New Year's Eve

Steve is doing his last ever disco tonight. Finally the poor bloke just has his day job. it will be so nice spending New Year's Eve together again. Not that I'll imagine that we'll do much- the dogs are scared of fireworks so we would stay in anyway.

My le Creseut pot was delivered on Friday. It is small but perfectly formed. Actually I've had a rotten cold since Thursday and feel pretty ropey. I've been mainly drinking lemons and honey mixed in with lemsip.
So what will your new year resolutions be? I aim to carry on writing - and having fun with it. It would also be nice if I don't need any therapy this year. This time last year I was about to start a new job and a writing course, I was nervous. Now those things are under my belt. I'm going to try to be more open to change in 2007.

Ghost story

Here is the story I entered for the competition. I've gone on so much about it, I thought you might like to read it.

Sisters

‘So Mum, let me get this straight. You’ve being seeing Aunt Till.’

‘Yes Ted.’ Sarah pointed to the Formica table in the corner of the kitchen. ‘She sits there.’

At eighty six Sarah’s eyes weren’t as good as they could be, even when she wore her glasses (which she hardly ever did) so she didn’t catch Ted’s grimace. It upset him to hear his Mum talk like this.

‘Does Aunt Till ever say anything?’

‘No she just sits there.’

‘Next time you see her why don’t you try talking to her? Ask her what she wants.’

Ted left soon after. He offered to stay until his aunt appeared, but Sarah said no. He had his own family to get home to. This time of year Sarah virtually lived in her kitchen, it was easier to keep warm. The kitchen was big enough for a small table and 2 armchairs, one each side of the electric fire. She had her radio, perched on the fridge, for company. Sarah sat thinking about Till. Sarah had been one of nine, but she had always been especially close to Till. She never thought the day would come where the thought of seeing Tilly frightened her. She decided if she saw Till again, she would talk to her. She was still her sister. Death doesn’t change that does it?

One of the nuisances of old age was that you woke up so early. It was only four, but she knew she wouldn’t drop off again. Stuffing her feet into her Dalmatian slippers (a present from one of her twenty seven grandchildren) she went to the kitchen to make some tea. Sitting in the corner was her unwelcome visitor. Motionless, her brown eyes fixed on Sarah. Sarah was frightened. She didn’t know if she was frightened of seeing a ghost, or seeing things that weren’t there. Averting her gaze Sarah put the kettle on. Then taking a deep breath, (she had lived through the Blitz, she had given birth to nine children and buried two, she could do this) she looked at the apparition.

‘What do you want Tilly?’

‘Just a chat Sarah. Reckon it gets lonely being on your own.’ Till smiled.

‘How come you’ve never said anything before. Just sitting there all quiet, staring.’

Till stood up and walked over to her sister, ‘I didn’t want to scare you, I wasn’t sure if you could see me.’

Sarah started to cry. ‘Of course you scared me! Sitting there all quiet. I thought I was seeing things. I thought I was going mad’

‘You seeing things. That’s a laugh, you’re too vain to wear your glasses.’

Sarah looked up at her sister, and they both started to laugh.

‘I only didn’t wear them in case I saw your ugly mug!’

Ted is pleased to see his Mum is wearing her glasses more often now. She told him that she doesn’t see Aunt Till anymore and he believes her.

Fantasy Shopping part 2

Was in Tk Maxx today and they had a le Creuset oven dish for £8. Stared at the dish for a very long time. Didn't buy it in the end because: a. I didn't like the colour and b. I don't need an ceramic oval oven dish. it was a close run thing though.

Watched la Reine Margot tonight - nearly 3 hours long and not one laugh in it.

Fantasy Shopping.

I am brand neutral. I've never wanted a designer handbag. I buy generic clothes. If anything I am an inverted snob. I think some wide screen tellies are just too wide. I'd rather die than stick a plasma over my (fake) fire place. I've got a MP3 player rather than an I Pod. So why am I such a sucker for le Creuset cookware? If I could afford it I'd have all my cookware le Creuset. As it is I just have one volcanic orange cocotte casserole dish. And I love it. if the house was on fire I would save it. When I'm cooking with that , in my head I am in my Seventeenth century country cottage cooking on my Aga. And Agas was the deal with them? - we stayed in a cottage a few years ago and that had an Aga. In fact that was one of the reasons I wanted to stay there. it was a nightmare to cook with -I may as well microwaved the jacket potatoes -but I would still like one. Anyway with my Christmas money i have just bought another cocotte- it is blue and reduced to £35 - which is CHEAP- you normally don't get those babies for anything less than £60. I've bought it off Amazon in case you want to buy one as well. I don't why I love them so but I do. When I marry George Clooney I 'm going to have a Le Creuset wedding list. You see George will comfort me when Steve runs off with Fi Glover/Carol McGiffen.

Happy Christmas

Took the dogs for a walk this morning and was amazed to see that people are still shopping. if Christmas didn't exist the shops would have to invent it. Will this shopping never stop?

Finally emailed my story for Aaron . I had left it for a few days - and when I came back I had lost it. the computer had eaten it. taking it as a sign the story was rubbish(I never lose anything on the computer) I started again. I like it , I just hope he does. I am going to write something for myself next. I've always wanted to write a cozy crime story so I'm going to give that a go.

We're going to Church this evening for the carol service. We went last year and the church is freezing so we'll wrap up warm. I do like belting a few carols.

BTW a tip for dog owners. I was watching the Dog Whisperer and Cesar calmed an over excited dog by standing still, staring and pointing at the dog. When I was getting the leads out Tommy was barking and prancing so I tried the 'Cesar stance' and it worked!!!Tommy shut up and waited quite meekly. I'm going to try it out on Steve next.

Shop

My mammoth Tesco home delivery has arrived. Each kitchen cupboard is stuffed with goodies, the fridge and freezer are full and I'm still worrying that I may not have enough in for Christmas....Sometimes my default mood is "worry".

Steve is a lot better - but I can still smell the TCP.

Southend v Tottenham

AAArggghhh!!! Stupid football.

TCP

Have you seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the Dad cures everything with Windowlene? Well Steve is exactly like that but with TCP. he had got a cold at the moment and he keeps gargling with TCP. The smell is everywhere. I even thought I could smell it at work. When we first started going out together I cut myself and he suggested I douse it with TCP. NEVER AGAIN. The pain was unbelievable and I speak as someone who has had her tubes blown.

Tooth ache

Many years ago when I was 21, in Paris, eating a baguette I broke my tooth. When i got home the dentist did his best to fix it...and i have had trouble with it ever since. i have spent hundreds of pounds on that tooth and like a ungrateful child , it has given me grief over the years. i have had the filling refilled FOUR times. At one pint I even had a gold filling - but that didn't last long. I went to the dentist the other week and mentioned it was giving me a gyp again. he said it was now sensitive ( i don't know why - that tooth has had my attention much more than all the teeth) and give me a filling thing between my gum and the tooth. It has twinged on and off ever since but I have ignored it ( I could go on with the child metaphor..but I'm sure you get the drift.) Tonight is has been twinging a lot. I always ask the dentist if he'll take it out but he acts like I'm joking. I think I'll have to book another trip to the dentist. its such a hassle as I'll have to make the time up at work.

Just read Rosemary's baby - what a good writer Ira Levin is. He uses language in a sparse, powerful way. i bet he would have won the Yellow Advertiser Ghost story competition.

Course

I got my final result for my Creative Writing Course. - and i got a B. (well they call it a grade 2 pass but I know a B when I see it.) I'm very pleased. I remember when I got the course time table at the beginning of the year and saw all the assignments I had to and thought : Oh Gina what have you done...But I finished the course and I did well. I 'm giving myself a pat on the back.
Half way through re - reading IT by Stephen King. Scarier than I remembered it being.

Letter

Received our first letter today from maria, a child that Steve and I are sponsoring. maria lives with her family in Latin America ( a country beginning with N that I can't spell). It was a very charming letter, where she talked about playing with her chickens and her Mum and Dad. In fact it bought a tear to my eye. Although as I get older I find anything sets me off. i do urge you, unseen reader to sponsor a child, it is very worthwhile.

As I'm typing this I can hear Steve laughing at the TV, I'm going to go and investigate. Steve's laughter is one of my favourite sounds.

ghost story

I entered the Yellow Advertiser's Ghost Story competition. I had fully expected to win. I was amazed when I didn't win the Good Housekeeping story competition. I've gone off that magazine now. i don't think I've won the competition now, I think I would have heard by now if I had. Oh well Dad liked it. Dad thinks I'm brilliant. He thinks I'm nearly as good as Ruth Rendell. Stupid story competition.
Went to the pub last night, we had a really good time, but came out stinking of smoke. I can't wait for that smoking ban. I still don't understand why England has had to wait such a long time for it to be implemented. The ban won't be enforced untill the summer.

Coat

Met Mum for lunch today and she very sweetly offered to treat me to a new coat. I think I last bought a winter coat about three years ago. And that wasn't really a coat is it a fleecy jacket thing. it is very generous of Mum, but I secretly thought just give me the cash and I'll spend it on something exciting. You see I have terrible taste when it comes to coats. i like it in the shop and I'll like it when I get home but give me a month and I hate it. I'm brilliant at buying handbags and shoes but I've got no taste when it comes to coats. I don't even like wearing them that much. I think in a coat (I know I'm being very repetitive with the word 'coat', I'm getting fed up of typing 'coat') I look like a walking wardrobe. The only outdoor garment I like is my denim jacket. My Mum has got a good taste in coats, she has a coat, jacket and hat for every occassion and season.

Over garlic'd

Steve is coming home late tonight so I cooked myself some spaghetti , mushrooms and tomatoes and I threw in some garlic. Too much garlic as it turns out. I stink and i can't get rid of the taste. Yuk.

Changing the subject there was a tornado in Kensal Green today. It was a proper tornado - it tore up some houses. All these weather reports and they never warned us of that did they? How could the Weather Centre miss something as big as that? It just confirms my belief that the weather reports are a waste of time /stating the obvious. If you want to know what the weather is like - look out of the window.

Reiki Magic

Just had a very intense reiki session with Claire. Put simply reiki is the love of the universe focusing on you. I normally find sessions very relaxing and all my aches and pains drift away. I have said before it seems mad, it seems like it shouldn't work but it does. Any how today Claire said that she would try a crystal grind- which is basically putting stones around the outline of your head and she placed a stone on my forehead. At first it felt so lovely, images of green and purple clouds came to mind. Then gradually I began to feel uncomfortable, my throat and arms especially. I felt like something was pressing lightly on my neck (and I hate having my neck touched - but that's another story) and my arms felt painful, like someone was squeezing them. the pain got worse and worse and in the end I had to tell Claire to stop. Claire removed the stones, except the one on my forehead. She said that it could be the force of the positive vibes (i suddenly can hear snorting of disbelief from the other side of the Atlantic- but you can't knock it till you give it a go..) Anyhow she removed the stones and I can't tell you difference it made. I gradually began to feel more relaxed and open. For the first time I had the distinct impression some one else was in the room. As i write this i do feel foolish and try to find a rational explanation - but the experience felt intensely spiritual. And no I don't take drugs, I don't smoke (anything) and I hadn't had anything alcoholic to drink. And how do I feel now - I feel relaxed and regenerated. I suppose I feel more at peace with myself. That can't be a bad thing can it?

Template Change

I've finally got round to updating my Blogger, it has made it easier to muck around with and add new features. As you can see I've added and changed my template. Decided to finish the story I'm writing for Aaron. I feel quite strongly about finishing stories off, I think it is a bad habit(bad karma even) to leave them unfinished. Well the story has disappeared into the ether. When I opened up the word document there were a load of little squares instead of words. Perhaps the monster has eaten my story? Oh well back to the drawing board.

Bad Housewife

Steve cleared out the freezer today. he found a bag of spinach, oven chips, bag of frozen peppers and yorkshire puds that had an expiry date of January 06. I was in the living room and he came in specially to show me the offending items. I think he blames me. I must learn to rotate the items and not just to take things from the top. he can't bear to think of all that wasted food. we have 56 frozen yorkshire puds (still within date) and he expects to seeing them on his plate over the next few weeks. he still thinks I'll be cooking for him....

Don't get me started...

Was browsing other people's blogs (why ? because I'm nosey). One person was up in arms about what she read in the Daily Mail. What does she expect? Those types of papers are always full of moral indignation.
Alan's blog made me laugh out loud - to the headline Tom and Katie get married - he had written - do I give a shit. the sad thing is i do - I looked up the wedding phots on the net. wasn't that impressed by the dress i must say. I'm gob smacked when iread Pamela Anderson and kid Rock are getting divorced. Apparantly a 'friend' confided that there were reasons why she didn't marry him before. WTF?
Am listening to a tribute to Alan Freeman- genius idea of his to play the hit parade in reverse. Steve actually met Alan Freeman many years ago. Steve said he was a lovely man.

Child free

I can't have children. this has made my life (since 2002 when i found out) horrible. I 've been on anti depressants and have numerous therapy sessions to help me come to terms with this. At times the only thing that has got me out of bed is the thought that if I don't I'll never get up. It has been horrific. But I don't want my life to be a horror story. i don't want to be sad Gina. I want to count my blessings. I need to realise that you can have a happy life with out having children.
I'm fed up with the negatives - here are some positives:
I've got a great, good looking,sexy, supportive husband
At the weekend we can have a lie in, read the papers, watch a DVD. we can do nothing.
We can spoil ourselves with our disposal income
I have time, aside from work I don't watch the clock
I have enough spare cash to sponsor a child
The house doesn't have to be child friendly
I have a great sister and brother in law who are generous with their kids - I get the chance to be best auntie ever.
I get to sleep at night.
I can go on holiday outside school holidays.
I've never been to Center parcs or Kids Kingdom.

Life is good!

Friday

I don't know why I look forward to Fridays- fridays afternoons are always soooo busy and hectic. I've got a stinking headache and feel worn out. Hope Dad wins the lottery this weekend. ( i don't do the lottery, but Dad does and if he does win I'm sure he'll give his daughters a cut. He has said that Angela and I would have to have a DNA test first though.)

Story

I've finally got round to writing stories again. I had a bit of a break after the OU Creative Writing course and I won't get the final result until Christmas. I'm writing a horror story for my nephews, using them as characters. i used to write stories for them starring themselves before i started the course - but I never managed to really scare them. (Scare them in a good Doctor Who way not terrify them. I'm not an evil auntie). its nice to think about a story again, thinking of outrageous plot lines and how to reconcile them. FYI Aaron left an unfnished drawing of a house, that has been possessed by a demon and has trapped Joe in the drawing. the demon wants to burrow itself in Joe's brain. aaron has to find a way of saving his brother without setting free the demon. How does he do this you may well ask? I'm coming up with a few ideas...Really I should be getting on with writing that -so bye bye.
BTW -really getting into Agatha Christie- am reading the collected Hercule Poirot stories - v.good.

Sunday

Feel a lot more relaxed these days, less driven- ie don't feel guilty having a lie in. I love having a lie in, snuggling under the duvet. I'm not hurting anyone (well perhaps Steve but consenting adults and all that...) so I don't know why I feel guilty. i read somewhere (somewhere proper like the The Times or the Telegraph) that too much sleep shortens your life. What? How ? Why?

Finally watched '5by2' - well read would be more accurate as it is a sub titled French film. (something else to feel bad about - between the ages of 11 and 16 i learnt French, i have an O level in it, which is practically a degree these days - and I can't understand French). Its about the break up of a marrage told backwards - so first you see them at the lawyers and at the end of the film it is how they met. Obviously it wasn't a barrel of laughs, but it did make me think. i think it was about how easy it is to be in love when things are going well, when you're happy. Don't watch the film if you are trying to give up smoking as they were lighting up all the time. Which brings me nicely to "Thank you for smoking" - no one lit up at all and it was all about cigarettes. it was v funny and had actors in it that should be more famous than they are.

Tried to post a (long rambling) message to Mark's blog and it wouldn't let me. I was forbidden. mark had gone a bit mad with his filters (well that his story..) but it got me thinking. Is this how friendships end in the 21st century - they just filter you out? i was amazed when I heard that people get dumped by text. In my day it was bad form to be dumped over the phone, they used to invire you out for a drink and you would get dumped as you sat and sipped a diet coke.

re below

In case you live in Mars (or America -Mark) I'm talking about Southend beating Manchester United. 1-0

Southend won!

Southend won!!!!!!!!Flahaven man of the match!!!!There's only one Freddy Eastwood. And I want Steve Tilson's babies!!

Dam Busters

Watched the Dam Busters last night. What a film! Talk about English understatement and the stiff upper lip. Wing Commander Gibson's quiet heart break when his dog dies (the name of the dog shows how much times have changed - the past is a different country.) I read that they are planning to remake the film but I can't see how it can be bettered - who is going to better than Michael Redgrave as Barnes Wallace? Whats all this about remakes- can you think of a remake that was better - or even added to - the original? The Haunting, LadyKillers, Psycho - the remakes were pale imitations.

Nightmare

Had a horrible nightmare last night. i dreamt that i was hacking this man's head off with a pen knife (can't remember why but I 'm sure dream Gina had her reasons) when I woke to find myself making stabbing motions with my hand to my throat. I got wierded out by that and had to get up to put the light on so I could check there were no monsters in the room and so could go back to sleep.

Books

I have started reading Barbara Nadel's Inspector Ikmen series. I had heard of Barabra Nadel as she lives in Essex, there was a profile of her in a local paper. She writes police procedurals set in Turkey. That didn't appeal to me but I saw one of her books in the library and decided to give it a go. thats why I love libraries so much - I tend to be much more adventurous in my reading when its free. that's how I discovered authors like Charlaine Harris, M C Beaton - you don't tend to find their books in local shops. Anyhow - i loved her book -Balthazzer's Daughter ( i know i've spelt that wrong) and I have just finished Harem. I found I couldn't put the books down. the characters are vivid, intersting and funny. i have never been to Turkey but she really made the place come alive for me. She is a very good, original writer.
On Friday Steve and I went to the Riga to see a REM tribute band called Stipe. they were brilliant! Steve even got up and danced!!! both decided to make an effort to see more local live music.

Diamonds

Steve and I went shopping today- and I came home with a diamond ring! How extravagant is that! I have been looking for a ring for my little finger for years and I have never seen one I liked. This is a 2 diamond twist on a yellow and white gold band. It was second hand and it was under £100- I'm calling it an early Christmas present. I' m trying not to feel guilty about it - whenever I spend money I worry. And I can afford it, its not like I slapped it on a credit card. I have a troublesome relationship to money - I worry about money a lot. I worry that I will be penniless in my old age. I try to be more relaxed about it - Steve and I are both workers , we're sensible - but I am haunted by buyer's remorse. So now I'm making a mental trade off- ok i won't have any takeways this month. Lets see how long that lasts ( and the stupid thing is I can afford the takeaways and the ring - I'm on a budget but the ring wasn't that expensive). So now I'm thingking - I bought a cheap ring BIG DEAL! thus spoiling the enjoyment of the much mentioned bleeding ring. And if I hadn't got the ring i would be typing now saying how much I regretted not getting it.

beauty

Steve reckons love is thinking about that person all the time. I don't know- seems a bit stalkerish to me.
had a lovely weekend. Dad and I babysat the boys. Mum was out at a bowls do, Angela and dave were at a birthday party. We watched "walking with dinosaurs" with Aaron matching the dinosurs in his dinosaurs book. when i put the boys to bed they wanted Babar the Elephant. What a load of old cobblers that story was!Then Dad and I watched the boxing -what a fight that was.

When I arrived at Angela's for my babysitting duties, she was moaning about how fat/awfull she looked. There is something very irritating about a good looking woman moaning about her appearance like that. Then Julie (really nice girl) came in and she started going on about how awfull she looked. Stressful start to the evening, really. made mental note never to go about my appearence like that as I now realise how irritating it is. At one point Joe shouted:you both look beautiful!

Love

i was stumbling on the interweb and the title - what do we mean by love - caught my eye. The sub headings were sexual love, family love and love for friends. I think love is wanting the best for someone, and helping them. But then how do you define what is best for them and who are you to judge? Is love having pure intentions? But haven't we all got our best interests at heart? Is anyone really selfless?

Penny

Reread my blog entry for 'a night out'- when I was writing that I was seething. I know it sounds terrible but I could have quite happily have taken penny back to the dog refuge. ok i know I've got 2 dogs and had did I know it was penny...well Penny is the only one who jumps up at the door and she is the highly strung one. To be blunt if there is havoc it is caused by Pen. She is also the most loving, gentle dog and is very easy to walk on the lead. penny is only a problem when she panics - then she can be a very destructive dog. last firework season she manged to chew of part of the hall wall off - there was plaster and blood all over the place. We've ended up muzzling her for her own protection when we go out. i think muzzling is something the owner minds more than the dog. But what can you do? A dog is for life and all that.
Another i noticed when the police came round- that it is true they are getting younger- and there is something about a man in uniform. perhaps I should get Steve down the fancy dress shop!
Steve was doing a pod cast with his American friend Mark tonight. They talk about the Grand Prix. I could hear them both laughing ( steve was upstairs, I was downstairs) i never realised motor racing could be so humourous.

Reiki

Went round Claire's after work for a Reiki session. Came out feeling as if I was walking on air. I wish i had kept a note of how many sessions I have had, because this one was so good. Felt really peaceful. Like I said before you would think to works but it does. Clicky shoulder feels not clicky.

A night out

The atmosphere in the house is subdued today. Steve and I went out last night- Steve went for meal with friends and I went round my sister's. We both had a really nice time and Steve picked me up on the way home. This was a good thing, that we both came home together. As Steve parked the car in the garage, I unlocked the door. I unlocked the mortice lock first and then the yale key. The door wouldn't budge. I was a bit pissed, so I thought it was me (althoughtI wasn't that pissed.) Steve then tried. The door wasn't having any of. Now Penny does leap up at the door and somehow she must have knocked the latch on. We couldn't get in round the back as the key was left in the back door. Luckily there is a police station down the road so we walked round there. The police were really nice- but they couldn't get in either, so they ended up smashing the little window in the door and sticking their arm in to unlock it. glass was everywhere. What a night mare! We were so fed up - what are the chances of a dog hitting the latch anyway? A crumby end to a nice evening. the lesson we have learnt is not to leave the key in the back door, so if it does happen again we can get in through the back.

Housework

Yesterday I sliced lengthways 2 aubergines and slowly roasted them. When they were all nice and soft I drizzled feta cheese over them. they were delish- will definately cook that again. As a vegetarian I'm always trying to think of exciting things to do with vegetables.
Did the housework this morning - as soon as I'm rich enough I'm going to get a cleaner. not having to clean ( and not having to nag Steve to do his share- altho i don't have to nag so much now) would really improve the quality of my life. because I'm so strict about doing the housework is only (only!) takes 2 hours-but I could be doing fun things instead. Fun things for me would be:
reading the paper, gardening, walking the dogs, watching telly, blogging. Cleaning is boring. I think that is why I always make myself do it on Saturday morning - if I didn't force myself to do it at a set time, I know I wouldn't bother.
Spoke to Aaron on the phone last night. He was telling me about Jackson Pollock - they are doing him at school. I was impressed by that- I didn't learn about artists when I was 6. At the end of the call Aaron said 'see you gina' and it got me right there. I think its true the older you get the more emotional you get. When i was 14 I saw ET and I laughed - when I saw it a couple of years ago, I cried. I cried when Kelly Holmes won the 2 gold medals and when Zara Phillips won the World Championship.

Seasons changing

Steve made me laugh at loud tonight, and he wasn't trying to be funny. he told me that he was going to bed early as the change of season tires him. WTF??? I must that use that line in a story..

End Of Course

I have posted my final assignment today. That's it, I 've finished all my course work for A215 Creative Writing. Feel a bit flat now - although it will be nice to be able to write just what Iwant. The course started in February and it has dominated my free time. Just have to wait for my mark now. Although as I'm not doing it as part of a degree (that's right I'm doing it for fun) I shouldn't worry too much.
Went to the supermarket after work to get some bits and pieces. It was full of nutters having arguements on their mobile phones. I had wanted to get some aubergines but they had sold out. Grrr. I had a silent cashier-he didn't tell me how much my bill was, that I could enter my pin now or ask me if I wanted to use my nectar card. I quite liked the silent cashier, but I have a feeling he won't be staying in the job for long.

The Shame

Getting very near the OU deadline and am getting writer's remorse. Writer's remorse is when you realise what you have written is rubbish and you shouldn't be on the course anyway. posted a word count query to the conference - it didn't seem to work - so rather than be patient -(because I need to know the answer NOW) i posted it again. then I got post remorse and tried to delete one of the posts( and thought I had) - only to find both posts have been printed AND THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME. What a dum dum I am.

I bought some potatoes last week and instead of putting them in the fridge put them in a cupboard. I read somewhere it is better to do that. Took them out today and they are sprouting - i have vague idea that sprouting potatoes are not good for you, so threw them out. Steve wanted to cook them anyway, but told him that life is too short to eat something and then waiting to see if if it gives you a tummy ache. So we're having spag bol instead.

Back at Work

I was right. Work were pleased to see me, busy, busy , busy. At least the day goes nice and quick- if anything too quickly. When I got home I tinkered with my OU assignment. It is the last one of the course and has to be in by Friday noon. It will be odd when the course finishes, i'm beginning to suspect OU can be addictive.

Meeting my friend Claire for lunch tomorrow. Claire is a Reikei master. Reikei is one of those things that shouldn't work but it does. When Claire was training she asked me if I would be her Guinea Pig. I didn't give her any special instructions because: a. i didn't want to pressure her and b. I wasn't sure if I believed in it. Imagine my amazement, what I think of as my clicky shoulder-didn't click any more. ( when I move my arms windmill fashion my right shoulder clicks). My body always feels relaxed and more in balance after one of Claire's sessions. Claire is also an authority on Buffy and Angel so it is nice to geek out over lunch.

Cooked chilli tonight. Stupidly touched my nose after cutting the chillis and my left nostril has tingled ever since.

Well after all the sweat of setting up the blog settings and the photo ( I do have a slight headache from the setting up the photo) I thought I had better type an entry.

Sooo why I have set up a blog? Well I'm just coming to the end of a Creative Writing course and I thought this would be a good way to ensure I carry on writing. This is the secomd Open University Creative Writing course I have done. I did stage one last year and whilst waiting for the second level course I wrote stories for my nephews. However Joe and Aaron are far too sophisticated for their Auntie's scribblings now. ('I did like your stories but I find then baby-ish now.') Also a lot of OU students keep blogs and I enjoyed reading those.

A bit about my background- i have a younger sister, Angela who is married to Dave. They are the proud parents of Joe and Aaron. Their disposable income seems to be spent on Lego and Doctor Who stuff. My Dad took early retirement , much to my Mum's fury about 10 years ago. My Mum still works, she fits her job around playing bowls. I've been married to Steve for 7 years, i may be biased but he is lovely and very good looking. We're have got two retired greyhounds as pets - and as soon as I can face posting photos again- I'll post photos of them. (i'm sure that I 'll get used to it.)

Just had two weeks off work. We didn't go away on holiday, but it has been so nicehaving time to toodle instead of the usual rushing around. Back to work tomorrow, one good thing about working for an over worked team is that they are always pleased to see you.