Two fools and a cat

ZOO!

2009-04-07T05:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-01T08:37:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-10T13:50:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-07T04:58:00.000-08:00

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....

2009-03-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-05T10:34:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-02-19T13:43:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-02-18T13:15:00.001-08:00

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.....

2009-02-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-02-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-28T12:54:00.001-08:00

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!

2009-01-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-01-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

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!

Changing Rooms? PAH!

2008-12-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

We're now in the process of transforming a cheap chest of drawers into a cheap chest of drawers with new fronts. The idea was to cover them with the leftover wallpaper and thus make them match the spare room. But, as usual we only had enough left to cover three of the five drawers. We're now going to have to use that special paint for faux wood and MDF and paint the remaining two with that to make the whole thing match. Now, this is either going to look ludicrous, in which case it's time to get to Argos, OR it'll look spot on. The wallpapered ones look good, and I have a new found love of arts and crafts, but I'm not so confident of our prowess with the old spray can, but we shall see.

As you can tell, we STILL haven't finished the spare room, the shelves are going back up tomorrow, and the full length mirror went up tonight. I shall hang the pictures last of all I think and I'm still in two minds as to whether I want my PC back in there. If I put it back then it will free up space in our room for us to put something in it's place and if I don't then it'll be the nicest room in the house that no one ever goes in. This in itself is a problem because I want a nice room that no one messes up, but it seems like an awful lot of wasted time and indeed money for no one to use it.

I went to work for the last time this year today and it was terminally dull. We've also been to the SALES! Except I have bought nothing except a pair of black jeans that I didn't try on because I expected them to fit. Turns out they don't and further more they are too big, so every cloud and all that! I've got to take them back tomorrow morning which I expect will be fun.

Merry Festive Season Happy Greetings!

2008-12-27T13:29:00.000-08:00

If anybody is reading this then I wish them a very happy Christmas and I hope you got everything you asked Father Christmas for. I have more chocolate than is humanly necessary, so if anyone wants one, help yourselves.

I've spent an enjoyable few days with my family and am now back home after a not too bad journey cross country. In fact, there was little traffic on the roads at all including the M62 which I was expecting to be the worst. I went for a bracing walk on the seafront on Boxing Day and have never been so cold. We set off walking into the wind and lasted about five minutes before we turned around and walked the other way only to realise that we would still have to turn around and walk into the wind on the return journey. Still, it cleared out the old sinuses.

I'm looking forward to the new year now because I'm determined we will start the renovation of the living room. I'm a bit sick of it being a state. I plan to take up the fire surround and take off the fireplace and replace them with something much nicer and more to our taste. I also want to strip back all the lining paper the previous occupants put up. It's coming off the wall in places, so I suspect once it's off we shall find ourselves with a few problems underneath. Anyway, enough of that......for now......

Ready, steady......GO!

2008-12-21T05:58:00.000-08:00

Finally, it's all done, and everything is wrapped. We did pop to town this morning for a few last minute bits and pieces and I was surprised to see that the panic buying hasn't really started in ernest, maybe everyone is waiting until Christmas Eve or something. The supermarket however was a bit more busy than I'd like, and there were NO cheese footballs!

Don't panic though, we managed to get some from Iceland - we know how to live!?

Waiting for Godot

2008-12-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

So, this morning at around 8:30am the cooker man rang to tell us he would be with us between 12pm and 3pm. This gave us some hours in town to try and buy the Christmas presents we haven't yet. We basically ran around town because we thought, nay hoped that the cooker man would be coming around the 12 mark rather than 3. Well, we got back just before 12, and waited, and waited, then waited. 1 came and went, 2 came and went, then 3 came and went. He eventually turned up around half past after sitting outside in his van for at least 20 minutes. When he eventually decided to come in, his reason for being late was that he was watching a plane circling. Not just any plane mind you, a plane that looked like it was going to crash land and was circling to get rid of it's fuel. Apparently his brother had seen it and called him to say he could see it and that it looked like only one of it's wheels was down. Cue much speculation as to whether it was going to make a crash landing. Now, I'm not overly certain this wasn't an elaborate excuse, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as he's fixed my cooker and it now reaches top temperature.

Another weekend flies by

2008-12-14T12:54:00.001-08:00

This time last year we discovered that our brand new cooker didn't quite reach it's top temperature, needless to say we left it until two weeks ago to do anything about it. We are lazy and probably only really decided to do something when the grill ignition gave up a month ago. Tomorrow the repairman is coming to hopefully sort it out as we had to send off for new parts but it's meant taking a day off work to wait in. Of course they can't give us a time so it's looking like it's not going to be overly productive tomorrow.

We've not done a great deal this weekend, I went to work on Saturday and missed going out for a friend's birthday on Friday night. Then last night went round the corner to see some friends for a few hours. They're looking after another pal's cat. He was in the bad books though after defecating on the brand new stair carpet. Having said that though he seems to be settling in as he came and sat with us in the living room for much longer than he had been doing.

Madam Paws woke me up this morning by standing next to my head and shouting at me. I desperately tried not to open my eyes as that is the kiss of death as then she knows you are awake and will not leave you alone. I wasn't successful though and so she meowed for around half an hour before I gave in and got up. Seems I'm destined to never ever have a lie in.

I think I'm starting to come down with the illness that seems to be doing the rounds lately, I've had a sore throat since Friday afternoon. Just my luck to get it in time for Christmas!

Christmas

2008-12-13T08:57:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas me. Or at least I did before I got a job where I would have to work on odd days throughout the festive period. This means I can't spend any of this holiday for any length of time with any of the people I care about. I'm going to my parents on Christmas Eve itself, which means a good four hour journey if I'm lucky, and if I'm unlucky, I'll arrive sometime around midnight. Then, I'll have to travel back on the 27th, so I can be back in time to go to work. I'm starting to wonder what my boss would say if I decided to book two weeks off next year right over Christmas....

Having said all that though, I am looking forward to the time I am going to spend with the folks, I don't see them as much as I would like, but I guess this is what being a grown up is all about, isn't it?!

We've nearly finished all our Christmas shopping too, only a few more people to buy for and then we're done. However, we've jumped the gun a little where the festive snacks and Roses chocolates are concerned, and nearly finished a bag and a tin of both.

I am a liar

2008-12-10T13:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to town to buy some Christmas presents and as I walked to and fro I passed not one, but two men selling memberships to the RAC. On both occasions I said, "Sorry, I already have membership", when asked would I like to join. I DON'T! I don't feel very guilty, mainly because some answer has got to be better than just being ignored, hasn't it? I always stop for those people doing surveys as well, even though I know that I am going to be unable to take part because I work in the Meedja. I just feel that it's hard enough to get people to be civil as it is, so I figure it's better that I don't add to the general rudeness.

I've been internet-less at work for about a week and a half and surprised myself at how productive I can be! I got it back today though and automatically fell into the same old patterns, it's like a drug! I don't know what people did at work before computers!!!

No news really

2008-11-09T12:11:00.000-08:00

mainly because I'm in a pit of despair due to being unable to do anything right, EVER.

I also haven't stopped for what feels like six months. Still, only TWO MORE WEEKS and then it's not going to be a problem for me anymore.

DIY SOS

2008-10-21T13:23:00.001-07:00

The decorating has come to an almost dead stop, I started to peel the loose wallpaper off the wall in the living room, but haven't got the whole lot off, nor am I about to really. I'm a bit scared if I'm honest at what we'll bloody find, and more to the point how much it's going to cost to put right. So, I think it's going to be well into the New Year before we do anything else.

In other news, I've been working non-stop because we've had staff off sick. My car needs it's MOT and I'm terrified it's going to fail! I need new clothes and I need to lose weight before I am prepared to buy any, and basically that's a vicious circle. Basically, I'm a little ball of joy at the moment.

Worse still, I'm in a panic over a hen night I'm organising because we don't have a club to go to, and we're going to London where I don't know any clubs apart from the super-clubs, and basically I have a week to find one.

Welcome to Paradise

2008-10-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

It's a toss up what's been the most middle aged thing I've done this weekend.

Yesterday, we went to a PACT meeting, where I not only complained most heartily about dog fouling, I also managed to get one of my gripes set as a priority for the next month! People were asked what they would like as their 3 and before I knew what was happening, I was saying "well, people are parking too close to the junction, and there'll be an accident one of these days." THERE'LL BE AN ACCIDENT ONE OF THESE DAYS! Cue nods of agreement being made around the table. Someone else then suggested speeding in general for the third priority, and just so I gave something back for their support, I agreed that it was a splendid idea.

For those unfamiliar with the PACT meeting, once all the formalities are out of the way, they then go around the table for you to get your gripes out of the way. We were first to speak up, and I thought that after my priority they might all think that our main complaint was a bit petty. I started to talk about how we have a lamppost just outside our front door that has been used as a toilet for some time by at least three dogs. I have reached the number three because I've seen three fresh turds recently. I went on to explain that it was a minor irritance, especially as some new signs have gone up recently to explain that if you are caught letting your dog foul you face a fine and it seems this has been a red rag to a bull because there's been more poo there since it went up. I look up from my soliloquy and see them all shaking their heads and mumbling things like "terrible", "no respect these days" etc... It was BRILLIANT.

Today has been much less exciting, I've made a Sunday dinner of lamb chops, and cleaned up. All of which I did before 10am because I can't seem to sleep in anymore. I'll leave it to you to decide which of my days have been the most terrible because if I think about it too long my head might explode.

Party on.....erm........dude.............

2008-09-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

What are you supposed to do with weekends? I've worked hard all week, I get to Friday and it feels like I do the same stuff over and over again. If we stay sober on the Friday night, go to bed at a reasonable time and then spend Saturday doing stuff I come to find myself twiddling my thumbs by the time evening arrives. Then Sunday is spent eating and messing about on the internet and the whole thing just drags and drags.

If I do the opposite and find myself going to bed at some point in the early ours of Saturday morning then Sunday appears rapidly and I get that sinking feeling you used to get as a child where you are hoping that the episode of Only Fools and Horses you're allowed to stay up and watch is a long one so you can stay up later and put off the inevitable arrival of Monday and therefore school.

It's a bit of a lose lose situation. I can't help but wonder what other folks do? Am I alone in my confusion and constant wishing I'd done the opposite? Take this weekend as an example. So far it's been spent having an early night (I've had another crap night's sleep), getting up much earlier than I'd like and spending money I don't have on expensive cosmetics because I'm far more vain than I would ever like to admit. Now, I'm debating whether to go to the pub and possibly a club, or stay in and do nothing. I don't want a hangover or the recovery process that goes with that, but I'm also incredibly bored. ARRRGH!

Sleep glorious sleep

2008-09-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

I've been on earlies all this week (well, Wednesday to today), cue much irritation and extreme tiredness. Even after all these years I still can't function as a fully fledged member of the human race when I have to get up at 4:30am. What doesn't help is that lately I've been sleeping awfully. Come three in the afternoon I am pretty much fit for nothing. This then results in me taking to the sofa to watch the afternoon movie on channel 5. These are BRILLIANT, they're always thoroughly miserable and contain at least one death. I'm also more than certain that none of the films have ever been in the cinema. Needless to say, I am addicted to them, sometimes I even manage to watch a whole one!

Food glorious food

2008-09-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Today, I decided to go and spend some of my birthday money on stuff I don't need. I got in the car, navigated the diversion on the way to the retail park, got halfway there and decided to just go home instead. So, I came home, did some washing, cooked a vegetable curry, played on the computer and watched a dreadful afternoon film on channel 5. I have no idea what stopped me going shopping, other than the fact I just simply couldn't be bothered. I have weight to lose and when I try clothes on I have one of two things happen, the first is that the sizes are either too big or too small, nothing just FITS. The second is that I buy shoes because nothing fits. I realise I need to do something about this, and I realise it's my own fault that I am fat, but I just can't stop eating. I seriously need to sort it out though because I'm to be a bridesmaid in a few months time and I will NOT fit in the dress. The bride is doing fantastically well, she's managed to lose 4 stones by apparently not doing too much, so it can't be that hard can it?

I'm also feeling odd, I've been off work for a week and I really don't want to go back. I know everyone feels a bit like this from time to time, but the feeling's been getting stronger and stronger as the months go by. I feel like it's all a bit of a waste of time, as though I'm not getting anywhere in my career and I see people doing really well (facebook really makes me feel shitty) and wonder why I'm wasting my time pursuing a path I'm clearly not suited to. I can't go any higher within the company I work for and no one else seems to want to employ me. I also feel as though I'm going round and round in circles, it doesn't excite me the way it used to, and it certainly doesn't pay enough for the hours I work. To add to all that, it's all change at work and I don't feel at home there anymore. I'll stop whinging now....

Chintz

2008-09-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

I have taken some photos of the finished room so that everyone can admire our handiwork. I'm still really proud of us the more I look at it, in fact, now I've gotten over the initial shock of all the hard work I'm keen to start on the rest of the house! I don't think he's going to let me though.

Anyway, here's the finished article...

Yesterday was my 30th birthday, and actually I'm not as bothered as I thought I'd be. Granted my life is ebbing away and I've nothing to show for it except a spare room decorated to my taste, but still.... I got some lovely gifts and had some of my favourite people at my party. We had a few people I don't know turn up - they were friends of friends and made the whole thing a bit uncomfortable for a little while, but after they left it picked up again. I am paying for it in spades today though, so it's a good job I've taken tomorrow off too.

It's finished!!!!

2008-09-16T13:31:00.001-07:00

WOOOOOOOOOOO! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! I feel an enormous sense of achievement. Last night, at midnight, after hours of arguing and swearing we completed the room. It's now beautifully papered and painted. It's also clean and waiting to have everything put back into it. I think we've done a great job with the papering despite neither of us having done it before and the fact that we picked one with a very busy pattern. There is one part of it that isn't quite right, but you won't be able to see that because it's where the bed will live. The only bit I'm not entirely happy with is the paint finish. It seems I've rather ruined it with my painting over the crackle. It's worked in one sense in that I've covered the crackle, but it's left an impression of being painted over which is obvious.

Anyway, things I have learned about DIY....

1. There is no easy way around a job.
2. Painting is harder than it looks.
3. Papering is easier than everyone's says.
4. People who put wallpaper on top of wallpaper shouldn't be allowed to own houses.
5. Get someone else in to do the work.

Snap, crackle and pop

2008-09-14T13:28:00.001-07:00

Today has been mainly spent trying to cover up the cracking that seems to have infected the paintwork like a virus, it's all over and has appeared without much reason. A quick "google" reveals we aren't alone in this problem but unfortunately no one gives much in the way of ideas to rid ourselves of it. I've gone over it with MORE paint and a brush but I fear this is just going to result in patches that look weird when it's completely dry, it's already looking like that's exactly what I've tried to do. We've also had the gloss out on the skirting boards so now the house absolutely stinks!

All being well we do the papering tomorrow. I think that we're both a bit nervous about this as we really could end up messing the whole thing up terribly and neither of us really knows what we're doing, so it's gping to be a case of the blind leading the blind. Wish us luck!

Watching paint dry

2008-09-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

It took longer than we thought for the plaster to dry so that's put us back a few days with the decorating. When the plaster finally did dry we then had to apply a coat of wallpaper paste to the plaster to seal it. This took us a solid three hours after work because we also had to clean all the plaster off EVERYTHING. It seems my cousin has managed to plaster all of the skirting boards as well as the back of the door and I'm thinking it should have been something they cleaned off before they left. Ah well, you live and learn.

We're now on our second coat of paint (buttermilk!)but we're getting problems with how the paint is drying, it's cracking in places but we don't know why.

Anyway, this is how it's starting to shape up...

The far wall is going to be papered, which we think will be done tomorrow, fingers crossed!

Hole in'th'wall

2008-09-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

The hole in the wall is fixed, in fact, we now have three perfectly plastered walls. The trouble is they aren't drying as quickly as I would have liked, especially as I've now chosen my wallpaper and paint colours for the room. We've chosen a paper from a collection called 1829 which is supposed to be period type gubbins. Him indoors didn't think much of it in the shop, but after we'd brought a sample home and held it against the wall he changed his mind. It's kind of magnolia with dusky pink flowers (it sounds much much worse than it is, I promise!).

I just want to get going with it now though, I need it to be finished by my 30th in a few weeks because we've got people coming to stay and I doubt they'll all fit on the settee. Speaking of my 30th, I'm being badgered into doing something when all I actually want to do is pretend it's not happening. I realise that this is a very ridiculous attitude to take as it is aferall just a number, but I just feel a bit as though my life is ebbing away and I have nothing to show for it. I suppose what didn't help was finding out that someone was being paid TWO THOUSAND POUNDS more than me for doing a lesser job. I guess that's what you get for discussing salaries.

Can he fix it?

2008-09-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

Well, yes he can, apparently. This weekend, my cousin is coming to fix the hole in the wall. I'm hoping it's going to be relatively straight forward just because I desperately want the room to be back to normal by my birthday. In my head I've already starting thinking about colour schemes and cushions, but it could all be a bit premature if it turns out to be a major job.

In what's proved to be a fairly brief look at the outside wall, there appears to be a brick problem near to the drain, which corresponds directly to the hole inside, which means it could well be a sign of something more serious. But, the wallpaper wasn't at all damp in the room, and surely that would happen wouldn't it? If you had major water leaks? I'm considering re-training to be a builder, then at least I'd be able to fix these things myself!!!

Here we go again

2008-09-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

I stopped blogging properly last year after the death of our beautiful cat Marwood. This may sound like a weird reason, but I was so heartbroken and the whole thing was dedicated to him and about him that I just couldn't re-visit it. I realise some folk may think I'm crazy, but it's the only reason I have. So, why am I starting again? Well, we bought a house and we're doing it up and I have to have somewhere to vent my frustrations.

Where to begin... Nine months ago we moved into the house which on first viewing looked as though it didn't need a thing doing to it, how wrong we were! Firstly, once all their furniture was out and before ours was in, it came to light that the two year old child who previously lived here had drawn some wonderful scribbles just at ankle height. They'd also decorated to sell and I think someone may have watched one too many episodes of Changing Rooms as the living room and kitchen both have "feature walls" in unsuitable colours. The one in the kitchen is monstrous, not least because the lady who started it decided she wasn't going to finish it, and cheerily told me over the phone that she had "left the paint pots for you to finish it". Secondly, they painted the living room on top of lining paper that wasn't properly stuck to the wall. And in the part where it didn't meet the wall, decided that painting the crack was a better idea than sticking it down.

So, because we aren't master decorators we decided to start the re-decoration in the spare room as it's small enough not to cost a fortune if someone else needs to be called in. After getting to the bottom of about 17 layers of paper (including woochip - cue sharp intakes of breath from everyone who has heard this), we dated the bottom layer (lime green box shaped flowers) to 1983 as they've written it on the wall. Not only that, we've found a nice hole in the wall....