Well, my guests have gone, my holiday is almost over and tomorrow I must go back to work *sob*
Actually I've had a fantastic break which has mainly involved sitting around with one of my favourite people in the world and nattering, reading, knitting and generally being very chilled out (okay except for the bit where I was forced to drink vodka and watch Eurovision)... the half daughter has been a complete star and took on her minion duties with dedication - her drink mixing skills are fantastic for her age ;o)... in a moment of utter dedication to the cause - and in the interests of preserving mine and everyone else's health and sanity cos, you know, me and something with blades and electricity would not be a good idea - on Monday she spent several hours with the strimmer clearing the meadow that was masquerading as my lawn.
They will be back, hopefully in October, when half daughter will be well into the first term of her photography course at college - and will have turned 18!
We also managed to visit AP, who has been let out of hospital to spend her final days or weeks in her own home. She was better than she had been but has been told that the cancer is now terminal... which made it difficult because saying things like "how are you feeling" and "you look better" or even discussing future plans is, I don't know, kind of wrong
Today after waving my visitors back on their way up to the northern wilderness where they reside, I also waved my mother off for a weeks holiday in Cornwall... she's meeting two of her friends she taught with in London before I was born.... I shudder to think what they will get up to!
Anyway, this evening, rather than feeling that sigh of relief that my house is once more my own that I usually get when visitors leave, I am left for the first time in as long as I can remember, feeling rather lonely and depressed. Maybe I am actually starting to move forwards with the whole being able to deal with people or want company thing.....
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Friday, 25 May 2012
That was the week that....
Disappeared a bit faster than I was expecting! At least no work for me till next Thursday - which as I worked out today my boss hasn't spoken to me for over 3 weeks now I am quite pleased about!
Friends arriving tomorrow so, yes, of course, tonight I have done housework, been shopping, got organised... erm no, firstly, because my copy of Armed & Dangerous arrived in the post this morning (only a week from the US is not bad me thinks) and secondly a friend who I've not spoken to for about 18 months phoned me and we spent rather a long time catching up.. about 2 hours worth of catching up.
Actually, following on from last week's post about life being short and cruel, I am really pleased that she contacted me and that we spent the time talking. We are hoping to meet up at some point in the future for lunch and a longer catch up.
So tomorrow is going to start very early because visitors are due at lunch and there is more hair on the carpet/sofa/worktops (!) than there is on the dogs right now.... major housework hell mode tomorrow! The cats will be off into hiding as soon as the hoover appears!
And no, I still haven't decided if the alien is coming to live with us...
Friends arriving tomorrow so, yes, of course, tonight I have done housework, been shopping, got organised... erm no, firstly, because my copy of Armed & Dangerous arrived in the post this morning (only a week from the US is not bad me thinks) and secondly a friend who I've not spoken to for about 18 months phoned me and we spent rather a long time catching up.. about 2 hours worth of catching up.
Actually, following on from last week's post about life being short and cruel, I am really pleased that she contacted me and that we spent the time talking. We are hoping to meet up at some point in the future for lunch and a longer catch up.
So tomorrow is going to start very early because visitors are due at lunch and there is more hair on the carpet/sofa/worktops (!) than there is on the dogs right now.... major housework hell mode tomorrow! The cats will be off into hiding as soon as the hoover appears!
And no, I still haven't decided if the alien is coming to live with us...
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Midweek music to melt to....
Well not really, but it's rather warm here... my house used to be owned by an elderly couple who took their insulating seriously. Which whilst that means it's easy to keep warm in winter it's a bugger as soon as it gets warm out... particularly as I can't have the upstairs windows open properly as the cats will stand on the outside of the window ledges, or attempt death defying leaps towards them......The windows are cracked open a bit... but all that means is that my home appears to have been invaded by spiders, there are eight legged we beasties everywhere..... it's going to be a long night of hunting for the cats I think
Ok, a tune, this is an old one, but I've heard it loads this week on the radio and it's one that amuses me no end....
Ok, a tune, this is an old one, but I've heard it loads this week on the radio and it's one that amuses me no end....
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
So.....
There may be a new arrival at the mad house shortly....
My cat population may be increasing by one....
Basically, the person who allowed me to become the slave to Gina & Hugo is having problems with one of her other queens... she's not agreeing with the rest of the household and being a complete pain in the arse... she basically needs somewhere quieter with less cats/children/chaos.... so naturally she thought of me...
Yes, I need another cat like a hole in the head, but then again, it's no real hardship....... I am trying to be sensible (I know I have a bad habit of acquiring new additions to the family when I am depressed) but I don't know if I can turn this one down. Her owner is going to have a long hard think about whether she wants to let her go and if she does I have first refusal....
So possibly this will be my new addition (yep another of those cats only a mother could love/ugly naked cat)
My cat population may be increasing by one....
Basically, the person who allowed me to become the slave to Gina & Hugo is having problems with one of her other queens... she's not agreeing with the rest of the household and being a complete pain in the arse... she basically needs somewhere quieter with less cats/children/chaos.... so naturally she thought of me...
Yes, I need another cat like a hole in the head, but then again, it's no real hardship....... I am trying to be sensible (I know I have a bad habit of acquiring new additions to the family when I am depressed) but I don't know if I can turn this one down. Her owner is going to have a long hard think about whether she wants to let her go and if she does I have first refusal....
So possibly this will be my new addition (yep another of those cats only a mother could love/ugly naked cat)
Saturday, 19 May 2012
Because life is...
Short, cruel, and sometimes a complete bitch..... it's always a really good idea to tell someone how much they mean to you.
This afternoon I got some news about an internet friend I've known for going on ten years now (let us call her AP) she was a member of an on-line forum dedicated to the books of a Girls Own author, a talented writer and really wonderful genuine person. In around 2005 a smaller group of us from that forum developed a really close friendship and a lot of our day was spent e-mailing back and forth between us.... we supported each other through some traumatic times in all our home and work lives, including AP's first battle with breast cancer.
As life moved on, jobs changed, one of us got married, one was forced into retirement, teenage children went through horrible times etc we gradually drifted apart, not completely but that close relationship the small group of us had had for around 18 months wasn't ever quite the same.
In October 2010 we were told that AP was again seriously ill, a secondary tumour having formed on her spine. Radical chemo and radio therapy treatments were done and she recovered well, we all managed to get together and catch up, but since then we've drifted, not least because AP's vision and ability to concentrate became difficult because of the drugs. But that was 18 months ago, and I think we all got complacent and believed that she was better and all was going to be okay.
Her husband e-mailed yesterday to say that the tumour has returned, this time in her brain and they have told him she has a matter of days. AP knows she's ill but doesn't realise how bad it is.
AP is one of the kindest, wisest most caring people I have ever met. I just can't believe that she is going to be taken from us. My heart goes out to her family and closer friends. She is going to leave a very big gap in all our lives. I just wish that I had had the opportunity to tell her how much I valued her friendship and support.
This afternoon I got some news about an internet friend I've known for going on ten years now (let us call her AP) she was a member of an on-line forum dedicated to the books of a Girls Own author, a talented writer and really wonderful genuine person. In around 2005 a smaller group of us from that forum developed a really close friendship and a lot of our day was spent e-mailing back and forth between us.... we supported each other through some traumatic times in all our home and work lives, including AP's first battle with breast cancer.
As life moved on, jobs changed, one of us got married, one was forced into retirement, teenage children went through horrible times etc we gradually drifted apart, not completely but that close relationship the small group of us had had for around 18 months wasn't ever quite the same.
In October 2010 we were told that AP was again seriously ill, a secondary tumour having formed on her spine. Radical chemo and radio therapy treatments were done and she recovered well, we all managed to get together and catch up, but since then we've drifted, not least because AP's vision and ability to concentrate became difficult because of the drugs. But that was 18 months ago, and I think we all got complacent and believed that she was better and all was going to be okay.
Her husband e-mailed yesterday to say that the tumour has returned, this time in her brain and they have told him she has a matter of days. AP knows she's ill but doesn't realise how bad it is.
AP is one of the kindest, wisest most caring people I have ever met. I just can't believe that she is going to be taken from us. My heart goes out to her family and closer friends. She is going to leave a very big gap in all our lives. I just wish that I had had the opportunity to tell her how much I valued her friendship and support.
Friday, 18 May 2012
Fun Filled Friday Frolic....
Who says I don't know how to have fun *roll eyes*
Actually I do, just my version of fun - which usually involves either books, knitting, and occasional trips to the pub, or sometimes a combination of all 3 - isn't everyone's idea of fun... but hey I'm old!
Tonight was not living the high (ok, well just above ground level) life... tonight was playing taxi service and responsible adult ... my sister has scuppered her shoulder, the right one, somehow, she doesn't remember falling, hitting anything with it, landing on it, having her incredibly overweight cat sit on it etc... my sister is the sensible one, she doesn't fall over things, down things, injure herself or blow stuff up .... but today it was so painful that she couldn't drive and actually was sick.... cue tearful phone call at 6pm - can I take her to the Hospital's minor injuries unit... sure no problem... so off we go
But no, they won't see her there, because she can't remember actually doing anything to it to case the injury... so off we go to the A&E department at the main hospital (right on the other side of town) .... nearly 2 hours later, they prod her shoulder and tell her it's probably arthritis (which she doesn't have) and to go home and take pain killers which she can get from the chemist, but just take double the dose.....
She was the one that hurried me out of the hospital at that point before I opened my mouth as she could see that I was highly unimpressed with that advice.....
I've taken her home and handed her over to her other half who had just arrived back from work... hopefully she will be okay... by the time I got home there was just enough time to walk the dogs round the block (in the pouring rain again!) before bed time....... so that's the first part of my weekend gone!
Actually I do, just my version of fun - which usually involves either books, knitting, and occasional trips to the pub, or sometimes a combination of all 3 - isn't everyone's idea of fun... but hey I'm old!
Tonight was not living the high (ok, well just above ground level) life... tonight was playing taxi service and responsible adult ... my sister has scuppered her shoulder, the right one, somehow, she doesn't remember falling, hitting anything with it, landing on it, having her incredibly overweight cat sit on it etc... my sister is the sensible one, she doesn't fall over things, down things, injure herself or blow stuff up .... but today it was so painful that she couldn't drive and actually was sick.... cue tearful phone call at 6pm - can I take her to the Hospital's minor injuries unit... sure no problem... so off we go
But no, they won't see her there, because she can't remember actually doing anything to it to case the injury... so off we go to the A&E department at the main hospital (right on the other side of town) .... nearly 2 hours later, they prod her shoulder and tell her it's probably arthritis (which she doesn't have) and to go home and take pain killers which she can get from the chemist, but just take double the dose.....
She was the one that hurried me out of the hospital at that point before I opened my mouth as she could see that I was highly unimpressed with that advice.....
I've taken her home and handed her over to her other half who had just arrived back from work... hopefully she will be okay... by the time I got home there was just enough time to walk the dogs round the block (in the pouring rain again!) before bed time....... so that's the first part of my weekend gone!
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
If only falling over was an Olympic sport....
Last night's blog post never happened due to another moment of well, accidental stupidity, on my part..... you remember as a kid you were always nagged to take things upstairs and not to just abandon them on the stairs.... well what do you know there is a good reason for this.
I got in from work last night and threw the dogs chicken wings at them then went to pacify the cats with offerings of edible things (I'd even remembered to buy some biscuits for them in the vain hope they'd stop screaming at me about how starving they were)....So, I safely negotiated the babygate at the bottom of the stairs (despite no babies, I seem to have more babygates than the average baby owning household for goodness sake) and got four steps up, whilst carrying a new sack of cat litter and the biscuits. I was carefully negotiating with the cats on the whole "let me get upstairs without treading on you" thing when I put my foot on some papers I'd left on the stairs, slipped and crashed in an inelegant manner back down the five or so stairs I'd managed and crashed into the babygate.
I was very impressed I didn't manage to smash through the babygate being as I am no lightweight... I do have some impressive bruising, only impressive as it's an imprint of the stripes on the babygate up one leg, oh and an on my left arm but that one is just a boring splodge. I think from the looks I was getting my efforts didn't earn me high marks from the onlooking cats or dogs, for either technique or artistic merit......in fact I possibly lost marks from the cats for delaying the arrival of their food!
Mum finally had her surgery today - despite the hospitals promise of "you will be first on the list" she didn't actually go down for surgery till 2pm. My sister visited her this evening as she was back on the ward if rather groggy still. She is hoping to be discharged tomorrow evening...... she is obviously the member of our family that does optimism as my sister and I think it will be Friday. Just pleased it's over and done with though now.
Monday, 14 May 2012
Sometimes nothing actually happens....
Which would be more or less the case this weekend.
I think, having dealt with the whole work fiasco, stuck 5 days work into 4 working days and with my sleep pattern being somewhere on another planet I was probably due a break from, well everything really.
So, this weekend there was housework (when isn't there), a little light dash round the supermarket (seriously, I must remember not to do this (a) without at least one large coffee first and (b) at a time when small children will with zero manners will be being forced to shop with uninterested parents - cos I love being followed round by the little sods whilst they point and laugh), some laundry (with the bonus of being early enough to mother's with said laundry that she made me breakfast) and a whole lot of reading and falling asleep at inappropriate times at the kitchen table.
So whilst I felt like I had had a weekend and a break from work I had done, well, bugger all really...... except possibly buy more books for the Kindle... bad me!
I have the housework to do list from hell as I have less than 2 weeks before my friend and the half daughter invade (yes, invade, not come to stay, that implies having to be polite and make them cups of tea etc... invade is much better - the half daughter takes over the guest room and plans world domination with the cats whilst her other half mother (ok, well her real mother if you want to get technical) and I put the worlds to right over tea, pepsi max and possibly vodka whilst knitting, reading and writing....... we know how to have fun)
I also have a short story to write for the May photo prompt on the YA GLBT Goodreads group - the bunny has spoken and is now just waiting for me to get my finger out and write it...... I also want to see if I can plot out a possible adult M/M story - no idea how long - whose main character showed up in my head last week and refuses to go away.
Who knows, at some point, I may actually find something interesting to blog about....
I think, having dealt with the whole work fiasco, stuck 5 days work into 4 working days and with my sleep pattern being somewhere on another planet I was probably due a break from, well everything really.
So, this weekend there was housework (when isn't there), a little light dash round the supermarket (seriously, I must remember not to do this (a) without at least one large coffee first and (b) at a time when small children will with zero manners will be being forced to shop with uninterested parents - cos I love being followed round by the little sods whilst they point and laugh), some laundry (with the bonus of being early enough to mother's with said laundry that she made me breakfast) and a whole lot of reading and falling asleep at inappropriate times at the kitchen table.
So whilst I felt like I had had a weekend and a break from work I had done, well, bugger all really...... except possibly buy more books for the Kindle... bad me!
I have the housework to do list from hell as I have less than 2 weeks before my friend and the half daughter invade (yes, invade, not come to stay, that implies having to be polite and make them cups of tea etc... invade is much better - the half daughter takes over the guest room and plans world domination with the cats whilst her other half mother (ok, well her real mother if you want to get technical) and I put the worlds to right over tea, pepsi max and possibly vodka whilst knitting, reading and writing....... we know how to have fun)
I also have a short story to write for the May photo prompt on the YA GLBT Goodreads group - the bunny has spoken and is now just waiting for me to get my finger out and write it...... I also want to see if I can plot out a possible adult M/M story - no idea how long - whose main character showed up in my head last week and refuses to go away.
Who knows, at some point, I may actually find something interesting to blog about....
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Attack of nerves......
It has been decided I am a professional whittler and fretter....... and neither of these jobs have anything to do with woodwork.
My LiAW story is being looked at by the proofing/editing team and there are "questions" ... which is fine, but I am now paranoid (oh yes, again) about how bad it is......... I have been given cyber reassurance by my beta readers (also known as a cyber slap upside the head and being told to pull myself together) ... but as I got notification that there were "questions" some 9 hours ago and I am still waiting for an e-mail with them I am driving myself nuts....
I wonder sometimes if I would cope at all if I wasn't worried about something?? It seems to be my ground state!
I think I shall go lie down in a darkened (well not that darkened I need to be able to read) room and try and chill out for a bit....... I'll probably be up at 1 am checking my e-mail.....
My LiAW story is being looked at by the proofing/editing team and there are "questions" ... which is fine, but I am now paranoid (oh yes, again) about how bad it is......... I have been given cyber reassurance by my beta readers (also known as a cyber slap upside the head and being told to pull myself together) ... but as I got notification that there were "questions" some 9 hours ago and I am still waiting for an e-mail with them I am driving myself nuts....
I wonder sometimes if I would cope at all if I wasn't worried about something?? It seems to be my ground state!
I think I shall go lie down in a darkened (well not that darkened I need to be able to read) room and try and chill out for a bit....... I'll probably be up at 1 am checking my e-mail.....
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Musical accompaniment for today...
So today hasn't gone to plan...... took mum into hospital for 7 am as requested, then at lunch she texted to say they were taking her down at 2pm... at 2.50pm she texted again to say she hadn't gone down and then at 5 pm she phoned to tell me that they'd overbooked the theatre and she was being bumped to a later date, currently unknown...... I was not amused.
So I donned my most lawyerly persona and my Court Room voice and headed off to collect her and, erm, possibly have a word or several with the hospital staff........ she's first on the surgery list for next Wednesday, so we get to do it all again.
Aside from that I have mangled myself....... ankle currently in cold compress after tripping over the cat - who says it's my own fault for not going fast enough with the food...... bruising and grazes all over knuckles of my right hand courtesy of misjudging the distance between the car door and the garden gate and getting my hand stuck in between........ sometimes I have to roll my eyes at myself!
So today's tune (as it's Wednesday and all that jazz) would be my "getting in the right frame of mind" song that I played in the car on the way to the hospital....
So I donned my most lawyerly persona and my Court Room voice and headed off to collect her and, erm, possibly have a word or several with the hospital staff........ she's first on the surgery list for next Wednesday, so we get to do it all again.
Aside from that I have mangled myself....... ankle currently in cold compress after tripping over the cat - who says it's my own fault for not going fast enough with the food...... bruising and grazes all over knuckles of my right hand courtesy of misjudging the distance between the car door and the garden gate and getting my hand stuck in between........ sometimes I have to roll my eyes at myself!
So today's tune (as it's Wednesday and all that jazz) would be my "getting in the right frame of mind" song that I played in the car on the way to the hospital....
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
a round up type of post....
Today started with a minor panic as I glanced at the bedside clock and it read an hour later than I thought it should... cue the fastest shower, hair wash, dress and leg it out the door I've ever managed (20 minutes including changing cat litter, feeding cats and making beds) only to discover one of the little sods had stood on the clock and switched the time on an hour
Whilst on my way into work I picked up a stray character.... he just sort of sauntered into my head (they do that some time, then they refuse to tell me what they are there for)... this one has three stars of ascending size tattooed up the underside of his left forearm and is currently sat in an interview room in a police station..... I am hoping at some point he'll explain himself or vacate my head for someone else's imagination.....
Well I can finally draw a line under the work fiasco of the last week after a meeting with HR today... I am not best pleased at the outcome, but hey, time to move on.
Mum's surgery is tomorrow.... I am dropping her at the hospital at 7.00 am... I am sorely in need of distraction this evening or I am going to drive myself up the wall.... tomorrow I think is going to be a wash out as far as concentrating on anything is concerned.
In an effort to distract myself I may have bought several books for the SmutKindle and read, erm, two and a half so far today...... highlight is J L Merrow's Hard Tail... I appear to seriously get the author's sense of humour... oh and I've threatened the evil naked cats with a Wolverine of their own if they don't behave
I cannot go to bed yet... there is a spider hanging over it from the ceiling and I need it to move first......
Whilst on my way into work I picked up a stray character.... he just sort of sauntered into my head (they do that some time, then they refuse to tell me what they are there for)... this one has three stars of ascending size tattooed up the underside of his left forearm and is currently sat in an interview room in a police station..... I am hoping at some point he'll explain himself or vacate my head for someone else's imagination.....
Well I can finally draw a line under the work fiasco of the last week after a meeting with HR today... I am not best pleased at the outcome, but hey, time to move on.
Mum's surgery is tomorrow.... I am dropping her at the hospital at 7.00 am... I am sorely in need of distraction this evening or I am going to drive myself up the wall.... tomorrow I think is going to be a wash out as far as concentrating on anything is concerned.
In an effort to distract myself I may have bought several books for the SmutKindle and read, erm, two and a half so far today...... highlight is J L Merrow's Hard Tail... I appear to seriously get the author's sense of humour... oh and I've threatened the evil naked cats with a Wolverine of their own if they don't behave
I cannot go to bed yet... there is a spider hanging over it from the ceiling and I need it to move first......
Monday, 7 May 2012
May Day! May Day!
Ok, well it isn't really.... or at least not in the terms of it being May 1st..... however, erm, there might have been a minor SOS call this morning as my amazing powers of destruction surfaced again.
Why is it nearly always kitchen appliances? Is there a Goddess of Electrical Kitchen Appliances that I've seriously managed to piss off somehow??
My kettle was not that old, okay, it was I think almost got to a year, which in general terms isn't old (I think my sister's was a moving in present about 7 years ago). Then again, in terms of surviving in my kitchen well for an electrical item to get to almost a year is I suppose a minor miracle....
This morning it gave up the ghost, and for once I did nothing stupid (why yes, I have killed kettles with carelessness in the past with the whole - not awake, switch on kettle, bugger no water, hiss, bang - thing). I am not actually sure what happened this morning, save for the base, which houses the heating element thing that wasn't like a proper old fashioned heating element but rather a sort of well, anyway, I'm not sure exactly, but it kind of melted, and then when the water seeped through it shorted the electric bit and there was a bit of a fizzle and some smoke and a horrible smell........ and then the lights fused, the house alarm went off and the critters all dived for cover (the last part happens every time I manage to do so much as blow a light bulb mind)
I have been out and bought a new kettle - another value type one because I refuse to pay vast sums of money for things that keep exploding on me for no fault of my own - anyone want to place bets as to how long this one lasts.......
Why is it nearly always kitchen appliances? Is there a Goddess of Electrical Kitchen Appliances that I've seriously managed to piss off somehow??
My kettle was not that old, okay, it was I think almost got to a year, which in general terms isn't old (I think my sister's was a moving in present about 7 years ago). Then again, in terms of surviving in my kitchen well for an electrical item to get to almost a year is I suppose a minor miracle....
This morning it gave up the ghost, and for once I did nothing stupid (why yes, I have killed kettles with carelessness in the past with the whole - not awake, switch on kettle, bugger no water, hiss, bang - thing). I am not actually sure what happened this morning, save for the base, which houses the heating element thing that wasn't like a proper old fashioned heating element but rather a sort of well, anyway, I'm not sure exactly, but it kind of melted, and then when the water seeped through it shorted the electric bit and there was a bit of a fizzle and some smoke and a horrible smell........ and then the lights fused, the house alarm went off and the critters all dived for cover (the last part happens every time I manage to do so much as blow a light bulb mind)
I have been out and bought a new kettle - another value type one because I refuse to pay vast sums of money for things that keep exploding on me for no fault of my own - anyone want to place bets as to how long this one lasts.......
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Feline fun and games...
Let me introduce you to a fine fortnightly game that is played in this house
Felines v. Humans................ The Changing of the Bedding
(this game is best played with at least two very inquisitive felines against one human and a king size bed and bedding.... if the felines are very active and vocal and the human is at least partially incapacitated (whether through physical disability or drink) it makes it much more fun for the cat).....
Stage one - the stripping of the bedding - usually done in a morning, when the human is feeling bright and cheery, though the process can be speeded up if the felines which to throw up on the bed... remove all the old bedding and wash it....... felines will score extra points if they can (a) get tangled in the duvet (b) get themselves into the laundry basket under the bedding and have the human carry them halfway downstairs before they are noticed or (c) they can reduce the humans to hysterical laughter when running around inside a pillow case.... the human never gets additional points.
Stage two - putting on new bedding - usually done about an hour past the time the human meant to go to bed, and accompanied by lots of swearing because the human forgot about the bedding earlier.... firstly the human will need to locate the clean bedding (for example, in the airing cupboard - though points will be deducted from the human if they then shut either feline in the airing cupboard by mistake)... the next thing is to put the sheet on.... the felines will again get extra points if they can (a) unhook the fitted sheet corners as you are putting them on or (b) get themselves completely trapped under the sheet....... option (b) comes with additional bonus points for one cat getting trapped and the other cat then pouncing on it until the human gets so fed up that the sheet is ripped off the bed and the cats roundly cursed.
Stage two (a) - the duvet cover......... ok, at this stage it helps if the human is at least partly inebriated or drugged..... extra points for the Felines if they (a) can get inside the duvet cover without being noticed (b) attack the human through the duvet cover, or (c) completely cause the human to twist the duvet so no matter what it won't lie flat......... The human will forfeit the entire game and declare the felines have won if at any point the human finds themselves actually inside the duvet cover.
scoring...... don't bother, the felines will have won .... they always do!
Felines v. Humans................ The Changing of the Bedding
(this game is best played with at least two very inquisitive felines against one human and a king size bed and bedding.... if the felines are very active and vocal and the human is at least partially incapacitated (whether through physical disability or drink) it makes it much more fun for the cat).....
Stage one - the stripping of the bedding - usually done in a morning, when the human is feeling bright and cheery, though the process can be speeded up if the felines which to throw up on the bed... remove all the old bedding and wash it....... felines will score extra points if they can (a) get tangled in the duvet (b) get themselves into the laundry basket under the bedding and have the human carry them halfway downstairs before they are noticed or (c) they can reduce the humans to hysterical laughter when running around inside a pillow case.... the human never gets additional points.
Stage two - putting on new bedding - usually done about an hour past the time the human meant to go to bed, and accompanied by lots of swearing because the human forgot about the bedding earlier.... firstly the human will need to locate the clean bedding (for example, in the airing cupboard - though points will be deducted from the human if they then shut either feline in the airing cupboard by mistake)... the next thing is to put the sheet on.... the felines will again get extra points if they can (a) unhook the fitted sheet corners as you are putting them on or (b) get themselves completely trapped under the sheet....... option (b) comes with additional bonus points for one cat getting trapped and the other cat then pouncing on it until the human gets so fed up that the sheet is ripped off the bed and the cats roundly cursed.
Stage two (a) - the duvet cover......... ok, at this stage it helps if the human is at least partly inebriated or drugged..... extra points for the Felines if they (a) can get inside the duvet cover without being noticed (b) attack the human through the duvet cover, or (c) completely cause the human to twist the duvet so no matter what it won't lie flat......... The human will forfeit the entire game and declare the felines have won if at any point the human finds themselves actually inside the duvet cover.
scoring...... don't bother, the felines will have won .... they always do!
Friday, 4 May 2012
Long, lazy weekend....
Well thank goodness that this week, as far as working goes, is safely at an end..... I don't think I've ever been more pleased to see 4 pm on a Friday arrive as I was this afternoon. I have a formal meeting to tie up some loose ends of the whole fiasco on Tuesday - when I fully intend to have my 5 minutes to get my side of things on record - after which I intend to put the lot behind me and move on.
So, we have a bank holiday weekend this weekend.... and of course the weather is forecast to be miserable - highs of 6C and lows of -1C... with potential winter showers.. great! I fear that this will result in one or two things happening this weekend.... there will be a major outbreak of domesticity and, shock horror, the overdue assignments might actually get done.
Now, the first is more than a definite possibility as so far this evening I have made a chilli for tomorrow in the slow cooker and baked bread rolls and cookies (chocolate and ginger one). Aside from the boring things that happen every weekend (laundry, housework etc) I am in the mood to bake...... which means that I will either go mad and fill the freezer or I will blow something up with the first thing I bake and give it all up as a bad idea.
The assignments I really need to get done....... but I am really not feeling the love for the joys of family law right now...... actually I am not sure that it's a subject I will ever come to love....... Mind you, the criminal law assignment gave me a plot bunny that is currently refusing to go away and a couple of potential characters keep jumping up and down just in my field of vision whilst waving their arms about and shouting at me... humm, that might make for more interesting writing than the assignments.....
Right, I am now going to go undertake the most dangerous and challenging domestic task that it's possible to do in this house........... yes, I am going to, with the aide of Gina and Hugo...... try and change the king size duvet cover....... wish me luck!
So, we have a bank holiday weekend this weekend.... and of course the weather is forecast to be miserable - highs of 6C and lows of -1C... with potential winter showers.. great! I fear that this will result in one or two things happening this weekend.... there will be a major outbreak of domesticity and, shock horror, the overdue assignments might actually get done.
Now, the first is more than a definite possibility as so far this evening I have made a chilli for tomorrow in the slow cooker and baked bread rolls and cookies (chocolate and ginger one). Aside from the boring things that happen every weekend (laundry, housework etc) I am in the mood to bake...... which means that I will either go mad and fill the freezer or I will blow something up with the first thing I bake and give it all up as a bad idea.
The assignments I really need to get done....... but I am really not feeling the love for the joys of family law right now...... actually I am not sure that it's a subject I will ever come to love....... Mind you, the criminal law assignment gave me a plot bunny that is currently refusing to go away and a couple of potential characters keep jumping up and down just in my field of vision whilst waving their arms about and shouting at me... humm, that might make for more interesting writing than the assignments.....
Right, I am now going to go undertake the most dangerous and challenging domestic task that it's possible to do in this house........... yes, I am going to, with the aide of Gina and Hugo...... try and change the king size duvet cover....... wish me luck!
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Catching up to midweek music...
Ok, so the issue with the job is sorted... I have not been completely buried, but I am officially the department scapegoat... not 100% happy with the outcome of it all, but trying to think positive... it could have been a million times worse.
Also found out today that mother will have her surgery next Wednesday morning... should be in hospital a couple of days but if all goes to plan out for the weekend... I think I shall take her out for lunch on Sunday to keep her (and my) mind of it.
I have been been told I am not allowed to obsess and stress myself over work etc this evening .... and plans are afoot to prevent this...... I have hopes that it will involve a trip to the pub and being forced to drink..... though from the smirk I am getting I am not so sure that is the plan and I am now slightly concerned (and apparently need to get organised and get off this computer....
So I leave you with a couple of tunes from one of my favourite bands .... of which the half daughter approves but her real mother calls music to slit your wrists too.......
Also found out today that mother will have her surgery next Wednesday morning... should be in hospital a couple of days but if all goes to plan out for the weekend... I think I shall take her out for lunch on Sunday to keep her (and my) mind of it.
I have been been told I am not allowed to obsess and stress myself over work etc this evening .... and plans are afoot to prevent this...... I have hopes that it will involve a trip to the pub and being forced to drink..... though from the smirk I am getting I am not so sure that is the plan and I am now slightly concerned (and apparently need to get organised and get off this computer....
So I leave you with a couple of tunes from one of my favourite bands .... of which the half daughter approves but her real mother calls music to slit your wrists too.......
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
gloomy post.....
Meh! work is being horrible.... well kind of... I rather put my foot in it on Friday and the upshot is that I feel that I have dug myself a huge hole and am standing at the bottom waiting to be buried under a tonne of concrete as the official scapegoat for something.
As a result we are "not to discuss it" in the office....... which relates basically to me being sent to Coventry.... I've spoken to my team leader, oh a couple of sentences maybe, over the last two days and said thank you when coffee has been plonked on the end of my desk, but that's basically it. It's just a case of keep my head down and crack on with the work and hope that the skies don't actually fall in.
Combine that with the miserable weather and generally things kind of suck round here at the moment..... I should have been out at our Beltane celebrations to welcome the summer but it got cancelled because of the weather - tis hard to light the bonfires when it's not stopped raining for about a week!
Oh, and to add insult to injury, I fell up a set of stone steps today whilst out with the dogs...... I never remember grazed knees and shins hurting this much when I was a kid!
As a result we are "not to discuss it" in the office....... which relates basically to me being sent to Coventry.... I've spoken to my team leader, oh a couple of sentences maybe, over the last two days and said thank you when coffee has been plonked on the end of my desk, but that's basically it. It's just a case of keep my head down and crack on with the work and hope that the skies don't actually fall in.
Combine that with the miserable weather and generally things kind of suck round here at the moment..... I should have been out at our Beltane celebrations to welcome the summer but it got cancelled because of the weather - tis hard to light the bonfires when it's not stopped raining for about a week!
Oh, and to add insult to injury, I fell up a set of stone steps today whilst out with the dogs...... I never remember grazed knees and shins hurting this much when I was a kid!
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