Friday 30 March 2012

Most Dont-Make-Me-Do-That Thing Last Week!

Please don't make me sit in a room with Drongo 1 and Drongo 2 (now rechristened as Bonnie and Clyde) and listen to more of their loud and vulgar domestic disputes (I don't care which one of you goes to Asda for the burgers or which one of you goes back to the pub you've barely manged to drag yourself out of).

Dammit - not only did you make me do it last week but you're also going to make me do it for the next 9 weeks.

In the words of a good friend..'Jesus, Mary and Joseph - kill me now.'

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Thursday 29 March 2012

Showcase a New Dance Move Day!

THIS!

GENIUS!


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Dvd Marathon Day (and watch an entire box set in one sitting)!

I rolled these two together because it made sense - and who's going to stop me?!

I purposefully chose a short box set and went with The Borgias which, being a fan of The Tudors, I knew I'd enjoy and I just managed to squeeze it in around the Grand Prix, the first episode of Titanic, hoovering, having a little bit of a spring clean/tidy (it's amazing what a motivating effect a bit of sunshine can have!) and ebaying.

I think we'll have another one of these in winter when I can snuggle up under the duvet and watch proper films - in fact, I think we'll have a Christmas dvd marathon day (I've now got well over 30 films so I need to do something to make sure I get them all in during the festive season!)!

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Tuesday 27 March 2012

Saturday, Weekends I Love You!

Well officially I started my weekend with a day off yesterday but to be honest I've no idea what happened to that day!  I know I went for lunch with Keith but other than that I don't know where the day went, I had nothig to show for it but didn't feel like I'd had a day 'off' either?!

But it was a good Saturday including a very long visit to Auntie Betty.  Didn't manage to get my next load of ebaying ready though, but I guess that's what tomorrow's for!!

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Monday 26 March 2012

Most Lovely Thing This Week!

There were a few lovely things this week...

1) Singing Frankie Valli with Boss
2) Boss treating Debbie and I to what can (just about) be referred to as dancing
3) A lovely lunch and post-holiday catch up with Keith
4) A cheque from a solicitor for money owed 16 years ago!
5) Being asked to be included in the St Mikes Spring magazine

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Sunday 25 March 2012

Return of Conehead!


Poor Jemima :-(

After 18 months with no problems it appears she's started excessively licking (and chewing) herself again.  I noticed it yesterday so can ony assume that it's a result of being shut in the lounge all day on Wednesday while the plumber was banging about.  Hopefully I've caught it in time without a visit to the vets being needed so she'll have to keep the collar on for the next few weeks until she's totally healed up and then we'll see.

I'm not sure either of us can cope with another 10+ months of the collar again!

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Saturday 24 March 2012

Leave a Penny for Someone to Find!

'Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck'

I really liked this one last year when I left a penny at the Valley Garden wishing well so I thought I'd do the same this year.



My penny had gone (obviously!) so it's nice to think that someone got a free wish out of it and not just a penny!  And at least I did remember to leave it head side up (apperently it's only considered good luck if it's heads up - as discovered a couple of years ago for 'Laugh in the Face of Superstition Day'!)!

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Thursday 22 March 2012

Alphabetise Something Day!

I alphabetised my to do list (seriously, I did!). Not the whole list, that would take a very, very long time, just today's!

There was already too much on there for me to do today to try and make time to alphabetise anything else - plus last year's efforts are STILL inconveniencing me when I'm trying to find a dvd!

I admit that this really didn't require much effort at all though as, purely by chance, the majority of it was already in alphabetical order :-)

I also came across this Sesame Street version of the ABC song by the incomparable Ray Charles with guests including Patrick 'Make it so' Stewart :-)



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Wednesday 21 March 2012

Notice the Snowdrops!

I've been noticing the snowdrops (and crocuses and daffodils) for days now but have never had my camera on me to capture the proof!

Kevin and Ray very kindly brought me daffodils on Thursday evening though so I have no excuse for not grabbing a photo!

Also, acting on feedback recently recieved from one reader (who shall remain nameless) who said that the blog would be much more interesting if it included pictures of nakedness - this one's for you (apologies it's so late!)!

(I was looking for a photo of nude Barbie and came across this instead which I much prefer!)
(This add was banned in the US and China)

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Tuesday 20 March 2012

Most Important Thing This Week!

That would have to be Mother's Day!

Bernie, John and I hot-footed it over to Pops and Olive on Sunday where we enjoyed bacon butties and a slice of the marmalade cake I'd baked for Olive...


...threw a few darts at the dart board Pops got for Christmas (I got 2 bullseyes! Of course, I did have to throw the darts about 200 times to get them but still, I was happy!), Olive opened her pressies and then we sat down to an amazing full Sunday roast followed by one of my favourite desserts by Pops.


He'd normally make it in his proper Charlotte Russe dish type thing but didn't have enough sponge fingers and he wasn't allowed to buy any more so he made a smaller one in a tupperware bowl which didn't look anywhere near as attractive so we insisted that he tip it out of the bowl!

Bernie isn't keen on cream, particularly when teamed with soggy sponge (her words, not mine) so refused to have any.  She was finally persuaded to try a little which she very nearly choked on as I chose that moment to say...

Me: "It's a shame Olive wouldn't let you buy any more then you could have just given Bernie a Boudoir Finger."
Collective (at least 2 people but I was too busy having a 'no, no, no noooo' moment to really notice): "What?!!"
Me: Desperately trying to explain that that's what the sponge fingers are called!

I waited for everyone to calm down before continuing...

Me: "Now I need to think of a way to write about this on the blog...(pause)..without social services becoming involved."

Bernie had to leave the room and Pops looked like he was going to stop breathing with laughter (it was another 'how to kill a chicken moment').

And no-one believed me that they're called Boudoir Fingers (also sometimes known as Lady Fingers!!)!


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Monday 19 March 2012

International Do Nothing Day!

Hardly!

One year I'll do this one properly, definitely not this year though!

Today included walking to town, doing some shopping, going to Asda (a traumatic experience in its own right mid-morning on a Saturday), going to the gym, having a sauna, cleaning my kitchen, 2 loads of washing, baking a cake, a load of ebaying, wrapping presents and writing this!

Don't be surprised if there's another one of these days later in the year - I'm dreaming of it already!

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Sunday 18 March 2012

Exhibition Day!

CALM DOWN!

Not that sort of exhibition!

I was invited to a pre-exibition champagne and canape preview of some of my favourite artist's (Neil Simone) work.

This is one (of several) I've always wanted - in print, I'm not that keen on the original oils.


I also love his chair prints (I have the Beechwood Chair) and many of the glass prints!

It was a bring a friend(s) event so Elaine, Debbie and Naomi came along too - ok, I admit it, I needed as many people as possible to stop me making a purchase!

No surprise but we ended up at P&P afterwards - I was very good though, I only had half a glass of wine (and topped it up with soda water) before catching the bus home and going to bed very early!  Given how certain people were feeling the next morning, I think I made the right decision ;-)

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Saturday 17 March 2012

Support a Team!

I googled support a team (well, you never know!) and it came up with a fantastic link encouraging schools and colleges to support one Olympic and one Paralympic team from different nations to help make the athletes feel welcome when they come to the UK.

I thought this was a fabulous idea, it's a shame I'm not a school or college but if you are then have a look!

Also, a bit of advance warning - it's getting to that time of year again when I'll be pestering folks for sponsorship!

There, you have been warned.  Consider yourself warned. Well and truly.

'Support an Orange!' ;-)

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Friday 16 March 2012

Invincibility Day!

Easy tiger!

Usually my temper/anger is a slow burning thing with a sudden quick ignition.  This means I'm normally aware that it's happening and can take steps to prevent a full blown eruption.  (I've just realised that I've portrayed myself as a bit of a psycho - let me reassure you that I'm not!)

However, every once in a blue moon I can just solar flare instantly with no warning.  Which is exactly what happened today on the way home from work!

I'm walking along the very long ginnel/snicket/path (delete as applicable) that runs from 'almost at work' to 'almost my front door' and spy ahead of me a group of half a dozen hooded youths (one of which I recognise as being one of the trouble causers around my abode).  I'm in the habit of switching the sound off on my ipod when approaching anybody (just in case they speak to me/attack etc) so I carried on as normal, switched the sound off and walked through them.

As I was walking through the group I noticed a couple of them looking down at my ipod and just as I passed them I heard them start wittering.

Youth 1 - "mumble mumble"
Youth 2 - "yeah that's what I was thinking, what sort of ipod's she got n is it worth nicking (innit, a'ight, d'yagetme)"

Of course the sensible course of action at this point would have been to ignore it and walk on.

Oh no, Invincible Orange took over, stopped dead in her tracks, spun round, marched up to them and held the ipod up so they could get a clear view.

Invincible Orange - "This sort. Would you like to have a go at taking it?"
Youths (collectively) - look down at floor while trying to hide their faces in hoods and slowly shuffle out of my reach.
Invincible Orange - "No, I didn't think so."

Invincible Orange spins back round and resumes journey.

At which point Sane Heidi put in a belated appearance.

Sane Heidi (muttering under breath) - "Stupid, stupid woman, what were you thinking!"

I arrived home safely, resisting the urge all the way to look over my shoulder while alternating between feeling stupid and feeling great!

I didn't turn the music back on at all though - just in case!

Must remember in future to not attempt reckless endangerment of self unless already wearing superhero outfit.





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Thursday 15 March 2012

Attempt a World Record!

This was supposed to be in April but I brought it forward for good reason!

Last year I attempted several and failed miserably at all, I've been struggling with ideas for this year and then Elaine told me about this so I thought I'd watch the series (which starts today) and pick up some ideas for next year!

Watching this it's occurred to me that I may have been going about this the wrong way trying to break a record myself - I can get others to do it for me!

So, I've got a year to teach the cats to skip.

Or stretch their tongues to record breaking lengths.

Or ride bicycles.

Hmm, maybe not - hopefully next week's episode will provide more inspiration!

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Wednesday 14 March 2012

Marvellous Monday (or babysitting Bella day)!

This was the most Marvellous Monday I've had for a very long time!

Debbie asked if I'd mind looking after Bella for the day while she goes to London.  Mind?  Are you joking?  I'd LOVE to!

So, beautiful Bella and I spent the day lounging about and snuggling although when Debbie first left Bella thought it'd be a great idea to get ALL her toys out to play!

It started with a slightly mischevious look....


Then progressed to a couple of favourite toys...


Then things got really crazy...



Before she tried the innocent "who me?" look (notice all the toys on the floor in the background!)



Time for a quick nap and then a wander outside to the Stray where we had great fun throwing her ball around (and she also looked like a puppy!) and then made a new friend!



I was suddenly ambushed by this gorgeous friendly little ball of white fluff who insisted on wrapping itself around my legs and trying to sit on my feet when it wasn't busy trying to play with Bella's ball!


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Tuesday 13 March 2012

Funniest Thing This Week!

This would have to be my Friday morning conversation with Boss!

It was kind of one of those 'you really had to be there' moments but I'll try it out on you anyway.

I'd slept in on Friday so this was by way of a welfare call - I wasn't technically late as it was still before 10 but I was later than my usual 7.45/8am start.  Once I'd reassured Boss that I was in one piece, coherent and functional the conversation went a little like this....(I'm paraphrasing btw)

Boss: Now that's done I feel like I need to go for a diet coke break but I'm not sure I should according to all the news reports.
Me: What news reports, what have I missed?
Boss: They've found that something in the colouring can cause cancer in mice.
Me: (Pause) I think you'll be alright since you're not a mouse.
Boss: Explanation about how they either had to say on the packaging that it could cause cancer or they had to change the ingredients, mind you, you need to drink about a 1000 cans for any detrimental effect.
Me: (incredulously) They gave 1000 cans of coke to a mouse?

You know those moments when you find something so funny that you just can't stop laughing and just when you think you're over it, you start again?  This was one of those moments (in fact I'm rolling around laughing just writing about it (and at the Dr's with Bernie on Friday evening when I was telling her which embarrassed her no end!))

Anyway, Boss was struggling to breathe with laughter and had to hang up on me so he could compose himself.

He'd sent me a text message shortly after advising me that the bad news was that he'd succumbed to the diet coke craving but the good news was that there hadn't been any mice in the queue.

Unfortunately, due to my phone battery being flat, I didn't recieve the text until Friday evening.  I was drinking a can of coke at the time, laughed, and snorted it through my nose (attractive) and all over me.

Karma.

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Monday 12 March 2012

Yes, it's Friday!

Yes it is!!

It's also the day I decided to finally publish the new hair do....so....here goes!



Ok, so it's grown on me a little.  I have to admit that I now love the colour, there's still enough red in it to satisfy my Red Sonja fantasies (don't laugh) and at least it'll save me on hair dye as it's pretty much back to its natural colour now!

Still not sure about the cut (although it does feel a little less like a helmet), my hair has a few too many kinks in it to sit in a bob of this length without months of training so I suspect I'll probably end up hacking in to it at some point to give it a bit of layer!

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Sunday 11 March 2012

WI Day!

Apparently the WI has a certain reputation to uphold, given the context of the comment I'm not entirely sure what that reputation is though! ;-)

It was 'Grow Your own Veg' night tonight - which also gave me ideas for the 'dig up vegetables and display the rude ones' day that I've failed to achieve for the last two years, there's hope yet!

However, (and I've no idea how this happened - honest!) instead of going to grow our veg we somehow got lost along the way and ended up at P&P.

In our confusion we decided to sit down and have a glass of wine while we tried to figure out how on earth this could have possibly happened - I mean what are the odds?!

A couple of glasses later, and with no explanation in sight, we decided to give up on the mystery and put it down to some sort of homing instinct/bermuda triangle freakery!

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Saturday 10 March 2012

Specialist Day!

Happy days!

The MRI showed no signs of inflammatory disease and the gene test came back negative too!

Long term prognosis is fairly good (barring my Crowned Dens Syndrome of course) so now it's just about finding the right medication for me and pain management.

Great, now I can get back to my rock and roll lifestyle ;-)

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Thursday 8 March 2012

Beady Little Things!

Elaine and I visited the Bead Fair!

I was in absolute heaven at the sparkly stuff (my mum was right - I am some sort of magpie!) and Elaine bought some beautiful teal green and contrasting other green multi-faceted sparkly sparkly beads.

I was very good and resisted the temptation to spend a fortune on some fabulous semi-precious cube beads (drilled on the diagonal - aaaaahhh), anyone who knows me will be stunned to hear that I came away with only around 60 Czech glass (I do love Czech glass!) beads - that's all!

I spent the rest of the afternoon making these with them :-)



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Wednesday 7 March 2012

Snuggle Up Day!

Nope, not today!

Today was kick yourself up the butt day!!

Walk into town and  hit Asda before the Saturday rush (if only they'd deliver just my few weekly bits!), collect Bernie and head off to the gym, quick sauna then back home to crack on with some housework and paperwork before teaching yourself (again) the steps to the dancing you're going to start up again!

Yay!  Motivation - it's good to see you again, where the devil have you been?!

Ok, there was a little snuggling up later - after an hour and a half in the bath watching NYPD Blue (don't worry, only another 7 series to go - then I'll stop talking about it!) I got the duvet on the sofa with Rosie and Jim and we snuggled!

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Tuesday 6 March 2012

Most Exciting Thing This Week!

Which would be last week.

Which would probably be one of the many episodes of NYPD Blue I watched - I'm sure a few of those were exciting - how bad is it that I'm struggling to actually remember much of last week, and I haven't even had a drink!!

I'm starting to feel like I walk around in a 24 hour vacuum!

Now, what was I doing.................

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Monday 5 March 2012

Surprisingly Great Thursday!

Started with a lovely sunrise on the way to work


I wish I had more to tell you about what a surprisingly great Thursday it was, don't get me wrong - it wasn't at all bad, but it basically consisted of work, home, NYPD, pizza, NYPD, bed, NYPD, more NYPD, go on then 'just one more......' NYPD (see a theme developing here!)!
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Sunday 4 March 2012

Bobble Hat it Up!

I'm Baaaaaack!

Sorry, I've not been keeping up with this at all this week - I have no excuse other than my current addiction to NYPD Blue!

Anyway, it was Bobble Hat it Up this week, I totally forgot to take any of my many hats to work but luckily remembered that last year the lovely Catherine O'D gave me a fabulous orange detachable bobble!


I didn't have a hat to bobble it on so attached it to my lanyard instead - great idea except that feedback was that it looked like I was wearing a microphone of some sort!
Fiona's desk lamp was all bobble hatted up - I was very impressed by this!

Interesting bobble hat fact (I know, who'd've thought it).......
The term 'bobblehat' is coined as a false British term of abuse ("you bobblehat") towards a middle aged man who has lost his charisma in German playwright Botho Strauss' "Der Park : Schauspiel" (1983): a reworking on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream set in 1980s England.
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