Rampage
The rain has stopped very early this morning - so much for snow. So imagine my surprise when I woke up to find the house completely shrouded in a thick blanket of fog! I couldn't see a thing. I tried to let the boys out, and the pair of them refused to budge. I think they thought I had removed the world, but they had also had a busy night.
The Baron forgot to feed them last night. So they went quite mad. Literally. They broke one of my terracotta pots that I use for candles (it wouldn't be so bad, but they are pudding pots and with this diet I can't go and buy another pudding to replace my pot!), they tracked cigarette butts through the house and then they fought.
And somehow, this was all my fault. Despite that fact I had been tucked up in bed and asleep for four hours before he came to bed. Now, I wear earplugs, because a certain someone snores, so I missed all the cat entertainment. But the Baron, being a kind soul, woke me up to tell me all about it. At 3AM (which is how I knew the rain had stopped). And then proceeded to tell me it was all my fault because I never feed the cats.
I think he must have forgotten that I feed them morning and afternoon, change their litter, medicate them, let them in and out, take them to the vet, groom them, and generally adore them. Stupid bastard. He never accepts responsibility for anything - it is always somebody elses fault, always.
Enough of him. He is pissing me off.
All the rubbish is out of the fridge at last, but sadly is passing through my digestive system. I feel quite ill and so I am looking forward to a clean start tomorrow. I have planned my meals for the next few days so that I don't need to think much. Nothing is worse than dwelling on food, but because I go back to work on Monday, from then on I won't have much chance to. I refuse to buy food when I am at work - not out of dietary restraint, but out of financial restraint. It is so much cheaper to take lunch in, and now the health benefits are an added incentive. Good luck to us all!
So here is to the end of 2003. Cheers!
Fat isn't just a feminist issue, it is also a feline issue
Unfortunately for my waistline, I am still cleaning out the fridge of crap. I still have 12 rice crispie cakes to munch through, some sausage rolls, houmous, onion and garlic dip, and not to mention the crisps lying around.
My cunning plan is to eat it all tonight, and make myself feel so sick that I never want to eat crap again, leaving the way open for crisp clean salads, steamed fish, and grilled meats. Ha! I tried that last night, by eating the remains of my B&J chocolate brownie ice cream. I felt so sick that I can't even face eating food today.
I recovered briefly, and I did manage a pouisson with lots of veg, but I couldn't resist the skin (that is going to be my downfall), and I am back to feeling ill. Never mind. Dieting is about willpower. I will eat a fridge full of crap, I can do it!
What else has happened? Harvey's eye is nearly better, so after tonight, I won't need to do battle with a psychotic cat. I tried to sneak up on him this morning when he was asleep, but he woke up and legged it under the sofa, and then shot out through the cat flap. When he returned 5 minutes later (it was pissing down) he eyed me warily.
The silence was deafening. He blinked. I blinked. He swished his tail (no doubt something extremely rude in cat tongue). I produced the eye ointment from behind my back. He reversed at high speed through the cat flap. I started to laugh. Then made him some breakfast.
A typical male always comes home for food! Harvey heard the bowls go down and literally flew through the door and ran to his food (he insists on eating first so to beat the others to the bowls he needs to move at the spped of light). I sat in the kitchen, putting the boxes of cat food in the cupboard, cunningly leaving a large cat sized hole - I know my cats! Ellie got in and got out when I showed her her old lampshade collar. Frankie got in and got out when I showed him the flea spray.
And then came Harvey. Still wary, he manouevred around me so that we didn't touch but we maintained eye contact. And in he climbed. Quick as a flash, I built up a wall of cat food around him, leaving his head poking out. He miaowed. He knew what was coming. He hissed. He spat. He swore.
I grabbed that evil little head, pulled his eyes open and got bitten for my trouble. I swore, pulled his eye open again and dripped that ointment in. From the noise, you would be forgiven for thinking I had tried to murder him. He flung himself out of the cupboard with superfeline strength (I'm glad he didn't do that pre ointment) and sat himself on the bin, giving me the Evil Eye. The full effect was somewhat diluted, as the ointment had gummed up one eye and made him cycloptic, and frankly, quite comical.
There is nothing worse than being in your cats bad books. They deliberately track mud everywhere, moult on your favourite clothes, hack hairballs into your shoes, trample on you at night, hog the bed, hog the sofa.................hang on, cats do that anyway. No, the bad bit is that they won't come and sit on you and purr. That is what makes up for everything else.
So, back to food bribery. Harvey is all male, despite the lack of bollocks. Out comes the treats. Now treat time in this house is actually quite a laugh. Ever since Harvey arrived, he has been able to catch these tiny treats in his paws. As he got bigger we threw them into the air to give him a challenge, which as a truly demented beast he cheerfully accepted (everything to a cat is a personal mission that must be accomplished).
Result? One fat cat. Then Frankie arrived. We threw treats at him. They hit him between the eyes. And Harvey scarfed them down. Guess what? One even fatter cat, and one disappointed cat. And disappointed cats start cat fights.
Fast forward a few months after the cat diet. Frankie learnt pretty quickly that he had to catch treats if he ever wanted to eat one. But, being another male cat, and therefore in possession of The Ego, he had to go one better. Frankie has mastered the art of leaping into the air and catching the treat directly in his mouth (so now we have two fat cats). That ended the fights. Until now.
Miss Ellie can't catch at all. She sits and watches them sail towards her, and watches as the boys intercept them. Except the boys fight over who has interception rights. Harvey believes himself to be the Top Cat. Frankie disagrees and weighs a good 3 pounds more. So the fur flies. Why is it that a white tabby who only has any real amount black fur on the rings on his tails sheds only black fur? Frankie is a tail biter.
The Baron is working late. Peace and quiet again. Apart from the final scheduled eye drop, that is. Hopefully, his Dad won't call. He has been calling to update us on the latest in the family saga (the Baron's nan and her reluctance to go to Ireland). Now his mum won't speak to his nan, and the family is strangely siding with his mum. I personally think his mum is bang out of order on this one and should apologise, and mind her own damn business. She doesn't know yet that I am not going.
I told the Baron what I would do if he made me go, namely get drunk and tell the wedding party exactly why they got married (groom caught out shagging secretary). I wouldn't really (although I would fantasise about doing it), but he said I am not allowed to go now. Result!
Good Lord, I have been typing for quite some time. Probably time to end this feeble saga and go do something. Like medicate the cat. He is snoozing so peacefully now......................time for revenge!
Diet
I have joined the hordes of New Year dieters. May we all be successful and svelte.
I have a couple of days gorging to clean out the fridge and freezer, and then the path to slenderness stretches out leading to the summer.
Actually.........I really hate dieting. I think it is miserable and boring, and it makes people miserable and boring. All that healthy food and exercise talk, when we really want to be scoffing buns. Fools no-one! But it needs to be done, for health and fitness. I won't go down the vanity route. Focusing on being slim reminds you that you are not, and starting with low self esteem is a recipe for failure. And anyone who dares to comment on my size (which is not obscene, by the way, just a little more rotund than I would like), well I'll come and sit on you and we can discuss it!
The Baron is at work, the cats are going crazy because of the rain, I don't have the heart to write my report (mainly because I would have to go to the car to get the paperwork which is in the boot, and I don't want to get wet) and yet again I can't get the heating to work!!!!
On the upside, I made two phonecalls today and saved £55 a month. I cancelled an excess insurance policy (I took it out because they were offering some good money off vouchers that came to more than the first months premium, which is all I needed to pay to qualify) and then I called the electricity/gas company.
Now they are always good for a laugh. I changed to them last year after my previous supplier "mistakenly" charged us for the consumption of the entire road. We have a one bed open plan house, so we don't have high bills, so it is beyond me how they thought they could slip that in without us noticing!
Anyway.........we swapped after that. The new company took care of everything. The first bill arrived. And was higher than that previously received for the entire street. They claimed it was right, I told them they were talking out of their arses. They insisted I had to start repaying the bill ,and for the sake of my credit rating I agreed to payments of £60 a month, knowing that when it was resolved I would have a nice credit note.
I took another meter reading and gave it to them. Turns out my reading was significantly lower than the reading they took when I switched to them, and that their meter reader was seriously crap. That resulted in a large credit to my account, which I kept instead of cashing - with winter coming I knew the bills would increase.
Forward to today. I have been working on our budget, and I decided I would call to see if I could reduce the payment to free up some cash. Apparently, I have a whopping £380 in credit!!! Despite that, they won't let me reduce my payments below £30 a month, but that frees up some more money to get rid of my graduate loan (and my career development loan, and my deferred student loan, and those pesky credit cards).
Ellie has just got herself stuck in the cat flap. She isn't allowed out yet, since she is so tiny, but she snuck through when I was letting Harvey back in. Harvey is playing the Hokey Cokey today, and I am the door attendant. Poor Ellie wants to be outside with her brothers, and she cries so much when they are gone. Like now she is sat at the door howling piteously for Harvey and Frankie to come back to her/ me to let her out to be with them. She doesn't cope well alone.
Actually, that isn't strictly true. I've just realised that Frankie is in, but I hadn't seen him. He is pure black and he is curled up in a dark blue cat doughnut. When he does that, he is almost invisible. So I spend a lot of time looking for him outside when he is snug and warm in here. I do check before I look outside, but I can look at him and just not see him when he is in there. That happens a lot round here. He likes to hide under my quilt too.
I need to tidy my desk. The cats let me know that they weren't happy with it by emptying my file all over the floor. In the spirit of a truely organised person, that file was full of stuff to file. So from an organised chaos comes just plain chaos.
In fact, that is my entire life at the moment. Budgets and diets are just plasters over the mess.
Busy
Busy day yesterday. I took Harvey and Ellie to the vets. Ellie had her stitches out, and Harvey has conjunctivus - my poor baby. He was so cuddly last night, he must have felt miserable. He is yowling to go out at the moment so I think he may feel better today.
The Boy came round yesterday. I wasn't asked to have him, I was told that he was coming, and he was told so I couldn't get out of it without making him cry. That really pisses me off. I have spent the holidays going to other people at their request and we have had so little time at home doing what we want. The Baron goes back to work tomorrow, and three out of his four days off have been spent elsewhere or doing stuff for others. Just once I wish my sister would think of someone other than herself and Rob.
We made chocolate rice crispie cake, and watched Mathilda. He had fun, and asked if I would make him a pizza. He also asked if he could come on Tuesday and have worms and garlic bread with me. I said he could, because otherwise he will be stuck at home with his mother getting yelled at for everything. I'll write my report tomorrow so he can come round.
I seem to have hurt my foot. I don't know what I have done but I can't put any pressure at all on the ball of my right foot. Very spooky, and very painful.
Did lots of washing and stuff yesterday as well. I went to the sales with my mum, but they were pretty rubbish. I bought some jogging bottoms and a yoga top, but that was it. It seems that most stuff had gone on sale before Christmas, and so I had bought everything we needed then. I am avoiding food shopping until at least tomorrow (or when my foot is feeling better) as people are still shopping as though the world is going to end.
I don't get that. The holidays are the same every year, so the date is no surprise. The shops are shut for exactly one day, so why do people try to buy the entire shop up??? It is so greedy to be buying that much food (I know some people have guests, but then so many people are the guests and don't need to buy that much food), especially when you see the people of Iran left with nothing after that earthquake. Pure greed. No houses, 20,000 dead, but we have to spend as much as possible on crap. Beautiful.
I need to go put ointment in Harvey's eye. Not the easiest thing to do, but always good for a laugh.
So painfully full
Too much food and wine.
We spent the day at my sisters. It didn't start too well as she demanded that we be there for 12 but dinner wasn't until 3pm. I told her no and she hung up.
It was fine when we got there and the food was good and more than plentiful. The Boy was well behaved too. The Baron had to go and visit his brother (fat lazy moron who can't be bothered to come and see his own brother) and sort out his wedding plans, which takes place in Ireland in April. The Baron is to be best man.
Well, the Baron's nan is 82 and recovering from breast cancer. She refuses to fly to Ireland, since she has never flown and doesn't want to start now. Well, the Baron's mother went completely crazy and called her a selfish bitch, amongst other things. The Baron's Dad started in on her and actually hit her because she refused to stop her ranting. It didn't work, and she kept on screaming and swearing at this old lady until she literally ran out of steam. Good thing she doesn't know that I am not going (I can't stand his brother or his girlfriend)....
Sadly I missed all that, and the above is courtesy of the Baron. There is no way that I plan on going. He is a twat, and the only reason that they are getting married is that his girlfriend found out via a text message that he was shagging his secretary (which since he is disgusting, grossly obese and just a vile person is a small miracle in itself). Most girls with an ounce of self respect would dump his fat arse, but she insisted that he marry her. I mean, what the fuck?
Anyway....other than that, today has been quite good fun.
Merry Christmas
I have to go endure Christmas lunch with the Baron's parents. It will be ok, except for turkey and the snide remarks about the old computer. Oh, and the small fact that they are incapable of eating with their mouths closed.
That bugs me to hell - I once stabbed the Baron with a fork for that.
For the record
I have finished wrapping the presents at last.
Christmas Rant
Thanks Chris!!! And I love your nails.
I still haven't wrapped the presents. I am so terrible. But the house looks great and I have got rid of all the computer boxes. They are hidden outside so that people don't realise we have a new computer and decide to burgle us. Harvey wouldn't be impressed with intruders, and I wouldn't mess with him. That reminds me, I need to get a dangerous cat sticker to stick on the door LOL.
The Baron isn't home from work yet so I am quite bored. Christmas is such an anti climax, but at least it is paid time off work! Christmas is for those with children, I think. It isn't as much fun as an adult if you don't have kids. The Boy is home from his Dad's house on Boxing Day, so we are "celebrating" that day. Although I don't see the point if you aren't religious. It is just a crazy spending spree encouraged by greedy corporations who want us to line their pockets in the name of someone that so few believe in anyway. And I despise the fact that I conform every year just to keep people happy, because those self same corporations have infiltrated thinking to the extent that people think that presents equal love. Bollocks.
That is my rant of the day. I think I need some wine now................
Brains of a Donkey
I remember reading once that a Member of Parliament once referred to the Right Honourable gentlemen (and I use that phrase very loosely!) as not having the brains of a donkey.
The insulted MP stood up to address the Speaker to say that this was a slanderous lie. Before the Speaker had a chance to respond, the original Member stood back up and said:
"I retract my statement. He does have the brains of a donkey!"
Lazy Day
Today I had to go and return a game I bought for the Baron - XIII. It turns out that disk 1 was missing, presumed stolen. The town wasn't too busy at 9.50AM, mainly because the shop that I wanted didn't open until 10AM. I was lucky and was second in the queue because 10 minutes later, the place was heaving. I was in for 30 seconds! They didn't quibble or even bother to look at my receipt. I like it when things go that smoothly.
Other than that, today is a lazy day. Unfortunately the Baron's voice is making a reappearance so I need to make the most of the quiet. Although the cats are rather energetic this morning, so it isn't really working out too well. I took Ellie's lampshade off and she is now on the rampage with poor Frankie, who is more interested in hiding in a cardboard box. Harvey is patrolling the neighbourhood - being the neighbourhood menace is less work than dealing with Ellie!
Twelve
Twelve packets of frozen turkey in the freezer (quick recount), and I have to eat fresh turkey on Christmas and Boxing Day.
Eleven open packets of pasta. I can see a lot of pasta and turkey dishes in the coming months.
Ten pence in my purse.
Nine lonely socks who have lost their mates. Bad time of year to be alone.
Eight days (nearly) until 2004.
Seven chipped nails to sort out.
Six presents still to wrap.
Five gold rings. A girl can wish. One would be nice!
Four cheesecakes in my fridge. Admittedly three belong to my sister, and the last is mine, but should be gone soon. Yum yum.
Three fighting cats.
Two mobiles out of battery.
One headache.
New computer
The new computer has arrived. It is really great. What wasn't great was the Baron still setting it up at 3AM.
We have a loft bed - yes, very Scandinavian I know, and it didn't come from Ikea (but I admit that the idea did), and the computer desks live under the bed. So the light was on, muttered swearing could be heard, alternating with "get out of there, you "£$%$&£$^£ cats!" and "I will wring your furry neck if you don't get out of that £%^%&£$£%£box!"
Needless to say, I am exhausted today. I was working from home today - or as it is more commonly known, doing bugger all at home. I do have a report to write, but I have until the 5th to complete it, so why rush?
I went to visit my friend Nikki today, and her new baby Oscar. He is such a sweetie, and he has just topped 6 pounds, from a birth weight 18 days ago of 4 pounds and something. He seems a very contented little boy, and Nikki is looking great. She had a quick birth, mainly because she had an emergency C-section due to a decelerating heart rate in Oscar, but is doing really well. Daddy was working, but he looks very happy in the photo's that I saw (not that I have actually met him).
The Baron has lost his voice. I can feel a very peaceful Christmas coming on..............hopefully it won't come back for another couple of days! He should be working tomorrow, so the presents will be wrapped finally, and I shall finish tidying all the computer stuff away.
I spent an hour and a half on the motorway today, to travel 10 miles. There was a fire on a chemical truck near Luton that shut the M1 and buggered up the M25. It hasn't been a good week for motorway travel for me - yesterday I spent 4 hours driving. I was driving down the M2 to Kent and my junction was shut. No signs, naturally, so I havd to drive 14 miles to the next exit, turn around and drive back to get off the motorway on the side. Waste of time and petrol!
But I got to spend a bitterly cold afternoon wandering around a building site looking at window and doors. IT was fun, but cold. And sadly, despite the weather forecasts, there has been no snow yet.
A cat's life
Harvey is sulking because he thinks it is my fault that it is raining. You can see the thoughts playing through his head:
"Wet stuff? Make it stop NOW! You can open doors and those weird foil food packets - you have the power. I want in!"
But of course, 10 seconds later, he has forgotten why he came back in. and wants back out again. I read a great quote once:
"Cats want to be out when they are in, in when they are out, and sometimes both simultaneously"
Whoever wrote that has obviously got a previous incarnation of Harvey. I swear he has personality issues. He gets this look in his eyes sometimes, and you just know he is plotting the downfall of the human race. At that point it is wise not to even try to touch him, and averting your gaze is a good move.
Then, like now, he sleeps with such a serene smile on his face. No doubt he is dreaming of the world once he and his fellow feline henchmen are in power. He looks so happy. And if there was a cat that could pull off world domination, he'd be up there with the best of them.
Frankie and Ellie are nothing like that. Frankie has magpie tendencies and will steal anything not actually firmly secured - this includes earplugs, pill packets, glasses, lighters, cigarette packets (and not just the boxes of 20, but a box of 200 if you are stupid enough to leave them out), packets of biscuits (and that is the human and cat varieties) and my personal favourite, underwear. I have watched him sneak off with my knickers and stash them in his hidey hole. Ellie just likes to rub up against everything. So one power crazy lunatic (maybe we should have called him George?), one thief and one horny little devil.
Still, they keep me amused. And warm at night. Since the Baron is a quilt thief of the highest order, this is necessary. I wonder if I can train Frankie to steal the quilt from him?
Still cold
The heating has broken again, and there isn't much chance of having it fixed now until the New Year. The shops are demented, TV is crap and if I hear Silent Night again, I will ram their song sheet down their throats.
My final Amazon parcel arrived today so that is all of my shopping complete. I still haven't wrapped anything, but that is on the list for this evening, after Pop Idol - the Finale.
I plan to fit some baking in today, as well as that Key Lime Pie I need to make. I cheated and went and bought a lemon cheesecake today. My cheesecakes are ok but they usually crack on the top. I don't think I will make chocolate cornflake cake. That may have something to do with the fact that I have eaten a large proportion of the allocated chocolate.
Miss Ellie was caught wandering on the balcony rail. I only found out when I heard a noise and saw her hanging on for dear life - on the wrong side naturally - and I had to retrieve her. By the sounds of things downstairs, all three are sat in the kitchen sink. Since I rearranged the kitchen they have taken a real shine to the sink and spend most of the day fighting over who can sit there.
It is pissing down at the moment. It has been all day, and it is really dark and grim. It was more Christmassy a couple of days ago when it was so cold and frosty. The bad side to that was when my windscreen got covered in salt on the motorway and my water was frozen so I couldn't clean it off. It would have been ok except it was sunny and the sun streamed in and blocked my view. 25 miles blind. Then the resevoir defrosted and I could see again.
Apparently it is forecast to snow tomorrow and Monday. I hope so. Last time it snowed here we got the worst and all the roads and motorways were shut. I stayed home and played with the Boy. That would be nicer than a 60 mile drive just for a meeting, followed by a 60 mile drive to the client and another 60 mile trip home. And that is just Monday!
Anyone for a cup of tea?
Weekend!
I have just got back from the vet with Miss Ellie, who greeted me this evening with re-arranged stitches in her side. She is ok but I need to keep the boys separate until next Saturday. How, I don't know.
I also had dinner with my sister and the Boy. Bit rushed due to impending vet apppointmet, but it was nice. I am about to crack open a bottle of wine and drink it all by myself, or with my neighbour should she pop in.
The Baron is working late again so at least I should get some peace and quiet until he comes home. And by then I should be nicely drunk.
Job is going well. I have to work over the weekend, but I plan to slot an hour in tomorrow to complete the file, and a couple of hours on Sunday to write a draft report. I did have a half day yesterday so it is fair. Of course, a large proportion of my afternoon was stuck in traffic because one of the tunnels was closed again.
I suppose I should go and put the washer on, and check my favourite forums before cracking open the wine.
First proper day
I had a course on social housing yesterday, down in Kings Cross. It wasn't wildly exciting, but I met a new colleague. And got a certificate.
Today I went out to my first client. I met another colleague, and got my workload. It isn't light. I also have a schedule of meetings to attend, with the first being Monday.
So that sums up my last couple of days. Busy.
Ellie was spayed. She looks really sad and pathetic and unhappy. My poor baby!
The Baron cleaned the house for me. That was nice, as I got stuck in traffic on the way home. It took 45 minutes just to get through the Dartford tunnel. And the fuckers shut one of the tunnels, which really didn't help.
I'm off to have dinner. I am reheating one of the shepherds pies that I made a few weeks ago. It smells really good.
Exhaustion
My eyes are rebelling and trying to close already, and it is 18.21. Sleep will just have to wait.
It was my first day today, so I had to go for my induction and to collect my laptop, phone and other bits and pieces. All well and good, but it was in Portsmouth!
In total, I have spent over five hours today just driving. The induction only lasted a couple of hours (and that included the twenty minutes just talking about cats - she is a cat lover too!). But I have my laptop (brand new and absolutely fab) and other bits. I have to go on a course tomorrow in London, which is no problem. Ironically the venue is next to one of the clients I previously worked at.
I have my Christmas break dates, and I have 11 days holiday to use before the end of June, and thus the start of the new holiday year. My ID card, badge, and cards will be arriving here before Christmas. I'll be all set really soon. I get my client portfolio on Wednesday, so I am really looking forward to that.
Which appears to be more than I can say for a computer game I bought through Amazon marketplace. That was due to arrive today, but there is no sign of it yet. The seller has mixed feedback - some great, and some very discouraging. I have e-mailed them, so fingers crossed.
The Baron is at work, doing a late night. He was due to start late, but due to some serious oversleeping he started quite a bit later than anticipated. And when I say oversleeping, I mean that he was still in bed (where I left him at 7.30AM when I set off) when I got back from Portsmouth at getting on for 4PM. Lazy bugger. There is no way on the earth that I could stay in bed for that long, unless I was being ordered for some obscure medical reason. Just no way!
Mum just called, wanting a minute by minute account of my day. It is sweet, but sometimes it is annoying - I just don't feel like recounting everything. I'll call her back later and tell her all she wants to know - at the moment I have a headache. The drive was beautiful (fantastic scenery, even when viewed at 90 mph) but the sun is quite low and so was in my eyes an awful lot. And on the way home, my mirrors were all reflecting the low sun and were pretty much unusable without causing eye damage.
I think the rest of the evening will be spent in slouching on the sofa with the cats.
Time is leaving me behind today
Chris, pretty please transport yourself over! I still haven't done my damn nails, and it is my first day tomorrow!
I did try to get started, but the smell of the varnish made me feel crap so I left it. I don't wear false nails, all I need to do is manicure them and paint them. Nothing fancy.
In fact, I did bugger all last night except fall asleep on the sofa with Ellie and Frankie. The Baron locked Harvey in the bathroom and I didn't realise for an hour! He was very relieved when I retrieved him.
The Baron called at 11pm to say that the coach picking them up would arrive there at 12.30, so he would be home by 1.30AM. Great. Except then he told me that he had forgotten his keys, so could I please wait up for him to let him in. Bastard. And he didn't get home until 2AM.
Today I have last minute cleaning planned. I need to finish the washing, but I only have two more loads to do. I must clear off my desk so it is useable, and I need to gather all the requested documents for tomorrow. Oh, and get directions. I need those! I get lost at the drop of a hat.
Better press on. Too much to do, and it is already 9.30AM. I'm still in my pyjama's and we haven't even had breakfast.
My poor head
I don't feel so good today. I stood up too quickly under the bed last night and whacked my head on the edge of the bed. Everything went black. I didn't actually knock myself out, but I hit myself as hard as you can without knocking yourself out.
Today I have a huge bruise and a really stiff neck. The stiffness is partly due to pulling a muscle when I stood up - my neck was expected to fully extend, and partly because the Harvey Cat slept on my shoulder last night. And of course the mother of all headaches. So I don't feel brilliant.
I went shopping today. It was not busy at all - I was really surprised about that. Even Ikea, which normally involves a 20 minute queue at the best of times was deserted. I bought lots of presents and only have two left to get. I just ordered one and I will go and get the other when I know what they want.
I'm not doing the wrapping today, I hurt too much. But the paper and sellotape is out ready, and maybe I'll do it tomorrow. The Baron has his Christmas party tonight (no partners allowed) so I am going to stay home and nurse my headache. I can feel a sappy film coming on (after Pop Idol, of course).
I got a new garlic press, which I am pleased about as we eat an enormous amount of garlic. My old one was completely buggered and I hate chopping garlic. I also picked up a metal ashtray - Miss Ellie shouldn't be breaking that any time soon, and a glass storage jar for porridge oats.
The Boy came with. He was a little shit. I know that he was tired, but he just wouldn't do what he was told. His mother was in a foul mood because she was tired and didn't have any money (and was pissed off that I wouldn't pay for her shopping) and so she took it out on him. He can be such a sweetie, but he can also be the most badly behaved child I have ever seen.
Argh. My mobile just rang, which is downstairs on charge. I get down there (and I have to run because it goes to answerphone really quickly) and it was a bloody wrong number. And not even a polite wrong number. Stupid bastard.
Anyway..................I might make some cornflake cakes tonight. I fancy something sweet and crunchy, and I don't keep biscuits in the house. Well, actually I do, but I don't like any of them. They are for guests (so I won't eat them all) and for making the bases of Key Lime Pies.
I still want to do my nails. I never seem to get around to it, and I like having nice nails. That might be on the cards for tonight as well. Knowing my luck, he won't go now!
I'm quite looking forward to my night in all by myself. I don't really feel in the mood for any company at all, except for the cats. They are fast asleep now so we aren't bugging each other.
Harvey was exceedingly cuddly last night. It is nice when he sleeps on me. It is nice when he sleeps on my head/neck - he keeps my ear warm. The bad thing is the cold ear when he goes, and the buzzing sound that I am left with when the loud purring in my ear has also gone. He doesn't really stay that long - half an hour at most, but it is a nice way to be woken up. Being pounced on isn't so nice, and neither is having my foot bitten - Miss Ellie Cat's favourite method of waking me. Then, although she purrs, she also tries to stick her arse in my face. Frankie just patrols the bed and then goes down again. Checking for monsters, you know. Although he would run if he found anything - he is the original scaredy cat!
I think that will do for now. My painkillers are wearing off, and it is time for a top up.
Keeping me busy
Just to liven my day further, Miss Ellie smashed the last ashtray in the house. Into smithereens. I thought I had cleaned it all up, but after spending ten minutes removing a shard from my foot, I think I may have missed some.
All hoovered. Again.
I'm off to pour another drink and start doing my nails. I might as well make the most of this lady of leisure act - I go back to work on Monday. Not that it feels like leisure......................
Heart failure
Harvey just gave me heart failure. I don't know how (or why), but I just found him on the roof of next door. He miaowed for a while, and then the little shit flew off and landed on their fence, which has huge splinters of wood and nails poking up. Amazingly he is unhurt.
My sister allowed the Boy to invite a couple of his little friends over for dinner this evening. Except now she doesn't feel up to it, and wants me to come over and watch them because I am so good at playing with little boys (and yes, I know that sounds seriously dodgy!). I don't think I have the energy to cope with 3 5yo boys running riot. I certainly don't have the inclination.
I think we are going to the pub this evening. I fancy a couple of pints. In fact, a cheeky pint would hit the spot right about now. Since I don't have plans, I think I shall go and indulge myself. A pint it is.
I'm going to need it.
Parents
We just ordered our new computer. It is fab. The only problem is that my mum, and the Baron's dad both want our old one.
The Baron's dad is trying to guilt us into letting him have it, to the point that he has got other family members to phone up to guilt us.
My mum says it is our choice, but that is just another way of guilting us! I despair, and I feel really stressed over the whole thing.
Bloody parents.
School play
The Boy had his school play yesterday. He was a shepherd and was very good. He fidgeted a lot, but not as badly as he used to. He found a pencil halfway through, and showed it to the audience with the words "I found a pencil. I did. I found it".
On Monday, when they performed the play to the school, he got bored and started to shoot the Christmas star!
Blech
I went and tried to complete my Christmas shopping. What a failure. Mum doesn't know what she would like. Neither does my sister or her boyfriend. I couldn't get what I wanted to get Dad (knee pads to wear in the garden for gardening work) and I ended up buying some cat books for me. I swear, if it has a cat on the front I will buy it.
The stuff I ordered online yesterday, and paid for next day delivery hasn't arrived. So I need to phone them up and yell at them for a bit. The cable has been screwy for a week, so that is another yelling type phone call too.
I also forgot to put the rubbish out on the kerb last night, so that wasn't taken. So I will drive to the recycling centre tomorrow and get rid of it all. I think I will pop into the shops and buy gift vouchers for my mum and sister. Not exciting, but they will be gratefully received and used. Then I will be nearly done with that part. We don't put up decorations for three fur covered reasons, and I already have the turkey and bits so Christmas will be allowed to roll around.
I'm going to eat a Jaffa cake....................
I am officially stupid
I have sat here freezing and apparently the heating isn't broken. Contrary to what I thought, it does not need both pilots alight to heat the house. The first one (which should be on all the time) is for water heating and is independent of the air heating. So in reality we have no hot water.
But we have always had heating. Clearly I am just really stupid (and really cold) not to know that the two are independent.
Bugger.
Plumbing problems
So what is a girl to do when the plumber can't come out until Friday? Cook of course!
I just made an enormous lasagne and and an even bigger cottage pie . It worked out at 10 meals, although only 7 made it to the freezer. One is now in my tummy (I love mashed potato) and two are in the fridge because although I had foil containers, I seem to have run out of lids!
Not bad for an hours work. I also roasted up some chicken that had bad freezer burn. The cats will eat well for the next few days! I still have some more burned meat to cook up, and it is in the fridge defrosting. It is wasteful, but the cats need to eat, the Baron has had enough of chicken and turkey, and I could do with the freezer room.
I spoke to the vet, and Miss Ellie is to go on Wednesday. They want to see her about an early spay - Smudge next door has started hovering round the catflap, and she is crying more than usual. Smudge, of course, isn't neutered.
Harvey and Frankie do defend the honour of their little sister by beating up Smudge, but I think spaying will be more effective on the long run!
Cold, cold, cold part deux
The heating has completely died. It is about 1 degree C out there (my car is a solid lump of ice) and I have no heating at all. I can barely feel my fingers. I wanted to stay in bed because I was warm, but the cats had other ideas. Mainly actually going outside!!!!
I am going to try and get a plumber out here as soon as possible. Otherwise I am moving back to my parents house for the day. I hate it when I can see my own breath in the house.
I baked last night, so I can't even do that to warm the house. The cakes are nice though - chocolate with chocolate chunks in. I just had one for breakfast. Maybe another cup of tea is in order.
I did the freezer last night. It is full, but now I know what is in there. The 11 packets of cooked turkey were a surprise, as was the 8 packets of bacon. Bacon sarnie anyone?
Busy Bee
The sun is shining and it is a fabulous day. Really cold and crisp. I am sat upstairs by the window, with a steaming mocha coffee.
I've been a busy bee.
I have washed the bed clothes, got dinner defrosting (beautiful joint of top rump beef), and once I finish this lovely coffee, I am going to tackle the frozen wastes of my freezer. I know I have said this all week, but I am really going to do it. Sunday is the day I do my meal planning, so I need to get it done.
Then I am going to count all the bottles in the bathroom for my little inventory. I know I have enough toothpaste to last at least a year, but soap I am not so sure about.
Once that is done, I need to sort through my dry goods shelf. And of course, whilst I am doing all this, I need to do the washing and drying. Drying is hard (no tumble drier and it is damp by about 3pm) so I string things over the curtain rail upstairs (the one that is on the balcony) and try to dry them on that. If I open the skylight, it works ok. Fab in the summer though.
Then I can sit down (probably with a cup of orange tea and some biscuits I bought in France) and do my meal planning, and plan my jobs for the week. I need to call the vet for the cats medication (that icky stuff you put on their necks for worms and fleas), the nurse for my medication (the pill, which Frankie likes to steal from my shelf and hide, which is why I need to get some more in just in case he changes his hidey hole!) and I need to sort out the repairs for the car.
Well the coffee is nearing the end of the mug, so I ought to start making a move. I WILL do the freezer, I WILL do the freezer. Wish me luck! If you don't hear from me soon, then I have been crushed by a tottering pile of frozen chicken parts!
Cold, cold, cold
The house is freezing cold.
I have the window open to air it, so there isn't much point in putting the heating on until I shut the window. Another hour should do it nicely, but I may develop hypothermia in the meantime.
Shopping
Yesterday, I did some more shopping. I got the Baron's present, and something for my mum. We will share it as she doesn't have a computer of her own to use - it is the CSI computer game. She is well into it, and ironically has just got back from Vegas.
Dad's is on order, as is a couple of other things, so we are nearly all done.
I also bought a desk yesterday. Previously we had a footstool under the bed next to the desk I am using now, but that has gone downstairs and my desk is under here as well. Very officey. I also got a leather A4 zipped folder to take to meetings. I feel so grown up with it!
When it rains, it pours
The other job got back to me. They have upped the salary and thrown in a car and a scheduled promotion in a few months.
When it rains it pours.
I still don't really want to work there. It reminds me of a place I worked in before that I hated, and that seems like a good reason to avoid it. Plus it seems rather desperate, a fact that has been noted by several other people.
But still, it is nice to feel so wanted.
Poorly People
Everybody seems to be poorly. The Boy is off, his mum is ill and I feel a little grim. It doesn't help having the lamest heating system in the Western World.
I quit my job in the shop today. My boss was fine and very supportive about it, but HR were really pissy. They said that I had to work a weeks notice (which is fair really) but they couldn't show me that in my signed contract and so had to let me go today. I spent a fortune in store to use up my remaining discount. My cupboards and freezers are fit to burst, but I really don't need to shop for a very long time now!
Crap job nil, Good job two
I had my second interview today. It went very well and I got it. Only problem is the salary. But then I had a phone call, asking if I was interested in a different role. I said yes, and the interview was today. It went really well, and I just accepted an offer of a rather nice salary, car, pension and other benefits to start before Christmas!!!!!
No news is no good news
I still haven't sorted out the freezer. I have no idea what is lurking in its frosty depths.
I haven't heard anything on the job front. I think I have that second interview tomorrow, and I think I might take it if I get it. I need to get out and earn some real money, so that we can pay off our debt and start thinking about moving onwards and upwards. At least if I were to get this job, I could do it for a year to get the experience and then move on.
