Go Wasps

Today I was off to Twickers with the boy, a good friend and his son to watch the Guinness Premiership Final. It was a pretty good game with Wasps dominating the first half and looking certain to win. But Leicester came out in the second half and fought back. In the end though the lacklustre performance of Leicester was no match for the wasps and their outgoing captain.

I have to say I have never seen Twickenham so full even for international matches and the atrmosphere was great. At the end of the day Wasps deserved to win and it was a fitting end to a great career.

Christmas comes early

A busy day today. Started off trying to get into work from Stratford, which was rammed with all the plebs off the overground trying to fit on to the central line. In the end I gave up and went to Waterloo on the Jubilee and then on a bus to work. The only reason I was going in was to complete an application that needs to be in tomorrow. Then off to Leather Lane for a bit of retail therapy with my sis. I had barely got in when my companion for the evening rang to ask what time we had arranged to meet. As we hadn't arranged a time we agreed to meet in 45 minutes at Waterloo.

After an hour and a half queuing in the rain at the TV studios we were in to watch a recording of QI. What I failed to notice but everyone else did was the Christmas set. I only noticed once I sat down. It was a great show and well worth the wait, although a little surreal to be sitting on a set with Christmas trees and fake snow in May.

After the show off to get something to eat, my companion complaining that he was starving. He proceeded to show me just how starving he was by eating most of the dough balls, his pizza and half of mine followed by a dessert ( I will add at this point that he only ate half my pizza coz I couldn't finish it-I probably could have but then I wouldn't have been able to have my favourite dessert). Then there was the saga of the coffee, which I am sure will be the subject of a rant and possibly a letter of complaint to pizza express.

So that was my day - I really can't go into the bizarre three way conversation via text with commando girl regarding farting, coughing and sneezing. If you want to know you will just have to ask.

So surprisingly I didnt go and watch my friend in her race - the weather really wasn't suitable. This was good news for the boy because he got the massage he's been after so he was happy. Decided that since the weather was so bad I would go and strip and polish the floors round the Church. Which I have done- well stripped them at least. Some of the floors have one coat of polish - but I need to get some more so there will be a trip to Welling tomorrow. I can already feel my back aching so I will have to have a long soak tonight.

What other exciting things have I planned for the week - well some essay writing needs to be done and then there is a shopping trip on Thursday to Leather Lane and then a night out watching a tv recording. So all in all not too bad a week and best of all - no work!

Victoria Park was excellent. I arranged to meet up with Miss Tearful, Mother Fuck-up and Commando Girl and her kids. I arrived forst and was happily laying on the grass listening to the music and watching the seven fireman in front of me when they arrived. For some reason the firemen disappeared - now I'm not saying my friends scared them off, but yo udo have to ask the question......

Two goes on the waltzer ride which were great, a tattoo, two bracelets and a good wander later we headed of back to commando girls place. Here I played on the trampoline, drank wine adn eat pie and mash. What a great way to spend an afternoon and an evening. I'm sure I shall regret the trampoline in the morning, especially playing horse rides on it - I suspect my back will be a little sore...........

So today i met a friend for coffee. He was very quiet, which is unusual, in fact very unusual. So i made the most of it and talked for England which I am very good it. However the highlight was leaving the shop. My 'athletic' friend tried to step over a rope barrier and the result - fortunately just a minor stumble but it made the women at the next table laugh and to be honest so did I - a lot, in fact it has kept me amused most of the afternoon.

Other than that my day has been the normal drudge of a day - but I now have a week off - so hooray and tomorrow is Eurovision - always good for a laugh and Monday I am off to watch a friend run a 10k race (albeit she expects a massage at the end). i might go to Vicotria Park tomorrow they have a victorian thing on with refurbished steam fairground rides and other things so that could be worth a wander round.

As for the rest of the week - lots of lay-ins and essay writing, a bit of proper work and not much else.

Brilliant, fantastic, mind-blowing - what else can i say. It was absolutely out of this world. Roger Waters is a genius. there was tons of pyrotecnics, lights and the of course the pig and an added bonus of an astronaut floating round the O2. Apparently not everyone was as enthralled coz one guy was asleep - according to my companion who went off during the break to talk to a fellow student. All I can say is I am glad I was there. Not quite sure why people left before the end because the finale of Comfortably Numb was definitely worth the wait.

At to end the evening I made two new friends from Harold Hill - John and his mate nuiscance. Admittedly they were drunk but they were a laugh and made the bus journey to Stratford one to remember, especially nuiscance who decided that i needed company on my seat.

I still can't hear properly so excuse me if I don't answer your texts or the phone. Right off to listen to PF while laying in a nice hot bath.

Right companion has contacted me and so I am not going on my own tonight and as suspected, having now checked out all the local hotels - none have any availability for tonight. Note to self - when planning a night out try and think of everything.

I can't believe it's Monday already, although today I don't mind. Tonight I am off to see Roger Waters and I can't wait, although if my companion for the evening doesn't answer the text soon I may find myself going on my own. I will update tomorrow on whether it was any good! haha!

I am also not worried about it being Monday because I don't have to go into work tomorrow and so it doesn't matter what time I get home tonight I can have a lay in. If I'd thought about it before I would have booked a hotel and then I wouldn't have had to go home at all - which would have been even better. So all in all a very good Monday.

I will have a gripe here though about Essex drivers. On Saturday I sat at a set of lights in Basildon, behind someone who was obviously colour blind. They sat at the green light - with me banging on the car horn - and then just as the light turned amber they pulled away. Needless to say I then did not have time to get away before the light turned red. This was shortly followed by a car turning right onto the dual carriageway along which I was driving. As he crossed the ccentral reservation I thought to myself 'he's definitely seen me'. Oh how wrong I was as I mounted the pavement and pulled back on to the road in order to avoid smashing into the side of his car. I have a feeling that I will not be driving in Essex for a while.

Well the week started out not too bad, but since Wednesday I have had a bad back. After attempting to go into work yesterday and then coming home I have decided today to stay at home.

The Metro has a lot to answer for. I note that a friend of mine has reproduced the article that was in the said paper yesterday morning regarding scoring your wife. Now whilst the ex might not agree, I think I could score quite high on this document, I might struggle with the having a hot dinner ready, coz one I am not the worlds best cook, and two unless I am in the mood I dont really enjoy it, but the rest I am pretty good at - so if anyone's looking.....+

Well the weekend turned out to be rather busy. Thankfully the talc on the doorstep and windowsill has curbed the ant invasion. Just have to remember to keep it topped up.

Saturday it was up the rugby club with two of my girlfriends, commando girl and Miss Tearful to watch some live bands. They were all very good (as was I - stuck to water all night). The last band - Boyld Pig - did a number of cover versions all heavy rock or punk. So inevitably there was some head banging and pogoing, much to the horror of Miss Tearful, who is only 18. I think it was the fact that I hadn't been drinking that finally did it for her. Oh and there was the beer spilt on a shirt - which I helpfully suggested the owner should suck out so as not to waste it........

Then Sunday was presentation day at the club. So of we trotted again this time with Mother fuck-up in tow as well. She was busy Staurday night. The weather was glorious and we had a great time, although I'm not sure quite how it happened but I ended up giving two shoulder massages. Then back to CG's house and sat in the garden with cheap bubbly, won the night before, with a strawberry. There was of course the trampolining, but the least said about that the better. And then it was off home with the boy and tucked up asleep by 10:30 (wondering how sore I was going to be in the morning)

Answer to last question is that at 42 pogoing and trampolining play havoc with your knees and a low cut dress results in sunburn.

The ant invasion has subsided - for now. I have been out and about this mornign - its really hot. I bumped into someone I haven't seen for years. The scouts are using our church for an event today and I went round for somethings else to see an old friend who I knew when I was a kid. Turns out she lives in Beckton now. So we had a bit of a chat and a catch up. Maybe we will meet up again for a longer chat.

This morning there has been murder in my kitchen. I knew it was coming, the signs have been there. The hot weather was the final straw. This morning I awoke to find the annual ant invasion had started - so I have spent half an hour killing every one I can find. I will now have to sprinkle talc all over the back step and the kitchen wibdowsill and that will be the end of it. Bloody things - who do they think they are!!

And to those who hav3e been following my random thoughts - I passed the exam that I took a few weeks ago. Hoorah!! Oh and I now find that the work I have been doing for the past 6 months is normally done by Business Analysts - so the question is can I call myself a business analyst - sounds good and I am sure that they get paid more than me!

Something I forgot to mention yesterday. Even though it was me that arranged the place and time for lunch yesterday I managed to end up at the wrong location. The problem being there are two pubs in/near fleet street with a similar name - The Cheshire Cheese and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. I have been to the latter before and therefore am bemused why I felt it was necesasry to get a map. But I did get one and ended up at the former. I became worried because I didnt recognise it, however just put that down to a greater excess than I had previously remembered. It was only when my friend rang me from and said she was at the latter that it all became clear.

I suppose I should be worried because unfortunately this is not an isolated incident. But I cannot say my life is uninteresting, I find out of the way places I would never have found any other way and it gives other people something to laugh at. So all in all I would rather be like this than any other way.

On a more positive note....

I woke up this morning feeling quite positive. I have no idea why perhaps its the sunny weather that has finally warmed away any vestiges of winter sadness. This surprisingly good mood led to laughter in the house even before I left. I woke the boy at 6:45 as normal - there was as normal little physical movement just a bit of grunting and moaning. At 6:50 I removed his quilt from his bed and the bedroom, again to little physical movement and a lot of grunting. At this point I warned him that if he was not out of the bed in 5 minutes a wet flannel would find its way into the bed. Sure enough 5 minutes later boy and cold wet flannel were introduced. And the language!! Still his indignation amused me no end. Perhaps tomorrow we will have movement at an earlier stage.

I met my friend for lunch and we had a really good gossip catching up on each others lives. Its amazing how much changes in a few short months. We also went for a wander along leather lane and found some really good bargains in the market - namely jewellery. Although there were some great clothes so I might go back tomorrow and see if there is anything there for saturday night - the rugby club music night. Which sounds crass but I understand the bands playing are really good.

Then there was the discussion with a colleague at work who is also going to Glastonbury. He was meant to be going with his son, but unfortunately his son cannot get authorised time off from school so now he is going with a friend. It is his first time at the festival and so like me he is very excited. You never know we might even bump into each other.

This afternoon I had a great time at the London Dungeon. If you haven't been you must go. The real highlight was when Jack the Ripper jumped out on one of the visitors who screamed and screamed while the rest of us fell about laughing but only because we were relieved it wasn't us. At the end of the visit is a ride which raises you up in the air and then drops vertically. This was fine except I had a skirt which flew up as I flew down - thankfully the picture taken did not capture this moment. After the Dungeon it was off to a restaurant near Waterloo and some nice Meze and a beer - I refrained from the cocktails - only because I thought I would have to take the boy rugby. So at 5 I left the party and came home only to find the boys father already home. Apparently he has been to look at a flat so had come home early. Unfortunately the flat is not acceptable so there is no party here tonight. I am seriously thinking we may have to sell the house and me and the boy get our own flat nearer his school, perhaps then we can start living a reasonably normal life.

Anyway off of that boring subject. Tomorrow evening I am at my sisters, however that is after a boozy lunch with a friend, whom I haven't seen since before Christmas. I am really looking forward to seeing her and I know we will spend the afternoon catching up on each others lives.

I might even arrange a dogwalking date with her.

TFL what a joke

My day wasn't going too bad - I managed to do a load of preparatory work for some strategies and plans and then my new massage table arrived. So everything was going really well. And then I rang TFL....... Why you might ask. Well the boy's Oyster card has failed - its just stopped working (probably taking its lead from its owner). Anyway I rang the helpline, who gstated that they could not cancel and I had to go through to another department and then promptly cut me off. So second attempt they managed to put me through - the guy was really helpful, and explained that i could get a new card for him and I could reclaim any fares incurred in the intervening period. So far so good - unfortunately the software they use for replacing was not working so he suggested I went back to the main helpline who would be able to replace it. Back to the helpline who can replace it - however only if I pay £10. I will not pay £10 so back to the failed cards department who suggest I try again in a couple of hours when there software might be working. So 20 minutes later and I am no further forward grrrrrr.

I wouldn't mind but to me this whole oyster card thing for kids has just been a real rip-off. Because the boy uses a train to school he always has a travelcard on his oyster card and the price of this did not reduce when the oyster cards were introduced - so he has never had free travel. In fact because a number of them have been stolen I have paid more for his travel since these were introduced than I used to pay before.

Back to more pleasant things - when the boy gets in tonight I think I might have to inflict a sports massage on him. I'm sure he won't mind!

Forgot to say earlier - the back is fine as well. So exercise is good for a bad back. Another reason for me not to sit around on my lazy arse all day

So after a bit of a rant yesterday I am feeling considerable better today. I will blame my current mood on PMT - lord alone knows what I'd be like without the oil of evening primrose. Anyway I spent the rest of yesterday tidying the garden, taking rubbish to the dump, although I did forget to take the lawnmower, so there will be a return trip today, studying and acompleting assignments for my sports massage and injuries courses and of course just laying in the sunshine catching a few rays. So actually it wasn't that bad a day, in fact it was a pretty good day.

Having done some investigation on the web - what on earth did we do before the internet- I think I will be spending quite a lot of time at the national portrait gallery. They do a whole host of talks etc and they are at the weekend. So certainly the next three weekends are now filled with three portraits of the day, tudor portraits, a film about kitaj- in the picture (an american artist), jacobean portraits, and 18th century portraits. my art education is beginning - probably rather late - but hey better late than never.

Bank Holidays

I am seriously fed up. I have had the most boring bank holiday ever and to top it all my back is now playing up. I really must sort my life out and do something more interesting at the weekends. Shopping (for food that is- nothing interesting) and acting as chaffeur to my child is not an exciting life - in anyones books. So next weekend I am definitely going to do something interesting - not sure what yet but I will find something and now I am going to sort the garden out - the painkillers are doing a marvellous job on my back so at the moment I feel I can conquer the world. Of course later I probably wont be able to move at all. Never mind I am working at home tomorrow so i wont have to struggle with public transport and a bad back. And you never know the exercise might do my back good.

Had a great evening yesterday whihc made up for the piss poor day. Although we did not get in to see the show we thought we were going to see, if my companion remembers to ring on Tuesday then we will get tickets to QI - I say we - he will get tickets to QI. Must remember to be nice to him so that he takes me along.

Mr ID managed to remain appropriately dressed all day today - he had watched several weather reports and I thought he was finally getting the knack of this dress for the weather thing, but I should have known better. He has gone out this evening without a coat and guess what - yup its rained. I actually think there should be some sort of national weather warning on him or at least he should ring the met office and let them know what he is wearing before he goes out so that they can update the weather reports.

Warning

It appears Mr ID has lost his sense of humour (see comment on previous)

I have just come back from lunch and found this in my email


ATTENTION:

BEWARE AND PROTECT YOURSELF


There is a dangerous virus being passed around electronically, orally
and by hand.

This virus is called Weary-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK). If you
receive WORK from any of your colleagues, your boss, or anyone else via
any means DO NOT TOUCH IT.

This virus will wipe out your private life completely.

If you should come into contact with WORK, put your jacket on and take
two good friends to the nearest corner shop.. Purchase the antidote
known as Work-Isolating-Neutralizer-Extract (WINE) or
Bothersome-Employer-Elimination-Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote
repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.

You should forward this warning to 5 friends. If you do not have 5
friends, you have already been infected...

I think i might need that WINE remedy

Now do I have 5 friends......................

I can honestly today has so far been one of the worst days I have had in work for a long time. I am feeling a little sensitive about a number of things at the moment and certain people within the organisation have managed to irritate on every single one. Oh well at least I am out tonight - hopefully the show will cheer me up.

One of my team here has just noted that it looks like rain - we wonder whether Mr Inappropriately Dressed is out in his shorts. For his benefit here is a 24 hour weather forecast


10:00(Friday)
Sunny intervals.' 13°C

13:00(Friday)
Heavy rain shower.16°C

16:00(Friday)
Light rain shower. 17°C

19:00(Friday)
Sunny intervals. 16°C

22:00(Friday)
Partly cloudy. 13°C

01:00(Saturday)
Clear.' 11°C

04:00(Saturday)
Clear.' 9°C

So he got it wrong again today. Admittedly there was not so much rain today but he managed to be outside when it rained and in his suit and shirt got soaked again. Well I suppose it saves on baths. He really ought to take note of weather reports - its not difficult - its on the front page of the BBC website.

Tomorrow is my last day in work until Wednesday, although I am working at home on Tuesday rather than it being a day off. The good thing about this though is that I can start at 6am work till about 11 and then do some more in the evening if I need to. So the best part of the day is mine to do with as I will.

As for the weekend well I'm out tomorrow evening, Saturday I am going to chill out in the garden (the weather is meant to be hot), I thought I was going out to dinner in the evening but that has fallen through so the evening will be one of tele and snacks. Sunday and Monday well it depends on the weather and what the boy wants to do.

On the subject of the boy - he is off staying at a friends tomorrow night and possibly Saturday night so Saturday I will be home alone. This is not a particularly sensible thing to do as when left alone I have habit of moving things around. I also tidy which then means I get a bit obsessive about putting things away - so the boy may regret his decision to stay away.