Steve

I was reading Hannah's blog and she did a list of all the things she loved about her husband. Here are my thoughts on Steve:

1. He is the only personwho can say to me 'Look you' and I'm still friends with him.
2. When I'm shopping for books on Amazon Steve always puts an order in. the book is always hardback and always expensive. This is the conversation we always have:

Me - I'll get it if you'll read it. I'm fed up of buying books you don't read.
Steve (general performing and huffing)- I will read it, but if you don't want to get it - fine.
Me - Ok I'll get it. Stop going on. You'd better read it though.

So the books are delivered and Steve doesn't read the book. So far he hasn't read the John Peel and Raymond Baxter autobiographies (among others)

3. Steve makes me a cup of tea even though the smell it makes him feel sick.
4. Steve made my desk. He hated doing it but he knew I had no clue.
5. Steve encouraged me to take the OU courses even though the money could been used for other stuff. (like holidays)
6. I never know what he is going to say next.
7. He helped me give up smoking by sheer nagging.
8. When we got married he had tears in his eyes. I like think that they were tears of joy..

Dogs

It will be a week tomorrow when Penny died. I think it was good that we took Tommy with us, because he hasn't looked for her. Tonight when I got in from work he went mad doing his 'play - bow' and running around. He is more like the old Tom. We can take him for longer walks now which he loves. As for me and Steve - well never under estimate the benefits of a bloody good cry. It helps to talk about her. That dog would race anything. When I went upstairs Pen would sit at the bottom until I was 2 steps away from the top - and then in a mad burst of energy- run to the top of the stairs beating me.

Sunday

Tidied and cleared the downstairs cupboard.
Weeded and tided front garden. it is now looking bare and will need to get more plants.
Walked Tommy to Potton island.
Cooked dinner.
Did 2 loads of washing.
Watched Joey - am I the only person who thought Joey was funny and it is a shame it was cancelled?

Shopping

It is my parents' Ruby Wedding Anniversary party next month so I went clothes shopping today. I want to look fabulous. I was in Monsoon and had picked out a skirt and was wondering what the hell would go with it, when the assistant approached me. I explained I liked the skirt but wasn't sure what would go with it. The skirt was a size 16, so you can imagine my amazement when she comes back with a size ten black top.

Me: That's a size 10!
Her: oh is it?

Was she hoping I wouldn't notice? I'm not a weird triangle shape- skinny on top blossoming out to a wide bottom. It is very unlikely the assistant looked at me and thought 'She is a size 10' I'm big all over. I'm not crazy about being a large lass but I'm not going to beat myself up over it either.

I'm off to Lakeside next week I'm sure I'll get something there.

Blogging Stamina

Last Saturday Alan and Ruthie came round. One of the things we talked about was blogging.

Alan : I don't have time to blog every day.

Ruthie : No I don't blog every day.

Steve: Me neither, I don't have time.

Gina: Annoyed silence.


I think they're just jealous of my blogging stamina.

The wrong Andrew Collins

Southend Library is having a series of authors' evenings. We booked for Billy Bragg and Andrew Collins. We thought we were booking for this Andrew Collins but it is for this Andrew Collins.
So we'll be spending an evening listening about how cosmic rays effected our evolution...but we do get free wine and nibbles. At least we realised our mistake before the event.
BTW I'm not using the Royal We - I mean me and Steve .

Most Stupidest Conversation About Heroes Of The Week.

Gina (excitedly): So Mr Bennet has got a super power as well.

Ruthie (puzzled): What do you mean?

Gina: He was doing all that telepathy.

Ruthie :That's not a super power - he was just thinking loudly.

Gina: What do you mean 'just thinking loudly' You can't do that in real life!

Ruthie (sheepishly):Oh yeah. I forgot.

Penny

Penny was put to sleep this morning.

Nanny Sarah

Something really spooky happened today. I can't quite find the words to explain it. I've never believed in mediums talking to the other side. Why can't spirits/ghosts or whatever you want to call them, talk to their loved ones direct?
Today Angela went to a clairvoyant and the lady said 'Sarah's here..'
Sarah is our Nan, our Dad's Mum. Angela felt as if Nanny Sarah was there with the things that were said. Angela didn't want to leave the room. I don't understand it and I don't know what to believe.

Stuff that gets on my nerves

People telling me that they are on a diet and they don't feel hungry. If one only ate when one was hungry one wouldn't need to lose weight in the first place.

People that say that they wish they were vegetarian, but its too difficult. That's just silly.

Smokers.

People who say 'That's my personality' Like they have nothing to do with it.

Getting spots. At my age.

Putting on a new pair of tights and manging to ladder them.

When I'm cooking and I open the oven door my glasses steam up and I can't see a thing.

Flies in the house.

Women referring to their partners as their life. As in 'He is my life'

Periods. It's been nearly 30 years now, the novelty has worn off.

Steve's insistence that Hoover is a brand name, and pretends not to know what I'm talking about when I refer to the vacuum cleaner as a Hoover.

A finger nail breaking.

Poking my eye out with the mascara ward.

Loud, blaring music. Unless it is my loud, blaring music.

Famous people wanting you to feel sorry for them. It must be so hard having all that fame and money.

People telling me what I actually meant when I have said something.

The size zero debate - who cares!!!

Rose Tyler.

I Hate Housework

Today is Saturday, that means housework morning. AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
I effing hate cleaning it is so effing boring. I try to kid myself :This is my lovely house that I have worked hard for and these are all my lovely things that I care for. By cleaning I am honouring the house.
As my nephew would say:Yeah, Gina yeah!(in a very sarcastic tone)
Its the sheer repetition that gets me. How many times have I polished that frigging table? Getting on my hands and knees to clean round the back of the loo -what a charming way to spend my time. Steve does the housework as well but he hates it as much as I do- in fact I think he hates it even more because he feels I'm judging his standard of cleaning. He is right, I am ( I know I'm a terrible person - I can't help it.)
Then there are the bigger issues - really all the paint work needs renewing but neither of us can face that. The Robbos are not natural decorators. We need a new carpet for the hall way and stairs but there is no point while we still have the dogs.
The sad thing is I can't not do the housework because a dirty house makes me fidgety. I just wish I could afford a cleaner.

Morning

You will all be pleased to know that I haven't watched telly this morning. I'm drinking my cup of tea and caught up all on the celeb gossip on Oh No! instead. A much more enjoyable way to start the day.

Plan

In Robbo World we don't buy third world babies, we sponsor them. We sponsor through Plan . Your money actually goes to the village , but you can send the child letters and they write to you. You can also send little presents -although there are strict guidelines concerning this. The reason why I'm writing about this (the Robbos like to keep a low profile regarding their charity work)is because there was a segment about Plan on GMTV this morning. Ho hum. I had been really good about not watching that rubbish anymore - but today I got caught off guard. I even thought - this should be interesting. I'm an idiot. Kate Fadeway prattling on to Kevin Whateley that it is a good thing to do especially if you have children. It is a good thing to do full stop whether you have children or not. Poor Kevin looked embarrassed. Still I've only got myself to blame, I don't read tabloid papers so why do I watch tabloid TV? I had been so good as well, I hadn't watched it for the past 2 weeks.

Angela gets Broadband

Steve has gone over to my sister's to install broadband. At last! Angela only caved in because Aaron was fed up with slow dial up. Aaron pointed to the PC and said in a very sad voice :Its very slow, Steve.
Angela -you will have wished you did it ages ago -and it will be easier to read me! Who knows you might even become a blogger yourself.

Took the dogs for a walk tonight. This is a friendly place and people often make a fuss of the dogs and give them tidbits. We walked past someone we didn't know and the dogs really bogged at the poor man. I think they were wondering why he hadn't given them a treat.

Formula One Podcast.

Steve and Mark are recording their Pod Cast tonight. As Mark is in Boston, it is all very clever. As English isn't Mark's first language (it is American) there has been a few misunderstandings. When he referred to himself as a Homer, it got a bit confused our end. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but Mark is married to the lovely Lucy. A homer is supporting the home team, apparently. Anyway if you're into Formula One you may want to listen.

My husband, the writer

When I'm writing I don't like to be interrupted. Especially if I'm writing a story. As Steve and I share a study, he'd often come in (like he owned the house or something) and put the radio on. As Talk sh!t waffled on I'd lose my train of thought, so I'd shout at him. But Steve just didn't get it.
'But I always used to do my home work with the radio on.' he'd say. So what!
But now I think he gets it. This evening I walked into the study prattling away and he shouts 'I'M TRYING TO WRITE MY BLOG!!!'
Ah, my husband the writer.

Sunday

Ho hum, totally addicted to CrimeSpace. If you like crime books, you will love this. I'm totally geeking out, sending out invites to some of my heroes. it is a charming mixture of published authors, readers and pre published authors. I love that term pre published -its so positive.

The tablets are not improving Penny's condition as much as we hoped. The vet said that she would be able to climb the stairs and she still can't. We can only take her for short walks, poor old Tommy is getting fed up.

My Penny

I've tried to write about Penny but can't. Still doesn't a picture paint a thousand words?

But I'm Innocent part 2

I received a letter this morning.
'It looks like its from the library.'said Steve.
Grimly I opened it, thinking it was a reminder. It was an APOLOGY. I love you Southend Library.

Separated at birth?

Was just reading Mrs Miggins and her interesting facts. I tried to post a comment but I couldn't get in. (Stupid Spaces).

I pick my toenails! I can't drive ! I read 4 books a week! I'm vegetarian! I love Lush!I'd rather be too cold than too hot! Sunbathing is my idea of hell!

Mrs M - do you think we were separated at birth?

If you haven't read Mrs M you'll have no idea what I'm talking about, but you have learnt some new facts about me -Lucky you!