Lego-licious

Slightly went to Bluewater shopping hell, sorry, mall, last night and spent his pocket money in the Lego store – they do home accessories! Who knew?! – which got me thinking about how much I used to love Lego. I used to have boxes and pillowcases full of the stuff. Every birthday and Christmas (same day) I would get massive sets of space Lego, racing car Lego, or one Christmas; ‘build an entire hospital with staff and patients’ Lego. It was my favourite thing – right up there with falling out of trees, my St. Bernard, army comics and a plastic electric guitar I had.

I went on the website and decided I might buy some, but then, strangely, I felt a bit self conscious: I’m a 33 year old woman, should I really be buying Lego? Well I’m a great believer in doing what makes you happy and if Lego makes you happy, then go for it. But I think my sudden yearning (other than being nostalgic, which clearly it was) was also that I have a hankering to build and craft things. For years I’ve wanted to do woodwork because I like the idea of constructing something myself. Admittedly I was thinking of bird houses and small items of furniture, arguable more useful that a 3 foot plastic scene from Return of the Jedi, but similar in that it is engaging and something you’ve built for your own joy and pleasure.

Lego, woodwork, needlework, whatever floats your boat… you should never listen to people who say you’re the wrong age or the wrong gender (in fact never listen to people that say stuff like that anyway, they’re idiots). So I will be getting a Yoda keyring and in fact, all of the Star Wars Lego did look very cool, but I think I might try and see just what I can build when I set my mind to it… if I turn out to have a hidden talent in bird house construction you’ll be the first to know…

Good, but not good enough...

Well the reception was enjoyable. We didn’t stop long; too much like work for my partner! But we had a few glasses of wine, nibbled on a few canapés and listened to speeches from Anni Marjoram and the Mayor, out of which came a very interesting piece of information…

Did you know domestic violence murders have dropped this year by 50%? We spoke to someone from the Greater London Domestic Violence Project after the Mayor’s speech to check if that statistic was indeed true. (Not that I doubt Ken – personally I think he rocks – but a politician is a politician and figures and statistics can be surprisingly bendy). And it is true! Not surprisingly, it’s a complex issue and the drop is due to a large number of different issues, including the way police now deal with domestic violence and the awesome campaign you may have seen on the underground… ‘Don’t worry, nobody’s watching you, nobody knows you beat your partner…’ A breath-takingly audacious, hard hitting, stomach churning, make you fucking take notice sort of campaign. And even projects like the GLDVP can’t totally account for the huge drop. But, before we think the issue is in the hands of the experts, that everything that can be done is being done. Before we think thank goodness I don’t have to come out of my comfort zone and face the fact that statistically over 25% of all women, from all backgrounds, have suffered abuse from a partner, let’s remember that each week 2 women die from domestic violence. That’s a sister, a mother, a friend, a neighbour, a work colleague…

The figures are encouraging but we all have a lot more work to do. And it’s not just straight women that are affected; it’s gay women, gay men and straight men too.

If we ignore it, it carries on and it gets worse… time to make a difference then, yes?

Yes.

http://www.womensaid.org.uk/
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/domestic-violence
www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/domestic_violence
http://www.gldvp.org.uk/
http://www.broken-rainbow.org.uk/


Do you think someone might check which websites you've visited?

Your safety is the most important thing. If you do not want anyone to know that you have visited a website that contains information about Domestic Violence (DV) please follow the steps below. It sets out what you need to do to increase your safety when using the internet.

To remove a DV website(s) from your computers history:
On your keyboard press Ctrl-H together
The history of the websites that have been viewed will show in the browser window
Locate the relevant folder, Women's Aid for example. Right click on the folder and choose delete
Close the history window

Remove DV website(s) from your computers cache:
Pull down the Tools menu in the browser window
Select > Internet Options
In the dialogue box click on the button "Delete files"
In the alert box select "OK"
Click "OK" again to close the window.

Sandwiches

I’m going to a drinks reception at City Hall tonight with my partner. It’s the Mayor’s reception to celebrate International Women’s Day. I’m not sure why I got invited - is there a “enjoys free booze and all round good egg” invite category…? - but I do seem to be on a list for LGBT and Women's stuff...

I left the car at home because there’s no parking near the GLA unless you’re a blue badge holder. Consequently I commuted by train today and had to sit near someone who needed a bath. It’s just not what you need in the morning when you are so much more delicate. I didn’t feel claustrophobic on the train which was a huge relief. (My claustrophia had become almost unbearable in the last few months of commuting by train and was the second reason I made the decision to drive to work; the first reason being my uber dodgy knees. I have always suffered claustrophobia to a greater or lesser degree but it got markedly worse since my mother’s diagnosis of breast cancer two years ago.)

Yesterday was a special day. It was the dog’s first ‘evening walk in the park’ of the year! He always has his morning walk in the park, but during the winter I road walk him in the evening. It gets so dark and there are no lights so I can’t see the other dogs and people. And if you have a dog off the lead, you must be able to see everything around you in case the situation dictates that he needs to be put back on the lead, or even that you need to change direction because of an overly aggressive dog etc. So yesterday I got home and we went and enjoyed the last of the sunshine.

I have lots to do as per, but all I can think about is the rather lovely sandwiches I made for my lunch. When it comes to this time of the day, I have a one-track mind…

Spring is sprung

I’m slightly knackered but satisfied after a weekend of cleaning, DIYing and a bit of garden maintenance. Appropriate really because it was officially the start of British springtime and we sort of spring cleaned.

We’ve become obsessed with curtains (I think I may have mentioned our new kitchen ones already) but faced with a huge gas bill (and really, I should have called this blog entry ‘British Gas are greedy, thieving bastards who offer a shit service’… but I felt it lacked a certain panache) and strong environmental awareness we have become increasingly worried about how inefficient our old windows are. Not only does the warm air escape, but to add insult to injury, cold air whistles in. S’not good. So we bought a lovely pair (!) for the living room this Saturday. The difference is remarkable. They keep so much heat in. The kitchen and now the living room are just so much toastier… hurrah for curtains! So I must insist you all turn your thermostat down and invest in a decent pair of curtains (lined) and you will not lose any heat – in fact you’ll probably gain some – but you will lose some of your gas/electricity bill!

We slapped a load of teak oil on to our garden furniture and wooden garden statues, fixed up a bird house and bought some horse poo (had to put a magic tree air freshener in the boot to get rid of the rather distinct smell). We hovered, dusted and mopped. There was even some polyfilla action at one point…

On Sunday we cooked a gorgeous dinner for the boys upstairs. Organic gammon, cranberry and walnut stuffing, roasties, carrots and broccoli and then spotted dick and custard for pudding! So as you’re beginning to appreciate, it really has been all go.

So happy springtime to you all. And remember, curtains are the way forward…

Tuesdays: discuss

Tuesday is not a very exciting day. It doesn’t evoke the passion of a Monday, the satisfaction of a Wednesday, the exited stirrings of a Thursday and frankly the oftentimes giddiness of a Friday. In Zen terms Tuesday just is. So a way to mark what is otherwise an unremarkable day is to go for dinner and a movie with your gorgeous missus. So that’s exactly what we did. We headed into Beckenham on a FREEZING (below zero) Tuesday evening.

I wanted to go to Pizza Express because I like their salads and not surprisingly, their pizzas. Beckenham Pizza Express rocks! Now food wise, it’s like every other PE, good quality, tasty but hardly a mind blowing gastronomic experience. But the atmosphere was great. It was packed - everywhere else was dead, but PE was jumping. The service was impeccable and they had a singer/pianist who was 'mazing. He did a fabulous version of Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars which could have gone so horrible wrong but which was really, really good. You could hear the music clearly but it just didn’t feel intrusive at all. When we left he was doing Keane and I almost went and sat back down. The customers were really diverse and there was lots of talking and laughing. (Maybe I was wrong about Tuesday’s?!)

There were lots of gay people about and that might have been for a very good reason… they have a rainbow sticker on the window by the door! PE Beckenham is gay! Hurrah!

Nice food, nice atmosphere, nice service and very good music and all on our door step... well done Pizza Express.

Afterwards we went and saw Hot Fuzz, which was bloody funny. There were only about 20 people in the cinema – mostly women – and again there was a really nice atmosphere like everyone just wanted to have a good time. At times my partner and I jumped out of skins (church spire anyone?) but the gun battles are absolutely brilliant and it’s a cracking film with real laugh out loud moments - highly recommended.

So there you have it, Tuesdays. Underestimate them at your peril…

Am I a genius?!

We met our new photography teacher on Friday (our current teacher is in China for the final term of our course), she seemed very nice and more importantly seemed to know her subject very well. She checked out my photos of Rose Garden that I had taken for my term two folio 'Showtime' and was really very impressed. She told me I had taken some "great shots" and had a "strong vision and a good eye"...
Ok, so it clearly doesn't make me a genius, but I did have an ever so slightly bigger head for a while...

Shiretastic

Bloody hell its parky… goodbye T-shirts, hello gloves and woolly hats…

This weekend was great. We went to the Shire Horse Spring Show on Saturday (at the East of England showground). The drive was largely motorway - the M11 – now there’s a boring road if ever there was one. This is why the missus and I prefer, if we can, to take A roads. Least you get a bit of variety. But a long, dull road running through a flat county does not stir you to poetry. Anyway, we got there and very excited we were too… alright, I was very excited. In short the Show was made up of; 200 stalls, a vintage fair ground, craft fair, food hall, rare breeds, vintage tractors, dog agility competition, farriery competition, Shire Horse competitions and parades and the opportunity to see the horses at rest in the stables, where if they so desired they could be out of reach of well meaning hands, do a big poo and nibble on some hay.

Within a ridiculously short time the wallet was getting battered. In the end, we bought: two folding chairs, some organic meat, some onion marmalade, elderflower and apple wine (for my partner’s gran) waterproof trousers, a high visibility vest, a very large hand carved wooden sculpture for the garden (which had to be strapped in to the car using the seat belt), two smaller wooden carvings, a selection of hand decorated cards, a new belt, a metal sculpture of a pig (for the kitchen), a dog bed, a selection of dog treats and toys and a rather tacky but a rather glorious tea towel resplendent with a picture of a Shire Horse. I’m sure there were some other odds and sods, but I think I’ve been fairly comprehensive…
My partner was just glad we got out of there without buying any hens. (They were very cute and now we get our milk delivered, I thought it would be fun to get our eggs delivered – in a manner of speaking – as well.)

The dog agility was much more fun than you see on TV. The dogs did make mistakes (which just added to the fun and drama) but you could really tell how much the dogs adored doing it. We’re seriously considering doing something like that with Mr. Pluto, that should wear the little bugger out…

The stars of the show without question were the Shire’s. Such magnificent animals! And so beautiful and gentle. They are one of my favourite animals and if I could come back as any animal it would either be a Shire Horse, an orang-utan or Pluto (to find out why he thinks it’s such a good idea to keep eating our ear plugs).
I went to stroke one of the horses that was at rest and he seemed to take to me – once I persuaded him not to eat my sunglasses. He leant his head (surprisingly heavy) against mine and I stroked his neck. We stayed like that for ages until he tried to lean all of himself against me, at which point I had to take a step back. It was very special though and I am determined that when we get our small holding, there will be room for a Shire (or two).

The judging of the Shires was a little incomprehensible. I think you really have to be in that world to know what’s going on.

It was a fabulous day out though, and my mum had a great time too. I think even if you’re not into rural life and animals, you would have found something to keep you entertained.

Sunday it was my partners turn to do mother’s day things, and while she was away in Brighton I went to Halfords and spent even more money!

(Can't upload any pictures at the moment for some reason, will try again later.)

Carphone warehouse: the sequel

I've just heard back from the chap that called me yesterday. CPW have admitted that something went badly wrong with their procedures and that this issue should have been dealt with "much, much sooner". They have credited January's bill payment on to my account and have also paid this month's bill as by way of an apology.

It's so frustrating when companies don't listen and you get treated badly but it really does make a difference if you write and complain. People often say, it's not worth it, I don't have the time, I'm not a great letter writer... make the time because believe me it is worth it. And you don't have to be Oscar Wilde to put down (in bullet points if you prefer) everything that has gone wrong. What's more rewarding than them paying this month's bill is the promise that senior credit and sales executives will be forwarded my letters and emails to make sure something like this doesn't happen again.

I'm still not happy about the level of service, and will probably change my account, but I cannot deny that when the right person got involved (from the CEO's office) it was sorted quickly.

Rescue boats and tractors

Yesterday was a beautiful day, people were in shirtsleeves, the sunglasses were on… today is more overcast but still very mild. Spring is here, the grass is riz, I wonders where the birdies iz?! I first heard that as a kid and as an 8-year-old I thought it was very funny!

It’s been a great couple of days - the only dark cloud was some fucktard tailgating me Saturday night when we were coming back from a concert. It was so bad that when I braked for lights that had turned amber, he didn’t and I honestly thought he was going to go into the back of us putting myself and my partner at risk. I tried braking again and ended up going through a red light because it wasn’t safe to brake to a complete stop. Bizarrely he (yes he, sorry!) did slam on his brakes so he didn’t go through a red light although he overshot the white line. I was - and still am - shook up and angry about the whole thing.

The concert we went to see was the London Lasses (featuring Peter Quinn) – a phenomenal traditional Irish band that somehow seem to be really contemporary and make you want to be able to dance, sing and play a variety of instruments – preferably all at the same time. We really enjoyed it, although I don’t think we would go back to the Irish Centre to see a gig. People clapped loudly and were heard saying how good the band were, but there wasn’t that charged, reckless, passionate atmosphere you get with really good live music. I don’t think it was because the audience were quite a bit older either – I just think it was a combination of things that made for a strange atmosphere.

Sunday we took the dog for a romp up on the common near Downe. A fabulous place, wild and beautiful as all woods should be. The weather was glorious and we packed some nice sandwiches as well, and Pluto was as happy as a dog running through mud!

Monday I heard that my request to go down to Tower Pier and do a photo assignment on the RNLI had been approved! So I will spend the 6th April with the day-shift; going out on the water and seeing how the operation works. Incidentally what’s with this new blogger malarkey – tried adding RNLI as a link and not only does it not show, but a massive space in my links list has appeared...?

Anyway, I’ve also heard back (and you may need to sit down) from someone at Carphone Warehouse! Easy now, if you feel dizzy put your head between your knees...
My letters to the CEO worked (always go to the top) and his office passed them on to someone who seems fairly confident that he can sort out the problem. I won’t hold my breath, but seeing as this is the FIRST time they have contacted me in the three months this debacle has been going on, it is arguably, a fairly good sign!

Finally, and I do understand if this doesn’t induce quite the same level of excitement in you that it does in me, but I’m taking the family to a country show in Cambridgeshire this Saturday. I love country shows! I love the tractors, I love the dog shows, I love the market stalls, I love the shire horses, in fact, I love everything about them. We're taking my mum for mother’s day and I’m hoping the weather will be fine and clear. I would imagine I’ll be taking a few photos there as well!

With all these new pictures (I'm also doing a series of shots on Rose Garden this Wednesday) I may need to start updating my neglected flickr account...

Clever little sausage...

By the way, I passed my photography exam!

Moo

I’d like to bring a new campaign to your attention http://www.fairtradeforbritishfarmers.co.uk/. Now I don’t come from farming stock although I grew up in a fishing village and felt very connected to the countryside and the sea, and I spent a lot of time on farms and smallholdings overseas when I was a kid but this is, I think, worthy of some attention.

Only 18% of us buy British-produced food despite some of the strictest food standards in the world, thousands of farms and livelihoods have been lost and our very landscape is endangered. Fifty years ago there were some 200,000 dairy farmers. Now there are around 12,000.

For us city folk this may all seem very far removed. My generation may even remember when we were a lot younger, hearing about butter, fruit and milk mountains - farmers were over producing food and it resulted in terrible waste. So you might say, well isn’t it a good idea that there are less farmers? Well, as society changes so must every industry associated with it, so yes, it was inevitable that as we moved away from an agrarian society, farming and farmers would diversify and people would move into other work. But we’re talking about people earning below the minimum wage, working long – often very physically demanding – hours, and families being in genuine crisis and often losing everything, because of the way we now shop and eat.

So if you’re interested in high food standards, supporting local producers / farmers / growers, if you aspire to travel more than your food (which will often have travelled thousands and thousands of miles), if you think our unique landscape is worth preserving then check out the website for useful and practical (and not inconvenient) things you can do to help.

There are also some nice pictures of cows and I really like cows…

Don't bother to knock...

I can’t work. I’m that tired that I really can’t work. So far I’ve finished reading New Scientist, drank an orange juice, sent a few emails (OK work emails) and stared at my computer screen desperately wishing the day away so I can go home. Terrible really. Nobody takes my suggestion of job naps seriously but trust me it would work; people would be happier and productivity would go up…

Carphone Warehouse still hasn’t replied to my numerous complaints and communications although I will be writing to them AGAIN after having to phone them AGAIN. They “forgot” to lift the bar on my phone. Incidentally I am still paying line rental for all the times that I cannot use my phone through no fault of my own. That’s how they get rich I guess.

A packed weekend: rugby on Saturday (we lost) and a friend’s birthday drinks in the evening. Sunday was visiting some more friends who have had a baby, then more birthday drinks with some other friends in Hampstead and then neighbour drinks with the boys upstairs in the evening. And before you ask, no this isn’t hangover tiredness I was driving everywhere. No wonder I’m tired.

Here’s something topical and I think, very frightening, Bailiffs may be getting the power to break into your home even without a court order. Despite the fact that bailiffs – I won’t call them what I usually call them but I think it’s fair to say they operate on the very lowest rungs of society – have an appalling track record of abuse and scare tactics, our government are currently debating the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement bill which could see them kicking their way through a door near you.

But why so vexed Allison? Are you in debt? Well, I actually don’t have much debt at all, but previously after being made redundant, I have fallen behind with payments in hard times and temporarily paid less (or even none) of what I was supposed to in even harder times. But debt isn’t necessarily the key here. With identity fraud and bad administration you could end up being liable for someone else’s debts and potentially, a thug in a badly fitting suit could be breaking in to your home to grab your TV and stereo…

I’ll be writing to my MP about this. If someone deliberately runs up debt or would rather buy designer clothes than pay their rent, then they need to be dealt with swiftly and effectively. But how is this law going to protect our most vulnerable people in society? How is it going to stop a poorly regulated industry rife with badly trained, aggressive individuals who lie and scare people and regularly inflate their own costs (therefore compounding the debt) from basically acting like they are the law? How far will it go? I cannot understand how this is even being debated. It absolutely horrifies me and is another example of this government trying to erode our civil liberties. Well done Mr Blair, I supported you for far longer than was popular, but if you think this is a good idea then you are a fool.

Boycott Carphone Warehouse

My phone keeps getting cut off: Carphone Warehouse's (CPW) fault, not mine. They have lost a payment I made on January 16 (for my January bill). They want me to pay again. Not unreasonably I said no and faxed over my bank statement to prove that I had indeed paid the bill and that the money had left my account. I have since paid my February bill (which they managed to not lose, I suppose I should be grateful) but are still insisting I pay January's bill again. Despite them now knowing I paid for it already. Confused?! For a communication company, they really aren't very good at communicating - see below...

Dear Mr Dunstone (Chief Executive)
I am writing again – and incidentally will continue to write until this is sorted out – because my phone has been cut off again. I have just spoken to XXX; seemingly the only efficient and organised member of staff in your entire organisation who has apologised for everything that has happened to me and who seemed quite embarrassed at the situation. But to be fair, I don’t care anymore. I will be changing my contract because I want nothing more to do with CPW or O2.

- It turns out no one ever filled out a missing payments form, XXX has just done this now two months after the payment apparently went missing
- My phone, for the third time, has been cut off
- Despite my two letters, one fax, three phone calls and one email, no one has ever bothered to contact me, either to update me or to explain that my phone would be cut off
- Each time I phone I have to explain everything all over again because it appears no one is (a) taking notes and (b) following up on the investigation – in fact to all intents and purposes, the investigation is only now starting and everything I’ve been told before was a lie
- XXX can’t tell me what happened to my fax – a fax containing my bank statement with highly confidential and personal information on it

It would almost just be easier to pay twice and I’m sure that would help pay for someone’s bonus, but I won’t and I won’t let this rest either. You should be very ashamed of your company right now.

This was sent to Mr Charles Dunstone by registered post today. You see, I know they want you to shut the fuck up and put up with lousy service but I'm afraid I don't shut and do nothing very well...

If you're looking to buy something at CPW - don't. It really is more trouble than it's worth.