Rude

Someone in Canada found my blog by putting the words "rude words labels" into Google. This made me laugh, but also made me realise how much I like the word 'rude'. It's a great word, plump and naughty and slightly childish. So thank you to that person in Canada. I'm not sure you'll want to come back, but the chances are I'll still be here...

Just don't ask me the time

Well there’s a right old wind up our way. I’m only on the 2nd floor in my office in Hammersmith but you would think I’m on the top of the Gherkin the way the wind is pounding the window. Coming over Battersea Bridge the car was rocking from side to side and that wasn’t because I was singing along to Kylie either…

Apparently there is snow and all sorts on the way, but we could be in shorts by Tuesday. When we were growing up weather was consistent – well, more consistent than it is now anyway. Is my memory playing tricks? When the weather is mad I think; that’s global warming that is! And I think that because (a) it is and (b) I genuinely don’t remember the weather being so schizophrenic when I was a wee bairn. It was hot in summer; cooler in autumn, with crisp sunshine days and long evenings; dark and cold – often with snow around December and January – in winter; and then spring would come and the days would stretch out to summer with rain and the occasional chill but general quite mild and sunny. Is that just nostalgic nonsense? Now when people say, oh I must get my summer wardrobe out I think don’t bother, you’ll only be disappointed…

I’ve been terribly disorganised this morning; I left my wallet and watch at home, as well as an important letter I needed. It’s ironic because I gave myself a bit of a talking to this morning and said that I was going to work hard today and bring a project in a day ahead of schedule and I fully intend to do that but I’m just hoping that I haven’t forgotten anything else, like the project…

This morning I met up with two doggie friends and their owners (who are also very good friends funnily enough) whilst taking Mr P for his walk. So the humans got to chat and catch up on the gossip whilst the dogs got to run around, sniff things and chase gusts of wind…

Anyway, if I am to get this work done, I’ll need to get a move on!

Hold 'em

I’m better thanks for asking. Not that you did. Tsk! And I must have just left before the flowers arrived…

Clearly it was a 24 hour thing that left with the same unseemly haste as it arrived. I’m a little washed out but otherwise OK and back in the saddle… or work, as it’s more commonly known.

I had a one-to-one with my manager today. It’s never particularly arduous – she thinks I do a good job, I think she’s right – but I’m always glad when they are over. Meetings make me fidget. I suspect in this case it’s because I know I could do better but I have allowed malaise, boredom and a bit of sloppiness to creep in. I don’t feel very fulfilled at work and consequently I struggle very hard to stay on track. Everything gets done, mostly to a very high standard but like my maths teacher always used to say, I really do need to try harder…

I have challenged some friends to a poker game. The only problem is I don’t know how to play. Well, I used to play when I was a kid, but I suspect it was a variant of several different pokers with a dash of making it up as we went along and I’m pretty sure this won’t wash now that I’m a grown up and will be playing for big money… pennies actually, but still, it’s the real deal. In fact the last time I played was in religious studies when my cards got confiscated by the teacher who thought it inappropriate to be gambling in a lesson devoted to religious teaching. Anyway, I bought a DVD ‘The Basics of Poker’. I’m hoping it won’t bore me to tears. More than that though I’m hoping it will transform this mild-mannered contact lens wearing office worker by day, into a high stakes poker genius by night…

Right, I'm yawning so I should head home as I think I've come to the end of my usefulness today. Until the next time...

Poorly

I'm not well! I've got noro jnr. It's like the noro virus but a much milder version! In fact one day later and I'm already feeling better and my understanding is that if you have noro proper, you're wiped out for over a week...

I've slept for most of the day, and the bonus to being ill (the only one that I can see) is that I was home to accept delivery of the present I bought for my beloved for Valentine.

Anyway, I must be feeling better, I'm thinking of having a chocolate biscuit!

Traffic, animal health and apple cake

Traffic was bad again this morning but clearly the cause is invisible roadworks. You spend quarter of an hour not moving, then when you do get to where you thought the hold up was, there’s nothing to show why you spent 15 minutes of your life (that you won’t get back) twiddling your thumbs, needing a wee and wondering how likely it is as the age of 34, and with no voice to speak of, that you might suddenly become a honky tonk singer.

My new book – the Christmas present – is fascinating. It’s called Wild Health ‘lessons in natural wellness from the animal kingdom’ by Cindy Engel (a biology Ph.D.) and I can’t put it down. I’m actually underlining things as I go. Not only is it interesting, but very well written as well. I re-read bits in case I missed anything! I’ve put the back cover blurb at the bottom, but before you all rush out to buy it, I am told it’s quite hard to get hold of. Clearly you can get it but there may be a bit of a wait…

So that’s put me in a very good mood. Good books always do. We also had a lovely weekend – see prev. entry – and someone at Abbey bank was actually helpful this morning. I know! I was surprised as well. Although it wasn’t enough to remove them from my top five worst service poll – in fact they’ve buggered up even more since I did that only last week, but it made a nice change. We’ve had a vote for Lewisham Council from Slightly but otherwise the offer to be interactive has fallen on largely deaf ears. It may confirm that nobody reads my blog, or I like to think it’s because I have masses of readers and you all agree with me…

I have fresh homemade bread with Cornish brie and cranberry sauce for lunch as well as a slice of spiced apple cake. Another reason to smile! :0)

Wild Health:
“As Dr. Engel emphasizes in this ‘enticing, well-referenced, [and] entertaining book’ (Science), we can learn a lot about human health by studying animal behaviour in the wild. Indeed, some of the natural, holistic, and alternative human medicine being practiced today arose through the observation of wild animals. In this groundbreaking work, Dr. Engel offers intriguing examples of how animals prevent and cure sickness and poisonings, heal open wounds, balance their diets and regulate fertility.”

Sunday update

Two things I need to blog about are an excellent bookstore and an event called Seedy Sunday!

After the (Dulwich) farmer's market, which was excellent - small but with real variety, we went to Dulwich Village Books. As I mentioned in the previous entry my partner's mother had bought me a book for Christmas and it had finally arrived. I'd never been to this particular book store before, but I shall definitely be going back. It was really nice and we ended up buying four books as well as picking up my Christmas present. Apparently they have a great online service as well. We do have an independent book shop near us but the service is a bit crap and if you are going to reconcile yourself to paying extra to support local bookstores and independant shops generally, is it too much to ask for helpfulness and friendliness? So as I said, I will be definitely using them again and they had a lovely sign on the door saying, dogs welcome!

Seedy Sunday is not a post-club event in Vauxhall, but rather a seed fair in Dulwich; they happen all over the country apparently. You could either buy or swap seeds but we hadn't bought anything to swap so we bought two varieties of potatoe, butternut squash, runner beans, mustard and a redcurrant, blackcurrant and a blackberry bush.

And we've just had a friend over for tea (in the new teapot) and delicious spiced apple cake.

What a lovely Sunday!

Farmer's market

Today we're off the Dulwich Farmer's market this morning and to pick up a late Christmas present for me at Dulwich Books! My partner's mum bought me an animal behaviour book and it needed to be ordered and has only just arrived. Quite good timing though, just before I start my new course.

It's a gorgeous day. My partner is taking Mr P up to Crystal Palace to meet a friend and go for a long walk later. I'm staying at home with my feet up. Although when they get back here, I will be playing mother with a pot of tea and a nice big cake for them...

My voice is still a little hoarse from yesterday, but much better than it was. I don't expect to be doing any cheering today so normal service should be resumed by tomorrow!

Enjoy the last of the weekend!

No voice

Just been to the rubgy - Steelers not Wasps - and I just can't help myself; I have to bellow and cheer at the top of my voice and now I have no voice! It was good to catch up with a few old friends, and although I couldn't drink I still had a good time. Wasps in two weeks and no doubt I'll lose my voice all over again :0)

Non stop

I’ve had a terrible hangover all day and have done bugger all at work. Well, that’s not strictly true, I’ve been on Facebook; looked at tractor toys (and played with the toy tractor on my desk); bought a valentine’s present and wrote a poem for my better half’s birthday; counted my change; looked into buying a farm in Lephalale (South Africa); discovered the cleaners don’t hoover under my desk; took part in a fire drill; drank a bottle of coke and actually felt my teeth furring up but it did help my hangover; ate some fresh pineapple; lost my keys; found my keys; visited the toilet twice and finally I think I feel asleep for a couple of minutes with my eyes open. So actually, it’s been all go!

Resignation

My Chief Exec has resigned. I'm gutted. We've just done badly in our inspection, although we are legally challenging the findings because we disagree in the strongest terms.

He's the most amazing leader I've ever met and certainly ever worked for. I did have other things to blog about, but without wishing to sound too dramatic, this has knocked me for six...

Worm turning

Not one to shy aware from controversy I thought I would list the top five companies with the WORST customer service. The criteria are:

1. It has to be either a personal experience, or the experience of someone very close to me to qualify. No friend of a friend stuff…

2. The company in question has to have been written to (not email) and given the opportunity to respond. Because like it or not, mistakes do happen and sometimes when a company finds out that something has gone wrong, they do do their utmost to put it right.

And my top five are…

CARPHONE WAREHOUSE (truly the worst customer experience I have ever come across)
COOPERATIVE BANK (ethics don’t extend to customer care)
ABBEY (they don’t even pretend to care and I’m sorry but I do object to phoning India when I have a query)
LEWISHAM COUNCIL (inefficiency and misinformation a go-go)
BRITISH GAS (it took over 6 months to send a replacement bill, each time they gave the wrong information and they've just increased their prices by 15%)

But do you agree? You might think the companies I’ve mentioned are actually fantastic – let me know! Or do you have any companies or organisations you want to add? All replies printed, even the ones that disagree with me.

Play a song for me Applejack...

Why is American politics more interesting than British politics? Apart from the amounts of money they spend on their election campaigns which I personally think is obscene, I am far more interested in politics across the water than I am in my own backyard.

I am, on a scale of 1 to 10 a 6 or 7, when it comes to being politically engaged. I vote, I write to my MP on issues that concern me or which I think need highlighting, I have a good understanding of current affairs, I sign petitions, I read the broadsheets and although I have a favourite paper, I don’t confine myself to just one news source. But sometimes, British politics is as dull as a dull thing and when you have Hils’ and Obama slugging it out politicians such as Cameron and Brown just fade into the background. In my defence what happens in Washington does have a massive impact on the rest of the world; just look at W’s reign of terror. The only leader to devise international and domestic policies using alphabetty spaghetti…

I’m feeling philosophical today. I have the post-holiday blues. Fighting through traffic, ignorant drivers, sitting in an office, wading through emails I don’t really care about… sound familiar? I’m trying to remain upbeat, often people know they want change but don’t know what or when, I have the answer to both of these questions and the determination and resources to achieve everything I want. I am very lucky in that regard. But I am allowing myself to feel a little down because really, I want to be anywhere but in my office today. And yes, if that anywhere was back in Cornwall I would be a very happy budgie indeed!

Our holiday photos should arrive today. I didn’t take all that many, well, probably a lot compared to most people, but not a lot for me. We got some fantastic shots of the dog playing on the beach, one or two we will probably frame. And some gorgeous seascapes of Widemouth Bay.

I’m using my new lunchbox that I purchased in Boscastle. It’s an Emma Bridgewater design with pictures of diggers and tractors and let me tell you, it’s turned quite a few heads already! I figure if you bring lunch in, why not have a stylish lunch box?! Nobody likes squashed and fluffy sandwiches that have been at the bottom of your bag for most of the day…

Well I can’t hide from the grind of the day job much longer, but I can tell you that I am listening to Dolly Parton’s Applejack very loudly on my MP3 and am feeling much better already ;0)

Sunday shuffle

I'm having a funny day, moments of pure laziness followed by furious bursts of activity... I've made bread and later on will be making a cake and dinner (butternut squash and pinenut pastries in case you're interested). I've also managed to lay on the sofa watching Murder, She Wrote... a perfect day you might think ;0)

I'm doing a new course. I sent off my enrollment form and cheque yesterday - dog behaviour and psychology. It's something I've always been interested in and it's potentially an extra stream of future income that could fit in and around other work such as my writing. I love the thought of being able to get an owner(s) and dog working together. Often - like a lot of things in life - it's about getting someone completely unconnected to the situation to step in and see things with a fresh eye. Well, that's the idea anyway, I need to finish the course first before I know whether I'll be any good or not...!

By the way, if you're looking for a TV recommendation - Lark Rise to Candleford. I missed the first episode, but the Heavy Horses that appear throughout the series are the ones I spent the day learning to handle and drive last Monday!

Getting around

We saw a lot of Cornwall whilst we were away... Bude, Holsworthy (Devon), Bridgerule, Widemouth Bay, Wadebridge, Week St Mary, Launceston, St Ives, Bodmin, Camelford, Chittlehampton (Devon), Tintagel, Boscastle, Looe and Fowey...

Of course, the obvious question is whether any of this has meant we've narrowed down where we want to buy a house. Er, no! The problem is, we love most of Cornwall. Of course, we're trying to not look until after the wedding. But I can't help but checking out estate agent websites in the meantime... you never know!

International

While I was away I had blog visitors from Italy, Turkey, Poland, France, America and Canada... nice to know I have international appeal!

'Andsome

Have you missed me?! I haven't posted since Dec 31st but I'm sure you've coped in my absence ;0)

Cornwall was, well, amazing. I wish we were still there. I might do a more in depth holiday dispatch later, but highlights include buying our wedding rings from an independant Cornish jeweller, spending time with friends, driving heavy horses, finding the league of gay gentlemen in Launceston, lots of lie-ins, the best fish and chips, visiting our wedding hotel again (and ordering the food and wine!) and finding a pub where we can all meet on the Friday before the wedding (right on the harbour in St Ives)...

For now though, I have to do some work, get through the laundry and do a tidy up. We unloaded the car last night and dumped everything in the front room!

Things that make me smile

1. Dogs yawning, always makes me laugh...
2. Holidays, I'm now off work for two and a half weeks and we drive down to Cornwall for two weeks tomorrow.
3. Actually, that's enough :0)