Driving Miss Allison

I think I’ve mentioned before that I try to make the most of every moment – I fail miserably but I do try. I also believe in karma and trying to be nicer than sometimes you want to be. I believe that fate only works when you are ‘in action’, you can’t sit around on your sofa waiting for things to happen. If you are in the process of reaching a goal, and something happens that works in your favour or makes your life much easier, that’s fate. If there is a higher power, they don’t like lazy buggers. So if you want something, work for it, and they may lend a hand…
With all this in mind, I was delighted when I bumped into a fellow dog walker and now friend, this morning, and she told me she was taking 6 months unpaid leave from work to do the things she always wanted to do, because although I don’t know her very well I think she deserves it. (We’ll call her S) S is a cancer scientist and seems to work very hard and that sort of work takes it out of people so she’s going to do a bit of travelling, work on her fitness and do up the house and she is absolutely delighted at the prospect! Consequently I mentioned the photography course I’m doing at the end of the year (something I’ve always wanted to do, which work are paying for and which I also deserve!) and then I mentioned learning to drive and wanting to buy a car. Well it turns out S has one to sell! Her father, who unfortunately passed-away last year, left his car to her; limited mileage, pristine condition and… an automatic! At first S couldn’t bear to part with it for obvious reasons, but now feels able and she really doesn’t need a second car. I asked her to think about how much she might want for it and to get back to me. But as someone who knows very little about cars, this is a fantastic opportunity to get one from a trusted source.

Fate, karma and a wheelbarrow’s worth of luck!

Pluto had a great walk this morning, but takes far too much interest in people exercising. He seems to think they need his help and he will jump and gambol and run after people and sometimes he will get over-excited and bark as well! Unfortunately if you don’t like dogs, a jumping, gambolling, running, barking dog just looks bloody scary! So that’s an area of training we might need to concentrate on…

Only had three or four hours sleep last night but don’t feel too bad. In fact, I’m feeling positively chipper!

Dress to impress

What a fantastic couple of days! Our fence panels arrived on Thursday of last week so it was no surprise that that was our main job this weekend, but on Friday night it was all about relaxation… I made a vegetable curry (very tasty!) and we had a few cold beers which eased us nicely into the weekend. Putting up the fence was very satisfying! It involved tearing down the old fence and then drilling and nailing the new fence into position. We did half on Saturday and the rest on Sunday. And who knew four panels could make such a difference! The garden has never looked so good but to be fair the old fence was falling apart and rotting. We burnt a lot of garden rubbish and my partner dug a vegetable patch and we planted carrots, radishes and rocket.
We’ve ordered some new garden furniture as well (the stuff our friends gave us is great, but takes up too much room) - so a bistro set should be arriving in two to three weeks to compliment our fast growing garden! Four new plants arrived as well; another passionflower, two jasmines and a honeysuckle.

I bought a Balinese face mask (as you do) last week, and it's rather large but looks fab on our living room wall! I was keeping everything crossed that my partner wouldn't think it was the ugliest thing she had ever seen and therefore hate it, but she didn't! In fact I think she rather likes it...

Last Thursday (as well as the fence panels arriving!) was the Gay Men’s Chorus 15th anniversary party at Heaven and I had some free tickets. It’s been yonks since I’ve been to Heaven (it hasn’t changed and I had a few drunken flashbacks!). The show wasn’t what I was expecting, it wasn’t the whole Chorus performing but people in small groups or performing on their own. So I was a little disappointed – only because the Chorus is really good and I was looking forward to hearing them again. But I unexpectedly saw a couple of old friends and generally had fun.

Look’s like it’s fairly certain my partner and I will be going to India for New Year (friends are getting married out there). I’ve always wanted to go to India and I think being a guest at a traditional Indian wedding will be a fantastic experience.

I have a lot on a work this week so after this it’s off to bed; but Thursday night I’m going out with some work colleagues and on Friday it’s the Hate Crime Campaign launch at New Scotland Yard... and then it’s the weekend again…!

Talking of rugby (which we weren’t really) I can exclusively reveal that the Steelers have a new merchandise range www.cafepress.com/kxsrfc - check it out and treat yourself to some gorgeous new T-shirts for the, um… winter!?

Blog for health!

Is blogging the new black?! I only ask because the fabulous DUC's (the Uke band) also have a blog http://theduc.blogspot.com/ and some of my most interesting friends have one as well... in fact to be fair, were it not for these interesting friends yours truly would have no readers! So what is it that drives us to document our lives, or at least the parts of our lives that we think are interesting? Victorian women were encouraged to keep diaries to keep them emotionally stable - get rid of all that hysteria in the written word and keep it hidden away from a society that frowned on public displays of emotion and affection. And while the sentiment is misogynistic bullshit, there is strong evidence that people that write, or express themselves in other artistic forms feel much healthier for doing so.
So is that what we are doing? Are we bloggers emotionally more healthy because we confess to what's bothering us and celebrate our achievements... even if that is as mundane as finally remembering to pick up the dry cleaning?
I know why I started mine; to record what happens in the garden and to talk about my dog. Who lest we forget is a rescue dog that was very badly treated and needed to be rehabilitated. Square that image with the friendly, loving, cheeky animal you met at the party. (And that in itself is one of life's more interesting questions: why do the animals, and indeed the humans, who have been treated badly, often turn out to brave and loving and fair?)
But this blog has become unquestionably more than just a log book. You find you begin to record the minutiae of your day which previous you would have filed away, dismissed or forgotten. All of a sudden, you have raised it to such a level that you are sharing with strangers and friends that you picked up your dry cleaning today. Why?!
A friend overseas who reads my blog says she hears my voice when she reads the blog and feels she is still part of our lives. Which is wonderful, because she's wonderful. A friend who lives in London and whom we see often says exactly the same, it allows him to be closer to his friends and he finds it funny the things people get up to, because he gets up to exactly the same things...
Maya Angelou was right, "we are more alike than we are unalike".
Is blogging is the new reality TV? I don't watch reality shows not because I'm a snob, but because if I was that interested in car crashes I would have become a fire fighter. The more unstable you are, the more likely it is that you're going to get your shot at fame. And I find that uncomfortable and I question where as society we are going with this obsession with watching strangers strip their lives bare sometimes at real pyscholgical and emotional cost that will last long after the cameras stop rolling. And we are surely all familiar with the extreme reactions to the TV talk show confessional - the guy who shot his neighbour because his neighbour was a man and he said he fancied him live on air? The man who held his own daughter as hostage because she had gone on a talkshow and admitted he had been abusing her since she was a small child, and even now, as a young woman? Extreme examples maybe, but real ones nonetheless. Are we so used to people talking now, that we have forgotten how to listen? How many people did that young woman tell that she was being abused, how many people didn't hear her, and so more vulnerable than most of us can ever imagine, she went on an American talkshow and told the world. We don't see what's happening in our own lives, what's happening under our own noses, but we can tell you what's happening in Big Brother and why it's happening (because we're all cod psychologists now, you know).
Maybe blogging as genuinely interesting and fun as it is, is a way of hearing our own voices. Documenting our own achievements and sharing with friends the things that matter to us - even if they seem small. And maybe by reading each other's blogs, in an abstract way I grant you, we are looking out for each other and acknowledging how important those voices are.
Like I said, we're all cod psychologists now...

Pluto's tummy is still bad. He was better last night when he tried to kill the hoover (the hoover is the dragon, he is George, everyone loves role play...) but today he is listless and his stomach is making extraordinary noises. I may have to take him to the vet tomorrow...

Don't feed the dog!

Thanks to people feeding Pluto at the party, he’s been sick Sunday and today. I guess it’s hard to resist those big brown eyes and goofy grin, and people think, what harm can a bit of burger do? Well, let me tell you, it’s not even the burger so much, it’s the mustard, the ketchup, the seasoning, the white bread and the onion that come with it! And with over 50 people at our party, even if just half of those people gave him a bit of something that adds up to a lot of food and you can perhaps begin to understand why he had diarrhoea and was physically sick yesterday and still has a sore tummy today and is generally feeling very fed up! And yesterday, the boys threw a burger for him over the fence. STOP IT! I would hope that people don’t give stuff to kids without checking with the parents or guardians, please do dog owners the same courtesy. You may think ‘miserable cow!’ if I say no, but we have our reasons and they all revolve around the health of our animals.
OK, moan over, he will get better and he shouldn’t be such a greedy guts but it does drive me mad…
Back at work and so far it’s going well. My boss was, I think, very pleased that I pushed ahead with working on the web and it has made my life easier. As for the other project that’s giving me so much stress; my attitude is the quicker I do it, the quicker it is off my to-do list!
I actually have two days off this week. I was going to cancel them, however, I’ve decided that as I’m still not 100% it would be very sensible of me to take them off and get that little bit of extra rest. I do have plans (nothing exciting, you might as well go and make a cup of tea…) I need to finish the children’s book – just need to add some pictures I took recently, I need to write to agents to see if I can get them interested in the three (adult) novels I’ve already written*, there are some seeds that need planting and finally some rugby work. I also want to take the dog out for the afternoon, Crystal Palace maybe.

* Before I got ill I was on a ‘women in management’ course and it made me revaluate what I wanted, in the sense that I always have wanted to make my living from writing and that’s not really happening at the moment. So, I’m writing to agents again to try and push my work… I guess the organisation I work for would be a little surprised if they knew the course they paid for has made me even more determined to give up working for them and start working for myself...

Blake: my bar-b-q hero

Wow! What a party! I gave up counting after 50… but last night, confirmed what my partner and I suspected for a while now, we have some amazing friends and such a variety of people as well, who magically all seemed to get on well. There were some interesting conversations and new friendships happening and lots and lots of laughter.
I kinda messed up the main bar-b-q (we had two, one for meat items, one for veggie stuff) and the bigger bar-b-q just wasn’t lighting so Blake stepped in and instantly became my hero, because not only did he get the ‘q going, he then told me to bugger off and mingle and cooked pretty much most of the food! I kept checking he was OK and he just kept giving me a solemn look and telling me that everything was fine and to go enjoy myself. Blake you rock.
Our little garden was fit to burst; we had taken out a fence panel so that people could go into the boy’s garden where there was a second marquee and disco lights!
The band, DUCS (Dulwich Ukulele Band) were causing some excitement because some people couldn’t even remember whether they had ever heard a ukulele! 8 DUCS turned up and blew everyone away. They were absolutely brilliant and comments afterwards included “can I get a CD of theirs?” (they are currently recording – watch this space), “when is their next gig, I’d love to see them again” and “no party will ever now be complete without live music!” So special thanks to Peet (my partner’s brother and band member) for organising for them to be there and play. Although thanks to all of them for playing just so damn well!
The nice thing was we had a couple of neighbours turn up; a fellow dog walker and her partner (not strictly neighbours in the geographic sense) and two guys that live down the road.
We took a lot of pride in how much people liked our home and garden and did several tours! We’d had the carpet professionally cleaned again and had spent the day cleaning so everything looked really good.
This morning, things don’t look so polished! But my partner has been up for a while pottering around and straightening up and for those of you environmentally minded, everything has been recycled, left over food composted and stale beer used as a natural slug treatment (they LOVE beer and will get drunk, fall in and drown…)
Pluto was a star. He was generally quite relaxed but got a little over-excited at one point so he had a time out in the front room which we had made his space with his blanket, toys, food and water. But otherwise, he was fantastic and a very big hit!

My partner talked excitedly about the Halloween and Tupperware party we are planning to host, but last night once we chased away the last straggler, I was just happy to drop into bed and go out on a high!

Work tomorrow and frankly I’m feeling very unenthusiastic. I suppose part of that is because I’ve been off now for a week and it’s always hard to go back after a period away but also, I guess I’m just feeling a bit uninspired and need to look at ways to increase my work satisfaction. After all, you get out what you put in…


By the way, in answer to the question that I was (surprisingly) asked several times yesterday; will you publish your children’s book on your blog? Yes. But the little lady for whom the story was written will have the first ever copy and then I will publish, so expect to see the first instalment early September.

Anyway, for anyone that reads this and was at the party, thank you so much for being there and we both hope you had a great time. xx

Grumpy old woman

I'm being bloody miserable today and I don’t know why. I’m looking forward to tomorrow but everything is such a struggle at the moment. Today I should be resting and not taking any chances, but there is still lots to do and I’m bored. Mentally I’m desperate for some stimulation other than endless emailing and occasionally dropping in on the rugby forums. Even TV is boring me. (OK, I’m sorry, I take that back…)
I keep snapping at my partner as well, which is not helpful I’m sure you’ll agree. The highlight of my morning so far has been delighting at the ingenuity of squirrels and taking in a parcel for our neighbours.
I’ve also got a big project on at work and it’s been further delayed and frankly it’s not my fault but how do you say that without sounding like a petulant child! Well, OK, initially it was my fault because I allowed myself to be distracted by other more interesting projects and didn’t start it in quite the expeditious way I had intended (great, now I feel guilty). But frankly the buck has to stop somewhere and look! There it is, right at my feet! The proofing was delayed, design was delayed, editing has been delayed and there are still some changes to be made on this god awful, boring fucking project. So I have that to look forward to when I get back to work… oh, as well as sorting out the new website, when I’m not sure of my html from my elbow…
Bollocks to it all I say.
Anyway, how are you?

Lavender lady

Feeling a bit whingy, felt rough as old boots last night. Headache, sore throat, tiredness and coughing fit after coughing fit. Worried that I won’t be in top form for the party… although I’m sure I will be! We ordered the booze for the party last Saturday and this Saturday the food will be arriving. We’ve spent a fortune! We don’t begrudge a penny but what with having the carpet cleaned as well, this is proving to be a wee bit expensive. If only three people turn up (the perennial worry when one is hosting a social affair of any kind), at least we won’t starve – or sober up – for the next four weeks.
The picture on today’s entry is – from right to left – Ed, me and my partner. Great picture taken at a great party (the one with the religious theme!).
My plans for today? Rest. More rest, and then if I can fit it in, rest. I managed to do a bit of work yesterday inasmuch as I’m responsible for designing (on paper) and contracting someone to build a brand new website for our organisation. This I thought I had done, until they turned round and said we’re too busy, we can’t do it. I’m paraphrasing but not much! So back to the drawing board. My Chief Exec not unreasonably wants this sorted, he’s not peed off at me, far from it, but I would like to stay ahead of this situation and get it sorted ASAP. So yesterday I fielded 8 phone calls from various web companies. One of whom said, can I give you some examples of websites to look at, to which I naturally said yes and one of them was a new gay website. He gave a very nervous laugh, squirmed a little (yes I could actually hear him squirming) and then said, ‘it just goes to show we’re a… liberal company.’ And then gave another nervous chuckle. I said in my best headmistress impression, “well I wouldn’t engage any company that didn’t have a robust equal opportunity policy and I will be checking!” To be honest the fact that he got uncomfortable saying the words ‘gay website’ isn’t exactly putting a tick in the box for me, but I will judge them on their quote, examples of work and indeed, whether they have a good equal ops policy! (No, I wasn’t joking.)
I prefer to do everything by text or email. I don’t like the phone. I don’t hate it, but if I could avoid it, I would be a much happier sausage. There are probably only two people I can talk to on the phone my mum (sometimes!) and my partner and seeing as my partner and I now live together, my skills are getting rusty. I’m actually really good on the phone; business calls and the like, but I just really, really, don’t like using the phone. Anyway, I suspect I will have more business calls today, so I’m just going to have to suck it up.
We didn’t put in the new lavender plants yesterday but hopefully I’ll be up to it this evening when it gets cool, and my partner is off tomorrow so that should give her a bit of extra energy. I never thought I’d like lavender because of its association with old ladies (not that there is ANYTHING wrong with old ladies!) but how can you fail to be stirred by that glorious smell, and the long bobbing creamy green stems topped with a splodge of bright purple! I’m a complete convert!
I’m rather enjoying my ‘How to be a Gardener’ book. Alan Titchmarsh seems to have a rare talent: keeping it really, really simple without making you feel like a complete idiot! He installs a healthy ethos early on; mistakes will be made, and nothing will ever be “finished” – it’s a work in progress, and finally, the garden works faster than you do! It puts everything in perspective really.
Well, you can tell I’m not at work because I’ve rambled on for ages. So I should do the decent thing and take the dog for a gentle perambulation. (Gentle for me, he’ll be charging round like a loon, as usual).

You have mail...

The good thing with being at home during the week (other than double bills of ‘Without a Trace’ and ‘Murder She Wrote’) is that you can take in deliveries. The whole being ill thing sucks, but I’m trying to keep things in perspective. This morning we’ve had 15 lavender plants delivered and a book I ordered, ‘How to be a Gardener’ by Alan Titchmarsh (is it me or is he really sweet?!)
The book will hopefully verse me in the basics of gardening because at the moment, I don’t have much of a clue and I would like our garden to be a working garden i.e., composting our waste, growing our own vegetables and attracting and sustaining wildlife.
Today is the hottest day of the year apparently. I say apparently because I’m in the living room and I’ve got it cool and dark. The dog is stretched right out – with as much of his body on the cool hardwood floors as possible. The problem with living London is that like every other big city; pollution is a real issue - and extreme heat causes pollution levels to rise. As an asthmatic with a chest infection, I’m playing it safe by resting and keeping cool. Not least because I need to get better for the party!!
We have a lot to do before the party (we drew up a big list yesterday, but actually it didn’t daunt us, we just started to get excited!). The idea is to get as much done before the party and then sit back and enjoy ourselves… We are getting a jump on the cleaning by hiring the carpet cleaner again, and the shopping will be delivered on Saturday morning.
Right, I have some daytime TV to watch, expect another blog entry soon… I’m starting to get bored now!

Chesty

Well, it’s been a busy old time of it, hence the lack of blogging! I’m currently off work with a chest infection and am feeling like crap… but I thought I’d use the chance to do an entry.
Friday was our rugby club annual dinner. Very well organised, gorgeous food but honestly, not really my thing. I don’t know why. As I say, it was very well done, lots of food and wine (to a high standard) and a great after dinner speaker; Past President Robert Horner. To be fair, I was unwell so perhaps there was an element of just not being on my game, also it was our AGM in two days time and there was a lot of stress around that. And I did get heartily sick of talking shop that night! We went to Barcode (Vauxhall) afterwards and I managed to get a seat! How old does that make me sound?! We were in a hip nightmare of neon lights and all I wanted was to sit down and change my shoes!! We hopped in a taxi home about two hours later and I collapsed into an empty bed – my partner was in Hove again for two days looking after her grandparents.
Saturday, I spent the day trying to rest but to no avail I was full-blown ill but we had a bar-b-q to go to, hosted by some lovely friends of ours, Blake and Ed. My partner was coming straight from Hove and meeting me there. And this shows you what a good evening it was: despite being full of lurgy, I had a great time! I thought I would be heading home around 9 or 10pm but we had to get the last train home…
Blake's groovy retro bar-b-q was the belle of the ball and all of us bar-b-q'ers felt very inferior... barbie envy, it's not pretty.
Sunday was the AGM. There were three contested positions so people were getting very uptight about who was standing. One of the candidates sent around an ill-advised ‘vote for me’ email and basically there was a lot of stress and bitching. Surprisingly the meeting went without a hitch, the best people got the jobs and perhaps we can all get back to doing this shit because it’s fun…
But ultimately it was all too much and now I’m off work. I tried really hard to rest, take medicine and avoid the booze, but the infection had already taken hold by Thursday last week. I hate being sick (a) because I’m not a great patient and become quite withdrawn (b) I get very guilty about being off work almost as if I’m letting people down or am just not as ill as I think…
My partner is under the cosh a little at the moment; long hours, lot’s of work etc., etc. And being ill, I’m not in a very good position to support her. I’m hoping she’s taking some time off though at the end of this week.
We’re both really looking forward to the party this Saturday (a little nervous because neither of us can remember how many people are coming!). There is a corner of our kitchen completely taken over with booze, soft drinks and party paraphernalia. Of course, right now I’m crossing fingers and toes that I’ll be better. We were hoping that some of the many plants we have on order would arrive in time for the party, but it's looking increasingly unlikely. Never mind, the garden is looking good and lit up with candles it's going to look reel preddy.
I bought Pluto a trendy collar for the party, so he should look even more handsome than usual. Now I just need to decide what I'm wearing...

Showertastic

Well I’m doing very well for someone who’s only had two hours sleep! Not because I was up to anything naughty or glamorous or even naughty and glamorous but because for a while now, I just can’t sleep on a Sunday night. I have resigned myself to this and try to always have an early night on Monday to help me get through the week.
We now have a shower! It’s hugely exciting. We just had a bath before, but what with the water shortage and the fact that I love taking a shower in the morning, I bought one a couple of weeks ago and we fitted it last night! And because I was so quick in the bathroom this morning, I could eat a proper breakfast and make sandwiches for lunch. I did a roast last night; organic chicken, stuffing, three types of veg, roast potatoes with garlic and rosemary and onion gravy (well, the missus did the gravy to be fair). So I had chicken sandwiches today at work and scrumptious they were too.
I’m making vegetarian spaghetti tonight… and then I’m having that early night!

999

Not since a nasty run in with the South African Dutch Reform church had I been surrounded by so many religious types as I was last night! It was our friends thirty three and a third birthday and as this was the age when the big JC was crucified, he decided that the theme should be Jesus and Religion. People made a real effort and I was blessed quite a number of times, which is always nice. Great party, nice people and a pretty cool band, Paleday which boyfriend of birthday boy called creamier than a gay cow… I don’t understand?!
However, there was a downside to the evening – nothing to do with the party. We were on the bus to London Bridge where we intended to get a black cab the rest of the way home. Around Bank, the bus stopped and two lads dragged a comatose girl onto the bus. Yes, dragged. The bus driver asked them what was going on and they replied, it’s OK, she’s had too much to drink, she’s asleep, she’ll be fine. To which I piped up, someone in that state is not asleep, they are unconscious. She was lying on a London pavement, dragged onto a bus and they were shaking her repeatedly and she wasn’t responding at all: this was someone in trouble. A passenger tried to help and one of the fucktards with her told him to sit back down because she was fine. Miraculously we pulled into LB shortly afterwards and they dragged her off the bus! This was too much; I called 999 who were BRILLIANT. They kept reassuring me that I had done exactly the right thing, but could they speak to the driver (who had since told the boys to get back on the bus and put her on a seat, not leave her lying on a bloody pavement). When I went up to the driver, he happily took the phone and explained he had already called a code red and that an ambulance was on its way. So when I got the phone back I naturally said, I’m sorry if I’ve wasted your time, I didn’t realise that the driver had called anyone. The ambulance operator told me I had nothing to apologise for, and our actions could have saved her life. Imagine that, strangers being more concerned for this woman than her boyfriend and friend. I hope for their sake, but more for hers that the paramedics got to her in time. Because whilst I’m no expert, she was in a very, very serious way and I believe, needed to be resuscitated immediately.
So what can we do for the people we love? Look out for them and look after them if we need to. We all get messy; I’ve been in situations where I have no recollection of getting home. I’m not proud of that statement by the way; slightly ashamed actually. But I would never let a friend drink so much that they collapse, or get to the point where they have drunk or taken drugs to excess and have become so unresponsive they slip into unconsciousness. And I would NEVER drag them on and off of buses.
I hope she realises, she (a) needs to never ever get in that situation again and (b) she needs to get a new boyfriend and some new friends! (I had a go at him but am half wishing I had walloped him one.)

Pluto was just dropped off by his boarder mum, Jo. He had a great time and really loved spending the weekend with other doggy friends. He’s very happy to be home though, he keeps licking my nose and dozing off on my feet.

Yesterday we took full advantage of not having to rush back for him and spent the day at the Syon Park Butterfly and then at this amazing garden centre opposite the Butterfly house (yes I realise that there is no way back to coolness with the statement “amazing garden centre” but I’m blowing a big raspberry at you all, it was great!) We managed to spend even more money but better broke and happy than rich and miserable I say.

Hope you had a good weekend!

Naughty house elf

Well Pluto is off to his boarder mum tonight! We can’t go away this weekend, but we decided to stick with the booking anyway so that he can get used to being with Jo. It will be very, very weird to be at home and not have him thundering around, trying to sneak into the bedroom or asleep on my feet. I’m sure he’ll have a great time and I can’t help but admit to some relief that I can spend Sunday in bed (we’re going to a party the night before) and think of no one but myself…
We have a mischievous house elf living with us at the moment. First the toilet roll holder broke, then the coffee table, then one of the hanging baskets committed suicide and on the same day the sofa broke as well! We’ve fixed everything now, although we are due a new sofa to be fair, but it was quite extraordinary that everything went so very wrong in just a couple of days.
I think the elf is also draining my bank account… I mean, what other reason could there be?!
We think we’re going to Kew Gardens this weekend (to show them how it’s done!) and will pack a picnic and spend the whole day there, other than that and our friend’s party, we’re planning to do little else…
By the way, in case you think I am the least informed gay person on the planet, I did know it was Europride last weekend! We couldn’t go because I was in a bad way with my knees, but I did go to Ken Livingstone’s Europride reception at City Hall a few days before, and enjoyed it very much!
Apparently the Steelers gave out thousands of recruitment cards on the march; let’s hope we see some new supporters and players turning up…

Classical music, football and gardening

‘Scuse lack of blogging. Was too depressed to write a damn word after England’s World Cup exit and have either been busy with the children’s book, work or gardening. I am turning into quite a saddo when it comes to my garden. (Yes, you may raise your eyebrows and ask, turning?) We have a passionflower plant and this stunning photograph is a picture of what grew and flowered in our humble garden. I’ve written to Gardener’s World magazine with this picture and am secretly hoping I win some gardening vouchers!
The book for my partner’s goddaughter is almost complete and I am very happy with it so far. Some lovely photography and what I hope is an engaging story that will grow with her.
On Friday evening we went to the Royal Festival Hall to watch the Gay Symphony Orchestra’s 10th Anniversary concert. It was a great show and I would highly recommend going to see their next offering as they have some very talented musicians.
Saturday: World Cup :0( (Yes, I cried.)
Sunday, we pottered around the house and garden. We had a friend stay the previous evening so we spent ages over breakfast, chatting and catching up and enjoying the baking hot weather.
And now, back at work… my partner is on the South Coast for two days to see her grandparents and while the cat’s away… the mouse will sleep. I’m knackered! Some crime drama TV (which she hates), a pizza and an early night for me!