Frog

In backyard!

Radiant Skin?

Well after being a non smoker for 11 days I do think the wrinkles round my eyes have lessened... and my walking pace has yet again increased...aah the benefits - I have seen them before - this time I must not go back...kinda rules me out of 'smirting' tho...

It's ok..

Merton has not yet gone completely under water... but it certainly makes me think a top floor flat would be so much better for so many reasons!!

The floods in other parts of the country are horrific - I don't think I can imagine anything worse... Consequently been a tad subdued by the weather and by the selfishness of fellow man... hence not much posting -
Lucky for me there have been several wonderful moments recently - simple things etc. Ta Mr Squeezy.

There are some famous people I have spotted recently - Douglas Hodge at Waterloo Station; the dishy detective from The Bill cycling outside the tube station and Nasty Nick Cotton at Embankment!
Not long now and my brother and his wife land in the UK so I get some time off to spend some time away from work!! Hooray!! And have been enjoying lots of other sports - the Grand Prix, the cricket, the cycling, and event the golf... summer months are much better than I gave credit for - shame the weather has been so crappy. But even so - Why am I so grumpy?! I have no real reason to be - I just keep waking up in the middle of the night my head full of doubts, questions and regrets... it's not good...

Stars..

'Your heart is definitely yearning for the far blue horizons and paradise beaches. Try to add a touch of the colourful to your social activities, since you want will want a bit of space to your off duty hours. Time spent on your own will be helpful, as you are learning to like yourself more. A significant person may be around who will act discreetly as a spiritual guide. Then in turn you can be doing the same for someone else.'

Noah

Please help!

And then

The heavens opened ..

Station closures on the northern line
Tooting Broadway
TOOTING BROADWAY STATION: Closed due to flooding.
Tooting Bec
TOOTING BEC STATION: Closed due to flooding.
Clapham Common
CLAPHAM COMMON STATION: Closed due to flooding.
Colliers Wood
COLLIERS WOOD STATION: Closed due to flooding.

Bags

under me eyes!


Been here since 9am - and its now about 6.34pm and I am now about to go home and die - quietly!

(except I didn't quite do that - I went for a sherbert and then went home and slept like a log!)

Dawned

on me as I stomped home this evening - the guy we offered the PM job too reminds me of my old English teacher Mr Belcher... ha ha. There's a thought!

By Jiminey

So not only is David now not likely to be fit for the first game he should have played in (against Chelsea remember) his wife has a whole hour on TV this evening showing us sunshine and palatial places to live in LA... It is torture of a similar kind to listening too much country & western...

In other news - well my landlord did a 'great' job in boarding up the mouse hole behind the fridge - but tonight as I type this I can hear the little bleeders trying to get through via the sink cupboard near the window. Oh joy so where on earth they are getting to/from I know not - but I can hear them... yuk.

Erm and the upstairs neighbours resumed noises until 2am. Somehow I was still up at 6.15 and in work by 8.35... married to the job i feel... though my green tank top and pig tails did go down well! :-)

Day 4

And still no u-no-wots...

Back

To trusted technology..

Aargh

My MP3 player has carked it. My shower is having a tizzy fit. My boss is probably not going to be in the best of moods today following Friday's annoyance.

The trains and tubes seem to be up the spout. Not that I noticed as I managed to get to work for 8.35am. Ta da.

And it is so muggy - a few quick steps = very hot and sticky. Welcome to Monday.

Day 3

of no smokes.

Be gone you temptations.

I am sick

of hearing about the Beckhams. LA Galaxy. Victoria's pout.

And now Chelsea doing deals with Disney to be a global brand.

And LA Galaxy with D Beckham playing Chelsea in a friendly.

You know what - I don't CARE!!

Just about

to finish my latest read. And I am putting it off because I don't want to finish the book and not have it left to read...

It has kept me engrossed because of the threads of the story going on at the same time but in in different places. There have been some interesting twists and I know it will have a good ending - but once I have got to it I won;t be able to stretch my imagination and try and work out what that ending is...worse I will then have to pick another book to read and after a stonking good one its very tricky picking the next one...

I still have 'Cloud Atlas' to tackle and the last of the Rabbit series to read...and some Phillip Roth stockpiled... hey ho.... will let you know how I go...

Stage 7

Thank god for ITV4!! Stage 7 of the Tour de France on live from 2pm! The mountains - great to watch. The views - the determination - the sheer fitness and endurance of the men taking part. In total awe. See the 8th stage tomorrow on ITV4 @ 2.30pm! More mountains and a finish line at the top of one... phew.

None today

Following pact last night - no ciggies today. All lighters disposed off and ash trays removed...

Friday 13th

Actually was going better than expected. Good interviews, good meetings, pay day and before you could blink time to go home. Being Friday it meant via pub. Which was it's usual good self.

Until at 11ish I noticed my friend Furry's ruck sack had been taken from underneath our noses. We had been standing outside in our usual place - bags against the wall.. talking, drinking and sharing a pact to smoke our last ciggy when I looked down and only saw my bag.

We looked up and down the wall but nothing. It had been lifted under our noses. My heart was racing and my friend turned pale and disappeared to the toilets. The rucksack had several high value items inside, laptop mainly and someone must have clocked that and seen we were too engrossed in our conversation to even notice.

After the shock. The anger and then the sensible stuff. Called the police and got a number for the local station - went to said station. Sitting in the police station at 11.30 at night is not something I have done before but the other stories coming through via the radio of mini cab drivers harassing people and other fights made me see my local working area in a different light.

I had my handbag stolen several years ago in a pub just off Bond Street. It violates you. You mentally panic and grapple around to make sure there are no identifying items in your belongings. Whoever took mine - pinched the mobile phone and the old Sony tape Walkman (with Depeche Mode's 'Ultra' in it - I was more upset I had lost that than the player) but left keys, tube pass and hung bag over a railing to be found. Luckily my purse had been in my coat pocket. I retrieved my bag the next morning from the police station on Saville Row. But I can't forget the fear I had that someone had had the opportunity to learn more about me than I was comfortable with. Goes to show you can never be too careful. I still just can't believe that with two of us stood there either side of the bags someone was still able to get that close - and we didn't notice.

3000

viewings! Thanks all!

I will try to get back to writing a bit more often - sure there are better things to talk about than my grey mood swings! Like the weather really!! :-)

Sky

After a storm

Gosh!

A day of watching Stage 1 of Le Tour de France (ITV4), interspersed with the British Grand Prix (ITV1), back to the Tour and then a 3 hour 45 minute mens tennis final at Wimbledon (BBC 1 & 2). Needless to say the only exercise I got today was in my remote control button channel changing finger!

Marvellous! Proved there is life beyond football. Wow!

I did cook a mean chickpea curry and bombay potatoes when I did rise from the sofa!

Live Earth..

... Good Old Madonna - still got the ability to entertain! Go girl! And I learnt this evening that the Foo Fighters sing one of my all time favourite songs!

As for the concept - you know I care for the planet - just rue the fact its 20 years too late. We were talking global warming in my geography classes...yup over 20 years ago.

Go Green Kids.
Go Green Adults.
Go Green World.

We only have one and we're in the now quickened process of killing it. Save the Whale. The Polar Bear. The Elephant. The Tigers. The Turtles. Save them ALL.

Le Tour De France

On yer bike! Today The Prologue came to town! And on a course beginning at Whitehall the riders in the Tour completed a 7.9km circuit with the finish line in the Mall. I alighted at Victoria and as you can see had my hat on! London was smiling today.

London Loves! The sun shine and the people - Ken Livingstone seemed to have this weekend licked.



The start point in Whitehall - check out the rider in white helmet getting ready to go down the ramp to start his circuit. I wandered round to Trafalgar Square and watched on the screens until I realised you got to see the riders warming up at the top end of Whitehall! Bonus - so after failing to get any action shots I finally did!













The dark moody form of ?! - who knows - but let's face it with all those very fit athletes on their bicycles and wearing their shorts it was indeed an opportunity not to be wasted by one so young! And this dark and moody chap is quite yummy!









The various sponsors for the race include my home county and the infamous Medway Towns!





















Trying to take photos of moving cyclists is tricky - they go VERY fast - so as you can see - you either get their back up car or hands of others obscuring them! I did eventually find some top spots on the way back up Victoria Street and managed to get some sense of the Tour in London.













It was a really excited feeling - the crowds were from all over the world and the city had managed to adopt a French air about it. Well the pushing in at least! The voices were many - and no-one seemed to be worried about the events of last weekend or indeed 2 years previous. This was a rare opportunity to see the most gruelling cycle race in our neck of the woods.

I was generally excited cos even as a kid one of my abiding memories of summer holidays (apart from test cricket on the BBC and 4 yearly World Cups) is sitting with my brother after a hard day of picking fruit and watching the Tour de France highlights. Now the Tour is on ITV4 - the whole stage live on TV - not just puny highlights! Gary Imlach and Phil Leggett are still commentating and the race still inspires the closet cyclist in me! Tomorrow it heads to Stage 1 - through the lanes and y ways of Kent - which makes me immensely proud and draws together so many emotions - cycling to and fro between fruit fields during the summer - Stu & I doing of King of the Mountains up Stockers Hill. He always won the yellow the green and the polka dot jersey's... typical. But today was about London - and revitalising the Tour.

I think both benefited.

And then

before I went to bed on Thursday pm - I made the mistake of checking emails - only a mere 100+ to check through! Ah well work beckoned Friday. The wind blew but no RAIN!! CV reviewing - calming words and a few swift beers after work...bed at 10.30pm post some E4 'Smack the Pony' (great even now!!).

5th July - Walk!

Oh yes - back on the trail - this time to the south side of London and the Eastern burbs... Tower Hill to Greenwich...

Just over 10 miles and sad to say not much sunshine but I did get a red nose?! Go figure! Words actions and pictures to follow the Walkies blog!

Some pix already on here sent via camera phone as we sat where we were!

4th July - the Little Sparrow

2007 - Happy Birthday to my mum!

I went to the dentist while she potted round SavaCentre (and yes I did cook her breakfast!) we met purchased produce for lunch/tea and meals tomorrow. Then my errant brother rang and I finally managed to shift 4 bags of charity stuff to the charity shop as we walked to Wimbledon!

The reason. Well the rain determined that our walk was out and a trip to watch the tennis didn't look a very sensible use of time. The rain see. So we went to the pictures/flicks/cinema and watched 'La Vie En Rose' - the Edith Piaf story. Utterly brilliant it was too. The actress, Marion Cotillard, playing Edith in her most formative years was sensational.

The back drop to the afternoon was the cinema hall being occupied by the grey haired brigade - no wonder my mum get frustrated - she is not yet a 60er and yet because she has the distinctive grey hair everyone assumes she is. I guess I have this to look forward too... Anyway we trotted home at speed and I cooked Sicilian Bean stew with baked Salmon and also prepared Spag Bol ready for tomorrow's fodder session. Lovely! I think my mum has been disappointed by the lack of out of date yoghurt's in the fridge! Oops!

1st July 2007

From 6am - smoking officially became the biggest crime in the world...
So all smokers are now outside (it's raining - you get wet; it's cold - you get cold) and in fear of dropping their finished butts cos it is an immediate 80 quid fine... joy. So yes. Ostracised and somehow more determined to be a 'rebel'. That said a week into it and I have smoked less. Well can't even stand outside work anymore have to go for a 6 mile hike to find nearest receptacle for butts. And with mental days in the office come fewer opportunities to go smoke...and with Mum staying ever fewer than usual. There is just nowhere to sit comfortably and have a fag anymore... God forbid the Government actually get this right..!!

Mon 2nd/Tues 3rd.

Both mental days at work. Monday I didn't leave office until 8pm (it was raining so I got wet) and Tuesday in at 8.30am and out at 6.30pm (as I got off tube - guess what it was raining and I got wet). I then wonder why my head aches and my shoulders are tense... Tuesday evening I picked Mum up for her annual birthday away days. Iternary had yet been agreed - but a walk and some shops, food and wine were on the cards at some point. If Only I could forget about work...

W/B 25th June

I met my friend Lisa on the Wednesday. We talked of life, loneliness and loves.

It was a week when my boss was on hols so I was at the helm. Eek. Survived and felt okay by end of week - tired. But on top.

We got a new Prime Minister. Please enter the house known as No 10 Mr Gordon Brown. Good bye Blair, Tony - there was so much promise. And that day in May 1997 lives on in my memory. A day off work - on Vikki Park @ Leicester enjoying the sunshine and down the pub with the crew from work to celebrate! Ah Labour united.

I went to the opticians and got very cross with the lack of customer care... or concern for anything except my direct debit scheme. I strongly do not recommend Optical Express.

Saturday my folks descended - Mum was off to see Andy Williams at the Royal Albert Hall. I have to keep reminding myself that it is June/Summer/nearly July. The rain hasn't stopped. Glasters and Wimbledon really have put the end of the month on a damp footing. So anyway we were wet before we even got to the tube station. So we got tube to S Wimbledon and walked swiftly to Slurp for some tasty Japanese/Chinese lunch. Walk back to CW and I picked up my dry cleaned duvet! Oh yes - only took me 16 years to get it sorted!! In that time it was apparent that my Squeezy friend was in the pub opposite so we went in for a beer and a catch up. Went rather well I thought.

Home for the folks to change. Except they fell asleep. I checked the web - tube up the spout so I accompanied them to Wimbledon on the bus and in doing so missed the last episode of Doctor Who..... eeek.

They got back at 11.30 pm. Mum had visibly been moved by seeing our Andy. Childhood memories etc.

Sunday the sun was intermittent so I cooked lunch while Dad got his fingers round the mouse of my PC and the Internet. Gasp!!

Which reminds me on the Friday night I got home to a not quite dead mouse in the trap. I tried to finish it off but couldn't - so let it run into the garden.... however the pellets have since come out and I Hope they do the job... all too soon Monday again. Thankfully a short week ahead...

Been away

for a while.

Not really been myself - so this evening as I defrost my fridge, I'll try and fill in a few events of the last few days....

07/07/07

Today is the 2 year anniversary.

Today has been the most heart warming day in London for a long time.

Today the sun shone and the city went European.

Today - we don't forget. We get up and remember, the only way we know how.

The view

From the Observatory

Tower Hill

To Greenwich. Deserves a pint!