Tuesday 30 June 2009

...Never forget....

On this coming Sunday I'm off to Wembley to see 'Take That' in concert. I'm also meeting up with some old friends - so I'm a bit giddy......

MIgraine hell

Today hasn't been too good. I have plagued with a dreaded migraine. I get them every so often and there doesn't seem to be any pattern - but the last couple have been the worse yet. The very strong painkillers and anti-sickness tablets that the Doc gave me last time failed to work today and I was sick soooooo many times I lost count.

I managed to get an appointment at the doctors - and duly endured two injections in my buttock! One for the sickness and one for the pain. Now I just have a mild headache and have managed to keep my dinner down. On the mend then.  The doctor will be a while longer recovering from seeing my butt cheek - complete with tattoo!!

Monday 29 June 2009

Yorkshire


We've had a busy weekend. We went away for a few days - we popped to Whitby, Filey and a York. The weather - although forecast as glorious - was actually misty and wet!!! Posselq bought me a lovely big ring made of Whitby Jet and silver - very gothic!!! We had Fish and Chips - to visit Whitby and not have them should be a criminal offence!

In York I had Oysters for the first time ever. I have to say I wasn't really looking forward to it - but being brave I decided to have a go, popped the little blighter in my mouth and swallowed it without chewing - as instructed. It just tasted of salty snot. Only once it had gone down did Posselq tell me that the oyster was still alive - oh my goodness - I felt bad. I am an animal lover - and eating something that was still alive didn't sit well with my conscience at all. I won't be in any hurry to repeat that experience.

We called in a pub in Filey to get out of the rain - and overheard a chat between two chaps who were having a post-work pint.

Man one......"You fat c**t"

Man two...... "they don't put bay windows on a shithouse!"


I just love Yorkshire humour.....

Wednesday 24 June 2009

Weekend away

Tomorrow I'm going away for a few days. I'm dropping Mills off at my Mum's and then heading up to the Yorkshire coast with Posselq. We're going to Whitby for Fish and Chips...yaaaay - I am very excited :)

We are also going to some other places but my memory is rubbish and I can't remember where.

I'll let you know where I have been on Monday when I'm back.

Shouty Update

I have a replacement courtesy car. Phew. However - the story does not end there. The repair centre who have my truck (and who provided the courtesy car) went to fetch their broken down vehicle yesterday. Then I received a 'phone call telling me that I must have hit something in their car as the radiator valve had broken off the bottom - ergo - no water - car engine has seized up and now needs a replacement engine - and I would have to make a claim for the "accident" on my insurance. I told the little man that I hadn't hit anything at all and was just driving the car normally - but for some reason he wouldn't believe me. I am now facing a massive claim against my insurance for something that has nothing to do with me. I will lose my no claims bonus if this goes ahead. 

I have spoken at length to my insurers (Zurich) who are in a call centre far, far away (actually in India!) and of course - with the language barriers they are simply not 'getting' my story. They are now sending an accident investigator to look at the car to see if I am to blame.

I am not to blame - the car just bloody well broke down - how can it be my fault if their cars are crap?

I spoke to a friend of mine yesterday who is a mechanic and was told that if the valve was faulty it could go at any time - with or without warning - and they may have knocked it when getting the car off the transporter.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do next to be honest - everyone is calling this a 'claim' and despite my repeated insistence to Zurich that I haven't had an 'accident' they are now calling it such and behaving as if I have had an accident.

I have a feeling that this is going to cost me a bloody fortune - and I really don't know how to fight back:(

Help - anyone?

Tuesday 23 June 2009

Shouty

Yesterday afternoon my courtesy car arrived and my poorly Nissan truck was taken away for mending.

I had an appointment at 5pm with a hypnotist - and so off I set. The courtesy car got about 6 miles then started flashing a warning light at me and over heating. I put more water in the radiator - and carried on. It got me to where I was going (just) - but I didn't trust it to get me home again so I called Posselq and he came and picked me up. 

The courtesy car is now abandoned in a pub car park - and once again I am without wheels. I can feel some 'shouty' phone calls coming on :)

My life is over..... :)

It's just after 5am and I'm up and awake. "Oh, do you have somewhere exciting to go?...maybe the airport for a nice trip abroad? or a lovely dawn walk in the park with the dog?"

'Afraid not. I am up at this ungodly hour because I woke up drenched in sweat. That's it then for me. My life is officially over. I have the night sweats, I have the wrinkles, I have the unexplained liking for elasticated waists, I even have a cardigan. I need Prozac.

Seriously - two nights on the trot I have woken up completely and utterly wet through. It is NOT FUNNY. I had to get up because my fidgeting woke Posselq and he has to go and do an honest day's work soon - so it's not fair to wake him in the night.

Any men reading this - if you have no clue what I'm on about - just Google 'Menopause' and you'll soon get the drift.

Monday 22 June 2009

Thieving scumbags


Talking of cars - on Thursday night somebody used a crow bar and tried to break into mine. It was parked just down the road outside the village hall. Look at what they have done! Fortunately they didn't manage to steal the motor - but they have left me with a big insurance claim and hefty excess to pay - and if that weren't bad enough I have just discovered that my courtesy car will be a Nissan Micra:(

 If I see the thieving scumbags I will run them over.

Grand Prix Day Out


Yesterday Posselq and I went to Silverstone to watch the British Formula 1 Grand Prix. Christian and Victoria were there too. It was really great and we had a fab day. I saw Lewis Hamilton, and the cars, and Eric Cantona, and Tamara Beckwith - and of course - they saw me :) 

We were guests in some big corporate tent with food and drink and everything!! I watched the race which was very noisy and very fast. (Can't wait to hear what Christian thinks about my race review).

Sadly Lewis didn't win :(

That's his car and I'm sure if I had been driving it we may have done better as girls make better drivers you know!!!


Thursday 18 June 2009

Bankers (or should that be spelt with a 'w')

I have just been on the 'phone with my bank. Contact Centre....hmmmm! Somebody is taking a regular monthly payment out of my account because two years ago I gave them my debit card details. I want this payment to stop - and what's more I have changed my debit card since then - so theoretically (as I understand it...doh!) they should no longer be able to take the money from this now defunct card.

The first young lady I spoke to said that there was nothing they could do. Yeah Right. I asked to speak to her supervisor. He put me through to card services and after much wrangling and threatening to close my account...yaddah yaddah yaddah....they agreed to stop the payments.

Now, I have been known to be a tad pushy when dealing with 'Contact Centres' - but in this case it paid off and I (eventually) achieved the result I was after. However, had I been a little old lady who is meek and mild I would forever more have been facing some random company taking £15.70 from my account every month.

I then asked to be put through to somebody who could help me to raise this issue / complaint so that the contact centre staff no longer give out duff info and fob people off...maybe the Training Department, or a senior manager....at that point my call was cut off.

So this is what I have to say...Lloyds TSB - you are a bunch of cretins - and if I had my way I would blow your contact centre off the face of the earth. Then I would go back to the lovely old-fashioned system of a proper branch with a lovely Bank Manager who knew my name and could help my with stuff.

Sometimes (Victor Meldrew) I hate this modern world that we live in.

I understand about the economics of running a call centre, and that 97% of issues are sorted immediately and that's economically viable and all of that crap - (Posselq and I have those kind of chats regularly!)....but my frustration here is what about the other 3%, and why do these organisations give out crap wrong information. Have they never heard of the concept that the Customer is King? This is MY MONEY we are talking about...and yes I know that I can vote with my feet and change banks - but would it really be any better with Nat West or HSBC?

The first young lady I spoke to today referred me back to the bank's terms and conditions.......at which point I just wanted to tell her to f**k right off.

What about the BLOODY CUSTOMER??????

Tuesday 16 June 2009

I love the RAF

I've just been to the yard to see Phoebe. The horses are out most of the time now - apart from a couple of hours in the morning when they come in for a rest from the rich grazing (don't want a tubby mount - oh no!).

One of the yard girls told me that Phoebe was being bothered by the flies so off I set to the field armed with fly repellant spray and her lovely lilac net fly rug. I don't often go to the the field and that's because I've had many hairy moments in fields with horses over the years and the possibility of a stampede is never far from  my mind:)

I had just fastened the front of her fly rug around her neck - but hadn't fastened any of the other straps - when the fabulous RAF decided to do a low level fly past. Thanks guys. 

The resulting thudding of horses hooves came from six mares all instantly galloping round with me in the midst of it all. Phoebe's half-fastened rug was flapping around her legs which just made her run all the faster.

I was NOT wearing brown trousers.

Eventually they all calmed down and I was able to fasten the rug properly, give her a quick squirt of fly spray and beat a hasty retreat. I now have a large glass of brandy and am typing this quickly in an effort to stop my hands from shaking.

Friday 12 June 2009

Lid Lifting

Last night I cooked Lemon Chicken. I was following a recipe - and seeing as I have eight 'o' levels and half a law degree - even for me following a recipe is not that difficult.

Posselq thought not however - and because he is so kind, he decided to give me a helping hand. While my back was turned he chose to add the ginger which was required by the recipe. He didn't think to ask....Oh no....nothing as simple as that. He just decided that I wouldn't have done it (correctly) so made the choice to get involved. What he didn't know (because he didn't ask!) was that I had already added the teaspoon of ginger - about 5 minutes earlier.

When we sat down to eat it I couldn't quite fathom out how the dish had managed to become quite so 'perky'. I commented on that - and it was then that he confessed. To be fair he did look quite contrite.

He is now on his last warning.

Thursday 11 June 2009

No more brown trousers

I've just had a riding lesson - and 'Stella' - the instructor - has finally given me permission to place my lower leg where it feels best rather than where it is technically supposed to be. Oh my goodness - I can't tell you the difference it made! I can now canter properly and Phoebe even worked into some kind of shape! I have finally faced the fact that my legs will never be like Carl Hester's - no, no, no, mine are short and dumpy - not long and slender!!! (more's the pity).

At long long long last (after about 4 years of trying) I could finally control the speed of my horse in the canter. No more brown trousers for me!

Wednesday 10 June 2009

Another Lisa

Talking of friends called Lisa - today I had a chat with Lovely Lisa from Surrey (originally from ooop 'north - so you can understand why she would be my friend). Anyway - she was asking me to put something a bit more interesting and earth shattering on my blog. A few months ago she complained that my writing had 'lost its edge' a bit!

Well that's what happens when you come and live in the countryside. There's more time to do things and everything is more relaxed - the result of that is that I simply don't get stressed out anymore - so the edgy anger has disappeared and I really don't have anything to complain about!!!

I potter, shop, iron, cook, play the piano, ride my horse, walk the dog. I live a very contented life and so the edge has gone because I'm no longer living on the 'edge of madness'. Figuratively (and literally)  speaking I now live over 100 miles away from the M25 - go figure!!!

All in all I much prefer my new life to my old life - although I do desperately miss my Surrey friends......

Stepford wives at large

Tonight I've been out with Lisa from next door. Where did we go? Out clubbing? drinking Champagne? Somewhere sophisticated?...well I hate to disappoint you - but no - we went to Avon Dassett (next village) to 'The Avon' public house. It's a proper village pub - complete with resident drunk who decided this evening that my new name should be 'Blondie' (original thought processes some of these villagers have?). 

We had two drinks each, a packet of crisps...then I got all excited when I spotted a jar of pickled eggs and simply had to treat myself!!!

We did the pub quiz and came a very respectable third. Sample question......"Who hosted the Krypton Factor?"    (answer - Gordon Burns - we got that one right!).....another one we got correct was "Which two elements make up ammonia?" (Good job that I got that correct seeing as Posselq is a graduate with a Chemistry degree...I would never have lived it down!)

Anyway - a good time was had by all, and now it's time for bed.

Next week we're aiming for first place.

Tuesday 9 June 2009

Bridlington by the Sea

On Friday we went to Bridlington for the day. It was to do with Posselq's work. The company he works for were sponsoring a business event (lunch, speakers, and so on and so forth) so he had to get up on stage and say a few words. We took Millie and while he was on a conference call I went for a walk on the beach. (Got told off by the beach warden for having a dog on there between April and October!!).

At lunch I sat next to and chatted with Tracy Edwards MBE and she was great. I really liked her. She did a presentation after lunch about her life - the sailing, the bankruptcy, the future.... and very good it was too - quite inspirational and all.

Also present was John Cleese and he spoke in the afternoon. Apparently it was great - but I wouldn't know as I fell asleep and missed most of it (middle age dear?).

Then - after the event - we went and had a fish supper at a sit down restaurant (bread and butter, nice pot of tea) and then came home.

I bought a stick of rock for Dan x

Thursday 4 June 2009

Golden Wedding

My lovely Auntie Mimi (Mum's twin sister) and her husband, Uncle David celebrate 50 years of marriage this coming weekend. I think that's a bit incredible to be honest - and a heck of an achievement. If My Mum and Dad were still married they too would be celebrating as they had a double wedding back in '59. (Not much chance of that though seeing as my Dad is a bit of a dick and threw over his marriage to my lovely Mother chasing a bit of strumpet back in 1981....mid life crisis?) Ho hum.

My Uncle David said to me on the 'phone earlier today that he could have murdered two people and what with time for good behaviour would be out by now!!!

Anyway - I just wanted to publicly congratulate them both. In a public forum - so to speak - ie. my blog! So well done Uncle David and Auntie Mimi. You have been fantastic Godparents to me and I have loved you both all my life.

Many Many Congratulations. Mwah Mwah x


Invented by Tracy ..........

Yesterday I was quite creative. I did some sewing and made something very very nice to wear. Then, at dinner time I created a new vegetable dish - not the white porcelain vegetable dish - but a new edible vegetable dish. Here is the recipe...

Half a red cabbage - sliced into pieces approx 1/2 inch thick

A dozen dried Prunes

2 dozen dried Cherries

1 medium size apple (Golden Delicious or Granny Smith)


Cook the red cabbage in boiling water (to which you have added half a tablespoon of sugar) until it is almost done (about 12 minutes). Five minutes before it's done - throw in the prunes (chopped into 1cm size pieces), cherries and the apple (Cut into 2cm pieces - no need to peel).

Strain the cabbage, apple, cherries and prune bits and place into a preheated baking dish. Liberally sprinkle with best Olive oil and add (sprinkle liberally) another half tablespoon of sugar.

Place into a hot over (180 deg c) and cook for another 20 minutes.

The sugar caramelizes onto the cabbage / fruit mixture, and the resulting taste is delicious.

We had this with Pork steaks and some roasted new potatoes.

DELISH DISH!!!


Tuesday 2 June 2009

She certainly is!

Alzheimers


I completely forgot to mention that Phoebe and I won a rosette in Saturday's dressage competition at the yard! It's very pink and very nice. As you can see we came 6th. Please don't ask how  many entrants there were.

Bad Back

Thierry Henry has reportedly been suffering from sciatica. If he wants to pop down here I'll give him a back rub:) Va Va Voom!

What have you done today?

When Posselq is away he always calls me. When he calls he asks me what I've been doing! Often I am at a loss as to exactly what I've been doing all day and feel a bit of a tit when I have to say..."Oh this and that...you know..." There he is running all over the country, working long hours and being very important and 'in charge' of lots of things, and I'm here at home not really knowing what I've been doing all day!!!

So today I decided to make a list of everything I have done........

Went to Curry's to buy a carpet shampooing machine (Millie wee'd on the carpet at the weekend!)

Went to Tesco...food shopping.

Did three loads of washing.

Ironed .......5 pairs of jeans, 5 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of trousers, 13 shirts, 11 T shirts.

Cleaned the carpet - after fully reading the instruction manual and affixing the handle which required screwdriver, pliers and adjustable spanner.

Spoke to Christian regarding the upcoming British Grand Prix.

Had lunch and read the newspaper.

Chatted to Wendy (the lovely cleaning lady)

Did more ironing - another 5 t shirts and some 'smalls'.

Phoned the Doctors and made yet another appointment to have problematic ear syringed yet again...pardon?

Booked nail appointment

Telephoned my Mother

Went to the yard and mucked out Phoebe's stable - chatted to the 'Electric Gate Fixing Man' about the merits of a Nissan Navarra.

Took Millie for a short walk.

Changed the bedding (involving a huge fight with quilt cover and quilt - some things never change!)

Cooked my dinner - which I am just about to eat!

That's not all as my day isn't over yet - I still have to do my Piano practice.

I think that's quite a lot for one day - don't you?

Posselq has just 'phoned and asked me what I've done today - so I simply told him to go read my blog!

How many more....

...bent money grabbing MP's are there out there? Surely we've heard the last of it all now.........? Watch this space - I have a feeling there will be more!

Sunny today !

Pizza



Posselq (aka Inspector Gadget - due to his love of culinary gadgets) has bought a Pizza Oven. I ordered him a Pizza peel (shovel!) from t'internet last week and it duly arrived - wrapped up but still looking exactly like a pizza peel............. (how else could they have wrapped it?).

On Thursday night we went to see Nickelback at the O2 in London - and it was fab - so Pizza making was done on Friday night (we couldn't do it Saturday on account of the Grande Finale of BGT).

The dough was created in the bread maker (gadget?) and then the toppings were applied. The oven was hot - HOT - HOT -(so hot that the Pizza stone broke!)  but - despite this little setback the pizzas were lovely.  Shame the same couldn't be said about the dough balls - but they just didn't cook properly.

Beautiful New life