It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

I know I'm a bit early! In fact, my Christmas tree went up before December even began! But...I have an excuse for it! Throughout December everyone has things planned, that have generally been planned for ages, so there was only one weekend that I could do a full Christmas dinner for me, F, Joocey and her bloke A before I go back to France for a week over Christmas. And I really wanted to do a proper Christmas dinner, mainly because I really miss cooking for other people! It's no fun cooking for yourself.

So, we didn't have turkey, but I did a big roast chicken with all the trimmings, and it was delicious, followed by homemade apple crumble because I hate Christmas pudding, and I don't cook things I don't like! Also there are all these things that I keep telling F that I can cook, and apparently my excuse is generally that I can't because the ingredients/utensils/pots etc are in France! So it was apple crumble - with a Christmassy twist though, with ground cinammon and ginger in the crumble.
We all had small presents for each other to make it feel like Christmas, and ended up a bit pissed playing Trivial Pursuit! Joocey wasn't drinking because she had to drive, but the rest of us did!

So, apart from that, not a lot has been happening. I was off work for a week with gastroenteritis and only went back a week ago. On the plus side though, I did get all my Christmas shopping done while I was off - I love Amazon! I've got everyone sorted out, and my suitcase will have more presents in than clothes when I go to France!

Very little else has been happening in my life, mainly because I have spent a lot of time decorating my hall, stairs and landing! It no longer has a green ceiling and peach walls, and looks great! It is about 100 times brighter in there now!

Will try to blog before I go away, but the next post will, in all likelihood, be either from France or be after I get back! I've not been great at it recently!

So, if I don't get back to you before then, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Even Older Friends

I got back to the UK, as I said, on the Thursday, and I had my housewarming planned for the Sunday! So, I had to do last finishing touches on the bedroom before Saturday! F came down on the Saturday evening, and I met him at my house after work. Did a lot of catching up, and ate sweet n sour chicken – the recipe for which I will post later – I’ve been very lax about posting recipes recently – I’ve got a few beauties! Anyway…everyone arrived on the Sunday, Joocey brought a great big tin of Roses, which disappeared very quickly, we had pizza and oven baked Camembert and French bread and had a great laugh! F had brought some sparklers with him, so we took L’s kids outside and they played with sparklers for the first time, and by the time they left they thought F was the greatest thing since sliced bread!!

They all left at about 6 because L had to get home with the kids, and Joocey had to get back to Carlisle to do some studying – she’s doing her PGCE at the moment. We had a quiet night, and the next day went to Ayr for the day. It was cold, but sunny and we had a lovely time wandering about. F had a flat tyre, which turned into a car maintenance lesson when he showed me how to put air in my tyres and check the pressures!! Been driving for 14yrs, and only just learned that one! Next lesson is changing a wheel!
So, the last few days have been quiet ones! I decided to have an easy week. No decorating, just chilling out between my shifts at work. I’m off today and tomorrow and today I’ve just sat quietly playing about on Facebook and watching rubbish! I’ll have another lie in tomorrow morning, and then go into Castle Douglas for lunch time and get a couple of Macaroni Pies and go to see some friends. Then it’s up to Edinburgh next weekend to help F do some decorating in his flat! My life is a constant round of excitement!

Old Friends

The weekend before I went to France, my friend that I stayed with in Tewkesbury came up to see me. She had a hellish journey up due to weather, roadworks and accidents (I don’t believe the accidents bit – there are signs on the M6 saying accident but I can’t imagine there was an accident in exactly the same place two weeks in a row – I believe her, just not the roadsign!!). We spent a very lazy morning on the Sunday, and then went out and about and I showed her the house I grew up in, the house where my cousins lived, and took her to Castle Douglas to have a look and meet my best mate J, who wasn’t in!! But his wife L was in so we saw her and their wee girl who is extremely cute! So, my mate got to meet a couple of genuine Scottish people and I had to translate for her! Although the weather was a bit crap, she was bowled over by the countryside, and actually said she could see why I love it here and wanted to come back. The next day was better, so before she left we went into Dumfries so I could show her about, she bought a couple of souvenirs, and we had lunch in town. She thought the town was gorgeous too! So, all in all, it was a successful trip despite the weather! It was brilliant to see her and to catch up, and hopefully we’ll be able to do it again soon, and for longer so I can show her more, and take her to Edinburgh etc and meet up with some friends in town and have a night out. Is she ready for a night out in Dumfries I wonder? It’s certainly not what she’s used to!

Back and Forth

I was in France for 5 days. The only flight we could find was from Bristol, so I had to drive down there. I had to leave at 5am, drive though the torrential rain most of the way, and eventually arrived at Bristol with about an hour to spare. I stopped at Tewkesbury for fuel, mainly because I knew Morrisons was only a spit from the motorway and I wasn’t willing to pay ridiculously inflated motorway prices! My mum phoned me a couple of times during the morning, and F phoned too which was great because they kept me awake! By that point I was seriously flagging! And before anyone says “oh but you shouldn’t use the phone when you’re driving” I was on Bluetooth!

France was great! When I got to the airport, Isla came rushing up to me on her roller blades, so she could roll straight into a massive cuddle! There wasn’t much time to relax while I was there – the first day we went shopping and had a party in the evening. All the usual suspects came, and it was brilliant to see everyone. They all seemed genuinely interested in what I’ve been doing, where I live and what I’ve been up to since April. God, is it really that long!? I didn’t get to eat much food, but drank a lot and ended up going to be feeling quite pissed!

The next day we went to Spain for the day! The mountains were spectacular, the weather was clear and chilly with blue skies, and we bought some cheap cigarettes in Spain, and some booze for Christmas!On the Wednesday I went to another party at a friend’s house, and saw some more people and had another great night! And then I flew back here on the Thursday. It really wasn’t long enough, but it was great to see Isla and get loads of cuddles! It did make me realise though that I don’t miss France at all – I miss the people there, but not the place. And it was brilliant to see everyone.

This is my current favourite recipe! In Dumfries we have a great Chinese restaurant called The Pearl Palace (lovingly known as the Pearl Necklace!). I've eaten there a couple of times with F, and they do a great Sweet and Sour chicken. I decided to research the recipe to try to come up with the one most like it. This is it in it's entirety.

However...I have made certain time saving alterations!

In my head I have totally dispensed with all that time wasting chicken tenderising and battering - to be honest who can be arsed when Cap'n Birdseye does lovely Chicken Dippers! So, what I do is to make the sauce up first thing in the morning (without cooking it or adding cornflour) so all the flavours can intensify throughout the day. Then, when it gets to dinner time, I stick the chicken dippers in the oven - about six each - until they are nice and crispy. I then stick the sauce on the heat, add the pineapple, carrot (which I use a cheese slice to cut so you get nice slivers), and bit of onion and a few bits of green pepper. I use arrowroot istead of cornflour (two teaspoons to a bit of water, mix it up and chuck it in while stirring). When it's nice and thick, take out the crispy chicken dippers and put them in a bowl, put the sauce over and serve immediately with rice. If you're really lazy you can get microwave rice! The taste is great - it's like that really sweet sweet and sour sauce you get in crappy chinese restaurants whch we all scoff at but secretly love! By the way, F loved it!

Make and enjoy!

Another Award

It's very remiss of me, but I haven't yet told you I got another award at the end of August from Karen over at Outlandish Observations. If you like Diana Gabaldon books - in particular the Outlander series, then I suggest you check out her blog. I haven't loked at it recently, mainly because I haven't read the new book yet, and I don't want to ruin the surprise! I'll be back over there though once I've read it!

Apparently I need to share three things about myself with you, and then pass it on to three other inspiring bloggers.

Hmmmm, here goes...

1) After nine years living in SW France I am finally living back home in Scotland and loving it.

2) I'm a big fan of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here - I don't care how z-list the so called celebrities are - it's a fun show!

3) I have just discovered Fruit Bread - it tastes like slices of Hot Cross Buns, and I have it toasted for breakfast every morning! I love this country! The food is fab!

Sorry it's not hugely exciting, but I couldn't think of anything else right now!

1) Home Is Where The Marmite Is
Another returnee from France - reading her blog made me realise that other people felt similarly to me living there, rather than just waffling on about the "perfect french lifestyle"! It's also her first award on the new blog so yippee!

2) Bring The Rain
Because Angie, the writer, is a truly inspirational woman. I'm not a religious person myself, but her blog has reduced me to tears more times than I care to mention.

3) Drover's Run
Because girl geeks are cool :-)

Getting My House In Order

I’ve had a really busy few weeks, and I am shattered! For the last week I have done no decorating or anything, just taking life easy – in between going to work, which doesn’t half get in the way of relaxing!! My days off this week are being spent in the pursuit of doing absolutely nothing, nada, niente!

Since the end of August I’ve been working really hard at work, trying to make my mark there, as I’m still in my three month probation period there. I don’t forsee any problems, but still you do tend to be on your best behaviour for a while to start with!! I’m enjoying the job actually –it’s far more interesting than I thought it would be. Unfortunately I can’t really tell you any details about it – Data Protection and all – but all I can say is that the company I work for is Hospedia and they’re the people who deal with the personal TV and Telephone units by patients’ bedsides in hospitals across the UK. It’s nice to have a job that I quite enjoy, it’s not physically taxing, bar the hours, and I don’t have to wear my scruffiest clothes as I did when I was decorating, it’s not physically demanding like cheffing, and there’s not as much responsibility as dog sitting! I turn up, do my job, and go home again – it’s what I’ve wanted for a long time – just to be a wage slave for a while. And I have to say, I don’t miss the shagging lovebirds at one of the house I used to dogsit at!!

I moved into my wee house at the beginning of October, with the help of some of my favourite people! Since then I have been constantly on the go, first of all decorating the bathroom, as you saw in the last post! I’ve also decorated my bedroom now. It was pink before – dusky pink ceiling, different shade of pink on the walls, white cornices and old white skirting boards. The painting on the walls only went part way up – it stopped about six inches from the cornice. Obviously the previous tenants were going to put a border up but never got around to it! Anyway, I decided I couldn’t leave it, so decorated! The ceiling and cornices are white, the walls good old magnolia and the skirting boards dark purple – almost aubergine. I got some black silk (well, faux silk!) curtains from the B&M store (my new favourite shop as we don’t have The Range up here!), a new purple satin bedding set (which looks gorgeous but is slippy as hell – you lose your pillows overnight!) and hung some pictures on the wall and the room is now transformed! I can’t do much about the carpet right now unfortunately, but I can live with it. It ties in ok with the colour scheme! It’s a big room with very little furniture in it, but I’m still waiting for my stuff to come back from France. It will feel more homely eventually.
So, in the middle of decorating, I went to France for a week! I always set myself impossible tasks – one of them was finishing the bedroom before I went away, which didn’t happen! I had to do some last bits and pieces when I got back!

Back Home

Well...where do I start? It's ages since I last updated my blog, and I'm sorry if you've all been desperate for news! I know you haven't been really, but it's a nice thought!

The last time I updated I hadn't been back up here very long. Everything has changed hugely. Within the first week I was back, I had an interview for a job in a local call centre. To be perfectly honest, I had no recollection of applying for it, so when they phoned me to invite me for an interview I was surprised to say the least! I've figured it out now - I had applied for a call centre job through an employment agency in Cheltenham - never realising it was actually up here! What's for you won't go by you and all that! Anyway, I got the job, and I've been working there for nearly two months and surprisingly I'm really enjoying it!

For the first few weeks I stayed with one of my best mates, Joocey, whose parents were brilliant and let me stay in their house. After a few weeks, I moved to one of my other best mate's house, Lara. She was also brilliant letting me stay there. I had a look at rentals, and the council and there was really nothing nice around the town where I could see myself being happy. Another friend phoned me one afternoon to say that he knew of a house being rented, in the village where I went to primary school. I went out to see it, met the landlords and really loved it. It needed a bit of TLC, but certainly nothing beyond my abilities. The only problem was that I didn't have the deposit. My mum and dad said they could manage to come up with it, but not until the end of the month, so I seriously needed to think about it.

I went up to Edinburgh for the weekend, which I've done quite a bit of...and talked it over with another friend. Joocey was off back at uni by then - she's studying to become a teacher - and Lara and I were like ships that passed in the night!! With both of us doing shifts we actually rarely saw each other! So, I needed to talk to someone about it just to get another point of view. Anyway, F, the friend in Edinburgh, said I'd be daft if I didn't go for it. I got a call while I was up there from the landlords saying that they had other people interested, but if I could come up with half the deposit up front they'd hold the house for me until the end of the month. I then didn't have a clue what to do, until F said he'd lend me half the deposit until the end of the month.


So...to cut a very long story short, I now have my own wee house! It's an ex-council house, right on the edge of a small village. Like I said, the house needs a little TLC, but I have made a start! I don't have any of my furniture from France here yet, but my best mate J and his family have lent me a few bits and pieces, and his mum has a furniture shop, so I've bought a few bits and pieces too. I have a lovely king size bed! I have already decorated the bathroom - it was definitely the most drastic - dark blue dolphin wallpaper! Looks much better now!

While I really appreciate everyone's help over the last couple of months, it is so nice to come home every night to my own wee house. I keep falling asleep on the couch though!!

The one downside is that I still don't have Isla here yet. I'm working shifts, and until I can sort out regular hours it's not do-able. She's really excited about coming over now that I have a house for us. I think she had visions of us living in a grotty little flat somewhere in a town with no garden, but instead we have a three bedroom house in a village surrounded by fields! She's starting to look forward to it, instead of dreading leaving France. I'm missing here like mad though.

It is amazing to be home. A fellow blogger recently had an article published in the Daily Mail - I know some of you read her blog too so have probably seen it. The comments that were left on the article by readers were incredible - people really have no idea of tongue-in-cheekness or humour, or even what expat life in France is really like. People have this Peter Mayle vision of delightful locals who'll welcome you with open arms and fawn all over you, but it's not like that. Life is hard - if you're working it's pretty much a hand to mouth existence. Something normally comes along when you need it, but you can't rely on it. There are some truly lovely people there, expats and French both, but there are also some real oddbods. There's a massive "arty" community down there - people move to places like that and totally reinvent themselves. They may have been an office manager in UK for example, move to France and suddenly become an "artist" - by the way, that little example is based on no one as I don't know any ex-office manager artists, so if it's you, don't sue me because I don't know you!

It is so refreshing being back in the UK, especially up here. Not down south so much, because a lot of people have too much to prove down there and they work too hard to have fun. But up here, generally with people what you see it what you get. I'm living in a village about three miles from where I grew up and loving it.

I really feel that I've come home.

All Change

Well, it’s kind of hard to know where to start. My last post was about when my friend came down to Cheltenham to visit me. What I didn’t add was that before he arrived, in the kitchen I had the most almighty row with the boss about blaming the right people for the right misdeeds. It didn’t go down very well, and at one point he threatened to throw me out. Somehow we got over that little blip though, and I spent a really good couple of days off with my friend.

Fast forward two weeks. I’ve had no days off because I’ve been doing a painting job on my days off as I don’t earn enough. I haven’t eaten properly for weeks – working with food all day puts you off eating – I’m tired and run down, my stomach’s not right so I go to my mate’s house for a bit of TLC and Mummy type food.

On the Wednesday morning, I was due back at work. I drove back over to the pub feeling awful and went to find the manager straight away to tell him I wasn’t able to work as I had a stomach bug. It is a legal requirement that you have to do that, as you could spread all sorts of germs to the general public. He got angry with me, so I handed in my notice. Then I went upstairs to pack as I knew he wouldn’t want me working the week’s notice but would throw me out immediately.

He came up after about half an hour and knocked on my door. True to form he told me to be out by the end of the day. I told him that I would be out, but not until he had paid me to date.

Then I had a little fall apart – but not in front of him! I managed to get all my stuff packed, and into the car in the pouring rain and got totally soaked, in between frequent toilet trips as I was feeling quite seriously ill. I eventually did get my money out of him, but not without a little tussle.

So, from there back to my mate’s house where I started off. I stayed there for a few days and we had a lot of mutual support because she’s got crap to deal with too. Then, on the Tuesday I left and came back up to Scotland. I was coming up anyway, I just came earlier. I’ve been here for about ten days and it’s like I’ve never been away. I’ve caught up with loads of people who I missed, and other who I didn’t realise I’d missed! I’ve been madly applying for jobs and was offered a bar one that I didn’t want to take as it meant working until 3 or 4am. I had to spend fifteen quid on a pair of flat shoes I didn’t like for a job that I didn’t want! Anyway, I have had another job offer which is a much better one (not hospitality!) and more suited to me so I’m taking that one. It should enable me to get things on track to get Isla back here.

So, phew! That’s you up to date. I’ve actually had a ball being back, between job hunting. I’ve caught up with my very best friends, some of whom are practically family. I’ve explored some old haunts, and got pissed and sang karaoke with my best mates! I went to Edinburgh last Monday and am going back up this weekend for some festival stuff. I have to say, I am so happy to be home. The sooner I can get Isla back here the better.

Happy days!

The following photos are of my hometown. See...it doesn't ALWAYS rain in Scotland!!

Madame VLiF,

Je te remercie pour mon prix de blogdom.

J'éspère que ta nouvelle vie sera fantastique et que la France ne te manquera trop!

Bisous,

Kat.

All Change

There's a big update coming soon - everything has changed and I will explain it all later.

Have been a tad stressed over the last couple of weeks to blog! Sorry for the neglect!

Friendship

I know I haven’t been very good about updating here recently but there’s been a lot of stuff going on and I didn’t really know where to start.

You remember I posted about Facebook the other day? Well I’ve got in touch with a few people from various schools that I’ve been to and it’s been nice to catch up and everything. Then the other week I found an old friend who I lost touch with years ago – I was 14 the last time I saw him! We chatted for a couple of days on Facebook and text, then a three hour phone call. Then last week he came down to see me and it was like the last god knows how many years hadn’t happened – no awkwardness or anything. It was great. It was like putting on your most comfortable trainers after wearing high heeled boots for hours. The first night we just talked for hours and hours! We had a lovely day exploring Cheltenham and Gloucester and just sat the second night chatting and watching movies.

It was really good to catch up and to feel like the years in between just melted away.

I found a great quote the other night that just sums it up perfectly – “True friendship isn't about being inseparable, it's being separated and nothing changes.” I have no idea who said it, but it’s a lovely sentiment and very true. I have other friends, who I don’t see from one year to the next, but when we do, the time in between is of no consequence because we just slot straight back into the easy friendship that it’s always been.

That’s the best type of friend to have.

Another Pointless Getting to Know Me Meme

I'm very bored, so this is the best I can come up with at the moment I'm afraid!

1. How old do you look? Younger than my age apparently!
2. Where do you live? Just outside Cheltenham for now.
3. Are you waiting for something? I'm always waiting for something - I don't know what, but I will know it when it happens.
4. What’s one pet peeve of yours that is not common? Messy tea and coffee drinkers.
5. Do you want/have kids? I have one beautiful daughter but I would love to have more children.
6. Have you ever thought about converting your religion? I'm nominally a Catholic but consider myself a heathen so ummmm, no!
7. Last shocking news you heard? Michael Jackson's death - but am so sick of hearing his songs on the radio!
8. What was the last thing you drank? A can of Diet Coke - quelle surprise!9. Who do you most look like in your family? My mum!
10. If you could have something right now, anything, what would it be? Someone to snuggle up to and watch rubbish on the TV with.
11. Where does most of your family live? In France.
12. Where did you grow up? In Malawi until I was 9 and then SW Scotland.
13. Where do you want to go on vacation? Scotland - and I'm going in about two weeks.
14. Have you ever had a panic attack? Have had an asthma attack, but I don't think I've had a panic attack.
15. What can’t you wait for? My holidays in Scotland.
16. When’s the last time you told someone you loved him or her and meant it? Yesterday when I spoke to Isla.
17. Have your parents ever smoked pot? No, don't be silly!
18. Want someone back in your life? No, but I'd like a new someone in my life.
19. What do you order at the bar? Smirnoff Ice.
20. When was the last time you cried really, really hard? When I watched Marley and Me - I was inconsolable!
21. Ever licked someone’s cheek? Ummmm, no?!
22. What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter? Nothing - I can't abide peanut butter - I'm a Marmite girl.
23. Where were you on July 4th, 2008? I was dogsitting at the house of the shagging love birds.
24. What are your nicknames? Mummy - that's about it really.
25. If you could go back in time, how far back would you go? Oooh, maybe the sixties because I'd have been a great hippy.

Brief Update

Very brief, as I don't have a lot of time today.

Sorry to report that there's not really a lot to tell you, so it's not much of an update! Work is getting busier, which is good, and I can't wait to go away at the beginning of August.

On an up note - got back in touch with a very old friend from school - haven't seen each other since I was 14! Isn't it weird how sometimes that amount of time with not even any contact doesn't seem to make any difference?

Sorry for the briefness, but places to go and people to see I'm afraid!

Meredith Brooks was right...

...I'm a bitch apparently.

I've upset someone tonight and I'm not sure how, or what bit of it that I said upset him but I feel like a total cow.

He didn't call me a bitch by the way - that was me!

I feel bad now.

On a brighter note, I had a lovely afternoon. I went out in the car again - across to Winchcombe and tried to find Belas Knap which is an ancient long barrow - whatever that is! I never did find it, but had a lovely drive through the Cotswolds and took some pictures.

...updated to add...

Turns out to have all been a misunderstanding involving falling asleep at an inopportune moment! Yippee, I'm not a bitch after all!

Up In The Air

I'm feeling a bit strange tonight. It's that sort of expectant feeling when you know something you don't like is going to happen - and I hate that. Sort of sinking butterfly-y feeling.

I don't know why I'm feeling like this. I shouldn't - I have stuff to look forward to. The problem is that I never believe that something is going to happen until it actually does. I try to be optimistic, but judging from past experiences, even when I think that the glass is half full, it normally turns out to be half empty. And that's not just pessimism, it's just the way things turn out.

Even when I went on holiday to Japan, I didn't allow myself to believe it was actually going to hapen until I was sitting on that plane at Heathrow! I kept thinking that there was going to be something that stopped it happening. And that's how I feel about my trip to Scotland. Not that it's not going to happen, but that it's not going to happen like it might. And I know that's cryptic - there's not much I can do about that. I've learnt my lesson on posting every inner thought, which just means that you only know half of what I'm on about.

I know that by the morning I'll have shaken this off - I'm probably just tired. I've had a few late nights in a row and could probably do with going to bed early. I also have far too much time to think - which is never a good thing!

To quote Lost, whatever happens, happens.

I'm On My Way!

I do have other stuff to tell you, other than just rants and random crap! The only problem has been having the time and/or the inclination to sit down and do it. And rather than let the blog become like a chore, I have taken a bit of a step back, mainly until something blogworthy happens!

And it has! I'm going on a wee holiday soon - going to Scotland for five or six days at the beginning of August, and I can't wait. It's been over seven years since I've been back, and it feels like going home - that's how much I'm looking forward to it. I've never lived in England, not since I was three and a half, and it's a bit weird. The food is the same, the language is the same (well, sort of!) but it's all different.

So, I'm going home for a few days to chill out, meet up with old friends, enjoy nights out in my home town, and probably bump in to the odd ex now and again! Considering I grew up there there are one or two, at least one of whom I am bound to see because one particular friend of mine will probably make it inevitable - Lara! Just to let you know, I'm not averse to that - have to lay a few ghosts there I think. Oh, and the other one too - they're much bigger ghosts though.

I'm also going to go and see our old house - for old time's sake!

Probably too much to do in too little time, but it will all fit in, because I'll make it! And there's now nothing to stop me going up whenever I want to (except money obviously!) as I am now on the same land mass. So near, yet so far!

There is a bit more that I haven't told you, but I can't. Now that this blog is all out in the open and public there are certain things I'm afraid I can't divulge! Sorry!

The job is still fine - but bloody hell is it hot at the moment! And a boiling kitchen is the last place you'd want to be! So, am going to spend my afternoon off tomorrow at my mate's house sunbathing in her garden! Lovely!

Facebook and Blasts From the Past

Isn't it weird - all these years you don't give a second thought to people from your past life, but nowadays, with the advent of social networking sites like Bebo and Facebook, to name but two, as soon as something makes you think of someone from your past you go straight to the computer and look them up. Sometimes you find them, sometimes you don't. Sometimes they haven't changed a bit, and other times they're quite unrecogniseable.

I've caught up with a few people that way. Every so often I do a Facebook cull - I go through my friends list and delete the people that I have had no contact with because, really, what's the point of being online friends with someone just to boost the numbers? People stay in touch, or don't, for a reason.

I was going through my friends list last night, while I was talking to Joocey, who apparently henceforth shall be known as Mary Poppins (what WAS she on when she thought of that one?) but we shall carry on, for the sake of you knowing who the hell I'm talking about, referring to her as Joocey. Anyway, we were looking through the list, mainly at people we both went to school with, and there are some of them that I wouldn't know if I fell over them in the street. I wouldn't say that there are any that I would actively cross the street to avoid, because I wouldn't have accepted them as Facebook friends, but there have been a few that I wouldn't make an effort to see. Hence the cull!

Sometimes, however, you get back in touch with people you wish you'd never lost touch with in the first place, and that is where Facebook can be a really useful tool. You can break the ice, see what the other person looks like these days, whether you still fancy them or not, if they're single or attached, and whether they are worth being in touch with again!!

Sometimes, it pays off, and other times you can wish you had never re-opened that particular can of worms.

Fingers crossed it pays off for everybody.

OverJacksoned

or OverMichaeled? You decide.

It is a new term that I have coined. I think it'll take on myself, what do you reckon?

While I think it's sad that Michael Jackson has died, I have to admit that I am so incredibly sick of hearing his songs on the radio. I didn't like his music much before he died (except Black or White which had Slash on guitar so was acceptable!), so why am I going to suddenly change my mind just because he is dead? Harsh? Perhaps, but that's how I feel. A DJ this evening commented that it was a tragedy that he has died. No, it isn't. A tragedy is an aeroplane full of passengers disappearing into the Atlantic leaving no surviors and no clues as to what happened. His death is sad, a shame, but not a tragedy.

Do not make it into something it is not.

Happy Birthday Daddy Dearest

Happy Birthday Pa. 71 today - not that you'd know it!

Expedition

No, not a long expedition, just a little one! I was sitting in my room yesterday wondering what to do with my afternoon (I'd had a lie in!), when a friend suggested to me that I go out and take some pictures of where I'm living so that everyone could see them on Facebook. I ummed and ahhed about it for a bit, but then we had a power cut which pushed me out as there was nothing else to do.

So, I got in to the car and headed up to the top of Cleeve Hill, which you may remember me telling you is the dead posh bit just outside of Cheltenham. We have a beautiful view of Cleeve Hill from the pub, and I wanted to see if I could see the pub from there. If you click on the picture and look closely, you will see a little red cross which is about where I was.
I had taken some Tesco prawn sarnies - really pushed the boat out there! - and had a little picnic while I happily snapped away with my camera. There were no fabulous shots, just snaps, but I enjoyed it. A little bit of me time, which is rare at the moment as I seem to be working all the time.
After that, I went over to my mate's and had a curry. I had to drop over some magazines for my mum, Isla's Dr Who magazine, and most importantly my dad's birthday card. Stayed for a couple of hours, helped her pack, sorted out her computer stuff, and came back to the pub and finished my book. I came back via Tewkesbury though because I wanted to photograph the Abbey all lit up at night, so you can imagine my disappointment when I discovered that it's not lit up at all. Ah well, never mind!

A satisfying, relaxing and enjoyable day!