so as per usual when I have too much to say I think it's best that I just jot down some high points of my holiday... perhaps expanding on them later.
day one
-arriving Thursday and heading straight to Seville and went to the festival. the costumes were so pretty and the whole city was alive! with music and dance. it was truly a wicked night. Trailing around the different casettas
-finding the only public casetta with drag queens... or 'fake women' as Tiago called them... how we managed to do that... I'll never know!
-winding up at a gay bar at the suggestion of one of Tiago's clients (the hilarity comes from the fact that Tiago is not gay) and after the 'fake women' was already a little shaken
-dancing and drinking and laughing till 4am
day 2
-witnessing a bloke have an unfortunate but hilarious incident involving a used condom falling out of his pocket in the middle of the street.
-amazing breakfast in a local restaurant in the Jewish quarter of Seville
-did I mention I'm going to move to Seville?
-drive to a horse ranch for a business chat with a man who simply could not sit still while negotiating with Siobhan... me standing outside desperately trying to rid myself of my white London hue
-bob marley and giggles and deliriousness on the way back to Portugal
-sleeeeeeeeeeep
day 3
-beautiful bbq at Sally and Tony's farm... the weather was amazing
-tan... nope not a chance... still as white as a snowflake
-arrival of Line and Sophie... annouk's cousin and friend and her two babies waalt and daan from Belgium
-girlie giggles
day 4
why can't I remember anything?
day 5
-slept till 11
-there was rain
-yummy Belgian food
-major business planning with Siobhan... building her a consultancy model (which ROCKS btw)
-drink
-gossip
-girlie chats
day 6
-helping Siobhan train her horses and ponies
-learning how to walk a horse... and generally trying to be of assistance... city girl with horses... never a dull moment
-boat ride with Tiago
-drinks
-crying babies
-dizzying amounts of Flemish and Portuguese mixed... I was in language overload
day 7
-more horse training
-trip to badajoz to visit Oopie and Soleil and check on some ponies that Sally has living there
-trip to Carrefour (including the purchase of a lovely pair of red sandals for me and my seestor)
-drinks
-dinner in a local restaurant including more than 11 beers between Sio, Marina and I including food that cost 21 Euros (gasps! how inexpensive!)
-crying babies
day 8
-witnessing a gypsy kid get struck by a car in town... and watching no one help him except Siobhan... I dared not as I couldn't communicate to him but no one else would go near the little guy cause he was a gypsy
-boat trip with annouk, line, sophie, all the kids and some of annouk's relatives
-the most thrilling motorcycle ride of my life wearing nothing more than a mini skirt and flip flops and no helmet. Over bumpy terrain, though olive groves. It was the most terrifying thing but also the most fun/stupid thing I've done in a long long time.
-Hugo landing the job he wanted in Spain (thus securing his ticket out of his limited possibilities of work in Portugal) BIG celebrating for him!
day 9
-lots of sunning and relaxing
-car trip into the Spanish mountains
-buying a huge picnic lunch for under 10 euros for 3 people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-picnic by the side of the road... playing football, laughing... taking pictures
-stopping random donkey drivers to ask if they had a bourra for sale to mate with Siobhan's Donkey Eeore
-picking up a very old man who was hitching and giving him a lift to his house to help him avoid the heat and the long journey!
-night time trip into Evora with the boys for a friend's b'day party
-controlling my laughter at the age difference and the major language barriers between the kids at the party and me... had a blast anyway
-watching Hugo attempt the pseudo juggling tricks that the hippy girls were doing outside of the cathedral including the wiggling of the hips!
-staying out way too late
day 10
-recovery
-napping
-afternoon bbq
-donkey hair cuts!
-dinner under the stars
day 11
-loading up the car with Hugo to be dropped in Spain at his new job... lots of good byes
-stopping at a festa just on the border and having a beer... lots of lovely Spanish traditional dress and lots of pretty horses...
-noticing that the festa was in the middle of have a mass (and they were serving beer) now mass with booze.... that's a concept!
-honking and every car we passed, waving and laughing!
-did I mention how friendly the Spanish people are?
-lunch with Hugos new boss in a sandy (western looking ) village
-driving along side a massive motorcycle rally along the coast on the way to the airport
-quick check in and immediate boarding and off I was winging my way back to London town.
I'm still a glow from all the wonderful fun I had.
I will surely never forget it!
Thanks Siobhan and Annouk!
12.5.03
i'm back
I have a hundred stories to tell. My holiday has changed the way I look at a lot of things in life and what I want to achieve and where I want to live. I will eventually jot it all down... probably within the next few days... or maybe even today if I can manage.
My company is moving to South Kensington. This is a big shitter. I will have no recourse but to travel by tube to work... something that I have actively avoided for a long time. No matter really, I think some plans are falling into place... the fates are aligning.
I've had an amazing amount of time to think about things in the past few days and have come up with some pretty liberating thoughts... those will also follow in due course...
I have a hundred stories to tell. My holiday has changed the way I look at a lot of things in life and what I want to achieve and where I want to live. I will eventually jot it all down... probably within the next few days... or maybe even today if I can manage.
My company is moving to South Kensington. This is a big shitter. I will have no recourse but to travel by tube to work... something that I have actively avoided for a long time. No matter really, I think some plans are falling into place... the fates are aligning.
I've had an amazing amount of time to think about things in the past few days and have come up with some pretty liberating thoughts... those will also follow in due course...
30.4.03
28.4.03
yea so...
as it goes the pay rise ends up with me making less money than before... (different tax bracket) cruel and unfair! Such is life! I can but laugh it off
bought a new bike over the weekend. it's purdy. Nice to be mobile again... it was/ is still mildly terrifying being on the wrong side of the road... All my road biking reflexes are backwards... At least after cycling for a while I'll gear myself up for one day driving on the 'other' side as I've learned to say... make the mistake of saying 'wrong' side of the road and you risk upsetting peeps. Cycled for 4 h yesterday with lots of stopping and decision making as to which trail to follow... The heath is no place for biking... there are a few trails marked for cyclists but it's predominantly marked with big 'no cycling signs'... didn't seem to stop other people so we scurried along the 'no cycle' paths heading all pedestrians... nothing wrong with that? I can't even begin to describe the discomfort that a new saddle brings to you the day after the first time you use it. OUCH!
The rest of my bonus is going towards a trip to Portugal... I'm very anxious to get out of here as I'm losing steam here at work by the minute... If I don't get out soon they may just be asking me to leave! Just kidding. I found a great flight for Wednesday but was told I can't go then... it was a BA flight too... I really was hoping to not have to fly with the masses (sporting their England jerseys, Reebok trainers, gold hoop earrings carrying portable cd players) alas I think I haven't much choice in the matter now. Ah well. Sio says the sea is already warm... Rain is forecast here for the next few days and apparently well into next week too... can't think of a better reason to jump ship now.
Ah yes... the move, yup looks like I'm moving again. Turns out that after 6 months on a lease we can leave with only a month's notice. The neighbour situation will never improve... when you live next to a sound studio there isn't anything you can do to avoid the noise and the land lords are unable to do anything either so we just decided to feck it and pack up and move someone better. Low and behold, the rental market has serious come down. There are tons of beautiful places in the area I want to live in for even less than we're paying right now... very exciting indeed. I hate moving but it will be nicer to live in a less 'ghetto tastic' neighbourhood and cut some time off of travelling to work.
back to the salt mines I suppose...
25.4.03
24.4.03
oh yes...
it is indeed possible to can your entire afternoon downloading new music to your mini disc... not a good idea but very possible. Not that I would know... no, no of course I would never...
staff meeting/drinks after work tonight... we've got to go to say thanks for the raises and bonus' etc... such low social energies these days so don't' know how long I'll last.
*sings*
'cause there's beauty in the breakdown, so let go, let go, jump in cause it's so amasing, yea... it's alright cause there's beauty in the breakdown'.
23.4.03
dunno if it's just the culmination of things that have been brewing lately...
but i'm wondering if it's possible to be suffering from post traumatic stress / repetitive stress disorder of sorts brought on by our neighbours constant pounding music stemming from their 41h party they threw way back when in March just after they moved in. I think It's a strong possibility. I live in constant apprehension as to when they're going to start blasting their music... and if on the off chance the neighbours on the other side might just join in and crank their stereo at the same time... just for good measure... We suffered a lot of loud music this weekend. On Saturday, I called.... I complained ... they turned it off... but it was 4am... and to be quite honest it's clear that it's not acceptable to even be put in a position where I have to ring them in the middle of the night nor deal with his seedy innuendos about me being 'in bed' when I rang.... we've told the landlord.... they now say that there is nothing that they can do... they say it's hard to get rid of people once they've moved in... surly now that this is their 4th warning from the landlord... that has to count for something? I think my flatmates are getting sick of me getting so upset about it... but you know when something really sets you off it's hard to shake... Now I'm living in fear as I know they've been issued another warning and fear running into them on my way in... I know I shouldn't be so upset... I know it's my home but it's really irking me... and it's not like I'm being the inconsiderate neighbour...
4 day weekends are really great if:
*it stays warm throughout
*someone doesn't die
*you don't have a broken hot water heater for 4 days
*you don't eat too much cheese
*you don't live anywhere near a dj
but i'm wondering if it's possible to be suffering from post traumatic stress / repetitive stress disorder of sorts brought on by our neighbours constant pounding music stemming from their 41h party they threw way back when in March just after they moved in. I think It's a strong possibility. I live in constant apprehension as to when they're going to start blasting their music... and if on the off chance the neighbours on the other side might just join in and crank their stereo at the same time... just for good measure... We suffered a lot of loud music this weekend. On Saturday, I called.... I complained ... they turned it off... but it was 4am... and to be quite honest it's clear that it's not acceptable to even be put in a position where I have to ring them in the middle of the night nor deal with his seedy innuendos about me being 'in bed' when I rang.... we've told the landlord.... they now say that there is nothing that they can do... they say it's hard to get rid of people once they've moved in... surly now that this is their 4th warning from the landlord... that has to count for something? I think my flatmates are getting sick of me getting so upset about it... but you know when something really sets you off it's hard to shake... Now I'm living in fear as I know they've been issued another warning and fear running into them on my way in... I know I shouldn't be so upset... I know it's my home but it's really irking me... and it's not like I'm being the inconsiderate neighbour...
4 day weekends are really great if:
*it stays warm throughout
*someone doesn't die
*you don't have a broken hot water heater for 4 days
*you don't eat too much cheese
*you don't live anywhere near a dj
now this...
is what I call quite good!
for all ye who don't know her... she be the bird who does the vocals on tons of Tricky's albums
is what I call quite good!
for all ye who don't know her... she be the bird who does the vocals on tons of Tricky's albums
16.4.03
14.4.03
so...
while at the gym this morning I couldn't help but notice this one lady whom I'd seen last week... She's so terribly thin it's hard to explain... she's got a waist that is no more than 19' she's either got a medical problem or a severe eating disorder... She does really really long turns on the treadmill and stepper on the highest levels... She pumps large amounts of weights and pushes herself so hard. It's hard not to watch out of fascination. I know it's none of my business but man oh man... So today I'm sitting there in the gym and completing my work out... and there she is toiling away punishing her 6 stone torso (no exaggeration) and I make eye contact with her (un intentional of course) and I give the reflexive 'oh my god I've been caught staring/being rude) Then I started to think about things in a different way... I'm guessing most people in the gym look at her in disgust as they watch her destroy what's left of her tiny body... but then I thought wait a minute... If she is ill, then who is anyone to judge her? And if she's got a problem... maybe if people were nicer to her she might gain more confidence and maybe confront her problem... I felt a bigger person for working that out...
Then in the mirror I slipped back in to selfish mode and was convinced that she chose the mirror next to mine in the hair dryer room so she could look thinner than me (i.e.. if you want to look thinner hang around people fatter than you ideology) I didn't want to be the fatty! LOL... Okay so yea maybe she stood next to me because I smiled at her (refer to statement above) but I guess 'bitter me' can't always win in my attempt at logical inner dialogue. God i'm so terrible *evil grin*
Brighton this weekend was lovely. It was nice and relaxing... some of the highlights/lowlights were :
-drinking fabulous long island iced teas
-meeting some really nice friendly people (i.e.. the shop keeper whom we convinced to buy one of her own belts cause it was just too fabulous... and she was tiny and probably wouldn't sell it anyways!)
-strolling along the pier
-relaxing on the beach
-witnessing a totally drunk girl throw up on her table at 2pm sat. afternoon! (super gross! it was her b'day)
-great breakfasts at the b&b
-lounging near the pavilion (all good till a HUGE seagull decided to poop right square in the middle of Hazel's back.. EWWW!)
-realizing that both miss H and I sometimes despair about being 'thesbians' *more on that topic another day*
All in all a nice well need break!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY miss Hazel who turned the big 29 today! And consequently has given up smoking :0)
while at the gym this morning I couldn't help but notice this one lady whom I'd seen last week... She's so terribly thin it's hard to explain... she's got a waist that is no more than 19' she's either got a medical problem or a severe eating disorder... She does really really long turns on the treadmill and stepper on the highest levels... She pumps large amounts of weights and pushes herself so hard. It's hard not to watch out of fascination. I know it's none of my business but man oh man... So today I'm sitting there in the gym and completing my work out... and there she is toiling away punishing her 6 stone torso (no exaggeration) and I make eye contact with her (un intentional of course) and I give the reflexive 'oh my god I've been caught staring/being rude) Then I started to think about things in a different way... I'm guessing most people in the gym look at her in disgust as they watch her destroy what's left of her tiny body... but then I thought wait a minute... If she is ill, then who is anyone to judge her? And if she's got a problem... maybe if people were nicer to her she might gain more confidence and maybe confront her problem... I felt a bigger person for working that out...
Then in the mirror I slipped back in to selfish mode and was convinced that she chose the mirror next to mine in the hair dryer room so she could look thinner than me (i.e.. if you want to look thinner hang around people fatter than you ideology) I didn't want to be the fatty! LOL... Okay so yea maybe she stood next to me because I smiled at her (refer to statement above) but I guess 'bitter me' can't always win in my attempt at logical inner dialogue. God i'm so terrible *evil grin*
Brighton this weekend was lovely. It was nice and relaxing... some of the highlights/lowlights were :
-drinking fabulous long island iced teas
-meeting some really nice friendly people (i.e.. the shop keeper whom we convinced to buy one of her own belts cause it was just too fabulous... and she was tiny and probably wouldn't sell it anyways!)
-strolling along the pier
-relaxing on the beach
-witnessing a totally drunk girl throw up on her table at 2pm sat. afternoon! (super gross! it was her b'day)
-great breakfasts at the b&b
-lounging near the pavilion (all good till a HUGE seagull decided to poop right square in the middle of Hazel's back.. EWWW!)
-realizing that both miss H and I sometimes despair about being 'thesbians' *more on that topic another day*
All in all a nice well need break!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY miss Hazel who turned the big 29 today! And consequently has given up smoking :0)
11.4.03
i'm soon to be off...
on a surprise mini holiday with miss h. she's taking me to Brighton this weekend (okay so it's not much of a surprise but you get the gist) I can't wait as I really need to get out of the city and just unwind for a bit. Dang I forgot my camera!
Just got back from having lunch in the pub down the road with Madame jo jo. She's looking well all suited and booted in her new shoreditch hair style! God I really can't stand the smell of smoke anymore... I sit here at my desk and the fumes are just trapped in every fibre of my clothing!
Sean informs me that he's got a lead on my black monochrome allstars in Ottawa... how exciting is that? oh, very very!
on a surprise mini holiday with miss h. she's taking me to Brighton this weekend (okay so it's not much of a surprise but you get the gist) I can't wait as I really need to get out of the city and just unwind for a bit. Dang I forgot my camera!
Just got back from having lunch in the pub down the road with Madame jo jo. She's looking well all suited and booted in her new shoreditch hair style! God I really can't stand the smell of smoke anymore... I sit here at my desk and the fumes are just trapped in every fibre of my clothing!
Sean informs me that he's got a lead on my black monochrome allstars in Ottawa... how exciting is that? oh, very very!
10.4.03
I've been to the gym 3 times this week in the morning
what a change... going early really gives me a new spark into being there...and I consequently always end up at work on time :) The only downfall to this is the horrible catty women that are there in the morning.... they are all so prissy and spend so much time in front of the mirrors pruning and prissing... I skipped the drying hair thing this morning to avoid them all... I've never seen so many creams, hair products and instruments, makeup and accessories in my life...
it was snowing this morning! goodness what is the world coming to? Just last week It was 18 degrees and warm...
Lisa sent me the cutest pictures of her baby today, she's getting so big so quickly!
well the sun is out now and the mountain of work that's due for tomorrow is still just that... a mountain.
I on the other hand am wanting to be a river.
what a change... going early really gives me a new spark into being there...and I consequently always end up at work on time :) The only downfall to this is the horrible catty women that are there in the morning.... they are all so prissy and spend so much time in front of the mirrors pruning and prissing... I skipped the drying hair thing this morning to avoid them all... I've never seen so many creams, hair products and instruments, makeup and accessories in my life...
it was snowing this morning! goodness what is the world coming to? Just last week It was 18 degrees and warm...
Lisa sent me the cutest pictures of her baby today, she's getting so big so quickly!
well the sun is out now and the mountain of work that's due for tomorrow is still just that... a mountain.
I on the other hand am wanting to be a river.
8.4.03
one year ago...
to this day my daddy passed away... now I say daddy like a child so does my sister... He was almost always daddy but sometimes dad or father if we were really cross with him. It was quick and imprevue... It still hurts so much sometimes... Solace if found in finding light in life... this morning in my body pump class I gazed out the widow into the beautiful blue sky, and thought... man... if he's out there somewhere I hope he's having a good time.
I'm trying very hard not to cry while I write this... my co-workers already think me mad... but I know I have to jot this down in an effort to bring some sort of catharsis to this part of my life.
Anyone with a dad still here... give them a big hug or a call today... for me, please?
4.4.03
Love is in the air doo dah dum doo dah...
from some subtle rumbling over the Atlantic... me thinks me knows someone having a blogromance.... go get 'em tiger!
April pre-Easter holiday is by no surprise... cancelled due to lack of funding... *sighs* ah well there is plenty of work to do so no matter.
the sun has returned and is here to stay for the weekend. My friend Jacqueline is arriving from Vancouver Island on Sunday. Staying only a day on her way over to India. She's such a doll. I haven't seen her in over 5 years. It's so strange when you meet up with people who live so far away whom you used to be close to... sheer immense trans -Atlantic distance spanning all the way across Canada to the mouth of the Pacific to be exact.
it's Friday and thank god... too much drama this week has made me almost go insane...
however, on a more positive note I'm sporting my new hightop black (sadly not monchrome) trainers...with my black fishnets and long black skirt with sanscript print on the front... I'm well chuffed...
why are grape-nuts called that when there are absolutely no grapes involved? Has anyone else ever noticed that the raspberry on the front of the package is doing a physically impossible milk splash? I mean who could have possibly art directed that... it's totally unbelievable... and just who is that lowest denominator person they say will be enticed by this faux portrayal of this raspberry's descent on to the spoon full of grape nuts? God, I seriously must get a life.
from some subtle rumbling over the Atlantic... me thinks me knows someone having a blogromance.... go get 'em tiger!
April pre-Easter holiday is by no surprise... cancelled due to lack of funding... *sighs* ah well there is plenty of work to do so no matter.
the sun has returned and is here to stay for the weekend. My friend Jacqueline is arriving from Vancouver Island on Sunday. Staying only a day on her way over to India. She's such a doll. I haven't seen her in over 5 years. It's so strange when you meet up with people who live so far away whom you used to be close to... sheer immense trans -Atlantic distance spanning all the way across Canada to the mouth of the Pacific to be exact.
it's Friday and thank god... too much drama this week has made me almost go insane...
however, on a more positive note I'm sporting my new hightop black (sadly not monchrome) trainers...with my black fishnets and long black skirt with sanscript print on the front... I'm well chuffed...
why are grape-nuts called that when there are absolutely no grapes involved? Has anyone else ever noticed that the raspberry on the front of the package is doing a physically impossible milk splash? I mean who could have possibly art directed that... it's totally unbelievable... and just who is that lowest denominator person they say will be enticed by this faux portrayal of this raspberry's descent on to the spoon full of grape nuts? God, I seriously must get a life.
1.4.03
I simply didn't want to blog today
but like a child having a tantrum I am forcing myself to get over it and just write god damn it.
The grey day has cleared and brought sunshine to us last in the day. It's great that It's still light when I leave the gym at night. I was home just as the sky turned my favorite colour of deep dusk blue. I love it when night is falling.
Work has been mental, I'm getting a lot of work done but It's strenuous... Although I speak fluent French it's been a long time since I've used it so much at work. I'm training and organizing a French team in Paris including troubleshooting and task management..... it's a tall order in any language but it's good to feel like I'm using my brain. The only downfall is spending donkey's years adding in all the freaking accents into my correspondence alt 130, alt 133, alt 138... god every three seconds I have to pause to add in the freaking accents... at least when I write to my French friends I can omit all the accents and pleas laziness... ah well It's all good.
Sent KJ the picture of the Flamenco painting I bought her and she was just thrilled. I'm well chuffed about that!
I finally bit the bullet and got my new bus pass... I was avoiding buying a new pass as the hurt of my last one being nicked was too fresh... I got a really dodgy picture done in one of those booths after it was stolen... Today at lunch I had the bright idea of getting another one done that was less grim so that my pass would be cheery... I'm a dolt... I must have turned off my brain as without choosing an option I ended up in the booth with the instructions be dictated to me in Italian... being smug that I could understand I didn't re-adjust... The picture was taken and I waited outside the machine... Little did I realize... that my cockiness had also produced the pictures in the wrong format... I didn't get the four wallet sized ones... oh no... I got the 16 miniature ones in black and white... god knows what one would use them for. DAMN IT! so I had to resolve to use the dodgy ones I had in the first place... the ones where one eye is squinted and the other not... I look like I have a facial deformity... no really it's bad... the bad part is... that I really think I do have one eye that is bigger than the other! Am I the only person who didn't know this? Have my friends and family always known and just assumed that I did too and never mentioned it? This is a BIG question... not at all an important one but careful revision of old photos show striking evidence.... just when I thought I couldn't get any more self absorbed... I never cease to amaze myself.
but like a child having a tantrum I am forcing myself to get over it and just write god damn it.
The grey day has cleared and brought sunshine to us last in the day. It's great that It's still light when I leave the gym at night. I was home just as the sky turned my favorite colour of deep dusk blue. I love it when night is falling.
Work has been mental, I'm getting a lot of work done but It's strenuous... Although I speak fluent French it's been a long time since I've used it so much at work. I'm training and organizing a French team in Paris including troubleshooting and task management..... it's a tall order in any language but it's good to feel like I'm using my brain. The only downfall is spending donkey's years adding in all the freaking accents into my correspondence alt 130, alt 133, alt 138... god every three seconds I have to pause to add in the freaking accents... at least when I write to my French friends I can omit all the accents and pleas laziness... ah well It's all good.
Sent KJ the picture of the Flamenco painting I bought her and she was just thrilled. I'm well chuffed about that!
I finally bit the bullet and got my new bus pass... I was avoiding buying a new pass as the hurt of my last one being nicked was too fresh... I got a really dodgy picture done in one of those booths after it was stolen... Today at lunch I had the bright idea of getting another one done that was less grim so that my pass would be cheery... I'm a dolt... I must have turned off my brain as without choosing an option I ended up in the booth with the instructions be dictated to me in Italian... being smug that I could understand I didn't re-adjust... The picture was taken and I waited outside the machine... Little did I realize... that my cockiness had also produced the pictures in the wrong format... I didn't get the four wallet sized ones... oh no... I got the 16 miniature ones in black and white... god knows what one would use them for. DAMN IT! so I had to resolve to use the dodgy ones I had in the first place... the ones where one eye is squinted and the other not... I look like I have a facial deformity... no really it's bad... the bad part is... that I really think I do have one eye that is bigger than the other! Am I the only person who didn't know this? Have my friends and family always known and just assumed that I did too and never mentioned it? This is a BIG question... not at all an important one but careful revision of old photos show striking evidence.... just when I thought I couldn't get any more self absorbed... I never cease to amaze myself.
31.3.03
the stray sunbeams...
certainly did leave their marks on a lot of people around the office. There are quite a few rosy faces and brown ones too. It was a lovely weekend. The kind that feels just long enough. Rare indeed, appreciated, oh yes!
Saturday pre-gym I picked up this groovy hand painted original canvas for KJ... almost like the one she fancied in the shop near Kings Cross when she was here. The painting is of a flamenco dancer in a traditional red dress. It's quite lovely although the frame is terrible... It was a veritable bargain at 15£ compared to the 650£ print that she wanted. I have once again redeemed my bargain shopping abilities. She will be so proud. Now she's just got to return to London to visit me to collect it!
Post gym I got a dodgy hair cut.... that turned my mood foul... whatever... I know I can never win in the hair dept. I'm far too picky... but anyone in their right mind who comes near me with a razor to thin my already uber thin locks is freaking mad. Then to add insult to injury she did the standard 'i'm a hairdresser and I'm going to give you a bouffon hair do' even after I directly asked her to flatten it out and that I never wear my hair like that and that I was visibly upset by it... grrr. Had a great chat with Jackie on the phone Saturday night. I'm so excited about her stopping in London for a day on her way to India. It's been over 5 years since I last saw her in person!
Sunday morning /afternoon miss H and I ventured off to the Zoo... The 12£ is extortionate but it was so lovely outside that we didn't mind... Small but nice... not too many animals at all, seemed over populated with birds... not really my thing but the monkeys were cute especially the tiny ones (God I'm such a dolt I can't even remember what they're called) Seeing them made it worth it. Regent's park is so nice... I can't imagine what it would be like to have enough money to buy a flat near there! wow. It's fun to dream sometimes.
It's a week before my holidays but I think I'm going to pass and not take them after all... as travel is terribly dear during Easter and I could get something really nice and within budget if I wait till may to take the time off.... I do need a break but could perhaps hold off another few weeks.
I think I'm going to save to buy a bike... there are so many lovely outdoor spaces in this city that would be amazing on a bike... especially Hampstead... and a lot of the overland trains let you bring your bikes on board so that's handy! Wouldn't hit the main roads... too scary... but who knows...
Sexy Beast was on tele last night. Ben Kingsley is amazing. He really should have won an award for his performance in that film.
certainly did leave their marks on a lot of people around the office. There are quite a few rosy faces and brown ones too. It was a lovely weekend. The kind that feels just long enough. Rare indeed, appreciated, oh yes!
Saturday pre-gym I picked up this groovy hand painted original canvas for KJ... almost like the one she fancied in the shop near Kings Cross when she was here. The painting is of a flamenco dancer in a traditional red dress. It's quite lovely although the frame is terrible... It was a veritable bargain at 15£ compared to the 650£ print that she wanted. I have once again redeemed my bargain shopping abilities. She will be so proud. Now she's just got to return to London to visit me to collect it!
Post gym I got a dodgy hair cut.... that turned my mood foul... whatever... I know I can never win in the hair dept. I'm far too picky... but anyone in their right mind who comes near me with a razor to thin my already uber thin locks is freaking mad. Then to add insult to injury she did the standard 'i'm a hairdresser and I'm going to give you a bouffon hair do' even after I directly asked her to flatten it out and that I never wear my hair like that and that I was visibly upset by it... grrr. Had a great chat with Jackie on the phone Saturday night. I'm so excited about her stopping in London for a day on her way to India. It's been over 5 years since I last saw her in person!
Sunday morning /afternoon miss H and I ventured off to the Zoo... The 12£ is extortionate but it was so lovely outside that we didn't mind... Small but nice... not too many animals at all, seemed over populated with birds... not really my thing but the monkeys were cute especially the tiny ones (God I'm such a dolt I can't even remember what they're called) Seeing them made it worth it. Regent's park is so nice... I can't imagine what it would be like to have enough money to buy a flat near there! wow. It's fun to dream sometimes.
It's a week before my holidays but I think I'm going to pass and not take them after all... as travel is terribly dear during Easter and I could get something really nice and within budget if I wait till may to take the time off.... I do need a break but could perhaps hold off another few weeks.
I think I'm going to save to buy a bike... there are so many lovely outdoor spaces in this city that would be amazing on a bike... especially Hampstead... and a lot of the overland trains let you bring your bikes on board so that's handy! Wouldn't hit the main roads... too scary... but who knows...
Sexy Beast was on tele last night. Ben Kingsley is amazing. He really should have won an award for his performance in that film.
27.3.03
trainer tragedy continues
all I want is black monochrome all stars... apparently unavailable in London... guess i'm going to just have to settle for the black and white pair. I've been through this all before, first with the black Velcro pumas... then with the black nike rifts... all so elusive... all discontinued or not available... It could be a lot worse *zips lips*
Had a nice Italian supper last night with Miss H. Dating is fun!
I'm probably not the only person in town excited by the fact that I get paid at midnight! woo woo. God love employers who pay you on the 28th and not the last day of the month.
Wrote the longest e-mail I've written in a long time to my friend Mark in Toronto. It's been just ages since I last spoke with him... If this entry is short it is simply because I've drained it all out in the email to him.
I need, a mirror for my room, film for my dad's camera that I've not used yet... fuse for my lamp... frame for my beautiful poster from Mark... all things I will do this weekend *god willing*
I think I've lost an inch off my belly from all my gymming and endless crunches with the medicine ball. Yea me! I can wear this skirt KJ and mum bought me a year ago... god it used to look simply awful! now all I need to do is maintain this physique until it comes back into style again! d'oh!
May everyone catch their very own ray of sunshine today.
24.3.03
les evenements du weekend (ou la manque de...)
I had a quiet weekend to myself. Marr the loud neighbours of course... I chatted with them on Friday night to try and find a level of music that we were both comfortable with but it's elusive. They like it loud and see that compromise involves us putting up with their music at all times at a level that is just barely tolerable. I Keep saying to myself that if it was my parents living in my flat that the noise would not be tolerated at all. Ah well, we'll see how the compromise goes but I am beginning to appreciate the values of silence.
Being in the flat all alone spawned a cleaning frenzy. I missed the beautiful day on Sunday it was 18 degrees! Ah well, Cleaning does strangely make me agoraphobic. I wonder why?
I had a terrible fright on Sunday while watching a news bulletin... A Finnish student wit the same name as Hazel's ex living in the same area of town was murdered on her way home at 18h last week. My heart stopped. I was going to faint... I rang up Hazel in a flurry and sputtered out what I had just seen on the news. After a few anxious minutes it was determined that it wasn't her as this girl who was murdered was only 23. The poor girl. Her mum was on the phone with her when it happened! Oh the terror. Such depressing news of late... On top of this war malarkey.
Any happy positive news would be greatly appreciated :)
I had a quiet weekend to myself. Marr the loud neighbours of course... I chatted with them on Friday night to try and find a level of music that we were both comfortable with but it's elusive. They like it loud and see that compromise involves us putting up with their music at all times at a level that is just barely tolerable. I Keep saying to myself that if it was my parents living in my flat that the noise would not be tolerated at all. Ah well, we'll see how the compromise goes but I am beginning to appreciate the values of silence.
Being in the flat all alone spawned a cleaning frenzy. I missed the beautiful day on Sunday it was 18 degrees! Ah well, Cleaning does strangely make me agoraphobic. I wonder why?
I had a terrible fright on Sunday while watching a news bulletin... A Finnish student wit the same name as Hazel's ex living in the same area of town was murdered on her way home at 18h last week. My heart stopped. I was going to faint... I rang up Hazel in a flurry and sputtered out what I had just seen on the news. After a few anxious minutes it was determined that it wasn't her as this girl who was murdered was only 23. The poor girl. Her mum was on the phone with her when it happened! Oh the terror. Such depressing news of late... On top of this war malarkey.
Any happy positive news would be greatly appreciated :)
21.3.03
As the saying goes...
Everything happens for a reason. I was finding it impossible to get home last night after leaving the gym. There were no busses. People were getting aggravated. I pulled away from the 38 bus stops and walked down Tottenham court road. I finally caught a 73 that took me as far as Kings Cross (it wasn't going any further?) There I stood. I had taken me double the time of my normal journey to get half way home. Ho hum, such is life. I stood and waited... Tap tap on my shoulder and who was it? The lovely miss Hannah. I hadn't seen her in ages! See sometimes bad journeys can take you to meeting good people.
We chat chat chatted and caught up on the goings on her life over the past couple of months... her continual job search and such. Then she told me a story that shook me to the core. A co-worker of her's just went through and unimaginable tragedy. It's coming close to the time when my dad passed away last year so I'm particularly sensitive to stories that involve death. This one could not be worse. It involved an unexpected divorce of a couple who were together for over 25 years with 2 children in their 20's one of them being Hannah's friend. The mother had and affair and left the father. The father had a nervous breakdown and killed himself and his wife. I shook with horror when she told me. I can't imagine what her poor friend is going through... all this is compounded by the fact that it was a 'normal' upper middle class family. Such things don't discriminate as most people think they do. It doesn't make it any more palatable. It's a tragedy and no doubtable the beginnings of an unimaginably difficult re-build of life for H's friend and the other child that are left behind. Heavy stuff. Provides some harsh perspective to when people say their lives are tough.
Everything happens for a reason. I was finding it impossible to get home last night after leaving the gym. There were no busses. People were getting aggravated. I pulled away from the 38 bus stops and walked down Tottenham court road. I finally caught a 73 that took me as far as Kings Cross (it wasn't going any further?) There I stood. I had taken me double the time of my normal journey to get half way home. Ho hum, such is life. I stood and waited... Tap tap on my shoulder and who was it? The lovely miss Hannah. I hadn't seen her in ages! See sometimes bad journeys can take you to meeting good people.
We chat chat chatted and caught up on the goings on her life over the past couple of months... her continual job search and such. Then she told me a story that shook me to the core. A co-worker of her's just went through and unimaginable tragedy. It's coming close to the time when my dad passed away last year so I'm particularly sensitive to stories that involve death. This one could not be worse. It involved an unexpected divorce of a couple who were together for over 25 years with 2 children in their 20's one of them being Hannah's friend. The mother had and affair and left the father. The father had a nervous breakdown and killed himself and his wife. I shook with horror when she told me. I can't imagine what her poor friend is going through... all this is compounded by the fact that it was a 'normal' upper middle class family. Such things don't discriminate as most people think they do. It doesn't make it any more palatable. It's a tragedy and no doubtable the beginnings of an unimaginably difficult re-build of life for H's friend and the other child that are left behind. Heavy stuff. Provides some harsh perspective to when people say their lives are tough.
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