Regular readers (I know there aren't that many) will remember my friend who is incapable of dressing appropriately for the weather. This is something I have only found out recently and did wonder whether it was just a blip in an otherwise sensible human being. However today, found him again in suit and shirt, and as you will be aware if you live in London it has rained all day. So he got wet going to work, then again going to a meeting, then again coming back from the meeting and finally on his way home. What is extraordinary was the fact that whilst he sat having a coffee the rain stopped and only started again as he took his last sip. My biggest concern is that this rainbringer is going to Glastonbury - I am encouraging him to take his rainwear in the hope that this will bring out the sun.

On to my day - at lunchtime I thought I would l buy some new clothes, as most of my trousers and skirts now only stay up with the help of a belt. I spent an hour trying on jeans which were too large, too small, and in one instance too short. Why is that shops think if you are a slightly larger lady then you must also be short. So tomorrow I will venture to Oxford Street and see if I have more success there.

The flag making was a total success - and there is more to come. It will be a masterpiece when it is finished.

So I went to my GP tonight to ask about the rash and swollen throat thing after eating tuna sandwiches and a prawn. His advice - avoid the tuna, mayonnaise, prawns and possibly eggs (although reassuringly he thought this was unlikely). If I do happen to eat any of these substances again and the same thing happens then I should go immediately to A&E. So for any of you out there that might be with me when I next eat one of these - you may find yourself dialling for an ambulance!

Well yesterday was as always another one full of excitement and never ending thrills. I try once a week to work from home and this week was no exception. So I found myself at 6am at my desk tapping away rewriting a paper. By about 10ish I had finished and seeing as I had booked a half day off I was free. I say free but then I was off to Welling (in Kent) to get some cleaning stuff for the Church. I visited a sick friend on the way. He really is not very well at all. The 'man flu' is quite bad. Even so he managed to insult Doris and to change his picture on facebook (I have to say to my fav one). I also visited my sister and had a gossip catching up on news.

Then yesterday evening was flag making. The flag is looking good. Glastonbury here we come.

Tonight I am off to the docs to see if they can uncover the mystery of the reaction to the prawns or tuna!

A word of advice to anyone reading this. Never drink a bottle of wine, watch a period drama (especially one with a sadish ending) and then listen to songs that remind you of the past. It just ends in a lot of blubbing. Fortunately there was no one to view said blubbing. Right must get on with my work.

I now know why the bottle of wine I have bought was only half price. It is pretty disgusting, however I am sure that after the first couple of glasses it will taste OK. Certainly after the whole bottle I am sure it will taste great!

Oh and I almost forgot, but the bruise has reminded me. Some stupid woman in Asda rammed her shopping trolley into my thigh. It bloody hurt and she just looked at me blankly. Never mind not using your mobile when driving you shouldn't use your mobile when pushing a shopping trolley

PC World - What a waste of time! I spent 2 1/2 hours of my life in there this morning trying to buy a laptop, printer and some software. We were promised a better deal if we went through as a business - like f*** it was a better deal. The package came to £1250 and they gave us £60 off - what a load of rubbish. In the end we took back the cheque and walked out. Now the vicar has found the same spec laptop - printer and the software all for a lot less. So PC World my conclusion is that you are crap and as for customer service you wouldn't know it if it jumped up and bit you in the throat.

I did however manage to get my flag material after a nice drive to Basildon. Man Flu man showed me his new studio - ha ha its in the middle of the shopping centre - I can see hours of fun looming. Then a quick drive back - food shopping and home.

My heroism for the day has been to rescus a baby bird from the jaws of a dog - admittedly my dog. I just hope the mum and dad birds find their little baby. Talking of which I managed to make 'man flu' mans sweating 100 times worse by going on about babies. Its great to see the terror on a grown mans face when you talk about babies!! As if I would want to give up my greatly increased freedom by having a baby! Still it was fun watching the mounting terror.

So I find out this morning that the 'man flu' is obviously not that bad because he remembers conversations. Typical man overplaying an illness.

I have my revenge though. He is totally incapable of working out what the weather is going to be. During the week - Tuesday (you remember the hottest day of the year so far) found him in a suit and a thick overcoat. However on Wednesday when it was raining - yes you've guessed it - just a suit and no umbrella. So today he tells me he has gone out and is again overdressed - does he never read or listen to weather reports -no wonder he has man flu.

I am off out shopping to get flag fabric and some plectrums and some music.

So today the itching was not as bad as yesterday, however I have made an appointment to see the doctor and get some allergy tests.

After work I met up with an old friend - and I mean that in the sense that he is old (well older than me) as well as someone I knew a long time ago. He spent half an hour telling me about Doris. Apparently Doris is a term of endearment for any woman who works as a secretary, PA or similar. It wasn't really the term Doris that I found insulting- it was more his condascending attitude to Doris. Anyway I then made the fatal mistake of telling him I could audio type. He has man flu so with any luck he will forget. Now on to the man flu. If he had not drunk all his whisky the other night I would have suggested a little tot before he went to bed - but he hasnt got any so that is not an option. I did suggest that he try rubbing some vicks in but he just got silly - so my sympathy immediately left.

The boy has been in an irritating mood tonight - trying to get me to buy him a new top. Well he has not been successful - and I am holding out. I will not give in.

Tomorrow I am off to buy flag making material. This is for glastonbury so that we can find our tent - I am not hopeful that I will be able to find the tent even if it has a flag on it. Someone did suggest that we could just put our bras and knickers on a pole. I have to say that I am not sure I want the whole of Glastonbury seeing my underwear so I don't think I will go there.

Why is it that something you have eaten for most of your life can suddenly result in a rash and a sore throat. Tuna is now a no go food for me. Had a tuna sandwich for lunch, which resulted in a sore yet itchy rash and then a sore throat, however the guinness and whisky seem to have cured it. Hooray for alcohol!

I need to travel more - have decided that i need to see the world. I have been to a number of countries including America, France, Holland, Israel, Egypt, Greece and Malta but really feel I should get out and about more. So that is something I want to do over the next few years. m Countries I would like to are: Poland, Iceland, Norway, Australia and/or New Zealand, Greenland, and there are many more. Any suggestions of how to do this cheaply gratefully received.

Where is the time going - Wednesday already! This week is turning into one of those weeks where you set out to achieve lots and end up feeling like a hamster on a wheel. This is not helped by too many late nights and early mornings and wine. I usually have a rule about not drinking on a work night - however that fell by the wayside on Monday night - although admittedly it doesn't take much to waylay me.

Work is as always wonderful!! Tomorrow I have the dubious pleasure of sitting through four presentations. This will take all day. I just can't wait!! I really must go to bed early tonight.

The boy has been off today - teacher training or some such nonsense. Then tomorrow they are on strike. I have no sympathy with them because their pay deal is better than mine and to be quite honest when you take a public service job you have to accept - in this country anyway - that you will never be a millionaire - unless of course you take up such a post after becoming a millionnaire.

I still haven't arranged the flag making and planning session, for a programme and project manager I am piss poor and planning and making arrangements. I really need to get my act together. I will attempt to make the arrangements this week and then make the necessary purchases.

Now I wonder what colour should the flag be.........

I have spent today feeling just a little tired. I had to get up at 8 and I realise that going to bed at 3 and getting up at 8 is something that really should just be a memory of my teenage years rather than a real life experience now. How on earth will I cope with Glastonbury where I suspect there will be little sleep.

Talking of Glastonbury my friend and I feel a planning evening coming on including a flag making session - apparently we need a flag otherwise we will not be able to find the tent. Knowing my sense of direction I doubt whether I will be able to find the tent with a flag. Further good news is that her dad has offered to take us down (aren't dads wonderful).

Next week I am as busy in the evenings as I am in the day. You know sometimes work really does get in the way of my social life. Still I will be able crash out next weekend - well i think I will. I'm never really quite sure what I am doing from one day to the next - which is the way I like things - can't stand planning - although having a vague notion of whats going to happen is quite useful. The question now is bath, ironing or surfing the net? Can't make up my mind. Wonder if you can do all three at the same time!

It has been many years since I went out at 9 in the evening and got home at gone 3 the following morning. There is something about going out with girlfriends that means that even if you dont have a drink you spend the whole evening laughing - mainly at the expense of men. Firstly there were the very loud shirts except for Mr Worcester whose shirt was not loud but was pink. He had a wonderful voice - we all agreed on that and the softest hands - two of us agreed on that (only because the third team member did not get the opportunity to touch a hand). She would have agreed had she to managed a high five with him. Then there is the decline in conversation as the evening progresses. Womens conversations are not for the feint hearted especially when they stray into the area of adult toys - and we are not talking train sets or scalextric. However I do feel that spitting out alcohol is a crime too far and I am afraid one of the group will be reminded of her need to empty her mouth, not once but three times during the evening. Somehow it was not her fault but ours for making her laugh. All I can say is that she wants to be grateful that the alcohol did not make its way down her nose. Well I am off to bed now as I am getting old and I really so need to sleep.

Thursday found me at the boys school. He has been suspended and before he could go back I had to attend the school and meet with the headmaster. Now usually this sort of meeting would have found me trembling in my boots and reverting back to my own childhood, but having attended this development centre I found myself very confident and assertive. The meeting was a success with a number of actions agreed and the boy returned to school Friday. However he is off on Wednesday (non-contact day) and Thursday (teacher strke). And they have the cheek to moan at me about the amount of time he misses from school.

Thursday night I had dinner with an old mate, Pizza (sloppy guiseppe), dough balls, salad, chocolate brownies and cream. This old mate is worried about his waistline, which is why I took along the salad, however this did not stop him tucking into the brownies (admittedly they were Gu brownies) and then hiding them. I guess for friday lunch he had salad and brownies, He also needs to go to specsavers because I think his glasses are not working properly. I was also like to say that my company must be absolutely fantastic coz at least twice he dozed off.

Friday was a good day at work although there seems to be an argument over who is going to write my annual report. Perhaps my managers are worried that if they have to spend more than five minutes with me they too will doze off.

Today I have moved the house round, so the boys comp is now in the living room. This has had the unfortunate effect of stopping his internet access - dont know why- luckily mine is still working. The house looks a mess and tomorrow I must do the boys ironing before we both disappear beneath a mountain of t-shirts.

I am off out in a while - up the rugby club. They have a Hawaiin night (probably not spelt right) - dont worry there is no chance of this mother dressing up in coconut shells and a grass skirt. Just hope there aren't too many loud shirts.

Back from my development centre. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I have had my personality psycho-analysed using something called Myers -Briggs. Had feedback from colleagues, staff and others I work with. It was all pretty good. Interestingly my personality is ideal for change management - which is useful as my current post is as change programme manager. Then there was all the role play etc, which again wasn't too bad. My main development need appears to be more confident in my own abilities. So I need to write a list of things I am good at and then take three of them and tell myself I am good at them until I believe it myself. So if anyone has any ideas on things I am good at please feel free to let me know.

The saga of the ginger hair goes on. I have more votes in favour of it not being ginger and so my decision not to cover up the highlights has been vindicated. Others - and there is only in fact one - still think it is ginger, however I have now come to the conclusion that their age has affected their eyesight.

Tomorrow I have to go to the boy's school to have a discussion about his behaviour before they will let him back to school. That should be fun - i do love being told how bad he is. Still I would rather have a lively interesting child than a boring quiet one.

I am feeling totally exhausted after the excitement of the last few days so I think I'll call it a day.

So today I was back at work after two weeks away. Its always a struggle to go back and I'm not really sure why. Before I leave I know I have to go back so why is it I face the first day back with such loathing. I really wish I was in a position to be able to work for myself - now I know that is twice as hard but at least you are in charge of your own destiny. One of the things I really hate is that I have to do things that other people tell me. I do have quite a bit of autonomy and I am able to to do things like work at home and take leave when I want. Anyway back I went and to be honest I had quite a successful day. I managed to write the paper that was begging to be written and I also managed to attend four meetings - so not a bad day.

Now on to tomorrow. I have to go on a course which I am not looking forward to. Much of the course I have done before and I just think I will probably learn very little, but everyone has to do it so off to Sunningdale I will go tomorrow morning. And I will not return until Wednesday evening. And to cap it all there appears to be evening work. It really takes the biscuit and dinner isn't till 8pm. That is much too late for me so by the time dinner arrives I will either be asleep or pissed. I hope its asleep because if its pissed then I will have spent money I cannot afford and really don't want to waste on alcohol.

Tonight I have laid on my bed with the boy and watched Spirited Away. For those who don't know this is a Manga Cartoon by Miyazaki. I own two DVDs of this nature and am considering buying some more - I normally rent them. I really love these films and to be honest I don't know why. So we laid there and watched the film a scene of family idyll. I love times like this - partly I think because I know that in a few years time he will be off and living on his own and not wanting to sit and watch films with his mum. I'm not sure what I will do with myself then - guess I will have to find someone else to lay on the bed with and watch films.

I have been firmly put in my place today. It is indeed my responsibility to remind family and friends of my birthday - so next year beware. There will be reminder cards sent out so that no one has an excuse. I will also see whether there are any shops that do birthday gift lists - something along the lines of John Lewis' wedding gifts list. If I cant find such a shop then I will put a short list in with each reminder card. All I have to do now is remember to do all this about a month before my birthday.


Today has been very quiet - other than watching my son cook his lunch. At one point there was a considerable amount of blue air in the kitchen. I think I may have put him off. Anyway lunch was very nice.

I am considering my summer holidays at the moment. I may be going to the west coast of France for a week, haven't quite worked out when. And then my son wants to go to Cyprus to stay with a friend - so not sure what I will do then. All this of course depends on the ex looking after the house and the dog. If not then I have to stump up the kennel fees as well, which would be a bit of a pain. So I need to finish my massage course and get some clients so that I can earn some extra money.

Why is it that men tink they have the right to be reminded about things. Why cant they be like women and just ask outright. And why is it we feel guilty when we don't remind them. Well enough trying to fathom a mans mind.

I have a friend who has passed the first of three exams today - he seems surprised, I am not. He is very discplined when it comes to study so he deserves the pass. I am not disciplined when it cmes to study so in reality should never pass anything and shouldn't be surprised when I don't. I have passed this ability not to study on to my son. He also does anything he can not to study, but has the annoying habit of getting top marks. Grrrrr.

Well today has been successful so far. I did the minimum of housework, then went shopping. I have shopped in Ikea, Makros, Staples, HMV and Morrisons. In Morrisons I was called darling so the red hair is working - perhaps the saying should be redheads have more fun! I bought a couple of CDs in HMV - Paul Weller Hit Parade and Pink Floyd Echoes. I am off round the Church now to do some bits and pieces and will play these new CDs just to check that they are OK.

Yesterday was my birthday and to celebrate I had lunch with my sister. Now my sister lives in southeast London. I decided yeaterday that I would go by public transport on the basis that I could then have a few glasses of wine. Everything was absolutely fine with the first part of the journey. Then I got on a 291. This is a small hopper bus. I sat down and then this young woman sat next to me. I say next to me, one of her legs was on top of mine. I tried squeezing over towards the window - but everytime I moved so did she. I am grateful that she only stayed on for three stops before removing herself from my leg and the bus. so back to lunch - I say lunch it started at 2pm and went on till about 9ish. It was a highly pleasant and civilised affair with two bottles of wine and a rather large Baileys to finish. We had a real girly giggle about a whole load of things including a particular text which only consisted of one word - 'shit'. Now you know who you are and I will never mention it again.

This morning I have woken without any hangover. While typing this I am trying to decide what I need to do first. The task list consists of all my favourites, housework, shopping, washing etc. I also need to take my guitar round the Church and do a sound check on the new sound sytsem we have bought. I think I will save that for later.

I am back to work next week, although I have two days away at Sunningdale which is the civil service training centre. I have to say I am not sure whether I really want to go, but it is a compulsory course so I have no choice.

And there is always next weekend to look forward to - washing, housework, shopping - deep joy.

I have spent the day being ridiculed about my hair. On Monday I had it highlighted - I emphasise the highlighted. The colour chosen for said highlights was a dark blonde, however it appears all and sundry think I am now ginger. In fact one friend, and I use the word loosely has gone from assuirng me on Tuesday that it was not ginger to spending today telling me it is ginger. I almost succumbed this evening to buying an all over dye and going completely dark blonde but then panicked and wondered whether it would just go bright ginger all over. I think the problem lies in the fact that although my hair is brownish with lots of grey (hence the idea of the highlights to cover the grey) there is an awful lot of red in it anyway, so the dark blonde highlights have just emphasised the fact. Well I have decided I dont care and will remain in this semi-red head state and if it is still as red at glastonbury then at least my friends will be able to pick me out from a distance.

Tomorrow I am going to my sisters for lunch - I have decided not to take the car and then I can have a good drink. possibly get drunk and then I won't have to remember how old I am, although I am not as old as some.

Also what is is about boys, men and playstation games (or any games for that matter). It brings out the worst in them all. Although watching some men practically reduced to tears because they are being beaten by a child is entertainment in its itself. So although I personally find the games boring the people watching opportunities they provide are endless.

If anyone happens to see the radio reporter tonight he probably wont be able to move because I suspect he has eaten the whole loaf of bread that he made this afternoon. Well if he ends up with stomach ache it is his own fault - I warned him not to eat it all.

I'm off to eat my dinner now - cauliflower cheese and roast potatoes.

The vestry is painted and looks very nice - if I say so myself. Just a quick word to the one who took three months to decorate a toilet - it has taken me one day to decorate a 4m x 4.5m room. All we need now is for the furniture to arrive so that everything can be put back. The vicar is pleased because he can now go out on the Olympic site tomorrow rather than paint. Although he is the vicar of our church he is also chaplain to the Olympic development and loves to go and get all muddy on the site. So he will be out and about tomorrow.

I have also managed to do some work for my real job today and will need to finish that tomorrow morning and email it off. All in all a highly successful day.

I spent an hour at lunchtime with two fifteen year olds who were discussing what they were up to for the day. I am not prepared to repeat what they were telling me for fear of shocking any readers. Suffice it to say I was shocked and it takes a lot to shock me.

I have just checked my radio presenter friend's blog and see he has already apologised about the stratford comments therefore please ignore my request for an apology - that teaches me to check before moaning. Also I notice that he mentions the game boom - it is unsettling to sit on the tube with someone playing this game although quite fun to pick out the potential bombers. My particular favourite was the middle-aged grey haired women who was carrying a large rucksack and had a definitely shifty look about her

Yesterday I found myself in Woolwich drinking coffee outside a well-known coffee shop. Can i just say a certain radio presenter needs to apologise for his comments about Stratford. And then yesterday evening I went to a meeting about the Olympic development - I have to say I find the whole thing very exciting especially as the vicar at my church is the Olympic Development Chaplain or padre (for any military types). Although as with any of these open public meetings you always get the odd balls. Oh and the radio presenter was still looking dodgy Monday morning after his Friday excess.

Today I have been taking Church rubbish to the dump and ordering enw furniture for the office. An enjoyable experience. Tomorrow I am painting the office and getting it ready for the new furniture. I also need to write a paper for work and finish my latest two assignments for my sports massage and injuries course. So plenty to so tomorrow,but there is no rugby training so I have all day and all evening.

I think on the whole my weeks annual leave is being very fruitful and if that is all not enough I have not had a cigarette since Monday - all in all a great week.

Well the boy is off at his rugby tournament and after a brilliant start yesterday they got beaten today and the semi-final game was abandoned. So they are rightly disappointed.

On a brighter note after two and a bit hours of me and my secretary ringing the seeetickets booking line I managed to get my ticket for glastonbury. Hooray - I am so happy. I have never been before and have always wanted to go and being single again gives me the opportunity to do what I want. I also managed to book my friends ticket who is in the same position as me and she is also now absolutely over the moon that we are going. So two ageing rockers will be at the festival along with many other aging rockers I expect.

What have I done with the rest of my weekend. Well I spent yesterday with a very hungover radio presenter which was totally self-inflicted. I have to say the words 'without a brain' come to mind. After all who drinks the major part of three bottles of whisky the night before doing a radio show. Having said that he was very impressive on the radio and I'm sure none of the listeners would have guessed what a wreck he was. Today he is not much better but at least the colour had returned to his cheeks - which is encouraging.

I have sat and watched 'Big' this afternoon and helped myself to a couple of whisky's and may go round friends this evening. If I do then I will probably be in a worse state than the radio presenter by tomorrow morning - which is not a good thing, but I am on holiday so don't actually have to get up for anything.

Hooray the course is finished and final exam taken - find out if I've passed in about 3 weeks. It was a bit sad saying goodbye to the all the others on the course. Alhtough today they nominated me the course teenager on the basis that I text a lot and have a blog - Oh and i'm hoping to go to Glastonbury.

Apparently the comment about the new group on facebook for women who had been screwed over by men left at least one of my male friends pleading that he is not a fuckwit. Well I know that and so will everyone that knows him, however most of these men do not start out in this position. They end up there because of an error of judgement and I have to say it has to be a fairly big error of judgement. What I would say is that this is a group for women and therefore it doesn't really matter what you men think - it will be our group and no men will be allowed - hope that gets you all clear on the matter.

Child and his father are away for the weekend so I am sitting in a relatively quiet house - except for the police helicopter hovering overhead - do they not realise how bloody noisy they are. I especially do not appreciate them in the middle of the night when they shine their search lights in through my window. I know they have a job to do but honestly.

Tomorrow I get to drive around a lot so that should be fun - only hope the navigator knows where he is going otherwise he will be late and I will be in a really foul temper. But I have bought him some chocolate although he seemed to think that the two bars and the buttons from Hotel Chocolat were all for him - greedy pig! I have put him straight on that - he will be lucky if he gets a single button now. I will have to consider the options.

Miraculously I managed to past the first exam yesterday. It was multiple guess, but even so I am shocked. Today was spent preparing for the exam tomorrow. I must remidn myself not to sign up for these things.

Back to the home front - last night was blissfully quiet - only one teenage boy and it gets better coz hes away with his dad for the weekend on a rugby tour. Wont know what to do with myself, mainly because I wont be running round trying to keep a semblance of order - once i tidy up tomorrow afternoon it will stay tidy.

However tomorrow evening I am off to cubs to run through a song with them for the District AGM and then on to the Newham Swimming Club for the committee meeting. So not much fun in any of that.

I have a question and would be grateful for any thoughts - why do men never grow up. They continue to behave in a way that beggars belief at times. If I did something regularly that resulted in agonising pain I would give it up, but men continue and then expect sympathy. Not that I mind giving the sympathy I just dont understand the mind that is happy to do this to its owner. Also me and a number of girlfriends are thinking of setting up a group on facebook - it will be a self help group for all women who have been screwed over by men. At the moment we are thinking of a title - one that has been suggested is 'all men are fuckwits' however I feel that this is a little strong as there are some good ones out there (that is until they piss you off - then they to become a fuckwit).

Well better get off and do some more studying -- I will be so glad when this course is over

Well I am in to day two of the course. The tutor might as well be talking Russian for all the sense its making. Last night I had two hours of homework - what am I 15. Then the boy came in with his mate, nicked my tea, packed his bag and went off to his friends for the night. I did the mock test - mutliple guess. Ended up on the phone till midnight or thereabouts listening to a ranting online poker player. Poker on the internet might be fun bit over the phone it loses something. But I enjoyed the conversation - such a lovely voice. Anyway i then woke up at 5 this morning. I have no idea why so I am now knackered. I have two more hours of homework tonight and tomorrow an exam - hooray can't wait. I am still trying to work out why I thought this might be useful. My only consolation is that I will have a qualification at the end of it and one that is recognised internationally and at some time in the future, i.e when the boy has left home it might help me to emigrate. Not sure where yet, just as long as its warm.

Tonight I have the dubious pleasure of three 15 year olds sleeping in the house. I have got pizzas and snax for them - I know its not healthy but to be honest I am too tired to care. So tomorrow morning the living room will smell and I will have to be very quiet when I leave for work.

Well must dash got homework to do.