Musings

Summer breeze makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind...

If you're a Brit I'm sure it hasn't escaped your notice that summer arrived in the UK this weekend!  Oh, the warmth on my skin, the sun on my face, the scent of barbecue...



  

I swept all my winter pullovers, coats and boots into the back of the storage cupboard at once, and lovingly hung up my summer clothes in the wardrobe.  The contents instantly changed from a dull black to an array of colour.  My beautiful flowery swishy dresses, back at last.  My clippy cloppy sandals.  My sunglasses!  It's been too long.  Big smiles.





Video killed the radio star...

Ok, I'm really going to sound my age now.  Or maybe even a little bit older.  I was chatting to a colleague the other day and I mentioned something I'd heard on the radio.   To which my colleague replied, "I wouldn't know, I don't listen to the radio".

You don't listen to the radio?!?!

Yes I know reader, I know you're thinking the same thing.  To which she continued, "Actually I don't have a radio at home".

What on earth is the world coming to?  Is it my age to blame for the fact that I expect everyone who has a reasonable (or even paltry) income, to possess a radio?  Necessities in the home: oven, sofa, toilet, radio.

Simple as that.  Am I too old to understand?

This weekend alone I've laughed along to Graham Norton, sung along to Desert Island Discs, relaxed to the laidback drawl of Huey Morgan, and chuckled with Sara Cox.  I lamented the fact that I missed Alan Carr, and hurried home to catch Paul O'Grady.  All while I've carried on doing other things, such as cooking, writing, reading papers, etc., rather than staring at a goggle box.  Radio brings me information, news, laughs and new music (or even reminds me of old tunes I'd forgotten).  With the arrival of digital fancy gadgets and radio 6, I think radio is getting better every day.

The day that radio becomes a thing of the past, feel free to throw me over a cliff.  I won't mind.



I would, however, like to add an exclamation of indignance.  Who in their right mind thought it suitable to draft in radio 1 "DJ" Fearne Cotton to do the commentary for the forthcoming royal nuptials on the BBC?  I'd sooner listen to Terry Wogan, or even someone like Julian Clary.  She's ruined my wedding day.  I'm not a fan.

Eyes down...

I've joined a reading group!  Yes I know this post is making me sound older and older as the sentences progress.  But I thought it might expand my cultural horizons.  To counteract the overall feeling that I'm doing old person's things, I've chosen one which takes place in the centre of town, in the bar of a trendy hotel.  My first book to read is Yiyun Li's "The Vagrants".  I'll look forward to it.  Apologies to any trendy young things who attend book groups of their own, I hope I haven't offended.



P.S.  I've also joined a rambling group, in preparation for my Ben Nevis walk in July.  Mine's a sweet sherry...

Got my first writing assignment back from my tutor. The response was good. Being a natural worrier, I immediately thought to myself, I'm sure the tutor says that to all of her pupils initially. Who knows? I'll gratefully accept her kind words and move onwards to assignment 2. We'll see what the next few assignments bring. I'm enjoying it so far anyway.

Good news no. 1: My lovely friend Mariana and her fiance Kad are getting married, in Gretna Green, in August! How exciting. Hat shopping is definitely on the cards. If I start early enough, I may find a hat in time to wear it to the pub on Will and Kate's forthcoming special day, and then save it for Gretna. I'm really happy for them as they're such a good couple (by that comment I meant Mariana and Kad, although I'm sure HRH and his future wife are too). And any excuse for a knees-up!



Good news no. 2: We're planning a girlie trip to Paris, to shop, drink wine and dine on escargots and other delights. Best start saving now.

Good news no. 3: Only one week left at work, and I'm on holiday for nine whole days! Not that I'm doing much, I'll be working in my Mother's shop for the week while they visit sunny Suffolk. But it's very relaxing and as it's only small I might find the time there to work on my writing assignments. It's also good to have a break from the norm.

Speaking of which, a very happy Mothering Sunday to all you mothers out there. Hope you're being pampered as I type. Make sure you wallow in a nice bubble bath and eat plenty of chocolate.



My work here is done.

Been doing a lot of work so far this week.  So, as my replacement member of staff arrived at 10 am, I downed tools.

Hello Wednesday!  I'm all yours.  Work no more.  Particularly important on a day such as this.  Spring is definitely springing, if it hasn't already sprung, and I love it.  From where I am sitting, I can see birds nesting, bees busying themselves around flowers, an open door to let the breeze in, and a wapping great big bunch of daffs in a vase.  Toby is outside on the patio with his nose in the air and a lazy demeanour.  My winter coats and boots are safely tucked away for another time, and I'm going to hunt out the dresses and sandals.  Oh Joy!

As soon as I've had this cuppa, I'm going to walk the mutt, then I'm going for a run, and then my pal Emma and I are going roller skating.  And then onwards to the pub.  And why not?



Making Plans

It's Saturday it's Saturday it's Saturday!



My favourite day of the week.  It used to be Sundays, but as I'm now resigned to (usually) working six days a week, Saturday being the only one off, it's all change.

Hasn't the weather been beautiful this week?  This is the first week that Toby and I have seen rabbits on our walks.  He doesn't even bother to chase them any more.  I think he realises he's fighting a losing battle. 
The path was full of tiny worms this morning, so many that unfortunately I had to make the sad decision as to which ones to save and which to sacrifice.  Alas, I had to place my feet somewhere.  Toby had no such concern.



Spent the morning listening to the delightful Graham Norton on the radio, and then - HURRAH - finally got around to writing and sending off my first assignment for the writing course I'm doing, or supposed to be doing.    Can't say I'm ecstatic about my work, I feel I could have done umpteen times better, but hey ho, what's done is done, and I was determined not to keep it hanging over my head a minute longer.  And it is only the first one...I vow to improve on things as I progress.  I suppose that's the whole point isn't it?  Let's see what comes back.  Feeling slightly daunted by the whole palaver to be honest. 

So with that, I'm moving on to more positive topics!
Two research projects today:

1)  I need to locate, and apply for, a suitable allotment, in which to grow my own lovely fruit and vegetables, and hopefully keep chickens too!  I should have done this in the winter, could have been there right now, smugly observing my seedlings and clucking hens.  Never mind, it's a start, and wasn't something I had considered in the winter. 

2)  I need to find a stall in which to sell my mother's wares.  She has a little gift and card shop (makes all her own cards don't you know), and needs to offload a few things, so there's no time like the present.  A little craft fair, preferably in a well-to-do part of town, would be marvellous.

After that's done, a run is in order if I have any hope of not coming last in the Great North Run in September.  Followed by a cuppa and the Guardian.  Followed by a night out here:

For as long as I've been alive, until recently, whenever I passed the Central Bar at the Gateshead side of the Tyne Bridge, I was always struck by the amount of "triffids" growing in the windows of this place.  A run down, triangular oddity of a pub on the edge of town, as my years grew in numbers, so the triffids grew in size.  The pub was never painted, revamped, anything.  I always had a secret desire to pop in for a swift half though, as I imagined it being full of character.  I never did though.

Until now!  The Central bar has had a rehaul, boasting live music and a roof-top terrace bar.  So I'm off to explore this evening.  Rumour has it that Deborah Harry of Blondie fame will be there.  Who knows?  I shall report back with my findings.

 





Ugly Duckling

Things I learned today:

- one of my colleagues was self sufficient for SEVEN YEARS!  How wonderful.  She grew fruit and vegetables, kept chickens and bartered for anything else that was needed.  She said that it was the most carefree, enjoyable time of her life.  I feel an allotment coming on. 



- I just simply cannot work in an office all day.  I had one of my rare office days today, and I struggled.  Someone drilled the pavement incessantly outside of the window.  I wanted to pick up the laminating machine and throw it straight through said window and off their head.  I'm not a violent person.  I did achieve a few things today, but then amused myself by creating pictoral diagrams, updating my email address list, talking about self-sufficiency, etc., etc.  I ate my lunch by 11.45 a.m. just for something to do.



- I don't care what anyone says, "Black Swan" just isn't my cup of tea.  My friends are divided into two categories: those who think it's wonderful, and those who think it's weird.  I'm afraid I fall into the latter.
At this present moment, as I type, Natalie Portman is prising her toes apart.  The skin between them has moulded together, so she only has three toes on each foot instead of five.  No, thanks.  I'm probably missing the irony of it all, or something.  I'm probably not intelligent enough to understand the emotions being conveyed.  I don't care, it's absolute piffle.



- Little pretty birdies are nesting along the path where I walk Toby.  Look at their lovely nest.  They're absolute geniuses (or is it genii?)

The goddess that is Elizabeth Taylor has sadly passed away.  She of the violet eyes and heart-shaped face.  Oscar winner and AIDS campaigner.  I loved her best in "National Velvet".  RIP Liz.





Fact of the day:  The budget on "Black Swan" was so tight that when star Natalie Portman had a rib dislocated during a lift and she called the producer for help, she was told that the budget was so low they had no medic. She stated that if they needed to cut items from the budget they could take away her trailer, instead of the medic. The next day her trailer was gone.



Fitting Tribute

Just realised that I haven't posted in a week!  I'm shocked - this wasn't in the plan at all.  I don't really know where the week has gone to be honest.

Last night we all met at the rugby club, where Sophie and Ben planted a tree in the grounds in memory of their dad.  Stuart's ashes were scattered where the tree was planted and a plaque was revealed to show everyone the importance of the tree.  Afterwards we all let some Chinese lanterns go, against the backdrop of the enormous moon.  They float so peacefully, and we watched them until they were tiny dots in the sky, and then they disappeared.  A fitting tribute.

Tonight it was back to the rugby club, where a cheque was presented to Macmillan for £2,300.  This was the money raised at Stu's funeral in lieu of flowers.  Such was his popularity.  Quite an achievement!

So I did another run today!  I've now received my Macmillan vest for the Great North Run, so I thought I'd better get my act together, as currently, I can't run for a bus.  Toby is no help though; he keeps sitting down in protest.  He's not the most athletic of pooches.  I'm going to have to leave him at home next time.

So I've set up my web page (as below), early days, but the early bird catches the worm, they say.  Here's hoping I catch a good few!!

*****http://www.justgiving.com/forStu*****

Extra Double Bonus Time off Work

My shift is cancelled for tomorrow, therefore a whole weekend off for Hodgy!  Hurrah!

Started my day with a long walk with Toby.  The sun came out to join us.  We usually go to this location for our walk, as photographed with said sun this morning:

Lately we've had three friends join us, if we get out early enough.  Three enormous deer emerge from the woods, stop to graze on the football field, and then drift silently on their long slender legs back into the woodland again.  They're beautiful and graceful, and I'm always caught offguard when I spot them.  Never get my camera out in time.

Managed to tick off half of my "to do" list today!  Including meeting my good pal Gill for a catch up.  Hot topic of the day, not counting the usual gossip, was conspiracy theories.  It's all going on at Denver International Airport!  Blimey.

So now, after a couple of pieces of the best cheese and onion pie in the world (my mother's), I'm tucked up in bed with my laptop and what must be my gazillionth viewing of "The Godfather".  Yes, on a Saturday night.  I do indeed know how to live the wild life.

                                     

Fact of the day:  Deer are quick and skillful swimmers, often taking to water when frightened. Deer can easily swim across lakes or rivers at over 10 miles per hour.