken Britain but while these individuals are allowed to get away with such heinous acts.... I just don't know how anyone can sleep safe at night.

Two children were acting up in a rowdy manner, basically acting like a pair of kids; an MGP (Member of the General Public) was there dually chastised the two children. It now transpires this MGP was also known to the two and was related by parentage i.e. she was their Mother. Thank god there was an Off duty policeman around who with quick thinking and bravery, secretly followed her and her children to their residence and once all evidence was gathered made a full report, why the diligence of this officer wasn't rewarded with a medal and some sort of commendation I just do not know!

But it's shocking that it took the rest of the local Constabulary 6 weeks to put all the pieces together and tackle this dangerous individual, the officers colleagues should feel rightly ashamed at they're total lack of zeal in apprehending this offender.... what happened to "Zero Tolerance?" I hear you cry...

Well when Justice does eventually move it moves swiftly, two officers were promptly dispatched to the home of the suspect where they could question her... phew!!! Finally someone acted.

Nevertheless.... her conduct has been noted and is on record with the Local Authorities and will remain so for the next 14 years... 14 years? this is an OUTRAGE!!!!!!... What does it take before someone acts, whatever next, a sore smack on the hand to stop a child from touching a hot cooker ring, the humiliation a child has to endure when a parent spits in a hanky to remove grime from a child’s face... I just don't know what's wrong with these people.

I must write to the local MP, bring back the stocks, bring back hanging... A flogging is too good if you ask me.

Stop

I've never been good and finding words to express myself, and when I need them and they're not there I turn to poetry.
This morning I recieved some sad news.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Remembrance Sunday

Today is Remembrance Sunday and this year the same as every year since I was a child I went to the Cenotaph along with a lot of other people, I buy a Poppy and listen to the music, the parades and listen to some of the readings.
I was never in the service, I used to be in the Army Cadet Force when I was you and it was a huge turning point for me and instilled values of good citizenship that I still follow today. I go because lots of my friends did join up, some have come home, some haven't.

"When you go home, tell them of us and say,
for their tomorrow, we gave our today"

Whatever you think of the conflicts going on around the globe, no matter what you may think of those fighting in them, these are still real people fighting and dying, Remember that, before moralising on the rights and wrongs of these conflicts or passing judgment on them.

Please buy a poppy.

Finally

At last, a weekend when I don't have work interfering, no phones ringing, no managers wanting this that or the next thing being done, just me, the TV, the remote, 6 DVD's I've been trying to watch for 3 months, no one around and peace and quiet....

BRILLIANT!!

No the phone rings.......

I will send my parents a card telling them how well they raised me and explaining the colourful use of the Queens English I demonstrated to my caller....... last time that person ever makes a wrong number I assure you.

Going out with a bang

I love Guy fawkes night..... Guy Fawkes we commemorate the failure of the gunpowder plot. The treasons attempt by Mr Guido Fawkes and Co to blow up the Houses of Parliament and assassinate the then ruling Monarch..

Just one problem

Why do I feel like commiserating.....?

Oh Yeah....... Taxes

Wooo Hoooo?

Sold another case on ebay.... I have to admit though that even with a lot of preperation it can be a lot of hassle. One item I still have no idea if it's recieved yet, the person was previously very uncommunicative and also I really don't want to lose my 100% rating over a missing package when I know I did everything right..... no matter what anyone says... in the U.K. it is pretty rare considering the volume of mail sent for things to go missing. The Royal Mail even has it's own Department to deal with theft and people interfering with the mail.

Ebay

So far my forray into the world of ebay is going ok, sold 2 items all paid for, just waiting for the dreaded confirmation that they have been recieved. and one waiting to see if they are interested in buying something else I put on there. Basically I have been a little reckless, I set myself a goal this year to try and be a bit more fearless and take risks. So I went to an auction, bought a load of stuff (About £300) and I want to try and shift it on Ebay. I don't want to lumber people with second hand junk so I'm testing everything and being as honest as possible, yes I want to sell it, but I don't want people feelinf ripped off either. hopefully I will break even, or at best end up a little richer, all funds will pay off the credit card bill I acquired amassing this stuff and hopefully a little left over to go towards Xmas.

Winter

I am not liking these cold mornings! You roll out of a nice warm bed, pull the blankets back, feet on the floor then you scream from the cold! In a blink of an eye the weather has snapped into winter and I am not liking it to much at all!
I need more then a water bottle to keep me warm at night, it has been an idea or putting a fire under my bed but I am sure that the insurance will not cover me if they know it was a camp fire just to keep me warm and lets not even think about what the neighbours would say!
Winter, I love you but not so much in the mornings!

How long?!?!

How long till xmas!!!

I'm having panic attacks.... I love shopping and buying presents for other people.
Nothing delights me more than finding a special gift for someone that I know they love and several years later still have and gives them fond memories. That's more important to me than giving a present or the religious side of things, I always like to have a positive influence on peoples lives. So I have to get moving, I've been too snowed under with work that when I did ave some time off I enjoyed just doing nothing.... now I need to get cracking...

Valkenburg

This is one of the places I visited in Holland called Valkenburg which had these amazing caves that I can't wait to go back and see properly and the town was beautiful. When we all got there , they were doing stone carvings in the street and they looked amazing, The stone is so soft and pourous they could make all kinds of shapes from them and there was still the remains of the shelfish from what was once a sea bed centuries ago.

So it begins

I've had such a relaxing time that I have done absoluetely nothing at all to blog about. I like blogging but I can see that too much relaxation can be detramental to my blog so I'm going to try and think of something to get me motivated over the next few days. There's loads of stuff I did in Holland but I didn't take any pictures.... mainly ate liquorice, Stamppot and lots of soked sausage.... yum.... so will try and recall some of that before it becomes too distant a memory

Weekend begins

The weekend has started and it's not long till xmas.
I'm going to try and make some time to do things, there's a place not too far away and a nice drive even though I hate driving called Howarth, it's popular because of the Bronte's and if you take the scenic route you can head through lovely villages like Sowerby and Hebbdon Bridge it's also famous for a film called "The Railway Children" and has a fully working steam train tour and at Christmas everyone dresses in period costume. It's great fun and I love xmas I always make sure Xmas is special.

Well earned break

Just back from a well deserved break. I took some time out from pretty much everything and focused on trying to get my place straight, experiment with a new project and take a trip to The Netherlands. I had a fantastic time, the country is really lovely and there are some interesting places to visit. I did go to Amsterdam a couple of times but mainly I spent some time in the countryside. Tried loads of different food and especially loved Stamppot which I will post a recipe on, it's definetly worth a try.

Letting standards slip?

Today is my last day for work for nearly 2 weeks, Hoorrayyy!!
But what's also good about today is that it's a dress down day, so as soon as it hits 4pm and the 0.00000009 tenths of a second later when my foot crosses the threshold of the door, I will be on holiday.... I think I might be having some Champagne!!!!!

Packing

Ahh I am giggling my butt off, This is Tiddles, the friend MyUtopia is visiting in The Netherlands and I am just popping in to let you know, some of you guys are just silly!
When one goes on vacation you know there are a few things you take with you, tooth brush, comb, clean socks and under pants (you know what your mum says about having clean underpants on!)
So there are some things you just have to take with you, so i laughed myself silly when MyUtopia started freaking out the other day when he was writing a list of things to pack I heard something like AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
**chuckles** MyUtopia just remembered he does not own a suitcase!
Yeah Ut you need something to pack your clothing and toothbrush in! lol

Nudge nudge, click click, wink wink, grin grin..... know what I mean!

Probably not, well that post about Holland and not yet having a camera reminded me of yesterday in the part. We're in autumn but despite that the weather's been pretty good, fairly warm excpet in the evenings as the days are getting shorter and plenty of sunshine and not much in the way of rain. In the park I like to visit there's a large rock garden full of trees and lots of different oplants, but they all seem to be in a state of flux. Some look ready for winter and have started to change but only a little, others that are more autumn blooming are starting to come out and some that should be showing signs of autumn still look like they have done all summer. So there's a huge mixter of light browns with dark deep greens everywhere and still lots of flowers in bloom. Yesterday there were lots of families their too so I stopped off for Coffee and cake and to read my paper.

After about 30 minutes I was all done, the coffee and cake gone within 5 minutes of sitting down to have them under an acer tree. I should warn you... I'm a nutter magnet, if your reading this blog you probably fall into one of two categories, (a) You're an entrecard dropper, so thanks for dropping by or (b) you're a nutter, in which case welcome, take a seat next to the others.

So I tidy the table, get the plate, fork and coffee mug ready to take back inside when someone calls to me... "hey mate!.... can you spare any loose change?"... at this point I realised teh days was going too well... I replied "no... sorry". OK, I'm Scottish and we have a reputation for being a little tight... in fact I have mentioned to a friend on several occasions that copper wire was invented by to scots fighting over a penny, also that if a scotsman dropped 50p it would hit him on the back of his head as he bent to pick it up. In this case, I just dont give money to homeless people, not beause I'm uncharitable, but over hear I know there are places they can get food and get help.

So anyway, I start to fold my paper again and not quite finished with me yet he replies "Finished with your paper?....", no, I said, it happens I was about to head home and finish it their, "seen the Grand Prix?"..... an unusual tactic that nearly caught me off guard and must have been some sort of ploy to cuk me into further conversation, sorry but I had things to do that day, so I told the truth much to my embaressment and to his disbelief, "No, I haven't seen the Grand Prix as I haven't got a TV"... I was totally polite... but he immediately looked away in disgust as if I'd just had a dump in his breakfast, like I'd just told a blatant lie.

Ah well the rest of the day went well anyway.

Stroopenkoeken Heaven here I come

Finally I have booked a flight to Holland, I've not had much of a break this year or a chance to get way so I'm really looking forward to this. I haven't been outside the UK much in a while and I've never been to Holland and to be honest anytime anyone has ever mentioned Holland I've imagined it's all like Amsterdam. Amsterdam is still not a bad place to visit but from the pictures a friend has sent me there's a lot more to it that I know I'm going to love. We're also going to the Efteling which I'm told is amazing so I'm looking forward to that too.
If I can get a Camera sorted out between now and when I leave then hopefully I will have some pictures to put on this blog.

If you never hear from me again it's either because I've decided not to come back or I've overdosed on these bad boys.

Weekend already!!!!!!!!

Finally booked a bit of time off and got loads of stuff sorted.
There's a food and drink festical on in Manchester so I will definetly being going to that..... and not driving as I wont to taste lots and lots of wine.
Then get some lovely cheeses, especially Pecarino as I love that on scrambled eggs, then I will just take it easy, get some stuff sorted around the house and things. As for the rest of it, I might see if I can get a last minutes deal somewhere, leave Saturday and come back on Sunday or Monday. Trying to save money so wont be doing anything for more than a couple of nights tops.

Just as I was coming home MGMT came on the radio so that's got me in the mood for relaxing and enjoying myself.

MGMT - Electric Feel
by wonderful-life1989

Bedtime

Right, I've been burning the candle at both ends for a while now so I'm going to start getting early nights... I want to remember what it feels like to wake up feeling refreshed and nott bleary eyed and hung over when I wasn't even out drinking.

gifts!

I have a friend who makes amazing jewellery but she is a little lazy at the moment, I do not mean with the making of her necklaces and things but I mean the updating from her website.
Here is my plan, I am going to get on her back about updating her website and then I will show you some of the amazing stuff she makes.
It is coming close to Christmas so I think she should get her butt into gear, though the chances are high I will want to buy a lot of her things as I have sisters to buy for and lets not forget mum!

Loose end?

I have some time on my hands but there's nothing I find worse than being stuck at a lloose end..... I mean I have lots of holiday time to take and I want to take it... I just don't want to be sat at home..... Ok there are some lovely parks near me but there are only so many walks you can go for.

Anyway, I am planning on a trip to visit a friend in The Netherlands, but I'm a bit sacred, it's silly but I seam to have gotten less adventurous.....

Years ago, before the internet, I wanted to go and see a friend who was getting married in France, she invited me to the wedding, out of curtosey as a friend, but as I knew no french and I didn't have a job she didn't think I would make it. It was all in a beautiful french village called Rogne where she grew up and I remember the trouble I went to booking all the transport and looking for guide books in the library..., it all seemed like a big adventure and I really want to do something like that again. So This trip to The Netherlands I think I need to do soon, I want to feel independent again and not so petrified.

Weekend is here

Yep, weekend is here and time to get off the treadmill....... except I said I'd work tomorrow :(

Why do I do this to myself

Definetly when I get paid all this overtime I am having a bit of me time

Where's my weekend?

I really need to sort out something called Work,Life Balance. It's Sunday and I spent the whole of Saturday from 9:00am till 2:00am in work, I did manage to nip out for a bite, but what the heel am I thinking, I have 6 weeks holiday to take and only 4 months to do it in......
Don't get me wrong, don't pity me, it all helps towards Christmas and means that I will have some money to spend when I do take time off. Nothing worse than being on holiday with zero cash in your pocket, after all you do work and earn money, you don't do it to just pay bills, you do it to improve your quality of life.

Right off to hit the poker tables now.

Weekend!

It is just about the weekend and I intend to be putting my feet up, there is one slight problem with that idea and it has to do with me being at work all weekend. I am sure my boss might not like it with my feet on the desk, there is a solution to this problem, Stop giving me so many over hours and so few days off!
So lets see what it brings, I am just sick of being a hamster in a cage!

This deserves an award.

Someone once said "It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt" and the number of times I go to meetings in work and I am constantly reminded of this pearl of wisdom from even the most educated and sometimes most wordly of people makes me laugh. So true is it everyday I even see examples of it in real life. Lets take one very recent example..... umm... where to start.... I know... how about Mister Kanye West?.....





I just don't understand it... I mean what went wrong... he seemed so happy going in, looked like he was having a good time, he even had the delightful company too... here he is with his delightful company..

























and here he is again still holding onto his delightful company















Although by my reckoning his delightful company has deminished somewhat from the first photograph, infact I'd say atleast half the bottle is now gone.

We need a special award for exactly this kind of thing, were people make fools of themselves publicly, a bit like the Darwin Awards but for non fatal stupidity, a sort of Non-Postumous Darwin award.

Slippery Slope

Yup... proof positive if proof were needed, I went shopping on sunday and 3 of the shops I visited all had sections specifically for Christmas stuff..... there's no escaping it... Luckily I always keep a few £££ spare to get loads of stuff in the January Sales.... so hopefully this year will be less hectic......

Fingers crossed

How Long!!!!!

Today is the 13th of September and as usual I wake up to watch the news and have a cup of coffee while I decide how to spend my Sunday. Not to watch the cartoons... no , never....suddenly I notice a disturbing pattern, there seems to be more toy commercials than usual.... not that I usually watch the cartoons... but yep more and more of them I'd even say there were more commercials than programs.... then it dawns on me...... 15 weeks till Christmas..... Thank god I don't have kids...... don't pretend you haven't been warned, this is your 3 minute warning.....

You get how many channels!!!!!???

Growing up I always wondered why the television had channels 1 to 10.... 1 to 10 when there were only 3 Television channels, BBC1, BBC2 and ITV. Of course my dad ruled the TV, he decided what we watched and most of the time it was either something on ITV or the news the later much to my brothers frustration..... It seemed to be that we were either watching the news or a soap opera or a John Wayne film or some western, he did like Clint Eastwood too so wasn't too bad. I watche "The Enforcer" last night and it was full of classic Clint quotes "CALLAHAN: Well what'd you want me to do? Yell "trick or treat" at them?".

Anyway, along came the inspirationally named "Channel Four" (Can't imagine how much they paid the marketting team to come up with that name), which to start off with, was rubbish, however my brother uncharachteristically seemed to like some of the ... err.... Art programmes.... hmmm.... then came Channel 5 , another class example of clever PR and shortly digital TV and a huge array of more free to view channels. OK there were paid for cable channels and satelite channels in the intervening years, but not free.....

With all these channels now we still have the BBC which is publicly funded and not funded by advertising, they show a lot of repeats too sometimes, but sometimes they do produce the kid of great programmes that you know on a commercial channel would just not happen like "Blue Planet" which is an example of what I love about the BBC.... but I'm glad that we still have television that is not playing to the largest crowd and is independent of any other influences, if someone owns a company they will decide what goes on. So it must really gawl people like the Murdochs' that there is some form of popular media broadcasting that they just can't buy. For years they've railed against it, when BBC launched the iPlayer allowing people to watch TV online in the UK, they said that it was anti competative, how can it be anti competative, OK all channels have to compete for viewers, but the independent TV channels don't have to compete with the BBC for advertising.

A note to Myutopia

I will never forget you standing there as I walked past you, you looked creepy so that is why I walked faster!!!
LOL joking
It was a lovely surprise and we done so much and had the best time, can not wait to be back in the UK next month (next month is only 4 days away!)

I never tell lies.... EVER!!.....

Honest...... I would never lie to you about something like this, I am the most truthful person I know, Honest! What, you don't believe me. OK I'll give you an example of my recent trip to London. A friend of mine was going to London with a friend and her daughter and this was going to be her first ever trip to London so she had lots of things planned for her to do to make the whole trip special, She even had a ride around Hyde Park organised for her as she is crazy about horses and riding on the Saturday. They were going to have such a great time and I told her I would come down and spend a day with them on Monday.

But I fibbed, just a small fib, not even a lie, instead I came down Friday, stayed in a hotel near to where they would be going for riding, got up the next day and setup my ambush. I got there 20 minutes in advance of their arrival to see where everything is and get familiar with the area and once I was in position I texted her to ask if she was nervouse about the ride.... to my horror.... she was running a little late... What top do, well I went to the stables and just mentioned she would be a little late but that she would get here and was on her way. Anyway, I got chatting with the girl at the stables and almost lost track of time. I hastily made an exit from the stables into the street and suddenly 100 yards away, there they all were. ULP.... I made a quick about face pulled out my map of London and gave it the lost tourist routine... and when they were out of site headed to my ambush point in the park and waited.

While the daughter was riding round I had intended to spring a suprise on them as they walked alongside, but chickened out and partly I knew this was a special suprise for the daughter so I decided I wasn't going to muscle in.

An hour later the ride concluded so I made my way back to the stables and 15 minutes later they all emerged all with beaming smiles on their faces. I couldn't help it, as they approached me I couldn't help but beam back..... I continued to beam right up until the point they walked straight past me.

I after they got about 3 feet past me I managed to just catch her eye with a small "Hey it's me" wave and finally the penny dropped... and my fib was exposed. Not really a lie is it? I mean... I said I would come down Monday OK... I did say I would only come down on Monday.... but, I can change my mind for reasons of "comic suprise" can't I? I'm sure it's permitted by law.

So there we were, all 4 of us chatting away and laughing, then my friend notes... "I was chatting to the girl in the stables, telling her that we were worried about being late and that a friend had help organise it but they weren't coming down till Monday... and then she started laughing... and I couldn't understand what was so funny"

Anyway... everyone had a great time and we packed in quite a bit.. there were 2 pairs of quite sore feet for sure but despite that we saw loads of things and the weather was perfect the whole time and we did loads of stuff for free which is much easier now as the majority of museums and galleries are free. So I'm going to do some posts and links to stuff that if you ever visit London will help take the sting out of it.

Trip to London

Yesterday I was supposed to travel to London... but sadly I did not make the treck from Manchester to London :-( .......................

Instead I decided to be very sneaky and travelled down there on Friday, to give a few friends a surpise.... in fact they were su suprised..... they walked straight past me........

There I was standing in the street... all smiles.... giggling at my duplicity..... and they walk towards me all smiles......... and carry on walking :-(........

OOiiiiiii

Credit Crunchtime

With everything that's been going on in the financial markets lately, I've decided not to take my money for granted, especially as I'm at risk of losing my job at the moment because of it all.
So I'm going to try and avoid where I can giving my money to big business's that have huge profit margins and squeeze small suppliers till they pop. I'm going to shop around a lot more for everything, they need my money and no matter what I can always go out there an earn more, so intend to make them work for it.

I'm going to shop at farmers markets for food, ok will be slightly more expensive but not by much and atleast the money stays local, but things like gifts I'm also going to get from someone that made it themselves rather than from a factory that churns out thousands a second and uses child labour, just to satisfy the demands of the big high street retailers.

I had a look on ebay but I think ebay takes too big a cut but I did come accross this site "Imagination Madness", I love the designs and I think the people that I give this too as a gift will appreciate the hardwork and skill involved in making them... This one I like the most..

BINGO!!!!

Started off quite well but now going down hill...... it's true what my grandfather tole me... gambling is a tax on the stupid.

Ah well

In for a penny in for pound... cya at the next GA meeting.

It is a little quiet here

With all the planning of the upcoming trip it has been a little quiet here recently, I promise things will get back to normal as soon as the trips is over.
So agendas have been made, tickets and hotels booked now it is just a matter of getting up at 5am for that plane!

It is all up hill from here

The days are getting marked off the calendar by the kid for when the London trip is, the teddybear passports are made, suitcases are sitting out ready to be packed and now... Now we are already looking at the plans for next years trip, Australia.
A dream of many but it is my home country and the fact my child has not seen it is not ok with me, so this year London, next year Australia!
**smiles** hi there myutopia just thought I had to let everyone know we are visiting you lol**

What's on

OK... I don't have a TV, right now I watch DVD's and stuff on my PC, I haven't got a TV capture card but I have to say, I'm starting NOT to miss TV which is a real worry.
Definetly going to get one sorted soon.

Decisions, decisions

Need to take some time off work soon but I'm at a bit of a loose end and can't decide whether to take a week off and grab a cheap holiday or what. I know if I take sometime off now, all I'll do is mope around the house.

New start

not long to go, looks like I may be getting a new staret but not the one I thought I would get

London

the day is drawinf closer and i've jst got ot book the tickets.
Feel a little worried but I hope it all works out well.

Taking a break

I am on holiday, well till tuesday anyway. I Just wanted a bit of downtime fom work and spend a bit of time just mooching abut, there's a festival on in Manchester, a jazz festival but being typically awkward, I'm not in a jazz mood, instead I'm listening to the Wilbury's, hard to believe that theses individuals got together by chance, just the right place at the right time with the same love and passion.
I believe that this was the first song they recorded.

Can't make an omlette without peeling a few potatoes

As the saying goes anyway..... so as I keep saying, I really don't like over the top food adn I'm progressively going back and revisiting old simple recipes, a bit like raiding your dads record collection for some classic songs from way back that are still just as good today, I'm sorting doing the same with recipes.
This morning for breakfast it was "Spanish Omlette".

I changed a couple of bits and also added a bit of Cumin and some cut green beans.
That's what's great about this it's a simple basic thing that you can add things to, to your liking.

Ingredients:-
2 eggs
2 potaties
half an onion
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
Cheese


Crispy Cheese Spanish Omlette - The best bloopers are a click away

Free time in London

Still researching things to see and do in London particularly with a view to them being free as this place will suck you dry. This is something I definetly want to see, the new Pavillion at the Serpentine Gallery, I love the shape of it and can't wait to see it, the only thing I think I need to worry about is the weather.

cats and dogs

It is over, there was weather somewhat warmer for the last weeks but it has been an on and off thing, a little rain then the sun comes out so it is all sticky.
Today it is raining cats and dogs and it is the day I wanted to get a lot done, it always happens, even last night I thought it was warm and dry enough to have a BBQ, ohh was I wrong, by the time I got home and started up the bbq- out door grill it started to bucket down with rain so it was an inside BBQ!
Well I guess it is time I move my butt and try not to think of the rain so much and get some things done.

Stop wine-ing

I don't know what it is, but in summer I tend to drink a bit more beer and a lot less wine, but I like to try new ones but this one is definetly one of my favourites, I think I might place a regular order to make sure I don't run out.

Where's MY Summer!

I mean...... I know the weathermen get it wrong often.... it's a long running joke, weatherman says Rain, we get Sunshine, weatherman says Sunshine we get Rain, weatherman says, light drizzle......... we get a blizzard...... but they said this summer would be a scorcher a real record breaker... so how come all it's done today is try and drown me in liquid sunshine,,,,, yup I mean rain and lots of it.......

London drawing Closer!!!!!

London is getting nearer and I've got all the travel arrangments sorted now.
Got the train tickets the hotels and 7 day travelcards all sorted in advance so getting around should be no problem at all.

I'll post a list of possible things to be seen especially free ones as London just seems to leach $$$££££ .... whatever from your pocket.... every step your wallet just seems to get lighter with

Hello max!

There are so many things I do not like when hearing the word "Max"
Mad Max, ok movie, the word max does not scare me a lot...
A German Shepard named max, yes that can end up badly, usually with me bleeding.
Going to the garage and they say "sorry but it cost the maximum that we quoted" oh that makes me soil my pants and then there is the one that happened today " Sorry but your credit card is maxed out" ohh my god, now the interest rate is going to kill me.
Well thats life, right?

Up, down, round and round

Life, how funny is it with everything that happens.
Life it is sometimes worse then a roller coaster. I am pretty sure that life and mother nature are working hand in hand to make people look stupid and to add to the roller coaster ride that we call life.
Things can be going along perfectly in life and then BAM, you fall flat on your face and what happened just before that? it rained and you landed in the mud. There were sayings made for moments like this and it was sent from mother nature.
Knee deep in..........
Why did I write this blog? no bloody clue it was just something on my mind.

Weekend starts now!

Ok... it almost starts now, I have to work most of Saturday, but it's not Saturday, it's the exciting interlude just between work finishing and the weekend kicking off when you can get things sorted and remove the shackles of work with any means at your disposal whether thats going for a jog or a nice glass of Cognac (three guesses what I go for) lol... but the way I hope all of you are starting it is with Music!!!!!!!! nothing quite sets the tempo or temprament for the weekend than music.... I love this song... I'm just part ready to relax from work but also get ready for action and this song says it all.

London Calling!!!

OK... got some more prep work done for the London trip, looked up some attractions which were free and also got some stuff plotted on google maops that would be interesting to see and do. The accomodation is sorted so that just leaves the trains and things to arrange and book in advance.. I need to get hold of an oystercard too and that should make the trip a lot easier.

Why is it?

All I can think about? I sleep, dream, eat and work London right now! It is just going to be mind blowing, a whole family affair so to say!
So anyway other then that life is pretty fast paced right now, work is not even 9 till 5 any more it is 24/7 mind you the extra cash for London will be great.
You know how expensive it is to be in London? it is insanity at its best! Well anyway time to blog about something new.

London Calling

London is getting closer and closer, but what's been great has been the looking around for stuff to do and especially the stuff for free.
There seems to be just loads including free guided tours and free access to some of the great buildings too.

Friday again

Getting itchy feet, it's friday and aI need to do something before the weekend is gone, plenty of time to relax on a sunday evening and prepare for the long drudge ahead but really it's all got to start with Friday or there's not point at all.

All set in stone

So it is all confirmed, my friends will be over in August, it is their first time with their little monster so I think there will be a lot of spoiling going on.
I shall travel down to see them for a day or two while they are in London, maybe we go out to the movies or even a nice dinner, who knows?
I am looking forward to seeing everyone hope they feel the same about me, if not bad luck they are stuck with me!

London Calling

I have a friend visiting the UK with her family and for her daughter it's going to be her first foriegn travel so I'm really pleased that I managed to get a really good hotel booking quite cheap in the center of London, right in Kensington, perfect for shopping and site seeing.

Out of steam

Heading out for a run, I've taken up jogging, just a quick once round the park... and it's really shown me how unhealthy I am... usually get to the park gates and I'm out of breath... don't think I do it regularly enough to be able to build any stamina..
We'll see

Half way there

It is Wednesday! soon it will be Friday and then it is the weekend, correction then it is technically a weekend where most people have it free.
On a free weekend I would like to clean up my house a little, do some shopping, sit in the park and read a quiet book and most of all sleep in!!! but do you think I get weekends free? hell no it is way to busy at work that I am not even sure what a weekend is any more!

Time for a quiet break.

Been thinking of getting away on and off for a while and was thinking of heading up to Scotland for a spot of camping or something. Then a friend put me onto an idea that I have to say I find facinating... in some parts of Scotland, instead of camping in a tent you can rent or even buy a Tipi....

I thought... brilliant... so I'm looking for places to go in Scotland with a Tipi, they're a little expensive to buy but I love the idea of doing it just once.

Summer time

I am not sure if summer time is over or just starting, let me explain.
It is insanity outside the office and on the streets, the kids are on summer vacation and like always they are loud and disrespectful, it is making my hair fall out and believe me when I say there is not a lot to fall out!
It is really summer weather though the last few days it is starting to cool off and there is rain way to much for my liking, so tell me, is it summer time or is it over?

Own Goal!

I've been lazy and let my goals slip a little, I've let stuff get on top of me especially at work so I'm going to take some time off soon I think and get a bit of perspective. Don't fancy going abroad yet and I need to get my finances in order.

How was your day?

I just got home from work, threw down my bag on the floor in anger (which is not a good idea as it contains an expensive alptop and the company will charge me to repair it...... BUT I DONT CARE) and then immediately hit the booze, well a small 25c bottle of bier... merci garcon.... hit the internet to look for some form of solice in this Monday of madness and "Bing!" a friend pops up on MSN.... "Hey, how was your day?".... seconds later came my response. "..TIRED, ANGRY, EMOTIONAL, ABUSED, TIRED, TAKEN FOR GRANTED, CRABBY,TIRED, EXHAUSTED, SORE HEAD, TIRED....."... a few seconds later "oh..... well I'm having PMT".....

How the hell can I compete with that... just when my day can't get any worse it does... becuase someone is having a worse day than me that I can never in a million years compete with...... thanks a bunch pal.....

Just kidding.. ;-)

As I often say, in times of trouble you know who your friends are.

Pint?

Anyone fancy a pint.... last shout.. just off to the pub for one... maybe four so get you orders in now.


What do you mean I don't know how blogging works?

Damned if you do......

And just damned either way... no matter how you split it.
It seems that some people no matter what they do or what their reasons were for doing it.... they're just going to get a total slating. Take Michael Jackson for example, I mean, I know every little about him, never was a fan and can't say I was ever interested in what the media said he was doing or having for breakfast etc etc.. whatever you think about him, whatever version of the truth about his 50 years of life on this earth, what is amazing me is that he's now being attacked and vilified for....... dying!

Aparently "How dare he choose to die on the same day as Farah Fawcett" the contrast between these two people is immense but how dare he choose this time to pop his clogs.... Oh wait a minute... He didn't choose to die at the same time as Farah in fact we're reasonably certain that he didn't choose to die at all. But since he is dead and therefore reluctant to speak to us about it we have no way of confirming if this is the case, you'll simply have to keep your own council on that one.

Anyway, two very significant people died that day and no doubt thousands of other less significant to us but no less significant to the people they leave behind also died, so what ever way you look at it, that day lots of people lost those they were close to and cared about, but lets not lay that at anyones door.

Comfort Food

Yesterday all in all was a good day, since moving out of my house things have been a little up and down but mainly on the downside. The worst part has been the weather being nice and thinking "Great, Let's go out and do something", the I remember "Oh Yeah.... you're on your own!". Ah well Yesterday in Manchester it was nice for most of the day, but really quite sticky and humid, I'd decided to cheer myself up by cooking a Risotto and driving into town to pick some things up for the Risotto I was driving past the rows of houses with neat sandstone walls and well trimmed hedge rows, I saw a man in about his 60's talking to a girl sitting on the wall rocking back giggling and swinging her legs, my car approached nearer on it's journey and then I noticed that she too was in her 60's but even close to her looking at her she still seemed to me to be like a 14 year old, out enjoying the sunshine, kicking her feet on a wall and not a care in the world.

I got the rice and the stock and some Asparagus and started to drive home, as I did the clouds opened and we had a huge downpour that lasted a good couple of hours, it was quite nice and cooled things down just enough. I relaxed later with the risotto and fealt a lot better for it.... cooking relaxes me, anyway this is the recipe, I recomend using a couple of ladels of wine as well as Pecorino instead of Parmesan as it will compliment the sweetness of the wine better.

Asparagus risotto

Ingredients
500g/1lb 2oz British asparagus
1 finely onion, chopped
85g/3oz butter
300g/10½oz arborio rice
750ml/1½lb hot chicken or vegetable stock
55g/2oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Gently fry the onion in the butter until it becomes translucent.
2. Add the rice and cook for a couple of minutes on a medium heat, stirring so that it gets a good coating of butter.
3. Add a ladle of hot stock at a time and continue stirring until all the stock has been absorbed.
4. Meanwhile, steam the asparagus for 3-6 minutes or until tender to the point of a knife. Chop roughly once it is cooked.
5. Add a knob of butter, the asparagus, half the parmesan and a good grinding of black pepper to the risotto and give it a stir.
6. Serve your risotto in warm bowls with a sprinkling of parmesan on top of each serving.

Now a bit of music to relax to and aid the digestion:-

Elton John-Tiny Dancer - The funniest bloopers are right here

Where has it gone?

I am not sure where it has gone, I use to have it, I totally love it but someone has taken it from me.
SLEEP!!! I do not know what it is any more, I can not sleep.
Friday my neighbour had loud music on and did not turn it down till 2am and then I have a very early morning. Last night I was looking after a friends dog and it is a total pain in the butt! all night walking around and crying.
So with work and idiots and dogs I have had about 10 hours sleep in 4 days, I look like a zombie and feel like i have been hit by a truck! I have really had it!

HOT HOT HOT

I do really need to get some air conditioing the nights are just getting too hot, I'm scottish, we aren't used to anything over 15c

Single in the summer

What I like most about being on my own is doing what I like without having to check with someone else or not do it because the other person doesn't want to do it becuase they either don't fancy it or aren't interested but insists that I compromise by not going. What I hate most about being on my own in the summer is there's loads of things to do outside and I'd love to do them but being on my own the event lacks that extra ingredient, that relish that makes doing it fun and memorable.

Confab?

Brain is feeling a little wired and just can't sleep... thank god for blogging I need to catchup not only on my blogging but also on reading some of them. I know I wont get a chance this weekend, I noticed on someones page they have a ConFab where they all get togethor and meet up, but not sure if I'm rady for something like that yet.

Home Sweet Home

Another Friday and another late finish.
Just glad to be home but the thing that bugs me is that for me losing a whole Friday is like losing more than half the weekend.
Fridays I love, it sets the tone for the weekend and it's likely this is one I will spend sleeping..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zZ
Z
zZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz

Mixed up Summer

This summer is going to be really good for weather unlike previous ones where it usually rains every day that's not a weekday. I've been busy and caught up in the drama of my own life and let things slip a little with other people and I didn't mean to. So I'm making an effort to try and do something before summer is over and I'm hoping it will be in the company of a friend that's helped me a lot, if I can manage that then this summer will not be a complete right-off. You can't ever replace a good friend or ever forget the kindnesses they've shown you so I will make sure that I make this friend know exactly what they mean to me and what they've done for me. I don't buy friendship and never will as real friendship doesn't come with a price tag, I'm going to make sure this friend feels all the warmth and kindness repaid with interest as I know in the time t come it will keep them strong.

Twitter

Not really getting the hang of twitter, it's too cursory and fractured for me and seems a little pointless.......... more tiny little voices crying into the darkness?

Weekend in one day

Worked an 8 hour shift friday and then wen I finished at 6:00pm I started work again and did an 11 hour shift through to Saturday morning.
got home at 6:00am and then at 9:30 had to do 2 more hours of work and again at 3:00pm... then went to sleep for a nap and didn't wake up to 10:00am the next day..... so it feels like a really short weekend..... and I have to do it again next week :-(

MY EYES!!! MY EYES!!!....... The light it Burrnnnnsss!!!

I am a man, you simply are going to have to accept that as a man I am not perfect.
I'm bound to have one or two vices, it seems only natural that I should have them.
|The main one was drinking, but I gave myself a good 18 week break, but on a quiet Sunday afternoon a friend intoduced me to another one........ BINGO!!!

Started off quite innocently but I've been in the house all day just playing bingo, so far I'm still in credit and havent lost anything......

But there's time.................

Caledonia is calling me!

Been a heart wrenching time and still no light at the end of tunnel. Going to plan it, don't know if I'll camp but thinking that dissappearing for a short spell may do everyone some good.

Buachaille etive mor

This is where I'm thinking of going, I have nothing but happy memories of here, dispite the coldness of the picture in the summer it was always warm and beautiful and what I thought was great was that the R.A.F would fly thier Tornado jets through "The pass of Glencoe" really low as I would swim in the river.

Get ready for the summer

Starting to plan for summer a bit more, with some of the stuff that's been happening I was going to write it off but this summer could be a real scorcher and it would be a pity to waste it. Thinking I might travel a bit more, also might take a few days off and hit the wild country of Caledonia...... see what happens :-)

Morning!

It's morning time and off for work.
Going to make more of an effort with this blog now I'm starting to settle in to my new flat.

Food glorious food

Going to try and get back into cooking again, something simple and un complicated, will probably start with something like stuffed peppers and work up from there, need to get the right rice though, makes all the difference, never ever skimp on the basics or you'll suffer for it.

Miss you!

since my break-up it's caused a lot of awkwardness and ill feling amongst friends, I'm trying to make things difficult for anyone so have avoided situations that would cause discomfort or make it appear like people were taking sides. In time I think it will work out for the best but I do feel lonely and a little shunned. I can't complain, I knew this is where it would lead, but that's how I feel. I've asked a friend to send me a little ray of hope and sunshine... hope it comes soon... I need it... a lot.

Short week

Just started back at work after my 2 week quarantine and having to work from home.
Nice to be back and glad this week will be a short week for me.

Friday

Woo Hoo..........
Let Friday night commence

Getting there?

Starting to get things more organised in my new flat.
Went to Ikea and had a browse for stuff just to get ideas for things that save space and aren't too expensive. The main thing is my internet is on as I can work from here now and get plenty more overtime in as I'm really going to need it in the next couple of months... but I know I'll need a break soon so I don't go totally bananas, so I'm going to put a little money away for a few things too, like a short break maybe a cottage in Scotland for a week and look for Ideas for Xmas too, yes I know it's summer but Christmas is important to me so want to spend it somewhere nice.

Any ideas?

Neurotic Moi......

Or should that be meoiw....

Since moving out the cat has taken to treating me like a complete stranger.
I went round to feed her and see if she was ok adn couldn't find her.

I cleaned the litter tray, I cleaned all her bowls and put some fresh water down and some nice cat food with a couple of her favoutite fish treats...... and still she didn't show her furry button face.

This is unusual as she comes the second you open the tin of catfood.

Found her cowering in the wardrobe... head darting left to right as I peered in as if looking like she wanted to escape.

Glad she's ok... but feel a bit sad.
Resisted the urge to reach in and pet her as I didn't want to cause her any distress.

Vet

Cat is treating me like a total stranger, which is hard, I really miss the cat.
She's old and stinks of wee.

And she's grouchy and pisses on my socks... I'm sure my ex has trained her to do it, flicking her on the nose with my sock to annoy her but also make sure she gets my sent.

Cant prove it,,,,,,.... probably part of my current insanity.

Going to take her to the vet next week... see what happens, I know that someone would like one of us put to sleep :-(

Almost cracked

I've been quite good.
In the last few weeks it is still only 1 beer, 1 small Cognac and 1 bottle of Valpolicella.

Going to keep it up but it's quite neice to feel like I can take it or leave it again.

Moving along

I bet you have felt like this.
Moving house, forgetting everything you need.
Go to bed, I mean go to the floor to sleep, wake up in the morning and dray your butt to the shower and while waking up under the shower you realise, Ummm I have not towels. As any "normal" person would do, after your shower you slide and slop your way to the kitchen where you dry yourself off with kitchen towel/ paper. I am sure everyone has done it before, umm right?

What's the deal?

There can be no doubt about it.
Of lately I have been struggling with fear and uncertainty, but this morning all the clouds where dispelled. I am 100% positive about this, without a shadow of a doubt, Kim Deal is the greatest bassist on the planet. It came to me while I was out jogging and suddenly, the clouds parted and a blinding light shone through and.......... actually no, it came on my iPod.

Pending Update

More to write soon I hope.
Basically the not drinking has been going OK.
In 18 weeks I have only had 1 beer and one small glass of Cognac :-)

Major Milestone

This past week has been full of major milestones. I broke off a long term relationship that had been going round in circles for sometime, technically it had been broken off for a while but reached it's climax when I moved out. There is still some hurt there, all of it I caused and some things I need to resolve to draw it to a final close.

She said a lot of hurtful things before I left, the one word that hurt most of all that I don't think I'll forget is "Coward". My fear was that in a few weeks I would pause and think and realise that "I didn't do enough to make things work" or that "I never tried hard enough". I may not be the sort of person to be able to put my feelings into words and I don't analyse my feelings to death or diarise them for later review, but I am sure enough in myself that to carry on any longer I have to make a choice between my happiness or hers. What makes me sad is that my future happiness may have come at the expense of hers. I'm sad that I'm so sure that we should split up.

I don't hate her, not for anything she's said, it's easy for good people to say bad things about another person when they've been hurt. I do still care about her and love her, but not in the way you have to when you want to spend the rest of your life with that person, I'm the sort of person who shares everything, I can't do half measures in this area or withold things.

So some time ago, i decided that she would get the house, the only problem is that I earn more than her and with the current outstanding balance on the mortgage, the Bank will not allow her to take on the mortgage and even if they would she couldn't afford it on top of all the bills. So over the next 6 months I'm going to work my backside off to knock £10,000 off the mortgage, any way I can (legal that is, but hey make me an offer ;-) ). This way she can afford the mortgage and the bank will let her take on the balance.

I'm not telling you this to make myself feel less like the "Villian of the piece", I think I actually like, it if that's how people choose to percieve me, then no-one will be surprised if I don't play by any rules other than my own, so it does feel quite liberating.

To explain a bit further, before I entered her life she was living in a rented flat in a not too nice area, but nice enough. Despite this she did have some security and stability. Now if you think that fair is always 50/50 then if we do everything clean, legal and fair the end result would be that everything would be devided, the house sold..... yes?

Well in the end she would have a few pounds from her share of the sale, she would have to live again in a rented flat costing almost the same as a mortgage, but even with house prices at what they are now, they would still be nowhere near what she could afford and would not be able to get a deposit for one either (I've looked into it, trust me, I work for a bank). Either way, I don't consider this to be a "Fair" outcome and I don't find it acceptable.

So I will make the £10,000, I will make sure she gets the house and can afford it and is OK and enjoys the feeling of stability and security she once used to have..... Why?

Because I always want to be a positive influence in peoples lives, as for the hurtful words, just words that express what she feels inside, feelings stirred up by me, but sometimes when she says them, I do feel like just raising the £10,000 and siccing the lawyers on her and letting them take care of everything, but after I calm down I realise that this would make me the "Villian" and only cause us both more hurt.

Then once I've unpicked my life and unravelled it, hopefully leaving her better off even if deeply hurt, we can both move on with our lives, a bit battered and bruised but atleast still able to move on without any ties or baggage and perhaps eventually no hate or anymosity.

What happens after that I don't know.

Which brings me to my final milestone to share with you. Yesterday was my Birthday and partly because of what's going on, only one person wished me happy birthday. But it was the best Birthday wish I've had in a long time and meant a lot to me, so thank you .... it really meant a lot and cheered me up a huge amount. It's sort of a long standing joke that I don't celebrate Birthdays, because everyone usually forgets. Not joking, sometimes I don't even get a card, one year I came downstairs, ran to the letter box and there were 2 cards, My dad came to see what the mail was and couldn't understand why I had got mail until I opened it and both my parents realised what the significance of the day was. THAT'S CHILD ABUSE!!!!

Anyway, for as long as I can remember my biryhdays have been non events, even when I try and arrange stuff, everyone always has something else on or was going to do something else, so out of guilt whatever they were doing becomes a double celebration..... "Oh sorry Steve we're going out to celebrate "Sir Donald of Duck's Day" but we'll make it your birthday celebration too......." funny, this seems like we're just going out to get leathered, the same as we do every week?

Well, thank you for the birthday wish and the text, it meant more than you can imagine. xxxx

Sorry for the long post but it feels like I have a lot to make up for.

Hotel California?

The song goes that "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave". Oh God does that ever seem so true about where I'm staying, the place is clean, but smells a little smokey, the water from the shower has all the heat and preasure of an enema bag only I think I'd prefer the enema as atleast on the inside with the enema I'd feel cleaned out, unlike on the outside with this shower.

It's noisy... I mean you can here everything going on.... so if you plan on murdering anyone, as I'm sure than man was doing next door to his wife, forget it, everyone will hear you.

last night there tonight.....

I hope?

Weekend plans

So what are your plans for the weekend?
I have nothing so far other then a little house moving, I say little because I am relocating to a shoebox. I am not to worried about the size of my new place because I live by the saying "home is where the heart is" so if I feel the place in my heart all the rest will work out fine, I mean till some female comes along and wants to move everything and add little pink filly stuff all over the rooms!

Moving

Moving out of my home tonight.

Guess where I'm going to be staying for the next couple of days?

Right answer wins 100 ec's each attempted answer wins 10 ec's

HOLEY COW!

THis happened today near where I live...



BRILLIANT!!!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8025935.stm

Meouw!

I'm moving out soon....
feel a little sad... and going to miss the cat...

She's sat on my lap watching my fingers intently as I type.

Going to miss her.

:-(

Just when farming gets interesting

There has been a or running joke better Ut and Tiddles, it has to do with farming, what kind of farming we shall not tell you just yet but lets just say, gosh have we got a bumper harvest this year!
So Ut and Tiddles are off to fertilise the grounds again and see what it brings in tomorrow and maybe soon we will let you know what we are farming.

Coffee

Never been a really big coffee fan, but since I started blogging I've found the dark brew to be almost essential to staying alert and well.... especially when I read certain blogs... LOL

FREE!! Free atlast

Tonight is my last night on call for a couple of weeks...

The money is plenty helpful and will be more so in the coming months but after your brain has been turned to puss by a 10 hour conference call about a problem and you never contribbute more than a sentence and the occasional grunt... you have to ask yourself...


Is it really worth it?

You have no one to blame but yourselves!

I did say "Getting angry doesn't solve anything".

I even picked out 2 very good songs to makeup for my lack of real input but alas, left to my own devices I reverted to type.

Now what?

Chapters end

If you look over your life and be honest about it there are some things you wish you never done and other things you are so happy you did do. Some chapters just happen no matter what, like the lovely weather we are having right now! Seasons change and that is a good thing now I can get some colour again!

Bloody Mobile Phones!!!!

I turn around to go home....

I look for my phone.... exactly where I left it on my desk.....


And the bloody Pillock I sit next too...

HAS TAKEN IT BY MISTAKE!!!!!!!

No Biggy right.......well I was supposed to be oncall so now this clown will be getting inundated with calls
LOL
Poetic justice

Walk in the park?

Going to go for a walk in the park near me.
It's the one thing I reallt like about where I live.
I need to do up the house but I always seem to be a bit skint, but having the park right next to wear I live and a big park too with a stately home makes all the difference.

EntreCard

I've been slacking a little on the old entrecards.

Don't know how some people do it sometimes, but despite the hot debate around EC at the moment I am still glad it's their, it's helped me find my way around and introduced me to some interesting sites and people I wouldn't normally have come across.

Bean there done that.

Being a Brit, I'm a tea drinker, but it's not just a British thing, no not at all, infact, Americans love tea too... they loved it so much they even held a Tea Party in Boston...

So tomorrow I fancy a change and it will be coffee that is the drink of the day... a good friend has got me into Jamaican Blue Mountain... yum

Pppppickup a penguin

I've started dieting aand cutting out booze... the booze has gone quite well... but now I'm blowing the diet by substituting with other stuff.... such as chocolate biscuits......

cya in 100 pounds time ;-)

Monday

Finally got Monday out of my system.
Got home and it was still quite light, so could go for a walk in the park.... lots of people there..... especially couples holding hands and necking too......


BBbblllluurrggghh

Scorching

This weekend has been amazing for weather, it's starting to feel like summer is almost here, problem is in a couple of weeks Britain enters monsoon season and for most of May we will see lots and lots of RAIN!!!

Getting angry doesn't solve anything!

I'm getting worried now, about doing my paid posts, they seem to be taking over the blog a little and sort of diluting the theme a bit too much, but I'm not getting angry about it.
As Grace Kelly once said "Getting angry doesn't solve anything!" so I'm going to be like Grace Kelly.....


And in view of my gross dereliction of duty I am going to give you 2 songs today.





However there's a problem, once I start with The Pixies, it could go either way, either "Voice Of The Beehive" (gotta love the name) or The Sex Pistols..... anyone got any other suggestions?

Not so handy.

Have you noticed how there is always something to do in the house? Always some home improvements to do.
I am one of them people that you give a hammer too and before to long you will be hearing the ambulance sirens coming down the street, usually to save me or someone I have injured.
I am also a gadget person and love having little nik naks, all the useless things I own you will not believe and I do plan on adding to it.

I found this and want it !










So lets boil it down, Everyone around me is in danger if I do any D.I.Y yet I want D.I.Y gadgets.
Maybe it is time to up the life insurance!

I am sure you know about it

This was posted over on Tiddles blog and seeing this lady with the most amazing voice is Scottish and but living in England I thought it needed to me posted here too.
Now she has been discovered she might get her first kiss or even boyfriend and she is only 43 years old.
Discovered on Britian's got talent I am sure you have all heard about Susan Boyle.

Another hard day done

Another hard working day over and time to start planning for the weekend.
I'm really glad that the days are a lot longer, it feels like you actually have a bit more time on your hands to spend doing stuff.

I have absolutlely no plans though.

I should take the trouble to make some but I feel a bit at a loose end at the moment.

In the next few weeks I'm hoping to travel a little and spend time planning places to go visit.

Well see what happens, who knows may find myself in your neck of the woods.

Par for the Course

One of the things I hate about working in I.T. is the fact you need to constantly keep your skills upto date. The problem is managements attitude to training. They think that if they send you on a course, that's it your going to come back an expert and that all I.T. is like Microsoft. You buy the package, install the package, send someone on a course and you're all set.


I think not.

In Times of trouble you know who your friends are

As a thank you to a friend that helped me through a really troubled time, and because I know the value of real friendship and always say "In times of trouble, you know who your friends are" I got this friend a gift and we both got a suprise when we checked what the gift is now worth....

Here's to friendship ;-)

Happy Easter everyone

This is it, the best Easter egg ever invented.
The Cadbury Buttons Easter Egg, my absolute favourite.... I have never gone without one ever at easter. I would always get 3 or 4 eggs at easter but this one was always my favourite because it's just all chocolate. No fancy wrapping, not some commercialised for easter version of a snack bar or sweet, this was what it was about. Chocolate... oh yeah... and the religious aspect too..... after all.

But mainly chocolate... having one of these always made me smile, so today I'm off out to get one.
Yes I am on a diet and I don't care.....

Happy Easter!

It's been ages since I did anything at easter...
We have a weird tradition in this country of painting eggs and then rolling them down hills...

Hard boiled of course!

I'm laying off chocolate this year chocolate eggs have almost lost their appeal....
Except one, I've always loved the Cadbury's chocolate button's easter eggs.
They're nice and small and the small bag of chocolate buttons always remind me of being a kid and rolling easter eggs..

And no.... this is not a paid post....
LOL

And God created........ a child curiosity

A little girl asked her mother: 'How did the human race appear?

' The mother answered, 'God made Adam and Eve; they had children; and so was all mankind made.'

Two days later the girl asked her father the same question.

The father answered, 'Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved.'

The confused girl returned to her mother and said, 'Mum, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?'

The mother answered, 'Well, Dear, it is very simple. I told you about my side of the family, and your father told you about his.'

Marking time

I have a friend that is quite, shall we say, "House Proud", everytime we talk, she's cleaning this room or that room, or re-decorating some area of the house or something. Then she told me her guilty secret, whenever people come to visit if there's mess, clutter or junk lying around, she quickly scoops it all up into a bag and hides it in a cupboard.

Yesterday, she decided to clean the cupboard out.

Going through each bag was like counting the rings of a tree,"Oh, This was from that visit 3 weeks ago", "That was from a visit by this couple 3 months ago", "Wow 8 euro from 7 months ago"..... "This... last time I saw this was over a year ago when such a person visited".

Honestly

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When you trust friends.

You know how it is, you trust your closest friends with your life right?
Well that is all well and good but what happens when you trust them enough to give them your password? **evil grin**
This is what happens, friends log in and leave blogs, but to try and make it up to you MyUtopia I am also leaving you with a drink, so Cheers mate! just remember it might not be so safe trusting me with your life if I abuse your log in like this **chuckles**

Feeling the squeeze?

Well since I moved on from my "Madness" phase i've been going back and listening to some of the other stuff the stuff I never really rated but liked a bit at the time and now for some reason later on started to actaully quite like....

This is one by Squeeze.

Sunday

Been quiet and peicefully un-productive.... can't say I've done that much at all except do a bit of grocerie shopping and mooch around over the park as the sun has been shinning... Did go for a jog this morning and thsi song came on it which is what I like about setting it to shuffle, you sometimes get a pleasent surprise.

I am in SHOCK!

I HAVE BEEN TAGGED.
Didn't see that coming, no warning, nothing... and the boom, there it is...

Dunno what to do now....

I imagine there is some rule about not tagging the person that tagged you... so need people to tag.... on the plus side.... I am apparently.. "IT"... which might be a good thing, unless you've seen the Stephen King book/film.

I now need to go away and consider my response.... you should also consider steering clear of my blog unless you also want to be tagged, however the fcat that you've read this far, does suggest that this warning is a little too late......

OK here I come ;-)

You probably all hate me now!

I tried to resist... Really..... I did!!! Honest!!
But in the end a tough choice had to be made, if I'm honest I didn't really want to do it but with the threat of redundancy once more luming and the ever increasing threat now posed by demonic bunnies (see Spring is in the air.... I need to grab every $$$$ I can, and so I have to do Paid Posts.

All I wanted really is a bit of light, a bit of space, that's why I started blogging.... but now survival has taken over....

PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!!!!

Still in the Mouth of Madness Pt2

Ok... it took Ida Maria but that's shifted it. I am totally out of my Ska phase and finished with Madness for atleast another 3 months..... I think anyway

Now for some gossip

Home Sweet Home

Home from work and time to relax, so it's on with dinner and with the stereo.
Egg and chips with lots of tomatoe sauce I think with a nice dollop of Ida Maria.

Killer Madness

OK... gotta get the big guns out, need to get out of my Madness phase.
Futile I know but I doubt anything less than "The Killers" will sort this.

So I'm playing it safe with a Dire Straits cover, probably not a good idea but it's a risk I have to take.

Still In the Mouth of Madness?

Yep... for some reason I can't get past my Madness phase....... No... I Do Not Need a Doctor.... is not a form of insanity., ok well actually it is a bit... but not the lock you up kind.... atleast not in this country. This alwys happens to me. I start to go through my Ska phase all over again and just as I get past "The Specials" I end up still listening to Madness 6 months on.

Spring is in the air....

and the sap may very well be rising!....

So.... I can't really complain about my job when I sit down and really think about it.
Before I was working in an office right in the city center and now, I work in an office that's part of a large compound out in the countryside. OK caling it a compound doesn't sound very exciting, but lets just say it has everything from tennis courts, playing fields and 2, yes 2 Starbucks coffee shops. It's pretty nice.....

Anyway.... it's 4:00pm and I have an early finish... hooorraayy for me!!!
So I'm walking to the carpark.... and bold as you like there are 4 or 5 rabbits out enjoying the sunshine, munching the grass not in the least bit bothered by me and the dozen or so other people filing out from one of the office doors.

I watch them still eating away as I'm heading nearer to the carpark, as I get closer to the end corner of the carpark where my car is I notice the brown fluffy mass.... on my bonnet... the nearer I get confirms what I'm thinking that there's a rabbit sat sunbathing on the bonnet of my car...... didn't read that one in Beatrix Potter,... naughty Peter Rabbit gets done for "Joy Riding"

I get to the bumber of my car, teh rabbit's still there and not in the least bit bothered by my presence.
I put my bag down and lean a little on the bonnet, the rabbit seems slightly adjitated but stays put.
I move my face closer, the rabbit's ears twitch and he starts to look more furtive.
I pull back... straighten up.... look at the rabbit we fix each other firmly in our gaze.........


RRaaAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
RRaaaaaAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
I scream


He's off like a shot and straight into the bushes, leaving nothing but a small pyramid of droppings and a couple of small scratches on the bonnet...



"Ready for the weekend then?"
A voice calls from behind, I turn round and I already know who it is

It's my boss....

"Yes" I reply... "all set!"


He laughs, "Cool... see you Monday!"

"Yep.. See you Monday!" I respond.....

I have a feeling Monday's morning meeting will be quite interesting


A picture of the miscreant having it on his toes after trying to boost a Merc earlier....

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.


With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Lucky Man?

It's been a weird start to the year, a lot of major events in a short space of time but I suppose that's just the nature of change.
Sometimes I've been up, other times quite down, however some good friends have pulled me through, OK.... one good friend but don't read into that, OK?
Anyway, I have my health, things are starting to brighten up a bit more (because the days are starting to get noticebly longer), some of the goals I set myself earlier in the year are now actually starting to pay off (Haven't had a drink in 10 weeks this day).
I don't think 2009 will be the best year for me but I think it will be the year that I get things on track so I can build from it.

As usual I do nothing without a song, music keeps me going you see.

:-) Go On! Cheer up ya old Buggah!!

OK..... after a lot of thought and a great deal of well wishes from others.... I have decided to cheer the F&$k up....

So if I have to be happy...... You all have to be happy!!!! ...... RIGHT?!

:-(

Not good today... been feeling a little down...

But all things must pass, and listening to this song sometimes makes me feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Bushfire Appeal

I don't think anyone could have failed to have heard the news about the Australian Bushfires, some of you are probaby thinking that it's strange that an appeal for aid is being launched to assist another developed country, especially when considering the number of people dead compared with something like the Tsunami. I don't mean to play a numbers game or draw comparisons as these are real lives but the media that reports it does very often give us these figures to give us an idea of the scale of the disaster. In this case I think this is also leading to some desensitization of the disaster when people and the media do draw comparisons and quote statistics.

I have a friend who fought the last really big bush fires back in the 1980's when she was only 9 and for me no-one can tell me more about how much an impact it has and how terrifying it is to be trying to beat back a wall of flames while trying to make sure any embers that are blown by the wind don't set fire to your property.... imagine it.... all those little sparks caught up in the air and all it would take is just one landing on a roof and your whole life is changed.

Is anyone still wondering how it is people a developed country need aid?

Then take a few minutes to read some of the blogs from people on here especially those that had to fight the last really big one at the age of 9 and you'll begin to understand why this is such a disaster. I think the media struggles to comprehend what this disaster really means which is why they report more on the figures and numbers, it isn't over when the flames go out, it's barely the beginning, whatever you do don't play the numbers game with this.

I believe in setting an example, not because I expect people to follow it, it's for everyone as an individual to think about the sort of person that they are and then decide what they think is right. If I was in the position that some of these people are in I think all I would have right now that really mattered to me was hope.

I've given a little, not enough but I think with more people, not simply celebrities, just people that care and want to see the right thing done by other people will perhaps look at what's going on even if it's only their prayers of hope, it will make a massive difference.