Ouch!

Yesterday I spent a nice relaxing evening in the garden with Zoe, Tracy, Russ & Stuart having a BBQ and a few drinks. We spent quite some time looking at Z & T's holiday photo's and hearing their anecdotes on their journey to Singapore, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and San Franciso. Unfortunately we weren't the only ones in the garden. This morning I woke with about 40 mosquito bites, which the clicker and cream just aren't soothing. I have one lump the size of an egg on my derriere and in several places look as if I've been attacked by vampires. They are very itchy and I am desperately trying not to scratch them as I don't want a repeat of last year's blood poisoning.

How Time Flies

Well it was exactly a week ago today (at this time) that I was stuck on the M25 on the way to Jo's. i can't believe a whole week has gone already ... where did it go?

Bits and Pieces

Finally posting another sketch layout that I did earlier in the month - kept forgetting to copy the picture to upload. Once again it's of Chelsea Flower Show, and once again it's pink! I really must find some pictures that aren't pink to scrap. I really love doing the sketches 'cos it means i don't have to think too hard about what I'm doing. I've now found a fab LO by Cathy Z that I really need to have a go at, and already have 2 subjects in mind ... more on that later if it works out.

Lynne confirmed that she is going to come and stay with me in Spain for the last week of the holiday (actually she confirmed this a couple of weeks ago now, but we went for a drink at the Robin Hood on Wednesday evening to discuss it more and generally catch up). It's nice to know that I won't be alone for the whole time, although of course I'll have the dogs and Carrie & Bill will be coming to visit. And of course I still have access to the internet, so not exactly cast away ...

Last night I met up with Lisa (Quincy) and we went for a meal at d:alto in Bluewater - very scrummy it was too, and nicely relaxing, sitting outside by the river (apart from the spiders - and there were LOTS of spiders!) It's been absolutely ages since we got together and it was really fab to see her. Chatted about a million and one things and of course there was a little sadness at the news that 'The Hoff' has cancelled his pantomime appearance, which we were obviously all geared up to go and see, and her devotion to him, even in the face of his recent troubles is very sweet. Lucky girl has been busy watching Guns 'n' Roses and getting involved in all sorts of strange work things involving gay people and baby blue t-shirts (yep i have pics). Hopefully we won't be so long in getting together again.

She very rightly reprimanded me for not keeping my blog up-to-date (not the first one to do that either) so I am going to make a concerted effort to find time to blog regardless of how busy I am. Just wish I could find the time to get my ATC swaps and my CJ entries done too!

Very Slack!

That's me for sure. I haven't posted for almost the whole month, which is very bad! Mainly this has been due to me being busy, but also a bit lazy as I kept meaning to do it but never got round to it (bit like most things at the moment). I could put it down to the hot weather (and boy is it ever hot!) but that would just be an excuse.

Iain finally found out about my letter to the brewery a couple of weekends ago (the weekend Wendy left) and has refused to speak to me since. At first he completely blanked me, even when I asked him work related questions - he turned his back on me and walked away, and at one point even pushed me out of the way as he wanted to get through - quite a difference to the previous Monday when he was going out of his way rub up against me *bleurgh*. Now his stance is that he won't acknowledge I am there unless I ask a question directly related to work, which he will then answer. Whilst I don't mind being ignored as it means I don't have to talk to him, it annoys me that he's to pathetic too even mention the letter to me and discuss the reasons why I wrote it. I am also annoyed that Spirit haven't bothered to contact me about it either. The problem is that at the moment I feel too despondent about the whole situation to even bother chasing them.

Anyway, I have just spent a relaxing weekend in Standlake with Jo and Paul. Had a lovely time and it was so nice to not be working. The journey there was awful (6 hours!) due to a lorry fire on the M25 and so I arrived a bit later than anticipated. Us girls went shopping on Saturday, leaving Paul to sleep off his late return from Spain, and we stopped in Whitney and had a lovely cream tea in a nice little cafe. Before returning home we stopped at Cotswald Keepsakes (in monsoon conditions - yep it tipped down!) to take advantage of their sale (they have found someone to take them over and so will be staying open - yippee!) and Jo was even tempted into buyng some stuff. When we arrived back at the house there had been so much rain that the road outside the house was flooded! In the evening the weather had cleared up and so we ventured to the local pub for a drink and a bite to eat. On Sunday the weather was warm and sunny again and so we went to see the White Horse at Uffington, and had a lovely walk before returning home for a BBQ. All too soon it was time for me to head off home - not as bad a journey, although I still got stuck for about 30 minutes on the M4.

Very Sad!

Yesterday I had to spend 6 hours without an internet connection as my telephone exchange was down. You would think such a little time would be OK, but it wasn't. I felt completely cut off without the access. The only good thing was at least it wasn't like a power cut so I could at least use my computer. After a long chat to Jo (intermittent as my mobile was playing up too - due to the weather I assume) and a few obligatory games of Spider Solitaire, I finally made the most of the opportunity to get my outstanding Discworld CJ done and to do another LO, this time of Mum and Dad, using that fab sketch again. This time I used the free June daily download kit called Average Joe from Digidreamer.

I still have 2 birthday cards to make this evening and really need to get cracking with my latest batch of ATCs, but I do at least have an idea on what to do for them (assuming it works!)

The weather seems to have cooled down a little bit after the storms, I just hope the nice weather isn't over for the year!

Sunshine and Showers

July already! This means I've been doing this blog for almost 3 months already - doesn't time fly when you're having fun?

Well the weekend certainly has been a time of sunshine and showers - the weather has been glorious, temperatures in the 30s, which is perfect for the parties and BBQs I've been to. Aiden's christening on Sunday was lovely, with Aiden himself sleeping through a majority of the service, only waking up when the water was poured over his head, and the Birthday party was perfect with the sunshine. The showers though, of course come in the shape of England's exit from the World Cup. After yet another abysmal performance (although if they'd played the whole game the way they played after Rooney got sent off then we might have done enough to win) we are on our way home. I am glad I wasn't at the pub to watch it, I hear there were fights aplenty in the aftermath, as usual from the younger element.

No sign on Saturday that Iain knew about my letter, but I can't believe he won't find out soon. Expecting fireworks, but maybe if I'm lucky he'll just ignore me. At least I have company tonight as it's Kim's birthday so the whole crowd will be in the pub to celebrate.