After all the umming and ahhing, I'd decided that I was going to London so I didn't let people down. Then on the way back to the cars after seeing Harry Potter last night (which incidentally, I was a bit disappointed with), Jo confessed that she wasn't really that bothered about going to the London party, as all she could think about was how little sleep she'd get, and was only going because I was.
WHAT ABOUT ME????? I'm going to get the same amount of sleep and then have to do a mega 12 hour drive the next day!!!!!
Ugh. So now I don't know if we're still going, or if it's going to get sacked off. I want a plan, folks! Just one little plan, so I know one way or the other what I'm meant to be doing. Too difficult???
So anyway, I'm going to pack and get ready, and now I'm just waiting to know if I'm driving to London with Jo this afternoon, or just heading straight to Scotland, following the other guys who are going to be setting off in just under an hours time. Muchos annoying, as if I'd known I could have gone in convoy with them.
Gaaaah!
Saturday, 18 July 2009
Friday, 17 July 2009
Some kind-a organisation
Well, I've kind of got a little bit organised now - i.e. I've managed to do some of the washing, and I've thought about making my packing list lol.
I'm totally down to my last pennies now, so the poor old credit card's taking a bit of a battering at the moment. I'm heading off to the cinema tonight with Jo to see Harry Potter - I'm a big kid and I can't freakin' wait!! In the spirit of being a good little money-saver though, I refused to go out for dinner because that would be yet one more hit to the credit card.
So as soon as work's done I'm heading off for lunch with my lovely Daddy, then a couple of hours packing at home, then cinema, bed and pack, pack, pack like a demon in the morning! Jo'll be over about lunchtime and we'll tootle off down to London in the car. Then it's PAAAAAR-TAAAAY!! into the early hours of Sunday.
Sleep, detox, hangover, veeeeeeeeery long drive ...... and collapse in Scotland. Probably for further drinking on Sunday evening. I can't tell you how good a week of doing nothing but what I want to do sounds right now! Lots of sleep, lots of sitting around, good books to read, might go to the beach if the weather's nice, take my mountain bike out and get muddy, bit of wind-surfing hopefully and practice my beach-starts and wave-sailing. Good food, lots of drink and most excellent company. Heav-en.
Lots to do before I get there though!
I'm totally down to my last pennies now, so the poor old credit card's taking a bit of a battering at the moment. I'm heading off to the cinema tonight with Jo to see Harry Potter - I'm a big kid and I can't freakin' wait!! In the spirit of being a good little money-saver though, I refused to go out for dinner because that would be yet one more hit to the credit card.
So as soon as work's done I'm heading off for lunch with my lovely Daddy, then a couple of hours packing at home, then cinema, bed and pack, pack, pack like a demon in the morning! Jo'll be over about lunchtime and we'll tootle off down to London in the car. Then it's PAAAAAR-TAAAAY!! into the early hours of Sunday.
Sleep, detox, hangover, veeeeeeeeery long drive ...... and collapse in Scotland. Probably for further drinking on Sunday evening. I can't tell you how good a week of doing nothing but what I want to do sounds right now! Lots of sleep, lots of sitting around, good books to read, might go to the beach if the weather's nice, take my mountain bike out and get muddy, bit of wind-surfing hopefully and practice my beach-starts and wave-sailing. Good food, lots of drink and most excellent company. Heav-en.
Lots to do before I get there though!
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Living the (non) simple life
Well, just because I don't like a simple life, I'm going to the party in London, and will then be attempting the epic marathon of a 10 hour (minimum) drive up North with a hangover on Sunday. Nice.
I'm also in the extreme last stages (think dying fish, gasping it's last) of poverty, given that I don't get paid til Monday, and I tells ya, it's a massive pain in the ass.
Given that it's now Thursday, and I'm meant to be leaving Saturday, I'm guessing you'll be not at all surprised that I have in no way, shape or form, started the packing yet! Haven't even started the washing. Nothing like good ol' procrastination, leaving it all til the last moment!
I'm also probably going to get in to trouble on Sat, as in theory the party is a jungle theme, but given time, money, and pride constraints I'm opting to not go full on dressed up, and to instead actually attempt to look sex-ay. Mostly because I know from previous experience that there are bound to be quite a few good-looking men at the party. Me? Shallow? Like a puddle.
So in between then and now, I shall be washing, making lists, throwing stuff around my room in an attempt to find shit, packing, unpacking because I've got too much shit in my bag, unpacking again because I can't remember whether I already put x in, and just generally having a massive panic right up til the last minute. I effing hate packing, hence the delaying tactics!
Also, to be quite honest, my bedroom is the biggest pigsty you've ever seen. Perhaps I should post a photo, to shame myself into action to tidy it??
I haven't been up to much this week, apart from going to the gym, and being lured out on a spontaneous pub visit last with Bridget and the boys, but somehow that's left me with very little time left over. Which would probably explain the state of my room, since I'm usually in and out just to get a change of clothes and then shoot off out again.
Watch this space to see how much chaos unfolds in my attempts to get ready for holiday! :o)
I'm also in the extreme last stages (think dying fish, gasping it's last) of poverty, given that I don't get paid til Monday, and I tells ya, it's a massive pain in the ass.
Given that it's now Thursday, and I'm meant to be leaving Saturday, I'm guessing you'll be not at all surprised that I have in no way, shape or form, started the packing yet! Haven't even started the washing. Nothing like good ol' procrastination, leaving it all til the last moment!
I'm also probably going to get in to trouble on Sat, as in theory the party is a jungle theme, but given time, money, and pride constraints I'm opting to not go full on dressed up, and to instead actually attempt to look sex-ay. Mostly because I know from previous experience that there are bound to be quite a few good-looking men at the party. Me? Shallow? Like a puddle.
So in between then and now, I shall be washing, making lists, throwing stuff around my room in an attempt to find shit, packing, unpacking because I've got too much shit in my bag, unpacking again because I can't remember whether I already put x in, and just generally having a massive panic right up til the last minute. I effing hate packing, hence the delaying tactics!
Also, to be quite honest, my bedroom is the biggest pigsty you've ever seen. Perhaps I should post a photo, to shame myself into action to tidy it??
I haven't been up to much this week, apart from going to the gym, and being lured out on a spontaneous pub visit last with Bridget and the boys, but somehow that's left me with very little time left over. Which would probably explain the state of my room, since I'm usually in and out just to get a change of clothes and then shoot off out again.
Watch this space to see how much chaos unfolds in my attempts to get ready for holiday! :o)
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Stuck on the horns of dilemma
I'm meant to be going on holiday this weekend, but as per usual, I've way over-complicated stuff.
It goes like this - next week is The Amazing Scotland Adventure 2009™. This is 2 weeks in the far, remote West coast of Scotland at a friends place that happens every year. The cottage is basic, but once a year a whole group of us pile up there for an extended session of drinking, windsurfing, mountain-biking, walking, fishing in the rowing boat, playing on the stunning beach 10 mins from the cottage, and generally leaving the cares and stresses of daily life behind. I'm doing the first week this year and it kicks off on Sat.
Also this weekend is my friend, Kok's, legendary once a year house-party in London. They have a big house in Clapham and every summer an eclectic, interesting, beautiful crowd of people descend for one night of intense partying.
Problem - both of them are start Saturday.
Bollocks!!
So the dilemma is this - do I head up to Scotland with everyone else on Sat, and miss the party? This means I can travel in convoy, share the driving, but ultimately miss out on a cracking night and a chance to catch up with friends I see very rarely. Or do I go down to London, party on Sat night, and then do a solitary drive to Scotland on Sunday. With the additional distance from London, the drive is 9 hours, assuming perfect traffic and no breaks. So realistically you're looking at 11-12 hours driving time. With a hangover and sleep deprivation.
Originally, Hannah, who's also going to Scotland, was going to a ball in Cambridge on Sat night, so I was going to collect her on Sunday morning and we'd drive it together, but the person she was going with has let her down.
I've looked at planes and trains to get to Scotland, but nothing really works - or nothing I can afford anyway, so I'm still stuck for what to do.
Damn everything being the same weekend!!!
It goes like this - next week is The Amazing Scotland Adventure 2009™. This is 2 weeks in the far, remote West coast of Scotland at a friends place that happens every year. The cottage is basic, but once a year a whole group of us pile up there for an extended session of drinking, windsurfing, mountain-biking, walking, fishing in the rowing boat, playing on the stunning beach 10 mins from the cottage, and generally leaving the cares and stresses of daily life behind. I'm doing the first week this year and it kicks off on Sat.
Also this weekend is my friend, Kok's, legendary once a year house-party in London. They have a big house in Clapham and every summer an eclectic, interesting, beautiful crowd of people descend for one night of intense partying.
Problem - both of them are start Saturday.
Bollocks!!
So the dilemma is this - do I head up to Scotland with everyone else on Sat, and miss the party? This means I can travel in convoy, share the driving, but ultimately miss out on a cracking night and a chance to catch up with friends I see very rarely. Or do I go down to London, party on Sat night, and then do a solitary drive to Scotland on Sunday. With the additional distance from London, the drive is 9 hours, assuming perfect traffic and no breaks. So realistically you're looking at 11-12 hours driving time. With a hangover and sleep deprivation.
Originally, Hannah, who's also going to Scotland, was going to a ball in Cambridge on Sat night, so I was going to collect her on Sunday morning and we'd drive it together, but the person she was going with has let her down.
I've looked at planes and trains to get to Scotland, but nothing really works - or nothing I can afford anyway, so I'm still stuck for what to do.
Damn everything being the same weekend!!!
Monday, 13 July 2009
A day at the races
My friend, Koks, had her birthday over the weekend. When I asked her what she'd been up to, she said that her boyfriend and his father had taken her out on their yacht on Sunday and sailed her over to the Isle of Wight just for lunch (they all live down South, in and around London). He'd also bought her tasteful presents, and is taking her down to Cornwall to stay in a nice hotel for a weekend.
Seriously?? I want her life. And possibly her boyfriend too - he is such a sweetie.
My weekend on the other hand was full of horse-racing, drinking and driving round a lot. Oh, and some jumping up and down screaming gleefully when my horses did the honourable thing and came home in the right order.
The occasion - a different friend's birthday (the lovely Phil), and her choice of venue - Ascot. I'd never been to Ascot before, in fact I've only been racing once before and that was at rural Worcester, so let me tell you - Ascot is mighty impressive by comparison. It almost seems bigger than the whole town, a gleaming expanse of glass and metal, and then the undulating green track beyond.
Since this wasn't Royal Ascot (which incidentally, I am soooooo going to next year), there wasn't a particular dress code to be observed, but lots of folk had still dressed themselves up their posh frocks for the day. I'm always amused on occasions like this to people watch - you've got the people who clearly grew up round these places, who wear conservative but effortless clothing and talk the talk. My friend Tony's new girlfriend Charlotte clearly falls into this category. They had posher tickets than us as Charlotte had been given them and asked to collect the prize on behalf of friends if their horse won - clearly she moves in more exalted circles than me! Nice girl though.
Then there are the people who like to think they move in those circles. Usually easily spotted because they've tried just that bit too hard with their dress. A lot of our party probably fell into that category - 4in stiletto sandals and a fluffy little summer dress are not practical when it's raining and you're on your feet all day - no matter how perty they look!
There are the hooray Henries, most of whom have turned up in jokey fancy dress, because for some reason the sons of rich farming and country families love a chance to dress up in drag or other silly fancy dress, bray loudly and drink far too much.
And finally, as always there are those girls who wear really ill-advised clothes, and cause the rest of us to shudder quietly. As a larger girl myself (although steadily shrinking), I'm always careful to check an outfit from all perspectives: to the girl in the minuscule green playsuit, and the other one in the crotch length dress - girls - I really, really did not need to know that much about to anatomically - and also, cellulite is best kept to yourself. Please.
And my bitching is over. lol.
It turns out my luck was in on Sat, and although I lost my bets in the first and third races, all my others (5 out of 7) produced at least one winning bet per race. I don't know what the odds on that are, but I'd say it was a pretty long shot! No big bets for me, as my previous whinging suggests I just don't have that kind of money to throw around, but a healthy little profit of £30 by the end of the day conveniently payed for dinner.
I will just say this about dinner - when you're not drinking so much (my alcohol intake is way down since I started this healthy living malarkey in Jan), it turns out that every other drunken yahoo is just way to irritating to contemplate. In other words, not drinking turns me into a grumpy bastard. Aside, from that minor point, it was a great evening, and Phil had a fabulous time, so the only person I really felt sorry for was the bus driver tasked with getting 16 very drunk and rowdy people home. Poor sod. :O)
Didn't sleep the best on Sat night, as 16 people in one 3 bed house is a lot of people and Sid and Hannah kept kicking me during the night (well, they kept trying to hug my feet, as for some off reason I was sleeping the opposite way round on the living room floor to everyone else), so I was quite glad to catch some kip on the long drive home on Sunday.
Now I'm back to work, and being deafened by the workmen who are currently dismantling about half our office around us - why the couldn't wait for the weekend I don't know!!
Seriously?? I want her life. And possibly her boyfriend too - he is such a sweetie.
My weekend on the other hand was full of horse-racing, drinking and driving round a lot. Oh, and some jumping up and down screaming gleefully when my horses did the honourable thing and came home in the right order.
The occasion - a different friend's birthday (the lovely Phil), and her choice of venue - Ascot. I'd never been to Ascot before, in fact I've only been racing once before and that was at rural Worcester, so let me tell you - Ascot is mighty impressive by comparison. It almost seems bigger than the whole town, a gleaming expanse of glass and metal, and then the undulating green track beyond.
Since this wasn't Royal Ascot (which incidentally, I am soooooo going to next year), there wasn't a particular dress code to be observed, but lots of folk had still dressed themselves up their posh frocks for the day. I'm always amused on occasions like this to people watch - you've got the people who clearly grew up round these places, who wear conservative but effortless clothing and talk the talk. My friend Tony's new girlfriend Charlotte clearly falls into this category. They had posher tickets than us as Charlotte had been given them and asked to collect the prize on behalf of friends if their horse won - clearly she moves in more exalted circles than me! Nice girl though.
Then there are the people who like to think they move in those circles. Usually easily spotted because they've tried just that bit too hard with their dress. A lot of our party probably fell into that category - 4in stiletto sandals and a fluffy little summer dress are not practical when it's raining and you're on your feet all day - no matter how perty they look!
There are the hooray Henries, most of whom have turned up in jokey fancy dress, because for some reason the sons of rich farming and country families love a chance to dress up in drag or other silly fancy dress, bray loudly and drink far too much.
And finally, as always there are those girls who wear really ill-advised clothes, and cause the rest of us to shudder quietly. As a larger girl myself (although steadily shrinking), I'm always careful to check an outfit from all perspectives: to the girl in the minuscule green playsuit, and the other one in the crotch length dress - girls - I really, really did not need to know that much about to anatomically - and also, cellulite is best kept to yourself. Please.
And my bitching is over. lol.
It turns out my luck was in on Sat, and although I lost my bets in the first and third races, all my others (5 out of 7) produced at least one winning bet per race. I don't know what the odds on that are, but I'd say it was a pretty long shot! No big bets for me, as my previous whinging suggests I just don't have that kind of money to throw around, but a healthy little profit of £30 by the end of the day conveniently payed for dinner.
I will just say this about dinner - when you're not drinking so much (my alcohol intake is way down since I started this healthy living malarkey in Jan), it turns out that every other drunken yahoo is just way to irritating to contemplate. In other words, not drinking turns me into a grumpy bastard. Aside, from that minor point, it was a great evening, and Phil had a fabulous time, so the only person I really felt sorry for was the bus driver tasked with getting 16 very drunk and rowdy people home. Poor sod. :O)
Didn't sleep the best on Sat night, as 16 people in one 3 bed house is a lot of people and Sid and Hannah kept kicking me during the night (well, they kept trying to hug my feet, as for some off reason I was sleeping the opposite way round on the living room floor to everyone else), so I was quite glad to catch some kip on the long drive home on Sunday.
Now I'm back to work, and being deafened by the workmen who are currently dismantling about half our office around us - why the couldn't wait for the weekend I don't know!!
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
The wonderful Take That!
God, I'm bad at updating this blog - I've ended up doing two weekend's postings together because I never got round to finishing the first one off!!!
So, 1 week after Hard Rock Calling, I was back in London this weekend for Take That. A slight change of musical pace, I hear you say, but what can I tell you? I'm eclectic!
It turned out to be a long old day, just heading down to London, watching the concert, and then coming straight back again, but well worth it. Even if I was a total and utter zombie at work yesterday (Monday) as a result of severe sleep deficit!
Here's Jo and I waiting for the gig to start .... it seemed to take forever, although we were entertained by the rather good Lady Gaga - she can certainly sing your socks off live!
They are such a bunch of showmen - the gig was fantastic, from hot air balloons, a full complement of circus performers and 40ft flame jets, through to what was just some fantastic live singing and performing - it just blew me away. And the atmosphere was just ..... WOW!! Such a happy, upbeat, vibrant atmoshpere. 80,000 people in Wembley Stadium waving there arms in the air in perfect synchrnicity to Never Forget - just awesome!!
And now I'm back to another boring week in the office. Yay. Still, it's not long to the weekend, and then I'm off to Ascot to go to the horse races for the lovely Phil's 30th birthday celebrations. I haven't been racing for ever, so this a rare opportunity to indulge in a little guilt free gambling (low stakes only) and catch up with friend's who are now based down South and I don't get to see often. Whooop!
So, 1 week after Hard Rock Calling, I was back in London this weekend for Take That. A slight change of musical pace, I hear you say, but what can I tell you? I'm eclectic!
It turned out to be a long old day, just heading down to London, watching the concert, and then coming straight back again, but well worth it. Even if I was a total and utter zombie at work yesterday (Monday) as a result of severe sleep deficit!
Here's Jo and I waiting for the gig to start .... it seemed to take forever, although we were entertained by the rather good Lady Gaga - she can certainly sing your socks off live!
They are such a bunch of showmen - the gig was fantastic, from hot air balloons, a full complement of circus performers and 40ft flame jets, through to what was just some fantastic live singing and performing - it just blew me away. And the atmosphere was just ..... WOW!! Such a happy, upbeat, vibrant atmoshpere. 80,000 people in Wembley Stadium waving there arms in the air in perfect synchrnicity to Never Forget - just awesome!!
And now I'm back to another boring week in the office. Yay. Still, it's not long to the weekend, and then I'm off to Ascot to go to the horse races for the lovely Phil's 30th birthday celebrations. I haven't been racing for ever, so this a rare opportunity to indulge in a little guilt free gambling (low stakes only) and catch up with friend's who are now based down South and I don't get to see often. Whooop!
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