Two posts in three days! I've broken my writers block at last.
I have been doing a lot of thinking during my enforced leisure time. Some of it has been directed towards this blog. I seem to have lost my way a bit, or as Austin Powers would put it, I've lost my mojo! Those of you who read me regularly will know that my life has been in turmoil these last few months. My mother passed away at the end of last year, I think I've finally found the love of my life (although I will always hold a torch for George Clooney) and I have injured my left leg so badly that I've not been able to walk for two months. Certainly turbulent times. It has dented my confidence and I am not sure what direction I am going in any more. Hopefully I will soon be back on an even keel, but until then I will probably be all over the place, for which I apologise.
With all that's been going on with me recently I haven't felt the urge to comment on the world around me like I used to. I have therefore decided, at least for the moment, to concentrate on the personal diary aspect of this blog and pass the "social comment baton" onto someone else. I had hoped Robert would take up the mantle but it seems he is too busy burying his head in his encyclopedia and going train spotting. Hopefully I will find somebody before the"McCann Circus" arrives back in town to celebrate their first anniversary later in the week. It's too good an opportunity to miss. Applicants should also be keen to deride The Apprentice on BBC TV. I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, 26 April 2008
Friday, 25 April 2008
Publish or be Damned
It seems the title of my last post is very apt. Although it only feels like a short time, I have been a lady of leisure for nearly eight weeks now. That is to say, because of my current inability to walk, I have not been able to go to my work. I have not been totally idle though.
In the last few days, for instance, I have spent many hours trying to contact BT. I arranged to transfer to another Broadband supplier before I hurt my leg and this went through in the first week of March. Despite this, BT have billed me up to the end of April!
So, if you are stuck indoors on a rainy afternoon some day, here is a cheap way to keep you amused for a while. Phone BT on 0800 800150. Imagine that, like me, you have been overcharged for Broadband. You will find you are presented with endless menus from which you will have to make choices. You will also be asked to type in your full phone number on numerous occasions. When you find yourself in a loop, as you almost certainly will, change one of your choices and see what happens.
Award yourself 1 point for A) Every menu you encounter, B) Every minute your call lasts and C) Every time you type in your phone No.. If you actually get to speak to a human being before you accumulate 100 points I will probably die of shock. My current record is 26 for no result and I had to ring off in order to preserve what is left of my sanity.
Happy dialing.
In the last few days, for instance, I have spent many hours trying to contact BT. I arranged to transfer to another Broadband supplier before I hurt my leg and this went through in the first week of March. Despite this, BT have billed me up to the end of April!
So, if you are stuck indoors on a rainy afternoon some day, here is a cheap way to keep you amused for a while. Phone BT on 0800 800150. Imagine that, like me, you have been overcharged for Broadband. You will find you are presented with endless menus from which you will have to make choices. You will also be asked to type in your full phone number on numerous occasions. When you find yourself in a loop, as you almost certainly will, change one of your choices and see what happens.
Award yourself 1 point for A) Every menu you encounter, B) Every minute your call lasts and C) Every time you type in your phone No.. If you actually get to speak to a human being before you accumulate 100 points I will probably die of shock. My current record is 26 for no result and I had to ring off in order to preserve what is left of my sanity.
Happy dialing.
Monday, 31 March 2008
Time Flies
Can't believe it's a fortnight since I last wrote! Hester has been on holiday for 10 days so I am going to blame her for distracting me. She will probably have other ideas when she reads this.
We spent last week in Edinburgh. It seems to be our karma of late to commute between Hester's flat, my flat, and my late mother's flat. We have become modern day nomads!
Although our recent stay in mum's flat was productive in terms of sorting out her paperwork (a nightmare) and tidying up some of her effects, I was unable to do certain things. I had the phone line disconnected a while back so I couldn't surf the Internet. Disaster. I have fallen in love with my Broadband. Hester's Dial-Up (which I am using now) is soooo painfully slow but no connection at all is too much to bear. I am sure it is responsible for the rash I am currently suffering.
Sadly my leg is still far from recovered and I was unable to climb the stairs up to my own flat. Good old Hester came to the rescue though. She also went to the bank and payed all the outstanding bills for both flats so I now have no fears about the utilities bashing down either of the doors in order to disconnect gas or electricity supplies.
As you have probably guessed we are back at Hester's place in Darkest England now. I am signed off work for a further month so there is no hurry for me to return to Edinburgh. Hester is back at work so I am going to spend my time checking out the blogosphere and catching up with my own paperwork. But first I am going to watch Loose Women. Need to get my priorities right!
We spent last week in Edinburgh. It seems to be our karma of late to commute between Hester's flat, my flat, and my late mother's flat. We have become modern day nomads!
Although our recent stay in mum's flat was productive in terms of sorting out her paperwork (a nightmare) and tidying up some of her effects, I was unable to do certain things. I had the phone line disconnected a while back so I couldn't surf the Internet. Disaster. I have fallen in love with my Broadband. Hester's Dial-Up (which I am using now) is soooo painfully slow but no connection at all is too much to bear. I am sure it is responsible for the rash I am currently suffering.
Sadly my leg is still far from recovered and I was unable to climb the stairs up to my own flat. Good old Hester came to the rescue though. She also went to the bank and payed all the outstanding bills for both flats so I now have no fears about the utilities bashing down either of the doors in order to disconnect gas or electricity supplies.
As you have probably guessed we are back at Hester's place in Darkest England now. I am signed off work for a further month so there is no hurry for me to return to Edinburgh. Hester is back at work so I am going to spend my time checking out the blogosphere and catching up with my own paperwork. But first I am going to watch Loose Women. Need to get my priorities right!
Monday, 17 March 2008
Supplies Running Low
Day 18 in Hester's House (best pronounced in a Geordie accent). Fortunately the management have kept the Newcastle Brown ( my new tipple) flowing or I would have gone stir crazy by now. Is it me or does this post have a North-East flavour to it?
More concerning is that I have run out of clean knickers! I had a rummage through Hester's drawers (make what you will of that) and am currently wearing a pair of frilly purple ones. A bit too flashy by my standards but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I hope Hester doesn't mind.
All going well she will be driving me back to Edinburgh at the weekend and staying for a few days. Between one thing and another I will be seeing her most days this month so there is an upside to this episode.
More concerning is that I have run out of clean knickers! I had a rummage through Hester's drawers (make what you will of that) and am currently wearing a pair of frilly purple ones. A bit too flashy by my standards but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I hope Hester doesn't mind.
All going well she will be driving me back to Edinburgh at the weekend and staying for a few days. Between one thing and another I will be seeing her most days this month so there is an upside to this episode.
Thursday, 13 March 2008
A Spot of Culture
I went out to the theatre a couple of nights ago. The students at Hester's college were performing "Kiss me Kate". First time I have experienced such culture for a long time and I enjoyed myself.
I have now been staying with Hester for ten days or so and this was the first time I had been out of the house other than for a visit to the local Accident & Emergency Department! She drove me to the theatre, and back, but I was able to hobble in and out of the building under my own steam. I have got a couple of walking sticks from Hester which means I am at least partly mobile.
The kids put on a very good show. Thinking about their average age it struck me that I am old enough to be a grandmother to most of them. A bit disconcerting. Unfortunately I shared this fact with Hester and I suspect she will be casting it up for a long time to come, and me a poor invalid as well!
My leg might be a bit gammy but my fingers still work fine so I will still be able to share my experiences with you, even if I can't post any pictures for now.
Take Care.
I have now been staying with Hester for ten days or so and this was the first time I had been out of the house other than for a visit to the local Accident & Emergency Department! She drove me to the theatre, and back, but I was able to hobble in and out of the building under my own steam. I have got a couple of walking sticks from Hester which means I am at least partly mobile.
The kids put on a very good show. Thinking about their average age it struck me that I am old enough to be a grandmother to most of them. A bit disconcerting. Unfortunately I shared this fact with Hester and I suspect she will be casting it up for a long time to come, and me a poor invalid as well!
My leg might be a bit gammy but my fingers still work fine so I will still be able to share my experiences with you, even if I can't post any pictures for now.
Take Care.
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Oh Dear!
It seems my wicked ways have caught up with me again. I see myself as a victim of circumstances, although I do admit some blame.
I have been having to get a coach between Edinburgh and Lockerbie recently because of line works at the weekend. Then I get the train the rest of the way to Hester's. When I boarded the coach a Virgin employee asked me if I would like to transfer to the one behind which was going to Carlisle (the next train stop down the line). This meant a chance to see some different scenery and it probably was a good decision, the way things turned out. When we got to Carlisle station I checked the departure board and discovered my train had been cancelled.
By this time my already dodgy legs had turned to the consistency of jelly.
And that was when I made my fatal mistake. I should have decided not to have any sherry for fear of making them worse. But instead I knocked back some I had secreted in an old juice bottle in the hope it would calm my nerves on the consequent bus and then train journeys.
By the time I got to Hester's station I needed her help to get off the platform. And worse still, when I got out of her car at the house I promptly fell over. How undignified.
Sunday afternoon saw us spending a "jolly" two or three hours at the local Accident & Emergency. Hester had to take me in in a wheelchair which was a further mortification.
The nice young doctor who examined me proclaimed that I had pulled a hamstring in the top of my leg and that I should take lots of painkillers and keep it moving.
Sorry no pictures, because I forgot to take my camera with me. The hospital wasn't very interestingng looking anyway. It seemed to be inspired by the World War II Pillbox school of architecture.
So here I am in Hesters house pouring out my sorrows whilst she is away trying to knock some drama into a bunch of reluctant teenagers. It is going to be days before I can walk well enough to go home so I have lots of time to contemplate my position. Hester, in one of her rare masterful moments, has banned me from drinking sherry. Probably for the best but sherry is sooo nice.
I am an eternal optimist and the upside of all this is that not only do I get even more TLC from Hester, but I also have lots of time to visit all the blogs I have been neglecting.
So long my dears.
I have been having to get a coach between Edinburgh and Lockerbie recently because of line works at the weekend. Then I get the train the rest of the way to Hester's. When I boarded the coach a Virgin employee asked me if I would like to transfer to the one behind which was going to Carlisle (the next train stop down the line). This meant a chance to see some different scenery and it probably was a good decision, the way things turned out. When we got to Carlisle station I checked the departure board and discovered my train had been cancelled.
By this time my already dodgy legs had turned to the consistency of jelly.
And that was when I made my fatal mistake. I should have decided not to have any sherry for fear of making them worse. But instead I knocked back some I had secreted in an old juice bottle in the hope it would calm my nerves on the consequent bus and then train journeys.
By the time I got to Hester's station I needed her help to get off the platform. And worse still, when I got out of her car at the house I promptly fell over. How undignified.
Sunday afternoon saw us spending a "jolly" two or three hours at the local Accident & Emergency. Hester had to take me in in a wheelchair which was a further mortification.
The nice young doctor who examined me proclaimed that I had pulled a hamstring in the top of my leg and that I should take lots of painkillers and keep it moving.
Sorry no pictures, because I forgot to take my camera with me. The hospital wasn't very interestingng looking anyway. It seemed to be inspired by the World War II Pillbox school of architecture.
So here I am in Hesters house pouring out my sorrows whilst she is away trying to knock some drama into a bunch of reluctant teenagers. It is going to be days before I can walk well enough to go home so I have lots of time to contemplate my position. Hester, in one of her rare masterful moments, has banned me from drinking sherry. Probably for the best but sherry is sooo nice.
I am an eternal optimist and the upside of all this is that not only do I get even more TLC from Hester, but I also have lots of time to visit all the blogs I have been neglecting.
So long my dears.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
A Bit Behind
It seems my brother has pre-empted me. I will sort him out the next time we are in touch. My focus has been on Hester recently, and we have had some very good times. I should also add that our (Robert and I's) recent loss of our mother has meant that both of us have been involved with family matters, rather than blogging.
Hester and I had a Chineese Buffet meal on the Sunday night with her brother and his wife. It was fun although some of the food had probably been around since lunchtime, and it showed.
I remembered that JK Rowling started writing Harry Potter in a cafe in this street. When we left we saw newspaper cuttings which said the place we had been in was converted from the cafe JK used to visit.
Will describe our museum visit in detail soon, but here is a taster.
Here is a picture of my beloved in a space suit. I think it is very becoming. She has other ideas!
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