25 July 2008
Catch Up
Blimey, doesn't time just fly by these days. Subjects to cover in this entry are: Queen Mum by Kate Long, being stranded at the pub, Krispy Kremes, The Banville-Smiths, house warming rubbers, walking in the sun, the host with the most, EJF, a sneaking books etc shopping spree... quite frankly the list goes on and on....
Way back when I ran the Chick Lit forum at the Big W, a member of the reading group banged on and on and on about Queen Mum being beyond super for hours and hours on end. Quite frankly she bored me to tears for so very very long, that I decided there and then to never read the damn book out of pure bloody spite. How I wish I had stuck to that decision. I mean, it was ok, you know, it pottered along about a couple of neighbours; one (Juno) who had a supposedly perfect life (perfect kids, perfect house, perfect marriage, perfect house, perfect arse) and was so confident in her perfection she applied to appear on reality TV wife swap programme "Queen Mum" with disastrous results; and her side kick Ally, rather more slummy mummy who had lost a child and with it her zest and gumption. I read it all, I did finish it, and trust me, I've read much much worse - but I really expected so much more from the author of The Bad Mother's Handbook.
Next, Chimmy and I got stranded at the pub a few weeks ago. We had had a lovely day together, a bit of a shop, a bit of a wander, a touch of lunch, a tub of fat free frozen yoghurt; then on the way home, we decided to stop off at one of the pubs along the river near Kew Bridge for a couple of lager and limes. The tide was either coming in or going out - who can say - but we got kind of stuck on the benches for about 45 minutes whilst the river flooded the pathway, and left us stranded, surrounded by ducks. It was fantastic, and such a nice end to the day.
I celebrated my first year anniversary at New Work with two boxes of mixed selection from Krispy Kreme. I obviously shared my celebrating, and my buns, with my colleagues - although managed to polish off 3 (yep 3, count them) of the buggers myself. Those glazed bad boys are enough to make me go boss-eyed. I swear, if it was legal to marry a doughnut - I would be Mrs Kreme in a flash.
The Banville-Smiths - life long chums of The House of Piper - hosted a lovely get together in their garden the other weekend. We only get to catch up probably twice a year, so each time it's lovely and precious. And who would have thought the offer of some chocolate buttons would create so much excitement.
Boo and I finally had The Sister, The Brother-in-Law and The Niece over for lunch. I baked bread. I made two different types of ice cream. I made spinach and ricotta lasagne (including a tomatoe sauce from scratch). I made caramelised shallot and Gorgonzola puff pastry tarts. I made a wild mushroom risotto. I made strawberry cupcakes. I made jam tarts. I pulled a salad together.... and after all that The Niece wanted fishfingers and peas for lunch. Boo and I also got special housewarming gifts. We both got a set of four rubbers. Mine were heart shaped, pink, red and purple. Boo's were shaped like tools. Apparently we can swap if we like. I think I'm going to keep mine all to myself.
It has been heaven to walk home from the station these past couple of weeks. Pottering along, headphones on, rucksack on back. Bar flip-flop-shin-ache, it's great to stride along - when I say stride, I of course mean dawdle like a little old lady...and jesus christ it beats getting the bus with all the other sweaty fuckers.
This week my lovely friend Rodney (who is also the most poshest person I know in real life) invited me to super to meet his new BF, together with my favourite lesbian couple who I haven't seen for months. Lovely posh Rodney has the most awesome flat in Vauxhall, and he is truly the host with the most - and it was lovely to relax, chit chat about book stuff, Big W gossip, old ex colleagues who we hate, old ex colleagues we still love... and not one of them made fun of the HUGE cold sore that I currently have on my lip.
This afternoon I slipped off to Walpole Park to have a quick listen to some music and eat some bread and cheese at the Ealing Jazz Festival. I haven't been to the festival for a couple of years, it still feels a bit empty going without my Dad - but I do, or at least did, use to love going - so I thought it was time for a revisit. Well, let me tell you. You now have to pay to get in. OK, it's only £1, but none the less. It's the bloody principle I tell you. Second, you are now fenced in to an area the size of a school playing field. Infant school that is. God only knows what it's like when it gets busy in the evenings. Probably like being stuck on the tube. But without the abandoned copies of Metro flying about. Thirdly, there is no bloody bread and cheese. The French market has been replaced with a bloody German bar and a jewellery shed selling stuff made out of amber. What the fuck? Who on earth wants bloody amber bracelets instead of lovely gooey cheese from French France? Nextly, the lovely soft green grass of the park has been pebble dashed. Or shingled. Or whatever it's called. Did the person who recommended that as a suitable flooring for a festival consider what those tiny little shards of rock do to the underside of your feet if you are wearing flipflops? No. That retard did not think about that. I've already got through two tubes of cracked heal balm this month trying to repair my poor old feet - and now you wanna see them... screwed they are, screwed. However, we did get to hear a set by a fella called Xantone Blacq. Or maybe that's the band's name. Who cares. He rocks. Or jazzes. Or whatever is appropriate. If you get a chance to listen; give it a whirl. Awesome.
I know I've been banned from buying any new books till I finish the piles of proofs I've still got floating about from my days at the Big W. I know, I know.... but I happened to be in the Holborn branch of books etc the other day.... and I happened to find myself in front of the 3 for 2 table.... and the new Louise Candlish winked at me, then the Harriet Evans gave me a nudge... and then Jenny Colgan beckoned me over for a chat.... before I knew what was happening, I'd been book bashed. I've hidden them from Boo under my side of the bed for now. Thank Christ he doesn't read this blog.
This weekend we've got some more bridesmaid dress shopping - with Boo's sister and niece, and some West Side Story action on Sunday at Sadler's Wells. Bar that I refuse to cook, shop, clean or nothing. I will instead be doing lots of sitting. Lots of laying. Down. A touch of eating, maybe some drinking, and if I'm very very lucky, and ask very very nicely maybe, just maybe a bit of kissing. Who knows....
Way back when I ran the Chick Lit forum at the Big W, a member of the reading group banged on and on and on about Queen Mum being beyond super for hours and hours on end. Quite frankly she bored me to tears for so very very long, that I decided there and then to never read the damn book out of pure bloody spite. How I wish I had stuck to that decision. I mean, it was ok, you know, it pottered along about a couple of neighbours; one (Juno) who had a supposedly perfect life (perfect kids, perfect house, perfect marriage, perfect house, perfect arse) and was so confident in her perfection she applied to appear on reality TV wife swap programme "Queen Mum" with disastrous results; and her side kick Ally, rather more slummy mummy who had lost a child and with it her zest and gumption. I read it all, I did finish it, and trust me, I've read much much worse - but I really expected so much more from the author of The Bad Mother's Handbook.
Next, Chimmy and I got stranded at the pub a few weeks ago. We had had a lovely day together, a bit of a shop, a bit of a wander, a touch of lunch, a tub of fat free frozen yoghurt; then on the way home, we decided to stop off at one of the pubs along the river near Kew Bridge for a couple of lager and limes. The tide was either coming in or going out - who can say - but we got kind of stuck on the benches for about 45 minutes whilst the river flooded the pathway, and left us stranded, surrounded by ducks. It was fantastic, and such a nice end to the day.
I celebrated my first year anniversary at New Work with two boxes of mixed selection from Krispy Kreme. I obviously shared my celebrating, and my buns, with my colleagues - although managed to polish off 3 (yep 3, count them) of the buggers myself. Those glazed bad boys are enough to make me go boss-eyed. I swear, if it was legal to marry a doughnut - I would be Mrs Kreme in a flash.
The Banville-Smiths - life long chums of The House of Piper - hosted a lovely get together in their garden the other weekend. We only get to catch up probably twice a year, so each time it's lovely and precious. And who would have thought the offer of some chocolate buttons would create so much excitement.
Boo and I finally had The Sister, The Brother-in-Law and The Niece over for lunch. I baked bread. I made two different types of ice cream. I made spinach and ricotta lasagne (including a tomatoe sauce from scratch). I made caramelised shallot and Gorgonzola puff pastry tarts. I made a wild mushroom risotto. I made strawberry cupcakes. I made jam tarts. I pulled a salad together.... and after all that The Niece wanted fishfingers and peas for lunch. Boo and I also got special housewarming gifts. We both got a set of four rubbers. Mine were heart shaped, pink, red and purple. Boo's were shaped like tools. Apparently we can swap if we like. I think I'm going to keep mine all to myself.
It has been heaven to walk home from the station these past couple of weeks. Pottering along, headphones on, rucksack on back. Bar flip-flop-shin-ache, it's great to stride along - when I say stride, I of course mean dawdle like a little old lady...and jesus christ it beats getting the bus with all the other sweaty fuckers.
This week my lovely friend Rodney (who is also the most poshest person I know in real life) invited me to super to meet his new BF, together with my favourite lesbian couple who I haven't seen for months. Lovely posh Rodney has the most awesome flat in Vauxhall, and he is truly the host with the most - and it was lovely to relax, chit chat about book stuff, Big W gossip, old ex colleagues who we hate, old ex colleagues we still love... and not one of them made fun of the HUGE cold sore that I currently have on my lip.
This afternoon I slipped off to Walpole Park to have a quick listen to some music and eat some bread and cheese at the Ealing Jazz Festival. I haven't been to the festival for a couple of years, it still feels a bit empty going without my Dad - but I do, or at least did, use to love going - so I thought it was time for a revisit. Well, let me tell you. You now have to pay to get in. OK, it's only £1, but none the less. It's the bloody principle I tell you. Second, you are now fenced in to an area the size of a school playing field. Infant school that is. God only knows what it's like when it gets busy in the evenings. Probably like being stuck on the tube. But without the abandoned copies of Metro flying about. Thirdly, there is no bloody bread and cheese. The French market has been replaced with a bloody German bar and a jewellery shed selling stuff made out of amber. What the fuck? Who on earth wants bloody amber bracelets instead of lovely gooey cheese from French France? Nextly, the lovely soft green grass of the park has been pebble dashed. Or shingled. Or whatever it's called. Did the person who recommended that as a suitable flooring for a festival consider what those tiny little shards of rock do to the underside of your feet if you are wearing flipflops? No. That retard did not think about that. I've already got through two tubes of cracked heal balm this month trying to repair my poor old feet - and now you wanna see them... screwed they are, screwed. However, we did get to hear a set by a fella called Xantone Blacq. Or maybe that's the band's name. Who cares. He rocks. Or jazzes. Or whatever is appropriate. If you get a chance to listen; give it a whirl. Awesome.
I know I've been banned from buying any new books till I finish the piles of proofs I've still got floating about from my days at the Big W. I know, I know.... but I happened to be in the Holborn branch of books etc the other day.... and I happened to find myself in front of the 3 for 2 table.... and the new Louise Candlish winked at me, then the Harriet Evans gave me a nudge... and then Jenny Colgan beckoned me over for a chat.... before I knew what was happening, I'd been book bashed. I've hidden them from Boo under my side of the bed for now. Thank Christ he doesn't read this blog.
This weekend we've got some more bridesmaid dress shopping - with Boo's sister and niece, and some West Side Story action on Sunday at Sadler's Wells. Bar that I refuse to cook, shop, clean or nothing. I will instead be doing lots of sitting. Lots of laying. Down. A touch of eating, maybe some drinking, and if I'm very very lucky, and ask very very nicely maybe, just maybe a bit of kissing. Who knows....
3 July 2008
10 Months?!
In exactly 10 months time I will be getting married. What the fuck?! How on earth? Where on earth? What?!
It has dawned on me, that my constant "I've got ages yet" mantra has expired. I don't have ages. I have 10 months.
Obv, am really excited. And in organisation heaven. All the planning, all the booking, all the researching. Heaven.
But, come on now. 10 months? 10 months to loose all the weight I've been trying to loose for the past 20 years. Really?! I mean, really?
Right, that's it. If you see me within half a mile of a bun, I beg you, I urge you - beat me round the head with something heavy, hard and metal....please!
2 July 2008
Miss the Face?
I’ve taken myself off Facebook. I just can’t bear it any longer. The poking. The chucking stuff. The messaging… It’s exhausting. And a little bit boring. A few of my real life friends are on facebook. But just as many aren’t. The one’s that are, I see and speak to in real life much more than I do via facebook. The one’s that aren’t on it, I see no more or less of than I would if they were. But I am regularly messaged and poked by people I once worked with 10 years ago that I haven’t seen since. Or went to school with 22 years ago… and haven’t seen since. Or fell out with many moons ago – and have been avoiding ever since….
I will miss my trivia quiz application for friends though….
And perhaps I will miss the random surfing and snooping when bored.
I deactivated yesterday. It says I can reactivate at any time.
How long do you reckon before I miss being tagged in a photo when drunk, shiny and cross eyed?
I will miss my trivia quiz application for friends though….
And perhaps I will miss the random surfing and snooping when bored.
I deactivated yesterday. It says I can reactivate at any time.
How long do you reckon before I miss being tagged in a photo when drunk, shiny and cross eyed?
1 July 2008
Summer Holiday
We had a week off last week, me and Boo. We did nothing. Almost literally. We didn’t make it to the seaside for a couple of days. We didn’t make it onto the London Eye for the day. We didn’t even go to the cinema or out for a meal.
It was lovely.
We did lots of sitting around. Lots of lounging around. Lots of sofa curling up on action.
He also moved all his bits and bobs into the flat. He is officially living with me. We are living together. Co-habiting.
Lord help us!
I did some Summer Reading action as well. Not a lot, cause it’s rude to ignore your new flat-mate for hours at a time (apparently), but I did finish I Did a Bad Thing which I started the week before – and polished off Something Blue which has been sitting around since 2005 waiting to be read; Lucy in the Sky which I should have read well over a year ago; and Look the World in the Eye another three year old book, which I am ashamed to say I told someone the other day I had read, when I blatantly hadn’t.
All four were good value for money. But if I was in a 3 for 2 situation I would have probably put I Did a Bad Thing back on the table. It just didn’t feel right somehow… the bad thing wasn’t really bad, it was a sad thing, and upsetting thing, a selfish thing maybe. But bad made it sound childish or naughty in a fun way – and it wasn’t fun. Only my opinion I know, and obviously many people will thing I’m as wrong as wrong can be – but, sod off, it’s my blog.
Look the World in the Eye was lovely. All about sisters, family connections, love and laughter. A sensitive subject written without an overwhelming helping of sugar – it was really enjoyable, up until about the last 10 pages or so. I knew what was going to happen; the author knew I knew what was going to happen. Hell, you haven’t read it and yet you probably know what’s going to happen – and when it did happen I was like “yeh, yeh, whatever”. Disappointing, but it didn’t spoil the rest for me thank God.
Lucy in the Sky was grand. Pure chick lit on an epic scale from the lady who reviews books for Heat magazine; published by New Work. I can’t wait to get stuck into Johnny Be Good (her next one), cause I loved this.
I really didn’t think I’d like Something Blue as much as I did. Very American, god awful leading lady (Darcy), and a story about a lady being up the duff. However, it was actually great fun, and I skim read it in an afternoon. I still didn’t like Darcy at the end, but I was happy with how things turned out for her…
It was lovely.
We did lots of sitting around. Lots of lounging around. Lots of sofa curling up on action.
He also moved all his bits and bobs into the flat. He is officially living with me. We are living together. Co-habiting.
Lord help us!
I did some Summer Reading action as well. Not a lot, cause it’s rude to ignore your new flat-mate for hours at a time (apparently), but I did finish I Did a Bad Thing which I started the week before – and polished off Something Blue which has been sitting around since 2005 waiting to be read; Lucy in the Sky which I should have read well over a year ago; and Look the World in the Eye another three year old book, which I am ashamed to say I told someone the other day I had read, when I blatantly hadn’t.
All four were good value for money. But if I was in a 3 for 2 situation I would have probably put I Did a Bad Thing back on the table. It just didn’t feel right somehow… the bad thing wasn’t really bad, it was a sad thing, and upsetting thing, a selfish thing maybe. But bad made it sound childish or naughty in a fun way – and it wasn’t fun. Only my opinion I know, and obviously many people will thing I’m as wrong as wrong can be – but, sod off, it’s my blog.
Look the World in the Eye was lovely. All about sisters, family connections, love and laughter. A sensitive subject written without an overwhelming helping of sugar – it was really enjoyable, up until about the last 10 pages or so. I knew what was going to happen; the author knew I knew what was going to happen. Hell, you haven’t read it and yet you probably know what’s going to happen – and when it did happen I was like “yeh, yeh, whatever”. Disappointing, but it didn’t spoil the rest for me thank God.
Lucy in the Sky was grand. Pure chick lit on an epic scale from the lady who reviews books for Heat magazine; published by New Work. I can’t wait to get stuck into Johnny Be Good (her next one), cause I loved this.
I really didn’t think I’d like Something Blue as much as I did. Very American, god awful leading lady (Darcy), and a story about a lady being up the duff. However, it was actually great fun, and I skim read it in an afternoon. I still didn’t like Darcy at the end, but I was happy with how things turned out for her…
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