AWAY!

I'm off! Gone! Left the building. In fact as this publishes my plane is taking off from Stansted and I am bound for Perpignan. A week of *crosses fingers hopefully* Spanish/Catalan sun and tapas awaits. See you next Sunday - be good while I'm gone ... because I will be checking!!

Heading south

Need to iron!
Need to organise!
Need to pack!
Flying south tomorrow morning.

Need sun and relaxation!

Pretty much how my games pan out

Yesterday was Simon's birthday - I allowed him the treat of cutting the lawn! It didn't come gift wrapped. He didn't say thankyou.

Some people are just never satisfied.

Unconscious mutterings #277

I say ... and you think ... ?

Concentration :: population
Relocated :: move
Clot :: blood
Joints :: elbow, knee
Satellite :: moon
Money back :: guarantee
Kittens :: How many were going to St Ives?
Shady :: cool
Drain :: water gurgling down
Stroke :: positive

Do some Unconscious Muttering of your very own!

Word Time Week 3

Word time is a group on Flickr that is all about the way that different people say or pronounce words. The list of words for Word Time 3 runs as follows ...

Caramel
Touched
Bottle
Sensitivity
Salsa
There
Behind
Mother
Flower
Calendar
Barbiturate
Harvard
Chocolate
Darjeeling
Diaphragm
Stethoscope
Plaza
Macintosh
Spotted
What do you call the lace up shoes you wear for working out, running etc?

I had to re-record four times because of fluffed lines, knocked over cameras, closed eyes and even now I'm kind of worried about that freaky twitchy left eyebrow of mine - I might try inject botox to keep it still!!

**singing** I want candy!

I am struggling to find a photo for this week's PhotoHunt theme CANDY - I might have to go to Tesco (during the football this afternoon ... when it's bound to be empty) and snap a couple of shots of the sweet aisle. I'm just worried that they'll chuck me out if I do ... I might try it with my camera phone BUT - looks longingly around for someone who'll answer this question - how will I then transfer it to my PC??

Until then, you could always go over and answer today's Question of the Day ... no Lisa *wink* you don't have to answer everyone's/all of them.

Me working - honest

Me working - honest, originally uploaded by Laquet.

I know it looks like I'm sitting outside in the sunshine, playing in a pretend kitchen but honestly *smiles smugly* it's work!! I really must go and do the ironing now.

The Marriage Meme

Stolen, no shock there .... back in February 2006 from Angi at a glimpse of being me. Kept in my draft box until today just to say .... Happy Anniversary Simon ~ love you more!

Where/how did you meet? In a chat room over at Yahoo! It was my first ever visit to a chat room ~ kismet? He made the first move.
How long have you known each other? We met on the 23 September 1999 .... so that'd be just over 8 & 1/2 years.
How long after you met did you start dating? We didn't exactly date ... Simon was living on the Isle of Man and I was in Gillingham. Dating for us was a series of weekend trips and long phone calls (and even longer phone bills), the odd full week together and about a 1000 emails.
How long did you date before you were engaged? We moved in together in April 2000 ... Simon moved to the UK and we squashed ourselves into my studio flat for nearly 3 months. Then rented a house together. A year later we bought our house and got engaged 9 months after that ... March 2002
How long have you been married? 3 years today ... it was 2005.
When is your anniversary? That would be today.
How many people came to your wedding reception? It was a very small wedding and reception ~ 35 people at the registry office and then about 90 at the reception which was at home ... oh and of course, the Internet was there - well, it just seemed so apt seeing as we met online!
What kind of cake did you serve? moist sponge cake ... with funky themed icing and rich fruit cake for the traditionalists* out there!

Where was your wedding? At the local Registrar's Office as a church ceremony wasn't wanted or possible - whilst I was indeed a spinster of the parish ... Simon arrived in a reconditioned state having had a past owner or 10. Not that he was married to them all you understand.
What did you serve for your meal? I'm lucky enough that one of my best friend's used to be a chef and between us we catered a beautiful buffet ... see below.

It did seem like we were cooking for days beforehand but it was delicious!! He was also resident mixologist - we drank Charlie's Angels ... a mixture of champagne, peach schnapps and brandy ~ delicious!!
How many people were in your bridal party? Not really a bridal party as such - 4 witnesses, 3 of mine one of his ... well when else can you be greedy.
Are you still friends with them all? Yep
Did you or your spouse cry during the ceremony? No, I don't think so - did plenty of crying in the lead up ... more stressful than moving house.
Most special moment of your wedding day? The diamonds moment during Simon's speech; whenever he asks "what do you want?" my answer is always diamonds - so I got a pair of earrings as my wedding present.
Any funny moments? Ruth and the 144 times she said "the bride" culminating in her "best man speech" ... she took over BUT was perfect at it!!
Any big disasters? Not that I was aware of - maybe people just kept them from me!?! Mind you, Transco did lay yellow pipes outside the house before the wedding, so nobody could park anywhere - lost a little sleep over that!

Where did you go on your honeymoon? St Jean de Luz - 3 weeks later. It was blissful.
How long were you gone? A week
What side of the bed do you sleep on? As you stand at the foot of the bed and look towards the head I sleep on the right.
Greatest strength as a couple? We laugh constantly.
Greatest challenge as a couple? When he handed his notice in at work four weeks after the wedding without telling me that he was going to do that!! I could have killed cheerfully him :o(
Who literally pays the bills? Me
What is your song? Don't laugh but it's the theme to Enterprise (yep that Star Trek prequel) called Where my heart will take me by Russell Watson.

What did you dance your first dance to? This will be an everlasting love - Natalie Cole.

Describe your wedding dress? Take a look yourself.

What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding? Off white roses
Are your wedding bands engraved? Nope and only I wear one.

* i.e. my mother!

I don't have such a bad old commute to work

... well in the summertime at least!

Weekend 101 words

Fab weekend at Cat (Simon’s niece) and Rob's in Derby with Helen, Chris, Ally and all. My mother-in-law’s 80th birthday, Simon “A.K.A. Hoppity" was the surprise (should have been working). Arrived at 5pm after sinfully easy trot up M1 – who’d have believed it possible?? MIL very happy to see middle child, tears flowed :o) Pressies! BBQ’d sausages, burgers and Laura’s couscous plus lashings of champagne in the sunshine. Stayed late. Slept at Cat’s mum’s house, Asda for supplies, then Cat’s for brunch. A hot scuttle home down M1. Fish-finger sandwiches – still full after brunch. Lovely weekend – shame I’ve got work today.

Unconscious mutterings #276

I say ... and you think ... ?

Track :: run
Snake :: asp
Assignment :: degree
Blockbuster :: Titanic
Bombastic :: aggressive
Adventure :: Indiana Jones
First time :: virgin
Aged :: old
Grip :: tight
Shortcut :: back roads work for me

Do some Unconscious Muttering of your very own!

PhotoHunt :: Open photo

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It'a my Mother-in-law's 80th birthday today - that's her with her arms around my niece's partner's shoulders ... Happy Birthday Dee!

Questions, questions, questions

I'm interested in life* and my questions are posted for the day - go on, go over and answer a couple. Let me know how your singing is or whether you will or won't!

* The adjective nosey has been bandied about ... but not by anyone who's still alive!

The unfairness of life

I have a wonderful friend who has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

I knew her as an acquaintance for maybe 5 or 6 years years but she has truly become a friend since she started working at the school in September 2006.

I have found out that life hadn't always treated her well - she lost her parents when she was fairly young, she had an unfullfilling marriage and a long term relationship that simply didn't meet her needs.

And then recently she met someone.

Someone who makes her smile and laugh.
Who fulfills her completely - or so it appears to me.
Someone who she can really be herself with.

So, four or so weeks ago she had to have a hysteria-rectomy which she bounced back from full of vigour, love and all things good.

And then a week last Monday, the surgeon called her back told her the BAD NEWS ... they'll have to operate on June 9th and follow that up with chemo and she sent her off to see a consultant - who apparently looks like George "hubba hubba" Clooney - and the good thing is he says the prognosis looks good BUT isn't life fucking unfair BECAUSE at this time when everything should be good for the two of them, they've got this shit to put up with. And whilst I will do all I can to be there for either of them at any/ all of the time the bottom line is I just don't want to loose a friend who I'm only just coming* to truly appreciate. I'm not ready to do that and I don't want to.

Life is so fucking unfair.

*well when you look at the 18 months I've really known her against my 30 odd years of other friendships

p.s. Mandy and Kate ... if you are reading this, "welcome" I have admitted where my blog is and you have come and perused the (odd and often dodgy) ramblings of my mind. I need you to know that I wrote this whilst I was feeling really shit about when this all happened and needed to purge. Having spent this very afternoon with your glowing self I now know more of the fighter that you are and realise I can only loose YOU if I make you count to 10,000 and hide - really well. "Love you D.O.D.!!"

Unconscious mutterings #275

I say ... and you think ... ?

State :: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado etc. etc. all the way to Wyoming.
Lively :: awake
Valet :: Jack - in a French pack of cards.

Traction :: hospital
Official :: tax bill
Red hot :: chili
Powder :: talcum
Replies :: answer
Flagrant :: *wink* naughty
Tweet :: Sylvester and Tweetie Pie

Do some Unconscious Muttering of your very own!

PhotoHunt :: Time

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My niece abseiled down a church tower in Derby for charity ... at about 3.32pm