A visit to a city’s history

What a way to send a weekend! I spent time with someone who means an awful lot to me, and I was able to see and do things with someone who enjoys the same sort of things as I do – i.e. we’re both petrol heads!

It started on Saturday, meeting at our normal meeting point of Warwick services (ok – the services are closer to Gaydon, but that’s just local knowledge speaking!)

We had a coffee and our normal chat about the route, then headed into Coventry to the park and ride at the Memorial park, as parking in Coventry is horrendously expensive.

As the main point of interest didn’t open until 10am, I suggested that we visited the two cathedrals. No – I didn’t mistype that – Coventry has two cathedrals - the old cathedral (the one that the Germans bombed in 1940) and the new one, which was built next to the old cathedral in the 1960s.

The old cathedral still has remnants of the stained glass that decorated the windows, and is most noted for the so-called Cross of Nails:

The Cross of Nails – on the night of 14 November 1940, the city of Coventry was devastated during an air raid and its cathedral burned. Shortly afterwards three nails from the bombed roof timbers were taken and formed into the shape of a cross…

In places, the damage from the bombs can still be seen on the outer walls of the old cathedral, and I will admit, I’d never really taken much notice until my friend remarked on it.

The new cathedral however, is very different. The outside has a huge bronze sculpture of St Michael and the Devil, by Sir Jacob Epstein, and is quite an impressive sight.

But, I guess the thing that the cathedral is most famous for (apart from standing next to the bombed ruin of the old cathedral) is the huge tapestry – Christ in Glory. I seem to recall being told that this is one of the largest tapestries in the world…

Then, it was off to the main reason for my friend coming into the city – the Museum of Road Transport. The museum is a real mix of old, new and incredibly fast (it holds both the land speed record cars – Thrust 2 and Thrust SSC) and holds some incredibly rare and unusual cars.

There was one car that I was really keen on seeing – Thrust SSC. When it was brought back from America (after breaking the land speed record and the sound barrier) I wasn’t able to go to the parade that was held to celebrate its success, so seeing it in its new home in the museum was a real treat for me.

After seeing that, the rest of the museum seemed to be a little bit of a come-down, but the exhibits were quite interesting. They had a small section of motorcycles, which was quite interesting for me, as they had one of the original speedway bikes!

Sunday was a lazier day, as the pair of us headed to the National Motorcycle Museum at Bickenhill. This was the museum that my friend had been teasing me about acting as the guide for him, as he is passionate about his own bike.

However, that didn’t stop him falling for a 1930’s motorcycle. He said that it had nearly every feature that he takes for granted on his own bike.

My own personal favourite was (and still is) the 1969 Triumph Bonneville. Ok – I know all the arguments about it being unreliable, etc but it is still one of those bikes that I have a real soft spot for.

Guess I should call this 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

Why females should avoid girls night out after they are married...

Amazing what I get sent....

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings


The other night I was invited out for a night with "the girls." I told Chris that I would be home by midnight, "I promise."

Well, the hours passed and the margaritas went down way too easy.

Around 3:00 am, a bit loaded, I headed for home. Just as I got in the door, the cuckoo clock in the hall started up and cuckooed 3 times.

Quickly, realizing Chris would wake up, I cuckooed another 9 times.

I was really proud of myself for coming up with such a quick-witted solution, in order to escape a possible conflict with him. (Even when totally smashed...3 cuckoos plus 9 cuckoos totals 12 cuckoos = midnight.)

The next morning Chris asked me what time I got in and I told him

"Midnight."

He didn't seem upset at all.

Whew! Got away with that one!

Then he said, "We need a new cuckoo clock."

When I asked him why, he said, "Well, last night our clock cuckooed 3 times, then said, "Oh shit", cuckooed 4 more times, cleared its throat, cuckooed another 3 times, giggled, cuckooed twice more, and then tripped over the coffee table and farted."

Deep thoughts...

1. Save the whales. Collect the whole set.
2. A day without sunshine is like Night.
3. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
4. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
5. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
6. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
7. He who laughs last thinks slowest.
8. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
9. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap.
10. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
11. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
12. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
13. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
14. How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.
15. OK, so what's the speed of dark?
16. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
17. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
18. Every one has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film.
19. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?
20. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
21. What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
22. I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.
23. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?
24. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened.
25. Just remember -- if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.
26. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
27. Life isn't like a box of chocolates . . . it's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Back from Cornwall, and looking forward to another escape...

I seem to do nothing but plan escapes just recently. This time, it's a personal escape - i.e. a single escape, to meet up with a very close friend of mine.

It's something that I've really been looking forward to, as it means that I'll be spending time with someone who shares my passion for cars and bikes. This time, it's on my "home" turf - Coventry, so that means that I'll be able to act as a guide in the city that my grandparents (on Mum's side) grew up in.

But, before I get to the escape, there are other things that I'll be doing - one of them being going to the glass fair at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon. Hopefully, Ill be able to get Mum's christmas present, otherwise it means another trip into Stratford.

Ah well, guess I should call this quits - got places to go and people to annoy....

Back when I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Midnight Blues

Well, I'm back from Cornwall. I will admit, although it was nice to see my family, I'm only too glad to be back home.

Why? Because the old joke that "God gave you your relatives, but thank god you can choose your friends" has never been more apt at times.

Ok - maybe I'm being a little unkind to my family, but compared to the rest of the family - I'm subdued! I felt a little out of place at times, but as things started warming up (and the drink started flowing - I was driving so I didn't drink that much at all) I started feeling much more at ease with things.

However, it was when I was settling down, that I started to feel blue, and the song by Gary Moore - Midnight Blues sums up how I felt some nights...

It's the darkest hour

Of the darkest night

It's a million miles

From the morning light

Can't get no sleep

Don't know what to do

I've got those midnight blues

When the shadows fall

I feel the night closing in

There must be some reason

For this mood I'm getting in

Can't get no sleep

Don't know what to do

I've got those midnight blues

Every evening after sundown

As the light begins to fade

I feel so low, but I just don't know

Why these blues won't go away

Every evening after sundown

As the light begins to fade

I feel so low, but I just don't know

Why these blues won't go away

It's the darkest hour

Of the darkest night

It's a million miles

To the morning light

Can't get no sleep

Don't know what to do

I've got those midnight blues

I've got those midnight blues

I've got those midnight blues

I've got those midnight blues

Ah well, guess I should call this quits - I need to make peace with Fred.

Back tomorrow.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Preparing to make another escape

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

Back to the playpen (I mean office)

No, I was right the first time. Playpen.

You go away, and people say "oh yes, don't worry about your work, we'll look after it for you." What a pile of crap.

I got in, to discover that only the bare minimum had been done, and that there was an awful lot that I had to sort out, not to mention placating colleagues and customers who felt that they had been neglected whilst I was away.

So, I've spent most of the day chasing my tail, trying to get everything back under control, and ready for another hand over, as I'm only in the office for 10 working days due to the fact that my cousin is getting married down in Cornwall.

As I managed to avoid the last weeding (sorry - wedding!) I have to go to this one, especially as this will be the first time that I've seen the rest of my family since Dad's funeral. As he once said - the only time our family get together is for weddings and funerals - and at the moment, that seems to be horribly accurate!

Guess I should call this entry quits - I've got a home to go to.

Back tomorrow if i get the chance...

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

What you never hear...

Ok - I know some people will doubt that these are genuine transcripts, but my sources have yet to fail me...

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Here are some conversations that airline passengers normally will never hear. The following are accounts of actual exchanges between airline pilots and control towers around the world.

*************************************************

Tower: "Delta 351, you have traffic at 10 o'clock, 6 miles!"
Delta 351: "Give us another hint! We have digital watches!"


*************************************************

"TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 Degrees."
"Centre, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?"
"Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?"


*************************************************
From an unknown aircraft waiting in a very long takeoff queue: "I'm f...ing bored!"

Ground Traffic Control: "Last aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!"
Unknown aircraft: "I said I was f...ing bored, not f...ing stupid!"


*************************************************

O'Hare Approach Control to a 747: "United 329 heavy, your traffic is a Fokker, one o'clock, three miles, Eastbound."

United 239: "Approach, I've always wanted to say this... I've got the little Fokker in sight."


*************************************************

A student became lost during a solo cross-country flight. While attempting to locate the aircraft on radar, ATC asked, "What was your last known position?"
Student: "When I was number one for takeoff."

*************************************************

A DC-10 had come in a little hot and thus s had an exceedingly long roll out after touching down.
San Jose Tower noted: "American 751, make a hard right turn at the end of the runway, if you are able. If you are not able, take the Guadeloupe exit off Highway 101, make a right at the lights, and return to the airport."


*************************************************

There's a story about the military pilot calling for a priority landing because his single-engine jet fighter was running "a bit peaked.”

Air Traffic Control told the fighter jock that he was number two, behind a B-52 that had one engine shut down.

 Ah," the fighter pilot remarked, "The dreaded seven-engine approach"


*************************************************

Taxiing down the tarmac, a DC-10 abruptly stopped, turned around, and returned to the gate.

After an hour-long wait, it finally took off. A concerned passenger asked the flight attendant, "What, exactly, was the problem?”


"The pilot was bothered by a noise he heard in the engine," explained the flight attendant.

"It took us a while to find a new pilot."

*************************************************

A Pan Am 727 flight waiting for start clearance in Munich overheard the following:

Lufthansa (in German): "Ground, what is our start clearance time?"Ground (in English): "If you want an answer you must speak in English."

Lufthansa (in English): "I am a German, flying a German airplane, in Germany. Why must I speak English?"Unknown voice from another plane (in a beautiful British accent):

"Because you lost the bloody war"


*************************************************

Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on frequency 124.7!”

Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure. By the way, after we lifted off we saw some kind of dead animal on the far end of the runway."Tower: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff behind Eastern 702, contact Departure on frequency 124.7. Did you copy that report from Eastern 702?"

Continental 635: "Continental 635 cleared for takeoff, roger; and yes, we copied Eastern... we've already notified our caterers."


*************************************************

One day the pilot of a Cherokee 180 was told by the tower to hold short of the active runway while a DC-8 landed.

The DC-8 landed, rolled out, turned around, and taxied back past the Cherokee. Some quick-witted comedian in the DC-8 crew got on the radio and said,


"What a cute little plane. Did you make it all by yourself?"The Cherokee pilot, not about to let the insult go by, came back with a real zinger:


"I made it out of DC-8 parts. Another landing like yours and I'll have enough parts for another one."


*************************************************

The German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot.They not only expect one to know one's gate parking location, but how to get there without any assistance from them.

So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206.

Speedbird 206: "Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway."
Ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven."
The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.

Ground: "Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?"Speedbird 206: "Stand by, Ground, I'm looking up our gate location now."

Ground (with quite arrogant impatience):”Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt before?"

Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, twice in 1944, but it was dark - and I didn't land."


*************************************************

While taxiing at London's Gatwick Airport, the crew of a US Air flight departing for Ft. Lauderdale made a wrong turn and came nose to nose with a United 727.

An irate female ground controller lashed out at the US Air crew, screaming:"US Air 2771, where the hell are you going?! I told you to turn right onto Charlie taxiway! You turned right on Delta! Stop right there. I know it's difficult for you to tell the difference between C and D, but get it right!"

Continuing her rage to the embarrassed crew, she was now shouting hysterically:

"God! Now you've screwed everything up! It'll take forever to sort this out! You stay right there and don't move 'till I tell you to! You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about half an hour and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you! You got that, US Air 2771?"

”Yes, ma'am," the humbled crew responded.

Naturally, the ground control communications frequency fell terribly silent after the verbal bashing of US Air 2771. Nobody wanted to chance engaging the irate ground controller in her current state of mind. Tension in every cockpit out around Gatwick was definitely running high.Just then, an unknown pilot broke the silence and keyed his microphone, asking: "Wasn't I married to you once?"

Three little pigs...

An new twist on an old tail perhaps?

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

*************************************************

The Three Little Pigs

Three Little Pigs went out to dinner one night.

The waiter came and took their drink order.

"I would like a Sprite," said the first little piggy.

"I would like a Coke," said the second little piggy.

"I want beer, lots, and lots of beer," said the third little piggy.

The drinks were brought out and the waiter took their orders for dinner.

"I want a nice big steak," said the first piggy.

"I would like the salad plate," said the second piggy.

"I want beer, lots, and lots of beer," said the third little piggy.

The meals were brought out and a while later the waiter approached the table and asked if the piggies would like any dessert.

"I want a banana split," said the first piggy.

"I want a cheesecake," said the second piggy.

"I want beer, lots, and lots of beer," exclaimed the third little piggy.

"Pardon me for asking," said the waiter to the third little piggy, "but why have you only ordered beer all evening?"

You're gonna LOVE me for this....


The third piggy says -


"Well, somebody has to go 'Wee, wee, wee, all the way home!

I wonder.....

Nescafe manages to arrange a meeting with the Pope at the Vatican.

After receiving the papal blessing, the Nescafe official whispers, "Your Eminence, we have an offer for you. Nescafe is prepared to donate £100 million to the church if you change the Lord's Prayer from 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily coffee'."

The Pope responds, "That is impossible. The Prayer is the word of the Lord, It must not be changed."

Well," says the Nescafe man, "We anticipated your reluctance. For this reason, we will increase our offer to £300 million. All we require is that you change the Lord's Prayer from 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily coffee'."

Again, the Pope replies, "That, my son is impossible. For the prayer is the word of the Lord and it must not be changed."

Finally, the Nescafe guy says, "Your Holiness, we at Nescafe respect your adherence to your faith, but we do have one final offer. We will donate £500 million - that's half a billion quid - to the great Catholic church if you would only change the Lord's Prayer from 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily coffee'. Please consider it." And he leaves.

The next day the Pope convenes the College of Cardinals. "There is some Good news," he announces, "and some bad news..... The good news is that the Church will come into £500 million.”

“And the bad news, your Holiness?" asks a Cardinal.





"We're losing the Hovis Account."



Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Another hospital visit and more physio? You bet.

There are times when I wonder why I bother going to see the saw-bones at Warwick hospital.

Why? Because I feel that I’m being fobbed off every damned time I see him. This time, it’s a case of go to the physio, and I’ll see you in three months time for another jab in the shoulder joint.

Thanks a bunch. I still don’t know what the problem with my shoulder is – what I do know is that I’m getting fed up with the lack of progress (not to mention the lack of information.)

Add into this, I will now have to spend even more time at a hospital I don’t feel comfortable going to, and more to the point, I feel like I’m wasting time – both the physio’s time and mine.

Guess I should call this quits – I need to get bits and pieces sorted out…

Back later.

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Fun and games flying from Funchal...

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!)

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

Cable cars and a toboggan ride....?

Sunday was a day for Mum and myself to get the last bits and pieces sorted out, and think about packing, ready to leave for Birmingham on the Monday morning.

Mum and I decided that we would head up on the cable car to Monte, so we could have a look around, and possibly go around Monte Palace Gardens.

Again, the pictures that I took were the ones that my dratted camera wiped off, and it annoys me intensely, knowing what a spectacular view it was, going up to Monte. We'd only bought a one way ticket, as I was hoping that I was going to be able to talk Mum into going down the hill with me.

That had to be put on hold, as Mum wasn't fit enough to endure the bumping that the trip was going to involve. So, we opted for a drink at the cable car station, and talked about the things that we needed to sort out before we flew home.

It wasn't that much, as we agreed that we would pick up the last little bits and pieces at the airport if necessary, and that the rest of the day, we were going to spend by the pool!

Time to call this quits - my eyes are getting heavy.

Back tomorrow.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Central Maderia - cherries and chestnuts

Saturday was another early start for Mum and myself. This time, it was because we were going to see the central part of Madeira.

Again, I noticed the changes in the vegetation as we travelled towards the first stop towards the northern edge of Funchal. It gave both Mum and myself to see the city in all its glory (including the unforgettable sight that is Reid’s Palace – the only reason that I mention this, is because it’s painted pink!)

Yet again, the photos that I took were wiped off the memory card – all I can say is –thank god for having two cameras – Mum’s card wasn’t wiped when I tried to transfer the images to the computer.

We travelled in-land to the Nun’s Valley, and our guide explained the reason behind the naming of this area. Apparently, in the 15th century, Madeira was regularly attacked by pirates who used to steal the riches from the churches and other religious places in Funchal.

One group of nuns found this intolerable, and so decided that they would find a safe area to hide their wealth from the nunnery, and used this one particular levada – a walk of about 5 hours.

Because of this particular valley being so remote, it was a perfect hiding place for the island’s wealth, and so became known as the Nuns Valley. From what our guide was telling us (and I’ll be only too happy to accept corrections from Madeirans) the valley was hardly accessible by road until the late 1970s / early 1980s.

The valley itself was quite beautiful, and whilst the rest of the tour party went to try the chestnut cake and the cherry brandy that the valley is renowned for,I opted to go and see the local church.

Why? Simple. I loathe cherries, and I'm allergic to nuts, so both of those "treats" were out of the question for me. I re-joined the party, and we headed back towards Funchal - via Camara de

Lobos (I think the translation is Place of Wolves - something to do with the seals that are there.)

Apparently, it was Winston Churchill's favourite place to go and paint whilst he was on holiday in Maderia (he stayed at Reid's Palace). It may have been beautiful in the 1930s, but I'm afraid that it has been spoilt by an ugly exapnse of concrete that goes right up to the sea wall.

The rest of the day was spent quietly by the hotel swimming pool, with Mum and myself planning our final trip before getting ready to fly back to Birmingham..

Guess I should call this quits - it's my turn to feed Fred, and he's not patient when he's hungry!

Back tomorrow.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Timeshare and Maderia Wine...

Friday, Mum and I went to have a look at a time-share that our hotel group was pushing. So, the pair of us got the bus that was sent and went to have a look. To be honest, neither of us were really that interested, but the bribe (ok – I mean incentive) was worth it – a beautiful book on Madeira that was worth about £35.

The guy who met us was no salesman at all – and when he took Mum and me to one of the so-called apartments, he sat in a chair and made no effort to ensure that Mum and I were making the right decision as far as he was concerned – i.e. saying “yes” to taking a 10 year timeshare.

There were a number of things that put the pair of us off, one of them being the lack of privacy. The balcony appeared to be overlooked on three sides and also shared facilities with the five-star hotel on the site. Add into that, you would be up in the hotel zone (meaning that if we had wanted to go into Funchal, we would have needed to get the courtesy bus) and the financial side also didn’t add up either.

So, it was an easy decision for the pair of us – thanks, but no thanks – simply because it just wasn’t the sort if place that we were interested in.

Or next point of call was the Old Blandy Wine Lodge. (See http://www.blandys.com/) Neither Mum nor I had any idea about Madeira wine (I always thought it was disgustingly sweet. Boy – was I about to be proven wrong!)

The best bit was, apart from being able to go on the tour of the winery (Mum and I didn’t do that, simply because Mum didn’t feel up to going) was the try before you buy bar.

The bar itself was nicely done – the tables and chairs were made from old barrels. Whilst Mum got comfortable on the seat, I went to the bar…

To my surprise (and delight) there was more than just the very sweet dessert wine available – there was a choice of super sweet to dry. Mum opted to try the Verdehlo variety (a medium dry) and I opted for the Sercial variety (a dry wine.)

Needless to day, bottles were bought, and up the corner of the bar, was a group of tourists (I’m still not sure if they were German or Scandinavian – I do know that they were very drunk!)

The rest of the afternoon was spent lazing by the pool (yes – I managed to get sunburnt – my fault for being daft and not putting waterproof sunscreen on!)

Ah well, suppose I should log off and bog off - Mum's just called to say that we've got visitors and I'm supposed to be making an appearance - worst luck!

Back when I can escape!

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

The Gardens Tour

Thursday, Mum and I went on a half day tour, as the pair of us wanted to have a bit of time to relax – we were both of the opinion that a holiday was supposed to be a time for the pair of us to kick back and relax (as well as the fact that Mum was getting tired – her hip was playing her up quite a bit and she was finding walking painful and slow!)

The tour was advertised as being a chance to see two of Madeira’s most famous gardens – Blandys and the botanical gardens.

In theory, this was a good trip, as the guide was supposed to be a trained botanist (emphasis on supposed) and was going to be helpful and informative.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. The guide was surly and her knowledge (and helpfulness) left an awful lot to be desired. She didn’t seem too impressed with the fact that Mum was on a walking stick, and when we got to Blandy’s gardens, that was when the fun started.

The path (ok – cobbled walkway) was a very steep gradient and was not exactly very friendly to someone who is non-too steady on their feet.

So, Mum asked what time we were to meet back at the coach, and said that she would make her own way around the gardens, and that I could get pictures of the things that she missed and vice versa.

The guide wasn’t very keen on that idea, but given the strength of Mum’s personality (and the fact that she was determined to do that anyway!) she didn’t really have much option!

In hindsight, I wish I’d gone with Mum as well, simply because she saw things that I missed – including an 8ft tall dahlia! Instead, our so-called botanist guide pointed out boring things such as delphiniums. Excuse me – if I’d wanted to see delphiniums, I’d have looked in the back garden at home!

We stopped for a coffee (it turned out to be a 3/4hr stop, during which time our illustrious guide spent most of the time yapping on her mobile phone) and so, left the group to do some exploring…

The last stop was to the Botanical Gardens. This was much more to mine and Mum’s liking, as there were plenty of native Madeiran plants – most of which Mum and I had only seen in glasshouses at Kew Gardens! In fact, we spent less time at the botanical gardens than we did having a coffee at Blandy’s! However, Mum and I were able to get some lovely photographs (again – mine were on the card that got wiped – learnt my lesson from that!)

In hindsight, I wish that Mum and I had gone to the Botanic gardens on our own, and missed the Blandy’s garden bit out. But, if we hadn’t gone, we would have always wondered what we had missed out on.

We got back to the hotel and had lunch, and decided that we wanted to go to one of the orchid nurseries that we’d both been reading about. So, we decided to get a taxi up to the one that we had chosen…

Thankfully, the taxi driver said that he would wait for us, as there were no taxis in the area... We were a bit dubious, but we agreed and it was a good thing, as the nursery was off a track, off a back street in the upper end of Funchal!

The exhibits however, were well worth the trip... Both Mum and I were salivating over the blooms, and not for the first time I was wishing that we had the right conditions to grow such beautiful blooms.

There were some that I recognised, but most of them, I didn’t and I just enjoyed taking photographs of them:

Guess I should call this quits – I need to get some sleep – got a busy day tomorrow!

Back when I get the chance…

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Western Maderia

Wednesday, Mum and I were up quite early (as in 06:30 - not a nice experience when you're supposed to be on holiday!) and the pair of us were amazed that it was still dark!

So, we headed down to breakfast, and then walked to the meeting point, by the cable car station. It was a nice walk, and Mum and I were hoping that it was going to be a good day weather wise, as we'd been warned that the weather could change rather rapidly when you were up in the mountains

The mini-bus arrived, and we duly hopped on board, to complete the rest of the pick ups... There was a slight technical hitch with the microphone, but that was soon resolved and we were on our way.

One of the things that I did notice was that every spare piece of land seemed to have bananas and sugar cane growing on it up to 2,000 feet, and then it changed to grapevines. The guide explained that this was due to the climate of the island and that and sugar cane had played an important part in the island's economy in the past, but was unable to compete with the cheaper imports.

The first stop was at a viewpoint – and what a view it was! It was the top of one of the highest sea-cliffs in the world (the exact height escapes me – all I know was that it was very scary looking down!)

The next point of call was a small village (this was one of the pictures that my damned camera managed to lose!) where we had a walk around, and looked out over the beach. Bad choice of phrase really – there are no beaches on Madeira – the coast line tends to be a straight drop into the Atlantic ocean.

Lunch was taken at the most westerly point of the island – where there are some of the most spectacular sea cliffs I have ever seen.

The food was really good – I chose the eschpada (black scabbard fish). It wouldn’t win any beauty awards, but it was certainly tasty – one of those things that you miss when you return to the UK!

We then headed across the central plateau of the island – where the clouds can be a fair distance away and then 10 minutes later, you’re enclosed in cloud and it’s raining!

The rest of the trip was quiet – both Mum and I were too busy admiring the scenery on the way back (and I will admit I was dozing in a couple of places - that was when I wasn’t flinching at the near misses that seemed to occur around every bend!)

Time to call this quits – I’ve still got to finish my un-packing!

Back when I get chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

First full day in Madeira

Tuesday was a gentle day, which started with the welcome meeting from the tour rep. She was a nice lass and told us (Mum, myself and the rest of the group that had arrived on the same day / flight as us) about the island and some of the trips, as well as some of the things to try…

One of the things that she suggested that people try, was Poncha – made from firewater (ok – local rum or rhum as the Portuguese spell it) honey and lemon.

Apparently, it’s a real cure-all – three of them and what ever was wrong with you has been cured. (I put that down to the fact that it’s due to the fact that you’re so pissed, you can’t remember what was wrong with you in the first place!)

Mum and I decided that there were a couple of trips that we did want to do – i.e. the Western Madeira trip on the Wednesday, the half day gardens tour on Thursday and the Nuns Valley tour on the Saturday. The theory being that the rest of the week, Mum and I could spend relaxing by the pool or shopping in Funchal.

So, Tuesday after the meeting, Mum and I took an gentle walk to the Madeira story centre, which was just up the road from our hotel. It was really good - a great way to start the holiday, and had some superb exhibits - including the wax models illustrating various people from Maderian history.

The pirates were raiders of the islands during the late 15th century, and Mum made me laugh by saying that the one pirate didn't look too enthusiastic at all...!

There were other models - including this one of Napoleon:

Much as I hate to say it, Napoleon looks hungover in this pose, and there were several comments along the lines of "not tonight Joseph" But there was one display that did make my eyes light up...

It's one of the famous sledges that run from Monte and Mum said that she would see how she felt before saying that she would go down in it with me...

Then, it was a gentle stroll to the market (more on that later in my blog) and a stop off for a bite to eat, before heading back to the hotel to get changed for dinner, and grabbing an early night, as we'd got to be up super early the following day...

Time to call this quits - my eyes are getting tired.

Back when I get the chance...

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Back from Madeira

This is the first time that I’ve had chance to put finger to keyboard and has become my normal trick – I’ve got loads of pictures from my holiday – even if my damned camera decided to wipe out all of the images off one memory card!

But, despite that setback, I’ve got loads of pictures – some of which I will publish – others that will remain in the collection for personal reasons.

As with past trips, I think the best way is for me do treat each day as a separate post, so that it doesn’t just become a blur, and get confusing. This first post will deal with the trials and tribulations of travel on the outbound leg…

The flight out would have been fine – apart from the fact that I felt like I’d been crammed into a veal pen. I should have guessed that things were not going to go very smoothly, when the snotty cow on the check-in desk decided to give Mum and myself a hard time over the hand baggage weight.

She said that you were only allowed 5kg, and that Mum’s flight bag was overweight and would have to have some bits put into the case as my own case was on the weight limit as well. (I couldn’t find any information on the weight allowances on the tickets, but I was too pissed off to argue with the cow.)

I resorted to taking the one guide book out and putting it into my pocket (I got glared at) and then we were allowed to check in. I swear the miserable female decided to get her own back on the pair of us – she gave us our boarding passes – no problem. The problem arose when we realised where we were seated – Right at the back of the aircraft – the last row of seats, meaning that we couldn’t recline the seats if we wanted!

Add into that it was a bloody long walk to the gate (a rugby scrum is more organised than that plane’s boarding system!) and you get the general idea.

The flight itself was uneventful (and bloody boring – thank god for having a decent book to read – Trudi Canavan’s Black Magician trilogy – book 1 – the Magician’s Guild)

Once in the air, I lost count of the number of times that the trolleys went up and down the aisle (and as the galley was at the back – right behind the seats that Mum and I had been assigned (we were the poor mugs right by the aisle!)) we soon got fed up with them barging past us the whole time.

Thankfully, the weather in Madeira made up for it, and the transfer was relatively smooth to our hotel. We were staying in the old part of town – away from the so-called hotel zone in the west of Funchal.

The hotel itself (the Porto Santa Maria) was very nice (see http://www.portostamaria.com/index/pb/portosantamaria.html) and proved to be a perfect base to start our exploration of the island.

Time to call this quits – we’ve got visitors.

Back later…

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

When I've sat by the window, and gazed at the rain...

I’m a little calmer today, but not that much. Mum and I went shopping today, to get the last minute bits and pieces that we need four our holiday to Madeira (we fly out from Birmingham airport at 08:00 on Monday morning).

I will admit to being reluctant to go out, as all I wanted to do was curl up in bed, and cry my heart out; because it was the first night I’d spent without Ponto snoring contentedly in my room.

Ok – I know I’ve had weekends away, but since I found out just how ill he was, I stayed at home as much as my job would allow and spend the nights with him snuggled up next to me in my bed.

But, over the past week or so, he seemed to be struggling to breathe, so I got an old pillow, folded it up, and made sure that he had his head resting on it, so that he could breathe.

Even now, as I sit typing my blog up, I miss the furry little fiend, as he used to lie on top of my computer (or printer – depending on how annoying he wanted to be) and snore – just enough to drown out whatever music I was foolish enough to try and listen to on my computer.

I know there will be people calling me a bloody fool because I’m so cut up about Ponto. Yes, he was just a cat, but he was with me for a good part of my life – 13 years – and took great delight in disapproving of practically all the people I decided to see. (I almost wish that I’d listened to him at times – I might have saved myself an awful lot of heartache!)

So, I guess this is my requiem for a cat:

Farewell my furry fiend
May there be things for you to terrorise and chase
And a welcoming pair of arms to cuddle you when you want them

May there be a warm bed waiting for you
And a plate of something nice to eat
Complete with a pint of Channel Islands milk to wash it all down with

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Goodbye my pussy cat

I can hardly see through my tears as I type this. Ponto has been put to sleep, and died quietly in my arms this evening.

I’m sorry – I can’t type anymore.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Reaching the end of the road?

This evening has been one of the most emotionally draining I’ve ever had the misfortune to experience.

John (the vet who deals with Fred and Ponto) made a house call tonight, to see how Ponto is, as he agreed that it would be less stressful to all concerned if Ponto wasn’t put into the cat carrier, and came out like a furry atom bomb – complete with the teeth and claws of a small Siberian tiger!

But that doesn’t mean that Ponto doesn’t get things all his own way. John might be daft enough to agree to a home visit, but he still brings the little muzzle and booties for the cat.

He examined Ponto, and then broke the news. He wants to see him again on Friday night, and has said that Ponto is fast approaching the end, and that he will start suffering.

I will admit to being in denial (and still am as I type this entry) as Ponto was double teaming with Fred yesterday – they were playing tag and generally terrorising the life out of one of the local dogs – it was quite funny to watch the pair of them and you would not have thought that there was anything wrong with Ponto at all.

So, until Friday arrives, all I can do is cuddle Ponto and make sure that he is spoilt rotten, and hopefully, make him realise that he means the world to me.

Time to call this quits – I need to get some sleep tonight – as I can see that the next couple of days will fly past – especially as I’ve got to make sure that my understudy knows what the hell he has to do, when it comes to dealing with my OTR work…

Back tomorrow if I get the chance.

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Starting the day with a smile or two….

Ok – I apologise in advance if people have seen these jokes before, but they made me grin!

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

*************************************************

The Koala and the Little Lizard




A koala is sitting up in a gum tree smoking a joint when a little lizard walks past and looks up and says

"Hey Koala! What are you doing?"
The koala says: "Smoking a joint, come up and have some."



So the little lizard climbs up and sits next to the koala and they have a few joints.

After a while, the little lizard says his mouth is 'dry' and is going to get a drink from the river.

But the little lizard is so stoned that he leans too far over and falls into the river.
A crocodile sees this and swims over to the little lizard and helps him to the side, then asks the little lizard: "What's the matter with you?"

The little lizard explains to the crocodile that he was sitting smoking a joint with the koala in the tree, got too stoned, and then fell into the river while taking a drink.

The crocodile says he has to check this out and walks into the rain forest, finds the tree where the koala is sitting finishing a joint, and he looks up and says

"Hey you!"




So the koala looks down at him and says:



"Fuckin’ hell dude.......how much water did you drink?!!"

*************************************************

Two Scots, Angus and Jock, are sitting in the pub discussing Jock's forthcoming wedding.


"Ach, it's all going grand," says Jock. "I've got everything organised already: the flowers, the church, the cars, the reception, the rings, the minister, even ma stag night...


Angus nods approvingly. "Havens, I've even bought a kilt to be married in!" continues Jock.


"A kilt?" exclaims Angus, "That's braw, you'll look pure smart in that! "And what's the tartan?" Angus then enquires.


"Och," says Jock, "I'd imagine she'll be in white..."

Getting dragged shopping...

Is a real pain in the behind. But, when it's Julian doing the dragging, it's even worse.

He's a major pain in the butt when it comes to shopping, and can make my life absolutely hell, as he knows damned well that I am most comfortable in jeans and a top.

But, because I've got my cousin's weeding (sorry - wedding) he's decided to "assist" (read for that bully) me into changing my wardrobe into something a little more suitable.

OK - in theory, maybe that's not such a bad thing, but he seems intent on winding me up, as he knows damned well that there are certain styles / colours I will not even consider, so he makes a beeline for them!

Equally, I was a bit miffed when he vetoed a shirt that I'd been eyeing up for absolutely ages - because he said that the colour wasn't right for me!

I will admit to grumping, but when I held it up to myself, I saw what he meant - the only thing that it would go with in my wardrobe was my black work trousers! So I grudgingly admitted that he was correct, and continued shopping.

He also said that there were a couple of things I need to get for a weekend away at the end of November.

What I got shall remain hidden until the weekend in question, simply because the person whom I am going with reads my blog, and I want it to be a surprise... The only thing that I will reveal is that the colour is listed as Gold...


Guess I should call this quits - I've still got stuff do today - including mowing the lawn...

Back tomorrow I guess.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Repeating a scare?

Ever had a feeling of déjà vu? Well, my best friend had that horrible feeling today.

How do I know? Simple. He sent me the following e-mail:

Sorry Kaz

Something’s come up I gotta go
My Mum’s been taken back into hospital this morning I’ll contact you later when I can ok and I’ll let you know what’s going on

Not the sort of e-mail I wanted to receive, and I will admit to wondering how he was… or at least I did until I spoke to him whilst I was on my lunch break.

I sent him a message saying that I was on lunch and that if he wanted to talk, then I was around.

No sooner had I sent the message, I got reply saying that he wanted to talk… He’d been unable to see his Mum in the hospital but had spoken to his Dad who said that this problem seemed to have started last Thursday night.

My friend was (and still is) less than impressed but agreed with me when I said that his Mum was in the best place if (God forbid) anything did happen.

As I type this, I will admit that my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, as I know only too well the pain that losing a parent can cause.

Ah well, guess I should call this quits – I’ve got work to do – not that I’ve got any interest at the moment…

Back when I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Laying a ghost to rest

Well, I’ve seen my ex-fiancé and I refrained from laying him out in the middle of Oxford. I will admit that I was somewhat apprehensive about meeting him, but I will admit to being glad that Julian was with me, as it made things a little easier for me.

My ex wasn’t too keen on the fact that Julian was there, and even asked if we could talk somewhere on our own. Not a chance of that, as I was unwilling to give him the option of sweet-talking me into getting back with him – which he had managed to do in the past.

I should have known better
But I trusted you at first
I should have know better
But I got what I deserved
 
So, he seemed to sulk a bit, and then started saying how much he missed me, and how much he wanted us to get back together and that things would be better for the pair of us.

A little late for all the things you didn't say
I'm not sad for you
But I'm sad for all the time I had to waste
'Cause I learned the truth

Don’t ask me how I managed to stop myself exploding – but I think that Julian’s hand squeezing my elbow had something to do with it… I politely pointed out that he was the one who had forced my hand by insisting within a matter of days of Dad’s death, that I leave my job and move down south.

No warning of such a sad song
Of broken hearts My dreams of fairy tales and fantasy, oh
Were torn apart

That seemed to go down like a lead balloon, and I made sure that he realised there was no hope of us getting back together, as I reminded him that my life had changed for the better since I’d split up with him – and I was (and am) so much happier without him interfering with my life.

I lost my peace of mind
Somewhere along the way
I knew there's come a time
You'd hear me say I'm sick and tired
Of always being sick and tired

When I left, he looked like a puppy that had been kicked, but I knew damned well that if I’d shown the slightest bit of sympathy, then I was done for as he would just sucker me back into seeing him again – and this time – I want nothing more to do with him.

But, for now, I'm an awful lot happier than I was before I saw him, and I'm beginning to wonder why I let the b'stard wind me up so much.

More to the point, I've come to the conclusion that I am 100% better off without him in my life, and if he tries to contact me again... Well I might just have to resort to my original choice - laying him out cold!

Your heart is in a place I no longer wanna be
I knew there'd come a day I'd set you free

Guess I should call this quits – I’ve got stuff to sort out around the house…

Back later if I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Tired of being kicked

Why is it, that whenever I try to help someone out, I end up being kicked in the guts?

Simply because a colleague was away, I was doing the lion’s share of her work, and hadn’t been given the relevant information about some spreadsheet or other that was supposed to be filled in on a daily basis. Not that the spreadsheet in question was anything to do with me – someone else was ‘supposed’ to be responsible for that.

'Cause I'm too proud, I'm too strong
Live by the quote that you gotta move on
Feeling sorry for yourselfAin’t got nobody nowhere

 However, the person in question failed to tell me what he needed, so muggings here is the one who gets the kicking. Because if I tell the truth (as in the other person is a bone-idle b’stard who lumbered me with nearly all the damned work) it will look like I’m trying to lump all the blame onto this other person.

Took so long to get me here
But I won't live in fear
You try to steal my shine
But first they wanna build you up
Then they tear you down
It's a struggle, you try to bubble

So, all I can do is swallow my pride and take the grumping that is coming my way, and all because someone failed to give me all the information that I required… But, from the sounds of things, at least I didn’t screw the spreadsheet up – that was someone else’s screw up – and not that I’m gloating. Much.

Ah well, suppose I should think about doing some work, but I’m suffering from TNFI…

Back when I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Being scared, and put off dinner!

I guess the title says it all. I went to see Snakes on a Plane last night with Julian – and yes – it was just as I expected – a ‘leave your brain at the cinema door’ type of film.

However, despite that, it was a really good film and a couple of times I did jump – and I was more than impressed with the special effects – to the extent that I've decided to get this film on DVD.

I thought Julian was scared by the film in a couple of places (well if the bruises on my left arm are anything to go by) even thought he denied it afterwards…

We had planned to go to Frankie & Bennies afterwards, but neither of us could face eating – it probably had something to do with a couple of scenes in the film…

Ah well, guess I should get on with some work, but I’m really suffering from a case of TNFI…

Back when I get the chance.

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Taking on more than my fair share...?

Well, at this moment in time, I feel like I've been steam-rolled into looking after yet another national account - and all because the person responsible hasn't turned up for the past week or so.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind if I've been asked by the person but this seems to have been dropped onto my lap, as no-one else appears to be interested in doing anything at all.

Normally, that's not a problem for me, but at this moment in time, I've got more than enough to keep me out of mischief - on both a professional and personal front!

So, something somewhere is going to have to give way a little - and I'm going to make sure that other people start taking on some of my workload, as there is only so much I can do before my own work starts to suffer - and given that I've put in too many damned hours to get most of my roles sorted - it ain't going to be MY work!

Time to call this quits - I'm going to head for lunch - and make sure that no-one can get hold of me!

Back later if I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

A stressless existance? Not around here!

Not a good day today. I came close to losing it in the office because I was feeling like crap (I find that very little sleep tends to do that to me now) and I was wound up - well past my normal tolerance levels.

It didn't help me when my friend called me and was really sweet - all that did was push me even closer to the edge, and I will admit to being a little bit short / sharp on the 'phone when I spoke to him.

There's so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

Add into that, I got piled up with paperwork and you begin to get the general idea. OK - I don't think that the issues in my private life are really helping, but it's very rare that I get so stressed out that it starts to affect me at work.

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me

My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating

Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me

'Till then I'll walk alone

I know one thing - the sooner that I get this over and done with, the happier I'm going to be as it will mean that I can get on with my life, without having to look over my shoulder the whole damned time, wondering what the hell is going to come and splatter my confidence all over the walls yet again.

Ah well, time to call this quits - I've go to get shifting as I've got stuff to do before I call it quits here tonight...

Back tomorrow.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Starting the week off with a smile...

I make no apologies for this joke - it made me smile.

Enjoy.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

*************************************************

A female CNN journalist heard about a very old Jewish man who had been going to the Western Wall to pray, twice a day, everyday, for a long, long time. So she went to check it out.

She went to the Western Wall and there he was walking slowly up to the holy site. She watched him pray and after about 45 minutes, when he turned to leave, using a cane in a very slow fashion, she approached him for an interview.

"I'm Rebecca Smith from CNN. Sir, how long have you been coming to the Western Wall and praying?"

"For about 60 years."

"60 years! That's amazing! What do you pray for?"

"I pray for peace between the Christians, Jews and the Muslims. I pray for all the hatred to stop and I pray for all our children to grow up in safety and friendship."

"How do you feel after doing this for 60 years?"

"Like I'm talking to a bloody wall."

Hoping to lay a ghost to rest...

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

Back from Stratford, and still fighting a ghost

Well, I'm back from Stratford. It was lovely to see my friend and his family - and it made a change for it to be on my "home" turf for once!

I was able to show them around Stratford and show them around the various places without getting ripped off by the various places and also went around the Teddy Bear museum. (See http://www.theteddybearmuseum.com/index.htm)

Yes - I dragged a big burly biker around the Teddy Bear museum. Whilst he was looking at something, I took the chance to go and buy him a teddy - it was really sweet and had a little long sleeve t-shirt on, with Friends Forever on it.

We then went for lunch in the Weatherspoons pub, and whilst we were sitting down, I gave him the bear - much to his embarrassment - and I was told that I shouldn't have bought it. Yes I should - I fell for it, and thought that it would be a nice way to remember the trip to Stratford.

Who knew the other side of you?
Who knew the hardest time to prove?
Too true to say good bye to you
Too true to say say say...

However - there was one dark cloud for me. My 'phone kept ringing and chiming with various messages - and I will admit to being more than a little dismayed when I saw who they were from.

Rather than let them spoil a nice day for us all, I ended up turning my 'phone off until I was on my own, and then made sure that once I had sorted things out with my friend, I ignored any other calls / messages that came in.

OK - I know that my friend will be upset when he realises why I was so quiet towards the end of the day, but the messages and calls were really starting to affect me, and I'm beginning to think about changing my mobile number again - if only to stop the calls and texts.

But, the trouble is, I know that if I do that, then there will be calls and messages left on my home answerphone, which will upset Mum - and that's the last thing that I want to happen.

So, I guess that I'm going to have to confront this problem and sort things out once and for all - and make it plain that I want nothing to do with him what-so-ever, and hopefully, he'll take the hint without me having to resort to physical means.

Time to call this quits - I've got to feed the furry fiends, and the pair of them are sitting in the study glaring at me, as I'm ignoring them in favour of updating my blog!

Back when I get the chance.

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

I want that Pug!!

The Peugeot 207. what can I say apart from - I want that car so badly it hurts!!!

It's truly an awesome car, and I freely admit being VERY reluctant to hand it back to the dealer. So, all I have to do now is wait and see what the new models bring, as the one that I drove was a manual (and I don't mind admitting that my left leg aches after using the clutch - something that my tiptronic auto doesn't have.)

The run to Bridgemere Garden World was a doddle - the car had more than enough power to get me out of trouble (as well as into trouble - I was accused of playing chicken with a 44 ton lorry - as if I would be daft enough to do that! *Grin*)

Once we were at Bridgemere, I found that the car was easy to park and had a good sized boot - big enough to get 120l of compost, assorted plants and other bits into it without much of a struggle.

The car also proved very flexible when it came to driving in town, as I was dropping Julian and his partner back home, and once again, I found it a comfortable car to drive.

OK - I admit that the model I was driving was a tad on the basic side, and I would have added a few extra bits and pieces to it, but on the whole, I think that Peugeot has come up with a little gem as far as I'm concerned.

I guess that the only thing that I can grumble about is that the car is actually bigger than the 206 - it's almost the same size as the old Peugeot 306, but despite that, it still felt nimble and responsive.

Time to call this quits - I need to get some sleep, as I'm meeting up with my daft hog riding friend and his family tomorrow...

Back when I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Being haunted by a ghost from the past

What is it about me and control freaks? I seem to attract them and then seem to have even more trouble shaking them off. OK – let me rephrase that. The control freak in question is my ex-fiancé to be precise.

The last time I saw him, I threatened to do him some serious physical harm if he tried to contact me, and for the past 12 months or so, that threat seemed to keep him well away from me.

But, either I’m losing my touch, or he’s grown braver and has started trying to contact me again – which has really upset me.

He called me earlier today, asking me how I was, how Mum was and making it sound like the events that lead up to the threat never happened. Ok – maybe he thinks that I’ll have forgotten or more to the point forgiven him, but that will happen when Satan starts ordering winter woollies and antifreeze.

So, me being me, tried to make it plain (without resorting to offensive language or putting the ‘phone down on him) that the contact was unwelcome, and that I had nothing to say to him.

I would have thought that my lack of enthusiasm for the conversation would have given him the idea that I really didn’t want anything to do with him, but he seems to have all the empathy of a brick – without the use.

I'm outta love
Set me free
And let me out this misery
Just show me the way to get my life again
'Cause you can't handle me
(I said) I'm outta love
Can't you see
Baby that you gotta set me free
I'm outta love

 So, in the end, I resorted to the old stand-by that my 'phone battery was dying, and that I would have to call it quits. He seemed a little miffed, and I thought that it would be the last I heard from him.

Boy, did I get that one wrong. He kept trying to call me all day today, which resulted in me turning my 'phone off, as all it was doing was winding me up, not to mention upsetting me on a day when I could have really done without it.

Time to call this quits - I've got to take the 207 back to Arbury Peugeot...

Back with a full review of the Peugeot...

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Rough Language

Please excuse the rough language in the following story...

I don't write them, I just post them.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

*************************************************

A young couple got married and went on their honeymoon. When they got back, the bride immediately called her mother.

"Well," said her mother,"so how was the honeymoon?"

"Oh, mama," she replied, "the honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic..." Suddenly she burst out crying. "But, mama, as soon as we returned, Sam started using the most horrible language -- things I'd never heard before! I mean, all these awful 4-letter words! You've got to take me home..., PLEASE MAMA!"

"Sarah, Sarah," her mother said, "calm down! You need to stay with your husband and work this out. Now, tell me, what could be so awful? WHAT 4-letter words?"

"Please don't make me tell you, mama," wept the daughter, "I'm so embarrassed, they're just too awful! COME GET ME, PLEASE!!"

"Darling, baby, you must! tell me what has you so upset. Tell your mother these horrible 4-letter words!"

Sobbing, the bride said, "Oh, Mama... He used words like: dust, wash, iron, cook..."

"I'll pick you up in twenty minutes," said the mother.

How smart are you....?

You are on a horse, galloping at a constant speed. On your right side is a sharp drop off, and on your left side is an elephant traveling at the same speed as you.

Directly in front of you is a galloping kangaroo and your horse is unable to overtake it. Behind you is a lion running at the same speed as you and the Kangaroo.

What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?

If you do not know, scroll down to see answer below.


















Get your drunken ass off the merry-go-round!

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Looking forward to a weekend...

And what a weekend it promises to be! I've booked myself a 24hr test drive in the new Peugeot 207, which starts at 18:00 tonight and runs until 18:00 tomorrow night, and then Sunday, I'm meeting up with my daft hog riding friend and his family in Stratford.

Tomorrow is the busier of the two days in terms of the distances I'll be traveling, as I'm going up to a garden centre in Cheshire - Bridgemere Garden World (see http://www.bridgemere.co.uk/index.htm) with Julian and his partner, as they want to get some plants for their garden.

Ok - I know that it sounds crazy, but the theory behind it states that you should buy plants from a garden centre / nursery further north as the plants will be used to harsher conditions, and so will thrive in a southern garden.

So, that means a blast up the M6 (a motorway I hate - most of the drivers on that road are idiots - and I think I might be being a tad unkind to the idiots) on the way there, then a trip down the scenic route through Rugeley and Litchfield, so that I get an idea of how I get on with the car and more to the point, if I'm interested enough to give it serious consideration when I come to swap my 206.

Sunday however, promises to be quite a different kettle of fish... I got a text message from my daft friend at some unearthly time this morning (I think it was about 00:35) asking what I was doing this weekend.

So, as I was already awake (Ponto had decided to stick his sharp little claws into me as he stretched in his sleep - furry little fiend!) I sent a reply saying that I was busy tomorrow (Saturday) but I was free on Sunday...

He then sent me a reply saying that he was thinking about heading up to Stratford, and said that it would be nice to meet up, as I was "local" and know which tourist traps to avoid as a matter of course, plus I can give the "insiders" knowledge - daft little rules like there are no thatched houses within the town perimeter due to a devastating fire in the late 1600s.

Ok - I know that sounds daft, but at the time, it made sense as the river Avon runs through the town at the bottom end. Aside from that, I know quite a bit of useless local information...

Guess I should call this 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