pics and sticks

The Golden Wedding Anniversary party went off without a hitch. My parents didn't have a clue until the minute they walked through the door into the room at the venue we'd hired for the day. They were instantly knocked over by the emotion. About 70 people had turned up, friends and family, and they got round them all over the following few hours.

I'd repaired old photos and blown some original wedding photos up as posters 30"x20" which were displayed around the room and made an album up of more 8"x10"s which was passed around the tables.
I thanked people for coming and my dad got up and made a short speech finishing by saying Mini-me was the love of his life. I don't think anyone had ever seen him cry before.

My lasting memory, however, is of my 8 cousins and their progeny. Someone was awfully busy with the ugly stick. Euwwwwgh!

the office

In my job there's two things I hate. Most.

1/ people not returning calls. These are the same people who would be leaving me sharp, angry messages on my voicemail or email if the situation was reversed. " This is the 2nd time I've left a message. I'd have have thought someone would have rang me back by now..."

Is it so difficult to return a call? How can they NOT return a call after a 2nd/3rd message is left? Cunts.

2/ e-mail building up quicker than I can delete it. "Inbox" (apparently one word according to Outlook) now sitting at 148 emails, 7 reminders (some overdue by 3 weeks), 22 items unread.

And what happened to ringing people. I work from home. Fine. Doesn't mean I AM at home all day. Please read where I wrote "do not email me as I will not have access to email until tomorrow, ring me on the number below". From now on I'm going to add "you fuckwit" to the end of that line. Let's see if anyone actually reads it, eh?

3/ (OK, I said two but I got thinking...) the twats that walk you up the path, commit to giving business after months of discussion then need something urgently 10 minutes before they intend to do the deal that will require everything being dropped in an attempt to comply with their impossible request, as they tell you that if you don't get XYZ to them in ABC minutes they'll take the business to EFG company/individual.

Those fuckers should burn. Slowly. Basted in chilli sauce.


Yep, it's a good day at the office today.

old, borrowed, blue......itchy and new

Busy, busy, busy. For me anyway. I've spent the last 2 years probably working about an average of 20 hours a week. Some weeks, in the previous job, perhaps as low as 2/3 hours. Not enough sunlight I think. I'm certainly not going back on the happy pills.

Anyway, busy. That's right. Busy working, trying to earn a few grand bonus money for the first time in 2 years, looking good so far. Quarter ends at the end of March so we''ll see what's in by then.

Busy scanning old photos and trying to restore some. My parents celebrate their golden wedding anniversary next Sunday and I plan to blow up some old pics I've borrowed from them. A party is arranged for them and, though a secret, they may have already guessed as we arranged one for their ruby anniversary 10 years ago.

For some reason I got quite emotional on Saturday when playing with mini-me. Got to wondering what she would remember of me if something happened to me. How would she grow up if I wasn't around, that sort of thing. It was just after I'd found what had been causing the itching under my right arm the last 2 or 3 weeks, some patches of uneven discoloured skin. I don't think it's anything to worry about, though I did for a few hours. Obviously I'm not going to go to the doctor's. Anyway, here's an old one.

Yawn

Been in Dublin again this weekend. No rugby this time. Food, drink.

Since getting the train home I've needed a 3 hour coma already.

Much sleep needed. Laters.

Lurgy a go-go

I have a retentive streak that makes it hard to throw things away. What if I find out I later need it? Even years afterwards. So I hoard, re-organise, make that decision over and over as time goes by, throw it out or keep? A never ending cycle.

My office has piles of paperwork, cupboards and boxes of articles, cds or magazines I've never re-used, though thought I might, now out-dated because of legislation or simply the passage of time.
I'm the same with the contents of my fridge. A sell by/use by date means nothing. It'll be nuked, stir-fried, boiled so surely that renders it safe, it'll taste OK, not perfect but OK. I hate waste when it comes to food.

Yesterday I made a stir fry. King prawns, yellow pepper, sweetcorn, broccoli cooked in groundnut oil, seasoned with garlic, grated ginger and lemon grass and topped off with an over generous dose of bird's eye chillies. Add some egg fried rice at the end and serve. Yummy! The prawns were 3 days past. I made more than I could eat and forgot to put the remainder away but had it today for lunch reheated in the wok. Yummy twice!

This evening however retention caught up with me. Think Johnny Cash.

and then there were none

The last few days have been a bit strange. I haven't felt like writing. My best friend left today to go travelling, a year, two years, he might return and he might not.

Of my closest friends one left to live in Canada 6 years ago. One now lives in north-east England, another in London. Exactly a year ago my other closest friend emigrated to Australia. He and the one leaving today along with myself were the proverbial three legged stool. So today marked a final chapter. We grew up in or around the same town, drank together, lived and holidayed together spanning over 20 years.

Today he arrived at my house and we drove the brief 5 minute journey to the airport. The final hug outside wouldn't have given casual observers any clues to the regard we have for each other. A quick embrace, then the last fleeting eye contact before we go our own way. If I'd doubted how much he valued me his face told the full story, probably not helped by my instinctive "see ya' soon" parting comment. Quick and painful's better than slow and painful though.

I've been angry at everyone and everything all day. Close to tears at times. And I feel very alone.