The Closeness of British Ice Hockey

I realized that I haven't put up more shots from the hockey game last week, and since our workplace is doing a massive computer cleanup, I thought I should do that today, before I have to delete them. So, without further ado...

For those of you who are accustomed to going to hockey games and sitting a full kilometre from the ice, you will note with envy just how close to the players and ice we are in such games. It's all very exciting, and I've converted my friends who went with me to the sport!


The players...

The Converts: Drew, David (the Londoners), Sandy (the Aussie) and Ashley (Ashley's Canadian, so was already a believer!)

Some Hopeful News?

This was on cbc.ca this morning about the hostages in Iraq...

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/02/20/hostages060220.html

Please continue to hope and pray for Jim and company's safe return and for his (their) family and friends in Canada (and worldwide) who are always awaiting more news.

Career Change

I was having lunch with another Canadian-raised person on Sunday, and we were examining a bit of packaging with that mysterious "by appointment of her Majesty the Queen" symbols on it, and were wondering just how that comes about, and how the products to put that stamp on are approved. I reached the conclusion that surely the Queen can't test all of these products herself (otherwise she would become very tubby, and besides, how then would she find the time to do important Queeny things like cut ribbons at ceremonies and the like?) so she must have a panel of people who do these things for her, and if so, I would like to be on that panel!

I've decided that it's not good enough to sit and speculate, so I did a quick google search and this is what I've found. It's called a Royal Warrant. It looks like I'll have to cozy up to Lord Chamberlain if I want to award these things, and that it will be a short-lived career as I can only appoint one. Well, it was a nice thought, anyways.

Want to poo? You'll need a 12 month contract

So, The Flatmate brought her computer back from Germany and now we want to get Broadband. We called a couple providers and we, being honest people, told them we're only going to be there until August, and were told that a 12 month contract is required. How annoying. England is such an anal country. I'm surprised that they don't make people sign 12 month contracts to poo.

Perhaps getting a laptop that can do wireless and stealing our neighbours signal (as we discovered is possible when Natalie was visiting) is the best route to go. *argh*

(Please note, I don't think we'd actually do that...)

Mystery Workaholic Man

When I first moved here, my cousin Trevor gave me a very valuable solution for when I felt slightly lonely/homesick**; and that was to do something productive (at least I think he told me that....or did I figure it out myself?) at any rate, having missed my brother's phone call this morning and it being a rainy day today, I spent a lot of time cleaning up my files and (as Katrin once put it) "moving bits of paper around". I also wanted to take a picture of the view out of the window at my desk (especially as the tube goes by, because that's my favourite bit about it) and after trying various settings on my camera, decided that a night view of the tube out my window wouldn't work (short of hanging myself out of it...the window I mean...not the tube...) After several attempts though, I realised that the Mysterious Workaholic Man who sits at his desk in the window directly across from mine was watching. I suppose the many flashes caught his attention. I wonder if he now thinks I'm a stalker! This man, with the flat-screen monitor, has long intrigued us. We used to think he was an author, but one day as I was passing by I noticed his screen didn't seem to be filled with words (perhaps he's a bad author). We started wondering if he's one of those guys who makes a living selling things on ebay. Or maybe the girl thinks he's at work all day each day when he's really gambling online. He lives there with a girl, and possibly a lodger (not entirely sure though). What we do know is that he's about 30-35 and spends about 15 hours/day at his computer, it seems. He and the girl had a significant day a few weeks ago, because we noticed he had got a haircut, and that evening they were eating their dinner by candlelight (their kitchen is three windows left of the hallway where he has his computer, and one to the left of where the bedroom is. We're stumped on where the bathroom is. It must be facing the other side of the flat).

I wonder what he thinks of us. I wonder if he's made up stories about the two girls who don't always close all three of their front blinds at night (which we would, if it weren't for the lovely view of the Tube going past). I wonder if he thinks we're writers too, and wishes we could help him with his writer's block (The Flatmate and I once discussed putting a note through their mailslot inviting them for tea so we could find out what he actually does). It amazes me that we live 40 feet from each other, but apart from a common recycling and rubbish collection day, we might as well live in parallel universes. If I opened my window,I could probably yell "Oi! Mystery Workaholic Man!" and he would hear me (I wonder if he would open his window and yell back. I don't think so, somehow. He looks too distinguised for that!) Maybe he has never noticed us at all! At any rate, I doubt he'd ever suspect I've just spent the past 20 minutes writing about him...all because I feel slightly lonely and wanted to do something productive tonight. I wonder if he had known that, if he would have popped around for a drink (hopefully with the girl, as I don't want to be accused of doing anything untoward!) and what we would chat about.

Well, he has left, and I think I'll get back to my sorting. I'll be very glad to have it done.

And I don't feel lonely anymore. Thanks Trevor, for that little bit of advice that's helped me through many evenings of being three feet from a rat.

**Don't worry, Parental Unit. I don't feel lonely often, and when I do, it's just in passing. Nothing to worry about! But you can always put an apple fritter in the post if you think it will help. I'll heat it up so that it doesn't taste too stale!

Quotes from "Puck-Mouth", the aggressive Hockey Granny

I made hockey fans out of Drew and David (and Sandra and Mich, for that matter) on Saturday night. By far though, the most amusing part of the game was watching the lady sitting infront of Drew, who, by the end we had named "Puck-mouth, the Aggressive Hockey Granny" This was an elderly lady who, in addition to pounding her stressball and fists on the plexi-glass infront of her had quite the vocal additions to the proceedings of the Basingstoke Bisons game (which they lost) as well. By the end we started a list of our favourites:

"Why can't you play the bl**dy game?"
"All you have to do is nick it in - useless...."
"Pass the puck, you tart!"
"Boot it in the bl**dy middle!"
"Get it in then! Get it in then! Awww...F**ck!"
"Come on! Just get on wi' it then! Bl**dy idiots!"
"F**ck, F**ck, F**ck!"
(one that I won't type here because I really don't approve of the use of the word used in this context)
"Oh! You rotten sods!"
"Idiots!"
"You're total rubbish!"

And then, after Basingstoke lost the game and the crowd was leaving "Well, it's been a bit of a s**t week, hasnt it?"

And this was all in addition to a lady behind us we named "Anger Management Lady" who could yell above the crowd of hundreds watching the game. We think that people who are so passionate about the game should play...or at least be the team's Enforcers. I have no doubt these two could have taken on the entire Nottingham lineup!



The lady herself (I scribbled out the neighbour's face as best I could to try to be as ethical as possible about this...)

On Being Friends with A Fundraiser and An Accountant

Lisa and Alan, apart from being wonderful singers and terrific friends, are also very good at their
chosen professions (being a fundraiser and accountant, respectively). Upon lamenting about how it costs £335.00 to stay in this country, Lisa's response was that I should set up an account on Justgiving to help raise the funds, while my conversation with Alan (the accountant) went something like this:

Joanna (that's me): I can't believe it costs £335.oo to stay in this country!
Alan (my accountant friend): Yes, but that's the same as a TV license for three years would cost
Joanna: Yes, but I'd get hours more enjoyment out of watching a TV than staring at a Indefinite Leave to Remain Document
Alan: Yes, but we'd get hours more fun out of you.
Joanna: Hengh.
Alan: Besides, £335.00 for 5 years is £67.00 per year, which is £5 per month, which is only about £1 per week. So, if you just give up one pint a month, you'll have it paid for.

I feel a bit like a politician in that I've learned that one doesn't have to necessarily be bright, as long as one surrounds oneself with smart people.

Left to right: Lisa and Alan who take good care of me

Reader Poll: Sophisticated or Cop?

Yesterday, I was walking from Ladbroke Grove to South Kensington, and within 2 minutes of turning onto High Street Kensington, two people stopped me to ask directions (within about 30 seconds of each other) One to Laura Ashley, and the other to...I don't remember the store, actually.

I couldn't figure out if I looked incredibly sophisticated (in my winter coat and jeans) such that people thought I belonged there, or if I looked like a cop. High Street Diva or cop?


Hmmm...you decide!

Arise My Love

I've just come back from a wonderful weekend away of singing with my choir, The North London Chorus ("our next concert is April 8th", she added subtly). We have an amazing programme lined up for our next concert. But the bit I am really excited about is the piece we have commissioned for our June concert. I finally get to sing one of my favourite bits of texts:

My lover spoke and said to me,
"Arise, my darling,
My beautiful one, and come with me.
See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come.
The cooing of doves
is heard in our land.
The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me."

I'd previously been in love with Healey Willan's arrangement of it, but I daresay I love this one even more, because it's an incredible arrangement (it's the fifth movement of a larger piece) and because it will be ours!

The Keep Joanna British Campaign

Having just sent off my Work Permit application, I decided to start reading the Limited Leave to Remain form, and have discovered that the (choke) privilege of staying in this country will cost me £335.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is it worth it? I suddenly really hate the UK!

Donations to the Keep Joanna British Campaign can be sent to...

Sent with Love

I sent off my Work Permit Application today. I have such butterflies!

I will await (for 5-10 days) and see.

There's nothing I can do now but sit, wait and pray. And start making backup plans just in case.

The time limit on these work permits is 5 years, and typing in 2011 as the length of time I'm needed seemed veeery long. I might as well stay one more year and go to the Olympics!

Something to look forward to

I forgot to mention; yesterday I was walking down the street with Katrin and as we passed a hair salon, I mentioned to Katrin that I need a haircut. She told me that she had had her hair cut at the salon we were indeed passing, and it had been the best one of her life. So, I dashed in and I've made an appointment to see the flamboyant, rather dreamy and wonderfully accented (as in he has a great Northern accent) Steven to get my hair cut tomorrow. I've never been so excited for a hair cut in my life (although I'll probably come out looking just the same!)

Yes Rich, this is where you put it into your mobile reminders, so that the next time you see me a little alarm will beep, and you can say "Hey, nice hair" Men. Honestly!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Today is Groundhog day! For those of you who are unfamiliar with this grand custom, the origins of Groundhog Day come from the pagan tradition of watching the weather on the day half-way between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Later, in Europe, people watched the hedgehog as a predictor of the weather for the rest of the winter. For American settlers, there were no hedgehogs, so the groundhog was named the new weather forecaster. **

In only a few short hours, Wiarton Willy will be telling Canada how many more weeks of winter we'll be having.

In other news, The Flatmate (who is also a colleague) was on the phone with somebody who finished their conversation by saying (in a lovely Irish accent) "You sound like a real professional lady" which, in Germany where she comes from, means a prostitute.

Lining up my ducks (part deux)

This is an excerpt from an email that I sent to Danni, who had kindly inquired as to where I was at with a situation I wanted to sort out (I was unable, for reasons beyond my control, to resolve it at this particular moment). Just to let you know where I'm at with my New Year's life-tackle/sort out.

"I ordered a book called How to Be a Financial Goddess online today, because I’m tired of feeling completely foreign to the world of my finances. I’m going to spend a bit of time formulating my life plan, etc and I’m determined to get my ducks in a row (starting with a trip to IKEA tonight to get the necessary screws to fix my futon, some tea canisters and maybe a little shelf to put beside my bed in the little room). Somehow that all correlated in my mind, but the connection seems to have been lost. Oh yes. I am becoming a calm, sophisticated and competent individual and all of this will come together at some point. There was a book called Organizing for Dummies and it talked a lot about decluttering. My next step will be to tackle the drawers in my bedroom into which I dumped all the crap that used to be stored in that box in my room I no longer have space for. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, and I’m trying to improve on both. I’m learning!

I had a cross-the-desk mini-counselling session with Fiona today, and she advised me that I need to sit down, figure out where I want to be, and the things that I need to have happen to get there. I think she’s very right. What format do you suggest? A nice flow chart?

I also want to update my CD collection. Not only do I want to be a Financial Goddess, but I want to be hip wi’ it as well."

And that, my friends, is where I'm at...

The Piper is down!

And she's not just pissed (that will only make sense if you know and love "So I Married an Axe Murderer" as much as I do).

About a week to ten days ago as I was happily training for the 10K on Feb 11th, I started noticing that my knee was really hurting when I'd run, so I told my friend Ashley (who's currently training...or should be...for the London Marathon) about it, and she said it sounds like I have Runner's Knee (I'm making an appointment with my GP to have it checked out). This is sooo not according to plan. I, being the sensible one I am, won't do silly things like go running despite the pain and potential further damage that could cause, except that this morning I woke up and desperately wanted to. I suppose the good thing is that it's making me go back to the gym more, but oh! I want to run. Free...like the wind!

Oh, the plight of an elite athlete (hey, who's that snickering?)

My line of distinction

Hello from Glasgow where I've just found out from some relatives (my mother's second cousin) that I'm very distantly related to Lord Kelvin. Yes, that's Kelvin who invented the temperature scale. Yes, as in the "Absolute Zero" one. Pretty cool, eh? I have probably something like 1/1000000 of math genius blood in me. It must be the part that allows me to add 1+1 and generally get a reliable answer because my math skills don't extend much beyond that. Still though, Lord Kelvin, cousin of mine, thanks for passing down that little bit mathematical wizardry down to me. I'd be much worse off without it.

As a side note, I now understand why, when I visited Ireland when I was about 9, there were a huge number of men (and boys) in my family named Kelvin.

I can see clearly now...

As a result of this newfound piece of knowledge, I'll be sure to tote myself around Glasgow tomorrow and take lots of pictures. Oh, and go visit his grave in Westminster Abbey when I'm back in London. If you want to go see it too, please do. It's the one right next to Sir Isaac Newton. Seriously. How cool am I all of a sudden? Oh, admit it! You know I am!

Oak Barrelled Chardonnay

Rich and I have been taking a wine tasting course. Tuesday night we had the most lovely Chardonnay I think I've ever had (2004 Chardonnay Max Reserva Errazuriz, Casablanca Valley, Chile).

We're still working on refining our fruit identification skills a bit. Other people in the class seem to be able to pick out flavours like bell pepper, asparagus, celery, cinnamon, nutmeg and plum in their wine, while I often still think "it tastes like wine" Ah, never mind it will come. Except that lovely chardonnay. It tasted smokey and of fiddleheads and of cozy fall afternoons of being curled by reading by the fire with the rain falling and leaves blowing outside. Ahhhhh...lovely...

The Little Mommies Club

A couple of months ago I was asked to join a book club. So I did. As it turns out, it seems that I am the only single, non-preggers, and non toddler toting person in the group. I think I was tricked into a little mommies club, and after two hours in that room, I left feeling incredibly happy to be a single, child and fetus-free person. We played the "introduce yourself and say the highlight of your Christmas break" game. I went last. After hearing stories of "Little Jimmy pooped in the toilet for the first time" and "little Janey was going to build a snowman and ate the carrot that was supposed to be the nose (tee hee)" and "Poor Simon Jr had the sniffles and an earache" I debated whether I should lie or tell the truth. So I told the truth. "The highlight of my Christmas was, on boxing day, sleeping until 11:00, getting up for brunch, and then going back to sleep until 3:00 and then getting dressed only to go to the cinema". I was envied. I felt slightly cruel, but it was fun.

I'm sure I'll probably find myself in the Little Mommies Club eventually, but for now I'm happy wtih my freedom and a baby-turd free toilet.

I feel pretty!

Just to say, I think today will be grand!

I was on my way to the gym and opened the door to find three bottles of milk looking expectantly up at me.

Then I went to the gym, had a nice workout and have just eaten one of my favourite breakfasts. (with caffeine-free revitalizing herbal tea to boot). I feel like a million dollars (or about 454545.45 pounds) today.

Hooray!

And can it be that I should gain...

...my official pink British driving licence through the post today!

I had to jet home at lunch today to take The Flatmate to the place where her car is being fixed, and there it was. My smiling face on a pink piece of plastic that means I can officially drive in this country! I keep looking in my wallet to make sure it's really real, and sure enough, it is!

It's my first official piece of documentation with the EU stars and GB in the middle, and I'm so chuffed! I'd scan and display it, but that would make it very easy for people to stalk me.

Now I just have to find my Canada bumper sticker that I have somewhere...

Udderly Disappointing

I was over the moon with anticipation last Friday when I ordered our milk to be delivered to us each Tuesday morning by an honest-to-goodness real-life milk man (such as they don't have in Canada).

As of 8:35 am this morning our milk hadn't arrived. Argh! We were in the throes of despair. Not to mention that The Flatmate didn't get to have her muesli with warm milk!

No sir-ee Bob! There certainly wasn't any Dairy to Doorstep to be had at the Parish Lockup this morning.

Healthy like Dirt

Today I kindly asked The Flatmate to pick me up some coke (of the acola drinking persuation) and, because we are due to start an 8-week detox programme on Jan 1st (aren't we original), she flatly refused! When I pointed out that it is only December 30 and not indeed January 1st yet, she told me that I have to start now, so that it's not such a shock on January 1st. Since she owes me and a colleague a pint anyways, she offered to buy us (the colleague had now entered the discussion) a nice box of herbal tea at the health store down the road instead. So, I agreed and said that I wanted something revitalising (although, I don't think I actually used the word revitalising) since she was now disallowing me my little caffeine fix.

So, now I sit at my desk drinking Ginseng Vitality Ginseng Herbal Tea. After much deliberation, we decided that in actual fact, a blend of Siberian ginseng root, codonopsis root and panax ginseng root (80%), hisbiscus, cinnamon, licorice and cloves tastes like dirt. A good, healthy, zingy dirt though. A dirt one could grow to love. After further deliberation, however, we decided that what it actually tastes like is: when you go to those old, old, historical villages (like Upper Canada Village, if you're a Canadian reading this) and you enter the kitchen that smells of years of wood smoke, dried herbs, animal fur and old wooden furniture, well, if you could take a bite of the wall or table or something else that had absorbed the smell over the past 100-200 years or so, well, that's how this tea tastes. It's really quite good though, and I think that it will become my friend - especially during week 3, which is when caffeine goes out the window entirely.

On that note, my gym membership kicks in on January 1st. As of Jan 1st then, I have no excuse at all not to alternate my running with gym workouts, thereby losing my newfound bit of pudge. Especially since the clothes that I am wearing that I vowed I would not replace until I can fit into my old ones again are becoming thread bare!

And this brings me to my final dilemma of the day. I considered signing up to run the British 10K again this year, until I noticed that it's July 2nd. The day after Canada Day. What do I doooooo?

David Francey

It's a bone-chillingly cold and rainy day in London Town today, and despite aching (to my very core) to stay home, I had to come to work. I've been listening to David Francey CDs at work as I've been plugging away at budgets and other such things. His music is quintessentially Canadian, and in listening to him I can visualise myself lying on my parents couch under a blanket watching the snow falling outside and calling out "Mommy! Can you make me a cup of tea?" and my wonderful mommy coming to have a cup of tea with me (and my wonderful daddy coming to join us too - there are times when I think I might be a bit spoiled!) It makes me want to book a flight home - even if only for a weekend to say hello and have that said cup of tea with the Parental Unit.

Other times when I listen to David Francey I can imagine myself cruising down the 401 (for some reason I always imagine the incredibly boring stretch in between Kingston and Montreal, with a brief pause for excitement as we go through Lancaster) on a brilliantly sunny fall day, but today it's all about dreaming of being cozy on my parents couch instead of in the pouring rain in London.

Ah, God bless David Francey!

Blog Envy

I've been noticing some other great blogs that are out there...

Blog Envy is a painful thing. I'm finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that other people have more time (and computers and the internet at home) to spend on theirs. I have such dreams for this little blog. Someday, my friends, this blog too will be big and wonderful and featured on blogger.com's list of blogs they've noticed. I have to admit, they've been noticed for a reason, and I think a couple of them are pretty cool.

Check them out. This guy knows how to hyperlink galore... so cool...and I think I'm almost there... wait...yes, I am (check out my blog about McMaster...I hyperlinked McMaster after typing this)

http://whohastimeforthis.blogspot.com/

And this guy knows how to post video clips...

http://www.mloap.blogspot.com/

Hmmm...when I learn to do that you'll be able to see the documentaries that I made with Andrea in Canada in September...hours of fun!

My wonderful Alma Mater Strikes again!

I read in the Guardian yesterday that McMaster University (where I did my undergraduate degree) has announced that "2006 will be the year they unravel the full genetic code of the wolly mammoth which died out 10 000 years ago".

And you all wonder how it is that I'm so brilliant...

Here's the source for you unbelievers...

http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=3734

And I agree with Dr. Poinar. Mitochondria are sooooo 1980s

My New Year's...Survival Strategy

I haven't committed to a new year's resolution this year, and instead have opted for a "I have to change something because I can't carry on like this" surival strategy. I have come to the realization over the past couple of months that I generally don't have it together as well as I used to. I have become very prone to letting little things (like calling the landlord to get the heating fixed, taking a little slip of paper to the bank, calling the milkman to set up my milk order and so on) slip and have started to live in a bit of a state of absent-minded disorientation state of disorganization. I used to be the person who would write people regularly, never forget a birthday and generally have all of my ducks in a row, but since moving (both over to the UK and more notably to the Parish Lockup) my ducks have become significantly more scattered, and it's really bothering me!

It might be because (as Katrin and I have been discussing a lot lately) being grown-up (I know I said last week I wasn't particularly grown-up, but today I feel so) involves having to also organize a lot of...crap...things that previously parents, siblings, University Residents Associations, etc used to take care of for us. But it's time I suck it up and stop pussy-footing around life! If I'm going to be an independent self-sufficient person it's high-time I take the bull by the horns and start behaving as one!

Therefore, today at lunch I will: go to the bank to drop off a little piece of paper I completed on the 22 of November, call the council (again) and tell them they really need to drop off our recycling box, call our landlords and ask them why our heating device can be heard from one end of the flat to the other, and oh...mail the Christmas cards I have sitting on my bedroom floor...

Yes, my friends, from now on I will be known as Joanna the Competent. Hear me rrooooooaaaaarrrrr!!

The new Joanna, perhaps? (I'm kidding!!!)

A Couple Little Bits

There have been a couple little things I keep meaning to put up, but keep forgetting to.

The first is this sign I saw on a trip to Poole I took with Karen and Janeen to visit Anna a few weeks ago. It seems that the council is trying hard to nip the Poole drinking-on-the-beach culture in the bud, but has resigned itself to the reality of its actually doing so...

Ah, bless...

The British Obsession

While reading BBC online today, I came to the realisation that along with football, cricket, "musn't grumble" and the weather, another key British obsession is the obesity problem in the USA. It seems that almost daily, there is a report about some aspect of the tubby American nation that generally goes along the lines of "many Americans are obese, they are starting to realise it's a problem, it's because they drive everywhere, and if we're not careful the same thing will start happening to innocent British children soon". It's interesting at a time when "American-style" cookies and muffins are starting to appear on grocery store shelves and plazas of big-box stores are starting to pop up everywhere Jamie Oliver and others are changing school lunches and highlighting the need for kids to have exercise to try to nip this in the bud. Every so often, a very curious British person will ask me if the Americans really are that big, and if Canadians are as well (I know I've gained a few pounds over the past few months, but I didn't know that now makes me an expert!) and why I think that problem exists.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4436638.stm

I think I've decided to monitor the BBC...I wonder if it might be that they report on this daily...

As for the extra little bit of me, I'm training for a 10K and have signed up with a gym to start in Jan, so that should all be taken care of shortly...

The bits that be falling into place...

On Friday I got home to receive an evelope that informed me that my social work registration application has been accepted, and that I am now a registered social worker in the UK! It was such a relief and will mean that I may have an easier shot at getting the work permit that is necessary to my staying beyond the end of May!

And then this morning I had my practical driving test and passed! Now I am a full-fledged British driver as opposed to one who had been skirting through on the tails of her Canadian license for probably a little longer than she should have been! Ohhhh...the streets of London will never be the same!

Ahhhhh...these had been the two things waking me up at night for so long and now they won't! I feel like things are really starting to come together, and that I'm starting to build a bit of a life for me and am the way to becoming a proper grown-up!

Actually, along those lines I had another "I'm becoming a grown-up" moment this weekend. I'm having people around on Christmas Day for dinner, and all of a sudden it occured to me that I'm hosting Christmas, and what an adult thing that is to be doing. I hadn't fully thought through what all of this means, and that for the first time, my mother won't be a) doing the turkey or b) in the kitchen on hand if I have any questions! I realized how fully unprepared I am - I need to get stuffing recipes and a meat thermometer and...Oh! A turkey. I have to think about what to feed people for breakfast should they crash over and bedding (or, more to the point, lack of) and how to entertain people! All of this is very exciting, but, it's a bit sad in a way too...I don't know if I want to be a grownup yet! Well, just wait until I get a gravy boat and matching dishes...then I'll know that I'm pretty much there, and I'll tell you how I'm feeling then...

Oh Christmas Tree!

Last night Lisa and I decorated my little Christmas Tree (and I learned that in England, they just chop the tops off trees, so that the tree can keep growing, whereas in Canada, we take the whole thing, baby!)

Here we are with my beautiful little tree! Oh yes, and a picture of Lisa that looks like a Victorian Christmas Card!

United Nations Relocation

It seems that before too long, I'll have had a representative from every member state of the United Nations vying to be Katrin's replacement in the Parish Lockup.

Last week we had a girl from somewhere in Eastern Europe (she was frightening though, we named her "The Dominatrix" and quickly decided that I couldn't live with her). Tomorrow we have a Spanish gentleman named Juan coming, and a Frenchmen has just expressed interest as well. Methinks I will become quite popular with my single female friends should either of them move in!

I wonder if I can arrange some of blog game whereby I put profiles of them on here, and you (my loyal readers) chose the person for me to live with!

Katrin and I went for a run this morning. Lots of work to do in the next eight weeks!

Here We Go Again!

I've decided to do another 10K in February. I'd really like to cut off a bit of time from my last one...but with much less training time...

Let the adventures begin!

Ice Bar

I've been so bad at updating lately that I'm not sure if this is still checked, but at least this amuses me, if no one else...

Last weekend my friend Drew took me to the "Absolut Ice Bar" (sponsored by, yes...the vodka people) for my birthday (a belated sort of deal) and it was fantastic! Here are some shots of me trapped in an ice vodka bottle, Drew, the fuzzy cape wonder and Drew and I looking very happy to be all wintered-out! The rest of the day was spent playing scrabble, monopoly and connect four in a pub that served Sleeman Honey Brown. It was an awesome afternoon/evening! I also witnesses my first bus fight (all verbal - phew!) whereby the Police were called. I was afraid that I'd have to use my newly acquired Sleeman Glass (I asked to have it - I didn't steal it) for defense purposes, but I (and several other people on the bus) were able to hop off unscathed. Anyways, mom, dad, it's all good, and London is safe!

Toronto and Good luck!

I spoke with a carer today whose son lives at Yonge and Eglinton. After speaking with her for a while she said she felt a special connection with me because I can imagine where her son lives, and there aren't many who can do that. And we shared a moment of sharing how wonderful Cinnabons are and how they make the subway there smell so nice!

A special note to my Fact-of-the-Day friend Nick who's off to Singapore for 18 months on Monday. Good luck Nick! I (and the people who I sometimes forward them to) look forward to more facts once you're established there.

Home Sweet Home...

I stayed home from work yesterday and as I was falling asleep on the couch in the afternoon (or maybe I had already fallen asleep, and I was dreaming - I'm not sure) I thought that I was lying on the couch in my parent's house sleeping and I thought I could hear my mother and CBC Radio in the background. I woke up feeling (well, first confused) all warm and fuzzy and a little bit homesick. And I had a dream about my (now deceased) cat Robbie last night too. He was sitting on my knee and I was making him dance (that was his favourite game - I just know it!) Oh, he was such a lovely, lovely cat! Sadly I don't have a picture of Robbie on my computer, but here's a winter view from the kitchen door over our backyard that my brother took last Christmas. There's nothing like a cozy day wintery day by the fire...especially one when it's snowing outside...the big fluffy snowflakes that settle all over you without melting and the kind of days where you come in with rosy cheeks and a cold nose but feel warm and toasty on the inside.

Well, it's off from work and into London weather (and should it be noted that weather was not actually invented in England, Nick) I go...

A sad, sad day for London

Today the London Racers announced that they are suspending all play for the 2005/06 season due to unsafe conditions at their venue - Lee Valley arena.

This is dreadful. The people at work have responded with “oh – that’s too bad” and carried on. They don’t get it. I’m so alone.

It’s a good thing I was planning on taking tomorrow off – I don’t think I’ll be able to get out of bed for grief.

I’m lost…

I suppose I’ll have to get a TV and that North American sports channel. This is God punishing me for turning my back on the Leafs and supporting another team. Oh….why does it have to end like this? And to think my only game this year resulted in a massive loss. Oh, my heart!

A moment of silence please......

I can't believe how utterly Canadian I feel in all of this!

www.londonracers.com if you want to read for yourself...

Here's a shot from my only game this year. Their horrible 6-2 loss against Cardiff. Even more tragically my camera batteries died a short second later, so this is the only shot I have of the game (until Ashley emails me the ones from her camera, that is). It's pretty rubbish because I thought I'd have plenty of time to take great ones over the course of the game. Although one can clearly see how much better the Cardiff arena is (you can compare with last January's posts...when I first went to the game and when life was perfect) and how it's glass is clearly shatter proof and how there are no bits sticking out of the boards to hurt the players. Well, maybe London will get a proper arena now...

But what will I do? What? What? What?

And now for my next act...

Ashley mentioned this to me yesterday, and it didn't take much to convince me...


Wuthering Hike - Haworth Hobble
Saturday 12th March 2005
31 miles traversing gritstone moors around Haworth, Todmorden and Hebden Bridge – 4,400 ft of ascent/descent maximum time allowed 12 hours Refreshments available en route with a meal at the finish
Start at 08-00 am. Entry fee: £18-00 per team or £10-00 solo, to cover administration, catering, transport, prizes and certificates.
Entry Form 2005 - giving route details and cut off times

How fantastically gruelling and painful does that look! It had better be one heck of a meal!

Going Postal!

Hi,

I have been very excited about telling everyone that Ashley and I are hoping to go on a Postbus trip this February.

Ironically, today is one of those days whereby I'm frustrated with humanity and when the clacking of people's keyboards was enough to make me scream, I started wondering if maybe I really am truly going postal...(although Trevor's trying to convince me that maybe I'm actually agoraphobic...)

Needless to say I'm leaving work now. I can't take another minute today!

One more thing...

Ashley and I are off to Cardiff to see Lauren (another Canadian) this weekend.

We're going to be taking in a London vs. Cardiff hockey game. HOW FUN!!!!

http://www.thecardiffdevils.com/

http://www.londonracers.com

I was about to say that clearly London is the better team, but let's be honest. They're probably all Canadian anyways...

Guy Fawkes night!

I had my first Guy Fawkes night on Saturday! Kate invited some of us around and was the perfect hostess (sadly, I didn't seem to get any shots of her). But here's Danni looking very celebratory indeed! Oh yes, and some random fireworks...

My mysterious condition...

Yesterday morning I mentioned to Katrin that my earlobe felt a bit warm. Today I woke up and it was a full two-times the size it normally is. I don't often wear earrings anymore (I lost the ones that were made of real materials that didn't irritate my ears) so I'm not too sure what's causing this, but I suppose I'll get concerned when it spreads to the rest of my face...

My Capable Parental Unit

I'd like to introduce my Parental Unit to my blog! My dad and I were on the phone last night, and he, having just been introduced to the world of high-speed internet, learned how to post messages to my blog. His debut can be found in "The Shopping List Compendium" post. This is my capable Parental Unit, with my also capable (although not online) grandmother when I was visiting in September. Aren't they lovely? :)

One of those moments...

I was fortunate enough to catch the last little bit of an awesome sunset out of my window last night. I've always loved our view, and this just solidified it even further. By time time I'd finished running around to find my camera it was almost over, but I managed to capture the last minute...

Unfortunately my dying window box obstructed the view a bit, and I suppose I could have hung my body out of the window, but that didn't occur to me at the time... Having said that, it's interesting to see that my little spruce is turning into a little Blue Spruce now (or is that a little Dying Spruce?)

Tri-Nations Cup

To send my brother out with a bang, we took him to one of the Tri-Nations (GB vs. NZ) games on Saturday. Great Britain lost, but it was still fun anyways...

Here are - Rich looking exasperated (as he did most of the game), Matt P looking very excited (as he did for most of the game...for no particular reason though...he's just a happy-sort of guy) and my brother and I looking like Canadian tourists at a rugby game...

Tower Bridge

I think that for as long as I live in London, I'll never tire of Tower Bridge at night.

Except that's not tower bridge. Oops...OK...take 2!

And how about some Tower of London Raven bum while we're at it?

Hmmmm....maybe photography lessons are in order! :)

Nose to Nose with Royalty

You know you work in England when you look for something under your desk and come nose to nose with Queen Anne.
How'd she get there?

Miserable, Rainy, Monday Morning

I made a mistake over the weekend. I saw the new (although now over a month old) Pride and Prejudice yesterday. It was really good, but really, is the main ingredient in any single girl's recipe for "I'm-going-go-die-an-old-maid" casserole.

That, combined with a rainy Monday morning, the realisation at the gym that I'm far more out of shape than I thought I was, and the non-arrival of an email I was quite hoping for over the weekend seems enough to send me back home to curl up and watch DVDs all day. Except I don't have a DVD Player. Or a TV for that matter. Damn.

In other news, my weekend was good (except for afore mentioned mistake of watching P&P which was good...too good really). Ashley and I stumbled upon a Tandoori place and decided to eat at it because it had a sign with the most complicated arrow to lead us down a dark alley way and around a corner to find it. We thought that anybody who put that much effort into the signage deserved a try, and it turned out to be a great find! Then yesterday Sandy and Janeen made a great find of a Japanese/Thai/Sushi place in China town. I went to St Paul's Cathedral for the first time and took my brother to see the Tower of London. Last night my brother assemebled an IKEA dresser for me, and tonight I will be able to go home and finally rearrange my room and get rid of the large suitcase that has been taking up a big spot on my floor, and the thought of that makes me feel very happy. So really, "cranky and pity-me" me should be a bit less cranky and pity me I suppose.

Count your blessings one by one...

Not Forgotten

Hi,

I've been quite busy at work where my only internet access is, so my poor blog has remain unupdated for a while!

I'm doing OK, and will try to remain to regular blogging activity in due course...

Watch this space!

My Last day...

Today is my last full day here, and I am sad to have to leave tomorrow.

It has been very cold and rainy here, and I am really hoping it clears up because I do not want to spend my last day of being in Canada indoors. A few of the trees across the street are turning a wonderful orange colour, so at least I have not missed the leaves turning entirely...

Hours of Name Fun

My brother showed me this website whereby you can type in names and see their popularity progressions from the 1890s to present day (well, the number of babies that were named that name per 1000) It is very interesting and very fun...who knew Desmond has had a resurgence of popularity!

The only thing is that it is based on American stats, so I am not entirely sure how applicable it is to the British audience among us...

http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html

The Shopping List Compendium

I keep meaning to blog about this, but was just reminded by a program on CBC:

I heard this guy on BBC 4 - Home Truths a few weeks ago. He and another person were talking about their collection of shopping lists they find abandoned in grocery stores. I was fascinated a) because of my own collection of lists and b) because of my fascination with what other people buy at the grocery store...

http://www.redhotscott.co.uk/shoppinglists

It us pretty cool - I suggest you check it out!

Bonjour!

After a whirlwind two days in Campbellford (if C-ford could ever be described as a whirlwind) I am now in Sherbrooke, Quebec at the house of my brother, where keyboards do funny things like insert vowels with accents instead of certain punctuation marks (and silly people like me do not know how to turn the function off). Therefore, for the duration of this trip my blog will not have any question marks and apostrophes (which I guess also includes any possessives as well. Hmmmm....) Anyways, the trip here was lovely. I was packed into the back seat amongst golfclubs and raincoats and did nothing but sleep, read and do crossword puzzles for 8 hours. Somehow these trips make me feel more like I am 7 or 17, but that is OK...for a short time at least.
The only really disappointing thing about this trip has been that the leaves are still very much green here. Normally by this time of year the forests would be awash (hey, good word!) with colour, but apparently the really warm summer and fall here have delayed things considerably.

The weather today is supposed to be miserable, so I am hoping to spend the day indoors reading, with maybe a short trip out to the mall to pick up a CD or two I had been wantingn to get. AH - c (apostrophe) est la vie!

Four Strong Winds

CBC Radio has just reaired a program highlighting the 50 songs that Canadians have voted as the best Canadian songs. After sobbing through "If I had $1 000 000" and "Four Strong Winds" I decided that it was best I turn my mind from anticipatory homesick/I don't want to leavedness to my blog.

Here are shots from the last few days: Angela's baby, a trip to Centre Island with John yesterday, meeting up with Gary, Judy and Nelson, a wonderful sign on the island that encouraged people to walk on the grass, and a trip to the Steamwhistle Brewery with Andrew today.

Due to CBC's strike, BBC world service is currently on the air...oh - what an emotional radio rollercoaster this afternoon!!

The newest Canadian Documentary Maker

Thanks to my new digital camera, Andrea and I have made two documentaries today. The first is called "The Vermin of Queens Park" and the second is called "No sweet lovin' at the Green Mango" I wanted to try to put them up here, but haven't figured it out yet (if it's even possible). In other news I:

1. Changed my blog so that people don't have to register to make comments
2. I met Angela and Paul's lovely daughter, but also decided that it's horrible to only have a few hours to spend with people you could easily spend days with!
3. Changed my blog time zone to London time. I think it has messed up all previous posts, but we'll see. I am currently trying to upload today's photos to the computer...

Shooooow me the pictures!

For some reason, blogger has been anti-photo for the past couple of days...hmmmmm...

Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming! I'll try again. If successful, you'll see the Piccadilly Circus pub (as per previous entry) and a shot of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church with the CN Tower - me trying to be artsy, but not quite being there...

What I've (Re) Learned Take Two

Well, my whole first attempt at this post got lost in bloody cyberspace, so here I try again (albeit in shortened form)

1. I've come to realise that it's possible to feel quite at home here, thanks to the open-top double decker busses with "Trafalgar Square" and "Victoria Station" plastered all over them. I don't know why T-dot doesn't take pride in itself and get its own busses! Back off! Get your own busses!

2. It's also easy to feel at home with pubs of the likes of "Piccadilly Circus Pub" all over. Remind me why I paid a lot of money to come here again?

3. There is possibly not a more lovely breed of public employees than the TTC Streetcar and bus drivers. I'd forgotten what it's like to have a streetcar driver who says things like "hello, thank you, have a nice day" and announces where in the city we are. In addition, not only do they not drive off if you're a nano-second behind when they want to shut the door, but they will wait if they see you coming. All this, and they run very-much to schedule. London has a lot to learn!

4. Toronto is incredibly grid-like though...I'd forgotten about how boxy it is. I walked across Queens Park this morning, and giggled as I remembered how a large oval in the road used to make me nervous. If only I knew...

5. There's still nothing like a good cup of Tim's. Oh, I missed him!

Oh Canada!

I've arrived safely and have had a wonderful first weekend on holiday in Canada. I spent it up at Glen Mhor's 75th reunion and had a wonderful weekend of catching up, laughing, singing and dancing (yes, dancing) with some of my favourite people on earth at one of my favourite places on earth. A great (and beautiful) reintroduction into this great nation!

I'm with my best friend today and we have lots of exciting things planned. It's perfect weather and life is grand.

I made a comment about something I had done in England with some friends, and the response of my Canadian friends were "Oh no - you've managed to find friends who are as nutty as you are there". They seem to forget that they are all rather nutty themselves.

I'm hoping to buy a digital camera while I'm here, so I hope I'll have lots of pictures to post when I get back...

When I'm in my 40s

Just to say that when I'm in my forties, I hope I don't find myself heavily overweight at an internet cafe smoking, gambling online and drinking coffee...

We are "The Joneses"

When Katrin and I moved into The Parish Lockup, we put some potted plants on our lovely large kitchen table next to our lovely sunny kitchen window, which incidentally is about seven feet across from the neighbours lovely kitchen table and their lovely kitchen window.

Not too long after, we noticed vase of flowers at their table and thought (not seriously of course) "Ah-ha! We've inspired them!" Yesterday however, Katrin noticed the sudden arrival of several pots of flowers at their window, and it then occured to us "We are the Joneses". We think they must be nice people and we don't want to become all competitive, but we have plans for window boxes winter pansies. Bet they haven't even thought of winter pansies!

My Guardian Fruitfly

I just killed my Guardian Fruitfly.

There seemed to be a fruitfly that flew about me at work, and one that flew about me at home. Today I finally smushed it. Then I realised that perhaps it was a guardian fruitfly and I have just killed it. I feel terrible; sort of like how I felt when I killed Richard - the spider who lived in my closet when I lived in Hamilton. He would happily sit on my wall above my desk while I worked away in the evenings and then return (presumably to my closet) until the next night. Then one night I just reached up and smushed him too.

Maybe I have violence issues.

Mr Bird

I'm once again the guardian of Mr Bird. Just for a week this time. He loves me. I'm trying to teach him to say my name, but he just insists on being all snuggly instead. I wish I had a picture to post, but Rich has yet to give me one.

Wow...what a boring post this has been.

Congrats to any who have read it...

My friend the Hussy

My friend sent me the following update to demonstrate what I am (or am not) missing by not being in Canada. It really made me laugh, and I needed to share it...

you see, as boring elementary school teachers who don't have much excitement in their daily lives (other than, of course, the endless echoes of "he budded me", "she said the "s" word (stupid), "he showed me his penis" (i'm not kidding - this happens far too often in gr. 1!!), the girls from school and i have established "hussy nights". for these adventures (which, i'll be honest, have only taken place twice in the last year - too much excitement might send us over the edge), we meet at my house, have some drinks and appetizers and then have our handsome chauffeur (my husband) drive us to some downtown bar in the "Doug P." (the large, white 8 passenger wheelchair accessible van named afer its donor - because nothing screams "hussy" like a huge white van that beeps when it reverses). we then proceed to dance it up on the dance floor (always fun), have one more drink (if we're lucky enough to be able to face another drink - not that we are totally hammered by any means, just that we are old), and, by midnight (perhaps 1 o'clock if we are totally adventurous) have our chauffeur pick us up and take us home. it must also be noted that despite our best efforts to be "hussied up" (i.e. - a little make up, a strappy tank top, perhaps a skirt or maybe some heels), we spend most of the night commenting on how we look like we are wearing full body parkas compared to what the rest of the people at the bar are wearing!

Let's be honest...it sounds like great fun to me!

It all sounds so...Canadian

I was just listening to CBC news and thought to myself "He has a very strong Canadian accent". How will it be when I'm surrounded by them in a few short weeks?

I was listening to a BBC 4 documentary on accents/dialects last night (having no TV I feel very rustic...planning my evening around radio programs!). I think it may become my new big interest.

Mournful Strains of Neighbour Watching

Living about 7 feet across the alley-way from the neighbours has introduced us to the sport (game/pasttime) of neighbour watching. Last night Danni and Sarah joined K and I for dinner and we established that:

1. Half-naked man is actually quite well built, which is probably why he never seems to wear shirts. I would also think this demonstrates that he may be insecure, because any well-built man would clearly know that he need not walk around his house half-naked to demonstrate to his girlfriend just how well-built he is.

2. Ripply-Half-Naked-Man (as we've now renamed him) and Pretty Eastern European girl are actually a couple (we witnessed a little smooch and hug).

We should note that we don't make a point of peering into their window...we just don't think they realise that even with their blinds down we can still very clearly see in. I think that over time, once things like a TV, internet etc are acquired we'll spend more time in the lounge, and then we'll feel more productive and less nosey. But until then...

Last night Katrin heard the downstairs door next to us open, and then smelled cigarette smoke and heard some low whimpering and then some sniffs. She thinks that Violin-teacher downstairs may have been crying in her garden. How sad. And what a romantic thing for a violin teacher to do...cry in the garden...it's what symphonies are based upon.

Oh, and I heard yet more catfights. Apparently we live in the cat-hood. Waking up to these fights are becoming almost a nightly occurence...

Career Change?

This is one of those days whereby I wish that I worked with numbers or computers because they don't keep phoning because they need things, and they don't require that they be communicated with and you can just sit in your little corner and get on with work. On Saturday (at Rich's very fun birthday do) I met someone who used to trade fruit and vegetables for a living. I thought that was the most ridiculous sounding job at the time, but today, mixing with lettuce and cucumbers seems very appealing.

I've been coping with my anti-social feelings by doing my stats today.

I'm a friendy-auntie!

Congrats to Ange and Paul on their first little baby - Abigail Grace! I've known Ange since I was 7, and apart from all the aspects that actually go with having a baby, I feel like this is my first too! Ha ha! Isn't she adorable? She looks like a little marshmellow all wrapped up (that was my colleague Paulina's observation). I haven't put up the shot of Ange, Paul and Abigail because I thought Ange might be horrified at the thought of being on the net in her PJs, but rest assured that she looks lovely too, and they're a fabulous looking little family!!

And again...

Somebody else asked me yesterday if I'm Irish. I'm starting to feel self-conscious about the way I speak!

I played in a ball pool for an hour yesterday with a most lovely child. I think all adults should be required to do that once a month or so...it's good for the spirit, I think!

Welcome to the Parish Lockup!

Here's a photo of the new flat (we're the top floor) and our snazzy red kitchen...

We've finally figured out how to work our power shower and hot water supply (who knew that pulling a string hanging from the bathroom ceiling on a 45 degree angle towards the sink would make all the difference?) Funny British houses! We were discussing last night that we were almost as rustic as we could be: no shower, no hot water, no kettle (using the good ol' "boil the tea water in a saucepan" method), no television, no phone and Katrin's mobile wasn't even working! My cold morning bath was very invigorating!

We're currently campaigning to have our landlord pay for us to shampoo three years worth of cigarette smoke out of the carpets... Once we get some furniture we'll be laughing!

Bonjour Paris!

This trip's adventures included: a hotel neighbour who cleaned naked infront of her window in a 7 foot square courtyard (sorry - no photos of that one), Lisa and I trying to steal from the Louvre (we didn't get very far, as their coutyard art is very heavy and quite well fastened), Mark's amazing view, playing "spot-the-fake-gargoyle" (basically Lisa and I were mocking those who are fond of taking bad pictures of large buildings), and Pere Lachaise - the most amazing cemetary in the universe...it's so big it has streets and street signs! I saw: Chopin, Jim Morrison, Auguste Compte, Oscar Wilde, ohhhh...and a few others...don't remember who now!

Sweden!

It's been a long time coming, but here's Sweden (or at least Sweden according to Joanna): An authentic IKEA, a couple fascinating Swedish Slugs, and Patrik and I at the coast in Falkenburg!I sort of wish I'd taken a couple other photos...say of Monopol, but oh well...next time!

The Beginning of the End?

I opened up Explorer this morning, and to my horror, the CBC page (my automatic home page) was sporting *gasp* a VISA advert.

www.cbc.ca

Is this the beginning of the end of CBC?

Strength of a Bear!

My friend underwent some quite major surgery a couple of months ago. She's doing very well...mostly because she has the strength of a bear!

She's now walking on two feet again (with her crutches) and is doing very, very well!

Here's a picture of her very impressive scar.We know that everyone wants to see it! I should point out that due to its shape, the first several shots made it look like we were photographing her bum. We're quite sure this one makes it quite evident it's actually her hip, but I just wanted to clarify to ensure everyone knows that they do not need to notify blogger that I am showing dirty things on my blog...

Stay tuned for the matching one this time next year...

The Parish Lock-Up

Katrin and I will soon be heading off to hand in some paperwork for our new flat. In a whirlwind of activity after work on Friday we did as Londoners must do, and said "yes" to a fabulous little place back in our beloved Finchley (Central, this time) on the spot (talk about a rush of excitement). It's grand. On a road trip to St Albans on Saturday we passed through a village that still has its original Parish Lock-Up from circa 1700s. It's the place where they would stick rowdy people until morning. Not that we're especially rowdy, but we thought that would be a grand name for a flat to house riff-raff such as us.

Someday I'd like to open a pub of the same name...

My Quadruple-Barrelled Ethnicity

According to front page of The Times today:

"The government is proposing to rename ethnic minority groups along US lines in an attempt to strengthen and highlight their British roots. Minorities could be described as, for example "Asian-British" rather than simply "Asian" under proposals being considered by Hazel Blears, the Home Office Minister"

Does that mean I'm now (or somedday could be) "Irish-British-Canadian-British?" (Insert saracasm here)

Oh good grief...

A Day to Stay in Bed By...

First, the rest of my time in Sweden was incredible. Soooo relaxing, soooo good to see Patrik, Miriam and Sam again. Sooo much fun to have a 4.25 hour game of Monopol (it was the first time I've atually ever seen a game through to completion...having 5 people really makes it more exciting! I've also created a new component to the game in Sweden...I introduced the concept of "Landing Rights" into the property exchange negotiation, and I think the game will never be the same over there...sort of funny considering it was a spur-of-the-moment survival strategy on my part)

But then I had to come home. Today:

1. I found out I will need to move flats because my flatmate's American...friend/boy thingie is moving here
2. I got a £50 parking ticket because I was about 3 minutes late coming out of a presentation I had to do for work
3. My manager has resigned which really sucks because she was incredible. Ah, politics.

Well, that's life, I suppose. Some days you're the statue, some days you're the pigeon...today I'm definitely the pigeon.

On the other hand, I saved Mr. Bird's life yesterday. I hope he's OK. I've looked up bird diseases on the internet today, and I'm a bit concerned that it's serious, but I'll just say my prayers and hope for the best. Doo, doo, doo...

Oh, and I bought my very own mug for work today - it's from Sweden and has a moose on it. It makes me very happy!