* + * + * + * + * + * +

I am off skiing on Friday evening. Well I am leaving Guernsey on Friday evening and going to France on Saturday morning, to be more specific.

Fran, James, Sue, Laurie, Nick and I are all off for a week of fun in the Alps. We're going to Les Arcs which seems like a really good place for me to start, me who has never skied in her life. It is a good place for beginners, they say. I am a little apprehensive about breaking a bone or worse, so I intend to take things very gently and only really potter around the baby slopes. I am taking thermal underwear, long thermal socks, my new ski coat, special ski gloves and lots and lots of layers, as I am not one for the cold weather which is ironic really but I have always wanted to have a go at skiing. We are going to be staying in a catered chalet, which is interesting, I am excited to see what that is like.

House sale is still ongoing, the survey was fine, wooooo etc so just waiting for it to be signed up, hopefully later this week. Then we're out on our asses come the end of March with nowhere to live. Woooo again. I am worried about all of my plants - who will take care of them??? They are my friends. Are we just absolutely crazy and stupid to be selling our property and getting out of the housing market for a while? Or are we being brave and innovative? I just hope that prices don't continue to rocket while we are away, if they stick around the same then we haven't really lost out at all. It's going to be strange not having a mortgage and all the ties that surround it, wildly liberating I should imagine...

We are selling our boat and Nick's car. Please have a look at www.helloguernsey.com if you think you might know anyone who might be interested.

'Noon.

Hiya. Well we had our survey today and I haven't heard anything yet which I am counting as good news. I know that most surveyors, if they encounter a really really awful property, will phone up the potential buyer and tell them there and then. So that hasn't happened which means that it must be worth the write-up. I'm feeling like one minute I actually wouldn't mind if it was a bad survey, because it would mean we wouldn't have to sell and we could just stay put a bit longer, but I know that is a really selfish thought becuase Nick really wants to sell it. And the next minute I am excited and want it sold so that I can be free. Free apart from an old, irascible cat and a household of accumulated furniture. Oh and a husband.

Life is too short, that is for sure. We've just found out a very close friend, a girl our age, has a cancer on her lung, she just had a biopsy 2 days ago and is awaiting the results. Absolutely shocking, she is super fit, beautiful, full of beans, a non smoker.... what can I say, like is too short and is certainly unfair. Anyway my thoughts are with her and she has a huge support network and we all know she is going to be absolutely fine.

Well I have to get Molly in her basket and to the vets after work, time for her boosters. She will hate me, but I know as soon as she's back home and hears the catfood tin opening I will be forgiven.

The Lions Den

Nick got to play with two lion cubs today at work! These 2 were on GMTV this morning (linky linky) so they're famous lion cubs at that. One is called Sarnia, which is sweet. Anyway there is a lovely piece to camera on channel report tonight. They are in Guernsey for a few months and are really boisterous and 'bitey'. Apparently when he turned round they tried to bite him on the bum!! I was so so jealous, what an amazing opportunity.

* ^ * ^ * ^ ~~~

Another day sat in the office. Booooo. I am drinking my second cup of tea of the day and it is cold in our office so my chillblain on my hand is hurting. It is really sensitive and I keep knocking it against things.

So our house sale is ongoing, the survey is happening this Thursday, shiiiit. Bit nervous, I'm still a bit up and down about the entire thing and wobbling about. I have let friends and family know now, which made it seem all the more official. It's going to be strange not working here anymore. I've been here 3 years which is the longest job I've had, ever. But mostly I will miss my lovely house, I am very attached to it and love it greatly. It will be a bit like losing a limb I think, although hopefully not so bloody.

I watched Howl's Moving Castle last night, wow wow wow that film rocked. I LOVE surreal stuff, and it had wizards, extremely overweight witches, hopping scarecrows and people with feathers. Anyway, right up my street and I really enjoyed it.

Daily Diary of a Journo's Wife

Following on from my friend Cat's blog, I am copying her and going to tell you what I did on Saturday 16th Feb...

5:45am - Wake up desperate for a wee, wondering where the hell I am. Realise I am with Nick in a double bed at our friend's Sue & Lauries house, after a rather late night out at the newly refurbished Rockmount pub. Wake Nick up as I can't find the light switch, it is pitch black and I am thinking I might wet myself. He points me in the right direction.

5:50 - I go for a wee.

9:30 - Surface groggily, wondering again where the hell I am. It is sunny! I am at Susan & Laurie's house! I down a cup of tea and a glass of water which seems to fend off the morning hangover. Laurie gives us a lift to our car, which we left in the pub carpark. The seat is really far forward because Sarah moved it for us last night, she was the only sober person and is quite short. We go home.

10:00 until 1:30pm - We potter around the house, doing some tidying up. I wash my hair. I also eat a bowl of Wheetos. Yum.

1:30 - We go in Nick's car to his work, the traffic is really bad because there has been a crash along the sea front. Nick's cameraman is there already and has filmed it.

1:50 - We hop into Nick's work van with the cameraman, which is very much like the van from the A Team, only white.

2:00 - We go to Footes Lane, where Nick is filming this years 'Mud Run', a very messy 4 mile run for charity through muddy bogs, douits and silly obstacles. Some our our friends are taking part - Sue, Laurie, Tinny, Kristen and Matt. Sue is suffering greatly from the night before and looks extremely pale. They set off. We cheer and laugh at their stupidity.

2:15 - 3:00 - We follow the runners around the course, turning up in various locations to get some good shots for the telly. We get threatened with mud, and laugh some more at our very dirty, soggy friends as they struggle through streams.

3:00 - The mud run ends. We get a lift back to our car which is at Nick's work and go home.

3:15 - We stop off on the way home and buy a roll, drink and cake each, we sit in our car looking out to sea like a couple of old grannies and eat. It is very cold, but we are nice and warm.

3:30 - 7:30 - We potter around at home some more, general chores, housework and sorting stuff out for our house sale. Tinny phones, inviting us around for Chinese.

7:45 - Arrive at Tinny & Sarahs. John, Kristen, Laurie & Toki are already there. We order Chinese food. I eat far too much. Fran's boyfriend James arrives, without Fran. She is working.

8:30 - We all sit down and watch the Goonies. Amazingly, three people have NEVER seen it. How is this possible!??

10:30 - Nick has fallen asleep on the sofa. I wake him up and we go home. I accidentely set off the car alarm and wake up our neighbours while I am parking. I want to read my book so sleep in the spare room and Nick have ours. I read until about 1:00 am, it is a really good book. I finally go to sleep with Molly lying on my stomach.

Valentines Flowers

So so SO pretty. I have them sat on my desk and they smell delicious. There are pink peonies too which are my favourite flowers. Just wanted to take some pics as they are so lovely.

~ ~ SMILE ~ ~

I Love Sporks

* ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ *

Another gorgeous beautiful warm and sunny day in Guernsey. It is actually properly warm here today unlike yesterday when there was still a nip to the air. I am debating going out of the office for a ciggie, I'm in that sort of mood.

Yesterday we had an offer for the full asking on our maisonette, which is kind of crazy and exciting and incredibly incredibly nerve wracking. I love our place so much and have been so monumentally happy there, but we are too young to settle down forever and if we want to do something else before we start breeding and yada yada yada then NOW IS THE TIME. So says everyone. I am swinging from feeling gut wrenchingly sick about it and really excited. We are going to sell Nick's car and the boat, Jeannie, as well. If you want a lovely little boat have a look! www.helloguernsey.com

Arr, she has served us well but it is time to part ways.

Rachel is coming round tonight to watch movies and eat junk food. Great!!

Ach Pooh

There is just sooooo so much to sort out if we are going to sell our place. It is doing my little head in. Have to think long term... in ten years time will I remember? Will I even still be alive? Still on the short term it seems like an insurmountable mountain of massive proportions.

We had officially the first barbecue of the year yesterday, round at Sue & Lauries house. Laurie dusted off the barbecue grime from last summer and we all sat around in the sunshine eating burgers and sausages. Then the sun went in and we all realised how cold it was. Still, 10th Feb - that has to be some sort of record. Eating burgers whilst wearing gloves is not to be recommended though.

Is is another glorious, crisp beautiful day today. The colours seem very sharp and bright, and everything feels very fresh. It puts everything into a clearer, better light it seems. Walking around town today in the bright sunshine, people seemed all chilled out and more smiley than usual.

I have a lesbian crush on ...

Marion Cotillard! What a babe. After watching Love me if you Dare and A Good Year
both of which films she stars in. A Good Year is utter pants, but Love me if you Dare is one of the best films I have seen. I loved it. She is also in the Edith Piaf film, but I haven't seen that yet. Anyway there is something about the French language, it is so so sexy sounding and cute. Don't worry, I also had a crush on the lead bloke in Love me, so I swing both ways.

So we've put our flat on the market, slightly, not properly just low key... we have 2 viewings today and 3 on Monday. So far we've only had the one and we had an offer from it but a bit too low. Look like we might be shipping out if we get the right price. Who knows.

I have bought a pink 80's Oakley ski jacket in the sales. It was reduced by £113 but it is pink and white and I will feel like a twat in it, I just know it. Oh well it is really comfy and has lots of special pockets for you walkman, phone, and zips for ventilation along the arms and a special thing that goes around your middle to stop the snow creeping up your back when you fall over. High tech or what. Just if I could dye it a different colour, it would be OK.

The Littlest Hobo

There's a voice that keeps on calling me
Down the road is where I'll always be
Every stop I make, I'll make a new friend
Can't stay for long, just turn around and I'm gone again.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll want settle down,
Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.

Down this road, that never seems to end,
Where new adventure, lies just around the bend.
So if you want to join me for a while
Just grab your hat, come travel light - that's hobo style.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll want settle down,
Until tomorrow, the whole world is my home.

So if you want to join me for a while
Just grab your hat, come travel light
That's hobo style.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll want settle down,
Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.

... Love it!! Much respect.

Look what I made

I made this for my friends baby boy, Huckelberry Reggie Andrews Tabley. It was too long to write the surnames as well, this took bloody ages to do. My camera was playing up so this is with and without the flash. It is made of fuzzy felt and buttons. I had forgotten how much I like fuzzy felt.

Weird Feeling Teeth

I had a dental appointment yesterday, the first one in 3 years (naughty) and luckily all I needed was a scale and polish. So along I went this morning and squeaked and skirmed my way through that. Now my teeth feel all smooth and I can feel all the little gaps inbetween them with my tongue which is just a bit unfamiliar. They are all nice and white again, all the little bits of plaque are totally gone which is lovely. I felt really overly pleased like a little school girl when the dental nurse told me that I was a "really good brusher". Yay! Do I get a sticker??

I am going skiing in less than a month! How did that sneak up on me so quickly?? It's crazy. I have to find a ski jacket apparently. I have a waterproof type coat but Nick says it won't do because the snow gets EVERYWHERE so I need a special one that has tight arm holes etc, all the fancy stuff. He has bought an entire outfit in the sales at sportsworld and looks all coordinated, although slightly funny with the hood up, I'm sorry to say. I am borrowing some salopettes and goggles from my friends little sister, who is about the same height as me. I so far have bought some amazingly warm knee night thermal socks that are OH MY GOD so snuggly and warm I have been wearing them non stop around the house. I wonder how I ever survived without long thermal socks before?? So snugglesome. Anyhoo. I have late viewings tonight and I have to cut Nick's hair, boooooo.

I had a great weekend

A weekend of drunken nights out, laziness and a smidgen of housework. Lovely.

On Friday night we went out to the Swan, then on to Christies and the Apartment Bar, with Rachel, James, Sue, Laurie, Tinny, Fran's James, and then Penny & Matt later on. One of those great spontaneous nights out that ends up being much funnier, later and drunker than anyone intended. On Saturday, to my shame, I slept in until midday then did a spot of gardening before going into town for a very late lunch with Sue & Laurie. In the evening we went to Laska's, then White D'or with Sue & Tom, from Nick's work, and Sue's family for her birthday. Then yesterday I had a joyfully lazy day watching films and new Lost. We watched the 70's Dawn of the Dead which is in turns freakishly scary and unintentionally hilarious, and Perfume, which is one of the GREATEST films ever.

I have to go shopping. Oh, what to have for tea....

Moley Toes

I just popped to the Doctors in my lunch hour, nothing serious, don't gasp in fear or anything. Anyway I wanted some treatment for a toe that's gone a bit manky and when I pulled my sock off my Doc was like 'You have moley toes!' I said that's nothing, cos he was looking at my right foot. I said wait until you see my left one! He was blown away by the strange large triangular mole that is on the side of one of my toes.

That is all.

I am surrounded

by an aura of pregnancy, and fresh babies. It seems everywhere I turn these days friends and family are popping out heirs to the family silver.

Not that I mind, it is lovely. The girl I work with, who 3 weeks ago did not have any kind of a bump at all, now has suddenly sprouted a mini mountain and has announced that she is 5 1/2 months gone, rather than the 2 months she thought she was. Its like the baby was waiting, all scrunched up and hiding until the nurse discovered it and now it has relaxed and had a good stretch.

I had a good long chat to Leni & Dom last night and could hear wee Huckleberry gurgling in the background. Leni is a little trouper, and is persevering with the booby juice route but apparentely it is so painful it feels like crushed glass coming out. Stories like that horrify me. Isn't it all supposed to be easy and lovely and natural? Still, he's not even a week old yet and I'm sure it will get better. I am making young Huck a thing to hang on his wall, I hope they like it. It involves fuzzy felt and buttons and is taking hours. Molly was trying her best to foil its creation last night. Anyway, all of this is making me feel mildly clucky, but then I remember that I like getting drunk, smoking, sleeping late and eating junk food and I thank my lucky stars it's not my turn yet. I'm sure the time will come though but at present I am far too selfish.

I watched a really interesting film on Tuesday - Match Point. I would recommend you watch it, although try not to read about it first as it is nice not to know where it is going. I didn't know anything about it and was pleasantly surprised. It's a Woody Allen film, a recent one. I'm off to see Sweeney Todd tomorrow with Rachel, if we can get tickets. Looks ace, I love a bit of Tim Burton.

Katy & Jan's Wedding - 26 Jan 2008

These are Sinead's photos that I poached off facebook. We took lots of video but that's still on the camera at home. GREAT day.

Welcome to the World

My best friend has had a little baby boy, Huckleberry Reggie, I am over the moon. Congratulations Leni & Dom, although I know you will never read this! It's the thought that counts. What a sweet name though, I think it's awesome.

I've been toing and froing to the UK and back again, twice in a week which is a little excessive. Firstly the wedding weekend, which was just the best. I got to see my big sister & her husband, attend the wedding of the century and see my lovely in laws. I was back again yesterday just for the day and I got to go to Primark, result. I'm going to put some photos up of the wedding, but in another post. Hold on...

Anyway.

I spent last night tugging dresses and jackets on and off and I know what I'm wearing on Saturday now and I have packed it ready for my flight tonight. It's an outfit I like to think of as 'old and trusty'. It's a green spotty dress and I have worn it to 2 other weddings but luckily noone from either of those 2 will be at this one. Result. I slathered on some smelly fake tan this morning to take the blue chill off my pins, so as I don't scare people.

Ah ye Gods of time, I cannot believe it is only 3:15. I am not allowed out of here until 4, which yes I know is good but I am having a dull old day. A little old lady phoned me up a minute ago looking for a 'little cottage' to rent and I was like, no my dear we don't have one but if we did I would GIVE you one as you are so lovely and sound like a proper Granny. So sweet. I do like dealing with the public, most of the time. They can be cute.

Right. Plan of action then at 4 is leave here - go to the bank - go home - shower - finish packing - feed cat - empty smelly kitchen bin - try to remember to water the plants - get my Dad to take me to the airport - get on plane - get to Southampton - have a lovely tea cooked by my amazing mother-in-law... and relax. Let's hope it all goes according to plan.

Lazy

Gah. I'm feeling so bad and lazy, I haven't blogged for ages, January 2008 is my lamest month yet, by a long shot.

I am off to Southampton and Winchester this weekend for the wedding of the lovely Katy G and her Doctor Jan. My sister & brother in law will be around as well so I will hopefully have the chance to meet up for a meal with them while we're over. Then we're back to Gsy on Sunday. I still haven't decided what to wear to the wedding. It is hard, as it is cold outside, and a coat will be needed, but then again we will be spending most of the day inside either at the Church or at the Reception so I don't knooooooow. There's the trusty green spotty, but I'm feeling a bit chumba wumba for that, or the new sexy black sparkles, or I have a beige jacket/gold skirt combo that looks OK, but is maybe a tad too summery. BAH.

We had to give our cat a bath this week. Oh. My. God. You would have thought we were lowering her into an acme cat mincing machine as we put her into the tub. What a little diva. I ended up scatched to shit, and she was properly pissed off with us all night. She had come into the house stinking of poo and had obviously rolled in some or something, so it really really needed to be done. I felt cruel, and a horrbile person for doing it though, I can tell you. I put a hot water bottle in her catbed for her afterwards which kept her damp fur nice and warm anyway.

I am sad that the lovely, delectable, tortured Heath Ledger has died, that is really horrid news. His new Batman film is still coming out in the summer so that will be really weird, and it will probably do amazingly well and have a huge cult status, like the Crow did because Brandon Lee was shot during the filming.

Right. Well, houses to sell and all that. Laters...