Sporting pride

I love the Olympics. I love sport. Sadly, it’s often the only time we can feel really proud in this country. I absolutely burst with pride when we do well. And I can’t tell you how I felt that our first two gold medals were won in spectacular style AND won by women. You may think it doesn’t matter whether it was men or women that won – and on some level you may be right, but when you consider how women struggle to gain recognition, support, media coverage and finance in even elite sports, it really does matter that two women have set the bar for team GB.

But it’s not just about the wealthier countries and the bigger sports teams, two Iraqi rowers have just been interviewed on the BBC. Team Iraq have only 4 athletes, and if I get to see them compete I think I would cheer just as hard for them as I would my own much loved country. To have them win would be an amazing achievement and a fantastic message about a country that isn’t just about war and hardship and occupation…

Yesterday we picked up my partner’s brother and took him to Brick Lane for his birthday. He had wanted to buy some vintage clothes and so we had all put in some money for him to go on a bit of a shopping spree. He managed to get loads! A jumper, a top, a shirt, shoes, trousers and shorts and he still has money left over. We had a fantastic day, lots of fun, but I was absolutely gutted to get back to the car to find a ticket. We were on a single yellow which we all thought was fine to park on on a Sunday. Apparently not. The semi-literate fuckwit mongrel who wrote the ticket, couldn’t even work out that my car was blue. And under colour had put ‘unknown’. I guess if there was an Olympics for parking attendants, he or she wouldn't make the cut...

Last night over tea and biscuits we did the seating plan for the wedding. Surprisingly difficult but very satisfying when done. After which, we watched Crimson Tide (fantastic film) and went to bed too late.

Fight the power!

I fought the law and won! At the end of last summer I got a parking ticket in Brighton. The reason given was because I had apparently not displayed a visitor’s permit – even though I had. Anyway, months later they have finally dealt with my appeal and cancelled the ticket! Yeeaaahhhhhhhhhhh people power!!

It’s my partner’s birthday today and I made her a cup of tea in bed and brought her her presents and I think she’s gone to work happy. I’m making dinner tonight – and doing the washing up! We’re going for birthday drinks tomorrow as well.

We have another reason to be happy; our wedding rings arrived yesterday. They’re so lovely! The jeweller included a little note wishing us all the best and hoping that they see us again sometime! Now that’s great customer service…

It hasn’t all been wedding rings and cups of tea in bed this week; I had to have a biopsy on Monday. I have a lump in my neck which is probably one of those thyroid nodule thingies but it’s quite large. (And no you can’t see it, so no point staring at my neck the next time you see me. Mind you, it would make a change from my breasts so knock yourself out.) It was a very stressful and painful experience. Not painful at the time, but painful afterwards. I have some internal bruising in my neck which makes it difficult to yawn, sneeze or cough, which is an arse because I enjoy yawning. It’s like a mini workout for my head.

It’s our chief exec’s last day tomorrow and luckily I’m working from home because I think it will be a very sad day indeed. He didn’t want presents but we had a whip round anyway and have raised several hundred pound which we’re donating to his favourite charity, cancer research.

This weekend, my partner is hopefully going shopping to spend her birthday money! And on Sunday I’m taking a friend to see Wasps take on Sale Sharks at Adams Park. And hopefully, England will stuff Italy!

Gay people in positions of power

I’ve got into the habit of picking up a couple of croissants on my way to the office because my general lack of organisation in the morning means I often don’t have breakfast at home. I go to Gregg’s and there is a lovely gay guy that works in there. Now I’m not saying it’s because I’m a lesbian (it is) but he always gives me a lovely warm greeting and then, chooses two of the just-been-baked croissants from the back. (When really, he’s supposed to take two off the shelf.) To be fair though I always smile, say hello and take the time to ask him how he is so I’d like to think personality plays as much of a part as sexuality. But it’s just a really nice exchange to have each morning with someone who is effectively a stranger. Some people though are very rude and so I think any politeness is generally very welcome. I was thinking therefore in what other positions of power would I like gay people to do me favours? (Take your mind out of the gutter…) But, and this is a good indicator of my level of affection for baked goods, I could only really come up with a bakers and as you've now discovered, I'm all sorted on that front!

Anyway, our computer is fixed! My partner’s dad really is as clever as he looks. I’m so relieved. I haven’t really given it a test-run and I still need to check my remote access works but it’s looking good. It didn’t actually take all that long and we didn’t need to re-install everything as we were told we would, so that was a relief.

I’ve just paid my parking ticket. I should be in a grumpy mood but surprisingly I’m not. There’s nothing I can do so I just have put up and shut up… and I’m certainly not hoping my payment chokes them…

Tomorrow is our staff Christmas lunch. Should be good fun even though I work with some very odd people. I did think about leaving the car at home so I could have a drink or two but I decided against it. Besides it’s not like any of them will really drink so it might be embarrassing if I was on my 4th pint before we even got to the starters…

Dirty robbing bastards...

It’s official. I’m a doofus. I got a parking ticket! Yesterday we had to get to an appointment and we were running late, it was a residential street, approx. 7pm and I thought I would be ok. I wasn’t! I have to pay £60 (or £120 if I don’t pay within 14 days).

Traffic wardens really are parasites. I’m of the view, that you need traffic wardens (there, that surprised you!) because as a breed, car drivers are generally quite selfish. ‘I’m not disabled but I can’t bear the thought of walking so I’ll park outside the shop, mounting the kerb meaning anyone with a buggy or a wheelchair can’t pass on the pavement, but with the backside of the car sticking out causing cars to slow down and back up…’ that sort of thing. When you see someone being an idiot, parking dangerously, causing a blockage etc., etc. you think well they need to be moved on and someone has got to do it. But I’ve got three tickets now and at no time was I causing an obstruction or parked dangerously. In one case my ticket was for not displaying a permit – I was – and the person that gave me the visitors permit has written to the council saying how disgusted he was that I was issued said ticket when I did everything that was expected of me. But last night, I was on a yellow so I won’t be contesting this ticket because I was in the wrong. However they are still parasites. What happened to common sense and decency? What happened to benefit of the doubt? What happened to, this is a quiet residential street and she or he isn’t in anyone’s way…?

I have a meeting in less than an hour and I’m not sure I can rouse myself. I chair the meeting (I’m a very strict chair!) and I feel I should show enthusiasm otherwise how can I inspire enthusiasm in others? I’ve bought everyone doughnuts and mince pies so hopefully that will kick everything off in good spirits. But I suspect I need a very large and very strong coffee before then.

Tonight I’ve decided I want to wrap presents. I’ve bought quite a few now, but there are still one or six I need to get. I may have to venture into a shop – I’ve done all I can online. The thought terrifies me. People become crazed and single minded when they do Christmas shopping, and they have no problem hurting you if you stand between them and whatever it is they want… ‘tis the season to whack you in the ankles, jump the queue, stockpile food, buy expensive plastic crap and body slam strangers who happen to be in your way…

Ho, ho, ho!

What is the cost of kindness?

£1 apparently! I was on my way to my photo shoot today via Lewisham because I wanted to pick some stuff up from Millets (the outdoor shop I always use, more of that later). I parked in a side street by a parking meter (next to a car park) only to discover the smallest I had was a fiver. Worse, traffic wardens were prowling… three of them, writing out tickets, losing a little bit more of their soul each time they slapped a ticket on a windscreen… I asked one of them whether they knew where I could get some change but got little more than a shrug in reply. Then I saw the guys that hand wash the cars in car parks and asked one of them if they could change my £5. He couldn’t so he gave me a £1 and said, give it to me when you can…

I raced back to the car, got a ticket and then went to the shops. I did get some change after I had done my shopping, and found him again to give him back his pound. I know it was only a pound, but I was really touched. He didn’t know me and certainly didn’t know whether he could trust me. Anyway, I felt that he was very wonderful for doing it.

I alway use Millets in Lewisham. A lot of people use Millets because their prices are quite good, but I always use them because the service is great. I have never had a bad experience in Lewisham Millets. They rock. We’ve bought boots, clothes, equipment, a £200 tent… and each time they’ve been really good.

So I told them that! (I’ve written to their head office before and my letter was published in the staff magazine that goes all over the country!) But today I told the woman who served me as well. She positively glowed and seemed really delighted that she was being appreciated!

The photo shoot was OK – but only three people turned up so we’ll have to do a follow up. The lunch was very nice though!