Day 1 in the Edinburgh Madness 2006TM

We’re here. We’ve arrived. Poor old Edinburgh.

Following Chris and Jen's wedding yesterday, I was feeling slightly jaded for the train journey, but then I think we all were with a 6am start, on a Saturday… ugg. But, it’s most certainly worth it because we were in to the flat and settled into the first show (the excellent Gamarjobat – good, but perhaps not with as much energy as when we’ve seen them in previous years) by 5pm. And then there were beers, of course.

Lots and lots of photos will be appearing here in the course of the week, probably broken down into days – 116 taken on the first day already. It’s been a good day. We’re in excellent halls (we were meant to have been in these ones last year, but they got (most inconsiderately) vandalised just before we were due to arrive. We had good halls instead, but they were a very long way away, and they involved crossing the ‘Pee Meadows’ (meadows which always made us need to pee)) and we’re very close to all the main venues and the Royal Mile, and very near the best ‘take away fried stuff’ shop in Edinburgh – resulting in deep fried haggis and chips for dinner. Scrummy.

I’m beginning to relax… this is the first break I’ve had of 6 days off work since Edinburgh last August (and that didn’t really constitute a rest because of the show) and it’s all feeling a bit weird. Now that I’ve relaxed, it’s great, but it’s all a bit alien, actually having time on my hands to relax. I reckon by Monday I’ll be sorted – the four days off work effect will kick in and I’ll be well away!

Calm bliss... or is it

Again, a long gap between postings. So this may be a long posting. Rather a lot has happened since the last post, as usual.

Pete, Helen, John and I had a rather good meal at Locanda Locatelli. The food was amazing, really good and really well done. We had a lovely time. Then, there was Naomi's birthday do at Mokoko in St Albans. Na and I originally had a plan to work our way down one side of the cocktail menu, totalling ten cocktails (missing out two we don't like). However, we went slightly off plan and got stuck on rather a lot of Porn Star Martinis. Somehow, we didn't have hangovers the next day, and after a bit of a transport mission, we were on the road to Yeovil at a reasonable time. We got stuck in a reasonable amount of traffic, but managed to pull off a mastermind piece of navagating to avoid Stonehenge, without a map. See, girls can navigate boys.

We had a fantastic weekend, starting with an amazing meal at Little Barwick House and finished off with a visit to the beach at Lyme Regis and then a BBQ. Fab.

Now that I have more time on my hands and can leave work at a reasonable time, I'm finding it a bit odd. I'd slept rather a lot this past week, which is unusual. It's almost as though my body is like "oh, so we get to sleep now. Oh good. Let's do that at every possible moment then"... in the car, during films, on the DLR... too much perhaps, I'm feeling a bit spaced. Kind of have that idea that I shouldn't completely grind to a halt, because then I might get ill, and that's the last thing I (or anyone else for that matter) wants before we go to Edinburgh next week. In fact, I think I should just shut up and enjoy the quiet time whilst it's here, because in the next six weeks I'm going to be here, there and everywhere!

The first stage is Edinburgh though, and I'm very much looking forward to it. For a series of boring reasons, I'll be taking the laptop with me. Pete and I have promised that we will blog (he's going to be a guest blogger) and upload photos as we go along so that Na and Steve, who aren't coming, sob sob sob, will be able to keep up to date with our antics. So, expect some late night drunken blog entries (although they may not actually appear late at night, because we'll have to search out some internet access in a famous coffee establishment I think!)

Oh, and just because I really rather like it, here's a rather nice photo:

Paris - the account

So. A fantastic time was had. We saw lots, ate lots, and drank lots. John was a wonderful tour guide, allowing just the right amount of time in each place, not rushing too much, and being really flexible. I also managed (and this may surprise some of you) to be completely the follower all weekend. See, see, I can do it when I want to (although that's what I did in Rome, and that nearly ended in tears because as I wasn't taking responsibility for anything, I then got very drunk! Thankfully that didn't happen in Paris!)

We got the Eurostar from Waterloo on Friday evening (I even managed to leave work on time!) and arrived in Paris about 10.30. We were both tired, so no exploring was done on the Friday night, but the hotel was in a fab location, and had air conditioning (although it left a little to be desired, it succeeded in making sure the room wasn't hot, but didn't actually manage to make it cool). After possibly the best sleep I've had in weeks, we were up and about in time for breakfast on Saturday and then into the Briden Paris TourTM. First, Foulcault's Pendulum in the Pantheon. John did try to get me to understand how it works, but I just don't. I also want to know why there's a black marble cat next to it. Then, it was on to the Ile de la Cite, in an attempt to get the best ice cream in Paris, which was foiled by the fact that the shop had closed for August - on the 29 July. Go figure... but we still had ice cream. Then we strolled past Notre Dame, and on to Saint Chapelle and the Palais du Justice. The glass in Saint Chapelle is real take-your-breath away stuff, and we spent a fair bit of time in there trying to work out the stories in each panel.

After that, we went back across the river to the Louvre. We did the 'top three' things, including the Mona Lisa (tiny, dirty, and massive crowds. The most impressive bit for me though I think was the ancient bits in the basement which were discovered when they were excavating for the creation of the pyramid.

We then went and had a rather nice steak, frites and beer lunch, and then wandered through the gardens by the Louvre to see Monet's Waterlillies in the recently re-opened Orangerie. I didn't take any photos in there, I didn't think I could do the paintings justice. John and I hatched a plan in pondering how much it would cost to have exclusive access for 20 minutes - the paintings are amazing, but I can't help but think how striking they would be without any one in there, in peace, without lots of tourists and flashing cameras.

After that, it was off to Napoleon's Tomb. Sightseeing'd out, we then retired to various bars, including rather famous one. More beers, and a very nice meal later, and our first day was complete.

Sunday bought a more relaxed day, a stroll around the Marais and Place des Vosges, and brunch. And then rain, lots and lots of rain. Which required doing what the natives do - getting more coffee, staying in the cafe, reading our books, and waiting for the rain to fade away. Which it duly did, and then before we knew it, we were speeding through the French countryside en route home (not so speedy through the Kent countryside, it's not high speed yet!)

All in all, it was a fantastic, restful and most enjoyable weekend. Thank you John. Venice next?

Pay back time

Today, I got to work at 10.30, had an hour and a half for lunch, and left at 5. Fantastic. Pay back time has started - some time to invest in me for a change, to sit back and take things easy and enjoy the summer. And get some of that stuff done that I've been putting off for months.

Oh, and to write a nice long account of Paris, which I'm working on now, and to blog a bit more, and to read, hopefully a lot more. Happy days...

Paris

Just got back from Paris. I want to put up a nice long post all about it, but John has the guidebook, and as my French is rubbish, I need it to make sure I get all the names right. And, I haven't sorted the photos yet either, and the trip deserves some illustration.

So, for now, I've fixed the bold thing on the '150 post' below for your perusal. And a much longer post on Paris will follow soon. And I'm hoping that it will be soon - things should calm down at work in August (can't believe we're in August already!) and I should therefore have a bit more time on my hands. Talking of which, I'm going to go and read my book in the bath - a rare Sunday night luxury!

OK...

So then, my technical ineptitude was such that I couldn't get the bold formatting to work. Tonight, my drunk ineptitude is such that I can't correct it. But I can assure you that I have done some of that stuff. Details in bold will follow. No, honest, they will. They really really will

150 things

As I'm struggling to find the time/insipration/inclination to be writing long posts about me on here, I thought I'd cheat a bit instead! I borrowed this from Jo (who won't be any wiser as to how I found her site since the last time I borrowed something from there, because I'm not!). The idea is that you bold the ones you've done, and then add them up...

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip on a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Got drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states (but really really want to… maybe that’ll be a New Year’s resolution sometime!)
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends (Not had, do)
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken for longer than when you were in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office (I think an SU counts)
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone’s life

Update Steve and Marty have done this too. Steve has done 67, Marty 61. John has done 96. I've done 71. Mum?

Hot

So, again, a long time between posts. I think this is partly because I've had a really busy patch, and partly because as I've been spending rather a lot of time in the company of John, he's getting my ramblings instead!

So, again, a lot has happened between posts - the highlight being Jenna and Mark's wedding (photos in the usual place), which was just fab. It was great to be in Jersey again too, especially as my mum retired this weekend... but she'll have plenty to occupy her, working out what the spies are up to! Congratulations Mum!

I can't believe that it's nearly the end of July. I've totally lost track of where the past few months have gone, but they have been, on the whole, great. August will bring many exciting things... and hopefully some substantial rest.

Yay.

More later... hopefully. I'm aiming for a proper update for you (all?!) at the beginning of August once things calm down!

Umm

So. It's been a long time since my last post. Possibly an unprecedented gap between posts since I started this blog (although I've not actually been back to check.)

A whole massive amount has happened since I last posted: A rather nice dinner at La Gavroche; a rather odd weekend helping a friend moving house; a rather lovely but odd Sunday dinner; Pirates of the Caribbean II at (quite frankly the best in London) the Electric Cinema; a rather odd but good play; and a shopping in Covent Garden; a two hour stint in a dress shop in Watford in the Saurday heat; a massive birthday celebration for Pete and Helen (photos in the usual place (although not titled, Flickr wasn't playing ball, and I was too hot and bothered to do anything about it! Soon though, there will be (hopefully humerous) titles; a rather nice hotel with a fantastic shower and bath; a birthday barbie for Rish; and then a rather strange dinner in culmination of the effort on a project on which I have been working since seeing being appointed nearly three years ago.

There's so much to say. Suffice to say for now that the said 'new influence' is rather a good influence. And I very much like spending time with you. He makes an experienced point of view into a conversation and stimulates me. I like that.

7/7

Many many many people have, I'm sure, blogged about the events which occurred one year ago today, from London, the UK, and no doubt across the world. I can't possibly compete or do justice to the poignancy and emotion conveyed in many of those posts, especially those from the direct survivors of the attacks.

My take on it is this: at this point last year, I was embroiled in some complicated situations. The beginning of July has specific memories for me, for what are in comparison insignificant personal reasons (although one them was my bro graduating, good).

On 7/7 2005, I was scared. But quickly, I became proud of being a Londoner. Proud of the way that everyone pulled together. Proud that only hours before we'd been awarded the 2012 Olympics.

Today proved that London can bounce back, albeit with increased security on display today. As we respected the 2 minute silence at work, the magnitude of the events again struck home (although some idiot rang during that time, duh!). We're strong things, us humans.

Food Frustration

Today I have food frustration. I left work really wanting fresh tuna and salad = there was no tuna in the shop, and the salad I have in the fridge is frozen. So I had salmon and asparagus pie instead = but no salad, and no frozen veg in the freezer apart from old sweetcorn = not nice.

And then, just when a nice glass of wine had re-balanced the karma, I thought I'd treat myself to the rather nice looking passionfruit creme brulee from Fru... = great, until I dropped it getting it out from under the grill and spilt it everywhere, salvaging just enough to make me realise what I was missing.

Great. Perhaps someone is trying to tell me something - perhaps I've neglected my cooking skills so much that I should just give up and eat out or get take away all the time instead!!

Anyway, I've returned from a second weekend in Jersey in a row - this time it was Jenna's hen night = photos are in the usual place. A good time was had by all, and we're now very much looking forward to the wedding!

I've also sorted out my bookshelf tonight, in an attempt to ease some of the food frustration... and it's made me realise how many books I have sitting there to read!

But, top of the list at the moment is my new Rouge Guide to Paris... where I'm very much looking forward to going at the end of July. Counting the days...!

ITEX... we survived!

Well. I've just got home from the 'ITEX weekend' in Jersey. 11 mad friends, two chaotic houses, one very very long walk, a lot of Love Bars, peanut butter sandwiches and packets of crisps, and a few bottles of beer and cider thrown in - makes for a mad, tiring, but rewarding weekend. A good time was had by all, I think (as the organiser, it's always a bit difficult to get a perspective on how things have actually gone, but I think it was all ok!).

Massive thanks go to my parents, Kelly, and Amy for putting up with the chaos and being excellent hosts. I hope tranquility has returned to your houses tonight and that we've not left anything behind or forgotten to do anything!

The walk was certainly a challenge, but we all did amazingly. Richelle and Naomi were an excellent support crew, picking us up when we dropped and getting to the later check points ahead of us to encourage us and point us in the right direction. With varying degrees of pain and injury, we managed the following:

Sally - 17 miles
Tania - 20 miles
Me and Steve D - 26.2 miles
Marty - 30 miles
Steve B and Rich - 32 miles
Helen - 35 miles
Pete - 48.1 miles

Yes, Pete did the full distance! Massive congratulations to him, and to everyone else - I think we all went further than we thought we could, and it amounts to fantastic personal achievements all round.

There are some photos in the usual place, but Rich has more (and better) which will probably appear here at some point over the next few days.

The walk also sees me having completed one of my New Years resolutions - so that's one down, and 8 to go. I had a number of fantastic birthday presents last week, but by far the most inspired and thoughtful was a collection of gifts from Na, Steve, Helen and Pete, themed on my resolutions (a Love Bar for the walk, The Godfather to read, An Affair to Remember to watch, a sleep mask, an Italian DVD, a wooden bracelet for luck on not falling over, a toy saxophone, a map of Bali, and the London by London book). Fantastic!

I am however left with some general aches, and a slightly more concerning pain in my right knee... having already damaged the ligaments in my left knee (now mostly healed) and torn the cartiledge in the now infamous frisbee incident last year, I was a bit worried about how that knee would fare on the walk - very well it seems, because that knee feels fine now. The right knee however, not so - it hurts, it much the same way as the ligament pain did in the other knee. I'm really hoping that there won't be any lasting damage and that the pain will ease off.

So, Pete, Helen, Steve, Sally, Naomi, Steve, Tania, Rich, Marty and Richelle: Same place, same time, next year...?!? ;-)

New

So, as predicted, a slow blogging week, again. My impetus for this has dwindled a bit. That's partly because I've been really busy, and this has not been a good week at work. It's also because I'm being distracted by a rather nice new influence in my life. I'm not ready to reveal all yet, but it's sure having an impact on me, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

In the meantime, for a week which includes my birthday, the forthcoming week is looking all a bit stressful!! Too much going on at work, which is adding to the stress, and then the Walk of Doom, as Steve has finally dawned on us... oh dear. I have blisters from wearing nice but painful shoes to the UHSU Ball on Friday (pictures in the usual place) - and having blisters at the beginning of a walk which is blatantly going to give me blisters is not a happy state of affairs!

Still, when I've had a go at it, at least I'll have done one of my New Years Resolutions!

Blurgh

Another sparse blogging week... and this post is not going to be a long one. Words fail me - I just can't anything down! It's been a mad and intense week, and I'm just not sure that I know how I feel about all sorts of things that have happened.

One think I do know though is that the Bon Jovi gig tonight was totally fab, so that's all good.

More later, when I have a bit more ability to work out which letters should go in front of others to form words for constructive sentences - and then I'll be making a bit more sense!

The big one

Well, it's been an unusually long time since my last post... probably because I've really not spent a great deal of time in front of the computer for various reasons (well, not this one anyway, the work one, yes) including this.

I said in my last post that life is a rollercoaster.... well, it sure is. At the moment I feel like I'm on this one currently the record holder for the faster coaster in the world. Things are constantly changing all around me, and I'm finding it a little hard to keep up. On the whole, things are exciting, stimulating and... uh, interesting. I'm feeling slightly dazed and confused, but I just need to get stuck in and get on with it.

This week has been what is supposed to be a rest week at work - a time to catch up on all the things we never have time to do usually. The only problem is, I've not really done that, because the quiet time bought out my rebellious streak, and I spent a lot of time enjoying short days and reasonable lunches... which is why I now find myself at the end of a three hour stint of work on a Sunday, with more to go before I'm ready for tomorrow. I am at least very much enjoying sitting in the garden in the sun working, rather than being stuck inside - thank god for wireless internet, again! - although the laptop is getting sunstroke...!

The show was fantastic - and very funny. It is a credit to all involved in Act2 that such a show can be pulled together without too much stress, and with a hefty dose of fun and humour along the way. I very much enjoyed mucking in with the crew and being 'one of the boys' on the production side of this one. I'm also going to take this opportunity to say that I think Marty did a fantastic job on his directorial debut - your influence on the play, and the actors, really shone through, and it is a great credit to you - so shut your noise and take the complements!

Also since my last post, I went to the England vs Barbarians rugby match at Twickenham - it was a fab match and a great day out - and then on Bank Holiday Monday I did some things I really enjoy and haven't done for ages - wandering around London, having a Harrods picnic in Hyde Park, going to a pub quiz (albeit that we weren't very good), and did some other stuff. Great. Exactly the kind of stuff I should do more often.

Life is a rollercoaster...

just gotta ride it.

Having excelled myself with my previous long post, full of information, updates and innuendo, I've exhausted my blogging insipiration for a while I think.

All sorts of complicated things going on, most of which not directly involving me, but seeing people turn to me for support - which is a nice position to be in in a way - I'm always happy to be a listening ear and be dispensing some (probably useless) advice. I can only hope that it does some good somewhere along the way...

Resolution Review

In January, I posted what amounted to 9 New Year's resolutions.

They were:

1. Learn to play the sax
2. Learn to speak Italian again
3. Watch more films
4. Try to get less injuries
5. Make a good attempt at the ITEX walk
6. Do as much travelling as possible
7. Get more sleep
8. Spend more time exploring London
9. Complete the BBC Big Read Top 100 book list (which I've already been attempting for the past two years, I'm 45 books in!)

Although it'’s not half way through the year yet, which would be the logical time to do this (but hey, I can'’t be logical in all aspects of my life!), it has occurred to me to review how I'm getting on with them. So, as at Saturday 20 May, roughly a bit more than a third of the way through the year, here is my progress report on each resolution so far:

1. Learn to play the sax

No action at all. Rubbish. Need to hire one to give it a try

2.Learn to speak Italian again

Also no action at all. Maybe I need to do what The Stig does when tearing cars round the Top Gear race track and listen to language tapes in the car

3. Watch more films

This one is actually going ok - see the list on the right hand side. The long plane journeys to Vegas, Marty and Richelle's crusade to improve my film knowledge, and the Naomi-originated film nights have helped!

4. Try to get less injuries

This one has actually been successful too - touch all the wood in the world! So far this year I've not had any major injuries, so far as I can remember, but do comment and correct me if you think I'm wrong! My knee is still playing up from the stupid frisbee injury (see a post about the beginning of September), especially today (see below) so that'll keep me in the feeb club for a while!

5. Make a good attempt at the ITEX walk

Well. There has been training going on, so that's got to be a good start! At the moment I'’m thinking that a realistic target for my '‘good attempt'’ would be halfway - 24 miles. That would still be a major achievement, so I'’d be happy with that. It's only 5 weeks away now!! Today Helen, Pete and I completed 17 miles (in just under 6 hours) and, apart from my stupid knee, not much hurts at the moment, so that's all good. Tomorrow I'll no doubt be suffering, but at the moment I feel ok, and that gives me confidence that I'll be able to make a decent attempt at the ITEX... might need a bit more training first though, and not sure where that's going to fit in!

6. Do as much traveling as possible

This one is panning out ok too. I've been to Edinburgh/ Glasgow, Las Vegas, and Aberdeen so far. I'’ve got 5 trips to Jersey, a trip to Edinburgh, a trip to Singapore, Bali and Lombok, and a trip to Canada booked. Plus a potential trip to New York and a possible trip to somewhere in Eastern Europe. And New Zealand, Fiji and San Francisco for Christmas and New Year. So I reckon I'll be able to give this one a great big tick at the end of the year!

7. Get more sleep

Hmpf. Might be better to skip this one. Given I'’ve had only 1 night where I've had more than 7 hours sleep since I got back from Vegas, I'm clearly failing miserably. If only the body and mind could actually function perfectly on four hours of sleep a night, I'’d be a happy bunny.

8. Spend more time exploring London

Really need to pay more attention to this one. I've managed to visit more restaurants and bars, but that isn't really what I had in mind when I made the resolution. I've got some exploring planned for the forthcoming bank holiday, so that will be a good start.

9. Complete the BBC Big Read Top 100 book list (which I've already been attempting for the past two years, I'm 45 books in!)

Ho hum. So this one isn't going too well either - I've not got my up to date list here, so I'm not sure what the actual numbers are, but I have a feeling that I'm up to 52 - so not much of an increase since January! I have lots of books ready to be read, but am seriously lacking in the time to read them.

Not too bad. A further review will follow some time in the next couple of months when I get a similar sort of urge to do it - but an update on the Itex walk will follow in advance of that, as it's on 23 June.

In the meantime, I'm very much enjoying being at home on a Saturday night. I can't remember the last time I was - and I've not woken up in my own bed on a Sunday morning for 8 weeks... that sounds deliberately debauched, just for my mum! I just hope I can sleep for a substantial period of time... I'm all set, clean sheets, clean pj's, just had a bath, nice dinner and a glass of wine, plenty of exercise today... let's see what happens!

I love having the occasional night like this where I can potter round the house and not do much - and I've just had a lovely dinner (tuna, Jersey potatoes (Yay!) and roast tomatoes). Such nights remind me of Saturday nights at Uni, when everyone used to go home and leave me to my own devices. It could have been lonely, but it wasn't, because I relished having the time completely to myself, being able to do exactly what I wanted to do, and having some peace to catch up with myself.

That's exactly what I'm doing tonight - it's 'Kate time' - and it's important. I'm alone, but I'm not lonely. Such nights add balance (and much needed rest!) and I can't help but think that I need to have them more often. The trouble with that is that it would mean compromising on other things, which I don't want to do. Ho hum. Time for some dessert to help me solve that conundrum...

Champagne

Tonight I have had a fantastic night with Helen, Pete and Steve, welcoming Steve into London life. We went here and here. At the former, we had dinner next to Andrew Lloyd Webber. At the latter... notice the date of the relaunch on the link. We happened in there and found out that they were intending to be closed, but because they finished the refurbishment early, they were open, so we were one of the first to experience the new surroundings (we went there a few months ago, and the decor has changed a fair bit). But, to be honest, it's not really about the decor - it's about the view.

28 floors up, and a nearly 360 degree view of London. Amazing. Awe inspiring, and 'happy and proud to be in London' thought provoking.

And to leave you with a quote we stumbled across in the drink menu on champagne:

I drink it when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry, and I drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it... unless I'm thirsty.

Update: Very touching post about the evening from Steve here

Damn we're grown up

For the second time in as many weeks, I'm getting some inspiration for a post from Steve's blog (and stealing the wording of the title too). This is not good, it's got to stop. But, in the meantime, it kind of illustrates the point of this post...

Because we are grown up, in more ways than one. The title is prompted by Steve's comment on his blog describing me and accompanying a photo of me (a particularly horrendous photo, but he will be correcting that on threat of death - won't you Steve?!?) in a post about his birthday celebrations on Friday - which were really good. And mean he's a year older, so he is grown up in that sense, but he actually means something slightly different.

It's taken Steve and I a lot of time and effort to get to the stage of friendship and understanding which we enjoy now. When we spilt up (for he is my ex, just in case you don't know that) we were forced to deal with everything pretty quickly for a variety of reasons, and I firmly believe that forced us into establishing a strong and determined friendship. Had we not had that push, I'm not sure what would have happened. Maybe we would have worked things out to the stage they are at now anyway, but it would probably have been a whole lot harder and more complicated.

I'm very proud of us. We've built a strong and supportive friendship, although a lot of people don't understand how we have. I'm not sure I do all the time either, but I don't really care to analyse it too much, because it works, and that's what's important.

I've had another experience recently where I've had to draw on that kind of strength. I've learnt the true value of being open and honest with each other, of being realistic about your own strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly I've learnt that a sensible approach to things can ensure that people don't get hurt. Oh, and I've learnt the value of rhythm too.

Strong and lasting friendships are built on the basis of being sensible, honest and grown up.

Pictures from the weekend and various other recent things are in the usual place: here.

My 100th post

It might be a long one, it might not. The words in my head have not been forming themselves into bloggable sentences for some time now, hence the short and punchy postings.

When I started this blog back in August, I wasn’t really sure how long I’d keep it up, especially when, although I could access it for a while, my access from work was blocked. That was probably a very good thing, because it means that I can’t come on Blogger and unleash my frustration in the middle of the day. But it also means that I can only blog in the evenings and at the weekends – and this has the effect that the majority of my postings are affected by alcohol. I’m assured by those who are bearing with me and are still reading (although there's not been any comments for a while, so they may not still be with me!) that this makes my blog interesting to read, especially when they know I’ve been on a night out and can log on in the morning and see what I’ve been rambling in the small drunk hours of the morning.

I might also therefore be giving the impression that I drink a lot. On balance, I certainly drink more now than I did a few years ago. But my circumstances are completely different – I have a different job, different flat, different friends and a different relationship situation. This has an impact. My job falls into the ‘work hard play hard’ category, and if I couldn’t sustain a fulfilling social life, I don’t think I’d be able to manage the work. I need to get out and do normal things with friends in the evenings and weekends to add some perspective to my life. There are often massive contrasts, such as a few weeks ago when I was at a black tie dinner with some big big big wigs on a Monday night, and the Act2 gang were at karaoke at a formerly dodgy pub in our student town. Weird – but good.

I love that kind of contrast, and I also love my job. I think however that the time is nearly here for me to have a month off the booze. I did that last year, and the year before that, and it made a big difference. Trouble is, when I’ve done it before, it’s been in the winter, and it seems easier then somehow – now that we’re into May, the evenings are lighter, beer gardens are open, there are BBQ’s, and we’re into ‘birthday season’. Maybe I should aim to do what I vowed in Vegas instead (whilst battling a grade 10 hangover) – never to drink so much that I get a hangover.

The slight problem with that is that my hangovers are a bit unpredictable – I can get a shocker from three and a half pints of beer one time, and then the next time I’m completely fine. So I’m not sure that’s going to work either… but I really should pay attention to being a bit more sensible.

So, summer is here. I love summer. I’m very much more a summer person than a winter person. As I sit here on the balcony at 9pm, the sun is setting over the city, I’m having a glass of wine (oopss; see above!) and thinking that the feeling I had at the BBQ on Wednesday that good times and things are ahead is still here. I like it. On the whole, I love my life. I’m in a happy place, and I like it.

I’ve also done one of my favorite things tonight – cooked myself dinner. That might sound like a run of the mill chore-like thing to do to some, but actually I love cooking, and find it very relaxing. Trouble is, it’s not really very compatible with the aforementioned work-hard-play-hard lifestyle, and I don't therefore get to do it very much, and it's great when I do. Most people take eating at home for granted. Another one of those contrasts eh…

Those contrasts which are part of my life, and they add to it – I embrace them and make the most of them.

So, a long post. A varied post. The 100th post. I’m not sure that I’ve done that significant landmark in my blogging history justice, but at least there are coherent sentences, and not too much alcohol influence.

Onwards, to the weekend. Looking forward to it, and it should be comparatively relaxing compared to the past few. Perhaps apart from the 18 mile walk on Sunday – eek!