flying high

 

The photo above is sad really.  It was taken at the Natural History Museum last year on a day out in London. Its Rosie with my old friend Chi Chi from London Zoo.  I remember Chi Chi so well from my childhood.  Chi Chi also seemed enormous and there she is all tiny and little stuck in a corner where the restaurant is.  I also was very fond of Guy the Gorilla.  He used to live in a big Victorian style cage.  Everyone would gather round and then he would throw his pooh at them.  When I asked where he was now, they said in storage somewhere.  What a shame.  Poor old boy should be laid to rest.  Looking back now, it must have driven him crazy being stuck in his cage.

Well here I am on a Saturday night, all bathed and in my jammies at 10 o'clock.  Hmmm, I must be getting old, eh? 

Its not been too bad a week for me.  My "friend" I told you about last time, who I was dreading seeing again on Wednesday for lunch, blew me out with 25 minutes to go as she had had a better offer.  She sent me an e-mail saying that one of the girls she worked with had asked her to go to lunch, so I was dropped like a hot tater!  She even had the cheek to say she would meet up with me on either Thursday or Friday but I wrote back and told her I had other arrangements for those days.  I did actually ... nice lunch hours spent with happier people.  I have made up my mind to avoid her now like the plague.  Then .... I was walking to work on Friday and who did I spot just in front of me, walking towards me with a face of doom.  Hmm, I made a quick step to the right and walked very quickly and she didn't spot me, ooooh what a relief, eh? 

Yes, it was blimming Friday, 13th yesterday ... I had trouble from the start.  Firstly, I couldn't sleep the night before.  I fell asleep on the sofa on Thursday evening and woke at about 11ish.  Tried bed, no.  Came downstairs, lay on sofa again.  Did I sleep, no!  In the end I think I dropped off at about 4 a.m. and then woke up late at 7.20 a.m. when I should have been up at 6.30.  Crazy time then, getting everyone up, getting dog walked, getting showered and out of the house by 8.05 a.m.  Got to the station and my train was cancelled, so I hopped back in the car with Paul and attempted to catch a fast train I know goes from another station nearby which is on a different line.  Got stuck behind the barriers and missed that one! Left my phone at home on charge, so couldn't call anyone.  Then couldn't get out of work on time due to an urgent job and missed my train home. Oooh.  I think the only good thing about yesterday was kicking off my shoes and having a nice lie down on the sofa when I got home.

Martin went for an interview yesterday in Bond Street for a publicist.  He seemed to think the interview went well but he didn't seem keen on the job.  I think he'd be better of getting a job he can drive to from here because he is terrible at getting up in the mornings.

I was in Letchworth today meeting up with my sister's eldest girls, the twins.  We had a pleasant afternoon, mainly sitting at Costa coffee having lovely drinks and watching the world go by whilst we chatted and I caught up with them both.

Martin seems ok and he and Matthew are bonding and going out running a few miles around the fields every evening.  Rosie gets fed up because they won't take her but she can't keep up and its a nice boy thing to do together.  They haven't asked me to join them ... wonder why, ha ha.

Martin and Matthew have gone fishing overnight.  I was out shopping when they left to go and I came home with lots of goodies for them for tonight, oh well, they will have them tomorrow I'm sure.  I don't often get the chance to go to Morrisons and I spent far more in there than I should have.  I can't get another thing in the freezer and the fridge is packed quite tightly.  I noticed they had a little Polish section there which is nice because it was always difficult to get Polish goodies before.  I have found a nice little deli in Hoddesdon which has an enormous selection and is really quite reasonable.  Christmas will be good this year, especially when I make my bigus, with the abundance of Polish sausages I can now get to put in.

Before I went out I did a very naughty thing!  I have booked a helicopter lesson for Paul as a birthday surprise.  We hardly buy each other presents nowadays as really there is nothing either of us want but I know he will be thrilled with it.  At least I hope so!  Luckily the airfield is about a 20 minute drive from us and I now have a voucher, so need to arrange a date.  His birthday is on the 6th August and I don't intend to tell him until that day.  You know me and my surprises!  I am being really nice to him today as I even told him the boxing was on earlier. Ahhh.

I hope everyone is having a sunny weekend.  The weather today was great and I even enjoyed the drive from here to Letchworth.  Hope it doesn't rain tonight as I don't really want muddy clothes coming home from the river.

Not long now until I start my 4 day weeks whilst the children are off school.  They finish this coming Friday, yipee!  I also have a lot of time booked off in August, so I am winding down and getting ready for the summer.

I got Rosie Ann Frank's diary from the charity shop today.  Ann Frank was only 13 when she wrote it.  Rosie who is now 12 can't put it down ... I remember reading it at the same age as Rosie.  I'll let you know what she thinks.  I am reading another Linda La Plante book called The Red Dalia and thoroughly enjoying it.  Its a bit gruesome as its a murder mystery and I have to put it down at times but have to pick it up again.  Oooh, I do so love reading.

Anyway, off now ... have a lovely weekend everyone.

Hugs, Tells x

 

 

 

Crazy times

Heres a picture of the teachers from my primary school.  Oh its so funny that Mr Scott, the small man in the middle, was my headmaster.  He was a real tyrant and I never realised he was so small.  I know the picture is small but I don't know how to make it bigger.  Mr Scott sent me home from school when I was 10 for talking.  Thinking back it was lucky my mum was at home that day.  What an old s**. 

Washing machine and tumble drier going like crazy, radio on in kitchen and Live Earth on TV.  Trying to make toasted sandwiches and blimming fuse has gone on sandwich maker .... ooooh. 

This week has been ok.  Mainly getting up and going to bed again, ha ha.  I had Monday off with Matthew as he had an inset day.  Martin came back on Thurs and he has left his job.  I hope he finds some peace now.  He seems much more under control and I think he has got an interview next week.

Rosie went and had her brace tightened yesterday.  Her front tooth, which was so twisted, is looking really good and that is just after a couple of months.  I am really pleased.

The children now only have 2 weeks left at school before they break up for the summer hols. I can't wait until the surprise holiday, which is on the 10th August.

I met an old "friend" yesterday and spent the whole lunch hour listening to her woes.  I say friend but I use that lightly.  I never contact her as I have always found her very shallow.  She even tried to get me to give her a reference on my company's paper when it is certainly not my place to do that and there is no way I am putting my job on the line for her.  I don't think she asked me once how things were with me or mine.  Some people are so self centred they make me mad.  I remember when my mum died, she called me and I thought how nice but she did not mention my mum once only her building plans!  Health wise she is fine but she can't seem to find a job she likes and that had led to her unhappiness.  Blimey, I don't like my job that much but it pays the bills.  She always has been a very selfish person.  I asked about her daughter who is 15 but she had no interest in telling me much about her.  Her daughter has been doing very badly at school, despite being a very clever girl.  Over the last couple of years, my friend left her husband for 6 months as she wasn't getting on with him.  She didn't take her child.  She has returned to him now.  My friend, despite having the money, hasn't been on holiday for years.  I said to her, why don't you take .... away, just for a couple of days the two of you, it would bring you closer.  No, not interested in doing that.  I feel so sorry for her child.  How awful to have a self obsessed mother.  I have gone on here but she is so lucky to have a child and is wasting all opportunities to do things with her.  She'll be gone and I suppose then she'll say, oh she never visits me.  I left her feeling thoroughly depressed and very sad for her daughter.

Oh well.

Phil Collins singing on Live Earth.  Why he feels the need to swear whilst singing Invisible Touch I don't know.  What a idiot.

Oh well, off to see what I can do for the kids' lunch.

Hugs to all.

Terry

 

 

Evening all

 

Hello all.  I thought I'd add a picture or two here of my village pub and the river.  I think I may have put the river on before.  Last Saturday we had a riverside festival on during the day and evening all centred around the pub and river.  This was done mainly to raise funds for the local youth club, which has been running a few years now.  I only managed to get there very late in the evening and there was a fabulous group playing rock and everyone was dancing and the atmosphere was really good. 

Martin is still here, I am worried about how he is going to deal with his workplace but I think he is going back to Leeds on Tuesday to face the music.  He is still terribly upset about the break up with Julia.  He went out with some friends on Friday night and came home in tears on Saturday morning, I think everything is coming out now and maybe thats not a bad thing.  Its coming up to the anniversary of us losing Barbara, his mum, and things always seem worse at this time.

He has missed not only us but his friends as well and has been busy catching up with them all.  I am not sure when he is moving back but it could be this week.

Work has been ok this week.  I had a lovely evening out with the department when they booked the roof garden at a local pub for a barbeque.  Only trouble was the blimming roof garden was about 4 stories up and I kid you not when the last part was like climbing a very steep ladder.  I was worried that I'd break my neck getting down if I had too much to drink, looking down when I got to the top it was a straight drop down.  Anyway, after 2 glasses of wine I felt I had better get myself off home while I could.  I didn't even pop to the loo whilst I was there knowing that I could only make one journey down those stairs as I wouldn't find the courage to go up again.  God knows how some of my friends got down there when they finished.

I have been the laziest woman ever today.  I have only just got showered and changed into fresh pyamas!  At least I look a bit more human now.  I love doing thisbut always keep my fingers crossed that no-one pops into visit us!

I don't know if anyone is watching Big Brother but I am becoming very fed up with that Charley one and hope she gets voted out this week.  I try to sneak in watching it when I can get the plodder off Paul (e.g. when he falls asleep).

Just remembering from when we were young.  My mum was always thinking someone was at the door and making us go and answer it.  Often there was no-one there and mum would always say, "it must have been my imagination".  After another time of doing this my little brother, Peter, said "Mum, why is it every time I answer the door your imagination runs away", we all fell about laughing.  Hmm, doesn't seem so funny written down. 

Anyway, heres a picture from where I grew up.  I found this site where I really enjoying going back in time.  I spent many happy hours at this cinema (we called it the pictures) and I used to love singing, "We're all for one, we're one for all, we are the grenadiers" at Saturday morning pictures.  This was when it was still called the Empire, which was a bit before my time.

 

and then sadly, it was all knocked down when I was about 15.

Aww.  I used to prefer Edmonton in the old days really.

Anyway, I hope you all have a lovely Sunday, what is left of it.

Hugs, Terry x

My friend Kate

Please go visit and give as much support as you can to my friend Kate who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer and is looking for support and friendship. 

http://journals.aol.co.uk/klassyshassy/Katewhoeversheis/entries/2007/06/26/not-feeling-so-brave/493

I haven't had much time to put an entry on because as usual flying about here and there on my broomstick!  I had to work again on Sunday and it has put me right out.

Martin came back last Wednesday.  He has split with Julia and is feeling very down about that and also is fed up and lonely in Leeds.  I think he will be giving in his notice but at the moment he is taking a short break with us to take stock of things.  We'll probably drive him potty and he'll decide peace and quiet may be better but I hope whatever decision he makes it will be the right one for him.  Matthew and Rosie love having him back here and we have him for a few more days before he goes back to face the music and sort out what he wants to do.

Good news for one of my nieces who has just been allocated a brand new council house after being in a flat from hell for the last 2 years with her baby.  I am so glad she will have a garden to play in and be in a nicer area with nicer people who don't swear and harrass her.

Rosie had her hair cut on Saturday, its a lot shorter now and I'll have to get my blimming camera sorted out to put a picture on here.  From being halfway down her back its now on her shoulders and she is thrilled with it.  Looks quite the glamour puss.  Ooooh I wish I was 12 again.

I don't know if I told you but my husband, Paul, won the lottery.  He and his friends got 5 numbers and they got £450 each.  I have a nice £50 towards our hols and he has taken us out for a meal too.

Blimming cat is honking up in my new kitchen  .... argh gotta go.

I will love you and leave you until I can write a bit more.

Hugs, Terry x

 

oooh, oooh, Sunday, Sunday

Well this print looks gianormous!  I like it though bold and strong. 

I had to come home from work on Friday as I felt really queer (no smart comments, Gaz).  I spent the afternoon sleeping on the sofa and then went to bed and slept for hours.  I don't know why I felt so strange but I felt really dizzy.  I had some really weird dreams that were so vivid that I still remember them quite clearly and its unusual for me to remember my dreams.  Part of involved me seeing a band playing That will be the day in a park and then being helped across a really busy road (maybe acknowledging I am getting old eh) and then I was on a bus and had to get off when I saw the most wonderful building, all Chinese dragon waterfalls on it.  I know I have never seen this in real life and wonder if I ever will.  Anyway, all I am ok now and I must have had a funny bug.

Matthew has just come back from a sleep over at the London Dungeons.  I think it was for child relief.  He had a wonderful time and they were awake playing in there until about 1.30 a.m. this morning.  He did it with the Scouts ... he is always off doing something with them.  I think the people who run this are marvellous, they devote so much time to the children in the troop.  Next Friday he is off rafting with them, they have a swimming gala coming up too  ... it never stops.

I have had a quiet weekend really.  Yesterday after dropping Matthew off to go on his trip, Rosie and I went off in search of a kareoke machine for her.  We found a marvellous one with a little telly on it, so you can either see yourself sing or see the words of the tune come up.  Of course I have been able to resist having a go myself and have done a bit of leg shaking and sung All Shook Up.  I have been at my firm for 30 years at the end of next month and will get a small bonus, so it is her treat and I plan to get Matthew something nice too.

Martin surprised us by turning up this weekend.  It seems all is not well between him and Julia, his girlfriend.  Also, I think he is still indecisive about whether to stay up in Leeds or to come home and do a similar job nearby.  I am not going to pressurise him but I would like him home.  The kids miss him being here and so do we.  He surprised Matthew bygoing and picking him up this morning from his Scout trip.

I have a mountain of stuff do do here, the house is looking like the pits as I can't seem to summon up the energy.  I have sat out in the garden.  I've been reading a Linda La Plant book.  Its called Cold Blood.  Its marvellous and I can thoroughly recommend it, I just can't put it down.  I am almost at the end of it, then maybe I'll get myself in gear and get on with doing the tidying up and ironing. 

Paul and I are currently making the dinner between us, meatballs, mash and broccoli.  I make my own and they go down a treat here.  Its one of Martin's favourites ... ahhh.

I have been watching a lot of telly this week.  We have been enjoying watching Britain's Got Talent and have fought Paul away from the telly all week so we can watch it.  The Grand Final is tonight and we can't wait (except Paul).  Simon Cowell is one of the Judges and I wonder if they are showing this in America?  I am also enjoying Dr Who and last night's was a good one.  Big Brother is hotting up and I think the mix this year is very good.

Paul has just stuck his head in the door and said "all on my own then" ... have to go back to the kitchen now and do my duties.

Have a great Sunday everyone.

Hugs, Terry x

 

Sad news, Jim has gone

Such friendships we make through our journals. Even though we haven't met each other our lives intertwine.

Tonight I have learned that I have lost my good friend Jim http://journals.aol.co.uk/halliday0957/nosundays/.  I have been worried as I haven't heard from him for a while and his wife emailed in response to one of my messages to him today and told me he had passed away in May.  If you have never read his journal, please go and read and enjoy it before it goes off line ... he was such fun and a very cheeky man.  I really enjoyed reading his journal and sharing emails with him.  I feel so sad that he has gone.  God bless you Jim, you were fun!  His email was halliday0957 and I think it would be comforting if you knew Jim if you could e-mail his wife before she closes the account.

Hugs, Terry x

Wot a week!

So ... it has been a nice week for me.  The worst was that I had to go into work on Bank Holiday Monday and the journey there and back to home was a torture.  But then, its over now!

We had a great time with Martin here last week.  He took us all out to the Harvester on Saturday and we were in there for 3 blimming hours.  I haven't been to the Harvester for years and they do an early bird deal which makes it a lot cheaper if you eat there in the afternoon.  I can honestly say that it was the best meal I had out for a long time.  I had their ribs, they were absolutely gorgeous, followed by a shared (enormous) knickerbocker glory. 

We then came home and watched Dr Who, which was the best episode ever.  The second part is on tonight and the children and I can't wait to see it.  The aliens were fantastic, they took the form of humans and put their heads to the side and sniffed deeply trying to find Dr Who.  We have been doing it all week, the head to the side and deep sniffs.  We'll have to stop, people will think we're strange, ha ha.

On Tuesday I had the day off and had a fairly quiet day, apart from having to buy yet another pair of school shoes for Rosie .... oooh there are only 6 weeks left until end of term but hers are falling apart.  In the afternoon I had to take Matthew to the dentist for a check up and they did a filling whilst I sat in the chair on the other side of the room.  Well, I had an appointment today to have my root canal done, guess who chickened out after sitting there with all those drills going???  Yup, it was me.  I have put it off yet again until the 16th.  Will I go then?  God knows?  I have realised that I don't like the dentist at all.  There is no interaction between us or any kindness from her.  I think that is causing me a big problem in going back to her.  She has absolutely no sympathy for me and I think that is my problem.  I am so scared to go to the dentist and need someone who at least talks to me in a kind way.  Oh well, its not a problem now for a week or so.  The tooth plays up occasionally but not that much that I feel I need to go urgently. Incidentally, Matthew was fine having the filling and didn't have an injection but just watching it all freaked me out.

Anyway,after all the trauma of the dentist visit, I took an hour or so to recover my equilibrium and decided that the children and I would go and see Pirates of the Carribean.  Well .... although I concentrated as hard as I could, I could not make out what the bloody hell was going on!  All I knew was that after 2 and half hours of sitting there, that when they commenced yet another battle and Johnny Depp started swinging round on his bit of rope landing here and there, I felt a deep desperation to escape and flee the cinema.  I thought no, not another battle, when is this film every going to finish!  Also, there was a chap in it who looked identical to a really obnoxious fellow at work and everytime his face came up on screen I thought omigod its S........!  Its a long film and maybe best viewed at home where you don't get such a numb bum!

On Thursday I met up with a friend who had worked with us for a few months.  She has been to New Zealand and was back here for a week before going back to South Africa for good.  Lots of us from the office arranged to meet her round the corner from our office in a good bar.  A lot of other friends came from work and one couple who got together in the last 3 months announced their engagement.  Watch this space for wedding details.  They are both very nice people and its nice to see them so happy.  We had a great singer there as well and I requested Sexy Thing and had a bit of a dance round before I left.  My foot is hurting a bit now, must have danced a bit too energetically, eh?  I gave my South African friend £20 to get a bottle of wine and when they gave it to her for nothing because there were a lot of us there, I told her to keep it.  Now, I know my South African friend has been really hard up but I was a bit staggered when she said on our parting that if ever I had any spare cash to send it to her!!!!  It left a bit of a bad taste and I feel a bit sad about it.  My sister said that perhaps she had been drunk when she said it and maybe that was it. I don't know why she thinks I am a moneybags ... I wish I was.    I had quite a nice bit of wine and apart from the the money thing,  I had good evening with many friends.

I have upgraded our holiday caravan (the surprise one for the children) to a GOLD!!  I must be crazy, I am paying £440 for 3 nights.  Maybe I could send some to my friend in South Africa, ha ha!  No, this cash was earned by my hard work going in on the other bank holiday we recently had on the Sunday and Monday and I worked blimming hard for it shifting boxes and clearing up the office.  I am still keeping this a secret from the children and only intend to tell them the afternoon before we go.  Then I will still keep it secret that their brother Martin and sister Lisa will be there too until they all turn up to leave!  Oooh, what fun, eh!

Last night Rosie and I went to the local Civic Centre to see the local Pop Idol final.  Lots of children from 12-18 in this area have competed to get into the final.  They had 100s enter and then they had to go through another round from their first auditions.  There were 12 acts and it was extremely well presented.  They had dancers who were extremely well choreographed for most of the acts too.  We had to laugh as there were many stage school kids, one of which had appeared in the West End in Mary Poppins and was sooooo precious!  A boy won who sung "Kiss for a rose".  When he sang Baaaaabbbby he made me jump and then want to giggle!  I was surprised he won because I thought others were better.  We did have a wonderful time and the audience could vote too.  The boy we liked who had a wonderful voice won the audience vote.

So, guess then who found herself on the settee when I woke up this morning?  I have done the wonky walk for the last hour or so whilst my neck tries to straighten up.  I must have just laid in the same position all night.

Well, I must go and do some jobs and get dressed, ho hum.  Sun is shining and weather is warm, yeeeeeeh.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Tells x