So, I won us a couple of snazzy padded loungers, circa 1972. Think green acid floral, and you're spot on. Cheap! He collected them last night, and christened them, sat out in the dying rays, with his book and a beer, feet up and oblivious to the world. I like him when he's like that. His work has been a tad stressy, and so the opportunity to let him be, in peace, whilst I fannyied about doing dinner, was taken. Watched the hoarding programme, didn't much like it this week. The 60s collector girl was quite annoying. 

Work people are doing my head in today, and I've made that very clear to them! It's like sitting surrounded by 2 dozen chimps who've just had a fire lit beneath them. The noise and crap are unreal, when there's a maestro trying to work! It all jibber jabber, moaning and pettiness anyway. 

Himself has decided that I'm doing to much, and I should take it easy this weekend. And for once, I just might. May not have the car, but I can cycle where I wanna go.  I already have a couple of things that "do" need doing, but some lounging on the loungers sounds like a nice idea. On Sunday, self and the girls are doing some sort of walk, followed by a boating trip. It's all planned, but the nearer it gets, the vaguer we'll be, LMAO!! 

I'll prolly do the gardening tonight after work, or a couple of hour's worth at least. One less thing to do at the weekend, although that effing bindweed is all over the bloody place. 

Just had a pedi. Neon orange. Voooom!

Life's very good at the moment. Loving the sunshine :)

So, met with Donna and Ing at 5.30. We had a couple of bottles of wine, and a strawberry bellini each, along with the usual, very good Italian food at Cosmoba. D had rather cheekily arranged to meet a date there at 7.30. Somebody she found on a naughty website. Little did we know, she'd already "introduced" us to him via online profiles! We thought she'd been stood up, he was late, and so she went to the loo, and lo, he appears, so Ing and I beckon him over and chitty chatty. More wine. Followed by Limoncellos (we always get those on the house). At this stage, I probably should've left, but another bottle of wine. And then the restaurant owner made us his own concoction cocktails, god knows what was in them. Another bottle of wine. Ing, I think wisely left at this point, and we got another bottle of wine. This chap was quite charming, although not my type, and I think he did really well to handle us 3, and brought us drinks too, so can't complain! At 11.30, a mere 4 hours and several bottles after finishing dinner I fled, knowing I'd only just catch the last train, which I did.

Boo met me at the station, the trousers from his uniform had mysteriously dropped off. I thanked him for picking me up in the appropriate manner, gobble gobble, and we went home. And proceeded to be very naughtydirtynastysexy until 2am.

Up with the alarm this morning, and I walked the mile and a half to the station. But I know I'll drop this arvo!

Lost an earring. Other than that, a fabulous night on every level!!

Last minute decision to walk to Findsbury Park on the way home, it took me about an hour and a quarter, which isn't bad, considering all the bloody lights and crossings! Such a lovely evening for it! Tonight's impromtu doings is meeting Ing and Donna for some Italian food and wine al fresco. This weather's not lasting long, so they say, so make hey while the sun shines, LOL.

He did dinner and washee upee last night. We watched some of that Feeders programme on the gogglebox. Some of the ladies that've been at it for a while were in a terrible state - barely mobile and with health and psychological problems. A couple of the younger ones were treating it as a sexual and money-making venture, and seemed more clued-up about what they were doing. I think boo was torn between feeding me for cash, and being horrified, LMAO!! 

He's doing his CBT bike training today. Anything that get's him out of traffic and home earlier has to be a good thing, right!

Yet again turn up at massage class pooped - and end up enjoying it! Last night we did back. It was loooovely, boo did a really good job on me. We poodled into a just-closing Waitrose afterwards, and picked up 3 bags of top banana food, a bottle of wine and 4 bouquets of flowers for £19. Thank you goddesses of rotten corner!

So, I decided to whip up a 3 course meal when we got back. Calamari with chilli and lime, ranch steak with Greek salad and parmentier potatoes and a raaather nice cloudy lemonade jelly for puds! Still lots left for the week as well. I tell people we eat like kings, for a pittance! He arranged all the flowers, beautifully, I washed up and sorted out the washing, we both parcelled up Ebays, and after all that, managed to hit the sack by midnight.

So, a good night :)

I think when my back's gone, and his shoulder is crippled, and we've only been as far as London, it's fair to say we've had a good, and busy weekend!

Saturday, lazy shags, house pootling and gallons of coffee, before setting off on the train to London. Once there, straight to the hotel, checked in, and out the door again. First stop was for massages in Soho, and it was meant to be ear candling, 45 minutes massage and then a 15 minute head massage. All went well for me, but somehow Rod managed to get the ear candling,  some accupuncture and not a lot else, which I'm disappointed about. You think when you plan something in advance, pay, and even visit in person the week before.......la la la

Next up, dinner in a place called Little Sicily, also Soho. Another groupon spesh, and for the price, it was fine. Personally I thought it was a tad too touristy, but I'm quite choosy with restaurants when I'm paying! A very good Amaretto creme brulee though! We had a good old talk all the way through, and I'm pondering a few things.

On the way home we stopped at http://www.lookmumnohands.com/ - an achingly chi chi cyclist cafe cum gallery cum shop, sat outside enjoying a large red, laughing and people watching. We don't do that often, so it was nice.

Back at the hotel, quick change and off we go clubbing. Had a fun night, talked to some interesting people and saw some sights! As always, the funny convos were in the smoking area outside, which I was mostly glad to get to, as the volume level inisde was effing awful, ear splitting. There was also a lot of popping going on, and dry ice, to the point of me wanting to go home before 3, head exploding, minus any alcoholic beverage, I just had 2 Cokes - unheard of! 

And then the night bus. Gawd. To save a £20 taxi, Rod decides we take the night bus. Sitting at a bus stop for 20 minutes, with only underwear and a coat on at 3am isn't nice. Long bus ride back, followed by a taxi, total an hour and 20 minutes to get home. It wasn't worth it to save a tenner, and I won't do it again. It spoils a night, messing about like that when you're cold and tired, no point. It's not as if we're poor. 

Sunday started brilliantly with swimming, jacuzzi, steam and sauna at the hotel. I was pleasantly surprised by their spa, it was nice, and a great way to start the day after a long night. Packed up, and had a slap up English breakfast in the greasy spoon opposite, a mere £3.60, and that included a latte. Diamond!

Then we walked to Liverpool Street, had a mooch around there, and hit the shops and markets in Spittalfields and Shoreditch. Got me a half price dress in my new favourite shop too. I love seeing the new designers and people who can make something out of scraps and leftovers. 

And then http://www.scrapclub.co.uk/ An amazing event, where you get to smash up old TVs, fridges, kids toys, pianos, whatever, with your weapon of choice. It's bloody brilliant! Unfortunately, Rod didn't put the camera where we'd agreed, so I missed 90% of my time, and didn't get any pix, as I was busy reporting the camera stolen and being upset. I did smash a telly up though, and loved it. 

As we came out, he had a call from the son of the chap who hung himself, which was very sobering.

So, a pretty fantastic weekend, really action-packed. Far, far too much public transport though. When you do it for 2 hours every day, you don't want any more, LOL. My back was screaming at the end, and that was with Rod mostly carrying everything, bless him!

I'd like to do something similar again :)

Busy now trying to see what social engagements can be slotted in with TA dates etc. Massage course tonight.

So, we went wine tasting. I sat outside in a very chi chi little cafe, with an aromatic coffee, leafing through Marie Claire, until he arrived.

The Adnamshttp://cellarandkitchen.adnams.co.uk/page/bloomsbury-adnams-cellar-and-kitchen-store
  place turned out to be rather lovely. Much nicer than anticipated really. We were treated to a couple of half glasses of rose, as we mooched the shop, waiting for the others. Some interesting goodies in there, worth popping your head in if'n you're in the area.

Downstairs was lush! All completely unexpected. Plums, lilacs and purples with silver. Sorta "new Victorian". And our tutor was a charming Irishman who'd learned his trade in Adelaide. We liked him, he was very chatty. So, we tasted 10 wines in total, learning as we went along. All beefy reds, my favourite. Except we didn't taste, we actually had half a glass each time, and then drunk the leftovers, so by the time we'd finished, we were quite merry and rosy cheeked. 

We decided to have one for the road, and as we passed one of my client's offices, I wanted to show boo their amazing scale model of London. There was an architectural awards party going on, so I just waltzed in and grabbed a red wine for the bar, and started mingling, LMAO!! He did the same. We talked utter bollocks. I looked at complete stranger's name badges and then went and kissed them, asked how they were, did they want to meet for lunch etc, and gave some encouragement and criticism to young architects. Then boo found badges. So we donned them. Too funny! Next I found myself being congratulated for coming 5th in the competition, and asked all sorts of questions. I just knocked back more red and sailed through it all. I think we had sex, or part thereof, in the very capacious toilets. Anyway, a couple of hours of that, and it was time to head home, several sheets to the wind by now, and a pair of happy blaggers. 

The car was locked in the car park, so we had a wee there. Mine wasn't as successful as I hoped. Attemped jiggy on the stairs when we got in, he was super-enthusiastic, and I think he's done me an injury! I had to take painkillers lol! And then he nuked us a very late, but much need chilli con carne, before we offed to bed. 

So, a bloody good night!

A tad delicate today, but I'm going swimming after work. Nice weekend in London planned, hoping the weather is favourable!

Plans afoot, plans afoot :))

So, "soldier" loses his key at 11pm. Instead of calling his parents, so say "lemme in", they decide, in the dark, in a park, to do a fingertip search to find said key. Result, key eventually found, everyone searching is of course very late home (Rod after 1am in the morning) inconveniencing themselves, their partners/parents/kids and dogs. Of course a key is more important than people in TAworld. Not in the real world though. In the real world, people are considerate.

I'm now very tired, and we have wine tasting, which I booked and paid for after work tonight, so no chance of an early night or a rest.

Oh, and apparently it's "bitter" to consider gone 1am an unreasonable time to come home on a work night. Sleep, pahhhh, who needs it.

This isn't just twattery. This is TA twattery. 

My day that is.

Firstly, after a texty exchange, I have a challenge in mind end of Sept. This entails my back being up to a LOT of stress. I realised that I'd no op referral, so checked on our online calendar to see when my last hospital appt was, and it was 26th March! Called the GP surgery, who read out a letter from the consultant, sent the same bloody day, saying I need this, that and t'other and he's happy to do it. Because it didn't actually SAY please refer her back to me (I'm NHS, he's private), they just filed it. I pointed out the error of their ways. She argued that if I insisted that what the letter said, then they weren't doing their job properly. At this point, my inner beelzebub surfaced, along with my Tory steel, and I let her have it. She said somebody would call me back. So I gave her a deadline. Sure enough, the chief doc did call me back, apologised and said he'd call the consultant personally to get things moving. So, more textys with a friend, and very possiblyyyyyy, I'll take the challenge on, which I'm both daunted and excited about. Although I also think I'm quite mad. Actually dear reader, as I typed this, I decided that I'll take the challenge on either way. If I can't finish, I can't finish, but it won't be because I never started!

And then to a meeting in Hammersmith with a large international hotel group, namely mine. These affairs are usually corporatey and deadly dull. However, I just took the ball, and ran with it. I had a brill time. And so did the others! Possibly the most productive meeting I've been to. Result. Best bit though, when I arrived, my name was hollered across the room, and lo, there was a fab lady who used to work for me 16 years ago! A lil bit of catchy-uppy, and we shall plan a lunch. She was always such great fun, and I'm glad we coincided today! I also met up with somebody worky from 20 years ago last week. So, an unexpectedy good afternoon, personal and professional.

I had planned to gym n swim, but made the schoolgirl error of not packing my cossie. So, went to Tesco's instead, and bagged 2 finest luvly jubbly pies at 55p the pair, twice, and some other goodies from rotten corner. Walked the mile and a half home with 2 shopping bags, and did 40 minutes on the bike. So, exercise done after all.

Called Mumsy, all's good there. Found out dort cooked first ever dinner - burnt the eggs, beans were cold, but sausages were ok. She takes after moi.....

He n me are wine tasting tomorrow evening. Should be fun!

Ad astra per aspera, as we used to say in Grammar School!

Donna. Who against all the odds, got a  job she actually liked! Yes, she has mithered non-stop about the (very little!) commuting, but most of that falls on the deaf ears of those of us who trudge it daily. She's been enthusiastic, creative and I sincerely hope she's invited back after her sojourn in Belgium. Plus she's been given the opportunity of another overseas teaching post. She's been amazingly different, and it's been fabulous. Big up too, for her continued love and support of her friend, R who in the throes of cancer chemo. That too has been a joy to see, and we only see the public version don't forget. She has been a tower of strength.

Shani. Who's life was changed so very radically some two years since. She's battled fatigue, anger, despair, the council, the government and anybody else who gets in her way! And for the most part, she wins. This is due entirely to her bloody-mindedness and her pedantry, which truly rock. She's moved home, got a dog, learned to drive, got a car, got her meds changed, spent a lot of time on physio, de-junked her life - and you know what - she looks amazing for it. She's about to embark on a major project, to help others. Sometimes down, but never, ever, out. She is source of inspiration, constantly.

I am honoured to call both of these ladies "friend"