I PASSED MY DRIVING TEST TODAY

TODAY AT FIVE MINUTES PAST TWELVE (GIVE OR TAKE) I PASSED MY DRIVING TEST OFFICIALLY :D YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, so as you can see I am pretty chuffed about this. Until an actual photo of my car can be downloaded on to my laptop please see a likeness of Beryl, my automobile for general useage as of today... but she has 'P' plates on and a duck sitting up front! heehee....

Renault Clio, 12years old, red (a far nicer deeper red than the one showed above! More like this colour of text...) and she is lovingly named Beryl... my lil auld ladies' auto :) Gawd I am in love... first drive out by myself tomorrow *squeals* I couldn't quite face up with it today- I was all shakes, squeals and shivers = not driving compatible nature :)

Love, Heart, Hug driving ability!!

BLOGS TO COME....

Beryl, The Renault Clio

Holiday Objectives

I wanna travel places... Italy has to be on the agenda!!

err.... that's about it but I am sure there was more.... Keep your eyes peeled guys and gals!

Signing off for the night! XX

RONI'S 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY!

24th June 2009, RJ, Mam and Dad sitting outside in the fine weather! Silly Bobert getting in the way of a nice shot! Grrr....

Conversing on serious matters...

"I am dead chuffed with this!"

And Billy is triumphant on Singstar!

We are so NOT understanding the rules of Singstar! Poor Sausage Richard

Chuckles... Me, RJ and Dad

Nice photo if I do say so myself!!

24th, after the vast amounts of alcohol :)

Cousin Simon^

Sausage Richard, Robbie the BFG and Lyn ^

Mum advocating Health and Saftey to the masses and cutting her pink hard hat birthday cake!

Puffing out the one and only candle... 50 proved to be too much of a fire hazard

A sample of booze :)

WHAT HAVE I BEEN UP TO? WHY HAVEN'T I BEEN BLOGGING? Well now. There is a story for you. Not a lot I guess it would seem to me looking back on the past month but there had been many a sleepless night and anxious moment spent worrying about my Mam's 50th Birthday party. AND I mean really worry about it. Trying to rally the troops and then organise and clean with my brother more anxious to reach the top score on his play station, my mam flower arranging and my dad hosing down the patio. The fact that food needed to be done and the kitchen and bathrooms cleaned... sigh. It got done and we had a really wicked night- it was worth the effort, although sometimes I wish my friends that I had invited would integrate more with other people.

Anyway, my mam had a wicked time she assures me and it certainly did seem so. I really loved hanging out with my cousins. We are a cool bunch actually. We can't help it :P It was a genuinely fab birthday. Far better than mine, but then it was mine and I hate birthday parties!!

There was people my Mam used to work with- and ergo me too. Robin was there- this kindly bespectacled man with a love of history and a very dry wit. Some others who were really weird- well okay, their wives were really WEIRD. OK, correction.... one was really weird. Actually looked as if she had walked out of Grimm's Fairy tales as a witch. I am being catty but she let me real off a list of drinks of water before declaring that she only wanted water. I don't mind people not drinking as long as they don't stop the fun! She stopped the fun.

Louise and her girls were great. Annabelle is a little prima-doner but my dancing background has given me enough experience to deal deftly with the prima-doner tantrum that soon follows. Kimberley was ace- loves Cheeselets and Mamma Mia, but she too can be given over to fits of tears. She didn't want to leave was the long and short of it. She was my little stooge for the night. Bless her. I need to send Kimberley's hairband back actually...

Ron, our next door neighbour, from which we suffer RDT a lot from *Ron Down Time* It is the time we spend talking to Ron- we seriously love this guy to bits! He is seventy odd, loves his football and gardening and lives by himself in a five bedroom house- absolute legend! He had to meander his way out of our house via bumping into every chair and table and surface to the exit of our house. He emerged from his house at half 12(?) bleary eyed and groggy to feed his fish that he usually feeds at 9am prompt each and every day. We know this because we were out suffering in the garden longing on reclining chairs.

Simon and his wife Lyn (my cousins) came from Bolton- what a sound lot!! You couldn't ask for better dudes (and dudette!) Lovely lovely lovely!! Mary, Bill and Dave came too (hi Dave!)- how wicked of it was for you turn up! I hope you had a great time and weren't too hung over!! It really made my Mam's birthday to have you guys all around her and having so much fun.

My cousin Mary and I fell asleep after an absolutely hair-splitting round of Karaoke on my brother's PlayStation 3 "Sing star" at about 3am. My brother RJ and cousin Si had to try and drag me up to bed off the sofa whilst I was firmly declaring that I didn't know either of them. It explains me waking up with a dry mouth and in full party attire at half eight the next morning with my contact lenses still in. CLASSY LASSY!!

There was booze, oh so much booze, music, dancing, singing... oh God! The singing... I was so drunk that when singing the wrong words and it was pointed out to me- I realised that I couldn't see the words on the screen and as aforementioned I DID have my contact lenses in, so I was just too drunk to be able to read the words. The singing was beyond out of tune!! The poor neighbours!!

I really really hope my Mam did have as good a time as I did!! And of course the people that came! I shall sign off from telling anymore stories!! Fab night! Awesome! haha!!

Michael Jackson

I am harbouring no delusions that I will be the first or last person to blog about Michael Jackson and what he meant to them personally, but since I haven't blogged in over a month I think it is an apt time as any to re-emerge myself in the blogging world.

I remember the first time I was given my own tape player. It was this chunky black box thing with two cassette players in it. It was bought so I could practice my dance lessons to. My first tape my dad gave me (no doubt from hearing far too much 'bar' work ballet music) was Michael Jackson and Thriller. I loved it. (He gave me another tape soon after having been sick of hearing Thriller on repeat for the last week over AND over again!! The other tape was Bruce Springsteen- one of my Daddy's favourites- Tunnel of Love.)

The death of Michael Jackson didn't hit me hard when I heard about it. I was fairly apathetic. I was apathetic towards the media explosion. However, on seeing his songs performed tonight by some people like me, too young to really have known him in the beginning, who just listened to his music and HEARD.

His memorial tonight was beautiful. Overdramatic in parts, but I just associate that with Americanism and their ability to tap into their emotions (and simultaneously their tear ducts) with such apparent ease. I guess it is here, in England, the stiff upper lip comes into play, but even then I should probably admit I did shed a few tears to the man he was and the man he could have been.

The highlight for me was the young lad off Britain's Got Talent singing a MJ song that has propelled him into hitherto unknown stratospheres of celebrity-ism (as I call it) and, of course, Stevie Wonder- my absolute singing highlight. Queen Latifah was my personal talking tribute highlight. Maya Angelou's poem was fabulous. *I love that lady!!* I related to Queen Latifah as the distanced admirer of MJ's stuff.

Well Michael Jackson, Rest in Peace. You deserve it. Let your music reign.

FINALLY SOME GREAT NEWS

Finally, on my blog I get to report some GREAT and I repeat GREAT news. I feel I have been whining a lot recently and for that I am sorry.

But here are my top ten of the week:

(I find it is my easier way of saying the best bits I have done this week!!)

1. I GOT MY MASTERS FUNDING!! That is right- I GOT MY MASTERS FUNDING! HELL YEAH! BABY DOLL (as my flatmate used to say in the 1st year) BABY DOLL- FUCKING YEAH! As you can see- I am well chuffed about this! It is such a weight off my shoulders!! I can buy a car to get there and I can afford (just about to save myself!!)

2. RJ (my bro) has an interview where I work tomorrow!! I am really pleased- I am having my fingers crossed. Although apprehensive that he is working where I will be if he is successful in the job interview- I will just be sooooo pleased he has got a job. His confidence has been shattered by being made redundant.

3. I met up with my "history gals" yesterday! It was immense! We went and saw the new exhibition at the British Museum- "Henry VIII: Man and Monarch". ok, ok, ok, it was guest curated by David Starky (not my favourite historian (I still reckon there should be some more female historians on the tellybox!!) We had a great day- we went and visit Buckingham Palace (the outside), saw a mini guard change and chillaxed in St. James' park. We also just wondered round London- It was just a great day. We do genuinely talk about history and it is not pretentious. One of my favourite mates suggested that I look to apply for a job after my Masters at Wellcome Library because it is where I did my dissertation research and it is what I am really interested in!

4. I met up with my mate Bradders in London for drinks and dinner and catchups. I loved it. It was a good old catchuo- It is just such a smae we cant meet up more regularly though we have promised to do it more often since we worked out it isn't that far away!!

5. I love summer. The sunshine= hearts!! I am only a little red, but I do soooooo love just frolic-ing in the sun! I like eating ice-cream and playing frisbee and walking and looking. Everythi8ng looks so much better in the sun. London looks glorious. Big Ben chiming in the back ground, the nearby clip-clop of horses hooves opf the Royal Household Cavalry, the hum-and-buzz-of bees, ruffling of grass, the shrill laughter, kids gurgling pleasure and the general atmosphere of contentedness.

6. BBQs. My dad has officially nailed the BBQ cuisine. He is a legend! He has produced some good shiz from Thai chicken with hot cucumber salad, his own bbq sauced ribs, home-made burgers, toulouse sausages, and finally his salmon with sweetcorn and chilli chutney. Ace stuff!

7. I have decided to grab something by the balls and go with it. i.e. just ask someone out! whoop whoop!

8. I have finished writing all my letters- one to SJ, one to Masayo my Japanese penpal through Windsor, and also my reply letters about my masters- I am ticking "ACCEPT" to them all!! YAY!

9. MUSIC- this is just a great appreciative note to Lily Allen's new album, Muse (as always), Paramore, Amy Winehouse and Razorlight for their music of late. It has just elevated my soul as it were :)

10. Feeling content. Ok, so it is not something to particularly blog on but I do feel really content and settloed at the moment. I just wish I could spread the feeling to everyone. One friend in particular recently had suffered a loss that I couldn't deal with. For him, my thought are with him and for all my positive moments this week, I am fully aware of the fragility of life. In a sick way it just makes me all the more aware of how grateful the position I am in.

Love, Good feeling and positivity to one and all!

Enjoy the sunshine and good feeling!

XX

The Purpose??

On days like today I wonder... Is barreling backwards and forwards boxes of audio guides where I want to go in life?

No is the answer, but it does pay the bills (what little of them I have to pay at the moment!) and the people I work with generally always a good laugh. Still, days like today I wish there was just something with a little more substance than just ME in my life.

I am a Leo (starsign) for sure, which means I am supposed to like being the centre of attention. Now this works for me in a perverse way- I like to earn my way to be the centre of attention. I do not want to be the centre of attention just because it is my birthday for example- I have not chosen my birthday. I have not earned it therefore I do not want to be centre stage. I had this issue when dancing in competitions- If I didn't feel I earnt it or just didn't car you can bet you bottom dollar I wouldn't have danced my best! I am a buggar like that... :) However, my first degree- now I worked MY ARSE off for that so I am quite proud of that and will do my showpiece best to be in the limelight.

Otherwise I live for other people. Apart from that slight egotistical twist in my character I do prefer to live my life around others. I like to have people celebrate things and do things that I tag along to..

My basic point of this blog is that one of my friend, with two kids, is getting married next month. She is the same age as me. She has everything worked out (or at least I think she does.) I am no closer to being married (not that I want to be married necessarily) or have kids (optional) but she knows what she wants and what she is doing. She is charge of people (kids) that rule her day to day life. While I shouldn't envy her that, I do. I PREFER not to think about me. I am no closer to being a responisble adult that when I left for uni. I am still doing a studenty type job and I have no solid concrete plans.

However, one day in the near future I am sure I will regret this blog and my carefree manner when I have a life of too much responisbility and full of kids and partners needs. Still, today, I feel like a teenager.

Rant over :)

My Garden I: My Swing Incident

I love my garden. It reminds me of my Grandma. I loved my Grandma hugely. This is like a huge statement for me. Most people say they love their family and I do... but when it comes to wider relations I have four I can say I truly love to bits. My Gran was one.

She got me into gardens. We mainly made mud pies from an early age with what she called "clean dirt"! My mam went mad because we went home caked in mud (me and my brother once he was old enough).

I can just feel peaceful and rested in the garden. The only thoughts I have entering my mind are nice, more positive ones than any other time. (I have started to listen to music again to get me to sleep- never a good sign. I need it to block out thought that harrass me at night. I feel like Bella at one point during the Twilight saga where she turns this CD on and listens to it to drum out the worst of her thoughts. La voila. That's me. I think I ahve too much of a conscience.)

Anyway, MY GARDEN.

THE SWING INCIDENT.

Or perhaps I should say incidentS. The first time I went to go and sit on my tree swing and have a bit of a rock whilst admiring my garden. I am very proud of it at the moment. We have put a lot of hard work into it this year instead of going on holidays. Go us and our eco footprint decreasing with less airmiles to Spain! Anyhoo.... I was on my swing, swinging (as it goes) but I got a bit enthusiastic with the swinging forgetting I had a cup of tea in my hand!! DOH!! OUCH!! All over me!! lol I was drenched in scolding hot tea! I hot footed it down to the kitchen hokding my skirt away from my thighs!! OWWWWWWW!

Second incident... more serious lol! The swing broke. I was swinging again. This time minus the scolding hot cuppa but again with the enthusiastic swinging came a swift crunching snap of the sun-dried rope and hasty fall from grace. It is quite a high swing but thanks to arm muscles I didn't know I had, I managed to hold myself from falling as fast with one arm whilst twirling prettily around the falling rope to sink gracefully to the ground, my skirt fluttering delicately behind me, then settling to a circular hoop around me. My dad looked up and said something along the lines of that was almost graceful and gave a huff of a chuckle! Teehee It is quite graceful for me but I tell you what, my swing is well and truly knackered- I need a new everything- something to do when the weather is nice...

The only problem is now (apart from the broken swing)... I have rope burn around my upper arm and in my armpit from my Cirque De Soleil (sp?) -esque fall from grace!! Additionally I have seemed to have pulled a shoulder muscle... I look like a crow with a broken wing if I need to use my arms for anything- which is surprisingly a lot at work- handing out audio guides and the such like...

However, upside- my lettuces, sunflowers, lavender (which I want to make relaxing bath oils from), chillis and chives are benefitting from the rain at the moment! They surely enjoyed their mummy prancing around the tree swing in her frolics!

Please let the sun come out again for me to enjoy my garden :) I need some quiet head space...

GOOD NEWS FINALLY!!

I have been asked if I would like to (as I had pestered them before) work in the chapel archives at work!! YAY!! I will be working with old books!! yay yay yay yay yay yay!!

Finally!!

yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay

Details to follow when I know what I am doing. I think I shall try and angle it for one day a week!! :D

SCHOOL "CHUMS"

Argh.... I had that moment yesterday that we all dread- when we meet someone unexpectedly who we went to school with. We so desperately want to be impressive and cool and important.

Yeah, guess what?

It didn't happen!

I was wearing a daft hat at work, standing outside in the muggy heat welcoming pervy old men into *enter tourist industry* with midges and greenflies from an infected nearby tree roaming around my head and having a particular affinity with my face!! Then she rocks up, thin, pretty (as she always was) and with a cute American boyfriend.

Damn.

At least she talked to me right? And seemed well pleased to talk to me- I hope it was not out of smugness for my situation! She is a dancer (professionally.) She left school and never looked back. She works hard. She now dances all over the world. In America for example. She was on holiday in the UK and bringing her boyfriend home and showing him the area. Damn. I can't really beat that. "What have you been up to?" "I work here, graduated last summer...." I tail off and ask more questions about her.

I just lack the cool-factor.

At least she was really nice. I am really grateful for that. And the memory of me beating her in a tap dancing competition once when I was little is particularly comforting... It is a consolation prize of "I could have done that if I had wanted to!" I did used to want to be a dancer... I just lack the natural aggression and bitchiness inherent in the industry to do it and be successful. I am far to easily manipulated by other people's thoughts of me.

It harks back to a convo I had with my dancing girls- when we had a bit of a get together at Easter. Jo and Polly had really tried to get into the industry. They are pretty self-assured characters. They know who they are and what they want in life. I am not. Neither was my other friend Charis. She was suffering from the same issues I had at uni. Polly and Jo gave up on the dancing game. Too competitive. Dancing wasn't fun anymore. If they couldn't do it, I would have been breakfast for the competition. I would have been eaten alive.

At the end of the day I am just pround of my historyness, my lumpy mid-section (instead of hardcore steely abs) and idiosyncracies!

Just at moments like that one yesterday... I just wished I had a shred of coolness.

Integrity in Recession

Howdy there guys!

I have been a bit off-colour of late in blogging. I just feel as if I have nothing 'personal' to say. Now I have several things, SOOOO

So I am going to try and get them all out in the near future i.e. the next hour if my memory lasts that long!

So...

INTEGRITY IN RECESSION.

Something we often don't associate together.

At work we often have days where it is quiet and we stand around (or indeed sit sometimes) and have a bit of a gossip. I was talking to one lady and we were discussing news headlines which at this time made 95% of newspaper's front pages. (It was a little while ago.) We discussed that while all these figures are scary and daunting.... 2 million unemployed etc etc. My brother is unemployed. I can relate to this. Her son was unemployed. We can relate. We found that increasingly we can relate to these headlines and it was therefore more shocking to us BECAUSE we KNEW someone who was going through the exact same problems.

Recently we had a bit of a scare. Well, in the end it didn't involve us directly. My dad was approached by boss this week and told that one guy of my dad's outfit was being made redundant. We were worried. Of course we were. Who would be next?

By the end of this week my dad was again approached by his boss and told that another person would have to go. Only 3 salesmen would be allowed to operate under this section of the company. Now my dad had been brought on under this section of his company to pick up falling figures. My dad is a bit of a terrier with a bone- once he has it he won't let go. He likes a challenge, even if the other dog who wants the bone is bigger. His boss told him that he had a choice.

He came and picked me up from work and on the way back home he said to me that he had been given an "option". EEK. Worry time. He gave a dour look. He had been told his job was safe regardless. He is the only person making the targets. HOWEVER there was a vacancy for a job in another section that was weak and wasn't hitting financial targets. They wanted him to come over, where his job would most definitely be secure and he would save his other three colleagues from having to (as far as I understand it) apply for their current jobs, but of which there was only two. If my dad transferred, his mates (as he viewed them) would keep their jobs. Otherwise, he would choose to stay and they would have to come under review.

Now *shamefaced* I admit I wondered what my dad would do. He was NOT happy. He only fairly recently just switched to this section, had turned around his bit and hitting targets. He was just making his mark and reaping the rewards. I thought he may stick to his guns. He is very competitive like that. It is the Leo in him. I have it at times, but since I am half Virgo (I am born on the cusp) I do not display it half as doggedly as he does sometimes. I really thought he may just stay where he was and let Ian (which I am pretty sure it would have been taking a look at areas and figures and all) would go. He has a nine month old kid. I really though Dad would be a stubborn b*st*rd!!

Today he had a meeting and gave his answer keeping us waiting. He has decided to switch over. He is not amused but he said it was an ultimatum at the end of the day. His colleagues would never have trusted/liked him again in the office he worked with. So...

I am sorry to my Daddy who I doubted for a moment. I forget that money and what a person wants to do can be ignored and someone can do the right thing. So I dedicate this blog to my dad. Well done. Sorry for doubting you, but you have a higher integrity than many going through this "recession". Many would have eliminated the competition. Thanks for restoring my faith in my daddy. Fluffly guy :,D

(BTW he doesn't read this- I don't think he knows how it works/thinks it is a little bit of a 'Me' thing to do!)

Integrity in Recession...