Diary Entry

9.45 am Just back from the dentist. He's given me some strong antibiotics. I look like Marlon Brando. I have to go back next Monday for a root canal, once the infection is gone. I'd rather go through natural childbirth again than this!

6.29 pm This infection is terrible. Fortunately the swelling is going down a bit now, and the pain isn't as excruciating, but I've been vomiting all morning and afternoon. I have candle orders coming out my ears, and I can't stand up long enough to do them! Hopefully the antibiotics will do their job so I'm feeling better tomorrow.

10.38 pm I was hoping to go to uni tomorrow, at least to my criminal justice systems lecture and to study, but if I still feel like this in the morning, the farthest I'll be moving out of bed is downstairs for a drink! I ate a bit earlier, and felt okay, but now I'm nauseated again. Must be the infection, not to mention all the tablets I'm on now. I emailed Jamie, hoping he'll pass on anything important that happens in tomorrow's lecture if I don't make it, and warning him that I look like Marlon Brando on one side of my face. Everyone else can laugh, I don't care.

Diary Entry

10.47 pm Abcessed tooth. Swollen face. Feel like shit.

12.56 am Face still swollen. Just been to emergency room. Lots of painkillers. Look at the pretty lights ...

Diary Entry

11.30 pm I've spent all day putting my week's stories into my blog that I haven't got much to blog about from today. I've got a major toothache on the right side of my mouth, and I've just broken a tooth on the left side of my mouth. I've spent most of the day in bed feeling horrible. Simon's been at a computer fair all day. Shell says a mutual "friend" has had a baby today.

Oh, and my car wouldn't start again today, so I had to give Richard petrol money to bring me Ricky and Jack this morning. I wasn't going to go another day without seeing them, and with Simon gone all day, I would have missed out on seeing them until tonight!

A Girl in the 1970s

Someone sent me this today, and being a 30-Something Girl myself, I thought this was a trip down memory lane worth sharing! With my own commentary, of course!

IF YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL IN THE 70'S...

*You wore a rainbow shirt that was half-sleeves, and the rainbow went upsleeve, across your chest, and down the other.

I had one of those!

*You made baby chocolate cakes in your Easy Bake Oven and washed them down with snow cones from your Snoopy Snow Cone Machine.

My parents wouldn't buy me one, but I really wanted one!

*You had that Fisher Price Doctor's Kit with a stethoscope that actually worked.

Thank goodness the hypodermic needles were left at the factory.

*You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a plastic basket withflowers on it.

It was a red, white and blue bike and it had a white basket.

*You learned to skate with actual skates (not roller blades) that had metal wheels.

For years I thought all skates had metal wheels!

*You thought Gopher from Love Boat was cute (admit it!)

I still think Gopher is cute.

*You had nightmares after watching Fantasy Island.

Actually I had fantasies about Fantasy Island. I still do.

*You had rubber boots for rainy days and Moon boots for snowy days.

No, I was deprived I guess. Besides, we didn't have many snowy days in Texas.

*You had either a "bowl cut" or! "pixie," not to mention the"DorothyHamil" because your Mom was sick of braiding your hair.

I had the Dorothy Hamil one!

*People sometimes thought you were a boy.

Short haircut, flat chest. Easy mistake to make.

*Your Holly Hobbie sleeping bag was your most prized possession.

*You wore a poncho, gauchos, and knickers.

*You begged Santa for the electronic game, Simon.

*You had the Donnie and Marie dolls with those pink and purplesatiny shredded outfits.

*You spent hours in your backyard on your metal swing set with thetrapeze. The swing set tipped over at least once.

I still have a scar on my head from it.

*You had homemade ribbon barrettes in every imaginable color.

*You had a pair of Doctor Scholl's sandals (the ones with hard sole & the buckle). You also had a pair of salt-water sandals.

*You wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder really bad; you wore that Little House on the Prairie-inspired plaid, ruffle shirt with the highneck in at least one school picture; and you despised Nellie Olson!

I wanted to live in a little house on the prairie instead of a medium sized house in the suburbs!

*You wanted your first kiss to be at a roller rink.

My first kiss was at the roller rink!

*Your hairstyle was described as having "wings" or "feathers" and you kept it "pretty" with the comb you kept in your back pocket.

Not to mention the Farrah Fawcett hair toss!

*You know who Strawberry Shortcake is, as well as her friends, Blueberry Muffin and Huckleberry Pie.

*You carried a Muppets lunch box to school and it was metal, not plastic.

*You and your girlfriends would fight over which of the Dukes ofHazzardwas your boyfriend.

*Every now and then "It's a Hard Knock Life" from the movie,"Annie" will pop into your brain and you can't stop singing it the whole day.

*YOU had Star Wars action figures, too!

Princess Leia and R2D2.

*It was ! a big event in your household each year when the "Wizard of Oz"would come on TV. Your mom would break out the popcorn and sleeping bags!

*You often asked your Magic-8 ball the question: "Who will I marry, Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or Rick Springfield?"

I actually went to see Shaun Cassidy in concert.

*You completely wore out your Grease, Saturday Night Fever, andFame sound track record album.

*You tried to do lots of arts and crafts, like yarn andPopsicle-stick God's eyes, decoupage, or those weird potholders made on a plastic loom.

Camp Fire Day Camp!

*You made Shrinky-Dinks and put iron-on kittens on your t-shirts!

*You used to tape record songs off the radio by holding yourportabletape player up to the speaker.

I would sit by the radio for hours just to get the one song I was crazy about at the moment.

*You couldn't wait to get the free animal poster that came when you ordered books from the Weekly Reader book club. Double score if it was a teddy bear dressed in clothing.

*You learned everything you needed to know about girl issues fromJudyBlume books

*You thought Olivia Newton John's song "Physical" was about aerobics

Wasn't it?

*You wore friendship pins on your tennis shoes, or shoelaces withheartor rainbow designs.

*You wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer.

*You had a Big Wheel with a brake on the side, and a Sit-n-Spin.

Yep, spin til you puke!

*You had subscriptions to Dynamite and Tiger Beat.

*You spent all your allowance on smurfs and stickers for your sticker album!

I never really liked the Smufs all that much.

Travel Report

I have posted some of my favourite pics from my trip to Belgium on my photo blog for anyone interested. I have also started putting my journal into my diary blog if you want to hear all the gory details. I have to say that the names have been changed to protect the guilty, and I haven't told the worst stories because there might be a few about me floating around out there!

Something About Me #6

I can't mix my drinks. Lots of wine followed by lots of beer is not a good combo for me.

You don't want the details.

I'm BACK!

I'm home from Brussels, and I can't wait to crawl into bed, but I thought "I must blog!". If I hadn't at least left a message, I never would have been able to sleep.

Lots of stories and lots of pics but I don't think I can stay awake long enough to even get a decent start!

Diary Entry

I never should have mixed my drinks. I tried so hard to stay on the white wine all night, but ended up having beer poured down my throat. I was so drunk I spent half an hour in the pub toilet throwing my guts up.

Anyway, we went to the Italian restaurant for the last night party, and it was the most unbelievable thing I have ever seen in my entire life! We got all dressed up and ended up seeing some of the people with their trousers around their ankles.

The meal itself was okay, I guess, when it finally arrived. I was stealing chips off Dan's plate to start with because mine was the very last to arrive. I think I ate some of the mushrooms off his plate, too. There was a fair trade though because I wasn't all that keen on the steak, so he ate the rest of it instead of letting it go to waste.

The rumours were still going around about me and him having an affair, so at one point I think I announced that I was having his baby. I'm sure it was at that point that people realised we were just mates. After all, I've been sterilised, so I can't have anyone's baby, let alone Dan the Desperate One's!

There was also a "tradition" involving handcuffs and whipped cream. I don't know how those being handcuffed to the post in the middle of the restaurant were chosen, but I'd heard about this before I went. Having seen it for myself now, it wasn't nearly as perverted as it sounded to me at the start. It was just harmless fun. Peter Pervert was one of those tied to the post, and, by popular vote, I had to lick the cream off his chest. Not that I was given any choice. I don't know who grabbed me from behind, but I was dragged up there and someone pushed the back of my neck until I had whipped cream all over my face. I still have to say that it was only harmless fun, and anyone who thinks otherwise is just a prude who doesn't know how to have a good time. No one was hurt, and even though I wasn't given much choice in participating, I thought it was a laugh. I've been promised that next year I'm going to be tied to the post, but I'll have my choice of any man I want to lick the cream off my chest!

In the pub afterwards, I'm afraid I was too pissed to have much of a good time. When we got there, I asked Dan if he wanted a drink -- we've been buying in turn all week -- and he just looked at me funny and said no. A few minutes later I turned around and he had a drink in his hand. That kind of upset me. Not the fact he didn't want me to buy him a drink, but the way he said no and looked at me. Up until that point, even though he's my lecturer at uni, I thought we were "mates" of a sort. He even took me into his confidence about the row with the other person the night before, something I didn't ask him to do, and because I felt honoured that he had done so, I haven't divulged what he said to anyone, nor will I. If I hadn't been drinking, I would have been okay, but it did upset me.

Today I found out that it was actually a misunderstanding. When I asked him if he wanted a drink, because he was also drinking and the music was loud, he thought I asked him if he wanted a shag. That's why he said no and looked at me funny. I was glad to find that out! It is so funny now looking back at it!

Anyway, after all the puking in the toilet, I went downstairs, and still being pissed off at Dan for the snub, I asked Peter Pervert to put me into a taxi (something I wouldn't have done if he were a real pervert) to get back to the hotel. He actually went with me, which he probably regretted because the second I got out of the taxi, I puked my guts up in the road. I was so embarrassed! He just stood near me until I was done, and when I started crying and said I was embarrassed, he just laughed and told me not to be silly. He was very nice about it. I needed a drink of water desperately, and his and Dan's room was closer than mine, so I asked if I could nip in there for a drink of water. We chatted for a bit, then I realised that it might be misconstrued about me wanting to go back to his room alone, so I went up to mine.

This morning I was up bright and early to get ready to head home. I told Vicky I wasn't going to bother with make-up, but she told me she wasn't going to let me out of the room without it, so I applied a light amount. Female pride, she said. I had told her about being upset with Dan and hoping I hadn't lead Peter on. She later told them that they had caused me to need an hour's therapy before I could go to sleep! Really I had had such a wonderful week, even though I missed Simon and the kids, but the last couple of hours in the pub had tainted it somehow. The good thing is that the four of us sat together on the trip home the way we did on the trip to Brussels, and we had such a laugh together that all was well again. That's when I found out that Dan had thought I was trying to get him into bed instead of what I was really trying to do -- just buy the man a drink! I wondered why he said, "I can't, you're a student". Hey, if he thought I was trying to seduce him, at least he didn't say "I can't, you're not my type" or "I can't, you're too old/fat/ugly". That would have really killed my ego!

Diary Entry

Oh geez. What a night. It started off horribly, but eventually got better. One of the people on the trip had a go at someone else, leading to an argument and tears. Fortunately it was resolved later, but it left several of us feeling stressed. More later. I need sleep. I don't know what's gotten into me on this trip, but after the pub and the restaurant and another pub, we came back to the hotel and stayed up drinking until time for breakfast.

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Right, I almost don't know where to start! Tonight I have found out that I am, evidently, having an affair with Dan the Desperate One. There was a bet that we would be at it before the end of the trip, and if I remember correctly, someone has actually collected their winnings! Years ago I would have been freaked at the idea that someone thought I was screwing around, but I thought it was absolutely hilarious. Forget the idea that I've never cheated on Simon, or anyone else for that matter. I might have been married three times, but I have never screwed around. But come on! I value my university studies too much to mess it up with a relationship, or even a one night stand, like that! If I were single and he weren't in control of some of my grades, sure why not? Nothing against the man. I like him. People seem to think that he was only on the trip to mess around with the female students anyway, and after spending a few days with him, I know he wouldn't. He might be a sad bastard (just like I'm The Bitch), but he definitely has a few morals lurking around in there somewhere.

Anyway, we went to an Irish pub to watch the Man U match, which they lost. There was a bit of a row between a couple of people, like I said before I went to sleep. That didn't ruin the night completely, but it did leave an atmosphere. They made up, and I think drink and fatigue had a lot to do with it, especially one the part of one of the people.

There was a Belgian man in the pub who spoke no English, but he definitely made himself a part of our party! He had to have been old enough to have fought in World War II, but by the end of the night he was wanting one of the ladies to have his babies! He asked us if we were all English, and I said no, I was American. Big mistake! He looked at me like I was the devil incarnate, but later he came back and I managed to tell him that I am American but I live in England and don't like George Bush. After that, he kissed me on my cheeks three times and things were great. He thought we were all some kind of harem belonging to Dan, which was really funny.

The birthday girl was unbelievably loud, swearing, bumping into people, spilling drinks, etc. She spilt white wine all over me at one point. Thank goodness it was white wine.

We headed off for a meal afterwards, back in the same road where we were the night before with waiters bidding for our custom. The winner was the restaurant that offered us each two glasses of champagne too celebrate the birthday. Another expensive meal, and it wasn't as good as the one the night before either. At one point, someone told Dan he wasn't going to be able to sleep in his room last night because she was going to shag Peter Pervert. (He's not really a pervert in the true sense either, but I like the nickname.) Earlier she had said she was going to shag Dan, but she dumped him for Peter. I think they shared a snog at one point, but just like the affair I'm supposed to be having, that's just a rumour so I'll take that one with a grain of salt. It was funny anyway. Saying that, after we went back to the Irish pub where we were the night before, she was rubbing Dan's leg in a really seductive way. I saw that myself, and I told her about it this morning. She can't remember doing it and wishes she hadn't!

I found out that one of the other "mature" students is from Chesterfield. Well, Cresswell, which is still sort of classified Chesterfield. Anyway, it's not far from where I live. Small world.

I did get hit on by a couple of Middle Eastern men. Nothing against Middle Eastern men, I just couldn't understand them. Fortunately I was wearing a wedding ring and was able to make that clear. We also saw the taxi driver Dan and Peter tried to sell me to. Peter told him I was his wife and wanted to know if he was married and could they trade. Yep, Peter Pervert is a fitting name.

When we went back to the hotel, we had been invited up to the birthday girl's room. That's when I found out from Gabby that I'm having an affair. She was one of the ones who really believed that we would get off together before the end of the trip, but I think she's pretty sure we're not doing it now.

We were drinking lots of vodka and playing drinking games and having a good time, but the birthday girl was really pissed and puking in the toilet, then she got pissed off because all her vodka was gone. She had invited to her room for a party, and she got the vodka out and told Dan to be bartender, but people don't think logically when they're pissed. She was so upset she smashed the bottle. I had a bottle of peach and apricot wine in my room, so I grabbed it and we went up to Kelly and Gabby's room.

Evidently there is now something called "Gabby's Law". She started off by telling us how she defended Dan to the other students who said that he would happily shag as many of the 18 and 19 year old students as he possibly could. (Seems it would have been more acceptable for him to shag me, being nearer his age.) She said she didn't think he would, and that he would run a mile. Then she turned around and told him he was a pervert. Dan, being a law lecturer, wanted her to explain more fully, and all she could say was "because you are". Then he said the guy she was hanging out with, who he calls "Truckerboy", is gay. She said she knew he wasn't gay, but that wasn't good enough for Dan. He wanted to know why. So now, evidence is based on Gabby's Law, which is not binding on future decisions and can be changed at the whim of Gabby. Absolutely hilarious.

More hysterical laughter, and by that time I was so pissed I don't remember what we talked about! I'm sure it will come back to me later, and I'll edit my diary in my blog as my memory returns. (Thank heavens for online journals!) Before we knew it, it was 7.00 am and they were serving breakfast downstairs. We ate and debated Gabby's Law some more.

I haven't got a clue how I managed to NOT have a hangover! I went up to bed at about 8.00 and slept until 1.00 or so. Then I went down to Dan and Peter's room and asked them if they wanted some coffee. I figured I'd be nice and repay them for treating me so nicely, even calling me The Bitch seems a term of endearment, by fetching them a cup of coffee from around the corner. Dan was still in bed (a scary sight if I've ever seen one). They said they would get up and go with me because they wanted to do some shopping anyway. We were going to try to go by train to Germany since it isn't far from Brussels to the German border, but after last night and this morning, there was no way we would make it.

We went with Kay and Kerry to a cafe for a wonderful cappuccino, then Dan, Peter and I went off for some shopping. I managed to get something for everyone, I think. The snow was really coming down but it didn't stick. Still, it was beautiful despite being so cold.

We found a C&A, and Dan kept saying "I need to dress up My Bitch". I did find a skirt that I'm going to wear out tonight. As far as the see-through outfit he was saying he was going to buy me, I wouldn't have worn it anyway. I did get proof that Dan is actually a gentleman at heart. He carried my shopping for me and took a lot of time picking things out for his wife and son.

Tonight is the last night party, and I'm sure it's going to be one for the memory book!

Diary Entry

I was right. Last night was definitely interesting. We ended up in a little side street off La Grand'Place, and there were all these people standing outside their restaurants trying to convince people to come in. I had never seen anything like it, but I've never really been to Europe before. Vicky, Dan the Desperate One and Peter Pervert had seen it before. We were promised free wine, aperitifs, and, at one point, lap dancers if we went into their restaurants. When we got to one in particular, the waiter took me by the hand, kissed it, and led me into the restaurant. We even got the table in front of the fire, which was nice.

The meal was actually excellent, one of the best I can ever remember having, so spending all that money wasn't as bad as it could have been, 19 Euros. We had a real laugh over the meal, and it was completely different to what I expected. I thought Dan and Peter would be out of line all night, but they weren't. Afterwards we went to an Irish pub where most of the other students already were. I spent a lot of time chatting to Kelly and Janine, and that was great because I sometimes feel like an outsider, and so far the people on this trip haven't treated me like one in the slightest!

Dan and Peter did piss some people off though. They seem to be trying to live up to a reputation for being sad bastards because they stood at the top of the stairs near the ladies toilet so any girl going down would have to squeeze past. I've heard a few grumblings today about that. There are those of us like me who know that they're just harmless, but some of the younger students aren't sure how to take them. Bottom line is that they're nice guys who don't know when to stop sometimes, but they'd never do anything to hurt someone.

We ended up staying at the pub until about 4.30 am! I don't know where the time went because it didn't seem that late. I got a taxi back to the hotel with the two sad bastards (Vicky went back a bit before with some other students), who tried to sell me to the taxi driver! They said that he could have me for 10 Euros, but he said that was "too little for such a beautiful lady", and by the time we reached the hotel, it was up to 100 Euros. Absolutely hilarious. The night before they tried to sell another student to a taxi driver and only managed to get 7 Euros fifty for her.

There was some discussion about going to Ypres today while we were still in the pub, and I managed to talk my way into that trip. I asked what time to be ready and was told 9.00 am, so, even though it was 5.00 when I was going up to my room, I was ready this morning at 9.00 am. Guess who wasn't awake though. I knocked on their door and I think I was told to "fuck off", but I'm not quite sure. So I stuck a note under the door telling them that I was ready when they told me to be, and if they still wanted to go to Ypres, to let me know when they were ready, leaving my room number and mobile number. Then I went back to bed.

They actually crawled out of bed sometime around 11.30, and we caught a train for Ypres. It was a really fun journey on the train, and we had a great time exploring. Dan the Desperate One had me in stitches because while we were walking on the ramparts of the city walls through a park where other people were walking their dogs, he said "We should have bought a lead for The Bitch so she doesn't run away". After that, my name was "The Bitch". If they thought it was going to wind me up, they were wrong! I nearly passed out laughing.

We had a late lunch and caught the train back to Brussels, getting there in time to be told to get ready to go out. It is one of the girls' 20th birthday, not to mention it is the Man U match tonight, which is being shown in another Irish pub (there are lots of them in Brussels).

Diary Entry

Last night I went out for an Italian meal with a group of lecturers and students. It was an interesting experience. I had spagetti with a Provencale sauce, which I wasn't keen on, but I had fortunately chosen one of the cheaper dishes because I wasn't very hungry, so at least I didn't spend a lot.

Afterwards we went to a pretty nice pub and had a lovely time chatting about all sorts of things, usually laughing hysterically. I was pretty wrecked though, having only had a couple of hours sleep in a 48 hour period, so I headed back to the hotel with a couple of girls, Ala and Davina.

There was quite a drama going on when we got to the hotel though. Another one of the girls had been accosted by a strange man and claimed he hit her. One of the guys on our trip shoved her into a taxi and sent her back to the hotel. She was pretty pissed and after more vodka, Vicky and I could hear her swearing and raving up and down the corridors when we were trying to sleep, and I think that had to have been close to 2.00 am.

Of course this morning I couldn't wake myself up when I shoul dhave gone to see the Commission and the Stella Artois brewery, but I had had some red wine yesterday. Usually that gives me an instant migraine, but I think because I kept drinking it didn't show up until this morning. Even in moderation that tends to give me a migraine, and I had quite a lot. This morning my head was splitting. After a bath and some ibuprofen, I felt much better and struck out on my own for a bit of sightseeing and shopping. I was quite surprised how easy it was to find the Manneken-Pis, the fountain I'd read so much about, but I was kind of disappointed by it. I thought it was in a park for some reason -- I'm not sure why -- but it's only a tiny little thing on a street corner up against a building. I still took a lot of pictures of it, and I might go back to the tourist shops near it to get some bottle openers shaped like the statue. They're pretty cheap.

I also found the Grand' Place, which was gorgeous and full of wonderful architecture, but it was absolutely freezing standing out in the open square! I snapped a lot of pictures but didn't really wander and explore like I would have done if it had been warmer.

I stocked up on postcards and bought a tourist guide of Brussels, which has helped me to identify some of the things I've taken pictures of. Now I just have to fill in all of these postcards and find a post office! I haven't seen a single one so far.

I found a little market just like the ones they have in Stavely and Eckington, and I bought a new top. I think it's too clingy for me to wear until after I've lost some weight or firmed up my abdomen, but I couldn't pass it up. Actually, I haven't spent very much money so far, and I'm quite proud of myself for that.

Last night I made sure Vicky new that half the stuff I was telling Dan the Desperate One and Peter Pervert on the coach yesterday wasn't actually true. But being half-pissed and determined not to back down, I just said the first thing that popped into my head to wind them up. I had tried to let Vicky know at the time by winking at her as I was talking, and I think she had it worked out what I was up to.

Hey, my new top fits comfortably, and if I suck in my stomach, it's not too bad!

George Bush is here in Brussels, and our hotel is in the Arab section of the city, so there are a lot of posters against Bush in a lot of windows. If anyone asks me, I'm going to say I'm British! Much safer, I'm sure. I've actually met one student who likes Bush, but unlike a lot of pro-Bush people I've met, she isn't defensive about her support for him. The fact that she's British probably explains it, but she respects those who don't support him. That's the way people should be. She even bought me a drink.

I sent a picture from my mobile to Gary, Jamie and Pete in Australia to their email addresses with the message "Wish you were here, I need someone to keep me out of trouble!"

We get the BBC in the hotel room, and I've had it on "Neighbours", which I don't usually watch, but I just heard something that has made me laugh. There's a character named Doreen who says she lives in a commune outside Byron Bay and wants to be called "Peacedove". Now why does that make me think of Pete? the Byron Bay part was a giveaway, but he's also a former hippie type with a mother-in-law named Doreen.

The postcards are taking longer than I thought to fill out, so I guess I won't be posting them until tomorrow.

Other than my little walk out this afternoon, I've had a lazy day, but I'll probably try to find a group to tag along with later if I can.

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Looks like I won't have to look too far to find a group to go out with tonight. Vicky says we're going for a meal with Dan the Desperate One and Peter Pervert. Why do I keep calling them that? Because I promised that anything I reported that wasn't completely positive in my blog would have the names changed to protect the not-so-innocent. Okay, nothing bad has happened, but reputations are at stake! Anyway, we're going for a meal with them tonight, so I'm sure there will be a few interesting things to write about tomorrow!

Diary Entry

What a trip this is turning out to be! It will definitely go down as one of my most memorable experiences, and we only just got to the hotel an hour ago.

Something positive has already come out of the trip. I've made a new friend, Vicky. I've also told the lecturer who made me cry last year that ne did make me cry. It's obvious that I haven't held it against him though. We've been having a real laugh.

Now I'm too tired to write more. Maybe after I've napped for an hour. I've only slept half an hour since leaving home at 10.30 last night.

All these people on the trip and I can't find any of them. I've had a nap but didn't want to sleep too long and not be able to sleep later, but I'm wide awake.

We didn't cross from Dover to Calais by ferry this morning. Because of the damage to the dock on the French side, we crossed by Channel Tunnel. I always thought that would be a bit freaky, going under the English Channel, but because the coach was loaded onto the train and we never left the coach, it was just kind of a surreal experience. Thirty-five minutes and we were in France!

Once we got to Calais, we couldn't get off the train for ages because there was a bad snow storm in Calais, and no one had cleared the steep ramps. I have never seen that much snow before.

I know I've skiped the ride from Sheffield to Dover, but that was kind of a surreal experience, too. Simon dropped me off outside the building where we were supposed to meet (he didn't walk me in or help me with my suitcases, the swine!), and because I didn't know anyone else going, one of my lecturers sort of "adopted" me. He introduced me to Vicky, who is another student, and his friend I have since nicknamed Peter Pervert (nothing to do with my friend Pete in Australia). I'm still not quite sure who this Peter is, but he seems to be a regular because everyone knows him. Little did I know that Dan the Desperate one and Peter Pervert were just a couple of sex-obsessed adolescents in the bodies of mature men! Vicky and I were safe enough though, and I wasn't worried about anything out of line happening, but everything we said was twisted around into something full of innuendo. I'm not complaining, and I tried to give as good as I got, but it was obvious these two are pros at it. Vicky and I decided that they must not be getting any because they talk about sex constantly, like a couple of naughty schoolboys. But I'm sure that since I ended up laughing my head off at what they were saying, and because I tried to give as good as I got, I've got a reputation already of being as bad as they are.

One thing in particular was absolutely hilarious. We'd had champagne and red wine (how I got away without a hangover I don't know!) and Dan suggested playing a clapping game. It seemed harmless enough until he told us that each time we blew the rhythm, we had to pay a forfeit by removing an article of clothing. Of course Vicky and I were losing straight away, but we only took jewellery off. Dan started losing on purpose, so he took his shirt off. We had a real laugh, and the game was over. It sounds stupid now but it was hilarious at the time when we were half drunk.

After the trip across the Channel (or should that be under the Channel) we stopped in Bruges for a couple of hours. Vicky and I had a coffee in a nice little cafe -- my cappuccino even came with whipped cream on it. I got some good photos of the things we came across, but I never looked Bruges up to see what was worth checking out. I found out later that evidently there's a crooked spire there, which I would have liked to have seen to compare it with the one in Chesterfield. We did a little shopping and ate pomme frites with mayonnaise. Ordinarily I can't stand mayo, but Vicky said this was something I had to try that only tasted right on the Continent. She was right! The mayo was like none I'd ever seen before, let alone tasted!

Diary Entry

12.48 pm That dog is definitely a canine alarm clock. He was begging to go out at exactly 5.00 again this morning. I ended up not being able to go back to sleep so I was watching "Crocodile Hunter" until just after 6.00.

Boy did we all have a lie in today! Simon, Ricky, Jack and I only just got up a little while ago. I was going to have a nap later so I would be rested when I have to head to the campus to get on the coach, but I don't really think I'll need one now. Saying that, knowing me, I'll be able to sleep regardless.

Now Jack has done a turn around. He doesn't want to go to his dad's. I think it's because I'm going away for the week, or else it's because he still wants a break from Ricky.

I know I had some pleasant dreams last night, but I don't remember them. That's a shame. I get the sense that I would have loved to have remembered them!

12.59 pm Ah-ha! I just remembered part of one of my dreams. I was in a university class, and sitting next to me was the guy I really fancied in high school, Rick Reynard. The thing that bothered me most in real life was that he never would talk to me, so in the dream, we were having great conversations about our lives now. It was a really good dream. How he ended up in my criminology seminar I'll never know, but that's the benefit of dreams.

I think I was also a police officer in part of the dream. That's where things got a bit weird, even by my standards.

3.10 pm I'm just waiting for the boys to get their shoes and socks on so I can take them back to their dad's. I guess that will take them all of an hour, knowing them!

I did a nice Sunday dinner, though Jack decided he doesn't like sausage anymore. The little swine. One day he's fussy, the next day he'll eat anything.

I'm getting more nervous.

5.00 pm The boys are back at their dad's, and I nearly cried when I dropped them off. It's one thing knowing they'll be at their dad's all week during a school holiday like last week. They're only on the other side of town, no big deal. It's different when I'll be away. I'm still excited about going, but I will miss all the kids. Malorie keeps telling me I can't go. I'm sure it would be different if she were the one going!

I also keep trying to drag Simon upstairs for an hour, but he won't leave his computer. That's just not on! He'll have his computer all to himself this week with no one to tell him to leave it for a while, and I can't even get his attention for 10 minutes. I was being optimistic when I first said an hour, but I'm actually very realistic.

6.11 pm Time always goes so slow when something important is coming up. I thought it had been a couple of hours since I blogged at 5.00. Nope, just over one hour. I've watched Chrissie kill Den on the replay of Eastenders, had a shower, shaved my legs and put some more stuff in the suitcase. I told Simon I shaved my legs because, if I got hit by a bus in Belgium, I didn't want the doctors to see me with hairy legs. He thought I said I shaved them in case I get hit on in Belgium. As if that would happen.

Now I need a nap.

7.45 pm Yep, time is just dragging on. I've done just about everything I need to do before going. I have a choice now of painting my nails or taking a nap. I think I'll take a nap and just take the stuff to do my nails with me.

I wonder if this weekend has been so boring because I have been looking forward to the trip. Everything else has seemed pale in comparison. Like someone said to me last week, when things are settled and running smoothly, it's just too boring. He says he ends up screwing things up just to make it more interesting, and I'm afraid I'm the same.

9.45 pm I'm going soon. I'm very nervous. All I have left to do it put on the make up, get my shoes and socks on and take my stuff out to the car. Yep. I'm nervous. And I heard on the news that George Bush is headed to Brussels too. That could make things more interesting, if there's a lot of security about.

Simon said he was going to throw Malorie down the stairs because then I wouldn't go. I told him that was evil. Good thing he was joking or I would have cancelled the trip to keep him from going postal.

Away From the Computer

Well, folks, I'm off to Belgium tonight, all being well. I'm hoping the snow holds off until I'm safely across the Channel and in my hotel. Then it can snow all it likes until it's time to come home again. Although there's a possible delay with the ferry from Dover to Calais, seeing as how a ferry bumped into one of the docks a couple of weeks ago, causing delays in crossings ever since!

I haven't got a clue how I'm going to cope without having a computer and internet access for five days, but I will be in search of an internet cafe in Brussels, I'm sure! And I will hopefully have tons of pictures and stories to post when I get back! Thank goodness my memory card in my digital camera holds 1101 pics! I also have a small digital camera that holds another 70 little pictures, two disposable cameras and the camera on my mobile phone!

No, I'm not excited about this trip at all!

Something About Me #5

This is probably nothing new to anyone who knows me or has paid attention to my blog in the past, but one of my favourite things in the whole world is Formula One. Not Michael Schumacher/Ferrari Formula One because they are so dominant I choose just to ignore them. Give me David Coulthard and Mark Webber any day! Not only would I choose them over the other drivers, I would choose them over film and television stars. Forget Brad Pitt, George Cloony and Orlando Bloom!

Last summer I came face to face with David Coulthard, and it was definitely something I will never forget!



Not long ago I also had a chance to meet Martin Brundle, who, as well as being a former F1 driver, is also DC's manager. I now have both their autographs.



And, fingers crossed, I'm looking forward to a chance to meet Mark Webber in person later this year! So far the plans are in motion, but you never know what might happen between now and then. I'm definitely excited about it though! I didn't take the picture below, obviously, though I did take the ones of DC and Brundle above, but with any luck, I'll get a few pics if and when I do meet Mark!



I actually do love to watch the races, not just the gorgeous drivers, and I follow all the F1 news religiously. The first time I went to testing at Silverstone, I tell ya, the sound of those engines live gave me chills. It's practically orgasmic.

So, two weeks today until the first race at Melbourne, and I will be getting up at silly hours of the morning so I can watch it live!

Diary Entry

9.57 am Poor Shell! She's not very well and can't go out tonight. Well, after feeling so rotten all week, I understand. I wouldn't want her to go out when she wasn't feeling up to it just for my sake. There will be other nights.

That dog is turning into a regular alarm clock, 5.00 am every morning. I wish my calls from Mother Nature were as predictable as his! That would make life so easy!

I get to go pick up the little monsters in a couple of hours. I hate it when they're gone. They're pains when they're here, but I don't really care because it's worse when they're not here making noise, making messes and fighting.

10.57 am Why is it I always get woken up during the most wonderful dreams? This morning it was a dream that Mark Webber took me out for a meal. Pizza, I think it was. It was such a lovely dream. I tried going back to sleep to finish it, but no such luck.



5.04 pm Oh poor Shell! She's not having a good day at all! On top of not feeling well and having the ear ache, now she's done something to her back. I know how painful that is.

The house seems back to normal now. Total chaos. Jack worried me for a bit when he got in the car at his dad's because he kept saying he wanted to stay at his dad's house. This is the second time he's done that. I finally got him to tell me what it is that's bothering him. It's not that he doesn't want to come home with me. He wants a break from Ricky! He said it would have been okay if Ricky had stayed at his dad's. That's a relief. I'm sure they're fed up of each other because they're together almost 24/7. We'll sort something out when I get back where one spends the night at their dad's and the other does the next night. We've done that before and it worked out well.

I cheered Jack up by getting McDonald's for dinner. He's upstairs playing as happy as a pig in mud now. That probably describes the state of their room as well.

7.00 pm I'm starting to get nervous about this trip now. I can't tell if I'm excited or apprehensive. I think part of it is not knowing anyone else who is going. Always a bit scary, but I'm a big girl (in more ways than one) so I'll survive. After moving to England where I didn't know anyone, a few days abroad will be nothing.

I've packed my CDs that I'm taking, apart from a couple that are still out in my car I need to remember to grab. At least I'll have Heart, Pat Benetar, Journey, Def Leppard and Darren Hayes. Boston, Charlie Mars and Hootie and the Blowfish are in my car. I never did put Pete's music on a CD. I did finally get all of his songs downloaded out of my email and onto my hard drive though.

Ricky and Jack have shoved a bunch of stuffed animals under their shirts and I think they're pretending to be kangaroos. They keep lifting their shirts up to give the "babies" bottles. They must be as puddled as I am.

Geez, I'm bored again.

8.22 pm Most of my stuff is packed. In fact, most of it has been packed, unpacked, and repacked. It's going to be very cold with snow and rain all week according to all the weather websites, so I've got jumpers, umbrella, etc. as well as something to go out in. And the most important thing is packed: my camera. Or should I say, my cameras plural. I've got my tiny little pocket digital camera, my proper digital camera, and two disposables. Oh, and my mobile has a camera on it. It's a shame that camera isn't great, I could have taken some great pics and sent them to people straight away. That's what I topped my phone up for, but I don't know that I'll send many picture messages.

I've been sipping this same glass of Baileys for an hour and a half now. The kids keep trying to steal it from me and I still haven't finished it. I thought I'd have a pre-piss-up piss-up, but it's no fun when you're sitting drinking while everyone else is just watching telly. Simon's on his computer, as usual. So much for my piss-up. At least I have "CSI: New York" to look forward to tonight.

10.21 pm Still bored ... I guess I could study but studying on a Saturday night makes me feel like the ultimate geek. I don't mind studying Sunday afternoons and evenings, but Saturday night is different. Simon had said that he was glad I wasn't going out tonight so we could spend the evening having a cuddle and watching a film or television. He's barely shifted from in front of his computer. The usual Saturday night.

Well, looks like I'll do something exciting, like make cards for upcoming birthdays. I think Kyli's is next out of those I haven't done yet.

12.15 am I've made a start on Kyli's card, annoyed Ricky and Jack for a while, made candles to fill an order and now am back to bored. Thank goodness for blogging. At least since it's my blog, I can write all the crap I want, especially since this one is only really here for my own benefit. I guess I'll write a few quick emails and turn in for the night. Might as well make a start on the book I'm taking with me. The sad thing is that when I lived in Texas, if I was bored like I have been today, I could have just picked up the phone and spent hours talking to someone. I know I could have phoned Shell today, but she wasn't very well and I didn't want to disturb her in case she was resting. It's hard enough to do with kids around without having the phone ringing off the wall.

Awwww, there's me feeling sorry for myself again. Actually I don't feel sorry for myself. Just stating the facts. I'm too cheerful to be pitiful no matter how I sound when I'm blogging.

I had a closer look at some pics that Jamie emailed me a few days ago. They're really good, though I only noticed earlier that one of them has him in it. That made me laugh because I noticed he was stood in these gorgeous surroundings with a fag in his hand. That is so like something I would have done before I quit smoking! I need to remember to ask him where a couple of those were taking. One looks a lot like Whitby, but there are a lot of places on the coast that look like Whitby in one way or another. There's one I'd like to go see for myself, though I'm sure it's somewhere remote and I'd have to drag someone with me. Simon would probably go, but he hates having to walk anywhere (even the shop around the corner) so no matter how much walking I want to do, he'd freak at the idea. Maybe I can get Lynn or Shell to go.

Maybe I can finish off that Mark Webber dream. I think I'll find another pic of him to post just for the sake of having something to drool over.



Oh yes! That's a good 'un!

Something About Me #4

Most of the shows I watch on television are crime related. The majority of them are factual: "Forensic Files", "FBI Files", "Forensic Detectives", "Cold Case Files", and so on. Some of them are fictional: "CSI", "CSI: Miami", "CSI: New York", "Law and Order", "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit", "Law and Order: Criminal Intent", and so on.

But when it comes to movies, I prefer comedies or light romance. I suppose I try to strike a balance between the ultra serious criminal world I watch on telly and light hearted comedies on film. I can't watch sad dramas. There's only one reason for that: I cry like a baby. When I watched "A.I", I bawled my eyes out. The same when Julia Roberts died in "Steel Magnolias". So, instead, my films of choice are those like "While You Were Sleeping" -- my all time favourite.

Books are completely in a different direction yet again. Most of my collection consists of history books and historical romances. I love Jane Austen. And after the stresses of university, kids, etc., it's very relaxing to chill out with a romance from Johanna Lindsey. I like crime and legal novels, too, but they don't make up as much of my collection, although I do have quite a few by Jeffrey Deaver, Val McDermid and John Grisham.

I'd love to know what a psychiatrist would think of all this. I've always been a hopeless romantic, but all the crime stuff is a bit weird. No wonder I'm studying law and criminology. I can "channel" it all into something positive. Otherwise people might start to wonder about me. Okay, let me rephrase that. I know people already wonder about me. People might try to avoid me if they knew all my crime fascinations.

Something About Me #3

I never said these were going to be interesting. They seem to be a fairly good cure for boredom though. I highly recommend it. Don't worry, I don't have to get up to 100! I'll give up eventually.

Anyway ...

I regret being such a goody two shoes when I was a teenager. I know, regrets are useless things, so I don't regret it in a pining-away-for-what-might-have-been kind of way. I mean it in a "WOW! I wish I knew then what I know now!" kind of way. Was I really afraid of sex? Scared out of my wits is probably more accurate. No, I take that back. I wasn't afraid of sex. I was afraid of my father finding out I was having sex, so I just didn't do it. Not until I was 19.

Not that guys didn't try. Okay, not lots of them, but a few tried. I could name them, but if they ever came across this by doing a Google search for their names, I would be highly embarrassed to find out that they don't even remember me. Humiliated even.

I don't think I would be slut if I had to do it over again, but I would definitely have made sure the experience I had losing my virginity was memorable for the right reasons instead of the reasons I do remember the event. One of my friends has told me a few tales about his sexual exploits in the pole vaulting pit at our high school, and I believe he mentioned the stairway as well. That's a bit more daring that I think I would be, but not by much!

Diary Entry

1.29 pm I think I must have overdone it yesterday when I went to uni. I kept getting so sweaty, then cooling down again, then getting hot, over and over, so my chest really hurts today from the silly cold. I stayed in bed instead of going to my seminar, which I hated doing, but I just couldn't manage it. I have GOT to get into shape. When my next student loan installment comes, I'm joining the gym on campus. It's not just to lose weight. I happen to like the curves I've developed once I stopped looking like a stick insect, but there are bits that need firming up big time, and I don't want to wait until I'm too old and run down to do it!

Pete's sent me some more of his songs. I'm hoping to get them put onto a CD to take with me on the trip, especially his instrumentals. Not that I don't like his singing, but his instrumentals are so mellow and soothing they can be really relaxing! I've just got to get Simon to help me do it, and since Simon doesn't like Pete, this could be a challenge.

I had ordered a new top a while back from a new company I came across, and with your first purchase I was supposed to get a set of luggage. Just a small set, but I thought it looked really cool. Well, the top was out of stock, but they still sent me the free luggage! Malorie saw it and got the "I wants", as usual. It has a smaller bag that I can use for my camera and documents, etc while I'm out and about. I was going to go try to find one today, but now I don't think I'll need to. It's just batteries and tights I need to get hold of, as far as I can tell. I've even already got some snack stuff. And Pepsi. I've got four small bottles of Pepsi so I can avoid total withdrawal symptoms, so long as I ration it out!

I'm wondering if there's a chance I might manage to get a room by myself. Not that I'm such a loner that I want to be on my own, but Dennis said last night that there were still six places available, and even with him discounting the trip down to £100, there haven't been any takers. I guess it's too last minute. Since everyone else going happens to be years (if not decades) younger than me, I'm sure that I'll be the one left on my own. Oh well. I'm used to it by now.

My dreams last night were weirder than usual. I gave birth to six bats. I guess this is in contrast to the four monsters I gave birth to in real life. I also had a job on a pit crew, and Ralf Schumacher was throwing a temper tantrum. Nothing new there.

3.50 pm I've been looking at photos on a CD I made last year of all the photos I was able to salvage after the big split from Richard in 2000. I'm paranoid about losing this disc or having it corrupted because these are really the only baby photos I have of the kids, so I'm trying to put as many online as possible. At least then I can access them whenever I want, unless the websites go bust or something like that.

I found these pics of Jack today. How can I look at these and not smile?







And some of Ricky, also real gigglers:







I can't leave Braden out of it:







And even though I got Malorie recently on her birthday, I just have to post some more:







I don't have any of Daniel when he was a baby or toddler because I didn't move in with Simon until Daniel was 9, but I won't leave him out:







5.12 pm I hope those are the last bits I needed to buy for the trip. I can't afford to buy anything else! I just got some rechargeable batteries for the digital camera (it was silly to buy the regular kind when you compare the price), a new hairbrush for my shorter hair, tights, socks and bits to nibble on. Simon even went with me to Morrisons, which is a shocker. He usually doesn't go anywhere with me. I think he's going to miss me.

7.50 pm I'm a taxi again tonight. I usually get annoyed at having to play taxi for Simon and Allan, but it does give me a chance to see Shell, so I don't really mind. At least it gets me off the internet for a while. Besides, Shell and I are going out tomorrow night, and I can always remind Simon that I drove him tonight if we're stuck for a lift.

Wow, how am I going to cope next week with no internet? I wonder if they have internet cafes in Brussels.

10.36 pm I could just drop off to sleep now, but I still have to go fetch Simon and Allan from Clowne! I'm glad we aren't going to Clowne tomorrow. I'm bored with it. There's never anyone interesting there, just a bunch of kids hell-bent on getting pissed and starting fights, even (or especially) a lot of the girls. I think Brimington is more my style. There are more of us older pissheads. They still play some of the music too loud, but they play better music, not just dance hip-hop stuff. The only draw back is that none of the pubs in Brim serve Bailey's Glides! At least they didn't the last time we were there.

I don't think I'm tired actually. I think I'm bored, and there's no time to get started doing anything because I'll only have to leave to go fetch tonight's pissheads. Simon gets quite loud when he's had a lot to drink, so we'll just have to see how tonight goes.

Something About Me #2

I did so well with number 1, I decided to go for number 2! This time I have a photo to go along with it:

I was once a movie extra in a film called "Necessary Roughness". It was filmed in Denton, Texas, on the University of North Texas campus, and it was about a college football team who had to drag itself up after a big football scandal. The quarterback was played by Scott Bakula. He was the guy in "Quantum Leap" and the pre-quel "Star Trek" series. I forgot what the name of it was. Was it "Enterprise"?

Anyway, I spent three nights sitting in a football stadium playing cards with other people between takes and jumping up and cheering when they were filming. I even got to run out onto the field for the closing scene and jump up and down with the stars of the film.

I managed to find a copy of it on DVD, and thanks to the wonders of pausing, I even managed to find myself in one of the crowd scenes. Geez, I was so skinny back then no one else would recognise me!

Here's a picture I took of Scott Bakula on the first night of filming. I also have a picture of me taken with him, but it's in a frame and the picture is stuck to the glass. I don't dare try to peel it off to scan it, if I even had a scanner, but I'll see about taking a picture of it and posting it as well.

Oh wait, I found where I must have scanned it years ago!

Something About Me #1

I keep seeing on other peoples' blogs these lists called "100 things about me", and I'm feeling a bit left out. BUT I'm not so egotistical that I would dare believe I could come up with 100 things about me that would be interesting enough that someone would want to read through the whole lot. As an alternative, I'll try to post 1 new thing about me when I think of something, and we'll see how many I can come up with. I can't promise they'll be interesting. I can't even promise they'll make sense.

So -- Something About Me #1:

I'm a chronic list maker. I thought of this after a conversation with my friend Pete earlier. He said he had made of list of things to do and wished he hadn't (I guess it was a very long list). I have to make lists or I forget everything I need to do. So, I make lists. I might look like I'm unorganised, but I'm really not. I probably have a list. At the moment, the lists I have going are: my Tesco online order; the candles I need to make to fill orders; the things I need to buy for my trip to Brussels (now down to 1 item -- batteries for my digital camera); and the things I need to pack for my trip. After the trip I will probably have a list of books I want to have a look at for my criminology assignments due in April.

Hey, I did warn you! I never said it would be interesting!

Diary Entry

11.10 am I could cry. I'm fighting back the tears as it is, which is making my nose run even more than it already was from my cold. I felt too rough to go to my 9.00 seminar, but by about 10.00 I was feeling better, so I got ready to go. I figured I could be at uni in time for my 12.00 lecture. Only now my car won't start. That didn't surprise me. The thing hasn't started properly for months. I've been taking Simon's car, but he won't let me have it today because he has to go meet one of his computer mates. I asked him what they were meeting for, since he has to go all the way to Doncaster to meet up. "Because he wants to meet me". One of his internet friends. Sounds dodgy to me. But it's of the utmost importance because it takes priority over my university education. So he said he'll take me to uni, but he has to go have a shave first. Yep, I'm going to be late. I'm so pissed off.

7.10 pm Boy, was I bitchy this morning! Simon went out and started my car. Of course, I got the "If you had let me do that to start with, you would have made it in time for your 12.00 lecture". I almost said, "If you'd gone out and started it for me when I first asked you to, I would have made it in time", but I bit my tongue. I just looked at him and said, "You do pick your timing for running off to meet your mates" meaning it as a joke, but he wasn't in the mood for joking. I always try to lighten things by cracking jokes, and he knows that, but this time he decided to take me seriously, with the result that I burst into tears. Oh well, I'm better now.

I did make it in time for my crim theory lecture. In fact, I made it to the campus an hour and a half early, too late to go to the other lecture, but early enough to sit and chill with a mochaccino. They even had a string quartet playing music in there today! That was a bit odd, but it was a very nice change. I don't go in for a lot of classical music, though I do find it helps me concentrate sometimes when my brain doesn't seem to want to function.

When the crim research methods lecture let out, several of my classmates came into the area where I was sitting, but no one seemed to recognise me with the haircut. Jamie didn't until I walked up and spoke to him. So far everyone has said they like the new do and that it suits me. I hope that's true and they aren't just being nice, though I'm glad they're being nice instead of making goofy comments about it. I suppose I'm just paranoid, but I'll get over it.

I enjoy my criminological theory lectures. I guess it's because I find ways off applying the theories we're being lectured on to real life examples. That's probably because of studying so much sociology in the past. Today's lecture was on feminist theories of criminology, one of my favourites! I wouldn't call myself one of the bra-burning man-hating feminists -- how can I be a man-hater with my track record in marriage? -- but I'm still a feminist and like to compare my ideas to other theories.

I got to discover a new place on Ecclesall Road today when Jamie and I went for a coffee. It's nice sitting with a coffee (at times I kept wishing for a cigarette too, but that's another story) discussing the world in general, political ideas, sociology, etc. Actual grown up talk. And definitely 100 per cent nicer than sitting on my own in the Learning Centre pouring over books. Next time I told him it's my treat though.

There are times I wonder how people's minds work though. After our criminal law seminar, Donna said to enjoy myself next week in Brussels, but to behave myself around Dennis. He's our criminal law tutor, and he's also going on the trip. Now, why on earth would she say that? I think it's more his reputation as a flirt than anything I've said or done, and the fact that I'm closer to his age than any of the other students on our course. I just said, "Oh yeah right, don't you think that if I were going to have an affair, I'd do better than that?" I realised how bad it sounded afterwards, but I meant that I'm not so stupid as to have an affair with one of my lecturers/tutors. And what is the deal with people thinking that if you're female, you can't have male friends? You have to be "at it".

At least my car started when it was time to come home. I could just see me standing there trying to get the battery hooked up to the charger in the dark. I'm usually handy with things like that, but knowing me, I'd still screw it up somehow.

My new CSI DVD came this morning. I know what I'm going to chill out watching later!

8.43 pm Oh geez! So much for chilling out! I checked my email for my candles and discovered someone ordered 40! I have never had an order that big. All different scents and colours. This is going to be interesting. Fortunately I put a vacation notice on ebay to say I would be away until the 26th, so I don't have to rush to get all of them done before I leave on Sunday, but I emailed her and said that I would post as many as I could on Monday (well, Simon will post them for me) and the rest when I return. Then on top of that, someone requested a quote on two large and one small pillar candles. Those aren't so bad because she wants all the same scent, so it's possible I could get those finished before Sunday.

Sometimes (most of the time) I really worry about Malorie. Now she can't figure out how to press "play" on the DVD player. I was telling Jamie earlier how I worry about her because she has no clue what's going on in the world, at least as far as current events. That is, unless it involves pop stars and Hollywood gossip. When I was 17, I remember one of my friends telling me that he was sure I'd be the first female President of the United States, or at least one day be a Senator from Texas. Somehow I seriously doubt that's going to happen now. But at least at that age I was politically aware, even though I was politically naive. I wonder if Malorie even knows who Tony Blair is. I'm sure Braden does. He seems to know more about what's going on. He just doesn't care.

9.50 pm I had a quick chat with Pete before he had to leave to take his wife to work (Aussie time). What a silly man. He always makes me laugh. I know people say I'm puddled, but he takes the cake, and that's what I love about chatting to him.

I'm trying to break in a new pair of shoes. I don't usually spend as much as I did on this pair, but I needed a pair of flats and don't have a lot of time to go shopping in town, so I thought I'd see if I had anything left on my Next account and ordered some leather ballerina-type shoes. I must have had at least that much left on the account because they came today. I still feel guilty though because I don't think I've ever spent this much on a pair of shoes (£30), and I don't usually spend much money on myself. When I do, the guilt hits. Hopefully they'll last a while though, unlike the cheap crap I usually buy.

I have three assignments due in my criminology modules on the 28th of April, then three law exams not long after that. I have got to get my act together and start getting ready for all six when I get back. I've actually started on some of it, but it's not enough. I need less goofing off and more buckling down.

11.08 pm I think I'm having an early night! Yippee!

12.17 am Okay, maybe not. As soon as I typed that, Pete popped up for another chat once he got home from taking Tracey to work. I feel bad, he sent me a song to listen to last night/early this morning, and I haven't had a chance to listen to it. I don't have headphones to plug into this laptop (or at least I can't find my headphones), and I try to listen to his new songs with a bit of quiet. I'll probably manage it in the morning before I head off for my seminar. I need to remember to put a couple of different CDs in my car. I've been listening to Boston this week. I'm trying to decide between Hootie and the Blowfish or Charlie Mars for tomorrow.

Time to take the make-up off and curl up under the quilt. I'm freezing! At least my bitchiness seems to be gone. Funny thing is that Simon didn't seem to notice I was being bitchy this morning. He usually doesn't. Either I'm not as bitchy as I think I am, or he's not paying attention. Probably the latter. He's gotten where he spends 16 hours a day on his computer and the other 8 sleeping. That adds up to 24 doesn't it? My maths are crap.

Amazon Mystery Explained

The Muggles did it!

LONDON (Reuters) - Amazon UK has apologised after it sent an erroneous email to fans who had pre-ordered the next Harry Potter book, and hinted that Harry's nemesis Lord Voldemort might have been to blame.

The email said that "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" would not be immediately available from Amazon's supplier, and suggested that readers search for the book elsewhere.

"We assure you that howlers have been sent to the muggles responsible for this action and we are investigating the possibility that You-Know-Who may have been involved," the company said in a subsequent apology email to customers on Thursday.

The book will be delivered as promised on July 16 to the more than 100,000 UK fans who have pre-ordered it, Amazon UK said. "The Half-Blood Prince", published in Britain by Bloomsbury, is Amazon.co.uk's second-best seller five months before its release.

At least this explains why I got that email yesterday!

Idiots of the Week

Despite my best efforts, I just couldn't top these idiots, so I decided to move them back up to the top of the page and officially name them my Idiots of the Week.

It seems I have the cold that has been attacking most of my family and friends world-wide, so I'm not up to doing much blogging. Being a blogging addict, however, I felt compelled to sit at the computer as long as possible. That should only be a few minutes seeing as how my eyes are watery and my nose is doing things that I don't think I should describe in public.

So, a few notes on the world as I see it:

Seems that Michael Jackson is poorly too. Awww, couldn't manage to go to court today and went to the Emergency Room to get a sick note so the judge wouldn't get pissed off at him for being a no-show. What a nice judge! He gave him the rest of the week off, and all the potential jurors have to put their lives on hold a bit longer. Still, I'm with the judge on this one: better for him to stay away if he's sick than pass on the flu to everyone else!

Ken Livingstone should join up with Prince Harry for a Nazi-commemoration fest, based on the quote the London mayor gave to a Jewish newspaper reporter, accusing the reporter of acting like a guard in a German concentration camp. I'm sure the reporter's "scumbag" newspaper bosses were rubbing their hands together with glee when Mayor Ken handed them that one on a silver platter.

It seems that Mary Kay Letourneau is back in the news. The woman who became infamous following her affair with a twelve year old student, and who gave birth to two daughters by this youngster, is set to marry him now. Let's hope her girls don't bring any of their male classmates home to meet mum!

And a big WHOOPS! to the man and woman who decided that, after consuming a bottle of Baileys between them, they were going to have sex in the corridor at Manchester Airport to celebrate Valentine's Day. That's one way to consummate a new relationship, seeing as they had known each other all of, oh, I don't know, one morning?

I see a theme growing here. Looks like I'm going to have lots of ammo to pick a couple of Idiots of the Week!

Is Your Vicar a Heretic?

It reads like something out of the Tudor dynasty. According to the BBC, the Church of England is considering re-introducing trials for heresy for vicars who don't believe in the "key doctrines" of the 39 Articles, dating back to 1563.

To be honest, I'm not all that familiar with the Articles themselves, just the history behind them. A lot of my research in my previous life was on the church prior to the Reformation of the early 1500s and the effects that the Reformation had on women within the Church of England after Henry VIII's break with Rome. I never spent much time on the Articles because, much to my own dismay, I never finished my research.

However, some of these ideas do sound familiar to me, and the fact that vicars could be prosecuted for them in the 21st century just seems surreal, though I agree that the Church has to adhere to rules to keep from dissolving into chaos. I thought this was interesting enough to post here.

1. The Virgin Birth - There's a one in four chance that your nearest Rev is a heretic on this score. According to a Christmas 2002 poll, 27% of vicars deny that Jesus was born to a virgin. One Hampshire vicar interviewed at the time said, "This is one of those topics I do not go public on. I need to keep the job I have got."

2. The Resurrection - As many as one in three CofE clergy reject the bodily resurrection of Jesus, according to a Daily Telegraph report in 2002. In reality, the question ministers were asked, by Christian Research, was "Do you accept it without question?" to which 66% answered "Yes". This rather takes the heat off - no-one in the Church will object to someone having questions.

3. Predestination - Less obviously, your person of the cloth might get into hot water for denying that God decided who will be saved and who damned "before the foundations of the world were laid". This is historically the most unpopular of the 39 Articles. For 300 years, the majority of Anglicans have always denied predestination. "It represents the most holy God as worse than the devil" said one 18th Century clergyman - and have had to bend the words of the Article to make them say something else. The Article warns believers not to think about the subject too much.

4. Rebirth Through Baptism - This is one to trip up evangelicals who accept miracles like the Virgin Birth without question. The 39 Articles say that children are cleansed of original sin and born again when they are baptised. Evangelical Anglicans tend to see baptism as symbolic rather than magical. This is the heresy that lost the Reverend George Gorham his job at Brampford Speke in 1847, in what is often said to be the last heresy trial in England. (In fact Charles Voysey was convicted of a whole string of heresies in York in 1871.)

5. Purgatory - On another wing of the church, if your local parson is Anglo-Catholic, he could fall foul of several anti-Catholic clauses in the 39 Articles. The Anglo-Catholic movement reintroduced many traditional Catholic teachings into the Church of England - such as purgatory, where sinful Christians are punished before they can enter heaven. So when Article 22 denounces "the Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory" as "a fond thing vainly invented", Anglo-Catholics tend to explain that they believe in purgatory, just not the "Romish" doctrine of purgatory that the Elizabethan writers of the Articles had in mind.

6. Transubstantiation - Another sticky one for Anglo-Catholics, who believe that the bread and wine in the Mass literally change into the body and blood of Christ. Article 28 insists: "Transubstantiation (or the change in the substance of bread and wine)... is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture." In 1841, John Henry Newman, a founder of the Anglo-Catholic movement, explained how you could reinterpret this to allow transubstantiation. One critic said he would no longer trust Newman with his silver.

7. Capital Punishment and war - If you generally see your local vicar with a copy of the Guardian rather than the Daily Mail, the chances are you could get her sacked for denying the 37th of the 39 Articles which sanctions capital punishment: "The laws of the realm may punish Christian men with death." The same Article might also be her downfall if she preaches pacifism, as it tells us that it is quite acceptable "to wear weapons and serve in the wars".

8. Original Sin - The 39 Articles support the traditional teaching that we are all born guilty at birth, inheriting the sin of Adam. There isn't any one branch of the Church that specifically opposes this, it's just generally a rather unpopular idea these days - for obvious reasons.

9. Democracy - Another one to make left-of-centre cassocks tremble, if they are republicans, or even believe that Parliament should have more power than the Queen. "The King's majesty hath the chief power in this realm of England," insists the 39 Articles, adding that the government of Britain belongs above all to him and he should restrain "the stubborn and evildoers" with the sword.

10. God - Not to overlook the obvious, the 39 Articles affirm that God exists. More likely than not, your local vicar does too, but don't take it for granted. The only Anglican minister to be dismissed for heresy in the 20th Century was Anthony Freeman. He lost his post in Chichester - without a trial - as recently as 1994, because he wrote a book arguing that God was not a supernatural being but merely "the sum of all our values and ideals".

Source: BBC News Magazine

That's Not Funny!

Cheers, Amazon.co.uk! You had me worried for a while.

When it was available for pre-ordering, I placed my order for the sixth Harry Potter book. That way, just like when number five came out, I can have my copy bright and early without having to get out and queue up.

But today I had an email from Amazon saying that this book would not be available in the "foreseeable future"! Horrified, I checked news websites to see if there were word that JK Rowling or her publisher had postponed publication. Not a word. (Though there was a story about how my ferry to mainland Europe might be delayed on Monday morning, but that's another matter.) I checked Rowling's official site. Nothing on there.

Finally, once my brain kicked into gear, I checked my account on Amazon. Sure enough, safe and well, there was my order right where it should be.

I know. I'm worse than the kids.

Getting Ready to Travel

I realised I don't really know much about Brussels despite knowing for several months that I would be travelling there this month. I guess I assumed that I would be wandering around, following the rest of the students and snapping photos of whatever struck my fancy. It occurred to me that I would probably miss most of the interesting things if I did that, so I've been looking at travel guides online.

I'm glad I did! It's nice knowing some of the history behind the gorgeous buildings I'm hoping to see, especially with me being a history fanatic. I also might not have known about one of the most famous monuments in Brussels: The Manneken Pis.

Yes, you might have guessed that this would translate into something to do with urination (unless you're multi-lingual, which I am not), and you would be correct. It is the statue of a little boy having a piss into a fountain. All the the best possible taste, of course! They even dress him up for special occasions.





But that's not even the best part! According to the Telegraph online travel section, for approximately £1.70, you can buy a gingerbread man in the shape of the Manneken Pis in the rue au Beurre! I need to put Dandoy patisserie on my list of places to stop. I'd love to bring those back for the kids. They'd get a real laugh out of them.

Diary Entry

1.46 pm No warning, just boom and it hits. Within 24 hours I've had PMT, my period and the migraine that usually comes the day before my period. This is not fun. Still, it should all be over with before my trip, so that's good. I'm going back to vegetate. What a miserable git I am!

7.57 pm I slept all afternoon (nothing new there) but my head feels better now. Much clearer. Now I'll probably be awake all night, which will be fun since I have to be at uni at 9.00 tomorrow, and Simon wants to use his car so I'll have to go to the Park and Ride and go by tram. I hate doing that when it's cold.

Now that I've put a vacation notice up on ebay, I'm getting orders for craft supplies. Well, as long as they aren't candle orders since I make most of those when I get the order. Any others Simon can deal with while I'm away.

What an exciting life I'm leading.

12.06 am I was right. I slept too long today, and now I'm wide awake. I think I'm going to try to drive my car to uni anyway. I'll be there from 9.00 til 6.00, and I have a ton of books to carry.

I've been playing around with my hair. I still can't get it to do what I want it to.

What a crap day.

12.48 am This doesn't seem like a set of good omens. I was just checking out the Sky News website, and it says P&O Ferries have suspended cross Channel ferries until Monday. We're supposed to be crossing on Monday. Chances are that our trip across will be delayed. Then I checked the weather for next week. Brussels is expecting snow for most of the week, mixed with rain. I could handle the snow. It's the yucky mix of rain and snow that I don't particularly like, but it's going to be cold and wet here, too. I hope it snows in Brussels rather than rains because it'll be so pretty. Cold, but pretty. I'm packing my gloves, scarf and umbrella anyway. Those were already on my list.

Diary Entry

11.11 am Nothing interesting to write so far today. My cold is worse so I've stayed home from uni. I can make up two of the three lectures tomorrow and Friday. I feel absolutely lousy. My throat is sore, my nose is bunged up and the glands in my neck are all swollen. Oh fun.

8.29 pm I've been studying and watching television and basically being miserable, so I won't whinge too much here. Lately I've done nothing but complain in my diary, though I guess I have to have an outlet for it somewhere. Days like today, when I don't feel very well, and the kids wind me up ... well, I suppose writing about it is better than throwing things. I don't want to break anything after all.

Today it's just Malorie though. She came in at 7.00, as she was supposed to, and asked if she could stay out until 8.00. I know she's 16, but I've told her that if she keeps acting like a little kid, I'm going to keep treating her like a little kid. Little kids come in at 7.00. So, since I thought I'd give her a chance, I said of course she could stay out until 8.00. Did she come in at 8.00? Nope. At twenty past Braden went out and dragged her in. Otherwise, who knows what time she would have wandered in. She said she "forgot" to come home. I actually believe her, but she's going to have to learn. A boss wouldn't be very sympathetic if she said she "forgot" to come back from her lunch break.

Simon says he's not very well, but he's able to sit and play on his computer with no problem. He said he was going to get some laundry done today so I can have clean clothes to pack this weekend. So far, no laundry. BUT I'll bet when I get back from Brussels, the entire house will be clean so he can show me that he's able to do it, so why can't I. The fact that I'm at university never seems to matter, even though most of what gets tidied up during the week I'm the one who does it, or he tells the kids to do some of it.

Okay, so I'm whinging. Not only do I have this cold, I have PMT. Great timing.

Diary Entry

2.40 am I haven't been to bed yet. I think I'm on the couch tonight because I can prop myself up and breathe better. What a way to start Valentine's Day! Still, there's always the rest of the day to make up for that. I finished Simon's card and gave it to him, and he said he would treasure it always. He already gave me my gift, but I can't say what it is because I would be too embarrassed!

I had made a card before this one that I was going to give to Simon, but I decided I could do better, so now Malorie is going to give it to Pandy. She's certain he's going to rip it up, but she's going to give it to him anyway. That girl is so boy-mad it's scary, but then again, I was at that age.

I've washed my hair and combed all the tangles out of it ready for my hair appointment later this morning. That's something I definitely won't miss: the rat's nest of tangles at the nape of my neck that I have to battle every morning!

I was supposed to go to my crim theory seminar tonight to make up for the one I'm going to miss next week, but the way I'm feeling, and the fact I'm wide awake at this silly hour, I don't know that I'll be able to manage it. If I don't go, I'll tuck myself up in bed with my books and do some more studying like I've done the past couple of days.

11.44 am The hair is GONE! I'm still kind of in shock, even though I love the style and how light it feels. I'm going to love how easy it is to take care of. I'm just going to have to get used to seeing myself like this. I've got to go drop Ricky and Jack off at their dad's, then I'm going to play around with different styles.

As mad as the boys have been driving me, I'm going to miss them this week. Thank goodness I get to see them next weekend before my trip, or I'd have to go two weeks without a cuddle from my little guys!

3.35 pm My head feels really light! I'm wondering if all the weight of that hair was causing some of the headaches I've had lately. I know I always got headaches when I put it up in a ponytail.

Simon's not very happy about me going to Brussels, now that the trip is getting closer. He was joking around with me and said I couldn't go earlier. I know he wouldn't stop me, but I can tell it's not going to be easy when I leave on Sunday. At least it's only for a few days.

I feel lousy, thanks to this stupid cold. I just want to go back to sleep.

7.19 pm Okay, I guess I'm kind of getting used to seeing my hair like this. I actually liked it a bit better after I slept on it this afternoon! It took some of the bushiness out of it. Braden took a picture of me, and I cropped my body out of the picture. That's the next thing that needs work!

I'm missing the little guys! I'm so used to having Jack (and the dog) jump on me for a cuddle when I least expect it, and then to have Ricky come in and say "I was going to give you a hug, but I guess I can't". He says he can't because Jack is usually already hugging me, so I tell Ricky to come give me a hug anyway while I tickle Jack so he'll shift over a bit.

11.05 pm I don't think Simon likes my hair. He says he does, but he keeps making comments like, "This is going to take some getting used to", "Can I have my Melinda back?" and "As long as you like it that's all that matters". When he was saying that, it's the only time I've come close to crying because of having all my long hair chopped off.

I have to say I like it a bit more now that I've had a shower and played with it a bit. One of the problems is that my hair is ultra-thick, so no matter what I do with it it's going to look like a bush.

My Hair is GONE!

Well, I went through with it! My hair has been chopped off! It's so short I can't believe it! I'm not used to seeing it yet.

Okay, brace yourself: here's the pic! Bear in mind when you look at it that I have a cold so I have circles under my eyes, and I haven't had a chance to play around with the style to get it just the way I want it, but basically, this is it!



I've already found some good things about short hair. I'll save a fortune on shampoo and conditioner! I'll also save a lot of electricity since it shouldn't take me half an hour to blow dry my hair. I was making candles earlier, and I thought I'd forgotten to tie my hair back so it didn't get in the wax, but I didn't need to!

Happy Valentine's Day

Diary Entry

3.46 pm Broadband is finally back on, and Simon seems to have figured out the glitch that was keeping my laptop from connecting to the internet. Fingers crossed anyway. I couldn't handle going back to a standard dial-up modem! It would drive me nuts, and I'm a fairly patient person. I don't download stuff either, apart from things like upgrades to Yahoo Messenger and things like that.

My cold is a bit worse today than yesterday, but I guess it still isn't too bad. I can still breathe out of my nose. I haven't taken any cold medicine either. I just hope it's over before next Sunday. I don't want to have a cold any longer than necessary, and definitely not while I'm travelling! It's going to be bad enough having it while doing to lectures and seminars this week. I have to double up on some of them since I'll miss them next week. Still, it'll keep me from getting too far behind. The only one I'm really worried about it missing crim research methods since he said that it's vital we attend all of them to pass the assessment.

I think Malorie has a crush on Coke and Wendy's son Tony. They came up last night for a bit, and they pair of them flirted and punched each other. At least Tony is 17. She usually fancies younger boys, and that worries me!

10.15 pm Duct tape. I need to remember to buy duct tape. Ricky and Jack don't seem to be able to shut up, and instead of talking, they've decided to yell all the time. My head was already splitting because of this stupid cold.

I sound like a total whinger.

Ebay seems to be picking up again, which is good! I've got a few bigger orders than the ones for one or two candles I've been getting lately. I could have had a really good order on some card making stuff too, but Simon screwed up. He told me that the bulk packs of cards which had a label saying "100" each had 100 cards in them. Made sense. They don't. They only have 50 in them, but he put the label with the "100" on them so he would know what kind of cards they were. When I asked him how many were in there, he said "100"! Then a woman wanted to buy 150, and I looked and had exactly 150. Or at least I thought I did. Then Simon told me he'd taken 50 out of each pack labelled 100. Sometimes I wonder where it is he keeps his brains.

11.46 pm Well, I spoke too soon! Even more ebay orders have come in! It always happens when I've got a lot to do, other orders and coming in, and I don't feel well. I'm not complaining though, as much as it might sound like it. I'd complain if I didn't have orders coming in! I love making them. It's packaging them up that I don't like doing. It's a pain.

I need to get up early in the morning, but for once I don't think I'll have a problem tomorrow because I'm still excited about having my hair cut! I'm not tired right now. I had a nap this afternoon because of my cold.

1.15 am I was wanting to finish Simon's Valentine's card, but he won't go to bed! I'm sure that as soon as I get my card making stuff out, he's going to come in the living room. So I've been making candles. So far I've managed six out of the 18 in the most urgent order, but then I have 14 more to make for two other orders. I hope it keeps up like this! If it does, and if Simon finally gets my shelves up in the storage space under the stairs, I can make and store some so I'm not rushing around at the worst possible times to get them made when orders come in.

I've decided on a book to take with me to read on the coach next week: "The Stranger Beside Me" by Ann Rule. I read it years ago and have been wanting to read it again. I don't know how much chance I'll have on the trip, but I'm going to try.

Stupid Broadband ...

Ever since we upgraded to a faster broadband connection we have had nothing but trouble from it. Yesterday it seemed that out of all the people who know who have gone to broadband, only one wasn't disconnected from it all day! Being an internet addict, my husband finally hooked my laptop up to a dial-up connection, seeing as it's the one with a "normal" modem in it.

I tried using it for about 15 minutes. I didn't realise how spoiled I had become. The pages took so long to load, I gave up.

Fingers crossed we don't go through that again! Simon acted like someone had stolen his cigarettes and he was having a nicotine fit by losing his internet fix!

Okay, Maybe It Doesn't Have to Wait ...

Ignore my previous post. I'm having it cut and styled Monday morning. Instead of going to the hairdresser in town, I rang my friend Marie for the number of her hairdresser. Since she works from home, she doesn't charge nearly as much, and I can afford her prices! It turns out I know her as well, since her son is in the same class as my youngest son, so I know she does great work! Yippee!!!!!!!!

Diary Entry

9.10 am For some reason my computer suddenly disconnected from the internet last night and wouldn't reconnect. Simon does so much crap with his computer that mine usually suffers as a result. The last time this happened, I ended up sitting in the shop until about midnight doing legal research for one of my essays! Thankfully I don't have any pressing assignments, but I do have quite a few auctions ending on ebay today, and I'd like to be able to keep track of them. I'm sure he'll kick me off his computer as soon as he gets out of bed, though I can't see that being for several hours because he didn't go to bed until about 4.30 this morning.

I can't go get my haircut today. I'm absolutely gutted. I rang up to check my available credit on my Visa, and I didn't realise the repairs to the ice cream van had used up so much. It's going to have to wait until I get back from Belgium and pay day rolls around again. I was hoping to get it all out of my way before the trip! Oh well. It's not really that important. It's not like there's a big impact on life as I know it.

I have come down with the bloody cold that Ricky, Jack and Malorie had last week and that Braden has this week. That totally sucks. I hate colds. Still, I'm hoping that I can get it over with now rather than have it strike in Belgium! Fingers crossed it'll be gone or at least almost over by next Sunday. I can just see it being like Silverstone last year. I spend years waiting to go to the British Grand Prix, and when I finally get to, I catch the flu and don't enjoy it at all. Apart from coming face-to-face with David Coulthard. That was when my cold was just a sniffle, so I was able to enjoy that. Now if I can just get my period out of the road, too, but I think that's not due until the weekend!

As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to go back to bed. Ricky and the dog woke me, and I'm feeling rough, so I'm going to go crawl back under the duvet and snuggle down where it's warm. If I'm going out with Shell tonight, I'll need to be as well as possible!

10.54 pm Broadband has been down all day for lots of people across the country. It's still down, so Simon connected the phone line to my dial up modem on the laptop for now. Needless to say I won't be spending much time online tonight. I've become spoiled by broadband, and this is just too slow for me! I'll go back to studying when I've finished typing this.

I've got an appointment to have my hair cut Monday morning! Simon suggested I ask Marie for the number of her hairdresser, and it turns out she uses Paula, whose son is in Jack's class. She said she recognised my accent, and I recognised her voice. Anyway, she said she'll chop it all off for me for £10, though as thick as it is, I'll be happy to pay her more! I don't think she knows what she's let herself in for! Still, once it's cut, and now that I have her number, I can keep it trimmed so it won't take a real hacking to get it sorted next time.

Shell and I didn't go out tonight. Shelley's babysitter backed out, so we're going to go next Saturday. Shell said she didn't want to let me down, but she hasn't. These things happen. Besides, I have this cold coming on and my chest feels tight, so spening a few hours in smoky pubs wouldn't have been very fun. It'll be better next weekend when I'm better.

I've tried to study this afternoon, but the boys have been so loud it's been hard to concentrate! Jack has spent most of the time on Braden's Gameboy, and he has to shout commentary the whole time to everyone else in the house. Ricky has been bored, so I told him to go read a book. Jack actually came off the Gameboy and started reading too! I'm impressed.

An otherwise exciting day ... okay, not really. But hopefully broadband will be back on tomorrow so I can use my computer without losing my patience.

Haircut Has to Wait

I'm sure most of you are thinking "I don't really care when or if she has her hair cut", but I decided to put an update on anyway.

I was all psyched up to go for my haircut today. Then Sod's Law struck. If you've got some money saved up to do something, something else more important comes up. In this case, the repairs on the ice cream van.

But I haven't chickened out. I really want to do this! It just looks like it's going to have to wait until I get back from my trip to Brussels.

Oh well, it's only hair. In the big scheme of things (life) it's as insignificant as a single grain of sand on the beach.