ZOO!

Yesterday we went to the Zoo with a couple of mates and I am now exhausted! Who would have thought that walking around looking at animals would be so tiring. We saw EVERYTHING though which I'm quite pleased about. I've come away thinking that I would quite like some meerkats and definitely want some otters. We saw the otters last and they were brilliant. They seem to love people and do a lot of jumping up and down and squeaking.

I'm on another day off today and my new book arrived. The visitors have been packed off to the town centre and I plan on reading a few chapters this afternoon because I'm so excited about it coming.

Secret projects

Now, I've promised to make five people something thanks to a Facebook meme and I've been quite excited about it. The idea is that you promise to make something for the first five people who reply to your message. I didn't expect anyone to respond but in the end seven people did. I knew exactly what I would make for four of them. And so I have. They will be posted out soon and I am looking forward to seeing what people think....

Home Alone

Even though I am on earlies and dog tired it took me forever to get to sleep last night. This is for several reasons, not least because I had worked myself up into a paranoid frenzy about being burgled whilst I was home alone and so stayed up to watch a programme about Holloway prison. Very interesting as it happens. Some of those women whilst may committed heinous crimes have never known a life other than that. There was one who was quite clearly doing bad things whilst banged up because she didn't have anything or anyone on the outside and staying in prison would mean a better life for her. What a waste of a life.

I digress. I finally got to sleep only to be woken by a loud crash. This made me start out of bed and then think oh my god we are actually being burgled! (See earlier point about me working myself up). I stayed really still to see if we were and then when I heard nothing else I just presumed the cat had done something.

I went back to sleep then the horse racing started up and down the stairs. I got up to see what on earth Poppy was playing at and she followed me into the bathroom. The look on her face read, "oh look she's up! let's play" and she started purring and circling my legs. I was less than impressed at this and told her to be quiet. Went back to bed and then after what felt like minutes the alarm went off and I had to get up. She better behave tonight or else!

Oh and the loud crash was the ironing board falling into the bookcase....Madam Paws at work.

Match of the day

I'm back on earlies for a few days this week and as a result need to make sure I am asleep from about nine until getting up time. Well, last night it was not to be. Firstly, because there is no carpet on the stairs it sounds like an army is marching up them in hobnailed boots even if it's someone walking up them in socks and secondly because Madam Paws found a piece of paper to play with in the wee small hours. I can't believe how much noise one small cat can make. I had to get up and turn the light on to find out what she was playing with, and then it was a case of closing my eyes and trying desperately to get back to sleep when all the time a little voice in my head was saying "come on, you've got to be up for work in a few hours."

Tomorrow a friend of ours is coming round to give us a quote on the living room. I'm hoping it's not going to cost the earth because I really, really don't want to have to do the work ourselves. I'm really dreading taking the upstairs doors off to gloss them. He's currently pulling all the old nails out of the stairs ready for me to do all the skirting boards.

In other news, they've been trying to deliver us a parcel for two days, they first brought it on Friday when no one was here. He rang the freight company who said they would bring it today after 2pm. When I got back today it had been delivered at 1pm when there was nobody here again. This time I rang them, and asked them to deliver it to my work tomorrow, so we shall see what happens. It's the spare part for my deckstand which I don't really want, but we have paid for it, so I want it to hurry up.

Tonight has been spent watching TV, how come no one on Albert Square has a washing machine? Surely, it costs a fortune to use a launderette in London? Doesn't it? I am also amazed at how much money they seem to spend in the pub. You wouldn't think there was a recession on. I've also been looking at Mixmag's new releases. I've been looking for the cheapest place to buy MP3s on now that I've taken to the CD players.

More progress

The old stair carpet is up and at it's new home (the tip), and now we're (he) is repairing the broken wood. We're buying a new carpet because Poppy was ripping the old one to shreds. I'm hoping we've chosen one that is less claw friendly. It's also a bit darker than the old one and apparently stain resistant. This is particularly important because Madam Paws has a terrible habit of vomiting on the stairs. This is usually after going outside in the yard and eating weeds. And more importantly, we're getting it from a contestant of Come Dine With Me. We only went into his shop because of that programme and it's turned out to be the cheapest!

I've spent today in work, and then spent some of this afternoon making chocolate brownies and sunday dinner. I'm also watching a terrible version of Wuthering Heights on ITV3. It's incredibly wooden and the acting (from an all star cast) is all long stares and moody brows. I do love Wuthering Heights and do so hate it when these things are ruined by bad adaptations.

Comic Relief

I've just finished a 6 day week and am preparing to enjoy my one day off this week. Tonight will be spent not going out (and being jealous of my friends who have all gone out together) and watching Comic Relief. Before you ask, I've donated using that text thing they've developed this year. I have to say though that this trip up Kilimanjaro did seem like a vehicle for some of the celebs to make themselves look good, rather than the spirit of raising money for charity. Yes Cheryl Cole, and Fern Cotton, I'm looking in your direction. I would also have given money to NOT see a collaboration between Little Britain and Catherine Tate.

Eating

I am regularly on a diet, and so is one of my friends. We swap rubbish tips from time to time, but neither of us really takes the whole thing that seriously. She recently went on the Cambridge Diet and it does seem to be working for her. This evening I was watching Supersize vs Superskinny where they've been following a group of anorexics. I can't imagine what it must feel like to have that kind of a relationship with food. The same friend and I were also talking recently about pro-ana websites and tonight I've kind of upset myself by reading some of them.

It's so sad that these girls (and they are mostly girls) think that 90lbs (6 stones 4) is too fat. They also encourage each other by saying things like "remember how disgusting you felt when you ate that bar of chocolate, that'll stop you eating one in the future." One blog even talks about 3 days of fasting and then drinking four cups of salt water to bring up anything that could still be lurking in the stomach. The thing is, there does seem to be a whole community vibe about it all. No one seems to be on these sites out of malice, but I cannot help but think that this is one giant self destruct button. What I really hope is that all these girls get the help they need and eventually become well.

Day off

Whilst I'm itching inwardly about the hallway not being finished I have also decided to take a semi-day off. This is partly because we probably need more paint, and also because we popped round to a friend's last night and I didn't get home till 4:45am. I'm feeling surprisingly spritely all things considered and may think about doing a spot of touching up. He is still in bed though having rolled in at about 7 this morning.

I've got work tomorrow and so have decided I just might not get dressed today. I've so far watched an episode of Malcolm in the Middle and as I write this am watching some fishing programme with Robson Green. Now, I'm a little confused as to why he is the focus of the show, especially as I can't remember seeing him ever act in anything. His only notable achievement (if you can call it that) appears to have been that godawful version of Unchained Melody he did.

And so....

Today I could cry. The house is such a mess, and it's set to be this way for the next few days. I've put what's about to become the first layer of yellow on the walls and just can't see an end in sight with it. The job has become the job that should never have been started. I'm hoping that by tonight we'll be a step closer, but there's still the gloss work to do, and the taking down of all the doors and painting them.

The weather's been really odd the past couple of days too. A strange mix of wintery showers and brilliant sunshine. I'm hoping it's going to last into the weekend as we've got a new greenhouse to put up and new plants to pot up and seeds to sow.

Let's go round again

So, painting has begun once more here at the ranch. We've moved on to the hallway which has been irritating me since we moved in. The previous owners had painted it a delightful shade of Baby Shit Brown which was a terrible choice given the size of the space. I've opted for Lemon Pie which is basically not a massively bright yellow. Because of the afore mention BSB, I've spent most of the day going over it in white. Now, this sounds easier than it's turned out to be, mainly because I'm not allowed to use the ladders on my own in case I fall and break my neck when nobody is about. So, I've done the lower parts and am waiting for laddo to do the higher sections tonight. Tomorrow will see the yellow go up and I'm quite excited.

All this has made me all the more determined to get a professional in to do the living room I'm exhausted.

In other news, I've been off work all week and I'm really not looking forward to going back. I've got about 5 weeks of hard graft to look forward to come Sunday. I could get used to this housewife business. Having said that, I miss the craic and the people I work with. Also, I made my public debut as a DJ at my friend's birthday party last Saturday. I personally think I could have done better, but a couple of people have said I was ok, so I'm choosing to take their word for it.

I'm also looking at the possibility of going on some kind of driving holiday to America, the plan is to start in Boston, take in New York, Washington and a few other places in that corner. I think it may have to happen next year though because I'm not sure I've got enough time to plan it and put that plan into practise.

Springy sprungy?

Now, I may be tempting fate a little here but when I arrived at work today I could smell spring. You know, that kind of fresh air smell. Like wet grass. It wasn't cold either which made a refreshing change especially as my car currently only has two heat settings, NONE or HOT. You can tell it's half term too. We're really scratching about for stories. I've been on my own all week which I've enjoyed because I've worked at my pace and not had to worry if others are doing stuff and not messing about on the internet. I am a firm believer that Facebook is a ruiner of work.

We're going into the March from hell, so, in many respects it's a little of the calm before the storm. We've somehow managed to all still have loads of holiday left and now all need to take it as soon as possible. I wouldn't mind so much were it not for the fact that we have the same problem every year. I think this is the trouble with holiday entitlement running April to April. There's an argument for running it December to December. No one really wants to take a break in January or February.

Can I have a moment of your time?

Well, yes. Mainly because I know what it's like to try and ask members of the public for information or for their opinion. There are however one or two exceptions. The main one of these called at our door this evening. We were in the middle of cooking dinner, in fact at the stage where it was time to dish up when the doorbell rang. At the door was none other than a man trying to get me to sign up for his charity. Now, I realise that this may sound terrible, but I really object to my home life being intruded on in this way, and the accompanying guilt trip. If I want to donate to charity I will seek that charity out and give them my cash.

We also seem to have a massive amount of takeaway leaflets of late. Most of these for Kebab houses. Food we most certainly don't eat what with one of us being a vegetarian.

In deck stand news, it's pretty much finished. We need to get a backing board to make it a bit more sturdy and it really needs painting as MDF isn't the most attractive of materials. I'm refusing to do it though until we sort the living room out. This has to happen soon before it sends me mad.

And so.....

It's here, and is in a half assembled state in the living room. It is this way for two reasons. The first, that they (him and our mate) started putting it up about 10:30pm last night and had to stop before the neighbours really start to hate us. The second, because it's not quite flush in parts. Basically, it's not the most well made item in the world. Oh, and after all the fuss it's also not here. There is a sliding shelf part missing and the runners to which this should be attached are broken. Tomorrow starts the massive task of trying to claim those pieces.

In another stroke of genius, the parcel company came round again to deliver the item for a second time, even though we already had it. Turns out the driver didn't look in the back of his truck before turning up and didn't even check to see if he had our item. All this would have been fine had it not been for the fact that I had to go this evening to claim our non-existent parcel because no one thought to tell me it was all some moron's fault for not checking before he left the depot. To add to my woes I couldn't get out of their elaborate one way system in the dark to leave the bloody car park and had to drive round it twice before some kindly trucker pointed it out to me. All this made me half an hour late home and a bit more grumpy than usual.

Ebay

Forgive me blogger for I have sinned, it's been a while since my last update.

This is partially down to the fact that I've had not very much to say at all and I figured it was better to say nothing than talk rubbish. And because nothing at all has happened to me, at all.

However, today I do have something to say. I bought a deck stand on Ebay from a bone fide shop on the 14th of January. It said delivery 10 days. It finally arrived today after numerous phone calls but is still at the depot because no one was in. He has gone to fetch it so I'm using this time to use the Internet. Now, the thing about this whole order is, we should have done a bit more digging about the shop before we bought it. Turns out they are a bit notorious for not delivering on time and many have reported bits missing and things not quite being what they say. I suppose we shall see when he gets back.

I'm left wondering what sort of feedback to leave now that you can't leave bad stuff anymore, because even if it's the best thing ever it's still been a bloody long time in coming!

Grrr!

I'm feeling angry today, mainly at myself, but also at the driver of a ridiculous 4 by 4 on the motorway who was tailgating me and flashing me, even though I was travelling at 70 in the outside lane with cars in front of me and in the lane next to me.

I'm also cross with my CD decks. I'm bored of not being able to work them properly. This evening I have spent some time trying to get some lovely tunes to mix together using them. The problem is I just can't work them. I've tried and I fail every time. Other people can work them and in the words of my friend, "there's nowt wrong with them".

Maybe it's that I'm crap at mixing, which completely makes sense as I simply don't devote enough time to it. Nor have I ever been good at anything ever. I am fairly middling at everything but have never been hugely talented.

I'm also feeling a little unsettled, this economic climate isn't making me feel massively secure in my job, especially given what is going on elsewhere in the industry. To add to this, there are no jobs being advertised anywhere and even if there were I would probably be more expensive to hire than half the applicants out there.

Basically, I'm in a bigger grump than normal.

Why Aye Pet Man Like

I have just spent a lovely weekend in Newcastle for my friend's 30th. It wasn't snowing as such, there were a few flakes and it was bitingly cold. Of course that did not stop the Geordies being out in force without coats and in some cases many clothes.

What I like about Newcastle is that it isn't like other cities, there is no shame and even the larger lady lets it all hang out with pride. I applaud this actually, they don't care what people think and that is exactly how it should be.

Godot arrives

There are many people who dismiss the music of Beyonce and those who produce similar kinds of music, I am not one of them. She has her place, particularly amongst teenage girls and women who have split up with their boyfriends. Take her most recent ditty, she's telling men that they should "put a ring on it", what a great testimony to what women should aspire to! But, then compare that to Survivor, where women have got to be strong etc...Basically, she is one size fits all.

Today has been the day when Godot finally arrived in our house. I bought a brand new mixer for my decks on the 14th of this month which finally arrived today after what felt like forever. The trouble is, it has a million and one features I have no idea how to use. I need a period of time where I can get to grips with it properly and at the moment we're booked up most nights.

EAT!

I am an avid viewer of the Channel 4 series Come Dine With Me, and this week's programmes have been simply the best five episodes they've ever made. Set in Preston, they managed to find five massively different and need I say loony folk to take part. First of all there was a gay man who used to run a drag bar in Spain, a weird carpet seller with a chip on his shoulder about other people being in the limelight, a man who should by rights be very attractive but just wasn't, an old woman who talked in the most odd voice and with her chin in the air, and last, but by no means on this earth least, a beautician who managed to be drunk or "tired" every night. Her evening was BRILLIANT, she made the starter and then someone else had to cook her main course because she had to go to sleep. I laughed till I cried at that. Small things eh?!

I've also much enjoyed watching Heston Blumenthal and his work with Little Chef but would have liked to have seen more wacky food put on the menu. Anything has got to be better than the food I remember from my childhood. In fact, I pretty much only remember getting a drumstick lolly, so I at least expected drumstick lolly soup, or drumstick lolly on toast with a side of deep fried drumstick lolly.

Is it cold?

Now, far be it from me to question what a national news agenda should be, but surely, SURELY the fact that it's a bit cold isn't news is it? It's winter, it's always cold in winter. I could understand if we'd all had four foot of snow, but for the most part it's been a bit of frost and some low temperatures. I watched with some amusement a feature on GMTV this morning where they got the long suffering woman who presents it (I can't remember her name, but she's the one who didn't get Fiona Phillip's job - you know the one, went on the dancing programme) to dress up in suitable clothes for the winter whilst outside. Of course, there's a serious side to the cold, old people dying, heating bills etc... These all serve to remind us how miserable we should all be in these times of woe. And haven't Woolworths been having the long goodbye?! It feels like they've been shutting for around four years and oh the number of people who are mourning it's loss is tremendous, such a shame they couldn't shop there before it went into administration. I also note that the fact it's "such a shame" it's going hasn't stopped the hordes from going in there and buying the shelves off the wall. I do genuinely feel sorry for those who've lost their jobs though.

I'm feeling a little unsettled at the moment, I suspect it's the fact that it's a new year and the past 3 have been so similar they're interchangable. I feel like time is running out to do something spectacular, it's such a shame I don't know what that something is.

We're all DOOMED!

It's good to see that the Government is spending it's advertising budgets for both radio and TV wisely. Over the festive period I have seen and heard numerous adverts all of a most cheery nature. We've had the ever present STIs, don't burn your house down, report domestic abuse, stop being fat and the "don't squash your baby when drunk or on drugs". Now, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I always thought Christmas was a time for celebration and nice thoughts. Furthermore, in times of recession shouldn't our government be trying to make us all feel a bit better about life rather than reminding us all about how crap it can be?

It's back to work tomorrow and I'm really not looking forward to it, these few days off have not been enough, I would like maybe a nice month or two off. I've decided that I should have taken a gap year before University and removed all desire to travel that have re-surfaced recently, I long to go to both India and China but feel a bit like there will never now be the right time to spend the time to go. Sure, I could go for the odd week here and there but it just doesn't feel the same somehow.

Happy New Year!

I realise I'm a few days late but I spent much of yesterday with a migraine and thus in bed. Should I now be making resolutions or is it to late? Should they be made on the 1st?? These are burning questions. I thought very seriously about making one to lose weight, but then I make that every year and never manage to keep to it.

We had a party on the 31st for a few close friends. We kept it quite small because we've had people round before and it's turned into a massive thing. Part of me just wanted to see those I really care about and see in the New Year with them. It was nice as a couple we know from North Yorkshire made the trip and we've not seen them for ages. We usually spend it at theirs so it was nice to swap for a change. Next year I think we'll go away for the weekend somewhere as it's our anniversary on the 1st as well and we haven't yet spent it any way other than in recovery from the night before!

Oh, and we've also finished the drawers and I think they look good considering we made them ourselves!