Make Mine a Double Buckleys Straight Up

Madde, I know this is your story to share but I can't help it - it is too funny. Can you really expect sympathy when you order Pine Cider and it turns out that it tastes like crap? No one with the possible exception of Angela (she actually likes Buckleys) could possibly expect otherwise. Did you really think the lime would cover up the tree taste?

Has Mother Nature Been Dumped or Something?

It has been a while since my last rant hasn't it? Well don't be disappointed.

Rant 7 - What is up with Mother Nature? It is supposed to be August but on Saturday night I had to put the electric blanket on my bed. I slept in a sweatshirt with an electric blanket, sheet, blanket and duvet? August weather? I think not. Only 6 weeks ago it was so hot even sheet was too heavy and now my toes are icicles. Not really the greatest summer on record and I have not even mentioned the torrential rain.

Your Mission Should You Choose To Accept It.....

.......is to kick Sally's and my asses. We joined the gym today. So, we need you to get on our backs about going. Please pester, pester, pester.

The Cows Seems Surprised to See Us

Sal, Laura and I made it back from Norwich in one piece. The concert was very good and the wine was free, German but free. Sal showed us around her University Campus, we experienced a Uni Breakfast, saw a few of her old houses, shopped in her old grocery store and saw the lamppost she ran her bike into (no alcohol involved). We also saw some of the Norfolk countryside - actually much more of the Norfolk countryside than we intended. We followed a road sign that seemed to go the way we wanted. The road was nicely paved and went past lovely houses, then it was dirt and went past fields, then it was a track with a strip of grass in the middle and then it was a muddy mess and then it was a tractor path and then I thought the car was going to break and then we turned around and did it all in reverse! The car seems ok and I can laugh now but as Sal will attest there were white knuckles and much grimacing on my part. The trip back was oath inducing-bad driver ridden-frustratingly slow and involved some very strange navigation through parts of East London we didn't even know existed. But, we got Laura home and can now tell you where every Dry Cleaners, Chicken Shop, Pharmacy, Police Station and Fire Station is between Seven Kings and Willsden (modified version of the counting cows game as there are few cows in London). I don't think we will be heading back to Norwich in the near future.

On to better things. I just booked tickets to see Joss Stone on 22 September and am very excited. We have a holiday weekend coming up. Sal is away but I think I will be painting - it is strangely addictive once you get into the swing of it.

It's Only Water?

Science Question - how da hell does water multiply so much? Have you ever noticed that for every litre of water you drink you pee out about 3? I am noticing it. I am once again trying to drink the recommended 2 litres of water per day. I try this every once in a while - usually last about 2 weeks as I get sick of the getting up 4 times during the night thing. Especially now that the bathroom is at the other end of the flat and no longer in my bedroom. Anyway - can anyone offer any theories for this volume expansion?

Sal, Laura and I are off to Norwich this weekend. Sal has to oversee the Wines of Germany stand at a Proms concert so we will be taking in some culture. We will be staying at Sal's Alma Matter - UEA, University of East Anglia. She is most excited. On Monday, I will be able to tell you where Sal spent her university time taking classes, studying, engaged in serious philosophical debate, researching......

No News

Spent the weekend painting so there is not much to update you on. We have one room done - the lounge. Now if anyone visits, they get to sleep in the nicest room in the house. We also have the kitchen almost done. The walls are painted and we are working on the trim. I have been hard at work with white spirit and white paint to reverse the moment of insanity that led us to paint the trim with burgundy gloss. It is amazing how the 4th trip to the hardware store in 2 days get to you!

Anyway - here is a great link for you to check out. My best ever is 6 out of 8.

http://www.filmwise.com/invisibles/index.shtml

Shooting Stars

Did you know that there was a meteor shower last night? Dave and I went to see it - or atleast seeing it was the plan. I picked Dave up at 11:00pm, we drove to Isleworth and parked by the London Apprentice (flashbacks Dad??) and walked to Syon Park. We walked into the middle of the park. The nearest lights were about 100m away but we could have sat down and read a book. Not good for star gazing, but we persevered. We looked up and had a blank patch of sky above us . Fantastic. After about 10 minutes, 7,432 planes and really sore necks, our clear sky clouded over. We walked back to the car, drove home and decided that unless you live in PEI or Texas, a meteor shower is not really worth the effort.

How Did Van Gogh Do It?

Laura and I went to see The Trews last night. They really rocked the Barfly in Camden. Admittedly, that is not hard as it is approximately the size of my flat and they had the same number of amps and speakers they would use for playing an arena! On the one hand am kind of sorry I missed the the concert in PEI, on the other still glad I missed the rain. Will definitely have to check out their CD.

Rant 6 - I realise we are not trying to create a masterpiece just painting a few rooms but please remind me never ever to use the words - no problem, we can paint - ever again. Sal and I got energetic this weekend and bought tester paints and undercoat. On Sunday, we decided to paint. After approximately 3 roller strokes my enthusiasm started to fade and after I kicked over a bucket of paint (Thank God for dropcloths) it disappeared completely. After I kicked over the bucket of paint more than Sal's enthusiam disappeared! I think this may take a while.

Happy Unbirthday

Josh is planning a Half Birthday BBQ for next Sunday. It should be a good time but does anyone know the present etiquette for a Half/Un Birthday? I was thinking a couple of sachets of ketchup from BK. Any suggestions?

Getting Old?

I just spent another 'quiet weekend away'. Saturday, I went down to Shaun's to hang out with the family. As I drove down, I was thinking - Does spending another weekend out of London mean I am getting old? Craving peace and quiet - shunning bars and smoke. I felt bad abandoning Josh (Sal was at a wedding) but then he is not old like me and can handle the hustle and bustle of the city.

Once I arrived, Edmund had me colouring like a woman possessed. He also gave me lectures on the Greek Gods and the Thunderbirds movie, showed me EVERY piece of work he did at school last year, told me a story about lemon and eyeball monsters, and had me carry his friend and him around the garden. Meanwhile, Michael ran around and peed on everything - in the pool, on the patio, on the grass - everywhere but in his diapers or the toilet and asked me for 'horsey' rides (thank God the 'horse' did not get peed on).

As I drove back from London with stories of Zeus and Hercules fighting Lemon Eyeball Monsters which had been coloured with Crayola coloured pencils in the strict colour scheme demanded by Lord Edmund mixed with the non stop background noise of 'Michael - nooooooo' and 'Hee hee hee - Kissine you make he laaaugh' ringing in my ears, I thought - Bring on London, I am too old for this.