I was just sitting at my desk

and in a second within a second I thought about how strange it is that I'm moving to Barcelona... Strange because the first time I went there I couldn't wait to leave. I went about 8 years ago with Denise and Noeleen just before I left France. We took the train down for a mini holiday. We got driven mad by all the backpackers and their mean spirited competitiveness to race to find the hostel... no one would help anyone and it was a really stressful arrival to the main train station. I remember walking for hours... when we finally made it to the centre we were so hot and disillusioned we wanted to leave and we had just arrived A quick consultation with the tourist office and then we then jumped the first train we could out of the city and to the coast... I had no regrets I wasn't keen on seeing much more of Barcelona. It wasn't until I went back last year with KJ that I gave the city another chance... and as chance would have it... also met someone who would encourage me to do so.

I remember once reading an entry in Francis' blog about the special kind of anxious/excited feeling that he gets when he thinks about Barcelona... I believe he met his partner there. I'm a silly romantic but I like the idea of having this sort of connection with a city... I have that buzz feeling when I think of Berlin... but I'm not so sure if that has more to do with the fab time I spent there when I was last there... I wonder if the more you travel the more places like that you'll find or if your connections to cities is truly limited to one or two really special places?

I've started a new painting and it's fab. I am chomping at the bit to get home and finish it off. I found this amazing picture on the weekend in this bookshop outside of the British Museum. I didn't want to buy the book so I took a picture of the image using my camera phone and I've been painting off of that. I'm slowly learning the value of not speed painting like I usually do... it gives much better use of colour when I'm not constantly mixing paints by excitedly painting over layers that aren't dry yet... good thing I don't paint with oils!

Saturday morning Sally and I went to Smiths for brunch. How yummy!!! Too bad it's all the way across the other side of the city. I'm officially going to be dining there every Saturday until I leave (okay so there are only two left).

Seestor arrives for a proper visit this Thursday and then the long weekend is this weekend... it's carnival too and a colleague of mine's b'day party. Lots to do! Someone want to pack for me? Don't quite know when I'll get to it! I'm so very very very lucky to have a seetor who is so amazing.

I was reading my horoscope...

in the Sunday paper and it said something about today being a day where something that I had been wanting would come to fruition. I was certain that it meant that we'd find a flat today... no such luck just yet, but what the fates did deliver was the news of the new Fiona Apple album release date. Now that's almost as exciting! I guess that after all even if we don't find a flat today... it's still pretty exciting!

My neck has decided to regress into my old 'can't move it an inch' injury incurred during a fateful event in circus school 2 years ago... I have very little clue as to what triggered it... I was even forced to forego cycling this morning! Taking the bus didn't help much either... all the jerking about wasn't pleasant. I've still got health care here for another few weeks so if my massage tomorrow morning doesn't help then back to physio I go.

Got to stroll through my old hood this morning as I had a doctor's apt. I really miss that neck of the woods. I think If I ever move back to London, that I'll move back to that same neighborhood... Notting hill is interesting but just doesn't have a scratch on Angel to me. There is of course the small matter of ever being able to afford to buy a place in Angel... but lets not even go there.

the skinny...

so I just just pressed purchase for my flight over to BCN in slept. Very exciting... I was anxious to book as it's so much cheaper the further in advance you book it.. Knowing my luck something disastrous is going to befall the booking between now and then... but I'm no pessimist *scoff* The lovely miss Andrea will be hopefully jetting over to see me at the end of Sept... and will bring whatever I'm not able to get over with me. I'm sure I can bribe some other willing mules to traffic my shoes and handbags over for me :)

The weekend was fab... having a half day off on Friday afternoon is fantastic... working late every night leading up to that Friday afternoon is not so good. I was so tired by the time I got to mid-day. KJ was here already so she was home to greet me when I finally arrived. Had a nice cultural afternoon with her *aka shopping* and boy oh boy are we the queens of bargain shopping... pretty good considering I didn't even break my £8.50 a day budget. You may disbelieve but at the end of sale season... it's a goldmine... buy one get one free sales do help... so do forgotten xmas vouchers at the bottom of your handbag! I managed to buy 4 pink T'shirts (one for me,one for Sal,one for Seestor and one for mum) using said gift certificate... then scored when we found two fab black casual dresses at miss Selfridges for £15 (but it was buy one get one free!) so that counts because I didn't buy it the seestor did!?!?!

Saturday morning KJ headed back to the airport early and I hot footed it down to the gym for a long overdue visit... I can't believe that I still knew how to find the bloody place it had been so long! Saturday night I braved the tube once again... and traveled right along the path of the Kings Cross Bomb area... not nice but I did it... albeit slightly shaken... Micha's bbq was a bit wet... but only due to the rain... summer was just not making an appearance here this weekend!!! Sunday morning amidst much more rain Sally and I drudged to Regents park in search for an ever elusive England Rugby player... Suresh was in Madrid but requested that he wanted a pic of this rugby player as his birthday present... We searched high and low and finally managed to talk our way into getting one girl who worked there to snap some pics for us... sadly I don't think she got any of the guy we were looking for... ah well... I'm sure Suresh will appreciate the effort!!! Then we went down to the Touch exhibit at the V&A which was cool... I think it's been on for a while now... most of the exhibits were looking a bit worse for wear... but it was good fun anyway!

Jeesh I managed to do a lot... however not so much in the line of sifting through my things or packing like I was supposed to... this must start soon... This week should see me hopefully deciding on a language school to attend when I arrive and finding an art school where I can take that paining course I want to do... I'm looking forward to doing some learning again for a month or so when I first arrive... mind you my hunt for a job is also gaining momentum as well... it's the realisation that this is my last pay cheque ... scary stuff! I can't wait to get there and be with Fredu... the wait seems like the only hard thing left... 22 sleeps and counting!

I've just fallen in love with a flat...

I can't describe it, as who knows I may jinx it... but I secretly love flat hunting... I do it often enough for goodness sake... I'm gutted that being in London doesn't afford me the luxury to flat hunt in Spain... can you tell I'm getting anxious?

how cool is it that Barcelona has a Craig list equivalent. http://www.loquo.com/
I blew my £8 a day budget on a new book... I bought the new John Irving book in hard cover... the bloody thing must weight about 10lbs definitely not a hand bag book... I can't wait to get home and read it. I was just lamenting the other day how much I was desperate to sink my teeth into a new book. I've not read anything since I was reading ' An intimate history of Humanity' during my holiday back in March.

We've got a company shin dig this Thursday from mid-day... not sure what it is yet but we're all kind of hoping that they canned the idea of doing a treasure hunt around the city using public transport... not what most of us fancy doing on fateful Thursday...

Speaking of tubes... I finally plucked up the courage to take it again the other day. It was Sunday and jo jo assured me that the baddies would much rather blow up the tube when it's busy... and not so much on Sunday early evening when there is no one on it. I accepted her argument and jumped on... felt like it took ages... I felt bad for two young Muslim men wearing traditional dress across from me. No one would sit next to them. It was pretty embarrassing. God you just can't paint everyone as a suicide bomber just because they're Muslim. I had half a mind to just get up and take a seat next to them... but then I thought it would be aggravating the issue... so I just stayed put.

Seestor returns at the end of this week. I'm SO lucky to get to see her this often! I can't wait!

Is it...

a bad omen when outlook crashes just as you press send on your resignation email?

oh so very exciting

had a fab holiday and really enjoyed the time with mum and sister and ze boi... the Aussie visitors over the weekend were a good laugh too. Being back at work now seems surreal...

adding to the surreal feeling I quit my job today. I'm moving to Barcelona in Sept! Crazy! I'm still waiting to see if they entertain the possibility of me working remotely... who knows what will happen...

Did a whole painting yesterday morning in about 2h... guess all that time off relaxing really restored my inspiration... I'm hoping that this feeling carries through until I've actually got more time to paint in Sept.

Work is mental busy. I'm hoping these last four weeks fly by.

Last Thursday

everyone in our office and all around London stood outside our office buildings at noon to mark 2 mins of silence to show respect to the lives that we lost only a week before in all the terrible bombings on the tube. It was really moving. I think everyone felt a little bit stronger because of it.

In my spinning class on Sunday morning the instructor arrived telling stories of his exhaustion... he's an emergency services person and was working all through the night still down at Edgeware Road. He had 2h sleep before coming to teach the class... he said that they were all receiving 2 sessions of counseling a day as what they've seen was totally horrific... it's just so so sad. Luckily I had already begun to sweat profusely at this point while listening to his story... sweat very effectively masks tears.

Three more sleeps till I see ze boi and ze family!!!! I don't know why but I'm full of anxiety... amazing how most normal people relax while I'm so uneasy about it for reasons beyond me that I even bolted out of my sleep Saturday night in a cold sweat. I wonder what on earth is going on in my head? I have the fear.

Watched the Royal Tenanbaums on Saturday night as I stayed in... I've finally figured out why I don't like that film... I saw it on the plane over to Canada the day my father died... guess it was just a bit too close to the bone... especially the end scene where Royal dies of a heart attack in the ambulance. But on a positive note... if dad were still alive today he would be 65 today. He would have looked as fab as ever. Still don't quite understand how he didn't manage to outlive us all like we all thought he would... tricky little devil he was. I miss him.

Cycling to work

has now become more than a standard way for me to get to work... but it is however starting to do my head in... the amount of road traffic in London has quadrupled. I'm hoping that once everyone sees the 0's in their bank accounts from taking taxis to work instead of the tube that they stop and re-think... Wouldn't this just be a great time for the city to pour some money into making more bike lanes and encouraging people to cycle??? Kills me that it's an ideal time to champion this sort of thing and no one seems to be acting on it!

Work has launched a 'make all employees comfort eat campaign' Monday morning it was crispy crème donugts, Tuesday it was pastries, Today is muffins... Lord knows what they'll manage tomorrow... I'm sure hoping it's more fruit baskets as I can't quite cope with all this temptation... my food diary is looking more like a shopping list for someone who is considering becoming morbidly obese!

KJ arrives on Friday again and It looks like I'll not be starting my holiday as soon as I thought... Since the wedding mix up, I shall not be flying to Canada as planned... I was hoping to go see my love but alas he's shooting so I shall have to wait until next Thursday. I'm beginning to forget what he looks like!!!

Work is filled with training this week... I did a course on presentation skills yesterday in which they video you doing a 5 minute presentation. It was so embarrassing. Watching myself it was just overwhelmingly comical how much of a teacher I am... it was equally ghastly when I heard how English I sound... god I sound like that character on east enders who arrived from America but sounded like she was from somewhere in the mid Atlantic... not American but not British either just a swirl of both *shudders*. Team communication training in a few minutes... would help if there were more than 4 people on my team here today... most of them are in San Fran doing Search Engine funny business...

We are blessed with really lovely weather this week... I'm so thankful. Picnics in the park like we had early Sunday evening will indeed become more frequent! I think I'm going to really miss living in my flat... being just across the road from Kensington Gardens/Hyde Park is such a treat!

Scary!

you know I cycle in to work mostly every day... yesterday i took the tube because I was supposed to meet andrea... she cancelled so today I took the bus in as we are supposed to meet today instead... bombs on busses and underground. not nice.

My office is right inbetween kings cross and euston... one of the busses exploded not but 2 blocks from my office. Everyone one here is safe minus one but she lives in North London so we assume she's fine.

I've send emails to family to let them know I'm fine but the phone lines are jammed... bbc site is down... it's very very scary.

Looks like I'll be walking home tonight. Work has offered to pay for hotels or have us stay here if we prefer. I'm not liking this very much.

anyone have a teleporter? I would like to leave here now.

3rd time lucky!?

Beautiful Karm has just become engaged to his lovely lady friend... I'm hoping that it's 3rd time lucky! They seem quite happy together so I'm pretty sure it will all work out just fine... how is it that all my friends seem to have gone and grown up all at once... marriages and babies and such... I thought we would all be spinsters forever? Just me and KJ then?

The weather has turned unseasonably cold here but for the first time in about 5 days We've got a few rays of sunshine this afternoon. For that I am thankful.

Work is becoming reminiscent of being back at school... I've got assignments to do but am for some reason doing whatever I can to get out of doing them... procrastination seems to be my only talent as of late!

KJ is back for a quick visit next Friday so I'll be popping down south to visit her after work on Friday. Will be nice to get out of London for a short spell. She's bringing me canvases, I am so lucky!!!!

Plans are under way to sell sell sell paintings... Anyone interested? Go on make me an offer...

Following advice from all those in the know...

I've started a food diary... to try and take an active interest in what I eat... and perhaps convince myself to care. My Personal Trainer that I've been seeing for the last month has told me that I'll not make any more progress if I don't stop having a cheese salad and a bag of crisps every day for lunch... I'm playing ball but I think the food diary Sally sent me doesn't have enough room to not what I consume in a day! It is pocket sized! Perhaps it's a good thing... that way I can't eat so much!

Interestingly I got a % of body fat test done on Tuesday (by the trainer) and I'm 26% fat! I found it highly amusing as it's the maximum that I should be for my range... of course my goal is to trim that down a bit but I don't quite understand why my trainer didn't see the humor in me rejoicing that "I'm the maximum of fat that I'm allowed by law" some people!

The possibility of me attending Noeleen's wedding in a few weeks dwindled down to (not possible) this week when after haggling with the airline for ages... I looked at my paper ticket and saw in black and white (NON EXCHANGEABLE NON REFUNDABLE) damn it! I feel terrible about not making the wedding but really... it was due to circumstances beyond our control so not much can be done... unless of course I win the lotto!

KJ is due in London again next weekend... this time for a good long while (compared to her last 6h visit) I believe the plan is for me to go down to Crawley where the crew are staying and meet up with her... The week after I will finally be able to get back to bcn for a visit with fredu!!!!

Tomorrow is Canada day and in an attempt to be true to our land of birth... my Canadian colleague and I are going to partake in the Canada day street party in Covent Garden... should be funny... Don't know how long we'll last but hey, we're trying!

I've a pink tongue...

pinker than normal... it's the calippo ice lolly's fault... I like my job, they stock up the fridge with ice creams and such in the summer to keep everyone happy and pacified (to the true sense of the word).

London is hot hot hot! The transition back from Barcelona on Sunday afternoon was seamless... to be fair it was hotter here yesterday than there... so it made it feel like my mini holiday was a bit longer...

The week spent in Barcelona at Sonar was good fun... a few tears from some of the parties in attendance... but all in all mostly a good time... Poor Fredu, however is still recovering, after having caught a nasty case of salmonella poisoning on Sunday morning. It was so heartbreaking to have to board a plane knowing that he was so ill...

God how I laughed when I read my seestor's blog today... she writes about the kids in her neighborhood booing as she returned home... this because they use her drive as a play area when she's at work... so cute.

Nine hours and fifteen minutes until I complete my 3 month probation at this job... wonder if they'll keep me... wonder if they'll release me with a handshake and a fist full of dollars?

Keep dreaming shall I?

have you ever...

come into work on a Monday morning and about 70% of your team is missing... there is an eerie silence and you just know that within the hour all chaos will break loose as you try and get your head around the work that needs to be done to cover everyone who is away? Then... you remember that as of 16h tomorrow you too will be off on holidays? That's the good part.

Training on Friday nights is such a great way of avoiding going out and inflicting damage to yourself which causes you to have to go to the gym in the first place... it's a win win situation folks. This weekend was very low-fi... didn't even go out Saturday night... Sunday afternoon I spent baking and then only in the early evening did I pop down to the Champion to meet up with Tasha and Anna and Andrea and Danny for a quick tipple. Mind you after not drinking a drop for nearly a week... imbibing a bottle of wine was just about too much for me. Naughty Sar sar!

Note to self... never let Sally chose hair colour for me... what was blonde is now ginger... I feel like I've got back in the way back when machine and am looking decidedly like ginger spice. Lord help me... wait let me amend that request... can he please help my hair?

There have been a lot of very exciting things happening of late...

last weekend in Barcelona was just fab. If I close my eyes I'm back there on the beach with le boi with the sun my back, cuddled up beside him with the breeze blowing over us... giggling and singing along to my fav music with one headphone each. bliss!

This week has just spun by... I'm not quite sure how it's Friday already... lots of change lots of change...

One thing that's a change which is sad is the plans for Noeleen's wedding. It's looking rather doubtful that I'll be able to go... even though I've already got my flights to Canada... Changes in the flights to the Dominican, then failed plans to transfer things to Jamaica and then changes again to the dates... The date changes are what kill it for me. I've been looking everywhere to find some sort of solution... Will hear back from the airline tomorrow regarding changing flights... then it's work to contend with, and try and change the dates of my holiday... never a dull moment

Jo jo and I are getting all excited about Sonar next week. We leave Tuesday night after work. Youpie!

Training again tonight after work... then mostly hauling ass home on bike afterwards... and bed early! Painting on the cards this weekend... for the first time I started a painting and didn't finish it in one sitting... it needs minor re-constructive surgery... I've got to get a move on it as I've a new goal to try and sell them all before Sept. Moving with a bunch a canvases is going to be a pain... Anyone want to buy one?

The..

sun is breaking through the clouds ever so slightly and I'm wishing the rest of the hours in the day away... I'm flying out to visit le boi in a couple of hours and I'm anxious like a 16 year old on their first date... it's fun. I can't wait. My boss promises he'll put a rush on opening the Barcelona office for me :) He's such a doll.

My new most favoritest thing is Green and Black's dark chocolate and cherry. So delicious! I simply must remember to bring some home to my grandfather he would be most pleased.

I've also just discovered that it's easily possible to consume two pints of strawberries in one sitting. God love strawberry season.

Time has done a fantastic job of ticking by quickly today since I started writing... and soon I shall be on my jolly way off to sunnier climates.

bon weekend

you played it so fine... scooping up the soul of the wine

-wolfman

the first day of summer...

is always such a delight... albeit not so good when you're spending it indoors in an office with most of the blinds down to keep the sun off of everyone's monitors... but the breeze is nice. Did I mention my under sight on my wardrobe? I'm wearing an outfit that is a bit not enough for the office environment.... oops. I don't know at what point I thought the backless top I chose with my denim mini and pink wedges was a good idea... guess I put all my focus on finding Sally accessories to wear with her KJ inspired white trousers. She did end up looking fab!

Last weekend's pole dancing and hen night festivities were well enjoyed by all. The travelers managed to stay up until 11pm, which is not bad considering they flew across the ocean, got no sleep and then spent the afternoon drinking! Kudos to them!

I am relieved to say I bought or should I say Noeleen bought me the maid of honour dress that I am to wear at her wedding. It's so lovely and it comes from this mad shop on Portabello road called Maribou. The lady makes tops and frocks from antique silk scarves. They're oh so pretty... and the one we ended up choosing was just fab! I think it will be just the right weight to wear on the beach for her wedding. God time is just flying by so quickly it's madness.

My lovely seestor was looking simply fantastic when she arrived last weekend... sporting her new bod 2 stone lighter! She looks amazing. I'm so happy for her. She works out so much and it's great for her to see her finally getting some really tangible results. Speaking of hard work... ze flatmate and I are now training every Friday with Mirhir's friend Freddy... the pain from last week's session has carried through all the way until today... I don't quite know how I'll manage another session tonight and then cycle home!?!?!?

Andrea and I have been busy cooking up some match making between her friend Matt and my seestor. We think they would get along famously. No love match guaranteed, but it's worth a try. We're trying to hook them up this weekend or if that doesn't work we'll do it when she's back in London on the 17th! I really really want her to find someone fab!

The weekend beckons and it's only 11. guess I should get some work done so they continue to pay me.

Happy long weekend everybody!

the weeks just seem to fly by...

and before I know it it's Thursday already and I've not even managed to write about last weekend....

Had a most fantastic time in BCN with ze boi. It was beautiful and sunny and fun... and that's just talking about him :) We even managed to lounge about on the beach a bit on Sunday afternoon. I can't wait until Sonar in June... will be fab to bring jo jo and all her crew over too!

My fabulous seestor and la Noeleen arrive on Saturday morning... should be fantastic fun. The weather doesn't look too ominous for the weekend so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I've not see either of them since xmas!

It's the lovely young Andy's b'day tomorrow so we'll be mostly popping by after our training session in St. Paul's... not going to be a big on though as Saturday will take a lot of stamina.

Oh yes... and you simply must download these tracks... so so pretty... too bad about the heroin addiction Pete... well done on nabbing Kate!

you know when...

you think you're on top of things... and you've finally pulled your finger out and arranged the Hen Party for your friend who's flying all the way from Canada just for one weekend... then you realise that you've got the dates all wrong... and that the 'long weekend' on which she is arriving refers to the Canadian long weekend, and not the one here... which is the weekend afterwards..... at that point... you realise that you better hope to hell they can re-schedule the pole dancing party you arranged and bring it a week forwards... alternately you'll soon find me hosting my very own pole dancing party for no reason whatsoever for the long weekend... *sigh*

On a brighter note... I managed to get one of the guys who msn'd me asking if I was the girl on this dating site to send me a picture that he had of the girl... call me paranoid but I just wanted to rule out the possibility that someone was playing a terrible joke on me... he sent it... and I would post it here but sadly I can't... still no software to upload installed on my machine... you'll have to use your imagination... she was pretty but oddly in a graduation gown. I can't imagine why one would solicit one's self wearing one of the most unflattering of ensembles...

lessons learned....

yesterday I stopped by the petrol station on my way into work to pump up my bike tyres. When I attached the hose to my wheel I gasped... it read 9.1 psi... I am the stupidest woman in the world... my tyres need to be at 40 psi... no wonder it was nearly killing me to cycle to work every day...

I had the strangest anxiety dream this morning when I was mostly supposed to be awake and on my way to work with my new superfast bike. I dreampt that I was moving out of my ex's place back in Ottawa... I had so many things to pack and sort through but so little time... it was such a stressful dream. Amasing how a dream can bring you back 7 years ago with such amasing accuracy and detail.

It's beautiful and sunny today but bloody well baltic again. Can someone please bring on a bit of Spring????

as seen on...
this very cute site

I am mostly thinking that My sister should make a t shirt that says

'I want to buy you a lot of pretty things and shyly offer them to you one at a time'

i'm laughing out loud as I type this...

to the person who reached my blog using the search string:

"men's gold non-adjustable toe rings size 7"

all I can say is... good luck with that!


-blog logs... ever amusing at times

thing i love about my new job...

- having gotten a lot closer to mastering the very complex financial side of my projects (thus quelling ever so slightly my fobia of maths)
- sitting next to the window
- having sun on my face and a nice breeze flowing in the studio every morning
- free fruit on Monday and Bagels every Friday
- a fun team
- my new laptop
- summer flex hours


Things about my life that don't surprise me...

- that i'm moving again! yes, again... the landlady has decided she wants her flat back... so I've got to move again in July
- that i lost my favorite silk scarf at dinner last night
- that our neighbours decided to try and hang us for the crime of committing heinous amounts of noise on Wednesday night... and leaving a nasty note on the front door threatening us... even though we were both home and asleep by 11pm (on the said night) and were also awoken by screaming and loud music in the middle of the night... nice for them to be so bloody assuming... The entire time we've lived there we've been little angels! Just wait till the landlady moves back in... apparently she was quite a terror... they'll be wishing us back in no time!
- that i spent last night mostly having anxiety dreams about having forgotten to buy a dress for Noeleen's wedding... and having not shaved my legs.

Things to look forward to this weekend
- sun
- fun
- drinks at the westbourne with the girlies
- not going to work on Monday

Thing to look forward to for next weekend- possibly seeing siobhan and ze boi
- possibly getting out of london

again...

I am left with no resolve but to conclude that I attract the wierdos of this world...

Sunday night I met up with Andrea and Danny who drove down to catch up with me after my very short jaunt to bcn this weekend. We were at the pub called the Champion just right around the corner from my house... while andrea and Danny were waiting to be served, I walked over to an empty table and sat down. As I sat I was accosted by this bloke whom was sat at that bar... He approached me and asked me my name... then proceeded to tell me that I had very lovely eyes... and then swiftly after that asked me if he could 'pinch my bottom'! WTF! I politely declined and instructed him to leave me be as I was not at the pub looking to be chatted up or groped, I was there to chat to my friends... Luckily Andrea and Danny arrived at the table at that moment and he retreated... We watched him as he continued his brash cruising techniques soliciting various other unsuspecting ladies as they passed by him. Approximately 20 mins later he re-approached our table and attempted to join our conversation by introducing himself and declaring to Andrea and Danny that he though I was lovely and then AGAIN asked if he could pinch my bottom! I mean like hello!?!?! did he really think that my friends would encourage and approve? *shakes head* Luckily when he was swooping in for a third attempt, the bar staff interjected and instructed him to leave us alone...

Barcelona on Saturday was lovely and sunny... it was the day of saint George... the tradition is for all ladies to receive flowers and men to receive books. Just one of the little things that makes me love Spain... they have such a marked respect for tradition and such a strong sense of 'family'... I can't think of a single celebration in Canada or the UK which would even come close... it was nice to see so many people out and about... all the pretty flowers and all the hundreds of book stalls set up around the city.

sometimes...

I feel like my life is a mix of Goldie locks and the three bears crossed with the movie groundhog day with Bill Murry...

today my new mouse is mostly too bumpy when I scroll with it... also it is Wednesday and I am not longer able to differentiate...

whenever I feel my life is tipping over into downward spiral mode (which can see me drinking too much sleeping with inappropriate people and comfort eating) comfort eating is the biggest slide of them all... always seems to happen as soon as the summer season approaches... do you think I could wrangle a company paid for trip to the priory? surely my health care would cover it?

On a more constructive and less fatalistic note... I booked my flight home for this summer. I've never been back in the summer before... main reason for going of course, is for la Noeleen's wedding. so from the 15th of July till the 30th I shall be mostly in Toronto and The Dominican Republic... how many groundhog days left until then?

Update

This morning I arrived to work and was greeted by 5 more msn requests from people whom I no doubt are mistaking me for this woman who is using my hotmail id as her login id for that dating site... won't be long till they find this blog... *ahhh* am I paranoid to think that someone is playing a joke on me...not a nice one if it is...

hmm... wondering if this caused me to have paranoia dreams about my ex turning mental and trying to murder me... I'm thinking that's quite possible... the paranoia, not the murder attempt...

back to work now i suppose...

Can you ever turn a ditch into a well?

Well some people should really bloody well hope so.

The bottom of my heart makes me wish that you can… but without action there is no chace… words are only worth so much… and don’t’ forget that half truths are only as good as lies.

Such are the themes rattling around my reality as of late… all so very silly really…

On a different note… it appears that whomever is using the same user name on this lava dating site as my hotmail ID is obviously looking for some pretty steamy encounters… I received another email from another bloke today… this one with pictures!!! His message was

"Just wondering if your the chick from Lavalife ;-) ...

heres my picture...hopefully you'll find me just as interesting..:) ..I too have a high sex drive ;-) and have yet to find my match :)"

LOL why is it that these types of random oddness seem to always happen to me!?

It’s hilarious!

Painting, pop corn and porn

My life on Saturday was mostly an alliteration of the letter ‘P’. I started painting a new picture (it’s now done :) ) and at 23h45 myself, Alonzo and the Aussie girls trundled down the Gate theatre down the road from my flat to watch 9 songs http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A3770002 . I say porn… but I don’t think it was really. There was a lot of shagging but it had a story and it was quite sweet… great tunes… would defo buy the sound track. And oh yea… I had popcorn at the theatre.

Sunday involved large amounts of champers and some really lovely cake… and finishing my painting. I would post a pic but I can’t download the software required from my new work machine… so looks like it will be a long while until I post any more pics… sad really as I’ve finally downloaded all the sri lanka pictures.

This morning I was msn’d by a stranger from Fredericton. He was very nice and polite. He told me he had seen my profile on Lava (? some dating site?) … I giggled. I don’t have one! It seems that there is someone registered on that dating site that uses the login sj_chick. Too bad I’m not registered as I would be interested to find out who he mistook me for?

Today is the anniversary

Of my dad’s departure from this earth… mum wrote me on Wednesday to tell me that they had a mass in the morning for him… and much to my mother’s amusement the priest mentioned my father’s name before the pope’s. Mum was convinced that my father would be chuffed with that.

Strange really… I feel so disconnected sometimes… guess it’s because I live so far away… but mum and KJ are always very optimistic about it… no other choice really… death doesn’t give you any other option as it’s kind of final.

Work is gearing up but best not to write about it as it will jinx it.

Today would be a good day for me to disappear completely… but I guess I should just go to the gym instead. *shrug*

I’ve written about this before…

But a long time back in an attempt to be cheeky and funny I wrote my name as Sarrah on MSN. This caused some embarrassing confusion with some of my work contacts in Europe who actually thought this was my real name… Just when I least expect it… the same situation has now happened again… This time it’s a bit more serious… my new boss seems to have adopted it… I’m too mortified to tell him that the double r is not real… that it was just to make me sound cooler…

Somehow, I don’t think that would go over very well… tee hee… guess I’m going to have to grin an bearr it.

You know

Sometimes just so much happens in the span of twenty days that it’s almost impossible to try and write it all down…

One thing is certain… the chair I’m sitting on at my new office – has a mind of it’s own… and I’m not far off from being convinced that it’s out to get me… at any given moment it will release the tilt and send me in a spastic tooth dive lunge towards my desk… should I call HR?

They got him!

Just heard from the police... they've remanded my old dodgy landlord ... and his trial is may this year... how exciting... didn't think they would ever track him down...

The weekend was a bit manic but got a lot done... Got hair cut (so short but it will grow back right?) Caught up with jo jo on Friday night at Sarah's b'day party... Saturday got caught up with Suresh before his trip to Tokyo for his show there... then sat night Hon and Naoko's wedding reception and then a nice walk on south bank with Alex.

Oh yes... not only is this my last week here at this job *cough* sweatshop *cough* but it is also only a few days before I leave on a bit of an adventure... I'm heading to Sri Lanka for 10 days with my flatmate! It was kind of a last minute decision but we're all booked! We return on the 15th and then I fly out to Palma on the 16th to meet with ze boi... and then before you know it, it will be the 17th and I will mostly be *gasp* 29! boy time sure does fly!

And after all of that... I start the new job on the 21st... hardly want to think about that bit of the picture... I'm just going to focus on enjoying the first time in my life that I've had 2 weeks off work consecutively... it's a little thing but it's a nice thing. Sun, however will also be a nice treat... my very not bikini- ready body will soon be exposed... lord help the locals.

sometimes I'm funny...

I just remembered... a few weeks back Andrea was driving me to my new flat with a car load of my things that she had been so graciously storing for me while I was in between places... She was at an intersection and accidentally caused her gears to grind...

'ooh my god' she said... ' I'm rubbish, wrong gear'

to which I responded...

'no no darling... it's not bad... I've always seen gears as more of a suggestion'.

ah Soya

so I've been mostly attempting to learn how to eat properly...

anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not the best of eaters... I don't get excited by food and I'm mostly lazy and eat things that don't require much attention... and mostly only things that never had faces... so it's quite a feat to try and learn how to eat the correct portion of fruit, veg and protein... the long and the short of it... I'm trying to see life beyond an 100% carbo diet... not an easy feat... but inspired by my seestor's ever successful foray to the carnivorous domain of Zone eating... I decided to give it a whirl

I'm not even that bothered by eating almonds and cottage cheese and an apple for breakfast... although I'm secretly craving marmite on toast!

Ze new miu miu handbag has arrive and it's Fabulous with a capital F! I've only a slight bit of moral dilemma about how it's possible to get it on the cheap... All instincts lean to it being of stolen origins...but I can neither confirm nor deny it... as Sinead said to me today... what's this big thing about 'morals' recently... all so over rated...

Is it possible for a job to be the death of you even after you resign... notice periods are punishment for crimes committed in past lives... that I am certain.

Addictions...

well they say that the first step to overcoming an addiciton is addmitting that you have one. We'll I've done 1 week and two days of non smoking... it's not an easy feat... so yea just when I think I'm getting a handle on one addiciton... up rears another...

evil thy name is ebay

beauty thy name is my new miu miu handbag that I just won. at £39.00 you just can't go wrong...

unless of course you are skint...

what do they call that grip that crocodiles hold you in when they spin you round and round underwater to kill you?

Oh yea, the spiral of death.

That about sums it up.

tee hee.

my new painting! Just finished it last night :)  

I baked really good cookies today for office peeps...

something sweet for valentines day!

I then warned all the girls on my floor that they would 'get a kicking' if they received flowers... Becky was the first. Her boyfriend is travelling through Chile and arranged for them to be sent all the way from over there... she was absolutely thrilled... and openly acknowledged that she was so happy, she wouldn't even mind the kicking. When did my jokes get so aggressive sounding :) ?

I started another painting last night... and in true Sarah fashion I painted for hours and hours and didn't even notice the time passing... I played the 18 track I was listening to three times before it registered that I better go to bed... I guess that's what it's like when you work at a job that you love... time just flies and you're happy the whole time... perhaps I should become a painter!?!?!?

I'm out tonight with Cecile... her friend stood her up for Valentine's dinner so I agreed to go to with her to the place she had booked a table... turns out it's my favourite Japanese restaurant! Should be nice. I even dressed up pretty-like. Not often that I willingly wear heels to work.

KJ sent me a txt wishing me luv and nice seestorly wishes. What a doll!

I hope cupid brings her a nice man! She so deserves it!

well

apart from falling off the blog wagon...

I've been busy working far too late into the night... which made me really ask myself what the hell I was doing at this job... at the end of the day it's just a job right? Which then made me start looking for a new job... which I've just found... and with an extra 6k and brill benifit package in my pocket... i'm a happy camper! It will be sad to leave here but I need to save my sanity... what's left of it anyway.

Spent a lovely weekend in Palma. Left last friday morning and returned this monday. Le boi is such a doll... he bought me the lovliest pearl necklace that is 25 years old. It's soooo purdy! On a related note, I've got a week and a half between finishing here and starting my new job what a joy it will be!!!!

I’m not too sure what it is…

But today alone I’ve received two invites to two separate parties this Saturday. Strange but fun!

One day into my search for freedom from this sweat shop and there is light already… the market is good… very good. I can almost smell the freedom… perhaps I should start practising how to spell resignation….

I wonder what the odds are of my holiday request being granted for next week… slim to none I’m thinking… but I’m hoping to go back to Mallorca.

It’s most likely the coldest day of the year here… brr Not the best day to have the heading in the office non functioning… also not the best day to be working late… not the best day to be exhausted… or having to finish the creative for the mutationspotting article I’m writing… also not good when you’ve got to do it all again tomorrow…

Anyone want to adopt me and afford me a life of leisure?

eeevil moi in Mallorca the horns flashed!!! 

awwww luvvie luuvvie 

late - fancy dress xmas party frolics this weekend! 

Palma....

was so beautiful. The blossoms on the almond trees were out and the sea so very blue green. We were there for the San Antoni festival in Manacor. Was a brilliant weekened all around.

It's so great to have a flat again... paying rent, not so exciting but having my own space is just great! I can't wait till summer and I can have breakfast on the terrace!

Can I just say how good the Kasabian ablum is?

Off to a costume party this pm. It's Sally's work's xmas party and it's a gangster and moll theme... will be good fun.

The hunt has started for a new job. I think i'm aiming for something freelance or short term. I need a break from this mental cycle...

Bon weekend!

I'm hoping...

That this marks the end of lots of evil annoyances that have plagued me this week... I slopped into work this morning with luggage and all... and then realised that I left my phone at home.

It gets better when I realised I've got to work over the weekend and on my day off when I'm supposed to be relaxing... and therefore now have to slog all the way back home to get my phone with luggage and the bloody laptop.

fucking kill me.

I am...

mostly very happy today... exhausted but happy!

The move went well but there is still a lot to do as the owner of the flat didn't have it cleaned properly and the estate agent called in her cleaning crew who ended up arriving at the same time as us... needless to say... most of our stuff is not in the flat yet, but moreso in the hall and the storage room (future painting studio)... that bit will happen when I get in from work tonight... if I ever get out of here... Working right after a move is VERY challenging... My face feels like it's on fire... or like I've been sitting in front of a fire for the past few hours... not a good thing, I'm just hoping it's exhaustion rather than the early onset of the flu... the flu is not something I'm keen on having as that would hamper my plans for Saturday in the most spectacular way!

I forgot what it feels like having a proper home and your own room... Guess maybe i'll feel a little less displaced as I have been in the past few months.

yipee!

And for my next trick...

I managed to gaff yet another booking… no no not on the flight to Barcelona in June… That was sorted and I’m still quite sore about it… as the ticket was non adjustable… so I ended up being saved by sqeezy jet and getting a return for 50£ extra from them… not that I really fancy returning to England… but hey, we play the game…. But lets focus now, and get back to my latest trick…

I booked my flight to Majorca this weekend to visit the boi… he’s shooting a documentary over there… I get my friend to double check that I’ve filled in everything correctly… it’s all good, and I press submit… but wait. Oh look the confirmation letter states that I’m being issued a paper ticket (do they still exist!?!?!) and that it’s being sent to my billing address which is my old flat (where I’ve not lived for the past 3 months!!!!). Twenty minutes on the phone to the booking people and they tell me that they ‘hope’ they can catch the tickets before they’re dispatched and get them sent to my office instead… I smell trouble… these things come in threes don’t they? More drama will surely ensue.

The move is on for tomorrow! Three months of homelessness (very cushy homelessness may I add) will soon be over and we’ll be safely installed into the new abode in the wilds of west London…

*closes eyes and jumps into the unknown*

Your know it’s going to be a great week when…

When you’re chuffed that you and your mate booked flights to bcn for Sonar in June… at bargain prices…

You soon realize that it’s going to be a crap week when…

You’re filling out your holiday request form and realize that the tickets were booked on the wrong dates… and you will most likely incur 50£ penalty per passenger… if they even let us amend the booking… and that it’s most likely that we’ll have to re-book completely and it will probably mean that we’ll have to pay the full price again! That, sucks. I hate when life is fickle.

I’m going to crawl into a hole now and not come out for a long long time.

On another note… pole dancing hurts a lot and it bruises a lot… I’ve got total respect for the ladies that do it for a living… clearly it’s not my calling… booking incorrect flights seems to be much more of a forte for me.

The move looks to be on for Wednesday… we’ll see if I manage to organize that one properly.

It’s been too long...

And lots of jollies where had at home for xmas. Was so lovely to see seestor and my tiny mummy and all the relations… whom are very not tiny anymore!

Highlights being

- Seeing mum and sister - of course
- Seeing Lisa and Dave and their wee ones
- Seeing la Noeleen and her hubby to be…
- Meeting my online friend of 7 years in person for the first time
- Meeting up with Karm and his lady
- Drinking silly cocktails at the Drake Hotel
- Staying at the Drake hotel and being awoken at 4am by a girl knocking at the door who asked us if we had any ‘stuff’… what ‘stuff’ she was looking for we’re not quite certain… but we were pretty sure we didn’t have any. Tee Hee Hee
- Receiving the most gorgeous pair of leopard print stillies from sister (made from pony fur)

The house move hasn’t happened yet but will hopefully next week when certain travellers return and sort out the remaining financials…. Stress comes with everything it seems… or is that just me? *giggle*

Tomorrow I will continue packing up the flat and then venture down to old street to join up with andrea and her friend who is celebrating her b’day… the fun part is, that we’re all doing a pole dancing class as part of the celebration! Should be a really good laugh. And no, no pictures will be posted… I fear the embarrassment would be far too great.

Ooh at xmas I managed to finish another painting… I luckily picked up a bunch of art supplies in Canada when I was there… they are a fraction of the cost there than they are here and will the sales it was brilliant!

Happy new year!

painting i did at xmas... 

Me and seestor at xmas 

Well that’s if for me for this year…

Off to the great white north and the land of Canadia as my friends call it here…

The manic schedule however, appears to be following me… no rest until at least the end of January…

I am impressed as last night I managed to pack everything within 15 mins and still manage to collect all of miss B’s things for Thailand. Damn I’m good under pressure…

Off to el aeropuerto in a few mins…

Happy Ho HO!

Can I just say....

That xmas bonuses are very nice... so yea the tax man takes his share but you won't see me saying no to free cash!

Finally got a flat and am moving in early January... which is brilliant as moving before xmas was a bit of a daunting prospect. Now I can do the diry work right after I get back. Moving to the wilds of west London is a bit daunting but having a lovely terrace and being dead close to the tube and kensinton gardens will be great! It's going to be so strange as I have been such a north/east london dweller since I moved here...

Saw Alex and Dearbhla and Dani and Carolyn last night... Alex is doing well and is soon of to Oz and has a lot of adventures planned for the coming year... The Irish girls were in good form and as always, it was lovely to catch up with them all!

Six more sleeps till I fly home. No xmas shopping done... except for Mr. McCann... lucky devil! When will I find the time???

i love this one :) 

fredu 

moi et le boi a Cadaques 

Cadaques... brr it was cold! 

Me and my friend Sinead at our xmas party 

Having a holiday was most fantastic

I think sometimes you work so hard you forget what it’s like to just do nothing for an entire week. I ended up in Cadaques with le boi… We had such a chilled out week… Brilliant thing really, just before the xmas rush. I’ve still not started shopping yet and am wistfully thinking back to a few years ago when I finished all my shopping before the beginning of December….

The large ball of fire has returned over the skies of London town… It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it… even in Spain it was grey and rainy and cold… I’m looking forward to going home… even if it is helli cold at least there is always lots of sunshine!

I’m continuing the flat hunting search this Saturday and am lined up to see a few more flats… I’m hoping I can find something… then at least we can move next weekend and put an end to this palarva.

I’ve got pictures a plenty… from the hols… just need to download them…

Big office 10 year anniversary party tomorrow night… what to wear what to wear?

My seestor

Strangely thinks I’m wise… the case was not so last night-when I attempted to do my hair… I’ve been using this product for the last 6 months… and am quite happy with it… until last night my brain ceased to function… and in one foul swoop I managed to mix the bleach into the colour developer… the whole kit down the drain presto! So frustrating… one of those times that I wished I was still back in Canada so I could pop down to Shoppers Drugmart and simply procure another kit right away… not so much the case when you’re living were I do… ho hum… I’m smiling about it today.

Saw a really nice flat in Notting Hill last night… Trying to sort out some final details and arrange a second viewing for Saturday… although it’s kind of the last thing I’m going to want to be doing Saturday… Ahh well… it’s a cool place and it has a nice balcony schweet…

Off to meet the Dearbhla!

Could it be…

That my sister is harbouring some transatlantic romance of which she has not clearly articulated? Would it be an LON-TOR or a TOR-HONG liason? Who knows… she seems to be keeping it all very close to her chest… It’s rather unlikely that more information will become available anytime soon… but one can but try.

The week is choca-booked already… viewing flats again tonight and tomorrow a long time coming catch up with Dearbhla and then Matty’s leaving drinks Thursday… the le boi arrives Friday. Then a week of blissful non-work!

Dave sent me the cutest pictures of his and Lisa’s littl’uns… he’s working over in Taiwan for two weeks, thus was online just wrapping up his day when I logged in this morning… will throw the picture up in a mo…

ash and ryan... Lisa and Dave's little angels 

le boi et moi 

Many years back...

I contracted this strange camp side to my speech and writing… which no doubt comes from exposure to the queen of camp… mr. mccann… but it’s stayed with me ever since… It almost always seeps out at work… I address new clients as ‘sweetie’ or ‘sweets’ or something along that line… This does lead on occasion to a bit of embarrassment… today was one of those days… a new contact that I’ve been dealing with who works at my biggest account just sent me confirmation that he raised a PO for a project that I’m managing… I responded to this email by saying ‘Thanks for the quick response sweets!’ to my horror two seconds later a message popped into my inbox from the same guy that said ‘it’s my pleasure sweetheart’ I wanted to die of embarrassment… The camp thing is a blag and it’s so embarrassing when you realise you’ve used it on someone you really don’t know!!! My face was bright red for at least ten minutes after I read it…

I’ve got fabulous eyebrows thanks to the queen of eyebrow shaping! Lord knows they were in need!!!!

Saw a ridiculously bland but massive flat in slone square last night… I swear there is quite a massive divide between the mentality of people who live in the east side of London compared to the west… the estate agent was a laugh… telling me about how he really doesn’t’ have to work but his daddy didn’t like him sitting home doing nothing…. So that’s why his daddy lined him up the estate agent job… On the side he owns a production company and a clothing line *yawn* tee hee… In the taxi back to the east the cab driver insisted on clarifying the destination as he was almost shocked that one would want to travel from Slone Square to Liverpool street. How funny!

Off for a laugh tonight with Joel and Alex and their ladies tonight… why is it that I’m always the gooseberry? Ah well! GE club is fun and I’ve not been since the madness of the beach party in the summer…

Bon weekened!

oh yes...

how good does this look? Tasha sent me this link to a trailer of the second series of the L word. Looks v dramatic!!!

For some reason...

My seestor seems to have re-named herself Kate… perhaps a re-birth of sorts… says the woman who insists in spelling her name with two rr’s online.

Her visit was most excellent and fun… although we joked that she is the grim reaper when it comes to my relationships… seems that everytime she comes to visit, I end up ending the relationship I’m in at the time… too funny… didn’t happen this time but who knows what the new few days will bring.

We shopped and sipped cocktails and had a really fun time. The hardest part is when she leaves… rings home how much I miss her and the rest of my family… then re-confirms the confusion that I feel sometimes as I’ve been away for so long my ‘home’ seems like a foreign place… and my current ‘home’ feels more like an inbetween stop… don’t know where I really should be… perhaps I really do have a nomadic soul and need to move on a regular basis.

One of our adventures we had this weekend happened Sunday at the vibe bar, it involved the very juvenile game of taking pictures of our cleavage (including boys at the table) and then sending the best one which was obviously jojo (she does have an F cup after all) via Bluetooth to unsuspecting patrons of the bar… … oh how we laughed… no one managed to engage and send a picture back… maybe that’s a good thing?

I’ve had my holiday approved and now am going to be off for the week of the 29th. Dear lord how I need a break… then when I get back only 2 weeks of work left and then I’m off home and not back at work until the 4th of Jan. Now I’ve just got to figure out what I can do during that time… perhaps best to do nothing and just lay low… who knows…

Shopping!

Cecile and I went to H&M at lunch today to check out the new Karl Lagerfeld collection… it was kind of manic. People were snapping it up like it was on fire! I bought two tops and some sunglasses J probably better off to sell them on ebay… or keep… who knows…

While at the shop I received a phone call… a lovely serenade in Spanish from someone who is mostly---- seemingly always in Spain. He was in such a good mood, it’s kind of infectious… what a sweetheart.

Saw a lovely flat last night in Farringdon… not the best location for all parties concerned but it was massive! So who knows… we may be a step closer to finding something…

Kaffin arrives in just a few short hours… she’s so excited and so am I… she’s done her shopping for us gals at Mac! Can’t beat the exchange rate!

Bring on the eternal weekend!

It’s kind of strange...

The most recent massive attack cd is playing right now in the studio… it always makes me think of my room… I had it in the cd player in my room (back when I had one) and I would listen to it all the time… I’m so relaxed when I hear it… but it’s admittedly strange to hear it while at work…

The weekend will bring great adventures… Sally arrives tomorrow morning… It’s Matt’s b’day today and he’s celebrating tomorrow night… then Saturday ze seestor arrives and so does Darryl! It’s a weekend of cannucks!

I’ve got about 2 pages worth or resources to book this week… I’m dreading the meeting… anyone want to go in my place?

I took this picture this morning… it was the strangest thing… I can’t believe how much I’ve aged… check out the wrinkles… It’s amazing… you always feel kind of ageless… like perma 18 or something like that… but I think time has finally bit me on the bum… bring on the expensive wrinkle creams…

time has snuck up and gosh dang i'm starting to age! 

My new trainers... and my first ebay purchase... by god i'm now addicted. 

Ben-boarder boy at South Bank... helped me get the details for my article... Bless! 

Andrea and Stu dancing in the dark 

*insert screams of terror from my sister and all others here* yes i bought cowboy boots 

My Co-worker, Alex and I at work on Friday 

I’m doing...

a damn fine job of putting on a strong face even though it's pretty obvious that I am a fool... and crying in the bath does not count as there is too much water involved and tears are easily masked...

The weekend was glorious and warm which has also helped bolster my spirits. Inordinate amounts of shopping were also a boost... wardrobe is now almost as fatter as my waist line!

Ended up dancing in a crazy tapas bar in Crouch end with Andrea and her bf... what a fun night!

Sunday was spend hanging out with the skater kids on the south bank getting details for this article that I was writing for that Belgian company that I write for sometimes...

Kaffin arrives in london soon... and you don't have to sell me any swamp land in Florida... as I know she will arrive. It will be fab to see her!

Back at work but not at all inspired to participate in the whole working fiasco... putting on a brave face requires energy and I'm just about to drop...

Pictures of events detailed can be found below... or above... depending on when they decide to properly upload...

Living out of a suitcase has its disadvantages...

I think I’ve reduced what I wear on a daily basis to about 3 outfits… two of them being the black v neck jumper and jeans combo… it’s quite sad really… I’m worried that my co-workers are going to start to wonder if I ever take them off!

I’m so tempted to go shopping after work today to attempt to break this vicious cycle of sameness… but I know deep down inside I’ll just be drawn to purchasing even more, black v neck jumpers.

For the past few nights I’ve been waking up at 3 in the morning… anxiety dreams a plenty… mostly relating to large storms… last night’s storm could be seen forming over this big lake… I had just moved into this hotel and was living in this massive flat… but the rest of the flat was the hotel… very strange. I know I was very upset in the dream as I was so far west of London I couldn’t cycle to work as I had to take a motorway to get there… then the storm started forming and I made a video of it on my mobile… I woke up this morning and was tempted to check if the video was there… it wasn’t…

I had the most exciting news yesterday from la lovely Noeleen. She’s getting married next year and she’s asked me to be her maid of honour! I’ve not been to a wedding in years and I’ve not been in a wedding party since my Aunt’s wedding when I was 10! The best part is that she’s getting hitched in either Jamaica or Cuba! That will be one tall order of sunshine for Sarah please! Bring it on!

Every once and a while...

I see something on TV that really impresses me. This new 3 Mobile ad it simply the most strange and wonderful thing I've seen in ages... click on the cherry ad when you follow the link above.

Frustration thy name is Friday

I’m so sad that my new mobile has not arrived as supposed… will have to wait until Monday for that… will make Monday a bit more exciting I suppose J

Last night’s leaving do fiestas left me completely exhausted… didn’t even make it to the GE club afterwards… went home to bed instead. Was brilliant to see all the chello peeps probably the last time we’ll all ever get together… everyone is fluttering off to start new adventures. Good bunch… it’s just sad that it’s over.

This weekend will be filled with more work… and the continual flat hunt… a spot of breckie with jojo and the traveller… and probably many more delights that I couldn’t even possibly anticipate. All that needs to happen is for four more hours to pass and then I’ll be free to frolic.


Bon weekened!

On my way into work this morning…

I passed a corner shop called ‘Nikit’ no joke… obviously the owner’s name or surname but it’s just so funny…

All the grey and rain you can ever imagine is London today… and has been really for the past few weeks. Amazing how quickly summer disappeared!

I’ve finally booked my ticket home for xmas. I’m so excited to see everyone. This year has just flown by…

Still flat hunting… grim grim grim!

I am however loving my new very DVF esq black wrap around dress… Will wear it tomorrow for Andrea and Tasha’s leaving do’s! Oh yes and for Alex’s leaving do too… he’s our main designer on one of my accounts… I’m gutted that he’s leaving!

Fredu arrives next Wednesday for a week stay in London… unconfirmed of course but we like to believe…

Anyone have any swamp land in Florida they want to sell me?

What a difference a day makes…

The somewhat ominous cloud wafting above me yesterday has mostly passed… Sinead dragged me out to the social to mull over things and make me realise it’s never as bad as you think it is… It’s so funny as I’m the queen of optimism for everyone else, I always try and see the bright side of things… but it takes of ton of bricks to make me swallow the same advice when projected back onto me.

Still waiting to hear about the flatshare I have my heart set on… I’m expecting some major finger crossing from all the parties who happen to stumble upon this entry.


Approximation on:

The amount of days I have left sitting at my desk in the back corner of the studio with my French co-worker (who sits next to me) chit chatting in French until we receive an email from management complaining that we’re being anti-social: 6

I’m not sure...

If it’s something intrinsic about being someone who likes to travel/re-locate… but I now have the fear… the fear that I don’t want to be here… but an even greater fear that I don’t’ want to be anywhere else either… It’s almost like a claustrophobic feeling… I would suffocate if I moved back to Canada… or if stay here a minute longer…Even Spain right now seems too complicated… I guess the cold rainy grey English day isn’t helping much either.

I’m thinking that this is why English people drink so much tea… it’s the only thing that can shake the damp chill out of your bones on days like this.

It’s just a delicate little piece of string on which I balance right now… *teeter totter* don’t startle me, whatever you do… that would be enough.

Today my favourite series returns to BBC1!!!!

It’s been a long wait but tonight Spooks returns… Almost enough, if you will to make me squeal with delight. Sad life you say? Why yes, but when homeless and couch surfing you must be grateful for small mercies…

Off to see another flat this evening… I’m still waiting to hear back from the boys in the mansion block… they’re seeing another few people today and will decide either tomorrow or Wednesday whom they’ll ‘choose’ to rent the room to…

The weekend was spent mostly hanging out with JoJo on Saturday afternoon and working Saturday night… Sunday was spent working and reading the paper and attempting to search for a flat… I’m so rock and roll *not*

Today while walking through M&S at lunch

I squealed with delight at the sight of this really cute soft and squishy toy my friend and colleague, Sinead was not as impressed as I was… She asked me what joy a soft toy could possibly bring to me… to which I quickly retorted… you wouldn’t know… you’re just dead inside! She laughed and laughed and then agreed.

I’ve re-discovered the joys of radio 6. Its been a long while since I worked at Frameworks where we used to listen to it in the studio… it’s been helping prop me up and get through this long long Friday afternoon.

Flat hunting resumes this weekend… it’s nice to be free of the stress of the old landlord but not so nice to be homeless… This will be my fifth flat since I first moved to London only 3 years ago. It’s a bit much really…

Today’s likes:
Zingo taxis
M&S Greek Salad
Friends who let you couch surf

Today’s dislikes:
Missed phonecalls
Uncomfortable bras
Work in general

Updates updates!

Since I’ve last blogged… I’ve…

Still not got around to uploading my holiday pics

Moved house… to avoid the oh so joyous delights of having a dodgy landlord on the run from the cops…

Been given the new Bjork cd by my flatmate J

Fallen horrendously behind at work (due to all the flat stress)

Almost had a nervous breakdown

Met up wit the lovely Dave from Canada who is soon off to India!

Finally re-established contact with the ever elusive Mark U and Sean T!

Wrapped Fredu’s b’day pressie in the girlie wrapping paper in the world

Viewed two potential flats… due to hear on the weekend if either of them are a go...

Developed a lovely head cold

Tonight however despite the head cold and the exhaustion I’m off to Sally B’s b’day party… Doubt I’ll last long but dang I finally get to wear my new top!

Can I please order some less-stressful times please?

Thank you

Yesterday...

I’m sure my hormones were well off the scale… I was so irritable it was nearly unbearable… and that was just for me not any poor sod that happened to have to interact with me…. Today fuelled by a good night’s sleep and some breakfast this morning… all seems to have returned to normal. The only residual effect seems to be that my brain was convinced that today is Wednesday… Oh evil reality, it’s definitely not Wednesday.

Darrell sent me a very comic story about his run in with rogue racoons at his house in Ottawa… Oh how I laughed. Poor sausage he was so traumatised… especially the point at which they broke into his basement for a second time and he thought they had murdered his cat! Bless!

Had a great catch up with Mum this weekend… She’s so cute. I can’t wait to see her at xmas… I think she’s quite intrigued to see me too in light of recent events.

I am so loving the fact that I rolled out of my flat at quarter past nine this morning and still didn’t get here very much past half past… My poor waistline however is going to suffer from the greatly reduced amount of cardio that will result… and my motivation to go to the gym is also faltering… help!

Well I best get on climbing up the massive workload that is festering on my desk… I simply must to a holiday summary soon. I’ll schedule time in this aft to write something… oh yes I’ve got pictures too.

Today we…

Moved into our new offices on Great Titichfield street. It’s a retoune au source of sorts for me as it’s the same street I used to be on when I first started working for chello. It’s almost like the first day of school. Everyone is so excited! The people in Elsley house across the street put signs in their office windows saying ‘welcome to the block’ so sweet!

I’ve mostly been up in Crewe visiting Bentley (yesterday) and mainly running around like a mad woman. It doesn’t take long for things to pick back up to a metal pace.

This weekend is going to be a biggie… Out tonight with Andrea and her wine friends… and tomorrow another packed day…

Did I mention the fab pressies my seestor sent to me that were waiting for me upon my return from my hols? Two lovely t’shirts. One that says ‘I need holidays now’ and the other says ‘bella’ (her nickname for me). Very fab indeed!

I returned to London last night

Had the speediest luggage reclaim in history… when I got off the coach at Victoria and boarded the N73 to make my way home I noticed a body lying across the isle. I Looked at the driver whom promptly told me that the man who was standing next to him searching for answers was “quite upset about the situation” I furrowed my forehead in confusion as an unconscious person strewn across the floor on any form of public transit should surely be of some immediate concern to not just myself and the man who I looked over at who was indeed looking distressed about the unconcious man. I then looked to the driver and asked if he could call for some help for the man… The driver responded

“Okay then love, if that’s what you want me to do, then I’ll do it. But just you know that, that will mean that this bus is out of service and it will be another 20 mins before the next one comes along and the people who sort this stuff out don’t respond quickly… stupid drunks they waste everyone’s time!”

I looked at him again and responded “But sir, the man is not in a good state, what if he dies? Have you no concern?”

The driver then sighed, turned off the lights and started the process of getting help for the man. Not but a few seconds later, all the people on the upper deck came down and complained as they wanted to leave… due to the bus consensus the driver then put the lights back on, closed the door and then drove off. I stood there, absolutely incredulous of what had just happened.

Nice welcome home! Can I please return to my holidays?

On a more positive note… I had a fabulous holiday which ended with a brilliant afternoon stopover in Barcelona yesterday afternoon…

Work beckons… more to be recounted soon…

work is ...

making me mental. so much so i managed to pull this expression out of a hat in response to an email from a co worker...

" Oh my god, I'm stressing... I'm having kittens. And then, once they're born, I'm going to drown myself in the river with them!"

Classic Jarriot fatalistic phrase

So...

Today may be the first of September

And the mere thought of that convinces me that winter is just a day away… that was of course until I checked the BBC weather site … which announces 29 degrees and sunny as the forecast for this weekend…

Tomorrow after work all the Project managers are going to venture out on the annual narrow boat adventure. Our director of PM owns one and is going to set us off down the canal after work. It’s quite exciting as I’ve never been on one before J I shall make sure to take pictures

I learned a very important life lesson yesterday… cycling while wearing lip gloss is like cycling with fly paper on your lips… both catch them… both would be as effective as one and other… yuck

KJ is in Brighton this evening. I’m so sad I can’t see her. She arrives at 6 and leaves tomorrow morning at 7 so there is really no time to see her. It’s quite disappointing really as this is her one and only trip to the London area this year… and she starts back at school next week so that’s it! I’m toying with the idea of going down there on the train after work… but I’m on my bike and by the time I get home and get on the train and get there it will be 10pm at the earliest… then I would have to slug it back up to London first thing with all the crazy commuters… argh. Life is so not fair sometimes…

picture Karm unearthed of me taken in Ottawa ten years ago! Just how long was my hair!!!!! 

Today I am mostly feeling...

Extraordinarily angry towards miss woo… whom after a spout of rudeness towards my friend who was in town visiting a few weeks back… defended her actions as being fuelled by her residual anger towards me for having broken up with her… and thusly decided that she no longer wanted to see me. I’ve been nothing more than patient with her and accommodating to her every whim of wanting to be my friend and then not cycles… I’ve had enough. I can’t believe that at 28 I’m still dealing with this sort of rubbish. The more I think about it… the more I’m inclined to think that telling the truth never seems to be the best policy… I guess people are just more comfortable ending a relationship in a dramatic fashion rather than in a logical adult manor. I don’t’ get it. You’re damned if you do, you’re dammed if you don’t.

The long weekend was a well needed treat. Should be just enough to keep me going until the big launch next week and my flight out of here on the 10th!

Note to self… going to the gym at half six on a Tuesday morning is sheer insanity… and if attempted, will leave you feeling mostly drowsy in the early afternoon. However it does act as a good way of actually getting one’s arse to the gym when you’re generally too busy working late.

I’m in a really weird place right now..

I bit here a bit there and a bit scattered from all the changes that I’ve been through in the past couple of months… I know at the beginning of the year that I felt that this would be a year of change… little did I know that it would be the year of unending change. Stop the world I want to get off.

Do you think white magic works?… I think the power of pig tails is highly under rated… not the ones that are attached to pigs of course… the ones you wear in your hair… ha even writing about them works. I rest my case *mutters to self*

The long weekend is upon us and no plans have been made – bar shopping on Saturday morning… but with pay day landing on Tuesday next week it’s just a bit cruel if you ask me… but that’s what overdrafts are for right?

I’m sitting on a knife edge waiting for my client to decide on a launch date for all the projects that we have launching the week of the 10th. If they choose mid week then I may be granted permission to take a half day off on Friday and leave on my holiday *shock horror- I know I finally booked* I’m heading to Portugal and Maybe Spain! Sio is in Portugal again now... Poor thing… I rang her last night and she told me the most upsetting news… the beloved Oscar (her dog) died… she was in Lisbon for the weekend and she came back to find him dead… She thinks he may have eaten poison or something like that. Poor little oskie… He was such a cool guy.

Hey Oscar we'll miss you big! 

Can you decipher…

Which of the following things have not happened to me in the past few days?

1. Met a 21 year old astrophysicist that can’t ride a bicycle
2. Drank white wine in a poncy wine bar in Parson’s Green
3. Got offered Coke by a 6’5 black drag queen
4. Was invited to the Polish ambassador’s garden party
5. Ate strawberry cheesecake while drinking corona
6. Sat in a hot tub naked in the GE club
7. Flooded my Kitchen
8. Tried on tapered jeans
9. Went to the gym at 6h30 am
10. Listen to 2 massive attack albums back to back

And oh yea... Happy London anniversary to me... no suggestions were made thus no celebrations will be either :(

Ha!

Ladies and Gentlemen...

May I please introduce the chyk rock band that’s storming the nation - > “ Not yet set Jelly! ” singing the first single from their album ‘knock her up in the back of nowhere’ *crowd goes wild*

We so totally invented the best band last night at the pub… It will feature Andrea, Tasha and I … It will mostly be loud noisey-esq music… and Tasha will also be the only person who can play an instrument… because really, she’s the only one who can… We’ve not told her yet but I’m sure she’ll be keen. I think we need a drummer… but the details are yet to be confirmed.

Bloody hell what a laugh we had last night!

Bring on the weekend, Thursday night was a good warm up. Good thing It’s all cycle lanes home from soho to mine… eek!

Seven days and counting...

Till my 3 year anniversary of moving across the big ol' pond that we call the Altantic and setting up camp here in Jolly London town. I've clearly missed my 3 year bloguversary but I'm sure me arriving here should be more significant... no?

I shall be accepting suggestions on how I should celebrate this most joyous of days... please do contribute... I do accepts coppers if you've got any spare ones in your pockets while you're at it!

*sigh* 3 years... well at least I now can say there is an anniversary that aptly matches my mental age!

The fates simply do not allow…

Me to manage to stay up until 11pm and chose the correct channel out of all five that are on offer in my house… to allow me the pleasure of watching the entire first episode of the new series of the Sopranos last night… no no… I managed to doze off on the wrong channel and then wake up 15 mins before the show ended… then just as my luck would have it, manage to not fall asleep again for another 30 mins after!!! However I can attest that is this was my only drama last night I’m ahead of the game.

The world travelling miss B returns to the UK this evening after her whirlwind trip to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. No doubt she’ll be bronzed and chilled out and slim as ever… meanwhile back in the bat cave… Sarah scurries about to camouflage her newly acquired kilos and pasty white flesh… I think she’ll be most impressed that I managed to keep the flat in a good state of affairs and even managed to sort out the garden a bit (not that she’ll ever go out there) she sites her Ailurophobia tee hee hee…

Yes, but today is Tuesday.

the Beach party I went to a couple weeks back at the GE hotel... was good fun... 

Yesterday

When I was getting ready for work I was sploshing about in the bath and realised I had run out of shampoo… So I reached for the baby shampoo that KJ and I bought when we were in Barcelona back in March (ever cute that it is it came with a little Symba bath plug)… that stuff does wonders for the hair let me tell you… but I think there is a much more sinister side to this bottle… I believe it was the catalyst to other things that transpired later on during my day… so strong were the abilities that it made my phone ring in the afternoon… I really thought that shampoo was supposed to wash men out of your hair… not wash them back in!

On a different note… Darrell is jetting into London from Ottawa for a 26 hour whirlwind trip. His mate works for a Canadian airline and he’s nabbed a buddy pass to come over for a quick visit. I’ve not seen him in 3 years (since I left) will be great to see him! Also on the arrivals list are Michi and Jutta who are arriving from Vienna Tomorrow. Michi is in town for her handover before she leaves chello to work for the Austrian Foreign Service… so she decided to come over a bit early and enjoy London. *pulls out big gay ‘what to do in London book’* I’m so out of practise I’m sure all the places that I once went to are no longer cool… *giggles* not been that long, just thought it sounded funny.

My mission between now and tomorrow is to keep it low-fi and make it to the gym again tonight. How much weight can one woman gain in 1.5 weeks of not going to the gym due to illness? The answer would be 2.5 kilos to be exact. Clearly I ate all the pies! *shh don’t tell anyone that I’ve got a cherry pie in my fridge and the most delicious Belgian chocolates courtesy of Mr. S*

Today I’m...

Mostly wearing a pretty girly sun dress and have been heard announcing that I’m mostly being a girl today. I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to be every other day of the year as I often wear skirts and makeup and such but I guess because this is a sundress with strappy straps and has a flower on it… it’s considered more girly than usual.

I am happy to report that I managed to cycle past the scene of the carnage that I witnessed yesterday and did not get too freaked out. I really hope that the run over guy is okay… maybe I should put an ad in the paper at the back that reads…

“ Me on sliver mountain bike, you across the road being run over by a green mini van. Just wondering if you’re okay?” Think I would get an answer?

Below you will find a pic from the sports day… note that this image is from the pub afterwards. This is due to the fact that the other pictures are just too random…

post baseball at the pub with work peeps