Tuesday 29 September 2009

There's no place like home ...

I've been mulling over a post for a while in which I reflect on my many homes and the many different places in the world that instantly bring peace and comfort to my life. Places which, on arrival, are like walking through some mystical doorway to another world ... they're the cupboard in the spare 'oom ... the gate to the secret garden ...

Just thinking and writing about the thought of them makes my eyes well up a little.

I could do with being in one of those places right now.

And now I can't even put up lovely pictures ... you'll all just have to wallow with me ...

Friday 25 September 2009

Not to forget ...

I'm thankful for Christmas!!! Only three months to go!!!

I'm already planning my Christmas wrapping theme (I have plans to be one of those people who is renown for her fabulous wrapping)

The Christmas Card list is ready to be updated this weekend (The Christmas cards having been bought at the start of the year of course)

Tomorrow afternoon signals the start of online Christmas shopping (if people send me their lists it only seems sensible to get started early!)

I just need to get my own (very sensible) wishlist under way. (It might sounds selfish but it's not like I'm not going receive anything!)

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Friday Fanks

I need to try a new tune ...

I'm thankful for my wonderful and varied family. From the very English Kings, to the Queensland based Caferellas, Pfahls, Evans', and a few others whose various surnames I can't remember! From Franny-Lou, Craig & Gypsy hippy-ing it up in NSW to the every expanding Cook clan proudly taking over Wigan and it's surrounds.

There are 3 Margarets, at least 3 Matthews, 2 Rebeccas, 2 Peters I can think of, a Mark and an ex-Mark. I'm the only (surviving) Elizabeth that I know of ... but in this clan who knows?!

Tuesday 22 September 2009

Flatmate for Sale

My flatmate is great. Really, really great. We manage to have similar tastes and opinions but just with a different take on the world.

Occasionally I find myself bemoaning the fact that I'm just going to go home on a week night and not catch up with friends ... but that's ok ... because I have a ready-made built-in friend in my own living room!

She eats what I cook and never fails to think it's amazing and thank me profusely. She doesn't mind watching the same episodes of CSI over and over again every night ... When she catches me clandestinely trying to watch the latest bit of trash that's sure to be cancelled after one season she doesn't laugh and roll her eyes but instead sits down to watch with me and then finds out when it's going to be repeated.

And last night ... when I attempted to take her out for her birthday (which none of her other presents have arrived for - Thanks Royal Mail!) and we were 5 people too late to get into the studio audience ... she took me out for a dinner. I fail to get her into a free event to celebrate her birthday, and she responds by insisting we go out for an expensive meal and then footing the bill!

It's not like she hasn't taken me out for dinner before. We have a sweet deal going where we share meals once or twice a week. It's just slightly unusual in that I cook and wash at home whenever the mood takes me, and she responds either by providing a bottle of wine or with her own form of cooking (ie. we go out or get takeaway).

And one of the best things about a non-cooking, sweet-toothed flatmate is that I can bake and bake to my heart's content and I don't have to worry about consumming all those calories single handedly, or having to constantly take them into work (where I am occaisionally reprimanded if we have bananas left at the end of the week and I don't make a cake).

So world - there's a fabulous, funny, intelligent, gorgeous, kite-surfing, shoe-loving, travelbug on the market. Not that I'm looking to get rid of her! It'd just be nice if someone else appreciated her as much as she deserves.

Friday 18 September 2009

I love youse

Well I'm obviously quite thankful for my friends both near and far ... as I may have mentioned to a couple of them last night via text whilst ever so slightly intoxicated.

I love the fact that every drunken text I send makes reference to the fact that I've had a few ... as if the middle of the night "I love youse" wasn't enough of a clue. It's like I feel a need to point out that I'm not in my normal completely coherent state. Which would suggest that I don't tell my friends and family that I love them on a regular basis and that somehow I'm uncomfortable with the idea ... unless I'm feeling a little tipsy that is.

I'm thankful for my friends, my family and all the love in my life. I'm thankful that I don't often use the word 'love' willy-nilly. Sure, I've been known to claim I LOVE Borough Market Brownies. I may have even claimed that I'd commit crimes just to get my hands on them. But I think it's generally understood that my feelings towards those heaven-sent rectangles of goodness don't really effect me the same way the memory of first holding my baby cousin does.

I think about it every time I write the word 'love' to someone. I don't want it to be a throwaway word that I use on all acquaintances I think of favourably. I want to use it at the bottom of an email, text or letter the way it was meant - I send this to you with my love. I say it at the end of every phone conversation I have with my parents and it may sometimes seem hurried and without thought. That's only because I need to make sure I say it every time, so they remember how I feel every second of every day - I love you.

I may find it easy to type. It may just trip off the tongue as though it means nothing of much importance. Take it as you wish, it's not meant lightly.

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Shiny, shiny!

I'm updating and making purty ... nothing complicated - I just wanted to widen my text area (which translates as 'I want to put bigger pictures in!').

Lovin' it

Sunday 13 September 2009

Legotastic!

I fulfilled a medium term dream last weekend and finally took myself to Legoland. Ok, so it wasn't Carlsbad ... but Windsor is just as glamorous!

Lee was showing his baby #1 Emma (She's the pink one in the pics below - the ACTUAL baby behind the wheel is his 3 month old Ben!) as part of the 'Amazing Machines' exhibition, so not only did I go to Legoland, but I got in for free (no £36 ticket for me!) and I got to wear an 'Exhibitor' pass which made me look ultra important.

Now it's difficult to name a highlight ... it's not that I didn't have a great day. It's not like I haven't been excited about this for AGES. And I'd agree that studying the park map and checking out the restrictions on all the rides in advance shows quite an impressive level of enthusiasm. It's just that it was just one of those fun days in general...
First there was the run for the train (and you know I don't run, especially where public transport is involved). Then there was the mystery of where to get the shuttle bus. Then there were the little kids staring at me bemused, because they couldn't quite work out what I was doing on the bus. Then there was the collecting of the pass, the admiring of Emma, the admiring (slightly les of course) of the other Caterhams and the admiring (less again) of the corvettes. Oh, and the first time anyone's ever said to me "watch out for that fire engine". Then we met Karen and Ben and entered the park through the exit, which is always tres cool. And then we wandered. Actually, we went to find somewhere to eat which was surprisingly decent food and not heart-stoppingly expensive.

The came the Magic Kingdom ... or something like that. I think I only went on one ride. Fairy Brook can safely be called 'fun for all ages' ... it reminded me of "It's a small world" (which I dragged my parents on 6 times just 23 years ago) but without the annoying music on nauseating repeat.

And did I mention that my office doesn't exist in Legoland? No wonder I love the place!

It's good clean fun. It's a day hanging out with friends and their gorgeous kid (who cares if he slept the whole time?!). It's something I'm unlikley to do again without a screaming kid or two hanging off me. It's another thing ticked off my list. And that makes me happy.

Sunday 6 September 2009

Gruncle Peter's 90th

Had a great time last weekend spending a day in The Lakes and then celebrating my great uncle Peter's 90th birthday with the family.

Despite the drizzly weather I managed a day of walking in Windermere and Bowness, and finally took myself up to Beatrix Potter's home, Hilltop. I spent what was left of the day walking back down to Bowness, hopping on the ferry, visiting the local craft fair and, of course, dropping in to Lakeland Ltd - home to all those things you never knew you always needed!


Next stop - Wetherall, Carlisle. I spent a lovely evening at Auntie Mary's before we headed off to surprise Uncle Peter with a birthday lunch.

Great food, lovely wine and even better family ... plus some cake-cutting shennanigans ... I expect nothing less from the Kings!