Friday 24 September 2010

Bad Manners Strike Again

I wrote a while ago about a friend of mine with bad manners. Well, tonight she's gone and done it again. I can't wait to see you! Let's catch up! I've had to take loads of painkillers today, and was feeling pretty rough. I mentioned my dilemma to my father, I wanted to see her but would only end up sat in her house while she sat texting people and ignoring me.

Dad suggested I should text, explain I'm not feeling great and ask her to come up. Done. Ignored. Didn't want to see me that much then? And I still feel guilty. It's so stupid. At least I had a pretty good idea how things would go so actually have arranged to my sister tonight. She's picking me up in 15 mins.

I've been having a hectic social life because of work recently (so ironic, since the last job actually killed it!) but have managed to put up some new reviews on The Book and Biscuit recently, so please check it out if you fancy reading them.

Wednesday 15 September 2010

Sporcle

I don't know if you've heard about sporcle.com? Someone mentioned it to me in work and I thought I would pop on and have a look after finishing a rather bleak memoir of caring for an eldery Alzheimer's sufferer, to cheer me up a bit before I wrote a review.

I ended up getting hooked (that old addictive personality again) and writing a really weak review of a complex and unusual book. But really, Sporcle is great fun, and if you have a lifetime to waste you should definitely check it out!

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Saying Goodbye

There was a lot I meant to get around to this weekend but didn't manage to. This weekend was somewhat miserable. Well, late Saturday night onwards was completely miserable, right out of the blue.

It started off with Saturday night, my (slightly tipsy) boyfriend going off on a rant about the state of our relationship, which genuinely shocked me because I'd thought things had been going better. I told him I would talk to him in the morning, as you can't really have a sensible conversation about life, the universe and everything when one or both of you is intoxicated. And I thought it might just be the drink talking.

Sunday morning, transpires that it wasn't just the drink talking, but there are things he's not happy about. The short version of this ends in me being very upset all Sunday, trying to plan what I will do if we break up and worrying that I will have to give my guinea pig and rabbit away. Late Sunday afternoon we had a chat and it turns out that things aren't at the breaking up stage, but we need to work on stuff.

Sunday evening I go to give rabbit and piggy their afternoon feeds. They'd been fine that morning when I'd been confiding all of my problems in them. The rabbit hadn't cared at all being a flipperty gibbet, but the pig being old and wise had looked at me sagely while having his back scratched. However, while the rabbit was straight in to her food, little piggy didn't want to know about his, which was unheard of. Food is his life and all he cares about. His favourite noise is the sound of a rustly bag because it means dinner time.

Poor piggy was very tired though, and rapidly went down hill. He was very old and passed away this morning. He was pig headed and stubborn to the end, hanging on furiously for no particular reason, lying with his eyes open and refusing to sleep. I sat with him all afternoon yesterday holding him and stroking him to keep him warm, and before bed I explained to him that it was time to go to sleep and dream nice dreams. He seemed to listen to me and close his eyes a little. I always think they can understand much more than they're given credit for. We've a little funeral this afternoon to say goodbye.

So all in all, a horrible few days. I hope things get better soon.

Saturday 11 September 2010

Charity Shops

Charity shopping is viewed with disdain by the elite of society, they are happy to pay extortionate amounts of money for someone's old clothes, but only on the proviso that you tag the word vintage on before it. My friends and I managed quite well out of ebay etc when we were in university in a town with about three generic shops and we didn't want to wear the same as everyone else. But I digress, I didn't come here to talk about buying clothes in charity shops today.

I've often heard that the best charity shops to browse are those in affluent areas, so Kensington is probably a good bet if you're looking for clothes. I was looking for books however, and this is a reasonably well off area surrounded by universities. I picked up not one, not two, but TEN books I had been meaning to read but hadn't gotten around to for a grand total of £6. I am so pleased. Made my walk to the bank and post office in the rain worth it.

Thursday 9 September 2010

Gluttony

Thanks to those of you who have already popped round to check out The Book and Biscuit. Things are in the very early stages there, but I have a few more reviews that I will pop up over the weekend and maybe some more book related fun stuff.

I've been cooking a lot lately. Now I have so much more time, I've been thinking of ways to fill it, so the last two nights have been a full on cooking extravaganza. Last night was Beef and Blackbean Sauce with fried noodles- that of the chilli nose disaster. I may or may not have mentioned that being unfamiliar with cooking with chillis I made the mistake of deseeding it with my thumb nail. I had a very sore thumb last night.

Tonight I went for a safer (not involving chillis) cripsy pork with stir fried green veg, salad and egg friend rice. I forgot to put the soy sauce in the rice which might have been a disaster, but fortunately the sauce was pretty flavoursome (maple syrup, pineapple juice and toasted sesame oil... sounds disgusting but was nice).

We're going to see Tamara Drewe at the cinema tomorrow night, but I have pancakes with smokey bacon and maple syrup planned for Saturday morning breakfast. We're seeing a university friend who is a semi pro photographer and is going to give me some help in that respect, so Sat night dinner is taken care of, but I have either a lamb stew or an old fashioned Lancashire Hot Pot planned for Sunday dinner....

How long do you reckon it will take me to put on my target 7lbs at this rate? ;-)

Thursday Morning

I have everything ready that I need to take to work... bar any kind of energy or motivation. Still. I'm not sure how much of those I will need to send a zillion emails, and by then it will be lunch and I may experience an energy spike in the afternoon. Argh!

Wednesday 8 September 2010

Cooked Beef and Black Bean Sauce :-)

Somehow got chilli up my nose :-(

Tuesday 7 September 2010

The Book and Biscuit

The Book and Biscuit is open and I have stuck up three reviews, so please to go and check them out. They are a little awkward as I get back into writing again, hopefully they will get a little more fluid and natural as I continue writing. They also could have done with better editing, but I am tired. And on that note I will go and read my magazine in bed.

Fame At Last

I've made it on to youtube as a vlog entry.

I was sat talking to my boyfriend on the phone, and the conductor was trying to sell this guy a ticket, but he wouldn't the man wouldn't speak English to the conductor. I felt sorry for the guy, so stepped in. Then pointed out to the guy in Welsh that I didn't think making people feel inadequate was a very positive way of motivating them to learn the language, even though I feel strongly about it.

Anyway, we ended up talking for about an hour, because it's unusual for someone from our hometown to speak Welsh fluently and we had this much in common. We were talking about our blogs and video logs and he wrote the link to his down for me. I just came across the address while cleaning for my boyfriend to watch football, and found myself mentioned here. I am the someone he spoke to if you are wondering.He's quite funny, if you like that type of humour, so check it out.

I'm Queen of The Nerds!
So, we didn't go swimming in the end because boyfriend didn't want to either, we stayed at home eating delicious foods instead though we still got soaked going to buy them. It was like late Autumn here yesterday.

I did manage to bash out a review for the proposed blog, though I haven't posted it yet. This means I have three reviews, admittedly in need of heavy editing, but I will get it up and running soon. I've done the hello world post so I have to now really!

Monday 6 September 2010

Monday Night Dilemma

To swim, or not to swim; that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler and more kind to take tea and biscuits by the radiator, or wear my costume into a sea of chavlings, and by submerging drown them...

I told the boyfriend I would go swimming with him tonight. I haven't been in about four years. He hasn't in ten. I tried my swimming costume on last night and it still fits well. I was rather enthusiastic about swimming last night while lying in a too warm bedroom.

Today is cold and grey though, and I am very reluctant. I don't know what to do...

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Tiredness

Oh, I am tired today! I slept late this morning. I meant to catch the 8 am bus, but I slept on meaning to get the 8:45 bus. At 9:06 I rolled over thinking how nice my lie in had been... Damn! I still made it into work by 9:35 which must be some kind of record. Turns out I can still sprint when I need to. And I needed to! £13 taxi instead of the free bus... nice :-(

And yet despite the extra sleep, I'm still really, really tired!