Stick It Up Your Jumper

Today was the last ballet lesson of term. Which is great because I could sit in and watch. Anyway, you can say I am biased if you want but I think "A" is coming on very well. What we weren't allowed to see though was the dance they are learning for the show next term. The teacher did tell us what they were going to be (and I have to admit here that I already knew as "A" isn't great at keeping secrets). The show is Charlie and the Chocolate factory. "A" is going to be an oompa-loompa which means wearing a grass skirt and playing the marraccas (completely unsure about spelling but really don't feel like checking up). What really amuses me however is that one of "A"s friends is diabetic and she has been chosen to play a sweet! Ironic or what.

Wake Up Call

Once again I am wondering why we got cats. The theory is good but the experience...... This morning Scooby decided it was time for me to get up. This started with him jumping on me but he soon tired of this. Oh yes, he could devise a better game. This involved diving UNDER the duvet and attacking whatever he could find that was part of me. I ended up having to wrap myself in the duvet so there was no part of me exposed. Tonight I might have to sleep in my sleeping bag.

Oh Deary Me

Although British Ariways is not my favourite airline, ranking slightly above Ryanair but still plagued by mediocrity, there is one thing about flying with them that never fails to bring a smile to my face. Their in-flight magazine. More specifically the name of it. "High Life". Now "The High Life" was a BBC series broadcast in 1995 and starring Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson, Siobhan Redmond, before Alan Cumming found Bond (or Bond found Alan Cumming). Sadly, despite rumours of more to come, only one series was made. Set at Glasgow airport and following the fortunes of the crew of Air Scotia this was a quirky, and extremely camp, comedy. More than ten years since it was shown I can still be heard to exclaim "oh deary me" when, at times, it really is the only thing that can be said.

World Cup Cricket

England have managed to beat Ireland. I say "managed" because it was a less than convincing performance. All credit to Ireland who did well to get to the Super 8's against the odds, but England should have been able to see them off with ease. Instead Ireland managed to get 7 english wickets and only a resilient innings by Collingwood stopped a complete collapse. Ireland were set 267 to win thanks to the 90 by Colly. That should have been safe, but for moments anyone watching could have been forgiven for doubting. It took 49 overs to get Ireland all out, on form the England bowlers should have done it in 35 at most. It is going to take a lot to turn this around.

Did You Hear The One....

Last night I ate in the bar of the hotel so I could watch the cricket. I experienced a good demonstration of why people shouldn't talk about work when they are drunk. At the table next to me were 4 policemen, not uniformed but drug squad. Ignoring the fact that they were incredibly non-PC with their comments, especially considering one of their number was very quiet and happened to be a coloured woman, the conversation was not one that should have been overheard. A mixture of talking about their informants, how they just wanted to get in there and beat people up, and how they would lie and cheat to cover a colleagues back. The fact that they came from an area I know didn't help. Very interesting evening, but something I would have been better off not hearing.

Through Gritted Teeth and Droopy Eyes

I am rapidly deciding that Brussels and I are not meant for each other. I can never sleep well when I am there. I don't know why, something stops me sleeping. Then the meeting I go to at IFAH is at just the wrong time. The planned end time means that I either have a mad rush to get to the airport in time for a flight, or I have a long wait at the airport for the next flight. As I don't do "mad rushes" very well I invariably end up with the long wait. Made even worse when the flight is then delayed buy a further 75 minutes. By the time I got to Heathrow I was shattered. there was no way I could safely drive home so had to book into a hotel for the night.

Given

As your finger
Touches me
Brushes my skin
I feel the hunger
Passion
Life
Filling me
Washing me
Being me

Almost an accident
That shares so much
Energy
A rebirth
Given freely
Received with wonder

Ping

You know this jet setting isn't nearly as glamorous as people think. I am in Brussels and bored out of my mind. The kind of shows around here are not the sort I would go to and all the channels on the TV, barr one,are in a foreign language. I can't have a late night (I mean after midnight) because I have to work tomorrow, otherwise I would go and find a club (not one of the local ones). I haven't brought a book because I have to learn my lines and I know if I have a book I will just read it but I have read and reread my lines enough today. When people hear that I travel a lot they always think it sounds fun. I swear "J" thinks I am off having fun. I am not. It is d..n lonely, especially when I know everyone else is together at a sales conference.

Sooooooo bored!

Know Thyself

I thought I knew Brussels. Yes, I know that is an incredibly stupid statement. But I have been coming to Brussels for two years for meetings. Now, the flaw in my theory was that I always stayed in the same hotel. I went for walks around the area and decided Brussels was nice. I have just realised that the hotel I stayed in was positioned in rather a posh area. Tonight I am staying in a different hotel because there is some sort of conference in town. And, for a start, I think that Comfort hotels should be sued for breach of contract. After all, somewhere called "Comfort Inn" should actually be comfortable. The hotel room is a box and there is no restaurant. But let's get past that. So I thought I had better go for a walk and find somewhere to eat. I turned left out of the hotel and, in retrospect, this was the wrong direction. Because I found out that left was the red light district. Hmm, a side of Brussels I have not previously seen.

Bad Dad

Have you noticed that the more "up market" car makers now give you a whole day driving their cars if you might want to buy one. Audi do one. You can spot the cars because they have "Audi Ultimate Driving Experience" emblazoned down the side. Anyway, for Audi this driving experience seems to include what to do if you are in an accident. That is the only reason I can think for two of their cars to be involved in a four car pile up just outside Northampton this morning. Police and everything, you have to hand it to Audi, no expense spared.

However this led to a long traffic jam. On the morning I volunteered to take "A" to school". So we were late. Possibly the first time she has been late. Only by one minute. But enough that I had to sign a book explaining why she was late. I felt like I was back at school myself signing the detention book (not that I ever had to of course, you understand). Naughty daddy.

Letter Home

Yesterday
The call
The sorry
We have bad news.
The explosion
No survivors.
A suicide.

Today
A letter
"My love
I'm fine
Lads are great
Don't worry
No risk,
Just fun.
Hey
Home soon.
Love to all"

Tear on paper.

Is It?

The download of the week on itunes is Iain Archer. And I am left wondering if this is the Iain Archer I know of. The one I am downloading played for Snow Patrol and Reindeer Section (sorry don't know the latter). The one I know played at Greenbelt. Could they be one and the same? No, can't be, even thought they are both spelt the slightly rarer way (and, co-incidentally the way mine is spelt as well). Interesting though.

But wait. Further research. Never give up on a story. And yes, they are the same. Now how weird is that. I have seen a member of Snow Patrol playing live. Cool.

Costly Comms

I recently had wi-fi fitted to my computer. Absolutely excellent, allows me to work everywhere. Most hotels have a link and for a reasonable amount supply 24 hour access. We have an account with btopenzone so I can use that if needed. Only one thing. I didn't realise that the BT account is charged by the minute. I am so used to not paying for my ADSL connection that it just didn't sink in. Until I saw my recent bill. £233 for one night. I forgot to disconnect before going to sleep so the connection was left on for 17 hours. Whoops

Down Pens And Walk

The kidnapping of Alan Johnston is, like the kidnappng of anyone, terrible. But, I am sorry, journalists going on strike. It isn't exactly nurses or firemen is it? It isn't going to cast fear into the hearts of the community. "What, no 10 o'clock news, Noooooooooo, how could they do it". Journalists chanting "Hell no, we won't write". People in the streets "well now I don't have a newspaper I really think those kidnappers were bad men, they runined my life". Scabs trying to cross the picket line having ink squirted on their clean shirt, notebooks being tossed in buckets of water. Reminiscent of the miners at their worst isn't it.

Woof

Snoop Dogg has been banned from coming to Britain. Well, to be honest, I don't really care that he was a ganster, that he was involved with drugs, is currently being investigated for gun crimes. None of that is important. But I heard him say today "We let the Beatles into America, you should let me in". Just for comparing himself with the Beatles he should be banned for life.

Last Orders

All power to them I say. The residents of Bourneville have managed to stop Tesco from selling alcohol. Now I have nothing against alcohol. In fact, truth be told and I am sure no-one has noticed, a wee dram every now and then goes down very well thank you (and let's gloss over the wine most nights shall we). But I do like the idea of somewhere that was founded by a Quaker manages to remain dry, even in this day and age. After all, you know the rules when you go to live there.

Anyway, liqueur chocolate anyone.

Chickadee

Spent some of today trying to be creative. Now, as many will know, for a surgeon I am not particularly good with my hands (in fact I always have claimed to be a medic not a surgeon for exactly that reason, and yes, I know an ophthalmology certificate should indicate I can do fine surgery, let's just gloss over that shall we). Anyway, creating things for and with my daughter can have interesting results. All in all though, I think the Easter bonnet is quite good. It was a joint effort with all three of us having a go.

Eye On You

I don't think I ever proved that we had a second cat. When I started blogging about them then "Shimmer" was spending his life hidden behind a curtain. He is much more confident now and spends a lot of time with us. However he has got a very unnerving habit. My computer sits in an alcove under the stairs. Shimmer enjoys watching me but not from beside me. Oh no, he prefers watching from above. Of course he does this very quietly so looking up can be somewhat of a shock.

World Cup Cricket

England beat Kenya. Admittedly it would have been very sad if they hadn't, but with recent form anything could have happened. It wasn't always as convincing as I would like, and we will struggle in the Super 8's I reckon, but a win is a win. Vaughan still struggles and this gives the England team a dilemma, he can't get runs at the moment but he is definitely the best choice for captain, so we have to drop some runs in order to allow for strategy. Onward we go.

Beanie

After the disappointment that was Casino Royale, today we all went to see "Mr Bean's Holiday". Simply, easy, and very funny. Especially when he is busking in order to raise some cash. At times a bit hard for a 4 year old to follow but "A" still came out of the cinema saying she enjoyed it. Some of the jokes can be seen coming but it is the way they are done rather than what they are that makes them exquisite.

Bond or Bean? For me the choice is simple (at least while David Craig is Bond).