Three Words

In three words, I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.  Robert Frost

Work was marginally better this week, but not by much.  Still working on the new life plan, R was always good with plans, maybe I should get him to work on my conundrum.

I had the best nights sleep on Friday night, the best for two weeks in fact.  The nights continue to draw out, it's still light at 6pm now so we're getting there.  Amazon sales are going well, it's a great way to de-clutter and anything that doesn't sell soon will go to charity, I am however sick of visiting the post office, think I've been there three times this week. 

Eating has been horrible, well, I suppose it depends on how you look at it, it's only been horrible if Twix for breakfast is a bad thing.  Jeans are starting to groan under the strain though so need to get a grip soon.

Aiming for daily jogging again after weeks of slacking off, Thursday was the first night I got home and actually felt like it rather than making myself do it but then, the sun was shining, the sky was blue, amazing what Spring can do.  On a Saturday and Sunday, I tend to get up and "just do it."  Too much thought can lead to me presenting myself with a fairly good argument to not do it at present.

Thinking of ebay-ing unwanted clothes next, wonder if I still have those perpetual black Christmas Do pants?  I think they actually went to trouser heaven a long time ago.  Remember those work pants that you told me to put in the charity bag when I was over there with you?  ...never mind.

Mr Regular asked; "why no laptop?"  I explained that I enjoy writing the old fashioned way then go home and re-do it all again on the laptop!  Barbara Taylor Bradford does this too you know?  Only she has an assistant type it up.

I hit a few jewellery shops on Saturday, can't tell you how nervous I was, legs had gone, stomach had gone.  It reminded me of the last interview I had for promotion, I was so nervous I thought I was going to pass out.  Anyway I digress, the first place I went into, I must have waited for ten minutes as the owner was with a customer then when I did get to ask, it was a flat out "no," didn't even want to see the samples.  Second was a no also but only because he only stocked gold and silver which is fair enough and he was kind enough to point me in the direction of a place that may be interested.  This was quite an achievement as I stumbled over my words so much I'm amazed he knew what I was trying to ask, not even sure if I was speaking in English.

Third place stocked very similar items with virtually no mark up, can only imagine they're made by millionaires who create for the love of it and not to make any kind of living, so that was another no however, their bridal supplier doesn't do a large range and doesn't do tiaras at all so the owner wants me to take some bridal samples in for her to see!  The last stop ummed and ahhhhhhed over the samples and said they'd check out the website and get back to me.  I think it may ultimately be a no thank you but at least they considered it.

Had fish and chips with B for lunch then home to regain feeling in legs, take new pictures of jewellery and tinker with the website, they've made it far more user friendly than it was when I was building the site so it's now less of a trauma to add moves, pictures etc.

Sunday my alarm woke me just before 7am and it was light!  I jogged for an hour then did five minutes of stretching with yoga man on the TV, same man as last week only not on a shoreline this week but instead, on  a luscious green hilltop bathed in sunshine.

Looked like it was going to be a nice day but on the way here, I needed the wipers on double speed, it's brightened up a little now but the hat definitely came in handy.  I'm sitting here with a "pike roast," it's nice but strong, think I should return to the tranquility of my green tea soon.

After here, I need to recycle, pop into Sainsbugs, home to probably make and photograph jewellery then it's a toss up between Bondi Rescue and the red carpet runway from the Oscars, both are for research purposes only you understand, red carpet for colours, trends and jewels and Bondi Rescue for...

I Think of You Often

I think of you often, but this week, I haven't been able to get you out of my head and I feel further away from you than ever.  I always think of Australia and New Zealand as, "the same", just like us, like home, only better, yet we thankfully don't have the destructive forces of nature invading our lives on such a dramatic and devastating scale.

I've arrived home every night and immediately pressed the "red button" for the latest update.  I've been sought out this week by work friends, friends from down south, friends from half way around the world, family and of course D, all wanting to check that you and yours were okay, so your ears should have been burning.

It's hard to comprehend why New Zealand and Australia should have taken such a battering from nature in the past six months.  I think we take it for granted over here and we're very lucky in that respect, elsewhere, people know that nature demands respect.  It's almost as if the earth is angry and NZ and Oz are bearing the brunt through no fault of their own.

It doesn't seem right to waffle about the mundane when so many lives have been changed in such a sudden and tragic way, so I'll draw a line here for now.  I wish my arms could reach you right now x

Po atarau
E moea iho nei
E haere ana
Koe ki pamamao
Haere ra
Ka hoki mai ano
Ki i te tau
E tangi atu nei

Now is the hour,
when we must say goodbye
Soon you'll be sailing,
far across the sea.
While you're away,
Oh please remember me.
When you return,
you'll find me waiting here.

20th

Yet another blanket of dense, grey cloud this morning with full headlights required to get me here, I wonder if God knits these blankets especially for the weekend? I long to see a slither of sunshine.


Flicking through my notepad in order to find a place without words, I've stumbled upon my Bucket List. I only have six things on it so far, maybe I should aim higher and wider, throw caution to the wind and see what blows back and hits me in the face?


I'm sitting here with a skinny capp as they were out of filters to, you know... filter, it's a nice change actually, haven't had one for a while.


I managed to get the slideshow working through trial and error, think I could get a job in IT? I could be the specialist for the lost and bemused.


I ran for an hour this morning, it felt relatively "easy", imagine how great it'll feel when the weather is a little friendlier and summer is calling?


Found a channel this morning called "Body in Balance." The yoga teacher had a really soothing voice and an amazing body, doing yoga on a gorgeous shoreline, what a way to wake up! After about five minutes, I found myself standing in front of the TV on one leg with my foot resting against the knee of my standing leg, you kind of get sucked in! I can only imagine that the yoga teacher; "Eddie" I know, he didn't look like an Eddie, well, I imagine he was a contortionist in a previous life because some of those postions he was holding were amazing. I would love to be able to stretch out like that, I feel like a concertina in comparison, I probably look like one.


I suddenly feel the need to explain the adverts. I allow the adverts to appear on here but do not choose what appears. Apparently they scan the blog for content and decide what gets advertised. I thought it was really funny yesterday when I spotted an ad about bed wetting! Where did they get that from? Can I just say that bed wetting is not funny but the fact that they associated it to the blog was? It will probably show up again now...twice.


Today, I'm going to create my special egg tartlets and this week, I'm going to make a concerted effort with the diet, complex carbs, protein, veggies... here I come. My body is a temple, and only slightly ruinous but not without the ability to recover.  


Wearing Pandora necklace again today, forgot earrings, feel naked.

Usual date with the Bondi Rescue boys this afternoon, then that's pretty much the weekend over with!


Spell check has disappeared, hope not two many mistakes. ;)

Love you x

Freezing

Good Morning Sweet Pea.  It's been bitterly cold all week, just when I thought that we were gingerly edging into Spring, we seem to have slipped backwards weather wise, some parts of the country have had snow again overnight but not us thankfully.  I'm here in Starbucks, waiting for my filter to materialise so that I can use it to defrost my yellow, lifeless fingers.

Work has been awful this week peaking at "hellish" yesterday, and while I did feel like I'd been through the wringer by the time I got home yesterday, today, I actually feel spurred on to make some significant changes, (feel free to make suggestions.)

Today is the first day I've jogged since last Sunday, been totally cream crackered every night and been in bed by 7pm on the dot.  Maybe my iron is a little low after donating a few weeks ago. 

Coffee has arrived, fingers are a-tingling.

Woke at 2am this morning and rose at 3.30, most annoying when I don't have to be up at that time!

Watched "Phil Down Under" last night, do you fancy being a yoga teacher?  The relocated yoga teacher featured last night runs 40 classes a week and earns close to £100k per year, I'm sure I could do that, as could you, we need a bit of calm in our lives!  Anyway, Phil was in Sydney, apparently the 9th best city in the world to live in and the 3rd most expensive, typical.  Speaking of Aussies, the Bondi Rescue boys may be hitting the UK on a promotional tour, it would be rude of me not to support the visit would it not?

Almost took the scissors to the head this morning, you  know when it tips over the point of no return and you can't do a thing with it?  Well, I reached and plummeted over that point this week taking shelter in a pony tail yesterday... I know.  So, there I was standing in front of the mirror after my shower, having divided wet hair into two bunches, clutching one wet bunch and one hand with the blades of the scissors open and ready to close in on the length, but then I chickened out and so I trimmed the fringe instead.

Today I've ditched the tired looking, light grey woollen beanie in favour of a black "news boy" cap, I think that's what it's called or do I mean "baker boy"? You'll know what I mean.  I can see why celebs favour them, passers by can't see you and you can't see a blinking thing!

I've made some jewellery this week in between getting home from work and falling asleep but I haven't summoned the gumption to approach anyone about stocking it yet, still not convinced anyone would want to but nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.

I need a diet overhaul, not in the losing weight sense but in the sense of; "remind me what a vegetable is again?" sense.  No wonder I don't have any energy.  A friend in work likened my diet to that of a student, I think that was after the cup-a-soup for tea revelation.

So, the King's Speech "swept the boards" at the Baftas!  Favourite man of the night; Tom Ford, (sorry Mr Firth although thrilled you won,) and favourite acceptance speech; Helena Bonham Carter for Best Supporting Actress, priceless.

You may have noticed that my slideshow has stopped working, I added more pics last week and it immediately refused to load properly so guess what I'll be doing this afternoon?

p.s.  playing about with the font, hmmmmmmm

13th

Slept great last night, and late, didn't get up until gone 7.  Jogged for 40 minutes, showered, toast with marmalade with ginger and a black coffee then off to the usual Sunday morning experience.  We're under the cover of a rather soggy blanket of grey cloud again.  By the time I got home yesterday, the brilliant sunshine had been replaced by dank cloud so still no new jewellery pictures.  I did manage to wrangle with Photobucket and upload some pics on here though, did you notice?  Just NZ at present but it'll be a compilation of anything and everything so stand by!

I'm sitting here in my usual spot in Starbucks, strategically situated under the best lighting to show off some bracelets just waiting for someone to say; "excuse me but I must ask, where did you get your bracelets from?"  Hasn't worked so far but you can't blame me for trying. 

Need to recycle today, visit more sickos on the way home then once back, I'll see what I can conjure on the creative front.  I have my Sunday afternoon date with a Bondi Rescue marathon followed by the last ever Candleford episode and then the Baftas for some frock envy, then that will be another weekend over.  Why are Saturday and Sunday the shortest days of the week?

Another Saturday

Good Morning Sweetie, it's a lovely, bright day here so far and not too cold.  The working week has been pretty bad and by Wednesday, I felt like I was ready to start snapping at people... if I wasn't already.  I've been managing my old team and trying to set up a new one in a different location and it was just too much.  Anyway, by Friday, I'd moved on to my new team and while it has some issues, I think this will be a far less demanding role, I've just jinxed myself haven't I?  My old team bought me wine and Green & Blacks chocolates, my favourite!  They know me so well.  So sweet as they only knew for sure that I'd be moving the day before I moved so I was really touched.  I haven't worked out as much this week, or slept particularly well, but next week should be better!

I watched Phil Down Under again last night, some of the houses were just spectacular, I would have felt quite at home in at least two of them!  I think they were on the Gold Coast.  One of the couples featured were from Grimsby, (if memory serves,) and they'd opened a fish and chip shop which they were just about to franchise and also a store selling British produce, they were doing a roaring trade amongst the ex-pats and I've decided this is what you and R should do, you could also stock my jewellery!

Speaking of which, a friend from work thinks I should approach some local jewellers about stocking some creations.  I've decided to give it a whirl, if they say no, then they say no, if they say yes, you'd better get my room ready.

I woke early this morning, around 5.20am, had a slice of toast with butter and marmalade with ginger, (sales are dramatically down so I'm doing my bit to boost said sales,) and a black coffee.  Jogged for an hour, showered, had slice of toast with marmalade and ginger and another black coffee then stripped bed and put  a wash load in, shopped and now I'm you know where with a filter coffee.

During the week, I caught the first episodes of Blue Bloods, (I only watched as it stars Tom Selleck who I've had a very soft spot for since the Magnum days,) and the new Hawaii Five-O, that's good, has funny moments and it's worth tuning in for Scott Caan alone...you have been warned.

Going to attempt to upload some pics onto here, who knows how it'll turn out but I think pics will personalise.  Back before you know it x

I Passed!

It's Saturday 5th February, just around 9.30am and I'm here in my usual Starbucks currently filter coffee-less as it's not ready, I've already stripped my bed, put a wash load in, jogged for an hour, food shopped ingredients to make spag bol tonight and now I'm here eager to chat to you! Mr Regular has just asked if I'm the next J K Rowling, I've promised to buy him a coffee when I publish!

Tuesday was MOT day and I got to the garage at 7.25am only to discover another car in front of me! How dare they! Garage doesn't even open until 8. Around 8, the owner came over to tell me that there had been a breakdown on the bridge and the tester was stuck the wrong side of it with no idea when he would make it over, sod's law. Still, an hour and a half later I'd passed! Such a relief as it failed last year and lets be honest, it's getting on a bit now. The only thing that needed tweaking was a rather apologetic squeak which was supposed to be the horn. G very kindly then did a service and in total, after 5 hours, it was running like a dream.

Last weekend I uploaded around 40 DVDs and Cd's onto Amazon to sell. I've sold two DVDs so far and it was so exciting and so much less boring than doing a car boot sale and I feel better for de-cluttering, even if it was only by two DVDs!

The plant that can't be destroyed, also known as; honeysuckle, has new, pale green, Fleur De Lis shaped shoots sprouting from where it was savagely, (and deservedly,)cut down to last summer and it's making a break for the top of the patio wall as we speak. It never ceases to amaze me. Speaking of the patio, it's in a pretty dire state, it's been left to it's own devices for too long and needs gutting really.

I've been driving myself nuts every evening this week, trying to perfect an "opposite" triple barrel sliding knot. I can do a triple barrel knot on a bracelet but can't do the opposite and essential one! It's like trying to do the hardest cryptic crossword and I hate cryptic clues, my brain just doesn't work that way. Anyway, I will perfect as I think the friendship bracelets look better with the triple knot... watch this space.

Work was not great, I was only in for three days this week and expected them to be easy breezy. Instead, I returned to work and got thrown in at the deep end picking up the pieces of a sickness absence since early Tuesday. By Thursday I was feeling unappreciated and on Friday, one of my friends provided "stress relief," in the shape of a bottle of pinot gregio, my friends know me so well.

Thursday I donated blood successfully, first time since last May as my iron is usually too low to spare any. Speaking of which madam, you need to include some of the following in your diet if you don't already do so; http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/healthy_diet/iron_rich_food.htm

I only jogged for 10 minutes on Wednesday as arms and legs felt heavy and uncooperative, I gave myself Thursday off due to blood donation and I gave myself Friday off because, well, it was Friday. I was however up at 6.15 this morning and I managed an hours jogging before disaster struck and iPod became unresponsive, didn't have time to investigate so need to sort and hopefully fix on my return home.

I've started doing "the plank" every night as my arms, never that impressive in the first place are starting to look like two pieces of wet string hanging by my sides, and I want them to look strong and shapely ready for summer! Also doing press ups against the wall and yes...I have headbutted the wall a few times.

Do you get The Biggest Loser US over there? I love the trainers Bob and Jillian but I lurve Bob. Bob's website; www.mytrainerbob.com is packed full of useful information and brilliant videos demonstrating exercises and correct form. I've visited the site quite a bit this week and there are lots of interesting articles and form tips, I'd love for Bob to shout at me in a gym one day. Back to The Biggest Loser and I do of course have my favourites, I think we're on Season 9 and I'm rooting for cousins, Koli and Sam who've impressed me from episode one.

I loved your email reminiscing about "the old days." I vividly remember T's Russian hair extensions and I truly believe she was possessed by the previous owner while she had them in! While I don't think this would happen to you, you have a high hairline and I'm sure you could keep it looking good during that painful growing out phase without the extensions, what other treat could you use the money on? As for me and mine, at present it's about 5cm past shoulder length with very long layers, I haven't had layers around my face this long since, well...can't remember! Also have a heavy, full fringe which I'm trying to cultivate a little as hairdresser got a little carried away on last visit and one side of the fringe ended up shaped differently than the other. Seems wavier than it used to be but maybe that's just because I don't have the time to blow dry and flat iron it straight anymore. GHD's packed up months ago and the new ones just don't cut the mustard.

I go to work each morning looking like a cross between Heidi and Hilda Ogden. Picture me having blasted head dry, dividing into two bunches then outwardly twisting bunches and pinning to top of head then applying woolly hat. I know... gorgeous. Thank goodness it's pitch dark when I'm walking to work, not sure what I'll do when clocks spring forward, suggestions on a postcard please. One morning, I also accidentally carried a clementine in my hat while I was wearing it, can you imagine if I'd been run over? The shame.

Anyway, I get to work and unleash the twists and I have 1970's Charlie's Angels-Farrah Fawcett hair going on. It's unpredictable and sometimes I unpin, shake and think oh dear but hey, who's looking? I'm using Pantene Smooth and Sleek shampoo at present as it's doing it's darnedest to resemble wire wool, they really need to invent and release an industrial version for the folically challenged.

I'd better stop for now with the chat but I've had a ball! I'll be back soon, love you x