Hello Dear Reader :-) I’m supposed to painting my kitchen, but can’t decide which paint to use*, so instead I thought I’d drop in here and write a long overdue post. It feels a bit weird to be writing again, somewhat like riding a bike after a long break; I’m all wobbly and will probably veer all over the place, so please hang in there while I get my balance. I was going to write a long, serious post, but that’s not going to work, so instead here’s a catch- up type thing -  it’s the blogging equivalent of stabilisers.

 

In Recent Weeks I Have:

- Ejected a frog from my kitchen. No idea how it got in, I just found it hopping about one morning. This is one of the reasons I’m starting to think living in a town might be a better idea; I never found wildlife in my kitchen when I lived in a town. Since I moved here I’ve found the above mentioned frog, a bat, a pigeon, assorted rodents, some kind of mutant wasp** and a dog***. Apparently there are plans to reintroduce wolves into the UK, I do like that idea, but if it happens I am definitely moving to a more urban location because I suspect that, unlike frogs, it will take more than a dustpan and a mop bucket to eject a wolf from your kitchen.

- Tried to find a ghost walk in York. Actually, it’s more a case of trying to find the right one to go on, there are loads! At least three of them claim to be the original York ghost walk, and one claims to be world famous, but I’d never heard of it, so I’m a bit dubious about that***. Anyhow, I’m supposed to be going to York for a few days next month, and I’d really love to go on one,  so if anyone can suggest a tour it would be much appreciated.

- Watched the Hackergate coverage which seems to get more bizarre and unsavoury with every new revelation. I’m guessing certain politicians will be hoping it will all die down during the summer recess, but I have a feeling this is a scandal too far.

Oh, and someone should tell George Osborne that smirking at the opposition during a debate about the hacking of the phone of a murdered teenager makes you look like an insensitive loon.

- Planning next year’s holiday. I’m going on a big adventure taking in Greece, it’s islands and Albania! However, according to a friend****, this might be quite a risky undertaking because we won’t have a rep (not package tour people) and it will be hot. I’m not quite sure how having a rep alleviates the effects of heat, do they follow you with an AC unit over their shoulder?

It does make me wonder how people managed for all those years before package holidays – and reps – were invented. For example, the Duke of Wellington, I’m sure he didn’t have a rep during the Napoleonic wars, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t have a problem with his men spontaneously combusting. Admittedly, my knowledge of that period mostly comes from watching Sharpe, but I don’t remember an episode when Sean Bean says, ‘Eee ‘Arper, I’d love to capture that enemy fortress, but in this heat when we haven’t got a rep? No chance’. Obviously, it is not historically accurate.

Anyhoo, I’m jumping on my seat excited about the trip, and rather hoping it will be hot.

That’s about as exciting as it’s been, so I’ll go back to thinking about paint, and leave you with a LOLcat

Funny Pictures - Chemistry Cat
see more Lolcats and funny pictures,
and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

*It’s a choice between bluebell blue or a kind of peach shade, I say kind of because I mixed it using bits of paint from other tins, so it’s probably not on a paint chart.

** No, it wasn’t one of those Spanish ones the Daily Mail were warning us about. It was thin, about three inches long and had an evil glint in what I think was it’s eye.

*** Not my dog, it was some random dog called Ted – he was wearing a collar, he didn’t tell me.

**** Sorry, just because some of your customers are from overseas that does not make you world famous. Following this logic: I used to be a waitress in Stratford, our customers came from all over the world, therefore, because these people are aware of my existence I must be world famous too.

***** A man who wears speedos and flip-flops while holidaying, completely unaware that this makes him look like an aging porn star.




Yes, my blog disappeared. I’ve been doing completely non-stressful things, such as: packing to move house, and completely forgot to renew my hosting. Doh! Anyhoo, it’s back now, or at least, most of it is; I’m missing all the posts since May of last year :-( Some are still amongst my email, but I fear others have disappeared into the ether – including my Jane Austen and the Monkey Butlers post, which is disappointing, I felt that was one of my finest contributions to the blogosphere.

I’ve also had to recreate the blogroll, but I know many people are missing from it still. If you are amongst them, just let me know and I’ll add you asap!

In other news: am I the only person who has conversations with their mother that go:

Mater: Mrs Soandso has died?

Me: Sorry to hear that, but I don’t think I know her.

Mater: You do! It was her daughter who ran away with the circus.

Me: No, I’m sure I don’t know them.

Mater: You do! They had the dog that played the trombone.

Me: Still doesn’t ring any bells.

Mater: Oh well, she’s dead anyway. I passed on your condolences to her family.

Or ones that go:

Mater: Thingy was asking after you today.

Me: Who?

Mater: Thingy – you remember, her sister was the one who climbed Everest in flip-flops.

Me: No, I don’t think I know her.

Mater: You must do! She knows you.

Me: Well, I don’t know her.

Mater: You must! Her father single-handedly built the bypass out of stone left over from his rockery.

Me: Nope, can’t place her.

Mater: Oh well, I told her to add you on Facebook – you don’t mind do you?

Updated to add: I’ve found the missing posts! Just remembered posts from here appear in my Facebook notes, so I had a look and yes! They are all there! Even the Jane Austen/monkey butlers one. Not sure what to do with them now. I suppose I could add the better ones here occasionally, or not. I’ll have to think about that.

OK, I made this last night, and no one is to laugh! I was a bit bored during the period Twitter was closed for maintenance, and browsing through my image folders I found the advert* above which reminded me of something I’d seen Mexborough (I think). We were driving through and I’m sure I spotted a shop with one of those old-fashioned metal advertising hoardings, this stuck in my mind because you don’t see them anymore, they tend to be perspex and chrome nowadays. Anyhoo, inspired by that I took the aforementioned image and turned it into the one below – you might need to click it to see the full-sized version. I admit, it could be better (in the cold light of day) but I’m still quite pleased with it, and with myself. It’s the first time I’ve grungified anything for years – prettifying seems to be more my thing now.

This also made me think about the time I spend on places like Twitter. Of course, it’s not wasted, communicating with other people is never a waste, but it does distract me from other things I enjoy doing, and which I might be quite good at if I devoted more time to. I really should do something about that …


* I don’t know where the image came from, but if it’s yours let me know and I’ll credit you or remove it.


I appreciate you dropping by,
Please leave a comment, don’t be shy

follow me on twitter

I’ve just been sorting through my browser bookmarks, and came across a few links I’m not entirely sure about, for example: this. Why did I save the link to a site selling plasters in the shape of bacon? I can only assume I planned to buy some, don’t ask me why, they don’t look like something I’d use. Unless I thought they’d make a Christmas stocking filler gift, probably for someone I’m not very keen on. Or, possibly, I’d decided to take up practical joking*, although that seems very unlikely.

I also came across this. I’m guessing I’d been listening to a tad too much Pearl Jam that day and, filled with Gen X-er angst, was sitting around feeling despondent and whining about the injustice of it all. Actually, the article is quite interesting, in a self-indulgent way. And it is strange to think Curt Cobain would now be 42.

And, this – yeah, I was really going to learn to do that.

Finally, there were some good things too, like this and this, do read them, they’re very funny!

That is all!

* Does that work as a verb in that context?

Currently listening to: The Waterboys, not entirely sure why, they’re quite annoying.

I appreciate you dropping by,
Please leave a comment, don’t be shy

follow me on twitter

Via Ria, I found this article in the Independent discussing the link between creativity and mental illness – do read it, it’s very interesting! It’s not a new idea, but there does now seem to be evidence to back it up, and it made me wonder: if scientists, engineers and creative types are all crazy, what exactly do sane, non-creative people contribute to society? Are they simply there to make cups of tea?

If you think about it, they do get a pretty raw deal. Yes, our entire society may be built around their strange 9-5 ways; no, no one is ever going to ask them when they plan to quit the accountancy thing and get a proper job, but no one ever remembers them either. We all know who Einstein was, but who made his tea, or in his case, probably coffee?

And that is all, I’m very tired :-(  

                                                              
PS: The file name for the photo of Einstein was ‘Albert_Einstein_Head_Cleaned_N_Cropped’. Is it me or does that sound positively macabre?

I appreciate you dropping by,
Please leave a comment, don’t be shy

© 2011 Itisi Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha

Switch to our mobile site