I apologise now – this post will be full of ranting, as quite a few things riled me over this weekend (and on the way into work if I’m honest!)
The weekend started ok – Mum and I headed for Milton Keynes (we had been planning to go to the Peak Shopping village, but as the weather was rotten, we decided against that option) we got parked, again, no problems and started shopping.
Mum was looking for a lightweight jacket, something slightly heavier than her rain coat and lighter than her fleece. Now you would have thought that it would have been an easy job. Not a chance. The coats that were available were either revolting colours (bright orange, anyone?) or had a hood on them (I think Mum’s comment was along the lines of “I’m not looking like a bloody pixy!”)
Aside from that, it wasn’t too bad until we got to Waterstones. Now I’m a great bookworm (I read most things within reason – just not Mills & Boon or anything by Barbara Cartland – I draw the line there!) and was starting the hunt for holiday reading. I know I’ve got three months, but the sooner I start, the better.
So, I was able to find the one book I was really interested in – Wolf Hall – on the Waterstones 3 for 2 offer… Could I find any others? Could I hell. So it wasn’t worth me getting the one book (think it’s about £7.99) without getting something else to go with it.
Then it was into Lush. As per normal, the staff in there were superstars, and were only too happy to reassure me about the “disappearance” of one my favourite products – Heavenly Bodies (it’s a divine chocolate smelling soft soap, that works miracles on my skin in the shower).
So, it was then into Debenhams. Which was like a rugby scrum (ok – a scrum without the discipline) and sales people (whom I am guessing are on commission) squirting revolting perfumes into the air. And people wonder why I dislike going in there?
Needless to say, it wasn’t very good, and I wasn’t too impressed with the stock that I saw. It was either very expensive (things that were priced £59 and above, when they looked worth about £9) or it was totally impractical.
So, we headed back to the car, and went food shopping. Not bad, but the Tesco was a bit of a mess layout wise (in my opinion anyway) but the cider was on offer (as the prices have risen 10% above inflation as of midnight last night) it was worth me buying some!
Sunday wasn’t too bad (apart from the fact that we moved onto BST – meaning I lost an hour in bed!) – I watched the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, before heading out to Evesham.
As Mum had somehow managed to pull a muscle in her back, I drove. Now normally, this isn’t a problem. The problem arose when I got onto the single carriageway. Simply because there was a cycle race in progress. I mean, what idiot allows a cycle race on a major road? Ok – I admit it was a Sunday, but the A46 is not a pleasant road, simply because of the amount of heavy goods vehicles that use it.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the damned race then went down the duel carriageway (which has a speed limit of 70mph) towards Evesham, and they (the cyclists) were so intent on their damned racing, that they were taking no notice of any other traffic around them – including cars that wanted to turn at an island that they were using as their personal bend, to sling them back up the other side of the carriageway towards Stratford-Upon-Avon.
I muttered several things about the parentage of the idiot that allowed the road to be used for this race, and said that I would be amazed if someone wasn’t seriously hurt. Well, one of these days, I’ll listen to my instincts… Whilst I was in the garden centre, I heard a helicopter, very fast and very low. When I came out of the garden centre, I looked across towards the A46… And saw the Midlands Air Ambulance hovering, looking for a place to land.
So, as I went to exit onto the island that the cyclists had been merrily whizzing around (totally oblivious to the traffic around them) I saw that the police had blocked the northbound (the one heading towards Stratford) and were just moving the cones to allow a fast response paramedic access to the road.
I guess that one (or possibly more) had encountered some traffic, with nasty results. Don’t get me wrong, I know that in a collision, a cyclist will inevitably come off worst, but these cyclists were the type that I call Lycra Louts – the ones that are totally single minded about their race, and be damned to anything (or anyone) that uses the same piece of road.
So that meant that I had to use an alternative route home. Not a problem as I find the A46 boring (not to mention bad for the fuel economy on the car and equally bad for my driving licence!) The road wasn’t too bad, and I guessed that the police were sending people back to the motorway, if they wanted to get to Stratford. However, those of us with local knowledge used to old road and avoided the massive detour the accident had forced onto the traffic.
Now onto today’s rant. As I was heading into work, it started to rain. Ok – this is the UK in spring, and you accept things like this. I was always told that you used dipped headlights, to allow other road users to see you. I ended up losing count of the number of people that had either no light on at all, or pea bulbs that masquerade as sidelights.
Add into that, you had the “I’ve got 5 mins to get to work” brigade, and driving is not fun, especially when you seem to spend more time watching your rear-view mirror, trying to make sure that the prat behind you doesn’t rear-end you because it’s too damned close to stop!
Ah well, enough ranting for now – I guess I should think about doing some w*rk, but I’ve got severe TNFI, and it’s only Monday… But I guess this could be something to do with the fact that I’m only w*rking (or should that be attending) 3 ½ days this week, due to Easter and me having Thursday afternoon off…
Back later, if I get the chance.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Chilled out weekend...
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Karen
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Well, as I type this, I am admittedly in the playpen that I call an office, but I really don't care at the moment. Why? Because I've had the best weekend away for a long time.
My beloved and I had been planning an escape to our favourite place (The Green Man), but unfortunately, we couldn’t get the accommodation. So, we stayed at Furzton Lake, near Milton Keynes (yes – the town famous (or should that be infamous) for the concrete cows!)
As we weren’t meeting up until the afternoon, I made the most of it, and went shopping. Yes, I know that I’ve stated in previous posts that I loathe shopping, but for once, it was nice to be able to wander around somewhere on my own, at my own pace.
My beloved had said that he didn’t know what to get me for my birthday, so I was given a free choice (within reason – if I’d had my way, it would have been either an Aston Martin DB9 or the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti!) So, I decided that the best thing I could do, would be to have a wander around the shops, and see what caught my eye…
The first stop was to head to Marks & Spencer, to see if I could find that rarity of rarities, hold ups that actually fitted without cutting off the circulation to my legs. That was a success, so it was then off to take a leisurely walk around the centre.
My next point of call was to Waterstones, in the hope of getting three books that I was after (Dark Haven by Gail Z Martin, Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead and A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde). That failed partially, as I only manged to get A Picture of Dorian Gray, so it was back to wandering.
My wanderings took down towards Midsummer Place, and straight into one of my favourite shops (after Waterstones – can’t do without my books!) – Lush. This is one of the few places that I have been able to find skin care and other treats that don’t upset my skin (most things turn my skin into something that resembles a lizard!)
I got quite a bit in Lush – including the bits that I wanted from their Christmas range. This included a shower jelly called Champagne Snow Showers – a real treat to use in the shower as well as Vanilla Dee-light. No – I’m not taking the mickey – this is a delightfully light body lotion, with a very gentle vanilla scent to it. Most of the time, I find fragranced body lotions too heavy (usually in the scent (or it's way too synthetic for my liking!) or the the actual feel of the lotion on the skin (too heavy - most feel like axel grease to me) but this seems to suit me just right.
It was then time for a coffee. And for me, only one place to go. Yes, Starbucks. I know that it’s clichéd and everything else, but the coffee is good and that’s all that really bothers me. That and the fact that I get left alone! It gave me a chance to start reading, and I will admit I’ve been quite surprised. The only thing I knew about Dorian Gray was from the film – The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (the one with Sean Connery in!)
It’s quite an involving read, and I will admit to nearly forgetting the time (I was limited on time by the fact that I’d only got 4 hours on the car, and time was marching on!) So, I headed back to the car, via La Senza (where I got exactly what I wanted for my birthday - all I will say is that it is listed as Dazzling Blue - the rest remains between me and my beloved!)
I then made a brief stop at Borders to see if I could get the books I wanted. That was a partial success, and I managed to get Dark Haven, but not the other one. Ah well - you win some, you lose some.
So, as it was getting near to the time that I was supposed to be meeting my beloved. I’d taken the trouble to put the sat-nav into my handbag, and when I went to set it up – disaster. Me being a twit had taken the SD card out of the unit. Normally, this wouldn’t have been an issue…
But this time it was. I’d recently received a large update from the manufacturer, and had taken the time to install everything on the computer, and copied the files across to the sat-nav. Only the internal memory wasn’t large enough to accept all the data I required.
Ok – not a problem – this little gizmo has a slot where I can put an SD card, and then load the details onto that. Which I did. Only to take the dammed thing out at some point, and forget to put it back in!
Now I’m not the greatest at map-reading, and could only vaguely remember where this dratted place was, which meant that I headed towards junction 14 of the M1, where the directions in my little directory started from.
And that was where some of the problems started. Have you ever tried counting roundabouts, whilst watching all the other traffic around you, as well as making sure that you’re not in the wrong lane? Not easy I tell you, but I did manage to find the place. Eventually.
The rest? Well that remains between me and my beloved, but all I will say is that I am so chilled out, I am almost horizontal.
Guess I should think about doing some w*rk, but I really don’t have any interest – or inclination, and that’s not good, especially as it’s only Monday!
Back later.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
My beloved and I had been planning an escape to our favourite place (The Green Man), but unfortunately, we couldn’t get the accommodation. So, we stayed at Furzton Lake, near Milton Keynes (yes – the town famous (or should that be infamous) for the concrete cows!)
As we weren’t meeting up until the afternoon, I made the most of it, and went shopping. Yes, I know that I’ve stated in previous posts that I loathe shopping, but for once, it was nice to be able to wander around somewhere on my own, at my own pace.
My beloved had said that he didn’t know what to get me for my birthday, so I was given a free choice (within reason – if I’d had my way, it would have been either an Aston Martin DB9 or the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti!) So, I decided that the best thing I could do, would be to have a wander around the shops, and see what caught my eye…
The first stop was to head to Marks & Spencer, to see if I could find that rarity of rarities, hold ups that actually fitted without cutting off the circulation to my legs. That was a success, so it was then off to take a leisurely walk around the centre.
My next point of call was to Waterstones, in the hope of getting three books that I was after (Dark Haven by Gail Z Martin, Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead and A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde). That failed partially, as I only manged to get A Picture of Dorian Gray, so it was back to wandering.
My wanderings took down towards Midsummer Place, and straight into one of my favourite shops (after Waterstones – can’t do without my books!) – Lush. This is one of the few places that I have been able to find skin care and other treats that don’t upset my skin (most things turn my skin into something that resembles a lizard!)
I got quite a bit in Lush – including the bits that I wanted from their Christmas range. This included a shower jelly called Champagne Snow Showers – a real treat to use in the shower as well as Vanilla Dee-light. No – I’m not taking the mickey – this is a delightfully light body lotion, with a very gentle vanilla scent to it. Most of the time, I find fragranced body lotions too heavy (usually in the scent (or it's way too synthetic for my liking!) or the the actual feel of the lotion on the skin (too heavy - most feel like axel grease to me) but this seems to suit me just right.
It was then time for a coffee. And for me, only one place to go. Yes, Starbucks. I know that it’s clichéd and everything else, but the coffee is good and that’s all that really bothers me. That and the fact that I get left alone! It gave me a chance to start reading, and I will admit I’ve been quite surprised. The only thing I knew about Dorian Gray was from the film – The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (the one with Sean Connery in!)
It’s quite an involving read, and I will admit to nearly forgetting the time (I was limited on time by the fact that I’d only got 4 hours on the car, and time was marching on!) So, I headed back to the car, via La Senza (where I got exactly what I wanted for my birthday - all I will say is that it is listed as Dazzling Blue - the rest remains between me and my beloved!)
I then made a brief stop at Borders to see if I could get the books I wanted. That was a partial success, and I managed to get Dark Haven, but not the other one. Ah well - you win some, you lose some.
So, as it was getting near to the time that I was supposed to be meeting my beloved. I’d taken the trouble to put the sat-nav into my handbag, and when I went to set it up – disaster. Me being a twit had taken the SD card out of the unit. Normally, this wouldn’t have been an issue…
But this time it was. I’d recently received a large update from the manufacturer, and had taken the time to install everything on the computer, and copied the files across to the sat-nav. Only the internal memory wasn’t large enough to accept all the data I required.
Ok – not a problem – this little gizmo has a slot where I can put an SD card, and then load the details onto that. Which I did. Only to take the dammed thing out at some point, and forget to put it back in!
Now I’m not the greatest at map-reading, and could only vaguely remember where this dratted place was, which meant that I headed towards junction 14 of the M1, where the directions in my little directory started from.
And that was where some of the problems started. Have you ever tried counting roundabouts, whilst watching all the other traffic around you, as well as making sure that you’re not in the wrong lane? Not easy I tell you, but I did manage to find the place. Eventually.
The rest? Well that remains between me and my beloved, but all I will say is that I am so chilled out, I am almost horizontal.
Guess I should think about doing some w*rk, but I really don’t have any interest – or inclination, and that’s not good, especially as it’s only Monday!
Back later.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
Preparing to make another escape
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Karen
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No sooner am I back from a holiday, than I’m preparing for another one. This time, it’s because I’m going to my cousin’s wedding in Cornwall.
Mum and I are leaving on Saturday, staying for two nights in Indian Queens, and then heading to Truro, to meet up with the rest of the family.
The reason that we’re doing this is because once the family know that Mum and I are in the area, we won’t get any time to ourselves, as the family have a habit of organising things.
But, there are things that I want to do whilst I’m in Cornwall – one of them being to visit the Eden project (again) and go to Lands End and the Tate gallery in St Ives. Hopefully, the family will allow us time to do this, but I’m not sure what the arrangements will be.
I know the wedding is on Wednesday (apparently, farmer’s weddings are always held on a Wednesday or a Sunday – don’t ask me why!) but I’m hoping that Mum and I will be able to escape on our own.
Guess I should call this quits – I’m supposed to be working, not blogging!
Back when I return from Cornwall…
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings
Mum and I are leaving on Saturday, staying for two nights in Indian Queens, and then heading to Truro, to meet up with the rest of the family.
The reason that we’re doing this is because once the family know that Mum and I are in the area, we won’t get any time to ourselves, as the family have a habit of organising things.
But, there are things that I want to do whilst I’m in Cornwall – one of them being to visit the Eden project (again) and go to Lands End and the Tate gallery in St Ives. Hopefully, the family will allow us time to do this, but I’m not sure what the arrangements will be.
I know the wedding is on Wednesday (apparently, farmer’s weddings are always held on a Wednesday or a Sunday – don’t ask me why!) but I’m hoping that Mum and I will be able to escape on our own.
Guess I should call this quits – I’m supposed to be working, not blogging!
Back when I return from Cornwall…
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings
Fun and games flying from Funchal...
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Monday morning arrived, and as Mum and I weren't leaving for the Airport until 11:00, we had plenty of time to walk into Funchal and get our last minute purchases - which in our case meant buying corms and seeds, as well as wicker-work. I got a replica of the Monte toboggan which I thought would be perfect to keep my car keys and security pass in, whilst I'm in the office.
Once we'd gotten what we wanted, and had packed it was off to the airport. And that was where the fun started. We were told the the flight was delayed for a couple of hours - and that it was due to adverse weather conditions in Birmingham. Great - just what Mum and I needed to be told - rotten weather back home.
So, we killed time by wandering around the very small duty free area, and watching the antics of the terminal maintenance crew, who were trying (unsuccessfully at first) to deal with a blocked drain line on one of the big overhead air-conditioning units.
Mum got tired, so I did my normal trick and left her with the hand-baggage, whilst I scampered off into Duty Free. I was under instruction to get a decent bottle of whisky for one of my neighbours, and I wanted to see if I could get a particular aftershave I'd been after (Boss Selection).
Given the size of the Duty Free area, it was almost as good as the ones at Heathrow (and much better than the one at Birmingham!) I not only managed to get a bottle of single malt, but I managed to get the aftershave and some of my perfume - Cartier - Declaration (I think that's how you spell it!)
Once we'd gotten what we wanted, and had packed it was off to the airport. And that was where the fun started. We were told the the flight was delayed for a couple of hours - and that it was due to adverse weather conditions in Birmingham. Great - just what Mum and I needed to be told - rotten weather back home.
So, we killed time by wandering around the very small duty free area, and watching the antics of the terminal maintenance crew, who were trying (unsuccessfully at first) to deal with a blocked drain line on one of the big overhead air-conditioning units.
Mum got tired, so I did my normal trick and left her with the hand-baggage, whilst I scampered off into Duty Free. I was under instruction to get a decent bottle of whisky for one of my neighbours, and I wanted to see if I could get a particular aftershave I'd been after (Boss Selection).
Given the size of the Duty Free area, it was almost as good as the ones at Heathrow (and much better than the one at Birmingham!) I not only managed to get a bottle of single malt, but I managed to get the aftershave and some of my perfume - Cartier - Declaration (I think that's how you spell it!)
We finally got onto the flight, and it was almost as bad as the in-bound trip. We also found out why we'd had the delay... The aircraft had a technical fault at Birmingham, thus delaying the outbound flight, which had a knock-on effect on the return flight that Mum and I were on.
This time, I was lucky enough to be seated by the window, whilst poor Mum was stuck in the middle seat, and was tremendously uncomfortable.
But, once we'd landed back in Birmingham, we knew that it wasn't going to be too long before we were home.
If anything, this trip has made me more determined to go back to Maderia, as the people are really friendly, and the scenery? Well, that's just spectacular, and deserves a longer trip to do the island justice.
Would I recommend going there? YES.
If you're into gardening, walking and good food, it's a real must see place, and one that I have every intention of going back to, as a week just wasn't long enough to see and do everything that I wanted to.
Ah well, guess I should call this quits - I've got bits and pieces to sort out before I go back to the playpen that I call an office, next week. (Boo, hiss.)
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
Hoping to lay a ghost to rest...
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Karen
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Well, the furry fiends have been fed, and are now sleeping off their munchies on my bed - which doesn't bother me that much as it means that I get peace and quiet for a while...
That means that I've been able to concentrate on the one problem that's been bugging me all weekend - my ex-fiancé.
He called me after I'd fed the cats, and much to his surprise, I answered the call. He somehow managed to refrain from making any sarcastic comments, as the last time he did, I put the 'phone down on him.
You say I’m heartless
And you say I don't care
I used to be there for you
And you've said I seem so dead, that I have changed
But so have you
I've agreed to meet him on neutral territory - Oxford - on Saturday in order to sort things out between us once and for all. Why he's so insistent on meeting up with me is a mystery to me, but I'm not dumb enough to fall for his charms - the old saying once bitten, twice shy is only too relevant where he's concerned.
You've been so thoughtless
I can see right through you
You used to be there for me
So don't you leave say goodbye
Cause you have changed but so have I
Equally, I've not been daft (or dumb) enough to go and meet him on my own. Julian has said that he'll come with me - I get the impression that he's terrified that I might do something I regret - like laying him out cold in the middle of Oxford.
Tempting as that might well be, he's really not worth the trouble, and all I want to do is shatter any and all illusions about the chances of us two getting back together. As I've said in a previous post - that will happen when Satan starts ordering winter woollies and antifreeze.
I know the truth now
I know who you are
And I don't love you anymore
Until then, all I can do is make it plain that any discussions can wait until Saturday - I don't want to give him the impression that I'm considering anything where he's concerned - apart from the possibility of the best location to bury the hatchet. My personal preference would be right between his shoulder blades! *Grin*
Time to call this quits - I want some peace and quiet tonight, as it's back to the grindstone for me tomorrow...
Back tomorrow if I get the chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
That means that I've been able to concentrate on the one problem that's been bugging me all weekend - my ex-fiancé.
He called me after I'd fed the cats, and much to his surprise, I answered the call. He somehow managed to refrain from making any sarcastic comments, as the last time he did, I put the 'phone down on him.
You say I’m heartless
And you say I don't care
I used to be there for you
And you've said I seem so dead, that I have changed
But so have you
I've agreed to meet him on neutral territory - Oxford - on Saturday in order to sort things out between us once and for all. Why he's so insistent on meeting up with me is a mystery to me, but I'm not dumb enough to fall for his charms - the old saying once bitten, twice shy is only too relevant where he's concerned.
You've been so thoughtless
I can see right through you
You used to be there for me
So don't you leave say goodbye
Cause you have changed but so have I
Equally, I've not been daft (or dumb) enough to go and meet him on my own. Julian has said that he'll come with me - I get the impression that he's terrified that I might do something I regret - like laying him out cold in the middle of Oxford.
Tempting as that might well be, he's really not worth the trouble, and all I want to do is shatter any and all illusions about the chances of us two getting back together. As I've said in a previous post - that will happen when Satan starts ordering winter woollies and antifreeze.
I know the truth now
I know who you are
And I don't love you anymore
Until then, all I can do is make it plain that any discussions can wait until Saturday - I don't want to give him the impression that I'm considering anything where he's concerned - apart from the possibility of the best location to bury the hatchet. My personal preference would be right between his shoulder blades! *Grin*
Time to call this quits - I want some peace and quiet tonight, as it's back to the grindstone for me tomorrow...
Back tomorrow if I get the chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
When the pieces start to fit...
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Karen
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That's how I feel after spending a weekend in Hemel with my best friend. I'd agreed to go and see him and his family and the idea was that I would aim to get to the service area on the A41 (yes - the same one that I overshot when I went down there the first time!) for about 15:30 on Saturday afternoon...
As luck would have it, I got clear of the hairdresser's a lot faster than I'd expected (almost as if someone had whispered in Paul's ear that I wanted to get moving) and so was able to let my friend know that I was clear a lot earlier than expected!
He was still at Thames Valley Harley Davidson getting the bike sorted out, and finding out the reason that the bike has an oil leak... The engine cowling is very slightly distorted, thus allowing the bike to leak...
So, I had plenty of time to get something to eat before heading home to grab a shower (simply because I was covered in short hairs from my haircut, and they were driving me scatty.)
That meant that I was on the road south at 13:15! It was a reasonable run south, and I will admit to having a little bit of a heavy right foot whilst I was on the M40 (like about 85mph...)
But that was before I got to the roadworks - which have got a heavily enforced 50mph speed limit - the rotten sods have nasty speed cameras on that section - and I had no intention of getting nicked for speeding!
I called my friend as agreed when I was in Aylesbury (the message was along the lines of ... I'm Aylesbury, and they're all trying to kill me - they keep aiming at me!) and as I didn't hear anything, assumed that he was still on the bike.
I kept on heading towards Hemel, and I will admit to keeping the car under the speed limit - as in I was doing 60mph instead of the usual 75 - 80 mph, as I wasn't sure where the service turn was..
I could recall that it was after a bridge and on a downhill stretch, but that wasn't a lot of help as most of the road is downhill, and there were quite a few bridges...
The turning came up, and I was muttering darkly about the sharpness of the turning, as it meant that I was having to brake and steer at the same time - not a good move, considering the fact that I'm not really happy with the tyres on my car... But, as I pulled into the car park, I had a lovely surprise... My friend was there, complete with the bike!
He was really surprised, and said that he'd only just finished putting his stuff in the boxes on the bike, and had just been about to call me. He said that I must have been hammering it from Aylesbury, and didn't believe me when I said that I'd been taking it easy...
I will admit to laughing, and we headed to his home, with him leading. I could tell he was enjoying being out on the bike, and decided to give up when he gave the bike a bit of throttle.
Ok - it's a big bike, but the power to weight ratio still wipes the floor with the Peugeot (much as it galls me to admit it!), and he also did his favorite thing - he opened the throttles on the bike when we were going under two bridges which form a semi tunnel..
I could hear the roar of the engine over my stereo and I was less than impressed - I much prefer listening to Gary Moore without the accompaniment of a Harley engine!
We got to his home, and I parked the car on the lawn (his suggestion before I get comments about female drivers!) and was able to veg out before we went to the speedway. . .
Because I'd started to relax, my shoulder decided that it was time to remind me that I'd over done things, and started to hurt like hell. So, I took a couple of pain killers and didn't think anymore of it - until I realised that they weren't working!
Speedway. What can I say apart from WOW! My friend had described it as a minute of pure lunacy - and he wasn't wrong! It was a good meeting, with the home team winning quite comfortably.
The trip back after the speedway wasn't very comfortable for me, but that was because the painkillers weren't working, and I will admit to trying to meditate on the way back in order to quieten the pain...
It seemed to work a bit, and I was only too glad to be able to sit down without getting bounced around like a small rubber ball - the roads around Hemel leave a lot to be desired!
We sat chatting for a bit, and then I settled down to get what sleep I could, given the fact that I was in an awful lot of pain. I woke up at 03:00, and took some more pills, and was woken quite gently at about 09:00 by my friend.
He admitted that he was a bit apprehensive about waking me, as I apparently had my right hand curled into a fist, and he was worried I would take a swipe at him!
I went and had a shower, as my hair was sticking up and out in all directions, and then headed for the gallery in Wendover (see http://www.aceshigh-uk.com/) as there was a signing being done by one of the WWII bomber crews.
Whilst he was waiting to get the autographs, I made the most of the time and buzzed off to look for a print of Concorde for my god-sprog's birthday. The little munchkin has been on at me to get her a picture of Concorde ever since she spotted mine. But, the only problem is, mine is the one with the Red Arrows and Concorde, plus it's got all the autographs.
I found a couple of prints of commercial aircraft - a nice on of a B747-classic, and a B767 preparing for take-off, but I knew damned well that if I got either of those, then she would be disappointed, as it wasn't Concorde.
So, I asked if there were any prints available. There were, and the one I liked was £145. It's called Speedbird, and is by a good artist called Simon Atack. (See http://www.aceshigh-uk.com/pinfo/993)
Ok - not a problem if I had being buying the print for me, but Amber is only 5... So I will admit to having reservations about it, and decided to leave it until I'd spoken to Julian, who had said that he would go 50/50 with me on the cost of the print.
We left the gallery, and headed towards home, via the pub! We decided that it was too nice to sit inside, so we took our drinks outside, and sat talking...
We talked about various things, including making plans to get together in November to go 'round the Motorcyle museum in Birmingham (http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk/), and if I get my way, the Museum of Road Transport in Coventry. (See http://www.transport-museum.com/)
We finished our pints, and went for a walk to see some horses that were in a near-by field. I'd got my stand by treat of polos with me, and unknown to me, whilst I was bribing the horses with polos, my friend was taking 'photos of me on his phone!
The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze of pain for me, as my shoulder was killing me, and I will admit to being uncertain about my ability to drive home. Thankfully, I was able to get home in one piece - even if I did stop in Banbury, as there is no-where safe on the A41 for you to stop and have a break..
So, I guess that this means that I've got to get my shoulder sorted out, but the weekend was a sucess for me in more ways than one - I've been to my first speedway meeting and sorted out things that were bothering me with someone I care for...
Suppose I'd better call this quits - I'm supposed to be working. Well, that's the theory anyway!
Back when I get the chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
As luck would have it, I got clear of the hairdresser's a lot faster than I'd expected (almost as if someone had whispered in Paul's ear that I wanted to get moving) and so was able to let my friend know that I was clear a lot earlier than expected!
He was still at Thames Valley Harley Davidson getting the bike sorted out, and finding out the reason that the bike has an oil leak... The engine cowling is very slightly distorted, thus allowing the bike to leak...
So, I had plenty of time to get something to eat before heading home to grab a shower (simply because I was covered in short hairs from my haircut, and they were driving me scatty.)
That meant that I was on the road south at 13:15! It was a reasonable run south, and I will admit to having a little bit of a heavy right foot whilst I was on the M40 (like about 85mph...)
But that was before I got to the roadworks - which have got a heavily enforced 50mph speed limit - the rotten sods have nasty speed cameras on that section - and I had no intention of getting nicked for speeding!
I called my friend as agreed when I was in Aylesbury (the message was along the lines of ... I'm Aylesbury, and they're all trying to kill me - they keep aiming at me!) and as I didn't hear anything, assumed that he was still on the bike.
I kept on heading towards Hemel, and I will admit to keeping the car under the speed limit - as in I was doing 60mph instead of the usual 75 - 80 mph, as I wasn't sure where the service turn was..
I could recall that it was after a bridge and on a downhill stretch, but that wasn't a lot of help as most of the road is downhill, and there were quite a few bridges...
The turning came up, and I was muttering darkly about the sharpness of the turning, as it meant that I was having to brake and steer at the same time - not a good move, considering the fact that I'm not really happy with the tyres on my car... But, as I pulled into the car park, I had a lovely surprise... My friend was there, complete with the bike!
He was really surprised, and said that he'd only just finished putting his stuff in the boxes on the bike, and had just been about to call me. He said that I must have been hammering it from Aylesbury, and didn't believe me when I said that I'd been taking it easy...
I will admit to laughing, and we headed to his home, with him leading. I could tell he was enjoying being out on the bike, and decided to give up when he gave the bike a bit of throttle.
Ok - it's a big bike, but the power to weight ratio still wipes the floor with the Peugeot (much as it galls me to admit it!), and he also did his favorite thing - he opened the throttles on the bike when we were going under two bridges which form a semi tunnel..
I could hear the roar of the engine over my stereo and I was less than impressed - I much prefer listening to Gary Moore without the accompaniment of a Harley engine!
We got to his home, and I parked the car on the lawn (his suggestion before I get comments about female drivers!) and was able to veg out before we went to the speedway. . .
Because I'd started to relax, my shoulder decided that it was time to remind me that I'd over done things, and started to hurt like hell. So, I took a couple of pain killers and didn't think anymore of it - until I realised that they weren't working!
Speedway. What can I say apart from WOW! My friend had described it as a minute of pure lunacy - and he wasn't wrong! It was a good meeting, with the home team winning quite comfortably.
The trip back after the speedway wasn't very comfortable for me, but that was because the painkillers weren't working, and I will admit to trying to meditate on the way back in order to quieten the pain...
It seemed to work a bit, and I was only too glad to be able to sit down without getting bounced around like a small rubber ball - the roads around Hemel leave a lot to be desired!
We sat chatting for a bit, and then I settled down to get what sleep I could, given the fact that I was in an awful lot of pain. I woke up at 03:00, and took some more pills, and was woken quite gently at about 09:00 by my friend.
He admitted that he was a bit apprehensive about waking me, as I apparently had my right hand curled into a fist, and he was worried I would take a swipe at him!
I went and had a shower, as my hair was sticking up and out in all directions, and then headed for the gallery in Wendover (see http://www.aceshigh-uk.com/) as there was a signing being done by one of the WWII bomber crews.
Whilst he was waiting to get the autographs, I made the most of the time and buzzed off to look for a print of Concorde for my god-sprog's birthday. The little munchkin has been on at me to get her a picture of Concorde ever since she spotted mine. But, the only problem is, mine is the one with the Red Arrows and Concorde, plus it's got all the autographs.
I found a couple of prints of commercial aircraft - a nice on of a B747-classic, and a B767 preparing for take-off, but I knew damned well that if I got either of those, then she would be disappointed, as it wasn't Concorde.
So, I asked if there were any prints available. There were, and the one I liked was £145. It's called Speedbird, and is by a good artist called Simon Atack. (See http://www.aceshigh-uk.com/pinfo/993)
Ok - not a problem if I had being buying the print for me, but Amber is only 5... So I will admit to having reservations about it, and decided to leave it until I'd spoken to Julian, who had said that he would go 50/50 with me on the cost of the print.
We left the gallery, and headed towards home, via the pub! We decided that it was too nice to sit inside, so we took our drinks outside, and sat talking...
We talked about various things, including making plans to get together in November to go 'round the Motorcyle museum in Birmingham (http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk/), and if I get my way, the Museum of Road Transport in Coventry. (See http://www.transport-museum.com/)
We finished our pints, and went for a walk to see some horses that were in a near-by field. I'd got my stand by treat of polos with me, and unknown to me, whilst I was bribing the horses with polos, my friend was taking 'photos of me on his phone!
The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze of pain for me, as my shoulder was killing me, and I will admit to being uncertain about my ability to drive home. Thankfully, I was able to get home in one piece - even if I did stop in Banbury, as there is no-where safe on the A41 for you to stop and have a break..
So, I guess that this means that I've got to get my shoulder sorted out, but the weekend was a sucess for me in more ways than one - I've been to my first speedway meeting and sorted out things that were bothering me with someone I care for...
Suppose I'd better call this quits - I'm supposed to be working. Well, that's the theory anyway!
Back when I get the chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
Planning another escape...
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Karen
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Well, the ball is rolling and I'm planning another escape. It's with my good friend, and if everything goes to plan, it should be a weekend to remember.
As it stands, I've got time to go and see my Godsprog and see how she's getting on with Kipper (her Shetland pony) as she keeps telling me how well she can get Kipper to do what she wants, and then go and get changed (so I don't stink of horse) and then head into Stratford to meet up with my friend...
Guess I should call this quits - I'm supposed to be working, not blogging!
Back later if I get the chance...
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
As it stands, I've got time to go and see my Godsprog and see how she's getting on with Kipper (her Shetland pony) as she keeps telling me how well she can get Kipper to do what she wants, and then go and get changed (so I don't stink of horse) and then head into Stratford to meet up with my friend...
Guess I should call this quits - I'm supposed to be working, not blogging!
Back later if I get the chance...
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
Hemel, Brooklands and tears
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Karen
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The title of this entry sums up the weekend that I've just had. I should have suspected that I wasn't my normal self when I managed to overshoot the turning to the services on the A41. Mainly because I was too intent on proving to some fool in an under-powered Vauxhall Corsa that he shouldn't try taking on a 1.6 Peugeot 206 - especially when it's in sports mode!
So, me being me, decided to see if there was another turn, and called my friend to say that I thought I'd over shot the turn. Which as it turned out I had done and will freely admit to muttering all kinds of unkind things about wrong directions and things like that.
Thankfully, my friend was a real darling, and met me in Hemel and guided me home -via the local chip shop for dinner!
His family were really pleasant, and we sat chatting about family, friends and common interests, and I will admit to being only too glad to get some sleep - even if it was on the sofa, as I was knackered.
Saturday morning seemed to come all too soon, and my friend scared the hell out of me by touching the back of my hand... I will admit to jumping and I think it took him by surprise, but I had been out for the count!
We headed to Brooklands, and I will admit to feeling slightly unsettled. Why, I have no idea, but in hindsight, I guess that it was because I knew in the back of my mind that this was a place that I'd wanted to visit with Dad, and would never get the chance to do so.
So, me being me, decided to see if there was another turn, and called my friend to say that I thought I'd over shot the turn. Which as it turned out I had done and will freely admit to muttering all kinds of unkind things about wrong directions and things like that.
Thankfully, my friend was a real darling, and met me in Hemel and guided me home -via the local chip shop for dinner!
His family were really pleasant, and we sat chatting about family, friends and common interests, and I will admit to being only too glad to get some sleep - even if it was on the sofa, as I was knackered.
Saturday morning seemed to come all too soon, and my friend scared the hell out of me by touching the back of my hand... I will admit to jumping and I think it took him by surprise, but I had been out for the count!
We headed to Brooklands, and I will admit to feeling slightly unsettled. Why, I have no idea, but in hindsight, I guess that it was because I knew in the back of my mind that this was a place that I'd wanted to visit with Dad, and would never get the chance to do so.
There were some beautiful cars there, and more to the point, several exhibts that I was determined to see - including the Concorde that was being restored. The tail was stood on several truck tyres, and one of the volunteers said that the restoration should be finished by July this year.
We also watched the cars going up the Brooklands test hill - including one brave soul in a Fiat 500 - complete with a trailer!
Then, Sunday it was a trip to the gallery where my friend gets most of his beautiful WWII aircraft prints. I was ok until I saw the Concorde print, complete with the signatures of the respective captains. That just opened the floodagtes, and I burst into tears. I couldn't help it - the memories that had been stirred up by my trip to Brooklands (where Dad started his apprenticeship) and seeing the print was the straw that broke the tigger.
My friend was a real angel, and did his best to help me, but I know that he wasn't sure what he could do to help me, which seemed to really upset him.
The trouble was, there wasn't a damned thing that anyone could do to help me - I know this time of year is not good for me, as I tend to go to pieces at the slightest thing, and in hindsight, I should have perhaps warned him that I was fragile...
Guess I should call this entry quits - I've got to make peace with the furry fiends, who are both giving me the evil eye as I've had the nerve to leave them for a couple of days...
Back when I get the chance - or more to the point, if I'm still in one piece from the fiends!
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
Getting ready to escape…
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Karen
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As I type this, I don’t mind admitting that I’m nervous. Why I have no idea, but I guess that it’s just me being slightly apprehensive – simply because I’m heading south to spend a few days with my daft hog riding friend and his family.
Thankfully, he’s been a real darling and sent me directions, so all I have to do is read them and follow them to the point where we’re supposed to meet up...
Aside from that, I gave Mum her birthday present last night, and I half expected her to lynch me as she realised what I’d bought her as soon as she saw the bag it was in (no – I didn’t wrap it up – I just about had time to draw breath on Wednesday, let alone get the peace and quiet to wrap the present up!)
What I’d bought her was a piece of studio glass – from the Okra glass factory. It was a one off piece made for B W Thornton in Stratford, and as soon as I saw it, I fell for it.
Ok – I knew that I would end up going there for Mum’s present, but I had no idea what to get her, and was totally open minded about what I got – the only limit being that I was unwilling to pay more that £200 for whatever I decided to get her.
Admittedly, £200 sounds an awful lot, but given that Dad and I had bought one piece for £350 (which is truly spectacular), I felt that it was a reasonable level to set. In the end, the piece was very reasonable - £60!
Mum was over the moon, and said that it was just the sort of thing that she would have bought, and that she knew as soon as she saw the bag what it was likely to be… I just neglected to tell her that I’d taken yesterday morning off to get it for her!
Thankfully, he’s been a real darling and sent me directions, so all I have to do is read them and follow them to the point where we’re supposed to meet up...
Aside from that, I gave Mum her birthday present last night, and I half expected her to lynch me as she realised what I’d bought her as soon as she saw the bag it was in (no – I didn’t wrap it up – I just about had time to draw breath on Wednesday, let alone get the peace and quiet to wrap the present up!)
What I’d bought her was a piece of studio glass – from the Okra glass factory. It was a one off piece made for B W Thornton in Stratford, and as soon as I saw it, I fell for it.
Ok – I knew that I would end up going there for Mum’s present, but I had no idea what to get her, and was totally open minded about what I got – the only limit being that I was unwilling to pay more that £200 for whatever I decided to get her.
Admittedly, £200 sounds an awful lot, but given that Dad and I had bought one piece for £350 (which is truly spectacular), I felt that it was a reasonable level to set. In the end, the piece was very reasonable - £60!
Mum was over the moon, and said that it was just the sort of thing that she would have bought, and that she knew as soon as she saw the bag what it was likely to be… I just neglected to tell her that I’d taken yesterday morning off to get it for her!
I also had to go back to Warwick hospital yesterday... I was due to see the sawbones about my shoulder (which is no better - more in a bit) and also got my ribs checked over. The ribs have healed, and I've been given the all clear to start riding again, as long as I wear my body armour!
However, the shoulder is still giving me serious grief, and I don't think I've done myself any favours by refusing the cortisone jab that the sawbones wanted to do yesterday.
The only reason that I refused was because I'm heading south today, and I have no intention of going to see a good friend when I'm in pain with my shoulder and suffering from the after effects of the cortisone jab. So, it's off to the hospital on July 6th to get the jab in the shoulder.
Until then, I'm going to have to grin and bear it, and hope that I'm not too bad tempered after the drive this afternoon...
Guess I should call this entry quits – I’m supposed to be working, not blogging!
Back when I get the chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
A fun but tiring weekend…
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Karen
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It was just the sort of weekend I needed to brighten my mood after a rotten week.
I got to our meeting point, and was able to sneak up on my friend who had his back to the door, and made him jump by giving him a cuddle. We had a coffee and talked about the route to Cosford – which meant that we would have to use the M6… Ok – not a problem there, as it was a Saturday, but I knew from past experience that traffic could be hell.
The museum at Cosford opened at 10am, and there were a couple of aircraft outside... Not an issue, but it was blowing a gale across the airfield, and I was shivering, despite the fact that I had a heavy coat on – as it was my legs that were cold!
Once inside, my friend was a real angel and guided my frozen carcass to the hot air vents, which supplied heat to the museum building – and me! Once I was warmed up (ok – not nearly as warm as I would have liked, but I don’t think my friend would have been too keen on staying by the heater as it was quite a drive to get to Cosford!), we started to go ‘round the museum.
I will admit, I was wishing that Dad was with me, as he would have really enjoyed the museum – simply because he would have been able to tell me about the passenger aircraft that my friend and I were looking at.
The exhibits were incredible, and I will admit being awestruck by the sheer size of the Lincoln bomb bay, and my friend was a real angel, and explained about the different ways that the bombs could be loaded, and also showed me the loading diagram on the side of the bomb bay.
I also saw one of my favourite aircraft – the Spitfire. Ok – I know that sounds corny, but it really is a favourite of mine, and I’ve been lucky enough to see one flying several times – and one of those times was when the Lancaster bomber was flying as well…
We then walked down to the other hangar, where there were a variety of aircraft, including the York transport aircraft – which was another derivation of the Lancaster bomber. My friend was quite upset, as the aircraft had its tail pointing towards us, and we were unable to go around the front, but he took the time to explain what the differences were and what it was used for.
The one thing that he was determined to do was go and see the Vulcan cockpit simulation... Ok – not a problem there, as I was interested as well, but I didn’t realise that I was claustrophobic.
Which is crazy, simply because I didn’t have a problem when I went ‘round St Michael’s cave in Gibraltar. I couldn’t stay in there, and I gave my friend quite a fright when he turned ‘round, and I’d gone!
What I did was scoot out as fast as I could, and headed for the Concorde engine, as it was something that I was interested in (as I’ve got several bits of one at home, thanks to Dad, who used to work for British Airways!)
I didn’t hear him walking up behind me, and he returned the fright that I’d given him earlier in the day, and was quite concerned about me. I explained that I had felt very uncomfortable, and needed to get out of there as fast as I could. He was really sweet, and said that if he’d known that I was claustrophobic, he wouldn’t have let me go in there!
We then decided that it was time for a coffee, and as the coffee shop was in the main building, it meant that I got cold again! I wasn’t terribly impressed, and headed straight for the coffee shop, whilst he went ‘round the shop.
Once that was sorted, we then headed for our over night stopping point – which was the Mellor Park Premier Inn at Wolverhampton – as my friend wanted to go to Chapel Ash Harley Davidson the following day.
Before we went to dinner, he got this bag out, and told me to hold out my hands, and close my eyes… I will admit to being somewhat suspicious, as he can be quite a wind up merchant, but I decided to trust him. I felt something soft and furry against my hands, and when I opened my eyes, he’d given me this really sweet little toy tiger!
He said that it was the only one in the basket, and had made the most of the fact that I’d gone for a coffee, as it meant that he could dig through properly, and see if he could find a little tiger for me! Needless to say, the tiger was duly named Cosford, after the place that he was bought, and I hooked him straight onto my car keys, so that he was safe.
I then gave him the little teddy that I’d got him (it came with a miniature bottle of Bells whisky) and he immediately called it Grumpy, as it had a seriously grumpy expression on it face!
We then decided to go to the adjoining pub for dinner, which was really good, and I have to admit, I was absolutely shattered – but equally over the moon, as Scotland had won the Calcutta Cup! (It’s a trophy that is contested between the English and Scottish rugby union teams)
The following day, we headed for Chapel Ash, and had a quiet wander around… I bought myself this magnificent t-shirt, in shades of blue, with the union jack on the back – much to the disgust and annoyance of my friend, as it was the one that he wanted!
The drive back was ok – apart from the fact that I really aggravated my shoulder injury, by being too damned stubborn to stop and have a break – which caused my friend quite a bit of worry, as we parted company at Warwick services, and he admitted that he was worried about me, as he wouldn’t be there to act as my back up if anything went wrong!
But, I survived, and had a really good weekend, and the memories will keep me smiling when I’m feeling down…
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure
Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Time to call this quits – I’m supposed to be working, not blogging!
Back when I get chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings
I got to our meeting point, and was able to sneak up on my friend who had his back to the door, and made him jump by giving him a cuddle. We had a coffee and talked about the route to Cosford – which meant that we would have to use the M6… Ok – not a problem there, as it was a Saturday, but I knew from past experience that traffic could be hell.
The museum at Cosford opened at 10am, and there were a couple of aircraft outside... Not an issue, but it was blowing a gale across the airfield, and I was shivering, despite the fact that I had a heavy coat on – as it was my legs that were cold!
Once inside, my friend was a real angel and guided my frozen carcass to the hot air vents, which supplied heat to the museum building – and me! Once I was warmed up (ok – not nearly as warm as I would have liked, but I don’t think my friend would have been too keen on staying by the heater as it was quite a drive to get to Cosford!), we started to go ‘round the museum.
I will admit, I was wishing that Dad was with me, as he would have really enjoyed the museum – simply because he would have been able to tell me about the passenger aircraft that my friend and I were looking at.
The exhibits were incredible, and I will admit being awestruck by the sheer size of the Lincoln bomb bay, and my friend was a real angel, and explained about the different ways that the bombs could be loaded, and also showed me the loading diagram on the side of the bomb bay.
I also saw one of my favourite aircraft – the Spitfire. Ok – I know that sounds corny, but it really is a favourite of mine, and I’ve been lucky enough to see one flying several times – and one of those times was when the Lancaster bomber was flying as well…
We then walked down to the other hangar, where there were a variety of aircraft, including the York transport aircraft – which was another derivation of the Lancaster bomber. My friend was quite upset, as the aircraft had its tail pointing towards us, and we were unable to go around the front, but he took the time to explain what the differences were and what it was used for.
The one thing that he was determined to do was go and see the Vulcan cockpit simulation... Ok – not a problem there, as I was interested as well, but I didn’t realise that I was claustrophobic.
Which is crazy, simply because I didn’t have a problem when I went ‘round St Michael’s cave in Gibraltar. I couldn’t stay in there, and I gave my friend quite a fright when he turned ‘round, and I’d gone!
What I did was scoot out as fast as I could, and headed for the Concorde engine, as it was something that I was interested in (as I’ve got several bits of one at home, thanks to Dad, who used to work for British Airways!)
I didn’t hear him walking up behind me, and he returned the fright that I’d given him earlier in the day, and was quite concerned about me. I explained that I had felt very uncomfortable, and needed to get out of there as fast as I could. He was really sweet, and said that if he’d known that I was claustrophobic, he wouldn’t have let me go in there!
We then decided that it was time for a coffee, and as the coffee shop was in the main building, it meant that I got cold again! I wasn’t terribly impressed, and headed straight for the coffee shop, whilst he went ‘round the shop.
Once that was sorted, we then headed for our over night stopping point – which was the Mellor Park Premier Inn at Wolverhampton – as my friend wanted to go to Chapel Ash Harley Davidson the following day.
Before we went to dinner, he got this bag out, and told me to hold out my hands, and close my eyes… I will admit to being somewhat suspicious, as he can be quite a wind up merchant, but I decided to trust him. I felt something soft and furry against my hands, and when I opened my eyes, he’d given me this really sweet little toy tiger!
He said that it was the only one in the basket, and had made the most of the fact that I’d gone for a coffee, as it meant that he could dig through properly, and see if he could find a little tiger for me! Needless to say, the tiger was duly named Cosford, after the place that he was bought, and I hooked him straight onto my car keys, so that he was safe.
I then gave him the little teddy that I’d got him (it came with a miniature bottle of Bells whisky) and he immediately called it Grumpy, as it had a seriously grumpy expression on it face!
We then decided to go to the adjoining pub for dinner, which was really good, and I have to admit, I was absolutely shattered – but equally over the moon, as Scotland had won the Calcutta Cup! (It’s a trophy that is contested between the English and Scottish rugby union teams)
The following day, we headed for Chapel Ash, and had a quiet wander around… I bought myself this magnificent t-shirt, in shades of blue, with the union jack on the back – much to the disgust and annoyance of my friend, as it was the one that he wanted!
The drive back was ok – apart from the fact that I really aggravated my shoulder injury, by being too damned stubborn to stop and have a break – which caused my friend quite a bit of worry, as we parted company at Warwick services, and he admitted that he was worried about me, as he wouldn’t be there to act as my back up if anything went wrong!
But, I survived, and had a really good weekend, and the memories will keep me smiling when I’m feeling down…
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure
Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Time to call this quits – I’m supposed to be working, not blogging!
Back when I get chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings
It's been a long time, but my time is finally near.
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Karen
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It's so close to me going away for the weekend that I can scarcely believe it. Simply because the time seems to have been dragging, and I know tonight that I am going to have an awful job getting some sleep.Ok, I'm an insomniac anyway, but I get the feeling that tonight will be worse that normal...
It's been a long road, getting from there to here.
It's been a long time, but my time is finally near.
And I can feel the change in the wind right now, nothing's in my way.
And they're not gonna hold me down no more,
No they're not gonna hold me down.
But, the best bit is knowing that I'm going to be spending a weekend with a really good friend, and know that I can let the barriers down,and be myself without having to put on the usual front that I have when I'm in the office....
I've known the wind so cold, I've seen the darkest days.
But now the winds I feel, are only winds of change.
I've been through the fire and I've been through the rain.
But I'll be fine ...
Cause I've got faith of the heart.
I'm going where my heart will take me.
I've got faith to believe, I can do anything.
I've got strength of the soul, and no one's gonna bend or break me.
I can reach any star; I've got faith, faith of the heart.
Guess I should call this entry quits - I'm supposed to be working, not blogging!
Back later if I get chance...
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
It's been a long road, getting from there to here.
It's been a long time, but my time is finally near.
And I can feel the change in the wind right now, nothing's in my way.
And they're not gonna hold me down no more,
No they're not gonna hold me down.
But, the best bit is knowing that I'm going to be spending a weekend with a really good friend, and know that I can let the barriers down,and be myself without having to put on the usual front that I have when I'm in the office....
I've known the wind so cold, I've seen the darkest days.
But now the winds I feel, are only winds of change.
I've been through the fire and I've been through the rain.
But I'll be fine ...
Cause I've got faith of the heart.
I'm going where my heart will take me.
I've got faith to believe, I can do anything.
I've got strength of the soul, and no one's gonna bend or break me.
I can reach any star; I've got faith, faith of the heart.
Guess I should call this entry quits - I'm supposed to be working, not blogging!
Back later if I get chance...
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
In the office, and in pain...
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Karen
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My shoulder's killing me, and I'm beginning to wish that I hadn't decided to drive today. Thankfully, Mum's insured on the car, so if my shoulder is as painful when I finish at 17:00, I'll drive down to see Mum, and then ask her to drive home.
What doesn't help me, is when I get smart ass comments about me going horse riding. I wouldn't object in the slightest if I had been riding,but the closest I've been to a horse was going to see Flame this morning, and giving her a treat - a couple of apples that I'd picked up at Sainsbury's on Sunday.
But, the thing that's worrying me is Saturday. I'm supposed to be going to Cosford with my daft hog riding friend. Ok - I know that doesn't sound too bad, but it's about an 80 mile drive - most of it motorway.
But, I guess the way to deal with it is dose myself up with painkillers before I go and meet my friend, and try my best to hide the fact that my shoulder is killing me.
Failing that, I'm just going to have to grin and bear it, and admit that my shoulder is giving me a great deal of trouble, and take the consequences head on.
Guess I should call this entry quits - I need to get some bits and pieces sorted out.
Back when I get the chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
Starting to walk on air...
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There's something about talking to a good friend that really lifts me.
I called my daft hog riding friend at lunchtime, and he was making me laugh, complaining about his phone and hands-free kit packing up. Once he'd had his grump about that, we got talking about various things - including his trip to see We Will Rock You in London last night.
He said that it was really good, as he really likes his Queen music, and said that there were some parts that had him in tears, as he admitted that he's rather vulnerable at the moment, and was grateful that the theatre was dark!
We got talking about our trip to Cosford, and we've agreed to meet between 08:00 and 08:30, and the second one there not only buys the coffee and also gets a huge hug. That made me blush, and I have to admit that I was really glad that I was in the car, and not anywhere that I could be seen!
Once we get to Cosford, we've both agreed to turn our 'phones off, and he has said that he'll have no need for his phone, as he would be holding my hand the whole time, and that when he hugged me, he said that it would take an awful lot to make him let go of me! That made my smile get even bigger, and I have to admit, I'm counting the hours until I see him, as he means an awful lot to me.
We had to end the call as he was arriving at his next customer's premises, and he said that he would see me very soon, and would speak to me later this evening, when he finishes work.
Time to call this quits - I've got four tyres to locate for an order...
Back later, if I get chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
I called my daft hog riding friend at lunchtime, and he was making me laugh, complaining about his phone and hands-free kit packing up. Once he'd had his grump about that, we got talking about various things - including his trip to see We Will Rock You in London last night.
He said that it was really good, as he really likes his Queen music, and said that there were some parts that had him in tears, as he admitted that he's rather vulnerable at the moment, and was grateful that the theatre was dark!
We got talking about our trip to Cosford, and we've agreed to meet between 08:00 and 08:30, and the second one there not only buys the coffee and also gets a huge hug. That made me blush, and I have to admit that I was really glad that I was in the car, and not anywhere that I could be seen!
Once we get to Cosford, we've both agreed to turn our 'phones off, and he has said that he'll have no need for his phone, as he would be holding my hand the whole time, and that when he hugged me, he said that it would take an awful lot to make him let go of me! That made my smile get even bigger, and I have to admit, I'm counting the hours until I see him, as he means an awful lot to me.
We had to end the call as he was arriving at his next customer's premises, and he said that he would see me very soon, and would speak to me later this evening, when he finishes work.
Time to call this quits - I've got four tyres to locate for an order...
Back later, if I get chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
Roller-coaster of a weekend....
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Well, I have to admit that the weekend was somewhat of a roller-coaster ride for me. Saturday morning was OK - Mum and I went shopping in Solihull, and I decided to hit Waterstones, and I bought four books!
One was on the development of the atomic bomb, and the other three were Terry Pratchett books - the next three in the Discworld series (Mort, Sourcery and Wyrd Sisters).
But the rest of the day was quite emotionally draining, simply because I decided to move my beloved horse closer to home and spent the rest ofthe afternoon making sure that she was ok, and settling in.
I also had a call from my daft hog riding friend to let me know that he was at his friend's house in Redditch ok, and that he would try and see me on Sunday.
Sunday. What can I say about that, apart from the fact that it was a really good day. I decided to go horse riding in the morning, and I was a bit late getting back - like about 10:15, and I will admit, I did pong a bit!
As soon as I walked in the house, Mum told me to buzz off for a shower, as, and I quote "you stink". Thanks Mum!
I had just started to wash my hair when my mobile rang. It was my daft hog riding friend. He asked if I was still going into Stratford, and said that he would love to meet up with me - and would be bringing someone with him - his friend from Redditch! Ok - not a problem there, as I'd spoken to this lass, and was curious to meet her...
Well, I got to Stratford, and met up with the pair of them and I will admit, it was a really good laugh, as the pair of us kept double-teaming the poor guy, and he said that he was getting fed up with the pair of us ganging up on him!
That made us laugh, and I have to admit, I really enjoyed myself, but I could sense that there was something bothering him...
Wanted you to know I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph; I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain
One of these days, I'll listen to my instincts... I spoke to my friend late last night, and suffice to say that he ended up pouring his heart out to me - both in an e-mail and on the 'phone.
Obviously, what he told me will not be relayed here, but all that I shall say is that I now understand awful lot more than I did, and am more determined than ever to do what I can to help him.
The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain
Guess I should call this entry quits - I'm supposed to be working, not blogging.
Back later, if I get the chance.
Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings
A small prayer being answered
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Amber is on the road to recovery, and Carole decided that Rachel, Julian and I needed to get away from the area for the day, so we were under strict instructions to “bugger off for the day, and have fun.”
Ok – we didn’t need telling twice, and decided to head to Bath, as there was a Christmas market on, and we might stand a chance of getting the presents that we’d still to get – in my case, something for Mum that she didn’t know anything about!
It was a decision which proved to be highly successful for me! I managed to get Mum a pair of unusual silver earrings, and a Bath Aqua Glass perfume bottle!
Ok – we didn’t need telling twice, and decided to head to Bath, as there was a Christmas market on, and we might stand a chance of getting the presents that we’d still to get – in my case, something for Mum that she didn’t know anything about!
It was a decision which proved to be highly successful for me! I managed to get Mum a pair of unusual silver earrings, and a Bath Aqua Glass perfume bottle!
It was one of those things that I just kept going back to, and in the end, Julian got fed up with me messing around, and growled “just go and buy the damned thing will you?!”
So, that was bought, and we spent the rest of the day dodging the rain showers that seemed to plague us – but I don’t think any of us objected, as we all managed to finish off our Christmas shopping.
As we drove back, my mobile rang, and my heart sank when I heard the ring tone – it was Carole.Thankfully, she was calling us to say that Amber was asking where we were, and that she wanted to see us as soon as we got back…
So, instead of heading for Julian’s, we headed for the hospital... Where were greeted by the sight of Amber sitting up in bed, demanding a cuddle from us all!
Ok – she still looked very pale, but it was such a relief to see her sitting up in bed.
Time to call this entry quits – I’m mentally and physically exhausted now – but hopefully I should be able to sleep, as I know that Amber is on the road to recovery…
Back when I get the chance…
Karen.
I walk where others fear to tread
Back from Dublin... What a weekend!!!
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Ok - I know one thing - the Irish can party alright, and I was debating whether I'd bitten off more than I could chew!
The flight out from Birmingham wasn't too bad, and I'll say one thing for Ryan Air - the service was basic, but the flight was reasonably comfortable.
But the powers that be were not looking after me, as the damned bus broke down! That was a minor inconvenience, and I soon found myself walking to my hotel.. It didn't look very impressive from the outside, but the room itself had the things that I considered essential - an en-suite bathroom (with a bloody good shower) and a comfortable bed!
Once unpacked, it was then off into the city centre to meet up with White Wolf and his friend, and hit the first bar that we found... I can't remember the name of the bar / pub, but it wasn't far from Temple Bar, and that was where I had my first pint of Guinness... Which was quite tasty!
The evening went quite fast, and I soon realised that Guinness hits me a damned sight harder than I realised, and sits in your stomach like a three course meal! So that was the Friday night....
Saturday, the gang spent exploring Dublin, and went to the Guinness storehouse - a must see for anyone going to Dublin, I was told. (see http://www.guinness-storehouse.com/home/home.asp )Ok - that's fine, but if you're like me, and suffer vertigo, it's not funny. Simply because the viewing tower has a glass floor... Ok - the views over Dublin are spectacular (you can see the Landsdown Road rugby ground from there) but it frightened the proverbial **** out of me!
Saturday night, we met up with the gang again, and unlike the Brits, the Irish start their partying late, and finish later than the Brits... We ended up in the Porter House, listening to live music, with a bloody good band, and good beer to top it off! The thing that made me laugh, was when the lot of us piled into the pizza restaurant opposite, at 03:30, as we were all starving!
Sunday, however, the city appeared to close down, so it was a chance to just chill out (and try to recover from my hangover - yes - I did suffer!) But luckily for me, Dublin has loads of coffee shops that are open on a Sunday, so I was able to sit and chat with White Wolf, who was returning to Cork that afternoon... I wasn't worried about that, as I was meeting up with a friend who lived just outside Dublin...
The Sunday night was just as much fun as Saturday night - if a little quieter... We ended up going to some little music club, where the Guinness was very good, and the music was loud... Needless to say, it was another late night for me, or should that be an early morning? I finally got to bed about 04:00 on Monday morning, and was thanking my lucky stars that I wasn't flying back to the UK until the evening, thus giving me chance to get some sleep!
Monday was spent doing the last minute shopping for various gifts and silly things, including me buying a T-shirt with a picture of a pint of Guinness on it, and the words the leprechauns made me drink it.
But the real surprise came when I got to the airport. Ok - checking in was painless, as all my documents were present and correct.. It was security that gave me the most 'fun'. Simply because I had to take my knee length leather boots off, and put them through the x-ray machine, and pad through the metal detector in my revolting socks! Ok - that probably gave security a bloody good laugh, but it didn't really endear itself to me...
I should have taken that as an omen of the things that were still to come. There were flights being diverted into Dublin, due to adverse weather conditions all over Ireland, and the rain was driving across the airfield, which meant that I looked like a drowned rat running to the aircraft. (No buses when you're flying no frills!)
Once on the aircraft, I had the same seat as I'd had flying out - right by the emergency exit over the wing - which meant that I had more leg room than the other seats. That was ok, until we started to take off, and I felt the wind buffeting the aircraft, and felt the pilot fighting the aircraft as we got hit by a sudden gust of wind, which caused the leading edge of the right-hand (starboard) wing to drop to about 2ft off the runway...
The passenger beside me had his rosary beads out, and was murmuring a variety of prayers, where as all I could do was sit there and hope that whatever had looked after me in the past was still with me!
Once back on the ground, I've got to admit, I've never been so glad to see Birmingham airport, as that meant that I was nearly home, and could relax, as the flight had frightened me more than I was willing to admit to people. Don't get me wrong - I'm not scared of flying - far from it - it's just that there are some times when you wonder if you've done the right thing, getting on a given plane at a given time!
But, on the positive side, all this trip has done, is made me more determined to go back to Dublin, and possibly get a hire car, so that I can explore more of the countryside surrounding the city.
Suppose I should call this entry quits - I'm supposed to be working.. Well, that's the theory, anyway!
The flight out from Birmingham wasn't too bad, and I'll say one thing for Ryan Air - the service was basic, but the flight was reasonably comfortable.
Once I'd arrived in Dublin, I realised just how thankful I was for my heavy cord jacket, as the wind was whipping across the airfield at Dublin International airport... Then, it was off to get into the city centre. The bus was the cheapest way to get to the centre of Dublin..
But the powers that be were not looking after me, as the damned bus broke down! That was a minor inconvenience, and I soon found myself walking to my hotel.. It didn't look very impressive from the outside, but the room itself had the things that I considered essential - an en-suite bathroom (with a bloody good shower) and a comfortable bed!
Once unpacked, it was then off into the city centre to meet up with White Wolf and his friend, and hit the first bar that we found... I can't remember the name of the bar / pub, but it wasn't far from Temple Bar, and that was where I had my first pint of Guinness... Which was quite tasty!
The evening went quite fast, and I soon realised that Guinness hits me a damned sight harder than I realised, and sits in your stomach like a three course meal! So that was the Friday night....
Saturday, the gang spent exploring Dublin, and went to the Guinness storehouse - a must see for anyone going to Dublin, I was told. (see http://www.guinness-storehouse.com/home/home.asp )Ok - that's fine, but if you're like me, and suffer vertigo, it's not funny. Simply because the viewing tower has a glass floor... Ok - the views over Dublin are spectacular (you can see the Landsdown Road rugby ground from there) but it frightened the proverbial **** out of me!
Saturday night, we met up with the gang again, and unlike the Brits, the Irish start their partying late, and finish later than the Brits... We ended up in the Porter House, listening to live music, with a bloody good band, and good beer to top it off! The thing that made me laugh, was when the lot of us piled into the pizza restaurant opposite, at 03:30, as we were all starving!
Sunday, however, the city appeared to close down, so it was a chance to just chill out (and try to recover from my hangover - yes - I did suffer!) But luckily for me, Dublin has loads of coffee shops that are open on a Sunday, so I was able to sit and chat with White Wolf, who was returning to Cork that afternoon... I wasn't worried about that, as I was meeting up with a friend who lived just outside Dublin...
The Sunday night was just as much fun as Saturday night - if a little quieter... We ended up going to some little music club, where the Guinness was very good, and the music was loud... Needless to say, it was another late night for me, or should that be an early morning? I finally got to bed about 04:00 on Monday morning, and was thanking my lucky stars that I wasn't flying back to the UK until the evening, thus giving me chance to get some sleep!
Monday was spent doing the last minute shopping for various gifts and silly things, including me buying a T-shirt with a picture of a pint of Guinness on it, and the words the leprechauns made me drink it.
But the real surprise came when I got to the airport. Ok - checking in was painless, as all my documents were present and correct.. It was security that gave me the most 'fun'. Simply because I had to take my knee length leather boots off, and put them through the x-ray machine, and pad through the metal detector in my revolting socks! Ok - that probably gave security a bloody good laugh, but it didn't really endear itself to me...
I should have taken that as an omen of the things that were still to come. There were flights being diverted into Dublin, due to adverse weather conditions all over Ireland, and the rain was driving across the airfield, which meant that I looked like a drowned rat running to the aircraft. (No buses when you're flying no frills!)
Once on the aircraft, I had the same seat as I'd had flying out - right by the emergency exit over the wing - which meant that I had more leg room than the other seats. That was ok, until we started to take off, and I felt the wind buffeting the aircraft, and felt the pilot fighting the aircraft as we got hit by a sudden gust of wind, which caused the leading edge of the right-hand (starboard) wing to drop to about 2ft off the runway...
The passenger beside me had his rosary beads out, and was murmuring a variety of prayers, where as all I could do was sit there and hope that whatever had looked after me in the past was still with me!
Once back on the ground, I've got to admit, I've never been so glad to see Birmingham airport, as that meant that I was nearly home, and could relax, as the flight had frightened me more than I was willing to admit to people. Don't get me wrong - I'm not scared of flying - far from it - it's just that there are some times when you wonder if you've done the right thing, getting on a given plane at a given time!
But, on the positive side, all this trip has done, is made me more determined to go back to Dublin, and possibly get a hire car, so that I can explore more of the countryside surrounding the city.
Suppose I should call this entry quits - I'm supposed to be working.. Well, that's the theory, anyway!
Back when I get the chance...
Karen.
I walk where others fear to tread
Look out Dublin - here I come!
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Well, I'm all set and ready for White Wolf's 30th birthday do. I'm flying out of Birmingham airport on Friday morning, with Ryan Air and will be back on Monday night. It promises to be one hell of a good weekend, and I've been told that Dublin is very expensive to go out in...
Ok - maybe it is if you get caught in the tourist traps, but I've been advised on the best places to go and eat, as well as go out in the evening - so it promises to be one hell of a trip away for me. The only thing that I have been told that I must try is Guinness... Which I have to admit, I'm somewhat apprehensive about, as I loathe the stuff!
Suppose I should call this entry quits, as I need to be up early tomorrow morning...
Back when I get back from Ireland.
Karen.
I walk where others fear to tread
Back to the UK...
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Our last day in Gibraltar was Saturday, and Mum and I were flying out at 19:10 (local time - +2 hrs GMT), so we had quite a bit of time to kill..
The morning was somewhat overcast, and the cloud formation on the rock was something that I was determined to get a photograph of:
We decided to head down towards Casement Square to go and get something for lunch, and as we were walking down Main Street, we heard pipes and drums.. I wasn't quick enough with my camera to get the approach, but I did manage to get this picture:
According to one of the locals, they were marching to Casement Square for the ceremony of the keys, which took place every Saturday at 12:00...
Unfortunately, Mum wasn't fit enough to walk down to the square for 12:00, and I was unwilling to leave her to go and see the ceremony.. But I did manage to get this picture of the guards preparing to march back up Main Street:
The rest of the day, Mum and I spent shopping for the usual silly last minute bits and pieces, before heading to the airport... Which was where the fun and games started.
The first part was the total fiasco that passed for check-in. One desk for our flight (Monarch), whilst the BA flight had about four desks... Once that particular hurdle was dealt with, it was relatively painless to go through security and all the other formalities... And then we reached the departure lounge. And I though Jersey airport was primative!
Thankfully, we didn't have too long to wait before our flight, and were able to get semi-comfortable.. (I swear that they'd crammed more seats on the damned plane, but that's another grump that I've always had about travelling!)
The landing at Luton. What can I say, apart from the fact that I swear the aircraft thought it was a kangaroo. It bounced about 4 times on landing, and then it was the fun and games of the hike to passport control. Mum was knackered, and I wasn't much better, and to be honest, I was less than impressed with Luton airport's groundstaff.
They could see that Mum was struggling, and yet when you asked for help, it was a case of "sorry - not my department." I felt like asking them if they knew the meaning of customer service, but I didn't, as I was too damned tired, and all I wanted to do was get the case and get the hell out of there.
Then came the fun with the damned taxi. Neither mum or I were told that the driver would be waiting outside, so that added another 45 minutes to the time that we were stuck in the airport!
Needless to say, the pair of us have said that in future, we will refuse to travel from Luton, as it's a pain in the tail to get to, and a bloody mess.
Suppose I should log off and bog off, as I've got stuff to do around the house.
Back when I get the chance.
Karen.
I walk where others fear to tread
Never again!!
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Karen
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What am I saying never again to? Simple. Flying out of London Luton airport, that’s what!
The trip to the airport wasn’t too bad – it was the mess that followed. The ground staff didn’t seem interested, and to be honest, I could see why there have been so many cases of the tabloid papers having reports taking photographs of themselves with various bits of illegal items onboard the aircraft – such as replica hand guns and knives…
What makes me say this? The mere fact that both Mum and I were carrying in our hand luggage what are classed as prohibited items – Mum had a pair of nail clippers, and I had a pair of tweezers.
Then, came the farce that was the gate. Gate? A cattle pen would have more use. The gates were so close together that the various flights seemed to merge into one big lump, and when people thought that you were trying to queue jump, glared, grumbled and generally made things damned difficult to get to the gate so that you could board the flight!
Once you got through the crush, you then had to walk down several flights of stairs, and get herded onto a bus. I swear that if you treated livestock like that, then the RSPCA would be bringing a prosecution against you for animal cruelty!
Then it was the steps upto the aircraft. I could manage, as I’m reasonably nimble on my feet, but poor Mum really struggled, as the steps were quite large, and no-one even thought to ask if she needed any help!
There was one shining spot on the trip outbound – the guy on the check-in desk blocked the row that Mum and I were sitting in, so that Mum could have the aisle seat, and me the window seat... That way, Mum was able to stretch her leg out a bit more and I didn’t have to worry about anyone knocking my arm…
The approach to the runway at Gibraltar is quite an experience – and rather disconcerting when you realise that the runway sticks out into the bay of Gibraltar, and has water on three sides of it! (As you’ll see from later photographs in the various posts!)
The landing though, was one of the worse that I’ve had… I swear that the pilot bounced the aircraft (a B757-200) about four times, before we came to a halt at the airport…
The return trip, I’ll deal with in a later post, as I want to keep this in chronological order…
Suppose I should log off and bog off – I’ve still got to unpack, and get the various bits sorted out…
Back later, if I get the peace and quiet from the moggies...
Karen.
I walk where others fear to tread
Life never seems to go smoothly...
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Karen
Well, this week has been somewhat of a roller-coaster for me. And for once, it's not my family that's suffering - it's a long standing friend of mine and Mum's who's suffering.
The lady had a stroke on Sunday, and her family is understandably devastated, especially when they get told that she won't be going home from hospital. I'm of the opinion that the lady is a tough ol' buzzard and that she'll pull though - and have said the same thing to her son, which made him laugh.
We (her son and I) are going to visit his Mum in hospital tomorrow night, and my other half has told me not to worry about going over to his place after I get back from the hospital, if I don't feel like I can face the drive over there, but he'll be on the end of a 'phone if I need to talk to someone.
On a positive note, my friend White Wolf is escaping to Ireland to start his new job with Apple in Cork. He leaves the UK shores tonight, and has said that he'll be out of contact for a while, whilst he gets himself settled in, and sees how the land lies...
So, in honor of his escape, I've been able to find this Irish joke....
Paddy the famous Irishman is driving home after downing a few at the local pub. He turns a corner and much to his horror he sees a tree in the middle of the road.
He swerves to avoid it and almost too late realizes that there is yet another tree directly in his path.
He swerves again and discovers that his drive home has turned into a slalom course, causing him to veer from side to side to avoid all the trees.
Moments later he hears the sound of a police siren and brings his car to a stop. The officer, approaches Paddy's car and asks him what on earth he was doing.
Paddy tells his story of the trees in the road when the officer stops him mid sentence and says,
"Fer Chris sakes, Paddy, that's yer air freshener!"
Suppose I should think about doing some w*rk, but I really have a case of TNFI....
Back when I get chance...
Karen.
I walk where others fear to tread
The lady had a stroke on Sunday, and her family is understandably devastated, especially when they get told that she won't be going home from hospital. I'm of the opinion that the lady is a tough ol' buzzard and that she'll pull though - and have said the same thing to her son, which made him laugh.
We (her son and I) are going to visit his Mum in hospital tomorrow night, and my other half has told me not to worry about going over to his place after I get back from the hospital, if I don't feel like I can face the drive over there, but he'll be on the end of a 'phone if I need to talk to someone.
On a positive note, my friend White Wolf is escaping to Ireland to start his new job with Apple in Cork. He leaves the UK shores tonight, and has said that he'll be out of contact for a while, whilst he gets himself settled in, and sees how the land lies...
So, in honor of his escape, I've been able to find this Irish joke....
Paddy the famous Irishman is driving home after downing a few at the local pub. He turns a corner and much to his horror he sees a tree in the middle of the road.
He swerves to avoid it and almost too late realizes that there is yet another tree directly in his path.
He swerves again and discovers that his drive home has turned into a slalom course, causing him to veer from side to side to avoid all the trees.
Moments later he hears the sound of a police siren and brings his car to a stop. The officer, approaches Paddy's car and asks him what on earth he was doing.
Paddy tells his story of the trees in the road when the officer stops him mid sentence and says,
"Fer Chris sakes, Paddy, that's yer air freshener!"
Suppose I should think about doing some w*rk, but I really have a case of TNFI....
Back when I get chance...
Karen.
I walk where others fear to tread
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