But I'm bouncing back.
I was car jacked just over a week ago, outside my own house. So my Golf is probably on a container ship to Russia and I'm left waiting 6 weeks for the insurance company to declare it 'dead' before I can even get on with sorting out another car. It goes to show that you aren't safe from thieving scumbags even on your own driveway and there are always people who want to take a shortcut to get the better things in life when I've worked hard to get them.
Now I'm left with a dilemma, once I get the go-ahead from the insurance company what kind of car do I get. Do I get a less desirable car and feel like I'm giving in to the thieving scrotes (and even then, it's no guarantee, as a lone female you're still viewed as an easy target) or do I get a nice car and hope they don't come back?
On a lighter note - keep an eye on Luce28s blog over the next couple of weeks. She'll be posting the annual Sparkly awards which give peoples views on the best beauty products that we've encountered.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Friday, October 21, 2005
Food and Memories
This weekend is a cake baking weekend for me, and I'll be making a White Christmas Cake. This type of cake was made every year by my Great Auntie Veron, the best baker in the family. Auntie Veron died this year and even thinking about baking the cake is filling me with tears as it is a symbol that she really has gone.
I might skip some of the salt from the recipe as I think I'll be mixing in some tears..
I might skip some of the salt from the recipe as I think I'll be mixing in some tears..
Friday, October 14, 2005
Honeymoon Part 3 - New York, New York!
Or if things had been different, New Amsterdam, New Amsterdam so good they named it twice!
Accommodation and Logistics
After the relaxed idyll of Hawaii, it was a complete shock to land in New York. We landed at 7:30 am in Newark airport and caught the bus to Grand Central Station. A couple of blocks walk later we were at our hotel, the City Club, next door to the more famous and historic Algonquin. The hotel was a good price on Expedia when we booked, and it's location is good, a very short walk to Times Square and the theatre district in one direction, the shops a short walk in the other. The rooms were small (but what can you expect for a hotel in a city stressed for real estate) but the rooms were very clean, with a really good bathroom tiled in chocolate marble. Even better, they let us check in early, so we could get out of our travelling clothes and into shorts and tshirts as the weather was very hot and humid.
On the first day we got 'all loops' passes for the Grey Line bus tour. This tour is split into 3 lines, downtown, uptown and Brooklyn. You hop and off as you see landmarks you'd like to visit and you get a narrative from the tour guide which depending on the interests of the guide could specialise in architecture, theatre, food. This was a great way to get to see a lot more of the city than you could on foot or from the subway, however, if you make the mistake of going during Fashion Week and the UN in session then the busride past these locations can take forever.
Food
New York was great for food! There was everything from a cafe selling only peanut butter sandwiches near the university, a traditional american style serving meatloaf, steaks etc. vietnamese and the best food that we had was at a french restaurant called Balthazar.
What was cool
Downtown Manhattan was building heaven for me as I love the optimism of Art Deco architecture. The Chrysler building looked fantastic glinting in the sunlight, the Empire State was great and there are so many other bits of art deco detailing on other buildings that I spent most of my time tripping over my toes.
Central Park was an oasis of calm within the bustle, and amazingly large. I would have loved to find the riding stables and take a trot around the park, but I didn't get chance.
Accidentally walking around Little Italy on the start of the festival of San Gennaro - there were street restaurants, amusements and more sausages in a bun than you could believe.
What I'd do different
Arrive later in the year! The weather was so hot and humid it was uncomfortable to be on the subway, and I felt uncomfortable about going into the trendy shops wearing rumpled shorts and tshirts.
Get a different guidebook! The Lonely Planet guide that we bought seemed to have been designed to confuse and annoy.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Honeymoon Part 2
I'd better write this while I remember it!
The next stage on our honeymoon was Maui, 'the garden isle'.
Accomodation and Logistics
We stayed at the Whaler on Ka'anapali Beach, which is an apartment complex, a mixture of privately owned and rentals. The first room we stayed in was 619 - if you're ever there avoid any rooms ending in 19 as they back onto the lift shafts which led to a particularly sleepless night. One room move later and then we were blessed with a view of Black Rock, no elevator noise and a terrace that wasn't in the sun so we could actually sit out on an afternoon.
Maui has a very small public transport system, if you want to go anywhere, get a car! We were driving a Chevy Aveo, which was low on bells and whistles, but more than adequate to get us up to the top of Haleakala crater, despite what the Alamo rental guy said.
Snorkelling
Black Rock was a great snorkelling place. If you get there early (as in 7:30am) there are loads of fish swarming around. We also saw Manta Rays and turtles moving majestically through the water. We booked onto a tour to go to Molokini, and to be honest we were slightly disappointed. If you haven't done any snorkelling on your holiday already then you'll have a good time, however, I felt Molokini was crowded, where you spent half your time avoiding other people instead of seeing fish.
Horseriding
We rode into Haleakala crater with Pony Express this tour is carried out at walking pace as the downhill into the crater is very steep. The horses were well cared for and very sure footed. The main role of the rider was to stop their animal from eating the endangere species on the way down the hill. At the bottom of the hill we had a picnic lunch and a good stretch of the legs before setting off up out of the crater.
When were were there, we saw several downhill cycling tours setting off. Originally Mark had really wanted to book onto one of these, but seeing the way the pace was dictated by the slowest rider he was pleased he hadn't spent the money. This was definitely extreme sports packaged in a lawsuit friendly way.
Road to Hana
The Road to Hana is a famous road trip on the island - a long and windy road (single track in places) leads to the town Hana. If you're going to do this set off REALLY early (as in 8am at the latest), as otherwise you'll end up stuck in huge tailbacks and struggling to find parking bays. To be honest, the scenery is spectacular, but neither of us were sure it measured up to the hype about it on the island.
Food
We ate out less on this island as we had a kitchen and a Safeway supermarket nearby. There were no meals that really stood out, but these restaurants had great sunset views and more than acceptable food , Leilanis and Kimos. One evening we ate at a little 'hole in the wall' bar and burger place "Jonny's Burger Joint" near to our hotel, the burgers were good and freshly cooked and the bar well-stocked. This seemed to be a place for locals to go eat and grab a beer after a long day working in the service industry.
The next stage on our honeymoon was Maui, 'the garden isle'.
Accomodation and Logistics
We stayed at the Whaler on Ka'anapali Beach, which is an apartment complex, a mixture of privately owned and rentals. The first room we stayed in was 619 - if you're ever there avoid any rooms ending in 19 as they back onto the lift shafts which led to a particularly sleepless night. One room move later and then we were blessed with a view of Black Rock, no elevator noise and a terrace that wasn't in the sun so we could actually sit out on an afternoon.
Maui has a very small public transport system, if you want to go anywhere, get a car! We were driving a Chevy Aveo, which was low on bells and whistles, but more than adequate to get us up to the top of Haleakala crater, despite what the Alamo rental guy said.
Snorkelling
Black Rock was a great snorkelling place. If you get there early (as in 7:30am) there are loads of fish swarming around. We also saw Manta Rays and turtles moving majestically through the water. We booked onto a tour to go to Molokini, and to be honest we were slightly disappointed. If you haven't done any snorkelling on your holiday already then you'll have a good time, however, I felt Molokini was crowded, where you spent half your time avoiding other people instead of seeing fish.
Horseriding
We rode into Haleakala crater with Pony Express this tour is carried out at walking pace as the downhill into the crater is very steep. The horses were well cared for and very sure footed. The main role of the rider was to stop their animal from eating the endangere species on the way down the hill. At the bottom of the hill we had a picnic lunch and a good stretch of the legs before setting off up out of the crater.
When were were there, we saw several downhill cycling tours setting off. Originally Mark had really wanted to book onto one of these, but seeing the way the pace was dictated by the slowest rider he was pleased he hadn't spent the money. This was definitely extreme sports packaged in a lawsuit friendly way.
Road to Hana
The Road to Hana is a famous road trip on the island - a long and windy road (single track in places) leads to the town Hana. If you're going to do this set off REALLY early (as in 8am at the latest), as otherwise you'll end up stuck in huge tailbacks and struggling to find parking bays. To be honest, the scenery is spectacular, but neither of us were sure it measured up to the hype about it on the island.
Food
We ate out less on this island as we had a kitchen and a Safeway supermarket nearby. There were no meals that really stood out, but these restaurants had great sunset views and more than acceptable food , Leilanis and Kimos. One evening we ate at a little 'hole in the wall' bar and burger place "Jonny's Burger Joint" near to our hotel, the burgers were good and freshly cooked and the bar well-stocked. This seemed to be a place for locals to go eat and grab a beer after a long day working in the service industry.
Friday, September 23, 2005
.... to be my warfull wedded wife...
How did the wedding go? It was brilliant! However, it all feels like an almighty blur, so writing this down will hopefully clear it up for me.
I had a busy few days running up to the day getting various female maintenance jobs done (leg wax, acrylic nails etc.) so by the day before I was t-i-r-e-d. I had a 'hot rock' massage and felt 100 times more revitalised, though I did find the stones a bit of a shock when they were first applied.
Then I was off to the venue, I was allocated the bridal suite for the night before and it was lovely room with a four poster bed. When we checked in however, we discovered they'd manage to mess up the booking, with 2 reservations made for my parents. The hotel was full of a 'cat fancying' group, so the tables around us at dinner were full of people discussing neutering, breeding and scratching. 10pm found us putting bows on the rows of seats in the room and assembling the table centres with the help of some cousins. Tucked up in bed after a medicinal G&T I slept like a log, in fact sleeping in until 8am when I'd been meant to get down for breakfast by then!
The bridesmaids arrived early so I didn't get too stressed, armed with bottles of fizz and orange juice. The room was organized chaos, 3 girls in huge dresses trying to fight over mirror space and plug sockets for straightening irons. It was a lovely morning though, when the photographer arrived to take pictures of the groomsmen in comedy poses (jumping, running etc.) we got to peek through the curtains and giggle.
Then it was our turn for the embarassment and comedy of the photographer, Kenn and his put-upon assistant Grace. I personally didn't have any issues with Kenn, other than I felt he took ages doing the photos, so despite staying at the venue I was late downstairs. He was very brusque with his assistant and I was told that he'd been very impatient with some of the elderly relatives. However, some of his poses felt contrived, and having us jump up and down just before the ceremony probably left me with really crap makeup (Or that's my excuse when the photos arrive anyways)
The ceremony went almost without a hitch - I got a fit of the giggles when Mark's tummy rumbled really loudly and then in the vows he referred to me as his 'warfull wedded wife' which made me almost completely unable to say my own vows. The civil ceremony was very simple and well delivered Lesley from Bishop Auckland registry office. Then the photo agony began! 1 hour later I tell the photographer that I was tired and could we wrap it up please!
The dinner was lovely, well served and well cooked. The cakes looked fabulous on the cake stand (Many thanks to the Fanny and Johnny of the fairy cake world - Steve and Dorothy) The speeches were good, not toe curlingly sweet, not too edgy. It was great to look round the room and see so many friends and family that were happy to give up a bank holiday weekend to help me celebrate.
After trying to speak to as many people as possible, it was a relief when it thinned out for the half-time nap. Plonked on comfy settees in the bar, Sam (a friend and chief organizer of the hen night) and I sat there having afternoon tea and champagne. We had a good natter, and a good giggle at the events of the day. All too soon the night had crept upon us, so it was time to stress about the first dance.
We had the buffet and then it was the trauma of the first dance. We'd selected 'Let there be love' by Nat King Cole, as it was a short song, that would get people up dancing. I danced with Mark (obviously), my granda and Charlotte the bridesmaid. It was a happy moment after all the stress.
The remainder of the night was a blur, spending my time dancing when the DJ played something good sitting in the bar when my feet hurt too much. All too soon the DJ was winding down, obviously preparing to play the slow smoochy stuff. Not at my wedding sonny!!! A quick word in his ear and the remainder of the night was dance music, finishing off on the happy hardcore classic 'Children of the Night' by Nakatomi.
Photos will be posted once I receive them..
The day wouldn't have been possible without Mark (obviously) and the help of numerous friends and family who helped out financially and emotionally.
Lists
Makeup worn:-
Ceremony
Dinner served:-
I had a busy few days running up to the day getting various female maintenance jobs done (leg wax, acrylic nails etc.) so by the day before I was t-i-r-e-d. I had a 'hot rock' massage and felt 100 times more revitalised, though I did find the stones a bit of a shock when they were first applied.
Then I was off to the venue, I was allocated the bridal suite for the night before and it was lovely room with a four poster bed. When we checked in however, we discovered they'd manage to mess up the booking, with 2 reservations made for my parents. The hotel was full of a 'cat fancying' group, so the tables around us at dinner were full of people discussing neutering, breeding and scratching. 10pm found us putting bows on the rows of seats in the room and assembling the table centres with the help of some cousins. Tucked up in bed after a medicinal G&T I slept like a log, in fact sleeping in until 8am when I'd been meant to get down for breakfast by then!
The bridesmaids arrived early so I didn't get too stressed, armed with bottles of fizz and orange juice. The room was organized chaos, 3 girls in huge dresses trying to fight over mirror space and plug sockets for straightening irons. It was a lovely morning though, when the photographer arrived to take pictures of the groomsmen in comedy poses (jumping, running etc.) we got to peek through the curtains and giggle.
Then it was our turn for the embarassment and comedy of the photographer, Kenn and his put-upon assistant Grace. I personally didn't have any issues with Kenn, other than I felt he took ages doing the photos, so despite staying at the venue I was late downstairs. He was very brusque with his assistant and I was told that he'd been very impatient with some of the elderly relatives. However, some of his poses felt contrived, and having us jump up and down just before the ceremony probably left me with really crap makeup (Or that's my excuse when the photos arrive anyways)
The ceremony went almost without a hitch - I got a fit of the giggles when Mark's tummy rumbled really loudly and then in the vows he referred to me as his 'warfull wedded wife' which made me almost completely unable to say my own vows. The civil ceremony was very simple and well delivered Lesley from Bishop Auckland registry office. Then the photo agony began! 1 hour later I tell the photographer that I was tired and could we wrap it up please!
The dinner was lovely, well served and well cooked. The cakes looked fabulous on the cake stand (Many thanks to the Fanny and Johnny of the fairy cake world - Steve and Dorothy) The speeches were good, not toe curlingly sweet, not too edgy. It was great to look round the room and see so many friends and family that were happy to give up a bank holiday weekend to help me celebrate.
After trying to speak to as many people as possible, it was a relief when it thinned out for the half-time nap. Plonked on comfy settees in the bar, Sam (a friend and chief organizer of the hen night) and I sat there having afternoon tea and champagne. We had a good natter, and a good giggle at the events of the day. All too soon the night had crept upon us, so it was time to stress about the first dance.
We had the buffet and then it was the trauma of the first dance. We'd selected 'Let there be love' by Nat King Cole, as it was a short song, that would get people up dancing. I danced with Mark (obviously), my granda and Charlotte the bridesmaid. It was a happy moment after all the stress.
The remainder of the night was a blur, spending my time dancing when the DJ played something good sitting in the bar when my feet hurt too much. All too soon the DJ was winding down, obviously preparing to play the slow smoochy stuff. Not at my wedding sonny!!! A quick word in his ear and the remainder of the night was dance music, finishing off on the happy hardcore classic 'Children of the Night' by Nakatomi.
Photos will be posted once I receive them..
The day wouldn't have been possible without Mark (obviously) and the help of numerous friends and family who helped out financially and emotionally.
Lists
Makeup worn:-
- L'Occitane Eau des 4 Reines
- MAC Select SPF 15 Foundation NW20
- MAC Studio Fix NC20
- MAC Powder blush Satin
- MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil Lilacky
- Natural Collection eyeshadow Thistle
- MAC Eyeshadow Creme de Violet
- MAC Eyeshadow Beautiful Iris
- Maybelline XXL Brownish Black
- MAC Lip pencil Dervish
- MAC Lustreglass Morning Glory
Ceremony
- Samuel Barber - Adagio for Strings
- Wagner - Wedding March
- Mendelssohn - Wedding March
- Nat King Cole - Let their be love
- Mortorcycle - As the rush comes
- Moloko - Sing it back
- Lustral - Everytime
Dinner served:-
- Melon
- Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding
- Trifle
Monday, September 19, 2005
Honeymoon Part 1
Or what I did on my holidays by Kitty aged 32 and 99 hundredths..
Our honeymoon was split into roughly 3 sections - Big Island, Maui and New York, the hope being that a few days in New York would dent the jet lag enough that we wouldn't be zombies by the time we got back to autumnal blighty.
We flew American Airlines to get to Hawaii, and the service was adequate, but you should note that now they don't feed you on any internal American flights so you might want to pick something up in the airport to eat.
Accomodation and Logistics
We stayed at the Sheraton Keahou Bay, about 15 miles from the airport. The hotel was very clean, very well maintained and were offering great upgrade deals as it was their first year opening so we had a partial ocean view (this meant that you were set back about 200 yards from the ocean, viewing it accross the lawns of an adjacent resort, but I was more than happy with that). When you check in, they offer you something called an 'Amenity Card' for $28 a day, which entitles you to breakfast (and lots of kiddie club type things), if you are going to eat breakfast in the hotel most days, it's worthwhile as the breakfast is $19 per person.
You have to hire a car to get anywhere on Big Island, there is no public transport, hotel shuttles are very rare and taxi firms are so small that they don't have dispatchers, you ring the driver direct on his mobile and he'll see if he can come collect you in a resonable time frame.
Snorkelling
I didn't think I'd like snorkelling, as I'm not the strongest swimmer and I panic easily. But, nothing ventured nothing gained, on our first day we went to the local WAL*MART and bought mask and snorkel sets (there are plenty of rental places around if you don't want to buy and they can rent you masks with lenses for short sightedness) $25 dollars poorer we went to Kealakekua Bay and I had my first ever snorkelling session. It was great. There were loads of pretty fishes ranging from bright yellows to iridescent blues. I did have a bit a scare though, as my mask lost seal and I ended up in my panic drifting towards the rocks.
The best snorkelling spot we went to was Kahuluu Beach. This is a sheltered cove where you can walk into the sea and see fish galore (even when crowded this place was full of almost tame fish - I can only dream what it must be like if you go there early morning). Green turtles (Honu) are around there to eat their lunch and bask on the rocks, though awkward on land when basking, they are beautiful as they swim around.
Horse Riding
My birthday treat! We booked with a company called Paniolo Adventures. The horses were fit and well cared for, they loaned you safety hats, boots and sunscreen and the rolling landscape of the ranch was fabulous. You got to canter the horses and were actively encouraged to ride the horses off the marked trails.
Other Cool Stuff
No visit to Hawaii is complete without visiting Volcanoes National Park. The Park is a good 2 hours drive from the Kona district, so be prepared for a late night drive home if you decide to drive down the chain of craters road to look at the lava at sunset. The lava gently glows at nighttime but remember to bring a torch (for the walk back) and something to sit on (blanket/towel) as the solidified lava is of the scratchy a-a type which cuts and tears your clothes.
Mauna Kea! Though you can't drive to the summit without a 4 WD, you can get as far as the Onizuka Centre for International Astronomy. From there you have fantastic views of the sunset from above the cloud level and once the sky darkens they hold star viewing programs. You will be stunned by the amount of stars you can see, making familiar constellations difficult to discern as there are so many other points of light. When we visited, the moon wasn't visible and you could clearly see the planets of Venus and Jupiter. The visitor centre sells hot chocolate and cup noodles to keep you warm as the temperature drops (bring a fleece or a coat). There are a lot of tours that offer you a visit to the summit and stargazing programs, but really, just pack a picnic and drive up to the visitor centre yourself, you won't be disappointed.
Food
After a week in Hawaii I was getting ready to scream if I had to eat in another 'Bar and Grill'. However, for location alone, Huggos is fantastic. Pricey, but the restaurant is set on stilts facing over the ocean and has wonderful views of the coastline.
Things I would do differently
Stay 1 night near Volcano National Park. The drive back was very dodgy as Mark was very tired and it had been a long day. If we'd stayed on there we would have spread the day out better and done at least one of the longer crater hikes. The payment to get into the National Park is valid for a week, so it's only the cost of a room.
Our honeymoon was split into roughly 3 sections - Big Island, Maui and New York, the hope being that a few days in New York would dent the jet lag enough that we wouldn't be zombies by the time we got back to autumnal blighty.
We flew American Airlines to get to Hawaii, and the service was adequate, but you should note that now they don't feed you on any internal American flights so you might want to pick something up in the airport to eat.
Accomodation and Logistics
We stayed at the Sheraton Keahou Bay, about 15 miles from the airport. The hotel was very clean, very well maintained and were offering great upgrade deals as it was their first year opening so we had a partial ocean view (this meant that you were set back about 200 yards from the ocean, viewing it accross the lawns of an adjacent resort, but I was more than happy with that). When you check in, they offer you something called an 'Amenity Card' for $28 a day, which entitles you to breakfast (and lots of kiddie club type things), if you are going to eat breakfast in the hotel most days, it's worthwhile as the breakfast is $19 per person.
You have to hire a car to get anywhere on Big Island, there is no public transport, hotel shuttles are very rare and taxi firms are so small that they don't have dispatchers, you ring the driver direct on his mobile and he'll see if he can come collect you in a resonable time frame.
Snorkelling
I didn't think I'd like snorkelling, as I'm not the strongest swimmer and I panic easily. But, nothing ventured nothing gained, on our first day we went to the local WAL*MART and bought mask and snorkel sets (there are plenty of rental places around if you don't want to buy and they can rent you masks with lenses for short sightedness) $25 dollars poorer we went to Kealakekua Bay and I had my first ever snorkelling session. It was great. There were loads of pretty fishes ranging from bright yellows to iridescent blues. I did have a bit a scare though, as my mask lost seal and I ended up in my panic drifting towards the rocks.
The best snorkelling spot we went to was Kahuluu Beach. This is a sheltered cove where you can walk into the sea and see fish galore (even when crowded this place was full of almost tame fish - I can only dream what it must be like if you go there early morning). Green turtles (Honu) are around there to eat their lunch and bask on the rocks, though awkward on land when basking, they are beautiful as they swim around.
Horse Riding
My birthday treat! We booked with a company called Paniolo Adventures. The horses were fit and well cared for, they loaned you safety hats, boots and sunscreen and the rolling landscape of the ranch was fabulous. You got to canter the horses and were actively encouraged to ride the horses off the marked trails.
Other Cool Stuff
No visit to Hawaii is complete without visiting Volcanoes National Park. The Park is a good 2 hours drive from the Kona district, so be prepared for a late night drive home if you decide to drive down the chain of craters road to look at the lava at sunset. The lava gently glows at nighttime but remember to bring a torch (for the walk back) and something to sit on (blanket/towel) as the solidified lava is of the scratchy a-a type which cuts and tears your clothes.
Mauna Kea! Though you can't drive to the summit without a 4 WD, you can get as far as the Onizuka Centre for International Astronomy. From there you have fantastic views of the sunset from above the cloud level and once the sky darkens they hold star viewing programs. You will be stunned by the amount of stars you can see, making familiar constellations difficult to discern as there are so many other points of light. When we visited, the moon wasn't visible and you could clearly see the planets of Venus and Jupiter. The visitor centre sells hot chocolate and cup noodles to keep you warm as the temperature drops (bring a fleece or a coat). There are a lot of tours that offer you a visit to the summit and stargazing programs, but really, just pack a picnic and drive up to the visitor centre yourself, you won't be disappointed.
Food
After a week in Hawaii I was getting ready to scream if I had to eat in another 'Bar and Grill'. However, for location alone, Huggos is fantastic. Pricey, but the restaurant is set on stilts facing over the ocean and has wonderful views of the coastline.
Things I would do differently
Stay 1 night near Volcano National Park. The drive back was very dodgy as Mark was very tired and it had been a long day. If we'd stayed on there we would have spread the day out better and done at least one of the longer crater hikes. The payment to get into the National Park is valid for a week, so it's only the cost of a room.
Monday, August 22, 2005
How soon is now?
Less than a week to go to the wedding now. It's strange, as it's got closer my mind has stopped looking forward to it, I've started almost dreading it.
Friday, August 19, 2005
A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse...
I've been thinking about horses, and why someone like me is a complete obsessional. There was an interesting opinion piece in the Times today discussing late starting riders of which I was one.
It wasn't my choice I started riding late in life, ever since I was 6 I'd coveted ponies, devoured the Pullein-Thomson pony books and generally just loved looking at horses. However, we couldn't afford a horse, or even lessons when I was younger, so it had to wait until I had money of my own. So at age 31 I got on my first horse, and loved it. In real life I'm a very controlling person, who has to try and map thing out and has great difficulty in letting myself go. But perversely, horse riding is not based on my skill to control things, as you are trying to work in co-operation with an animal, who may just decide that today is the day where you're going over the fence. I had one terrible lesson where I fell off twice, nothing injured seriously except for pride and whiplash in my neck - but I still went back the next week.
I'll never be a great rider, if I'm lucky I'll be able to take basic riding skills and apply them on well behaved horses out of the schooling environment.
The final paragraph of the article could sum me up:-
"If you are accustomed to directing your daily life by pure force of will, the discovery, in the person of some commonplace old riding-school hack, of something entirely beyond that force feels very like enchantment: baffling, frustrating and sometimes painful, but enchanting nevertheless. What is more, horses are like measles. If you catch them as an adult, the infection often turns out to have lifelong consequences."
Tuesday is my last riding lesson before the wedding - let's hope who-ever I'm assigned at the school doesn't decide that today is the day for a Melly/Ground interface.
It wasn't my choice I started riding late in life, ever since I was 6 I'd coveted ponies, devoured the Pullein-Thomson pony books and generally just loved looking at horses. However, we couldn't afford a horse, or even lessons when I was younger, so it had to wait until I had money of my own. So at age 31 I got on my first horse, and loved it. In real life I'm a very controlling person, who has to try and map thing out and has great difficulty in letting myself go. But perversely, horse riding is not based on my skill to control things, as you are trying to work in co-operation with an animal, who may just decide that today is the day where you're going over the fence. I had one terrible lesson where I fell off twice, nothing injured seriously except for pride and whiplash in my neck - but I still went back the next week.
I'll never be a great rider, if I'm lucky I'll be able to take basic riding skills and apply them on well behaved horses out of the schooling environment.
The final paragraph of the article could sum me up:-
"If you are accustomed to directing your daily life by pure force of will, the discovery, in the person of some commonplace old riding-school hack, of something entirely beyond that force feels very like enchantment: baffling, frustrating and sometimes painful, but enchanting nevertheless. What is more, horses are like measles. If you catch them as an adult, the infection often turns out to have lifelong consequences."
Tuesday is my last riding lesson before the wedding - let's hope who-ever I'm assigned at the school doesn't decide that today is the day for a Melly/Ground interface.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
First Dance Trauma
How do you choose your first dance at the wedding?
Is it a song that holds resonance for you? If so then the DJ better be ready to play some trance and expect to see us picking it up some.
Is it a conventional song that the grannies will love?
We'll look ridiculous anyway, we tried slow dancing at a friend's wedding and our height difference really was highlighted, where Mark is a clear 15 inches taller than me.
Hmmm. I'm off to iTunes to listen to lots of songs.
Is it a song that holds resonance for you? If so then the DJ better be ready to play some trance and expect to see us picking it up some.
Is it a conventional song that the grannies will love?
We'll look ridiculous anyway, we tried slow dancing at a friend's wedding and our height difference really was highlighted, where Mark is a clear 15 inches taller than me.
Hmmm. I'm off to iTunes to listen to lots of songs.
Madonna takes a fall..
The dangers of horseriding.
Horses are by turns beautiful, friendly, intelligent, aggressive, awkward and plain dumb as rocks. There does seem to be a perception that horseriding is for girls, but really you've got to remember that riding a horse consists of dominating something that weighs approximately 500kg and persuading it that you know what you're doing.
Horses are by turns beautiful, friendly, intelligent, aggressive, awkward and plain dumb as rocks. There does seem to be a perception that horseriding is for girls, but really you've got to remember that riding a horse consists of dominating something that weighs approximately 500kg and persuading it that you know what you're doing.
Stress!
10 days and counting!
I've found it very strange the way time has accelerated towards the wedding day.
I've been variously calm, hyper stressed with nightmares and teethgrinding, and just plain dizzy. Now I'm watching the weather forecast with terror (currently showers!).
It's now all at the stage where basically if it isn't organized by now it aint gonna happen.
I've found it very strange the way time has accelerated towards the wedding day.
I've been variously calm, hyper stressed with nightmares and teethgrinding, and just plain dizzy. Now I'm watching the weather forecast with terror (currently showers!).
It's now all at the stage where basically if it isn't organized by now it aint gonna happen.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Summer's here...
... and I've got the Pimms horn!
All I want to do on an evening after work is pour a big glass of Pimms and listen to summery house music CDs.
All I want to do on an evening after work is pour a big glass of Pimms and listen to summery house music CDs.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Car Chosen
My review of the cars is as follows
Seat Leon Cupra R
Exterior - looked chavvy yet was still endearing
Interior - very poor. Looked like some leftovers from a 1998 audi A3.
Driver Position - The seats were uncomfortable, in the sense that they were very long, and pressed into the back of my calves. Handbrake situated a bit far back for my stumpy arms. Pedals seemed very close together.
Drive - Very quick to pick up, you could have great fun racing away from the lights in this. The gearbox was nothing to write home about, didn't seem precise enough compared to other 'sports hatch' cars.
Golf Gti
Exterior - Looks like a golf with extra body kit. As I've never owned a Golf before I didn't get the historical references that were contained in the honeycomb grill etc.
Interior - Smart. Brushed aluminium where appropriate, not too intrusive dials.
Driver Position - Fine, could reach the pedals without risking my ribs being smushed when the airbag goes off.
Drive - Great drive. Slightly more mannered than the cupra, and the ride was less teeth jarringly hard. The power steering was nicely weighted without feeling heavy.
So the winner (for me) is the Golf Gti. I'm now looking at getting the lazy mans version with the DSG automatic gearbox as my left knee is creaking after years of abuse.
Exterior - looked chavvy yet was still endearing
Interior - very poor. Looked like some leftovers from a 1998 audi A3.
Driver Position - The seats were uncomfortable, in the sense that they were very long, and pressed into the back of my calves. Handbrake situated a bit far back for my stumpy arms. Pedals seemed very close together.
Drive - Very quick to pick up, you could have great fun racing away from the lights in this. The gearbox was nothing to write home about, didn't seem precise enough compared to other 'sports hatch' cars.
Exterior - Looks like a golf with extra body kit. As I've never owned a Golf before I didn't get the historical references that were contained in the honeycomb grill etc.
Interior - Smart. Brushed aluminium where appropriate, not too intrusive dials.
Driver Position - Fine, could reach the pedals without risking my ribs being smushed when the airbag goes off.
Drive - Great drive. Slightly more mannered than the cupra, and the ride was less teeth jarringly hard. The power steering was nicely weighted without feeling heavy.
So the winner (for me) is the Golf Gti. I'm now looking at getting the lazy mans version with the DSG automatic gearbox as my left knee is creaking after years of abuse.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Lines and lines and lines
I'm not a great driver, but I do like my cars. It's got to that time where I have to select a new car on the company scheme or opt out and take the money. Having done the math it still doesn't make financial sense to opt out (damn you whoever drove into my car in a car park - I lost any chance of no claims discount there!). I'm going to miss my Celica though, it may be looking a bit battered due to my habit of not taking my riding boots off when I drive but it was a lovely car to own. The only real fault I've had on it is a broken interior light!
After much humming and hawing I've narrowed my choice down to 2 cars, a Seat Leon Cupra R or a Golf Gti. I really would have preferred a Honda Civic Type R but my company no longer has a lease deal with Honda.
Trying to test drive these 2 cars really has highlighted the difference in the customer service of what is effectively 2 branches of the same company. Seat were very responsive, and have loaned me a car for the whole weekend. VW have generally avoided returning calls, failed to make appointments and have been really not customer oriented. After a lot of phone calls, I admitted defeat and went to the local dealer and unleashed my WARTH (like wrath, but more sparkly). Within an hour they have grudgingly given me a test drive tomorrow for a whole 30 minutes. I suppose VW believe their product is so superior that they don't have to be nice to people.
After much humming and hawing I've narrowed my choice down to 2 cars, a Seat Leon Cupra R or a Golf Gti. I really would have preferred a Honda Civic Type R but my company no longer has a lease deal with Honda.
Trying to test drive these 2 cars really has highlighted the difference in the customer service of what is effectively 2 branches of the same company. Seat were very responsive, and have loaned me a car for the whole weekend. VW have generally avoided returning calls, failed to make appointments and have been really not customer oriented. After a lot of phone calls, I admitted defeat and went to the local dealer and unleashed my WARTH (like wrath, but more sparkly). Within an hour they have grudgingly given me a test drive tomorrow for a whole 30 minutes. I suppose VW believe their product is so superior that they don't have to be nice to people.
And then there were 8
My hen night is rapidly shrinking in size! It's down to 8 attendees due to childbirth, clashing holidays and my general ineptness at making female friends in person rather than the internet.
I'm secretly kinda pleased though, 8 is a manageable number to get into bars with and it means my credit card hasn't got too stretched booking hotel rooms.
So the itinery is something like:-
Saturday afternoon, go to the horse races at Gosforth Park Newcastle.
Saturday evening, go for dinner - I've had a restaurant called Gershwins in Newcastle recommended, if anyone has gone there let me know! And then off to some not too rowdy bars if such things exist in Newcastle. I've had the 'Apartment' bar suggested as they sell pink champagne by the glass!
My main problem is that I'm going to have to have a 'mini-stag' for the all the boys I work with before my wedding, that's really going to be a wild and drunken night!
I'm secretly kinda pleased though, 8 is a manageable number to get into bars with and it means my credit card hasn't got too stretched booking hotel rooms.
So the itinery is something like:-
Saturday afternoon, go to the horse races at Gosforth Park Newcastle.
Saturday evening, go for dinner - I've had a restaurant called Gershwins in Newcastle recommended, if anyone has gone there let me know! And then off to some not too rowdy bars if such things exist in Newcastle. I've had the 'Apartment' bar suggested as they sell pink champagne by the glass!
My main problem is that I'm going to have to have a 'mini-stag' for the all the boys I work with before my wedding, that's really going to be a wild and drunken night!
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
RSVP
Why don't people RSVP?
It's not exactly difficult, I even enclosed a card to make it easy for them. But still about 50% of the people haven't bothered to say they can't come to the wedding.
GRRR
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
What I did on my holidays
A couple of weekends ago I was off on a horse riding holiday in Mid-Wales. I booked it with Free-rein who were very professional and easy to deal with. I did the 3 day 'Onto the trail' ride which was a mixture of walk, trot and canter in the lovely Radnor hills. It also included basic horse care skills such as grooming, hoof picking and tacking up. As part of the holiday I spent 2 nights at the Red Lion where the food was really, really good for such a small out of the way place, and I ate so much I was sure that they would need to upgrade my pony.
The photo shows Friday and me just after breakfast. By the end of the holiday I'd got very attached to the pony and wanted to take her home. Like all animals she had her quirks, her favourite thing to do was to roll in puddles, which made grooming on the morning quite arduous.
The photo shows Friday and me just after breakfast. By the end of the holiday I'd got very attached to the pony and wanted to take her home. Like all animals she had her quirks, her favourite thing to do was to roll in puddles, which made grooming on the morning quite arduous.
First stage of my crystal flowers
So this is the first buttonhole I made up. I can't get the picture to do it justice as I'm taking it indoors at night, but it's about 10cm long consisting of 6 clear aurora borealis finish beads and two amethyst ones. Doesn't look too bad for a first attempt. Before I do the remaining 24 (!) I'm going to buy some very small needle nose pliers to make the binding and twisting of the wire a bit less tricky
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Apparently I'm one step to the right of Mrs. T
Who Should you vote for
Who should I vote for?
Your actual outcome:
Labour -6  | |
 Conservative 31 | |
| Liberal Democrat -22 | |
| UK Independence Party 26 | |
| Green 1 |
You should vote: Conservative
The Conservative Party is strongly against joining the Euro and against greater use of taxation to fund public services. The party broadly supported the Iraq war and backs greater policing and ID cards. The Tories are against increasing the minimum wage above the rate of inflation, and have committed to abolishing university tuition fees. They support 'virtual vouchers' for private education.
Take the test at Who Should You Vote For
Well - that was a suprise for me, I thought I was broadly a leftie.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Long time no speak!
Wow! I've been so busy recently I haven't had time to do my blog, so I'll be doing some catch-up posts over the next couple of nights.
My friends hen night was a brilliant laugh! There were 18 girls, all wearing bunny ears on the quayside in Newcastle. We stayed at the Jurys Inn, which was very rowdy as completely full of hens and stags but the rooms were very clean, and the breakfast was a lifesaver for the hungover. We didn't get very far on our pub crawl, started the night in the Quilted Camel, pretty good music and a good atmosphere. Then we finished the night across the river in Gateshead at the very cheesy Baja Beach Club . £6 in, but the booze wasn't too expensive.
My friends hen night was a brilliant laugh! There were 18 girls, all wearing bunny ears on the quayside in Newcastle. We stayed at the Jurys Inn, which was very rowdy as completely full of hens and stags but the rooms were very clean, and the breakfast was a lifesaver for the hungover. We didn't get very far on our pub crawl, started the night in the Quilted Camel, pretty good music and a good atmosphere. Then we finished the night across the river in Gateshead at the very cheesy Baja Beach Club . £6 in, but the booze wasn't too expensive.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Hen Nights..
No not mine.. though I really should get my arse in gear and organize it. This weekend I'm off to sunny geordieland for a friend's hen weekend. I'm really divided how I feel about these occasions though, I love the idea of getting to see people I haven't seen for ages (Creamfields about 4 years ago for one of them) but on the other hand my insecurity rampages around and I worry that I'm going to be left on the sidelines. I'm sure men on stag nights don't worry about these things.
Friday, April 08, 2005
A rose by any other name
I'm not a flowers person. I have been known to trill in fake delight "Oooh look dead things" when presented with flowers. So what was I going to do about my wedding bouquet?
I was inspired by an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Hell's Bells, the one with the Anya/Zander wedding) to have a crystal bouquet. These don't really seem to be available in the UK, or when they are, they are shockingly expensive. Through the power of google I found 2 useful websites.
I bought 2 large kits from Wedding Day Originals and for the past 3 weeks have been slowly working through the 320 stems that I need to make for my bouquet (160 stems) and the bridesmaids (80 stems each). I'm also planning on making buttonholes for the wedding party, but I am going to order smaller beads so that they don't weigh so much or look quite so imposing. Once I finish making up the stems and make them into the bouquet I'll post a picture.
I was inspired by an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Hell's Bells, the one with the Anya/Zander wedding) to have a crystal bouquet. These don't really seem to be available in the UK, or when they are, they are shockingly expensive. Through the power of google I found 2 useful websites.
- Wedding Day Originals . Pre-made bouquets and kits
- How to make a bead bouquet . A simple how to method with pictures.
I bought 2 large kits from Wedding Day Originals and for the past 3 weeks have been slowly working through the 320 stems that I need to make for my bouquet (160 stems) and the bridesmaids (80 stems each). I'm also planning on making buttonholes for the wedding party, but I am going to order smaller beads so that they don't weigh so much or look quite so imposing. Once I finish making up the stems and make them into the bouquet I'll post a picture.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Crisis Over!!!
The hotel has finally got back to me, and they have released a block of rooms! Hurrah!
*skips joyfully around room*
I feel like a huge weight has lifted off me.
However, the hotel has still cost themselves money as several guests have already opted to stay at a different (and significantly cheaper) location.
*skips joyfully around room*
I feel like a huge weight has lifted off me.
However, the hotel has still cost themselves money as several guests have already opted to stay at a different (and significantly cheaper) location.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
British Customer Service
The manager of the hotel (Whitworth Hall near Spennymoor, part of the Best Western Chain) seems to be trying to avoid my calls. The very charming lady on front desk has passed the information that the wedding co-ordinator Miranda has emailed the owner of the block booking to ask if they can release some rooms. Is it just me or is this really stupid? Just pick up the phone and ask! Email is the worst choice because
1. People ignore email
2. The majority of people do not read their email regularly.
3. You can't plead effectively over email.
4. It's asynchronous communication, so a simple discussion that takes 5 minutes can take 10 emails with days in between.
It just feels like a lazy way out for them.
*edit after finally getting through to the duty manager*
The duty manager was unable to progress things further, but he was able to provide the following information
1. The owner of the block booking has telephoned Miranda leaving her phone number, but without a status on the rooms.
2. He is willing to commit to providing me with a 'get ready' area on the morning of my wedding.
3. Miranda is not available until 3pm tomorrow, so no more progress until then.
A very affable chap, understood why I was very angry on the phone, and said 'I can imagine you thinking that if we mess this up that we'll mess up other things'
No shit sherlock!
1. People ignore email
2. The majority of people do not read their email regularly.
3. You can't plead effectively over email.
4. It's asynchronous communication, so a simple discussion that takes 5 minutes can take 10 emails with days in between.
It just feels like a lazy way out for them.
*edit after finally getting through to the duty manager*
The duty manager was unable to progress things further, but he was able to provide the following information
1. The owner of the block booking has telephoned Miranda leaving her phone number, but without a status on the rooms.
2. He is willing to commit to providing me with a 'get ready' area on the morning of my wedding.
3. Miranda is not available until 3pm tomorrow, so no more progress until then.
A very affable chap, understood why I was very angry on the phone, and said 'I can imagine you thinking that if we mess this up that we'll mess up other things'
No shit sherlock!
Monday, April 04, 2005
No news is good news... Right?
Tried to speak to the hotel manager regarding the lack of available rooms, but unfortunately Monday is his day off. The lady on the front desk said that she was trying to 'beg' some rooms from the block booking that stole my hotel but as yet there hasn't been any progress.
So at the moment I'm in a kind of limbo, wondering if my wedding can go ahead in the form which I'd hoped for. *sigh*
So at the moment I'm in a kind of limbo, wondering if my wedding can go ahead in the form which I'd hoped for. *sigh*
Gadget of the moment
If I didn't have one already it would be on my wedding list. It's a two portion slow cooker from
Lakeland Limited. Make delicious stews, currys and chillis by putting the ingredients in the bowl and switching on for 8 hours. Fantastic to come home to an already cooked meal.
I'm just trying to distract myself from having to phone the manager of the hotel, I want to give the wedding co-ordinator chance to actually do her job.
Lakeland Limited. Make delicious stews, currys and chillis by putting the ingredients in the bowl and switching on for 8 hours. Fantastic to come home to an already cooked meal.
I'm just trying to distract myself from having to phone the manager of the hotel, I want to give the wedding co-ordinator chance to actually do her job.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Wedding Planning Checklist
Registrar booked - CHECK
Venue booked - CHECK
Bride's dress ordered - CHECK
Argument over guest list - CHECK
Hotel rooms booked for wedding party -AAAAAARRRRGGH
I thought it was all going so well. I'd finally fought the wedding invite list down to a manageable size and have bought my invites from WH Smith (cost conscious brides take note, they don't mention that they do packs of 'fill in the blanks' 8 invites for £3.99 on their website). I've printed RSVP cards and wrote the description of local accomodation and the costs for my hotel.
Then I speak to the 'wedding coordinator' at the hotel (Whitworth Hall), who kindly informs me that there are no rooms available in the hotel as they have accepted a block booking has completely filled it. Which is a problem. A complete feck up. My ceremony is at 11am, meaning that most of my guests will be travelling the day before, as the majority are based more than 150 miles from the hotel. There is nowhere the bridesmaids to get ready, nowhere for the best man to stay. When I address this with the wedding co-ordinator, she can't see the problem. Pretty much a contrast to the promises of the brochure where they promise a 'dedicated and helpful team'. The hotel does not allow for block bookings, unless you are with this special party who seem to get better privileges than someone willing to spend over £5000 with the hotel.
Right about now I'm ready to head for vegas as I'm seething with anger.
Venue booked - CHECK
Bride's dress ordered - CHECK
Argument over guest list - CHECK
Hotel rooms booked for wedding party -AAAAAARRRRGGH
I thought it was all going so well. I'd finally fought the wedding invite list down to a manageable size and have bought my invites from WH Smith (cost conscious brides take note, they don't mention that they do packs of 'fill in the blanks' 8 invites for £3.99 on their website). I've printed RSVP cards and wrote the description of local accomodation and the costs for my hotel.
Then I speak to the 'wedding coordinator' at the hotel (Whitworth Hall), who kindly informs me that there are no rooms available in the hotel as they have accepted a block booking has completely filled it. Which is a problem. A complete feck up. My ceremony is at 11am, meaning that most of my guests will be travelling the day before, as the majority are based more than 150 miles from the hotel. There is nowhere the bridesmaids to get ready, nowhere for the best man to stay. When I address this with the wedding co-ordinator, she can't see the problem. Pretty much a contrast to the promises of the brochure where they promise a 'dedicated and helpful team'. The hotel does not allow for block bookings, unless you are with this special party who seem to get better privileges than someone willing to spend over £5000 with the hotel.
Right about now I'm ready to head for vegas as I'm seething with anger.
Hello
Despite being an internet geek, this is my first foray into the land of blogging..
I'm not sure my shaky grasp of grammar and my low attention span will make for great reading, but at least it's an outlet for my 'me! me! me!' moments.
I'm not sure my shaky grasp of grammar and my low attention span will make for great reading, but at least it's an outlet for my 'me! me! me!' moments.
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