Well I was going to update yesterday.... but I, erm, caught my foot on the wire to the electric heater in the study..... then kind of fell over the heater itself..... finally landing in an oh so ungraceful heap on the floor and slightly bashing the side of my head on the wooden chair I use when I am at the computer..... so I didn't update, I took it as a sign and went to bed....... This morning I woke to a slight singe on my right shin and a rather impressive bruise just to the side of my right eye...... I would add that during the whole falling over process Hugo watched with some amusement from the top of the door and then used me as a trampoline before I could get up.....
So, aside from being a klutz, what else have I been up to....
Well, last night I was going to blog about my eyebrows.... no seriously.... the thing is I don't really do the whole eyebrow plucking thing... okay sure, they are kept neat and I make sure there are two of them but that's about it...... except when I am stressed..... when I have a bad habit, well not even really a habit, as it's done totally unconsciously, of plucking my eyebrows the way a stressed cage bird would pull out it's feathers..... okay, so... I have passed my exams, I am enjoying a week off work when the office is mainly shut so nothing can go wrong, my leg is getting better, the critters are all fine, the family are doing well.... so why the hell did I manage to sit the other night and rip out most of my right eyebrow and pretty much half of my left?? I didn't even realise I'd done it till I got in the car on Saturday morning and looked in the rear view mirror... I look moth eaten..... I've done some tidying up but, meh, they look terrible, thank goodness I can hide them behind my glasses till they grow back!
Today has mostly been about prep for mum's Christmas Eve party.... I am on salads again, and puddings.... for which I made and iced cup cakes this afternoon.... They are cherry cupcakes and have almond frosting and a cherry on top, which was mum's suggestion as they will look like Rudolph's nose......... only they don't they look like boobs with large red nipples....... which has given me the giggles all afternoon and there is no way on earth I will keep a straight face tomorrow handing out nipple buns to the kids who come to the party...
Tomorrow I am on taxi duty as my sister isn't driving at present.... we are off out to the farm shop to pick up the chicken for Christmas dinner (and something from the veggie deli for me) and then to get the last few bits of fresh veg, bread and make sure that we are well stocked up on critter food....oh and I've been promised a gingerbread latte (decaf of course!) for my services! Then in the afternoon I have to make the dreaded meringue for Christmas day and scribble like mad to finish a ficlet I am hoping to do as an extra present for someone..... I shall be so busy I won't have time to accidentally pluck anything else.....
Showing posts with label social life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social life. Show all posts
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Saturday, 13 October 2012
Further adventures in research....
Well, it has to be said, sometimes I really don't think things out before acting....... I know this, people have told me this (frequently)... but sometimes, you know a good idea in your head is hard to see past and look at the possible outcomes....
Which brings us to last night's exploits...
Having decided to take yesterday off work despite my visitors cancelling I spent the day very boringly doing housework and laundry. Now these sort of mindless tasks allow the voices in my head to chatter at me and tell me their stories..... they haven't been playing ball recently so I was a little surprised to get a couple of them shouting quite loudly at me about what they wanted me to write.... unfortunately, they weren't the characters I'd been planning out for my NaNo (avoid the revision) project... they weren't even the incredibly familiar voices of my YA characters... they were two characters who appeared a while back, gave me some interesting ideas and then hid...
So when the house was marginally cleaner and upstairs resembled a Chinese laundrette with clothes hanging from every door frame I decided I'd at least write out some character profiles...... which is as near to plotting a story as I get.... So, older of the two characters was easy as he appears to be a lawyer and as I work with them all time time I could easily see him, his habits, his routine, his wardrobe etc..... younger character I have what he looks like, his tattoos/piercings, some of his habits and part of his wardrobe... the day time part...which comes from my commute too and from work when I drive past both universities..... only I then got to the question "what would he wear of an evening, say going out, or just for lounging around at home in?"
I pondered for a while and then had an "idea"....... it was Friday, I'd been home with the dogs all day so I would put them to bed at 9pm and then nip out in the car with my note book..... the plan was to park up initially in an area where there are lots of student houses, coffee shops and a long row of take away places and take some notes.... then wander across towards the town centre where there are a couple of big shiny loud bars and a couple of smaller pubs, one of which I know is a gay friendly pub (because our diversity group at work go in there out of term time)... I remembered there was a side street I could park in which would give me a visual access to all the venues...
So off I went.......... the first part was simple, I wrote down a load of details of what I saw and then headed up into town.... only I forgot to get to where I wanted to park I had to negotiate my way round some one way streets and the tram lines......a couple of wrong turns later I made it to where I wanted to be, parked up and took out my note book....
I was kind of lost in what I was doing when there was a loud tap at my window which sent the notebook flying, and my heart rate through the roof..... Now it wasn't a brilliantly lit side street, and yes I'd locked all the doors.... so I cautiously wound down the window only to see a badge and hear the words "can you step out the car please"..... Yep, police officers, two of them.....
So I did as I was told and whilst one of them called in my car's details I provided my own to the other.... then it came to the explanation as to what I was doing..... I was researching for a story....... which got a sceptical raised eyebrow as one officer looked at the other..... they then proceeded to explain that my car had been picked up on their surveillance operation in the red light area.... which I'd forgotten ran between the university residences along the back streets up into town past where the old maternity hospital used to be.... and through the streets of which I'd been seen driving slowly on several occasions that evening... They'd then had a call from one of the security/door men of the bigger bars concerned at my presence in the side street and now wanted to know exactly what I was doing......and if they weren't satisfied with my explanation they would have to consider taking me to the police station for further questioning....
My explanation was extremely garbled... I ducked back into the car and grabbed the note book and waved it at them..... I am not sure whether or not they actually believed me, but their radio went off with a call out for something serious so I got told that I should move along and not loiter in the area again........
I was very relieved to get home and shut the door behind me..... I think I shall stick to surfing the net for my research for a bit... much safer that way....
Which brings us to last night's exploits...
Having decided to take yesterday off work despite my visitors cancelling I spent the day very boringly doing housework and laundry. Now these sort of mindless tasks allow the voices in my head to chatter at me and tell me their stories..... they haven't been playing ball recently so I was a little surprised to get a couple of them shouting quite loudly at me about what they wanted me to write.... unfortunately, they weren't the characters I'd been planning out for my NaNo (avoid the revision) project... they weren't even the incredibly familiar voices of my YA characters... they were two characters who appeared a while back, gave me some interesting ideas and then hid...
So when the house was marginally cleaner and upstairs resembled a Chinese laundrette with clothes hanging from every door frame I decided I'd at least write out some character profiles...... which is as near to plotting a story as I get.... So, older of the two characters was easy as he appears to be a lawyer and as I work with them all time time I could easily see him, his habits, his routine, his wardrobe etc..... younger character I have what he looks like, his tattoos/piercings, some of his habits and part of his wardrobe... the day time part...which comes from my commute too and from work when I drive past both universities..... only I then got to the question "what would he wear of an evening, say going out, or just for lounging around at home in?"
I pondered for a while and then had an "idea"....... it was Friday, I'd been home with the dogs all day so I would put them to bed at 9pm and then nip out in the car with my note book..... the plan was to park up initially in an area where there are lots of student houses, coffee shops and a long row of take away places and take some notes.... then wander across towards the town centre where there are a couple of big shiny loud bars and a couple of smaller pubs, one of which I know is a gay friendly pub (because our diversity group at work go in there out of term time)... I remembered there was a side street I could park in which would give me a visual access to all the venues...
So off I went.......... the first part was simple, I wrote down a load of details of what I saw and then headed up into town.... only I forgot to get to where I wanted to park I had to negotiate my way round some one way streets and the tram lines......a couple of wrong turns later I made it to where I wanted to be, parked up and took out my note book....
I was kind of lost in what I was doing when there was a loud tap at my window which sent the notebook flying, and my heart rate through the roof..... Now it wasn't a brilliantly lit side street, and yes I'd locked all the doors.... so I cautiously wound down the window only to see a badge and hear the words "can you step out the car please"..... Yep, police officers, two of them.....
So I did as I was told and whilst one of them called in my car's details I provided my own to the other.... then it came to the explanation as to what I was doing..... I was researching for a story....... which got a sceptical raised eyebrow as one officer looked at the other..... they then proceeded to explain that my car had been picked up on their surveillance operation in the red light area.... which I'd forgotten ran between the university residences along the back streets up into town past where the old maternity hospital used to be.... and through the streets of which I'd been seen driving slowly on several occasions that evening... They'd then had a call from one of the security/door men of the bigger bars concerned at my presence in the side street and now wanted to know exactly what I was doing......and if they weren't satisfied with my explanation they would have to consider taking me to the police station for further questioning....
My explanation was extremely garbled... I ducked back into the car and grabbed the note book and waved it at them..... I am not sure whether or not they actually believed me, but their radio went off with a call out for something serious so I got told that I should move along and not loiter in the area again........
I was very relieved to get home and shut the door behind me..... I think I shall stick to surfing the net for my research for a bit... much safer that way....
Monday, 4 June 2012
Random mumbling about hobbies
The other morning the schedule for our local(ish) agricultural show fell through the letter box. I opened it and pondered again whether or not to enter any of the dogs... before once again being hit by a general feeling of apathy.
For the last 18 years or so my main hobby has been showing the dogs and all that goes with it (training, grooming, going to seminars and learning stuff.... even for the last 8 years or so judging)... but at present the over riding feeling about going to a show is one of I really can't be bothered. I'm not competitive and which I have owned 2 champions and bred several others I don't actually care whether I win or lose ... I'd rather both I and the dogs have a good day out. Now I know the dogs would enjoy it... they do whatever because they are sociable things and hell there's always the chance of a treat..... the thing is I seemed to have stopped enjoying it.... I can't pin point why exactly but I think that a lot of it has to do with my dread of running into the Ex and her new kennel maid, oops sorry, I mean wife.... but even when it's shows she won't be attending, nope, sorry can't work up the enthusiasm... not to mention I can think of more fun things to spend my money on.
I was feeling, I don't know, not upset, but, no, not sure how to explain it, about the whole thing but then kind of started thinking that what with working full time and studying for this flippin' qualification my free time is actually fairly limited and I want to do something I enjoy, after all isn't that the point of a hobby? (Before I went to university my main hobby was shooting (bows & arrows) which I did with my father who was a club coach... but when the parents got divorced, he moved down south and I went to university so it kind of fizzled out - mainly because I couldn't find a new club and the university weren't happy me having potentially a lethal weapon in the halls of residence).
It's not as though I just sit around watching TV in my spare time ... I still train the dogs and take them out walking with other dog owning friends... though okay I do spend a lot my spare time reading, but I also write and knit (including occasionally taking my knitting out for adventures to the pub) ... the trouble is I can't help but feel these are all very antisocial hobbies.... none of which involve me meeting people in real life. Is that important? I have friends and family, both close by and via the net, but is that enough? It's not enough to make me want to enter a show, or even go along to one for a nosey though...
For the last 18 years or so my main hobby has been showing the dogs and all that goes with it (training, grooming, going to seminars and learning stuff.... even for the last 8 years or so judging)... but at present the over riding feeling about going to a show is one of I really can't be bothered. I'm not competitive and which I have owned 2 champions and bred several others I don't actually care whether I win or lose ... I'd rather both I and the dogs have a good day out. Now I know the dogs would enjoy it... they do whatever because they are sociable things and hell there's always the chance of a treat..... the thing is I seemed to have stopped enjoying it.... I can't pin point why exactly but I think that a lot of it has to do with my dread of running into the Ex and her new kennel maid, oops sorry, I mean wife.... but even when it's shows she won't be attending, nope, sorry can't work up the enthusiasm... not to mention I can think of more fun things to spend my money on.
I was feeling, I don't know, not upset, but, no, not sure how to explain it, about the whole thing but then kind of started thinking that what with working full time and studying for this flippin' qualification my free time is actually fairly limited and I want to do something I enjoy, after all isn't that the point of a hobby? (Before I went to university my main hobby was shooting (bows & arrows) which I did with my father who was a club coach... but when the parents got divorced, he moved down south and I went to university so it kind of fizzled out - mainly because I couldn't find a new club and the university weren't happy me having potentially a lethal weapon in the halls of residence).
It's not as though I just sit around watching TV in my spare time ... I still train the dogs and take them out walking with other dog owning friends... though okay I do spend a lot my spare time reading, but I also write and knit (including occasionally taking my knitting out for adventures to the pub) ... the trouble is I can't help but feel these are all very antisocial hobbies.... none of which involve me meeting people in real life. Is that important? I have friends and family, both close by and via the net, but is that enough? It's not enough to make me want to enter a show, or even go along to one for a nosey though...
Saturday, 17 March 2012
Bits and pieces part, oh about 9....
Now I don't do much in the way of sporting things but I do follow Formula 1 and so this morning saw me get up, walk the dogs and settle on the sofa with one of the current knitting-in-progress items (there are several UFO's lurking in the bottom of the project bag) to listen to qualifying... it's very odd only having it live on the radio rather than watching on TV... but hey, I nearly reached the heel flap on the second of the husband socks I started, erm, ages ago (not my husband mind you, I've not suddenly changed teams and got married!) .... tomorrow will see more knitting along to F1 for the race itself.
Then as it's Saturday, there was housework, there always is, it's the downside to working full time and owning too many fluffy animals, come the weekend the house looks like bomb went off in a fur factory and it's the only time to deal with it.... then there was laundry (which involves going to mother's as I still haven't fixed the washing machine) and the horror of the weekly supermarket shop (no children were harmed this week by accidental trolley manoeuvres)
I came back with good intentions to write, which I did for a while, but then got side tracked and read two short stories that I was a bit 'meh' about, and got sucked into a full length story I'm really enjoying.
Tomorrow is Mothering Sunday here in the UK, and rather than spend a fortune taking mums out for lunch my sister and I decided we'd cook and have a family Sunday lunch instead... only she let mum choose the menu.... I always get landed with puddings, mainly because I like to bake.... only I was gleefully handed a recipe this morning and told "make this".... so I have been flapping about the kitchen making home made lemon ice cream and brandy snap baskets to put it in... there are fresh strawberries to garnish.... I've made a chocolate cake too, just in case it all goes pear shaped!
Right, and now I have to go pick up all the books from the top shelf which Hugo has just thrown all over the study in an attempt to, well I'm not sure what he was doing, no maybe the idea was just to throw the books... bloody cats!
Then as it's Saturday, there was housework, there always is, it's the downside to working full time and owning too many fluffy animals, come the weekend the house looks like bomb went off in a fur factory and it's the only time to deal with it.... then there was laundry (which involves going to mother's as I still haven't fixed the washing machine) and the horror of the weekly supermarket shop (no children were harmed this week by accidental trolley manoeuvres)
I came back with good intentions to write, which I did for a while, but then got side tracked and read two short stories that I was a bit 'meh' about, and got sucked into a full length story I'm really enjoying.
Tomorrow is Mothering Sunday here in the UK, and rather than spend a fortune taking mums out for lunch my sister and I decided we'd cook and have a family Sunday lunch instead... only she let mum choose the menu.... I always get landed with puddings, mainly because I like to bake.... only I was gleefully handed a recipe this morning and told "make this".... so I have been flapping about the kitchen making home made lemon ice cream and brandy snap baskets to put it in... there are fresh strawberries to garnish.... I've made a chocolate cake too, just in case it all goes pear shaped!
Right, and now I have to go pick up all the books from the top shelf which Hugo has just thrown all over the study in an attempt to, well I'm not sure what he was doing, no maybe the idea was just to throw the books... bloody cats!
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Midweek music....
Live music has been very thin on the ground for me this year so far, okay, so I got to go see Snow Patrol the other week, but unfortunately they could not live up to the experience I had seeing Elbow the year before.
One of our local pubs has a lot of live bands on and last week I got to go see The Leisure Society, who were rather fine... so for your enjoyment, one of their tunes....
And as a complete aside from music
I am looking at the pictures and prompts on the M/M group and really wishing that I believed enough in myself and my abilities to try and write a story as one of the pics has really grabbed me, but I am too scared of letting people down but either not managing to write it or writing it really badly ... ah well, I may just write it for myself if I can't let the idea go.
One of our local pubs has a lot of live bands on and last week I got to go see The Leisure Society, who were rather fine... so for your enjoyment, one of their tunes....
And as a complete aside from music
I am looking at the pictures and prompts on the M/M group and really wishing that I believed enough in myself and my abilities to try and write a story as one of the pics has really grabbed me, but I am too scared of letting people down but either not managing to write it or writing it really badly ... ah well, I may just write it for myself if I can't let the idea go.
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Christmas.... again!
So last night I got to go enjoy a birthday bbq.... and today, it was Christmas again :o) Complete with tree, presents and almost Christmas dinner ..... well posh Sunday roast, in my case just lots of veg!.... oh and me making cakes at 6.30 am....
And the reason for this? Well, you know the six degrees of separation game? There's a version you can play which involves meeting people when travelling across the globe that come from the city I live in... and this story starts with my sister, newly graduated with a degree in politics and a job working for a large international aid relief charity... for which she was posted to the Dominican Republic (she worked for them for about 8 years in various locations around the globe - including Columbia, Haiti, Bangladesh & Bangkok... and for this reason she hates going through airports in the USA as the customs people take one look at her passport and haul her off to search her... sorry I digress)... anyway, she was set up with a flat share with someone she'd never met before (we shall call her Mary) and was working for a similar type of charity... and this person turned out to be from Sheffield too.... they got on like a house on fire and shared the house for about 3 years before floating off to different parts of the world (they have some very interesting tales of their time, some of which kind of make your hair stand on end but I guess that's just the conditions they were working in)
Some years later they both returned home, my sister first, and then Mary... both lodged with my mother till they bought their own houses and found jobs doing slightly less life and limb endangering work. Last year Mary got wanderlust again and applied for a job taking her overseas again.... and in August she flew out to the Solomon Islands to head up a project for a children's charity... she's contracted for 2 years and can only get back every six months... unfortunately she spent Christmas in hospital on her own in Australia having contracted malaria, so when she said she was back for a fortnight in Feb we decided to make it special.... oh and back to the six degrees of separation.. the husband and wife doctor team on the Solomon Islands that treated her, well they are from close by, but their son lives in my sister's street...
Now, I have to admit Mary and I haven't always got on... she came to Sheffield, stayed with mum, spent loads of time with my sister (and mum for that matter) whilst I was over in the wastelands on the other side of the country being carefully kept away from my family and any external friends ... When I returned I found it very difficult as it appeared that she was the elder daughter of the family and I was the interloping friend....... this may just have been my state of mind at the time and things have gradually improved as we've got to know one another.... but until she got the job overseas I was never really very comfortable with her... the distance has helped put a lot of things into perspective and we now e-mail each other frequently so it was really nice to see her today and catch up
I feel I have had a very busy and full weekend, which should have had a nice peaceful conclusion...... only I had an extra special klutz moment when caught my knicker elastic on the end of the safety gate at the bottom of the stairs and stumbled the last three steps before landing on my backside ....... I swear I need a minder at times!
And the reason for this? Well, you know the six degrees of separation game? There's a version you can play which involves meeting people when travelling across the globe that come from the city I live in... and this story starts with my sister, newly graduated with a degree in politics and a job working for a large international aid relief charity... for which she was posted to the Dominican Republic (she worked for them for about 8 years in various locations around the globe - including Columbia, Haiti, Bangladesh & Bangkok... and for this reason she hates going through airports in the USA as the customs people take one look at her passport and haul her off to search her... sorry I digress)... anyway, she was set up with a flat share with someone she'd never met before (we shall call her Mary) and was working for a similar type of charity... and this person turned out to be from Sheffield too.... they got on like a house on fire and shared the house for about 3 years before floating off to different parts of the world (they have some very interesting tales of their time, some of which kind of make your hair stand on end but I guess that's just the conditions they were working in)
Some years later they both returned home, my sister first, and then Mary... both lodged with my mother till they bought their own houses and found jobs doing slightly less life and limb endangering work. Last year Mary got wanderlust again and applied for a job taking her overseas again.... and in August she flew out to the Solomon Islands to head up a project for a children's charity... she's contracted for 2 years and can only get back every six months... unfortunately she spent Christmas in hospital on her own in Australia having contracted malaria, so when she said she was back for a fortnight in Feb we decided to make it special.... oh and back to the six degrees of separation.. the husband and wife doctor team on the Solomon Islands that treated her, well they are from close by, but their son lives in my sister's street...
Now, I have to admit Mary and I haven't always got on... she came to Sheffield, stayed with mum, spent loads of time with my sister (and mum for that matter) whilst I was over in the wastelands on the other side of the country being carefully kept away from my family and any external friends ... When I returned I found it very difficult as it appeared that she was the elder daughter of the family and I was the interloping friend....... this may just have been my state of mind at the time and things have gradually improved as we've got to know one another.... but until she got the job overseas I was never really very comfortable with her... the distance has helped put a lot of things into perspective and we now e-mail each other frequently so it was really nice to see her today and catch up
I feel I have had a very busy and full weekend, which should have had a nice peaceful conclusion...... only I had an extra special klutz moment when caught my knicker elastic on the end of the safety gate at the bottom of the stairs and stumbled the last three steps before landing on my backside ....... I swear I need a minder at times!
Saturday, 11 February 2012
An evening out in the cold.....
I may never be warm again!
Today it hasn't got above freezing... in fact my day started whilst trying to walk the mob without feeling in my fingers (it was -7)..... and after the sun went down this evening well, the temperature went with it.... and I have been out to a birthday party... a bbq in fact, yes, outside, yes, in February, whilst there are still piles of snow and ice all over the back garden we were in!
Actually I had a really good time......I wasn't allowed near the bbq itself .. these people know too much about me... I could have done without one of my friends putting a snowball down my back though!
Anyway, I am off to hide under the duvet and demand that the cats hug my feet tightly till they warm up!
And tomorrow it is Christmas again....... but I shall blog about that next time.
Today it hasn't got above freezing... in fact my day started whilst trying to walk the mob without feeling in my fingers (it was -7)..... and after the sun went down this evening well, the temperature went with it.... and I have been out to a birthday party... a bbq in fact, yes, outside, yes, in February, whilst there are still piles of snow and ice all over the back garden we were in!
Actually I had a really good time......I wasn't allowed near the bbq itself .. these people know too much about me... I could have done without one of my friends putting a snowball down my back though!
Anyway, I am off to hide under the duvet and demand that the cats hug my feet tightly till they warm up!
And tomorrow it is Christmas again....... but I shall blog about that next time.
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Safety 'net.....
Good news.... mum has a strangulated hernia....... yes, I did say good news, the other option was that it was a tumour, so whilst this may involve fairly major surgery (keyhole not an option as it's deep in scar tissue).. it's fixable.
Whilst all this has been going on I have been reminded again that I have some fantastic friends, particularly my online friends..... who shall henceforth be known as my Safety 'Net. Over the last week they've offered me lots of support and then this morning I got up to find I had texts, direct messages and e-mails, then two particular friends kept in contact all morning whilst I waited whilst mum was in with the surgeon... though the conversations were getting wilder by the minute, culminating in a wonderful comment from my little net sister that she was enjoying her vision of me in a chauffeur's uniform, including hat...
Said comment was followed shortly by an order that I get myself down to her house for coffee, chocolate and cuddles ... which being a good girl (yes, I know, that subject is still very much up for debate) I did. We had a nice (late) lunch out and then spent a lot of time talking, sometimes serious, sometimes complete trash... there was some gentle nagging about submitting my book, there was much pleading that I get my finger out and write some more, and then there was the whole very silly conversation about how I couldn't be a good girl because of the special "bedtime stories" that I'd written for her in the past and when was I going do do some more of those ... and then we got onto the subject of strange porn, and in particular fish porn.. which I have no idea where that came from, but now feel I may have to do something about... mermaids possibly ... though the porn version of Finding Nemo is making me snicker....
Anyway, I am feeling very happy and loved tonight, particularly as I have had hugs - which as a very tactile person is something I miss out on hugely having no partner and my friends not being on my immediate doorstep.
Whilst all this has been going on I have been reminded again that I have some fantastic friends, particularly my online friends..... who shall henceforth be known as my Safety 'Net. Over the last week they've offered me lots of support and then this morning I got up to find I had texts, direct messages and e-mails, then two particular friends kept in contact all morning whilst I waited whilst mum was in with the surgeon... though the conversations were getting wilder by the minute, culminating in a wonderful comment from my little net sister that she was enjoying her vision of me in a chauffeur's uniform, including hat...
Said comment was followed shortly by an order that I get myself down to her house for coffee, chocolate and cuddles ... which being a good girl (yes, I know, that subject is still very much up for debate) I did. We had a nice (late) lunch out and then spent a lot of time talking, sometimes serious, sometimes complete trash... there was some gentle nagging about submitting my book, there was much pleading that I get my finger out and write some more, and then there was the whole very silly conversation about how I couldn't be a good girl because of the special "bedtime stories" that I'd written for her in the past and when was I going do do some more of those ... and then we got onto the subject of strange porn, and in particular fish porn.. which I have no idea where that came from, but now feel I may have to do something about... mermaids possibly ... though the porn version of Finding Nemo is making me snicker....
Anyway, I am feeling very happy and loved tonight, particularly as I have had hugs - which as a very tactile person is something I miss out on hugely having no partner and my friends not being on my immediate doorstep.
Saturday, 21 January 2012
In which there is 24 hours with a social life...
I have some fantastic and wonderful friends, both online and off. In view of my plea for distraction they have jumped up and taken the challenge...
Last night I was taken out to the pub and then went to a midnight screening at the cinema (person I went with is one of my adopted little sisters, and though we flirt like mad I am also occasionally mistaken for her mother (she's 15 years younger - and scarily her father once asked me out!). I blame the alcohol and scary movie for a moment of straying hands which we both looked a bit sheepish about when we came out of the cinema)
This morning there was the usual run of housework, shopping and laundry, but then some friends who I don't see often texted to say they were passing through on the way on to a fet night and could we go for early dinner... so off I went... which was great fun as though I've spoken on line to two of them fairly recently I've not seen any of them for ages.... I think our conversation might have scared the family on the next table though.
I'm afraid I distracted myself further by downloading a couple of books to read this evening - must stop picking long series of books to read ... it's just an excuse to by them all...
Not sure what tomorrow will bring, but tonight I am feeling extremely distracted, quite well hugged and loved by my friends.
Last night I was taken out to the pub and then went to a midnight screening at the cinema (person I went with is one of my adopted little sisters, and though we flirt like mad I am also occasionally mistaken for her mother (she's 15 years younger - and scarily her father once asked me out!). I blame the alcohol and scary movie for a moment of straying hands which we both looked a bit sheepish about when we came out of the cinema)
This morning there was the usual run of housework, shopping and laundry, but then some friends who I don't see often texted to say they were passing through on the way on to a fet night and could we go for early dinner... so off I went... which was great fun as though I've spoken on line to two of them fairly recently I've not seen any of them for ages.... I think our conversation might have scared the family on the next table though.
I'm afraid I distracted myself further by downloading a couple of books to read this evening - must stop picking long series of books to read ... it's just an excuse to by them all...
Not sure what tomorrow will bring, but tonight I am feeling extremely distracted, quite well hugged and loved by my friends.
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Twinkly lights included......
Ok, I give in... having finished work today for a week I can finally say.......bring on the festive - or rather whatever seasonal event you are celebrating... whilst I will be celebrating Christmas with the family, on 22nd I will be celebrating the midwinter solstice for me and have my Yule candles all ready lined up for lighting.
So with a week off work to enjoy I am fully intending to catch up with friends, to spend time with the family and to do lots of little jobs that I should probably have done a while ago .... like sort out my books.
I used to have organised bookshelves - genre, author, publication date - which lived on rather over stacked shelves in the book room/study/guest room..... then a combination of cats and too many books resulted in crime being moved to the lounge (no, nothing criminal happens in the lounge... or at least I don't think it does), fantasy and m/m has moved to the bedroom (seemed appropriate!) leaving everything else - historical, contemporary, action/adventure, children's/YA and reference books (mainly viking sagas, medieval history - particularly women in history, myths & legends.. oh and some odd chemistry texts from my student days) for the study. I am going to need to buy a new bookshelf as my m/m collection has gone, erm, nuts(?) recently.. that said as I have been a "good girl" I understand that my request for a Kindle might have been granted so the days of real books (except special ones) may be numbered!
Oh and I really must tidy the house as I am, hopefully, having a visitor for boxing day - Yay!! Though I am slightly concerned that her wife thinks I am trying to steal her as over the last months I've spent at least one day per weekend with her!
Right, now I am going back to try and forge a connection between my hands and my brain to force the story I've been spinning into words..... it appears to be something about a cat shifter and a fire elemental.... and I thought it was going to be a YA story, but said characters are having ideas that are distinctly non YA, so that may have to change!
Monday, 7 November 2011
Unwanted attention.....
Why me? Why do I attract strange men?
I don’t know whether I do something unintentionally but I seem to attract the attentions of strange men when I am really not looking to… it’s not a new thing… many years ago I had to resort to taking my dog with me to the laundrette on a Saturday morning as if I didn’t this old man who used to come in at around the same time would insist on sitting next to me, even if it was empty, and try to stroke my leg.
(Actually, it’s not just strange men either, I also attract the attentions of small children, particularly in supermarkets… but they are easy to deal with… you just walk calmly up to their parents and tell them that they must be so proud of their children’s behaviour)
Whilst these days I tend not to go out to bars, if I go to a straight bar then unfortunately I seem to attract the attentions of those who think that larger person must equal desperate … no, seriously, not, and if I was, erm, yeah, kind of wouldn’t be looking for anyone male anyway!
I am getting a bit fed up, and not a little freaked out these days though. In the last twelve months I’ve been stalked around a shop by a security guard (no I wasn’t doing anything illegal, or even looking like I might be… well I didn’t think so), who eventually cornered me and started to ask me where he knew me from, and then moved on to more personal questions such as was I married, did I live alone etc….
Then there was the man behind me in the check out queue at the supermarket who by the time I’d finished packing my stuff and got outside was waiting for me and then followed me to the car. When I stopped to open it and load the shopping he started by telling me he thought I was nice and was I interested in… well I’m not sure, I’ve never dived in the car so fast and slammed the door shut.
I managed to attract another one on Saturday… walking around the shop, minding my own business when this bloke sidles up just behind me and starts looking over my shoulder, I moved away but he followed, again standing just behind me. I’m afraid to say I wasn’t particularly polite, I don’t like having my personal space invaded without invitation, certainly not by strangers. So I turned round and stepped forwards towards him, he instinctively stepped backwards…………… and fell over a display unit sending it crashing to the ground. I didn’t hang about …. good job there was nothing I really wanted from the shop!
I am pretty sure I don’t have some sort of flashing sign above my head stating this sort of thing is fine. Ok, I’ll admit I do tend to smile or say hello to people who make eye contact, but surely that’s just polite, not an invitation….
I may decide to become a hermit and rely on home delivery……….
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Unexpected post visitor thoughts....
As my last visitor left at 5 pm this evening my house feels very quiet and empty this evening, I say feels, because with rent-a-mob and the naked cats quiet and empty is a comparative thing.
I've loved having visitors, there has been lots of fun, laughter, talking, reading, knitting and generally good times. Now they've gone, I'm feeling part down about it, but part relieved... which is also making me feel a little, well, guilty, kind of. It seems wrong, having had such a good time to be pleased to have my house back to myself, it's also making me think a lot about my home life and current situation. Maybe I am just antisocial at heart.
I'd thought a while back that I might be getting to the stage of trying to increase my social life, perhaps open my mind a bit to the possibility of finding someone to share my life with, but if I am being totally honest with myself (which is so something I am not good at), given the way I am feeling now the answer is a firm "no way" to the whole sharing my life on a personal level with someone. I am just not "there" yet - which isn't helped by the fact that it's my ex's 1st wedding anniversary this week, showing just how fast she manged to move on.
What's worrying me more is that I am starting to feel that I might not ever be "there" at all. I don't want to spend the rest of my life alone, but I am not so sure I can put myself in a position where I can let someone in that close.
Ok, enough with these thoughts, they are sounding too much like I am whining. Shall go read, knit or generally try find something to take my mind off this subject.
I've loved having visitors, there has been lots of fun, laughter, talking, reading, knitting and generally good times. Now they've gone, I'm feeling part down about it, but part relieved... which is also making me feel a little, well, guilty, kind of. It seems wrong, having had such a good time to be pleased to have my house back to myself, it's also making me think a lot about my home life and current situation. Maybe I am just antisocial at heart.
I'd thought a while back that I might be getting to the stage of trying to increase my social life, perhaps open my mind a bit to the possibility of finding someone to share my life with, but if I am being totally honest with myself (which is so something I am not good at), given the way I am feeling now the answer is a firm "no way" to the whole sharing my life on a personal level with someone. I am just not "there" yet - which isn't helped by the fact that it's my ex's 1st wedding anniversary this week, showing just how fast she manged to move on.
What's worrying me more is that I am starting to feel that I might not ever be "there" at all. I don't want to spend the rest of my life alone, but I am not so sure I can put myself in a position where I can let someone in that close.
Ok, enough with these thoughts, they are sounding too much like I am whining. Shall go read, knit or generally try find something to take my mind off this subject.
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Panic Over
Well today has been better.... much better, in fact, I have one thing on the list to do before I go on holiday... I felt that good about it, I booked tomorrow afternoon off as well :o)
Tonight I am off to a big charity quiz event (shock horror, a hint of a social life!!) ... but first I have to sort the mob out, which would be why I am sitting at the PC, desperately waiting for the Jessewave interview with Ty & Zane to load ... sorry dogs, we'll run down the park in a second....
At least I can get the housework done tomorrow afternoon now... and not sit read the, erm, 3 new books I picked up from the post office today (Soul Bonds series by Lynn Lorenz), honest.....
Tonight I am off to a big charity quiz event (shock horror, a hint of a social life!!) ... but first I have to sort the mob out, which would be why I am sitting at the PC, desperately waiting for the Jessewave interview with Ty & Zane to load ... sorry dogs, we'll run down the park in a second....
At least I can get the housework done tomorrow afternoon now... and not sit read the, erm, 3 new books I picked up from the post office today (Soul Bonds series by Lynn Lorenz), honest.....
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Hair Dye and the Helpful Cat
Last night, post blog post, prior to pizza, I got a text from friends advising that they were sitting in the garden of the pub enjoying the warm evening, and would I care to join them... so off I went, and for once didn't have to drive.
So I had a couple of drinks.... something I don't do often as I am usually the driver. So after being plied with vodka and Pepsi Max for a couple of hours I was returned home, where I entertained the dogs for a bit, before putting them to bed.
Off I went upstairs to get ready for my own bed, when I noticed that my hair was showing rather too much grey, and perhaps it was time to dye it, like, right then.
I checked the instructions and realised I had 30 mins developing time - which usually I would have put to good use by doing a bit of tidying - but no it's nearly midnight, I'm a little pissed and so I turn on the pc and find something to watch for half an hour whilst I develop.
Then i go liberally apply hair dye to my hair.. my long, down to the middle of my back hair. Now, the new foaming hair dye stuff is great, it doesn't drip, it does however get flicked all around the bathroom... not that I noticed at the time. Add to this that Mr Hugo, is sitting on the windowsill watching me intently and occasionally trying to sniff the dye bottles. (Mr Hugo is one of the cats, you get that right?Yyou don't think I just keep some random bloke upstairs perching on window sills and the like?)
Safely balancing my hair on head and trying not to move it I wandered back to the pc ... at which point Mr Hugo decides to be "helpful". So with a flying leap he's on the computer desk yowling for attention. I put him onto my lap as it's hard to watch the screen through a cat, but no he's not satisfied with that, so climbs up onto my shoulder and starts rubbing round my hair, my covered in developing dye hair.....
So for 30 minutes it becomes a battle of me v Hugo as he desperately tries to stay on my shoulders. I am subjected to flying leaps from the bed, the book case, the floor.... he's a persistent little bugger.
I eventually got the dye washed out and headed to bed... only to be woken at 4 am by Hugo nibbling the ends of my hair....
Now the thing is, my cats don't have hair, well fur, of their own, they are naked cats.... in his case he's a lovely black/white (which without the fur is blue/white) colour....only this morning, Hugo is in fact, black/white and deep red in places......bathing a cat with a slight hangover (no, not the cat, me) was not the top of my list of things I ever wanted to try.
He's now sulking, slightly less dyed and pissed off.... I am dyed, scratched and I still haven't got all the stray bits of dye off the bathroom... I mean, how the hell did I get dye on the ceiling??
So I had a couple of drinks.... something I don't do often as I am usually the driver. So after being plied with vodka and Pepsi Max for a couple of hours I was returned home, where I entertained the dogs for a bit, before putting them to bed.
Off I went upstairs to get ready for my own bed, when I noticed that my hair was showing rather too much grey, and perhaps it was time to dye it, like, right then.
I checked the instructions and realised I had 30 mins developing time - which usually I would have put to good use by doing a bit of tidying - but no it's nearly midnight, I'm a little pissed and so I turn on the pc and find something to watch for half an hour whilst I develop.
Then i go liberally apply hair dye to my hair.. my long, down to the middle of my back hair. Now, the new foaming hair dye stuff is great, it doesn't drip, it does however get flicked all around the bathroom... not that I noticed at the time. Add to this that Mr Hugo, is sitting on the windowsill watching me intently and occasionally trying to sniff the dye bottles. (Mr Hugo is one of the cats, you get that right?Yyou don't think I just keep some random bloke upstairs perching on window sills and the like?)
Safely balancing my hair on head and trying not to move it I wandered back to the pc ... at which point Mr Hugo decides to be "helpful". So with a flying leap he's on the computer desk yowling for attention. I put him onto my lap as it's hard to watch the screen through a cat, but no he's not satisfied with that, so climbs up onto my shoulder and starts rubbing round my hair, my covered in developing dye hair.....
So for 30 minutes it becomes a battle of me v Hugo as he desperately tries to stay on my shoulders. I am subjected to flying leaps from the bed, the book case, the floor.... he's a persistent little bugger.
I eventually got the dye washed out and headed to bed... only to be woken at 4 am by Hugo nibbling the ends of my hair....
Now the thing is, my cats don't have hair, well fur, of their own, they are naked cats.... in his case he's a lovely black/white (which without the fur is blue/white) colour....only this morning, Hugo is in fact, black/white and deep red in places......bathing a cat with a slight hangover (no, not the cat, me) was not the top of my list of things I ever wanted to try.
He's now sulking, slightly less dyed and pissed off.... I am dyed, scratched and I still haven't got all the stray bits of dye off the bathroom... I mean, how the hell did I get dye on the ceiling??
Friday, 16 September 2011
A minor wobble to round off the day
It's nearly 11 pm and possibly far past my bed time, but for once I've been indulging in a social life and have just got back from seeing Othello at the Crucible Theatre with a group of friends from work.
It's been a while since I've seen a Shakespeare production and I really enjoyed this adaptation. Dominc West (from The Wire) played Iago magnificently and the other stand outs were the two main female parts - Desdemona (Lily James) and Amelia (Alexandra Gilbrath). My only gripe would be with Clarke Peters who played Othello himself, who sometimes seemed to mumble over his lines as spoke extremely quickly in places.
Unfortunately, I managed to get a parking ticket which wasn't part of the plan.
So, why am I not in bed.... well, mainly because I am having a wobble, not a major wobble, just a little one. Tomorrow I have to go enrol on the third and final year of my course.. which after I complete (and sit and pass an exam) means I will be qualified to do my job. Ok, so not a big issue, really, honestly.. but, actually it kind of is.
I went to university at 18 and thoroughly enjoyed myself, well outside of my course, the thing was, I screwed up my A Levels big time and was desperate to get out of home so just went to the first University that would take me with the pathetic grades I had, and I ended up studying chemistry. I completed the course, save for one little thing, I didn't bother to turn up for my final exams.. yeah, I know, looking back it was bloody stupid, but by then I'd already decided that that wasn't what I wanted to do with my life.
To put off real life, I managed to elected to the Student Union Exec for 12 months, then realised I had to find a job and drifted into Law, where I've been ever since. When the big life change happened 3 years ago it meant a new job, which came with the condition that they paid for and I studied to get my professional qualification.
Which means, tomorrow, I have to drive 2 hours each way to enrol on my final year, oh and sit a compulsory 5 hour module which basically involves how to fill in forms. I don't want to go. Being professionally qualified to do something seems awfully final, like that's it, I've finally grown up and got a proper career. I'm just not sure that it's what I want to do with my life.
I know I am being silly about this, I don't have to do this for the rest of my life, but right now there is only me here and I kind of miss having someone to tell me to pull myself together and get a grip, because I am not doing a brilliant job of telling myself.
That said, this feeling is very similar to when I enrolled for my first year of this course... at which time I went into denial and melt down and wrote an 86,000 word novel instead of getting on with my assignments.... who knows, I might get a second book out of it!
Right, stop it, go to bed, now.....
It's been a while since I've seen a Shakespeare production and I really enjoyed this adaptation. Dominc West (from The Wire) played Iago magnificently and the other stand outs were the two main female parts - Desdemona (Lily James) and Amelia (Alexandra Gilbrath). My only gripe would be with Clarke Peters who played Othello himself, who sometimes seemed to mumble over his lines as spoke extremely quickly in places.
Unfortunately, I managed to get a parking ticket which wasn't part of the plan.
So, why am I not in bed.... well, mainly because I am having a wobble, not a major wobble, just a little one. Tomorrow I have to go enrol on the third and final year of my course.. which after I complete (and sit and pass an exam) means I will be qualified to do my job. Ok, so not a big issue, really, honestly.. but, actually it kind of is.
I went to university at 18 and thoroughly enjoyed myself, well outside of my course, the thing was, I screwed up my A Levels big time and was desperate to get out of home so just went to the first University that would take me with the pathetic grades I had, and I ended up studying chemistry. I completed the course, save for one little thing, I didn't bother to turn up for my final exams.. yeah, I know, looking back it was bloody stupid, but by then I'd already decided that that wasn't what I wanted to do with my life.
To put off real life, I managed to elected to the Student Union Exec for 12 months, then realised I had to find a job and drifted into Law, where I've been ever since. When the big life change happened 3 years ago it meant a new job, which came with the condition that they paid for and I studied to get my professional qualification.
Which means, tomorrow, I have to drive 2 hours each way to enrol on my final year, oh and sit a compulsory 5 hour module which basically involves how to fill in forms. I don't want to go. Being professionally qualified to do something seems awfully final, like that's it, I've finally grown up and got a proper career. I'm just not sure that it's what I want to do with my life.
I know I am being silly about this, I don't have to do this for the rest of my life, but right now there is only me here and I kind of miss having someone to tell me to pull myself together and get a grip, because I am not doing a brilliant job of telling myself.
That said, this feeling is very similar to when I enrolled for my first year of this course... at which time I went into denial and melt down and wrote an 86,000 word novel instead of getting on with my assignments.... who knows, I might get a second book out of it!
Right, stop it, go to bed, now.....
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