China activist in for long haul at Tokyo airport

This comes from the BBC website - and I make no apologies for posting it.

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

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

A Chinese human rights activist, denied entry to his homeland, has been living in the arrivals section of Tokyo's Narita Airport for more than a month, in a real life version of the Hollywood film, the Terminal.

The BBC's Tokyo correspondent, Roland Buerk, went to meet Feng Zhenghu.

All day long and well into the night, planes land at Narita airport.

It is the busiest hub in Japan, full of passengers hurrying to their final destinations.

But amid the bustle one man stands still and alone.   

Feng Zhenghu is going nowhere.

Described by Amnesty International as a prominent "human rights defender" he has been blocked from returning home to China.

Four times airlines refused to let him board a plane.

On four occasions he got as far as Shanghai airport - only to be swiftly dispatched back to Japan.

The last time round the 55-year-old decided enough was enough and set up camp in Narita, outside Tokyo.

"The thing I want to do now is go to my country and go back home," he said. "That is the only thing I want."

Unlikely celebrity

For more than a month Feng Zhenghu has been living in a no man's land, stuck between the arrivals gates and passport control in Terminal 1.

It's very difficult because people stare at me as though I'm a beggar... I feel ashamed.  Feng Zhenghu

Tens of thousands of people who pass through the airport every day see him.

He wears a t-shirt with details of his plight written on it in English.

Another, in Mandarin, is stretched over his suitcase as a kind of portable protest banner.

He has turned into something of an unlikely celebrity, so some stop to pose for pictures.

Although Feng Zhenghu says he has never seen it he agrees his situation is rather like the Hollywood film The Terminal.

Conditions are far worse for him, he says, than the character played by Tom Hanks, who was in a departure lounge with a food court and shops to roam.

Every other passenger passes through Narita's arrivals area in minutes, so there are no restaurants, in fact no facilities at all.

Feng Zhenghu survives on handouts.

"Passengers who get off flights give me food, so I have enough," he says, pointing to a hold-all full of sweets, biscuits and noodles.

But I can't sleep very well. Only at 11 or midnight can I go to sleep because that's when flights stop coming in. But I can't sleep beyond 0500 because that's when flights start arriving.

"There's no shower, no bath. It's very difficult because people stare at me as though I'm a beggar. It's very, very difficult. It's very hard to endure psychologically. I feel ashamed."

Long wait

Equipped with a mobile phone and laptop he is keeping in touch with the outside world by blogging and tweeting.

Feng Zhenghu has a valid Japanese visa in his Chinese passport so the airport authorities could force him to leave the building, but so far they have chosen not to.

Even though he does not speak much Japanese, staff at the airport say they have grown fond of their uninvited guest.

"He's my friend, he's a friend to all of us," said Yoshiyuki Kurita. "He's been here more than 30 days. I want him to understand his situation and to enter Japan willingly."

But Feng Zhenghu hopes his solitary purgatory in so public a place will persuade the Chinese government to let him go home.

And he says he is prepared to wait for as long as it takes.

Feeling like squeak...

And I’m fed up with people taking the Mickey out of me, because all I can do is squeak. Add into that, the fact that I’m just feeling run down, and you get one unhappy little tigger.

Being told by one of my supervisors yesterday, that the powers that be appreciated the fact that I was in, despite having very little voice was nice, but the edge had been taken off earlier in the day by my manager who told me that they couldn’t afford to have me off sick as well, and that I needed to treat the squeak.

Excuse me – I’m not one of these people that think “oh, I’ll have a duvet day – I don’t fancy going into the office today.” If I’m off sick, it’s because I’ve either got an infection that means I’m not fit enough to go in, or I’ve got a migraine that makes me feel banging my head against a wall would be less painful.

As you can tell, I'm not feeling my normal chirpy self, as this cough is really dragging me down. To add insult to my injury, it’s my Godsprog’s birthday today, and I can’t risk going anywhere near the little monster in case I infect her with whatever I have got.

Isn’t life a bitch at times?

Guess I should do some work, but I have a severe case of TNFI – thankfully, there’s only one more day to go before the weekend…

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

Jokes that make you smile

There are some days when you just need something to make you smile – and today is one of them. I feel really grotty, as I’m coughing like I smoke 40+ cigarettes a day (I’m a total non-smoker!) and I’m starting to squeak as I lose my dratted voice.

But, these jokes made me smile, so the least I can do is post them.

Enjoy.

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

 **********************************

WHAT'S IN A NAME!!!
 There were two Catholic boys, Timothy Murphy and Antonio Secola, whose lives parallel each other in amazing ways. In the same year Timothy was born in Ireland, Antonio was born in Italy.

Faithfully they attended parochial School from kindergarten through their senior year in high school. They took their vows to enter the priesthood early in college, and upon graduation, became priests.

Their careers had come to amaze the world, but it was generally acknowledged that Antonio Secola was just a cut above Timothy Murphy in all respects.

Their rise through the ranks of Bishop, Archbishop, and finally Cardinal was swift to say the least, and the Catholic world knew that when the present Pope died, it would be one of the two who would become the next Pope.

In time the Pope did die, and the College of Cardinals went to work. In less time than anyone had expected, white smoke rose from the chimney and the world waited to see whom they
had chosen.

The world, Catholic, Protestant and secular, was surprised to learn that Timothy Murphy had been elected Pope!

Antonio Secola was beyond surprise. He was devastated, because even with all of Timothy's gifts, Antonio knew he was the better qualified.

With gall that shocked the Cardinals, Antonio Secola asked for a private session with them in which he candidly asked, "Why Timothy?"

After a long silence, an old Cardinal took pity on the bewildered man and rose to reply. "We knew you were the better of the two, but we just could not bear the thought of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church being called POPE SECOLA.

**********************************
FROZEN CARBURETOR

In the fun world of the administration of justice, not all the laughs are in the court-room. Indeed, giggles and guffaws can erupt at almost any time or place.

For example:

On a bitterly cold winter's day several years ago in northern British Columbia, a RCMP constable on patrol came across a motorcyclist, who was swathed in protective clothing and helmet, stalled by the roadside. "What's the matter?" asked the policeman.

"Carburettor’s frozen," was the terse reply.

"Pee on it. That'll thaw it out."

"I Can't."

"OK, Watch and I'll show you."

The constable lubricated the carburettor, as promised. The bike started and the rider drove off, waving. A few days later, the detachment office received a note of thanks from the father of the motorbike rider.

It began: "On behalf of my daughter, who recently was stranded....."

Making an escape…

Well, I’m back from Chester, and am back in the playpen. Nothing seems to have changed but I really don’t care. Why? Because I’ve got the start of a cold, and am slowly but surely, losing my voice.

Aside from that, the trip to Chester was just what I needed. Friday, Mum and I headed for Cheshire Oaks. (See Chesire Oaks Designer Outlet )  It’s a shopping outlet village, with shops ranging from good old Marks & Spencer to places like Tag Heuer, and Bose, with everything in between.

It was a rather peculiar layout I have to admit, and I can’t see that there would be much room for expansion, but that didn’t put me off – especially as there was one of my favourite shops there – Cadburys. Ok – I’ve heard all the jokes about women and chocolate, but there are two chocolate bars that I am very fond of – one is the Fudge bar, and the other is the Curly Wurly. So, I will admit I took the opportunity to get some.

But that wasn’t the only thing I found. I found something rather special – mulled apple juice. No – I’m not joking – this has the traditional mulled wine spices in fresh (cloudy) apple juice and tastes… Mmmmm – perfect.

As Mum and I were leaving, there were people driving around the car park, frantically looking for spaces, and I remember thinking that we had been right to get up at the crack of sparrow fart, otherwise we may have struggled for a space…

We were staying at the Premier Inn near the park and Ride (think it’s the one attached to the Twirl of Hay). Now I have no complaints about the service – far from it. The staff were superb, and the only thing that let the accommodation down (in my opinion) was the pub / restaurant that it was attached to.

The menu was (again, in my opinion) lacking in imagination, and the tables were crammed together, making you feel like you were having an intimate dinner with the couple on the next table. Add into that, the service was not exactly wonderful, and you begin to get the gist of my grump.

Aside from the grumps about the service, we had an “extra” in our room – a cluster of ladybirds that were trying to hibernate. One was rather adventurous, and kept walking all across the walls and ceiling of the room, so we christened that one Ranulf Fiennes (after the explorer).

Chester itself was beautiful, and I’m still amazed at the number of independent jewellers that are there. In a way, I guess that I shouldn’t be surprised, as it’s jokingly refered to as “footballer country” as it’s within easy commuting distance of Manchester.

Aside from that, Chester seemed relatively unscathed by the recession – but I know from experience that appearances can be deceiving. There were quite a few empty shops on the split level shopping rows, but talking to the staff in a wonderful shop called The Royal Perfumery said that the empty shops tended not to stay empty for too long.

The Royal Perfumery itself is a little goldmine. I went in, out of pure curiosity, and found perfumes and aftershaves that I’ve not seen for many years, or been able to find on the mainland (things like Monsieur Balmain – a wonderful lemon scented aftershave). The last time I was able to find this, was on Jersey, in a shop called Au Caprice. Like Au Caprice, The Royal Perfumery does mail order, and unlike purchases from Jersey, I don’t have to worry about Customs!

The one thing that I did notice was the number of little coffee shops and snack bars – all of which were pretty much packed out. But Mum and I did strike lucky – we found a pub serving food, and had a table outside.

Now I’m not normally a great fan out outdoor tables – especially in December, but the inside of the pub (can’t remember what it was called for the life of me – just remember that it was up a set of steps and was up almost a little back alley way) was like an oven – not something that would do me much good, or Mum for that matter. The food wasn’t bad at all – I had a Panini with ham, cheese and pineapple salsa – very tasty.

Sunday, we were heading for home, and we made several stops en-route – one of them was to a craft centre that was between Bridgemere Garden World, and Stapely Water Gardens (again – can’t remember the name of the place) and we saw pieces of Lorna Bailey’s work (the Collectable Cats) for very reasonable prices, as well as pieces of Moorcroft – again for prices that are a fraction of what I had seen them for at antique and collector fairs here in Warwickshire.

The real fun started when we got home though. Mum had turned the central heating boiler to low, meaning that the heating wouldn’t run whilst we were away (and waste gas / heat with no-one there to benefit). She tried to turn it back onto the timed settings, and… Pop. The main breaker blew in the garage. We tried about four times, with the same result each time – the main breaker blew. Thankfully, both Mum and I had hot water bottles, which were cuddled with my glee (mainly because they were so warm!)

Yesterday, we planned to go to Milton Keynes (the last time we go down there before Christmas – it was nuts enough trying to park as it was!) Mind you, this wasn’t helped by getting caught in the aftermath of an accident about ¾ of a mile away from the island where the A5 crosses the A43.

It looked like someone had tried to overtake, and met another vehicle coming the other way. To be honest, there wasn’t much left of the one car – the front end was all bashed in, and the other car wasn’t in much better condition – I could see that both airbags had been deployed.

We got thought that little hassle, and then got into the centre of Milton Keynes. Ok – the centre itself is totally pedestrian friendly, but there is parking very close by – if you don’t mind paying (I think) £1.30 an hour. But, it’s free if you have a blue disabled parking badge.

What I was amazed at, was the number of people that seemed to be in the centre. It was almost as everyone in the local area who wasn’t working had decided to descend on Milton Keynes.

We didn’t get very much – ok – I managed to get a book I’d been after in Waterstones - I’d seen it in hardback, and was unwilling to pay £25.00 for it – it was £10.99 in paperback. It’s called Atomic - The First War of Physics and the Secret History of the Atom Bomb: 1939-49 by Jim Baggott.

We then headed for home (having stopped off to do some food shopping) and decided to have another try with the boiler, before we called British Gas, to get them out to sort the dratted thing out (again).

Only for the dratted thing to fire up, and start working. What caused it to blow the breakers, I have no idea at all, but I’m not one to look a gift horse (or in this case a boiler) in the mouth.

Ah well, guess I should get on with some w*rk, but I’m suffering from a severe case of TNFI.

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

And it's not just me...

I personally couldn’t give a rodent’s rectum, as I am away from the playpen for the next few days. I’ve got some vacation time owing to me (we have to get all our vacation used by December 31st) hence the reason for my escape.

I’ve got to sort several things out (one of them being my watch – I’ve had the battery go flat on it, so that needs sorting out) and also prepare the car for the trip to Chester. I went there last year, to the Christmas market (Mum was coughing her lungs out – she’d got the dreaded lurgy) and wasn’t really fit enough to enjoy herself. So, the plan is for the pair of us to spend a couple of days there and just chill out.

Or so the plan is… Whether that actually happens is another matter, as I know that I’ve got one final Christmas present to buy - it’s an HMV gift voucher. Ok – I know that this normally smacks of desperation and normally I’d agree, but for this one person, it’s perfect.

I’m also thanking my lucky stars that I managed to get the waist bag from Kipling that I was after. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the Jazzy Blue, so I opted for the True Blue instead, as I know that Mum is getting fed up with black all the time. Originally, she’d been looking at a handbag (or more accurately a shoulder bag) but I pointed out that the only time she uses one, is when we are on holiday in Madeira.

Aside from that, I’m all sorted with regards to buying my Christmas presents – that is, if the dreaded Secret Santa isn’t sprung on me when I get back to the playpen. It would be just my luck to get the department bitch, and unfortunately, I don’t think getting a large clockwork key would go down very well…

Ah well, guess I should do some work, but as this is just before I escape for a few days, I’m suffering from a case of TNFI…

Back when 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

The Annual Christmas Do is no more (for this year anyway!)

Oh dear. It looks like the Christmas piss up (I mean departmental dinner) is cancelled for this year, due to a lack of interest. Hardly surprising, when you consider that it was to be help on December 18 (the last Friday before Christmas). I mean, what bright spark came up with that date?

It wouldn’t have been so bad if they’d decided to hold it earlier (like about December 11) but the police will be out in force, and breathalysing people for the slightest driving infringement. Not that I object in the slightest, as I despise people who drink and drive (if I’m honest, I’m amazed that certain people I work with have never been done!)

But what really gets to me, is the mere fact that just because I work with people, I am expected to socialise with them. That’s just the problem. Aside from working with them, I have nothing in common with them.

My interests are totally different, I loathe the soaps and stupid “reality” shows like I’m a celebrity, and am quite happy curling up in the evening with a mug of hot chocolate and a book. Yes, I go out, but I go out with people who are good friends and I have a lot in common with, and more to the point, am willing to spend time with. Most of the people I work with, I would have nothing to do with outside of the office.

But trying to explain that to people without offending them is not the easiest thing in the world, so I just don’t both, and am quite happy to let them think what they like – namely that I am antisocial. I am – where they are concerned. The people who know me, know differently.

Guess I should call this quits – I’m supposed to be working.

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

Swine Flu

This got sent to me by a good friend - I think it says it all!


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

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

Good news

Is just what the doctor ordered.  I've just had a text from a good friend of mine.  She's been back to the hospital for the results of the MRI scan that she's had, and it's good news - there's no tumor.

All I can say is THANK GOD FOR THAT!

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

Getting annoyed

There are some days when you just want to throttle the people you work with. And today is one of them.

We’re short staffed as two people are off sick, and one is on holiday (the other supervisor doesn’t count) and the department bitch is trying to throw her weight around. Again.

I wouldn’t have objected to being asked to help her, but she came into the office with a face like a wet weekend, and started going off on one immediately, complaining about all the work that has been left on her desk.

I was trying to sort out my stuff (I deal with end user e-mails amongst other things) and the bitch decided to invade my desk area.

“Karen, I need these putting onto SAP – I’ve got all these price changes to do.”

No please, thank you or kiss my furry. Needless to say, I politely told her that this would have to wait, as I was dealing with my stuff.

“Like what?”

Err – excuse me – she's the same bloody grade as me, so I told her that it wouldn’t take me too long, but I would deal with it after I’d dealt with my stuff, and as she was standing huffing by my desk, I answered my ‘phone.

She stomped off, and I got landed with the orders by my supervisor – whom I told the same thing – my stuff comes first. He was ok with that, and I could see the bitch was itching for another go at me.

Needless to say, she’s been in a foul mood all day, and is trying to make life hell for everyone – as she can’t get her own way. My supervisor has given me a wide berth as well – probably because he knows damned well that I’m going to blast him about the bitch's attitude problem.

My personal thought is that I am employed to do my job – not act as her clean up crew, because she’s too interested in pontificating about things that are nothing to do with her – like what I am working on (or not working on) as the case may be.

Ah well - guess I should call this quits - I've got bits and pieces to sort - and none of it is the bitch's stuff!

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

After the flu jab

sWell, I’ve had my flu jab, and I just hope it’s worth it. I felt like crap yesterday, and as for Friday… All I can say is thanks God Mum drove – I felt like I’d had a skin full after the jab.

Why do I say this? Simple. I felt like I was drunk, and I was missing things on the road home that normally I would have spotted without a second thought. Things like the mere fact that there was a rather large truck in front of us, with a second trailer attached to the rigid trailer.

Add into that mix, that I thought I could taste the jab (not a pleasant taste, I can assure you) and a rotten headache, and you get one very grumpy person. I guess the headache was just due to the fact that I’d wound myself up over this jab. (I’m always like this – I just seem to have a phobia about needles – could be something to do with the fact that I’ve always been ill or injured when a doctor or nurse has come near me with a needle attached to an injection...)

Yesterday, well what can I say? Apart from the fact that I still felt like crap. Mum and I went down to Milton Keynes, as the weather wasn’t brilliant (as in the fact that it was chucking it down with rain – and I hate getting wet!) and had a wander around.

Now we’ve been getting a stupid message on our TV set about the Sky viewing card, saying that we need to go to the Sky website to get a new viewing card… Now normally, Mum would send her secretary (me) to go on line and get this sorted. One problem – no Sky subscription.

We let this lapse, as it was getting to be stupid money, and we worked it out that it was costing us about £1.00 per hour that we watched it – i.e. not worth it, as neither of use were bothered by the movies (I prefer to watch a DVD when it suits me – not when some dratted TV company tells me to) and most of the sports channels were taken up with football. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve supported Coventry City football club for more years than I’m going to admit to, but as they don’t play in the Premiership, it was of no interest to me whatsoever.

So, we picked up a leaflet, and priced. It came to about £20 a month with the three packs that we were interested in (we had to get the knowledge pack – I really miss the Discovery Channels – I adore watching American Chopper!) and threw in a free Sky + box! Bonus!

Then it was just a case of wandering around – avoiding the pig ignorant people who seemed determined to walk straight at us – despite the fact that Mum is on a walking stick. Me? I was playing pure cowardice – I was keeping close to Mum to try and protect my shoulder (which was killing me).

Ah well, guess I should call this quits – I’m supposed to be getting ready to go out – not blogging.

Back later.


Karen

Now some things you hold on to - some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Why is Friday the 13th unlucky?

This is from the BBC website, and I think it makes perfect sense out a superstitious day...

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

*********************************
Friday the 13th has traditionally been when the superstitious take extra care and double check everything they do.

Now experts at the Glasgow Science Centre are looking into the global phenomenon to determine if there is any science behind the superstitions.

GSC said it is a mix of superstitions - Friday being the unluckiest day of the week and the number 13.

They also found superstitions around opening an umbrella indoors dating back to the Ancient Egyptians.

Umbrellas were used by Egyptians to protect themselves from the sun, and opening an umbrella indoors was seen as an insult to Ra the Sun God who it was feared would punish you with terrible luck.

GSC's senior science co-ordinator Andy Laing looked into how, scientifically, umbrellas may actually be unlucky.

He said: "Storing a wet or damp umbrella in an area within your home which has poor or no ventilation may cause it to spontaneously combust.

"There is the theoretical risk that some umbrella material can heat up so much during the decay process that it would burst in to flames.

"I don't know about opening an umbrella inside, but your umbrella spontaneously combusting would definitely be bad luck."

Mr Laing said another widely held superstition is that walking under a ladder is unlucky.

It is said to stem from the Christian belief the triangle was the symbol of the Holy Trinity and therefore, by walking through the triangle - made by the ladder, wall and ground - you were being disrespectful to God.

However, Mr Laing said there is a more practical explanation for it being unlucky to walk through ladders: "Imagine how unlucky you would be to walk under a ladder and the window cleaner's bucket tips over you? Maybe not unlucky but being a bit silly and definitely soggy."

How to make me smile...

Whilst I was grumping in my previous post about e-mails, my beloved sent me one:

You really didn’t think I'd forget to say hi now did you
I hope you are ok out there today
I just wanted to say hi
Speak to you later I'm sure
Lots of my day off love to you
My lovely tigz

That has really cheered me up, and I'm sitting at my desk with a smile on my face, and people are starting to wonder what I've been drinking. It's a fruit tea by Liptons - the Andalusia variety - it's citrus and orange blossom, so nothing illicit there.

Ah well, guess I should get on with some work, but I have a severe case of TNFI....

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

E-mail....

This is a wonderful device, but when someone sends an e-mail order to me AFTER I've left the office (and taken the trouble to put my out of office message on), you would have thought that the person concerned would have resent it to someone who could sort it.

But no, not this twiglet, and to add insult to my injury, it's not even my smegging account! It's the department bitch's account, and as this twiglet sends the orders after she's left the office for the day, I'm the one that gets left to sort it out.

As a result, I can see that I’m going to be the one that gets the earache, but as my supervisor says – other people should be copied in on the e-mail. But, I get the feeling that I’m still going to get the evil eye from the bitch, but as I’ve said – not my problem.

***Breaking News*** Twiglet resent the mail – to the other three people who were also off – including the department bitch! Talk about stupidity, as it looks like this got done at 16:50 – we all make a break for freedom at 17:00!

So this is a case of “like I really care?”  Not.

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

A weekend away…

Just what I needed. I spent the weekend with my beloved, and did as little as was humanly possible. The original plan was for us to go to the F1 day at Mercedes Benz world on the Sunday. However, this went “splat” as we didn’t get allocated the tickets (allegedly 45000 people requested tickets, but my guess was that most of those requests were duplicates...) So, that put paid to the original plan.

So, we decided that we would go to RAF Hendon on Sunday, as it was undercover (the weather wasn’t supposed to be too good – and I hate the cold!) But Saturday was a different matter entirely.

My shoulder has been playing up something wicked just recently, and I went to see my tame physio, to see if I could get this sorted out. Oh, it got sorted out ok – to the extent that I threw up! Stuart was really good about it, and gave me a disposable bowl, as I was at least able to warn him, before I threw up.

That knocked me about for a few minutes, and as I had to drive south, he made me promise that I would not only take things easy, but I would let him know that I had arrived ok.

That wasn’t an issue, and I took a leisurely drive down the A5 through Towcester, and stopped en-route for a break, as I really didn’t want to push my luck with my shoulder.

I got back on the road, and my beloved called to find out where I was – I was about half an hour away, stationary at traffic lights! For once in my life, I didn’t get lost and I was able to park on the drive and go into the house and get warm.

We’d arranged to go to a firework display that night, and I will admit to being very glad that I had “Stinky” with me (my late father’s Barbour coat with the detachable furry liner!) as it was bloody cold. The display was smashing, and I will admit to jumping every time there was a loud bang – no idea why, as normally I’m not bothered by such loud bangs…

Sunday itself was quite good fun – we went to RAF Hendon, and managed to get to see the Grahame-White Factory collection  This is where the historic WWI aircraft are kept. This hangar is something rather special, because it’s the only one of its type in existence. My beloved was able to explain the story behind the hangar.

It turned out that RAF Hendon sold the land where this hangar was located, and after much bargaining, the deal was reached to move the hangar, restore it and re-build it to modern building regulations, but keep as much of the original material as possible.

After that, it was a cold walk back to the main building, and into the Milestones of Flight aircraft collection.

This hall shows little gems, such as the de Havilland Mosquito (the wooden airplane – the glue used to hold it together is still classified under the official secrets act!)

As well as more “modern” aircraft like the BAe Harrier GR3:

And the ultra modern Eurofighter Typhoon:

But my favorite aircraft, I have to admit, is the North American P-51D Mustang. Simply because I love the mascot:

It was then a short, but cold walk though the covered walkway between the two halls, into the Bomber Command Hall.  The only drawback to this is the lighting in there is appalling. This meant the flash on the camera was very heavily utilised in a vain attempt to get any kind of photo!

The one thing that I did notice, was that there was more space than before, as some of the aircraft that had been in the bomber hall had been moved to the sister museum at RAF Cosford - planes such as the Valiant, which had been moved to the Cold War exhibition at RAF Cosford.It looked like they were doing some kind of restoration on the Buccaneer that was there.

However, S for Sugar, the big Lancaster bomber was still in pride of place in the middle of the bomber hall.

That wasn’t the only little gem that I managed to find. I also managed to find the Handley Page Halifax II. This aircraft looks like it should have been sent to the scrap yard, but it was recovered from Lake Hoklingen in Norway in 1973, and was taken to RAF Hendon in 1982. Whilst we were there, there were volunteers working on the aircraft. What they were doing, I truly do not have the foggiest.

It was then time for us to head across the car park to the Battle of Britain Memorial Hall, although this is now known as the Sunderland Hall for some reason...    The exhibits are something rather special, but again, the lighting lets them down really badly.

Ok - I agree with atmospheric lighting whilst the show "Our Finest Hour" is going on, but afterwards, decent lighting would allow people to enjoy the aircraft properly.

The camouflage on the Messerschmitt Bf 110G-2 was rather spectacular - a two tone mottled blue-grey top surface, with a light blue undersurface (no idea why this particular paint scheme - I just thought it made a rather dramatic photograph with the subdued lighting!)

But, once you left this part of the hall, the lighting difference was incredible (even allowing for the grotty British weather!)

As per my luck, the Sunderland wasn't open for the publick to walk though, but that didn't stop me getting some superb photographs...

After we finished at RAF Hendon, we took a quiet run home, and I will admit to falling asleep in front of the TV – only to be woken up by my beloved. We ended up going out for a curry, and I will admit it was really tasty (and very reasonable!)

The rest of the weekend?  Well, what can I say, other than it was a nicely chilled time, and I managed to sort out most things.  Although there was one cloud on the horizon...  My beloved woke up Monday morning in tears, and said that he'd had a dream.

Ok - not something I would normally worry about, but he said that it concerned me.  Ok - now I was worried.  He said that I'd told him (in the dream) that I wanted nothing to do with him, and that I was quite nasty about it, and that I was being egged on by someone (but he couldn't see who). 

That scared me, and I will admit I tried my best to reassure him that I have no intention of walking out on our relationship.  Later on, he said that he couldn't do without me in his life, and that he hoped I felt the same.  I do, and I know damned well that what ever happens, we'll always be there for each other, as I think I have finally found my soul-mate.

That's not something that I take lightly, and I have made myself a promise, that if he needs me, I will do everything in my power to be there for him, in spirit if not physically.

Ah well, guess I should call this quits - I'm supposed to be working, not blogging!

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

How dangerous is horse riding?

This post originates from the BBC website - I'll put my thoughts to it after the main post...

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

The sacked drugs adviser Prof David Nutt famously compared its risks with those of ecstasy. But just how dangerous is horse riding?

There are dangers associated with horse riding. Anybody who has ever ridden will know that.

In hunting, point-to-point and eventing, often quite sizeable obstacles are jumped, opening up the possibility of a bad fall.

"It is one of the more dangerous sports, even though the safety equipment is very good," says Lucy Higginson, editor of Horse and Hound magazine.

"There have been quite a few fatalities in Britain over the years. Most people accept riding is a risk sport. The reward and the thrills more than make up for it."

In his paper earlier this year, Prof Nutt noted that riding in the UK was associated with 10 deaths and 100 traffic accidents a year. He coined the tongue-in-cheek "equine addiction syndrome" or "equasy" when suggesting it might be more harmful than ecstasy.

Dr John Silver, emeritus spinal injuries consultant, researched serious injuries in professional rugby union, gymnastics and trampolining, and horse riding, over a period of many years.

He found many serious accidents resulted from a "mismatch between the skills of the participant and the task attempted".

"It wasn't necessarily that the task was too difficult for a top international rider. A lot were occurring in eventing, people were attempting cross country tasks against time and they couldn't do them against time."

Many other serious accidents happened on the roads.

"Cars, horses and riders are a lethal combination," he adds.

Higginson agreed that eventing was perhaps the most dangerous part of riding. Many television viewers will be familiar with the daunting height of some of the obstacles jumped.

"They are just very large, very heavy animals. If the horse falls over that's when it's most worrying."

But, she emphasises, accidents happen in more mundane circumstances.

"It can happen to people out hacking [riding at a walking pace]."

Safety equipment has become more widespread with many riders not countenancing the idea of jumping without a helmet and chest protector. There are even air bags for horse riders which are strapped to the person's body and triggered by a release cord when a rider begins to fall.

In his paper Hazards of Horse-riding as a Popular Sport, Dr Silver cited a study from 1985 that suggested motorcyclists suffered a serious accident once every 7,000 hours but a horse rider could expect a serious incident once in every 350 hours.

Dr Silver also cites a figure from 1992 of 12 equestrian-related fatalities from 2.87 million participants. He also notes that in the period from 1994-1999, 3% of all spinal cord injury patients admitted to Stoke Mandeville Hospital were the result of horse riding. The majority of people admitted to hospital in such circumstances are women.

The Answer

A complete statistical overview is not possible but a figure of 10 deaths a year has been cited

This is over 3-4 million riders

Many more suffer head and spinal injuries

The British Horse Society says there are no centrally collated figures on horse riding injuries. There is no obligation to notify the society about any incident.

And of course, to fans of the sport, many of whom regard it as as much of a way of life as it is a mere hobby, any recognition of the dangers must be tempered by the positives of the sport.

At the time Prof Nutt's controversial paper was published, the British Horse Society pointed out the health benefits of the sport, in terms of providing good exercise and therefore prolonging life, in its attack on the comparison to ecstasy.

Mark Weston, director of Access, Safety and Welfare said: "The health benefits of horse riding are well known, how anyone can maintain that taking a class A drug has such benefits beggars belief."

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

I don't dispute that horse riding can and does kill / seriously injure people – I can honestly say that I’ve been badly injured riding in various events and general hacking, as have close friends.

But the difference between horse riding and something like ecstasy is the fact that at least you know what you’re dealing with when it comes to the horse.

Unlike ecstasy, you know that the horse hasn’t been tampered with, and contaminated with drain clear or borax. And when I have been injured, that’s because I’ve been an idiot, and overestimated my ability. But that is, as far as I am concerned, just one of the hazards of my hobby – because you’re dealing with over half a ton of horseflesh – with a mind of its own, and no mechanical interventions.

Guess I should get on with some work, but I have got TNFI...

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

Who wants a digital book?

Certainly not me. In theory, this is a good idea – no more mounds of paperback to take to the charity shop after being read umpteen times (and looking slightly dog-eared and tatty) and no more worries about weight allowance when you go on holiday (i.e. can I take all these paperbacks?)

But from what I have seen, this looks an expensive gimmick. Ok – so you can download all these books, and store even more on the system itself, but what happens if a particular author isn’t available in digital format (you just have to look at the Beatles – they’ve only just allowed i-tunes to put their stuff on line!) In a case like that, I would think that the only option would be to go straight back to the old fashioned method – going into a bookshop. Or, if you’re like me, trying to bookshop, failing to find what you were after, and heading straight for the Amazon website.

As you can tell, I’m not a big fan of this idea. And no – I’m not a technophobe in the slightest – I have an MP3 player, and am quite comfortable downloading my music from the web, and shopping from various sites (usually because I can’t get the stuff in the shop – Lush’s Retro range is a good example of this!)

But there is also the one major drawback – as far as I am concerned. The battery life. Unlike a book, it’s not always possible to find a powersource to charge the dratted battery. Plus, there is the added inconvenience that you can’t start reading on an aircraft until the seatbelt sign has been switched off – therefore negating the delight of reading through the take-off and landing phases (not to mention being able to ignore the patronising safety video that certain tour operators have decided to use!)

So, I guess that I won’t be rushing out to buy one of these things, as there are some things that are best left alone – and books are one of them

Ah well - time to call this quits - I need to get ready to settle down and watch Flash Forward on Five...

Back tomorrow.

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 mother is a sadist.

Why? She's only gone and booked my damned flu jab for Friday 13th. It turns out that I am eligible for the annual flu injection – all I have to do pay for the prescription. Ok – not a problem, in theory. In practice, I hate injections, so this is not something I am looking forward to.

But, hopefully, this will stop me doing my annual nosedive with the ‘flu, and wrecking my New Year plans – something that has happened to me the past two years in a row, and has caused mayhem for me and my family.

Ah well - guess I should call this quits - it's nearly time to leave this playpen.

Back tomorrow.

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

Still bored.

And wishing that I wasn't in the playpen at the moment.  My shoulder is killing me, and I'm really fed up.  No - make that pissed off.

The departmental bitch is giving me the evil eye everytime I have the misfortune to go near her desk (it's almost as if she doesn't like the fact that I'm doing something she knows nothing about) and she can't bitch about me 'cause I'm working.  (Or so she thinks!)

It's at times like this I can see how things like the Bastard Operator from Hell were dreamt up  (see http://members.iinet.net.au/~bofh/)   I've got to admit, this series has really made me smile, and I can really see how something like this would be dreamt up (especially give the computer literacy of some of the people I have the misfortune to work with!)

I'll give you a small taster of this...

I'm really bored. You know how bored you get when work's going on and on and on, and nothing interesting is happening, and you're listening to a radio that picks up ONE station on FM, and it's always the station with the least records in the city, about 5, and one of them is "You're so Vain" which wasn't too bad a song until you hear it about 3 times a day for a year, and *EVERY* time it plays, the announcer tells you it's about Warren Beaty and who he's currently poking, someone you'll never sniff the toe-jam of, let alone meet, let alone get amourous with. And EVERY time someone mentions Warren Beaty, someone says that he used to go out with Madonna too, and have you seen "In Bed With.."

As you can see - this really appeals to my sense of humour, and the guy who wrote this (Simon Travaglia) is a true genius, with a nice twisted touch.

Ah well, guess I should call this quits - looks like the department bitch is preparing to depart on her broomstick - thank god I'm not on the flightpath!

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

Bored.

Can't you tell it's a Monday. I'm bored, and have got a case of TNFI (totally no ******g interest)

But, at least the jokes are coming in - and as normal, I take no responsibility for them - other than posting.

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


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

Things You Never Thought About


Here are a few things to think about that you probably have never thought about;

Can you cry under water?

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

Why do you have to "put your two cents in, but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?

Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

What disease did cured ham actually have?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway.

Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural?

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?

Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?

Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a haemorrhoid when it's in your butt?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride; he sticks his head out the window?

Do you ever wonder why you gave me your e-mail address in the first place?

The burning times

This was posted on the BBC website, and as my home area is renowned for white witchcraft, I thought it was appropriate – especially as it’s All Hallows Eve….

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

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

Witches remain a significant cultural presence centuries after thousands of women, and men, accused of sorcery were burned at the stake. But what caused the craze for burning witches, and why did it stop?

If you're offered a trick or treat on Halloween, it's quite likely to be by someone dressed as a witch. It used to be said that those who travel on the night of 31 October should cross a piece of bread with salt in order to avoid a witch's evil clutches.

In the 16th and 17th centuries in particular, they had a simpler method. They executed them.

A frenzy of witch-hunts took place during this time in Europe, mostly in German-speaking parts, with an estimated 60,000 people put to death.

In mainland Europe and Scotland they burned them, with the peak period between 1580 and 1662 often referred to as The Burning Times. England and its colonies in north America preferred hanging.

This was a time when many believed in the supernatural and misfortune was thought to be the work of the Devil or his servants. There was a widespread belief in Europe that a strong nation was one that had a uniform religious faith. By consorting with the Devil, "witches" were committing treason and were punishable by courts enforcing anti-witchcraft statutes.

The witches, of course, were nothing like the stereotype of the carbuncled hags shrieking incantations around a cauldron full of devilish potions. They were ordinary people who were often the convenient scapegoats for anything from a death in the village to the failure of crops. Individuals would often have been branded a witch after falling out with a neighbour.

There was no average witch. Alhough most would be poor and elderly, this would vary from region to region. The accused were not even all women. Around a quarter of those executed were men.

When a great fear takes hold of society, that society looks naturally to the stereotype of the enemy in its midst

Hugh Trevor-Roper

England's most famous were the Pendle Witches from Lancashire who were convicted of murdering 17 people in 1612. Their prosecutors argued they had sold their souls to the Devil in return for being able to lame or kill anyone they pleased. The trial was meticulously documented and appeared the following year in book form. Enormous crowds flocked to Lancaster Gaol to watch 10 "witches" - eight women and two men - die on the gallows.

In the famous Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts in 1692, more than 200 individuals were "cried out against" as witches by so-called "afflicted children". Of the suspects, 19 were eventually convicted and hanged. Their accusations were believed because children were then considered to be natural witch-finders. In her book, A Mirror of Witchcraft, Christina Hole points out that 17th Century English villages routinely used children in this way and that many became quite famous.

In Scotland, where nearly 4,000 people died during a frenetic period of witch trials between 1590 and 1662, one of the popular types of evidence used against suspects was the Devil's Mark. When his followers made their pact with him, the Devil supposedly left his mark, usually an insensitive spot, upon him or her. Professional witch prickers were employed in the country to search for them.

Eventually, witch pricking came to be seen as fraudulent, and soon the whole notion of witchcraft was being discredited. There had been growing scepticism even at the time that many witch-hunts had been about score settling and that innocent people were being executed. The use of torture to exact convictions became increasingly regarded as unreliable.

Witch trials became more rigorous in the evidence they accepted. Many of the accusers at the Salem trials had claimed to have seen spectres or apparitions of the people supposedly doing them harm.

Many prominent figures of authority wrote books and pamphlets shortly afterwards pouring scorn on this phenomenon. In his biography of one of the judges, Samuel Sewall, author Richard Francis argues that the aftermath of the trials marked the birth of the modern age when the US found its conscience

The Age of Enlightenment, with its emphasis on reason and logic, was beginning in Europe and natural causes began to replace the Devil as the reason behind much of society's ills.

By 1736, the Witchcraft Acts in England and Scotland had both been repealed. The same happened on the continent. Within a few years, several judges who condemned the Salem witches to their deaths admitted they had made a grave mistake. So what had caused this witch craze?

Modern research has debunked many myths, for example that it was church officials deliberately whipping up hysteria to rid the world of the cult of "magic", or a controlled campaign to tackle outcasts.

Rather, as Robert W Thurston puts it in his book Witch, Wicce, Mother Goose, the witch persecutions were to do with "a profound shaking of people's confidence that their world could survive". The Burning Times came in the aftermath of the Reformation, when the split in the Christian faith caused great turmoil.

Communities were also coping with wars, and pestilence like the Black Death. In England, the worst witch craze took place during the English Civil War. The Thirty Years War was also gripping Germany.

In her paper, Recent Developments in the Study of the Great European Witch Hunt, Jenny Gibbons notes that most witch-hunts took place where central authority had broken down, often in border areas "where rival Christian sects fought to impose their religious views on each other". It was partly for this reason that local secular courts meted out the harshest judgements.

In countries like Spain, Italy and Russia, where a strong, unified Church existed, there were few witch trials. When the threats receded, so did the panic and hysteria.

In his book The European Witch-Craze, historian Hugh Trevor-Roper wrote: "When a great fear takes hold of society, that society looks naturally to the stereotype of the enemy in its midst."

Modern history is littered with such witch-hunts, the Holocaust being the most extreme example. The story of the thousands of so-called witches who died a gruesome death many centuries ago still holds lessons for today.

A slow day

Talk about being bored.  If it wasn't for the silly jokes that I keep getting sent, I would be going nuts (ok - more nuts than I already am!)

Enjoy these jokes - they're from the USA, so I take no responsibility for them - other than posting!

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

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

HOW TO INSTALL A HOME SECURITY SYSTEM WHEN ON A BUDGET:

1. Go to a second-hand store and buy a pair of men's used work boots, size 14-16 - or larger.

2. Place them on your front porch, along with several empty beer cans, a copy of Guns & Ammo magazine and several NRA magazines.

3. Put a few giant dog dishes next to the boots and magazines.

4. Leave a note on your door that reads: 'Hey Bubba, Big Jim, Duke and Slim, I went to the gun shop for more ammunition. Back in an hour. Don't mess with the pit bulls - they attacked the mailman this morning and messed him up real bad. I don't think Killer took part in it, but it was hard to tell from all the blood.

P.S. - I locked all four of 'em in the house. Better wait outside.'

INSTALLATION COMPLETE!!!!

Thanks for using the Redneck Security Company

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

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well.. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway;  it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally  looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing..

He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds  of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred - learn to forgive.

Free your mind from worries - most never happen or aren't all that bad.

Live simply and appreciate what you have.

Give more.

Expect less



NOW .......

Enough of that crap. The donkey later came back, and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him.

The gash from the bite got infected and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:

When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.

Actual call centre conversations

Amazing what I get sent...  But some of these are very funny!

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

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

Customer: "I've been ringing 0800 2100 for two days and can't get through to enquiries, can you help?".

Operator: "Where did you get that number from, sir?".

Customer: "It was on the door to the Travel Centre".

Operator: "Sir, they are our opening hours".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samsung Electronics

Caller: "Can you give me the telephone number for Jack ?"

Operator: "I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand who you are talking about".

Caller: "On page 1, section 5, of the user guide it clearly states that I need to unplug the fax machine from the AC wall socket and telephone Jack before cleaning. Now, can you give me the number for Jack ?"

Operator: "I think you mean the telephone point on the wall".

----------------------------------------------------------------------

RAC Motoring Services

Caller: "Does your European Breakdown Policy cover me when I am travelling in Australia ?"

Operator: " Doesn't the product name give you a clue?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Caller (enquiring about legal requirements while travelling in France ):


"If I register my car in France , do I have to change the steering wheel to the other side of the car?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Directory Enquiries


Caller: "I'd like the number of the Argoed Fish Bar in Cardiff please".

Operator: "I'm sorry, there's no listing. Is the spelling correct?"

Caller: "Well, it used to be called the Bargoed Fish Bar but the 'B' fell off".

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Then there was the caller who asked for a knitwear company in Woven.


Operator: "Woven? Are you sure?"

Caller: "Yes. That's what it says on the label; Woven in Scotland ".

----------------------------------------------------------------------

On another occasion, a man making heavy breathing sounds from a phone box told a worried operator:

"I haven't got a pen, so I'm steaming up the window to write the number on".

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tech Support: "I need you to right-click on the Open Desktop".


Customer: "OK".

Tech Support: "Did you get a pop-up menu?".

Customer: "No".

Tech Support: "OK. Right-Click again. Do you see a pop-up menu?"

Customer: "No".

Tech Support: "OK, sir. Can you tell me what you have done up until this point?".

Customer: "Sure. You told me to write 'click' and I wrote 'click'".

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Tech Support: "OK. In the bottom left hand side of the screen, can you see the 'OK' button displayed?"


Customer: "Wow. How can you see my screen from there?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Caller: "I deleted a file from my PC last week and I have just realised that I need it.

If I turn my system clock back two weeks will I have my file back again?".

----------------------------------------------------------------------
There's always one. This has got to be one of the funniest things in a long time. I think this guy should have been promoted, not fired. This is a true story from the Word Perfect Helpline, which was transcribed from a recording monitoring the customer care department. Needless to say the Help Desk employee was fired; however, he/she is currently suing the Word Perfect organization for "Termination without Cause".


Actual dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee. (Now I know why they record these conversations!):

Operator: "Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?"

Caller: "Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect."

Operator: "What sort of trouble??"

Caller: "Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away."

Operator: "Went away?"

Caller: "They disappeared."

Operator: "Hmm So what does your screen look like now?"

Caller: "Nothing."

Operator: "Nothing??"

Caller: "It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type."

Operator: "Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out??"

Caller: "How do I tell?"

Operator: "Can you see the C: prompt on the screen??"

Caller: "What's a sea-prompt?"

Operator: "Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?"

Caller: "There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type."

Operator: "Does your monitor have a power indicator??"

Caller: "What's a monitor?"

Operator: "It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on??"

Caller: "I don't know."

Operator: "Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??"

Caller: "Yes, I think so."

Operator: "Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall.

Caller: "Yes, it is."

Operator: "When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one??"

Caller: "No."

Operator: "Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable."

Caller: "Okay, here it is."

Operator: "Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer."

Caller: "I can't reach."

Operator: "Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is??"

Caller: "No."

Operator: "Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over??"

Caller: "Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle - it's because it's dark."

Operator: "Dark??"

Caller: "Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window.

Operator: "Well, turn on the office light then."

Caller: "I can't."

Operator: "No? Why not??"

Caller: "Because there's a power failure."

Operator: "A power......... A power failure? Aha, Okay, we've got it licked now. Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in??"

Caller: "Well, yes, I keep them in the closet."

Operator: "Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from."

Caller: "Really? Is it that bad?"

Operator: "Yes, I'm afraid it is."

Caller: "Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them??"

Operator: "Tell them you're too ****ING stupid to own a computer!!!!!"

Chilled out weekend...

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