A Grand Day Out

Yesterday I enjoyed a very grand day out in London Town. My lovely, lovely and uber talented cousin Richard has a bijou little hair salon there and when I live in the UK he looks after my barnett. So..on the train I went (which only takes an hour) jumped on the tube and by lunchtime was sporting a new look. It's a bit shorter than before...but I love it. It's very me!

And then...if that wasn't enough excitement for one day I was joined by the very beautiful and luscious Fi-fi who had come all the way down from Sheffield to spend the afternoon with me (she got her hair cut too!). We had lunch......in any stone's throw there is always some lovely food available in London...and a fab girly gossip. I so miss Fiona now that I don't see her every day.

Sadly - we didn't get to see the Queen. Maybe next time.

Smell burning?

I was thinking (can anybody smell burning?) about all kinds of stuff last night. About my Dad, obviously and about me and who I am and what I do and how I am and who I love and all that kind of gooky stuff. I suppose a parent's death will do that for you (You'd be a bit of a cold fish if it didn't...right?)

Anyway...I have wonderful folks around me..I am loved by a few very good people who make the world better and am liked (I think) by a few more. Not that many - but more than enough. I am blessed. I have the most wonderful daughter who is just lovely in every way. I've had my share of fun, and my share of disasters along the way. I have an awesome Mum and two very very lovely brothers.

We all take after our parents in little ways (nature or nurture?) and I have some of my Mum's character, and quite a lot of my Dad's. Because of who he was - I didn't really like myself when I recognised some of my father's characteristics in me. My Dad wasn't a bad person but...like many of his generation he was fixed in his ways and could never admit wrong and therefore take steps to improve or even apologise when he made mistakes. I think he was quite an angry person and he was controlling and a little bit dictatorial. You could have any kind of deep or meaningful conversation (you know...one of those where all participants gain something and nobody has to 'win') because he just didn't know how. He was, in turn, very much like his own father (who - incidentally he didn't understand or like very much...funny? eh?)

I was laid in bed last night thinking about him and his death and then I just felt a big kind of sense of relief - it was as if all the things about myself that are like he was...all the things that I don't like...just lifted away. It was as if I don't have to be like him anymore..because he's no longer here. As if those parts of me that were most like him had died with him.

I have no idea what this all means..or of it's true...or if it's all just the over-thinking of some 40+ mad batty middle aged woman late at night...who knows?

I suppose I felt a kind of peace. Now that can't be quite right..can it? or can it?

Bye Dad

I wanted to say Goodbye to my Dad. He died today. He was fishing in Spain and he had a heart attack. I hope it was quick and he didn't suffer. When I was a girl I loved my Dad very much...but the person he became and the person I became just didn't get along and for the last few years there wasn't much love between us.

We hadn't seen each other for a few years...funnily enough the last time we met was at his Mother's funeral.

I remember lots of things about my Dad from my childhood....some of them funny, some of them nice...and some of them not so nice.

I can't truly say that I'll miss him...but I just kind of wanted to say 'Goodbye'.

Fit as a 35 year old Butcher's Dog

Today I went to Nottingham to see Margaret. Margaret is an HSE Diving Medical Examiner. Which is a bit of a fancy title for a Doctor who does dive medicals. If you want to work here in the UK as a diving instructor (which I do) and get paid for it (which I certainly do) you need a full Health and Safety Executive Diving at Work Medical.

The medical is failry rigorous and takes about 90 minutes. It reminded me of medicals I used to have when I was in the Army. In Malta we pee'd on a stick, had our blood pressure taken and if you were walking and talking...you passed. Easy. Not so over here.

Here you have an ECG, Pee on a stick, blood tests, step tests, sight tests, hearing tests, full history, lung volume capacity tests, bone density tests, BMI tests...a full workout indeed!

My results came back straight away. I have a problem with my left ear - can only half hear at one frequency range (but out of 7 frequency ranges that's not too bad...and no reason for a fail)...but the rest of me in in ship shape condition.

My heart is in good condition...my blood pressure is low (which is good)...my exercise recovery rates were excellent (exercise? what the bloody hell is that?)

In fact ..dear Margaret told me that I had the same results that she would expect from a 35 year old. Just like that - she knocked some 13 years off me.

And - as for the smoking...my lung capacity and lung strength test results gave results that she would expect from a non-smoker of the age of 30. That is - someone who has NEVER smoked a fag...and is only 30 years old.

Excuse me while I just nip to the shop for twenty B&H.........and for those of you who moan about my smoking...well - you can just stick it your pipe and.....er........er.....SMOKE it :)

I loved it.

Yesterday I mentioned a trip to Waterstones. I love books. Really love books. For a few months now I have been toying with the idea of buying a Kindle..but haven't got round to it. Why? because they just don't have the same weight or feel or texture or anything as a book. The good thing about them is that you can download a book at any hour of the day or night if you're desperate for something to read. Will I get one? hmmmmm..not sure yet. I'll keep you informed!

Today has been lovely. I've been teaching...which is what I got into this scuba nonsense to do. We had 2 students finish their Open Water course today. At the end of the final dive we tell them that the final skill is to sit on the 8 metre platform and close their eyes. We fib to them and we tell them that it's to do with their balance and stuff under water. What nonsense. It's so that we can get out their badges from whence they are hidden...then tap them on the forehead to open their eyes and give them their 'Open Water Diver' badges. The look on a student's face when they get given this is priceless. Today I gave the lovely Graham (my student) his badge and then I cried...under water..inside my mask....what a twit!

I was so proud to have been part of his journey...and to have been the person who taught him all he knows about keeping safe and enjoying the wonderful experiences of being underwater!

I loved it.

Mooch

Well...sorry I haven't put anything on here of late...but I've been distracted. Not by new shoes...or George Clooney or anything like that...just distracted! Life is a bit 'samey' at the moment and so there's not often much that amuses or enlightens me ...enough that I want to write about anyway.

Today has been fun though. I went for a mooch around Peterborough. Whenever I go into town usually...I just get there...do whatever it was I went to do...and return straight away. Today though I had the time and the inclination for a bit of a wander. I found Waterstones and bought a couple of books...one of which I have finished already...then I went to M&S and availed myself of the vast array of produce in their food department (it's been a while)....and then I managed to locate goold old Matalan and bought a couple of hoodies! (I'm going robbing car stereos next week).

Came back...had a nap...read my book...and then watched a DVD whilst stuffing my face with M&S's finest!

And now I'm off to bed. Oh yes..I forgot to mention...yesterday was my Birthday. I am now 48. Oh Crappola.

My very first student!

He was 9 years old....and he was awesome! Regular little Jacques Cousteau!