Well, not really. But I got a chance to look through some video that Nick (aka Lex) took from the day of the FA Cup Final. What a blast! Here's a little snippit of the trip to Wembley stadium. Nick kept on at everyone for a rendition of Davey the Kemp, so he got teased a little bit at the beginning. Even though Aaron is busy yapping and I'm grinning inanely, I swear that we were both singing like mad.
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Day trip to Reading
I took the longish trip to Reading today to invigilate the first of my students' exams, which is basically just a fancy word for watching them to make sure nobody cheats. It turns out that I didn't have to be there at all because someone else was paid to do it. Either the policy has changed since I last taught there, or I was missing out on some money.
In any case I brought my camera with me in case I found anything interesting. It is Reading though, so that was a little bit difficult. I decided to take pictures on the bus during the trip from the University to the train station.
This is a pathetic shot, but I always think it's funny riding over a bridge that dates from 1697 and connects the residential area to the town center (or should I write centre) while looking out the window to see a bridge built to connect one area of the Oracle to another. What is the O
racle you ask? A mall.
To the right is the George Hotel, a nice Tudor building that happens to be the place that Aaron and I spent our first night in Reading after our 8 hour bus journey from Luton to Reading.
<-- The other, I mean, another Tudor building in Reading center situated quite prettily against a Burger King backdrop.
I don't know anything about the church --> but it is a nice change after the road full of stores built in the 70s.
<-- This place is just jaw droppingly weird. It's a small casino/betting shop with loads of decorative (if you're into gold lamee) crap in the window.
Got to the station and I was greeted with possibly the emptiest platform I've ever been on at Reading.
While riding along, I caught a glimpse of my favorite bunch of trees in the bits of countryside that are actually really nice in between Reading and
London. I couldn't get a shot of them because we were on a low track and I was too slow but they remind me of a patch of trees on the road that connects Chincoteague to Assateague - a dense mushroom-like cluster of trees in a clearing.
Finally turned up at Paddington. You'll notice that all of the non-crazies are walking in the opposite direction to where I am; the direct route to the Tube. I mean, really? Do you see those freakin' ceilings?!
In any case I brought my camera with me in case I found anything interesting. It is Reading though, so that was a little bit difficult. I decided to take pictures on the bus during the trip from the University to the train station.
This is a pathetic shot, but I always think it's funny riding over a bridge that dates from 1697 and connects the residential area to the town center (or should I write centre) while looking out the window to see a bridge built to connect one area of the Oracle to another. What is the O
racle you ask? A mall.To the right is the George Hotel, a nice Tudor building that happens to be the place that Aaron and I spent our first night in Reading after our 8 hour bus journey from Luton to Reading.
<-- The other, I mean, another Tudor building in Reading center situated quite prettily against a Burger King backdrop.
I don't know anything about the church --> but it is a nice change after the road full of stores built in the 70s.
<-- This place is just jaw droppingly weird. It's a small casino/betting shop with loads of decorative (if you're into gold lamee) crap in the window.
Got to the station and I was greeted with possibly the emptiest platform I've ever been on at Reading.
While riding along, I caught a glimpse of my favorite bunch of trees in the bits of countryside that are actually really nice in between Reading and
London. I couldn't get a shot of them because we were on a low track and I was too slow but they remind me of a patch of trees on the road that connects Chincoteague to Assateague - a dense mushroom-like cluster of trees in a clearing.Not to break with the day's theme of stupidity, I managed to get on the train that stopped at Slough. It's the place where The Office was set in over here. I think the US version did an excellent job at picking Scranton as it's equivalent.
Finally turned up at Paddington. You'll notice that all of the non-crazies are walking in the opposite direction to where I am; the direct route to the Tube. I mean, really? Do you see those freakin' ceilings?!
Monday, 26 May 2008
Just another Bank Holiday Monday...
...and it's raining. The kind of steady, dense fine rain that goes on all day. If you listen closely you can hear the complaints of thousands of secretaries (the "Weather Whingers"). Tomorrow you won't even have to listen closely because at about 9:30 am you'll hear the collective cry, "I was going to do a barby" -followed by at least two hours of speculation as to whether there will be 'a summer' or not. Continued, of course, after lunch time when everybody is shocked that they were drizzled on. (By the way, thanks Amon for getting Manic Monday stuck in my head.)
My sister Mary kept a journal of Philadelphia graffiti she saw in the 80s and 90s while on Septa buses. If she still had it, I think it would make a great book. Although I can't say that I am completely for graffiti, the more permanent pieces definitely burn areas of a city in my mind that I would probably otherwise forget.
I, for one, don't have the Bank Holiday blues today. Springtime has sprung and even though it's rainy there's much more sun than wintertime rainy days. I didn't even mind going out to go to the Turkish Shop (which I'm sure will feature at a later time on this blog) for some zucchini and other stuff for dinner. On the way, I took a picture of what looks like it might be an Eine.
My sister Mary kept a journal of Philadelphia graffiti she saw in the 80s and 90s while on Septa buses. If she still had it, I think it would make a great book. Although I can't say that I am completely for graffiti, the more permanent pieces definitely burn areas of a city in my mind that I would probably otherwise forget.
Sunday, 25 May 2008
Ohhhh Ick!
I wondered how long it would be before this blog went down the toilet...
I tend to get sick when I'm excited about things. This means I usually puke when I fly or get some horrible flu - anything to make being in my company really awful. One time I went so over the top after decorating the walls, floor and seat in an airplane bathroom that I ended up being pushed through Reagan International in a wheelchair. This made customs a breeze but was more than a little embarrassing after I was wheeled to my connecting flight and had to wait through a five hour delay. After about a half hour I felt better, got hungry and, to the confusion and annoyance of the people around me, hopped up off my chair like nothing had happened to roam around the airport in search of food. But I digress. First things first.
Rules needs to sort out its online reservation system. We phoned up yesterday to confirm the reservations for our anniversary dinner only to find out that they had no record of it and were booked solid for the day. It wasn't a total loss though because there's a really great Italian restaurant around the corner that serves amazingly fresh seafood and fish. So, still excited to go out to eat (a very rare occasion for us these days) I went for a jog and spent loads of time trying make myself look decent.
We ordered a LOT of food. Calamari and a basily pasta to start off and rack of lamb (Aaron), herby steak (me) with a load of different veg and potatoes. I even got a half bottle of wine for myself. Part of the way through the calamari and staring lovingly into my mister's eyes, I started to feel gross and my stomach had bloated out to about twice it's normal size. By the time the first set of plates were cleared, I was done. I mentioned while batting my eyelashes to my husband of 8 years that I wasn't feeling so well. He asked me what was wrong. There really is no soft way to put the problem, so I mustered in my sexiest voice, "Trapped wind...and it hurts really bad. My sternum, my stomach, even my back hurts." Nice. Way to ruin a great meal. So Aaron shoveled his food down as quickly as possible and I got the majority of mine wrapped up to go.
When we got home, I decided to make things worse. With all the shops shut, I decided on a home remedy of baking soda and water. Firstly, ewww. That stuff's disgusting. Secondly, nobody ever mentioned that you could possibly take too much of it. After (again very sexily) farting and burping for a steady two hours, I turned green and ran to the bathroom. Aaron tentatively asked if I was ok and if I was puking. I warbled out a response that was probably worse than 'yes' - "Not out of my mouth". Nice.
I tend to get sick when I'm excited about things. This means I usually puke when I fly or get some horrible flu - anything to make being in my company really awful. One time I went so over the top after decorating the walls, floor and seat in an airplane bathroom that I ended up being pushed through Reagan International in a wheelchair. This made customs a breeze but was more than a little embarrassing after I was wheeled to my connecting flight and had to wait through a five hour delay. After about a half hour I felt better, got hungry and, to the confusion and annoyance of the people around me, hopped up off my chair like nothing had happened to roam around the airport in search of food. But I digress. First things first.
Rules needs to sort out its online reservation system. We phoned up yesterday to confirm the reservations for our anniversary dinner only to find out that they had no record of it and were booked solid for the day. It wasn't a total loss though because there's a really great Italian restaurant around the corner that serves amazingly fresh seafood and fish. So, still excited to go out to eat (a very rare occasion for us these days) I went for a jog and spent loads of time trying make myself look decent.
We ordered a LOT of food. Calamari and a basily pasta to start off and rack of lamb (Aaron), herby steak (me) with a load of different veg and potatoes. I even got a half bottle of wine for myself. Part of the way through the calamari and staring lovingly into my mister's eyes, I started to feel gross and my stomach had bloated out to about twice it's normal size. By the time the first set of plates were cleared, I was done. I mentioned while batting my eyelashes to my husband of 8 years that I wasn't feeling so well. He asked me what was wrong. There really is no soft way to put the problem, so I mustered in my sexiest voice, "Trapped wind...and it hurts really bad. My sternum, my stomach, even my back hurts." Nice. Way to ruin a great meal. So Aaron shoveled his food down as quickly as possible and I got the majority of mine wrapped up to go.
When we got home, I decided to make things worse. With all the shops shut, I decided on a home remedy of baking soda and water. Firstly, ewww. That stuff's disgusting. Secondly, nobody ever mentioned that you could possibly take too much of it. After (again very sexily) farting and burping for a steady two hours, I turned green and ran to the bathroom. Aaron tentatively asked if I was ok and if I was puking. I warbled out a response that was probably worse than 'yes' - "Not out of my mouth". Nice.
Saturday, 24 May 2008
8th Anniversary Skulls!
Celebrating my eighth wedding anniversary today and was woken up by drilling and jackhammering, but that's normal so I just went back to sleep. Just after I slipped off to sleep again our doorbell rang. I popped my head out of the window to see a postman looking up expectantly and ran downstairs to retrieve a ridiculously heavy package, which I opened up to find -
Apparently, on the 8 year anniversary it's customary to give a gift of bronze or lace. Well, I don't like to see the mister in lace (he breaks out in such a rash!) so I'm glad he opted for some bookends that both of us can enjoy! They're perfectly positioned right now by our postmodern theory...hopefully they're enough to scare anyone away.
We're going to Rules tonight and I can't wait. We went there once before (I think on our second anniversary) and I'm so glad we're getting the chance to go again. Yum!
Apparently, on the 8 year anniversary it's customary to give a gift of bronze or lace. Well, I don't like to see the mister in lace (he breaks out in such a rash!) so I'm glad he opted for some bookends that both of us can enjoy! They're perfectly positioned right now by our postmodern theory...hopefully they're enough to scare anyone away.We're going to Rules tonight and I can't wait. We went there once before (I think on our second anniversary) and I'm so glad we're getting the chance to go again. Yum!
Friday, 23 May 2008
All Thumbs
My husband went out to play football (soccer, depending on your side of the pond) yesterday for a friendly match with new friends and I expected him to come home with a few knocks. I didn't expect this
He wiped out to avoid slamming into a friend of his and mangled both of his thumbs in the process!
(The bruises are far darker than they look. I guess I will have to become a little more handy with our little camera.)
He wiped out to avoid slamming into a friend of his and mangled both of his thumbs in the process!(The bruises are far darker than they look. I guess I will have to become a little more handy with our little camera.)
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