Broken, Interruptions & Indoor Tobogganning

I've started reading this brilliant book by Daniel Clay. I gave a copy of it as a present to A who loved it and read it a couple of months ago and even said that she will keep it and probably read it again at some point in the future (not like her at all). Daniel Clay is also the kindly chap who posted his successful submission letter to the brilliant Jonny Geller here

Today I needed to find out some information from work and ran out of places to look so phoned my friend S on her mobile thinking it a little strange that she didn't answer the call quickly like she usually does. The poor thing phoned me back later sounding far more cheerful than I would have done and apologized for taking so long. Apparently I'd interrupted her cooking some rather fabulous sounding food - in France. Opps.

During the occasional break at work, actually it was at lunchtime, no really. You don't believe me? Neither would I. Well anyway, I was emailing my friend A (the same one as mentioned above) who was describing how some of her colleagues had gone indoor tobogganing (strange word and by the sounds of it strange colleagues too) and were suffering the after effects of it all. We found it hilarious. I looked it up on You Tube and dont think that they were actually doing this. Now is it me or does this man not appreciate the dangers of flying down a staircase on a mattress with a window at the bottom of it (the staircase that is, not the mattress)?

Reading, Shopping, Back to the Grindstone

Well I've finished my shopping for R's present (thanks for the ideas, much appreciated), am half way through this wonderful book and preparing my brain for coping with returning to work tomorrow (still haven't forced myself to do the ironing though, too hot outside to miss out on the sunshine).

Went swimming again with Grumpy yesterday, he came in to the pool with me twice and paddled away feeling much happier afterwards and curlier too. I must remember to take a camera with me and would have done this time if S hadn't nagged so much to get to the pool in the first place.

The computer is driving me insane. It has taken up to an hour to manage to get to my own blog and although I can get as far as different profiles, it won't actually let me into any other blogs to either read them or leave comments. This is so frustrating and I'm hoping to get it resolved this week, which reminds me work tomorrow. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, back to wearing make-up, doing my hair instead of dragging it up into a scrunchie and having to wear more than a bikini and sarong for hours every day. Sigh.

Competition, Assignment & R's Birthday Gift

I was trying to upload one of my photos to this post but for some reason it wouldn't happen, so I thought I would try this pic as they've been advertising on tv that The Tudors will soon be returning and I simply can't wait.

My computer is driving me insane, in order to keep this trojan at bay the security settings have to be so high that I'm finding it nigh on impossible to get into my blog at all. Poor b-i-l is going to try and sort it out again this weekend and will probably go mad that I've faffed about with all the settings again. When I can manage to get into my blog, it will only allow me to get as far as other blog's Profile pages and not into the actual blogs themselves, so frustrating, grrrrr.

It was so hot here yesterday that I went swimming with S and even Grumpy came in with me twice. He seemed so much happier once he'd cooled down. He looks so funny when he's wet with his skinny little legs but does doggy paddle like an athlete. It's cloudier now but still very close and I'm looking forward to a great big thunderstorm. Knowing our weather we'll probably have a half-hearted shower instead.

I have finally finished my entry to the Jersey Arts Trust, Channel Islands Writer's Competition for 2008 and also my next assignment and shall send them off in the post tomorrow, now all I have to do is figure out what to get R for his birthday on Monday. Yes, I know I only have a couple of days left, well tomorrow actually but I've been shopping and can't find anything. I've asked him what he wants but all he'll say is, "Nothing, don't worry about it." This is not a helpful answer because I still need to get him something. Men can be such a pain.

Mama Mia, Wet shirts & Colin Firth

Having been horribly frustrated by my computer for the past few days as I have to have high security to ward of this virus but then take an age to be able to access my blog, I went with sis and a friend to see Mama Mia last night.

Now I am not an Abba fan per se (unlike my friend Kelly who is and always has been a massive fan) and it is a musical (I generally prefer Les Mis and Phantom) but having seen the snippet on Sky thought that it looked too much fun to miss and was right. It was a toe-tapping, sing-a-long (that was just me though probably), laugh a moment (my sister does have the loudest laugh in the entire world) film and I heartily recommend it for anyone who wants to:

a) Enjoy all the songs whilst eating salty popcorn until your lips go numb
b) Watch a really good up-lifting, feel-good film, whilst chomping on choc M&Ms
c) Laugh at the three women having so much fun (took me back, sigh)
d) Gorgeous scenery - I think I may need to pack up and go and live there
e) Seeing Colin Firth once more in a wet shirt (oh yes, another big sigh)

Excellent stuff. I could have gone straight back in and watched the whole thing again.

Now though, I'm going to drag myself back down to earth and get on with my writing assignments (dreadfully ignored for a few months) and carry on with my 100 words a day (going great guns, now nearly 12,500 words).

Enjoy the weather, while it lasts. It's a bit windy today here but as it's a hot wind it's lovely.

Holidays

This is a picture of yesterday's sunset and remembering that old saying, 'Red sky at night...' I was relieved as I'm on holiday from work this week. Yay.

Someone at work asked me where I was going. I shan't be going anywhere as I have a whole week as follows:

- Where I don't have to sit at a desk - I shall be sitting at a secondhand 1950s table with a laptop on it.
- An entire week sitting in a shed - strange as it sounds, this will be fun.
- Seven days when I won't have to be dressed in smart clothing - sheer bliss.
- My daughter is happy to spend a few days doing very little, apart from one day in town shopping and a few outings with her friends.
- Going to see Mama Mia with a few of the girls.

And the weather forecast is good. Sigh. So apart from the above and walking Grumps on the beach with R and S, I intend doing very little for the next week apart from making the most of having time to read and enjoying having more time to write.

Ahhh bliss.

I'm Back - Phew

Thanks to N (b-i-l) spending most of a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon on my computer, I'm back and raring to go. What a relief and how kind especially when you think how lousy the weather has been for most of the summer.

It has been dreadful not being able to go visiting blogs, or posting although I've managed to do a lot more reading than I usually do and finished Nell Dixon's excellent, Blue Remembered Heels. I've still done my 100 words a day and this morning wrote a short story entry for a competition, so I haven't been entirely out of the writing loop.

James, I shall be thinking of you for the next six days and hope you don't get too exhausted carrying that rucksack all those kilometers (125km). I can't wait to see the photos and would love to be seeing all the fascinating places that you're visiting. S is just back from your Dads and says that H is fine and was taken for a walk today by Chris. R is cooking a stirfry with courgettes, carrots and sugarsnap peas from the garden. Grumpy is exhausted as he has been chasing Georgie & Josh around the garden for most of the afternoon. X

James - Happy Trekking

Hi there, just a quick post to wish you well with your trip to Chang Mai & Chang Rai and the trek. Glad to hear the cooking is going well and that Cartwright is helping you too.

Your sister has been messing about with the computer and I now have some sort of virus that's messing things up a bit, so will need to spend a bit of time sorting it out. (I'm having a nightmare with this and will do my best to post but may not be able to for a few days, thankfully b-i-l is helping me suppress the virus so that I can add this).

V wasn't there yesterday when we went to Greve, only a miserable girl who didnt want to serve food but V's son appeared and then she was more helpful. The breezeblock had his usual order of a sausage and wolfed it down in no time.

I'm now off on holiday from work for the next ten days and can't wait to be able to sit in the shed for a decent amount of time. Nothing new to report, I just want you to thoroughly enjoy yourself. x