Busy, busy, busy

March 30, 2006

Sorry about the lack of updates lately. Life has been a bit hectic.

On Saturday I went to Michelle's hen night - really enjoyed cocktails and dancing - both essential ingredients for a good night out! Got home at 12.45am, which was really 1.45am because the clocks went forward, then had to get up at 5am to collect Simon (my brother) from RAF Brize Norton.

I dragged poor Izzy from her bed and we all went off to collect him. Simon had told us his flight arrived at 7.15am, but it turned out it was actually 8.15am... and by the time he got through Customs it was 9am. Who wants an extra 1 hour 45 minutes in bed anyway?!?

It was great to see him, he hasn't changed AT ALL other than he's got a bit more assertive, which is excellent. Except that I can't force him to do my website for me anymore, dammit. Or persuade him to 'lend' me the GORGEOUS sheepskin rug he's brought home from Antarctica. Dammit.

April is going to be mental. I have two OU courses to complete - both final assignments are due on the 28th. We are attending two weddings, one of which I'm doing the wedding cake for. It's my birthday. My brother's coming to visit. We're going to Wycombe to pick up our new computers. I'm still spending hours and hours every day thinking about dogs. (Current breed shortlist: Briard, Tibetan Terrier, Labrador). My diet and exercise are both in a bad way, but at least I'm not smoking.

I have just got to keep my head above water for April and then things should get easier.

Ham and jam. Jam and ham.

March 13, 2006

This morning I wandered into the kitchen where Mattgreen was making his sandwiches. He had a packet of ham and a jar of jam on the counter.

Alicey: Mattgreen, why have you got the jam out?
Mattgreen: Oh, I had a mental block, I thought it was the chutney.
Alicey: Oh right. (Notices Mattgreen's sandwiches already made on the counter)
Alicey: You mean you've actually made ham and jam sandwiches?!
Mattgreen: Yes.
Alicey: (laughing)
Mattgreen: I might as well eat them now. They'll probably be OK.

This afternoon, 12.58pm.

I get a text message from Mattgreen. It reads:

"Sandwich update: jam/ham is NOT a combo"

I laugh out loud.

This afternoon, 13.02pm.

I get a multimedia message from Mattgreen (he has just got a camera phone). It contains the following picture:


Crufts

March 11, 2006

Crufts was totally brilliant. We had an excellent day. Isabel was hardly scared at all, even of the big dogs, because they were all so well-trained. She got more confident as the day progressed and it has definitely helped her behaviour around dogs. She particularly enjoyed watching the agility trials.

My favourite part was Discover Dogs, the part where they have 180 different breeds and you can go up and stroke them and talk to their owners. It was excellent. Isabel was particularly keen on fluffy white dogs, like this and this. Mattgreen wouldn't be seen dead walking a pom-pom on legs.

The bad news:

Isabel was scared of the Newfoundlands and refused to touch them. Mattgreen said, "Absolutely no way, definitely not, we are not having one of those. Have you seen the size of them?!"

Actually, yes I had seen the size of them, I was just hoping he wouldn't notice...

The Leonbergers, another dog which I liked, were also absolutely gargantuan. St Bernards - huge. Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes - Mattgreen didn't like them. We both liked the otterhounds, but they are destructive if left alone and shred everything in sight.

The good news:

We found a breed we all liked! When we got home, I looked up Estrela Mountain Dog on the internet and they're perfect! They're good with children. You can leave them alone. They don't need too much walking. They aren't sickly, and they don't need loads of grooming. Phil will even be pleased to hear they make excellent guard dogs. They're about the size of a German Shepherd.

Next, I have to do tons of research. I'll keep you posted.

Not so minor surgery

March 09, 2006

I had my surgery yesterday. I was having a cyst removed from the side of my face. It was under my hair so you couldn't really notice it, but I didn't like it so it had to go.

It turned out to be less minor than I thought. In fact it was all pretty nasty. It is really horrible being in an operating theatre when you're awake, but can't hear or see anything and are covered in sheets and blankets like a mummy. I could only hear distant, disembodied voices and the beeping of the machinery. It was claustrophobic. And then they injected me in the face a few times. That wasn't too great either. In fact the whole thing was pretty rough. Here is my hideous scar:



Tomorrow we are going to Crufts. Mattgreen has expressed some concerns about how much Isabel is going to enjoy it. He said, "If I had to name two things which Isabel really dislikes, they would be 'large crowds' and 'dogs'. So we are taking her to.... Crufts".

He has a point. Isabel is a bit frightened of dogs. And she definitely is scared of large crowds. Oh, and she insists on calling it Crusts. So tomorrow is going to be an interesting day.

Living is easy with eyes closed

March 01, 2006

This morning as I was driving to work, I decided to listen to Monty Python's Contractual Obligation album. I requested this as a leaving present from my old job because it reminded me of many trashed hours in Andy's car, laughing my head off. It seemed somehow appropriate; a final middle-finger to my ex-employer.

This morning I played it for the first time in months. I have a peculiar talent for forgetting things - films, music, things people have said to me - so I had no idea what was coming. I laughed and laughed. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I had totally forgotten the lyrics to Medical Love Song, which features the classic line, "At least we both were lying/When we said that we were clear". 'I Like Chinese' is the most un-politically-correct song you can imagine. 'Sit On My Face' is incredibly jolly but it feels so wicked to sing along at top volume, especially waiting at the traffic lights in the posh village where I work.

At the moment, life is pretty hectic. I have two OU courses on the go, we're busy every weekend until May, I have Michelle and Richard's wedding cake to make, Crufts in a couple of weeks, still trying to squeeze in going to the gym 5 times a week (ha!), giving up smoking (again) and trying to stick to a decent diet. My brother is coming home in a few weeks, it's my birthday in April, I'm having minor surgery next week. I've got piles of unanswered email and unsorted photos (again). Then there's all the day-to-day stuff like washing and ironing and cooking and looking after/entertaining Isabel and yet again, there's not enough hours in the day. My blog is somewhere at the bottom of a very long list.

Perhaps I need to cut down on my sleep. If I could manage on 6 hours a night that would help considerably.

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