Another age has passed since I last wrote. Again, I've written loads in my head but given none of it substance. *sigh*
I need to write this down before I forget. What is it about slugs in England?! Now I come from the land of big bugs, spiders and assorted multi-legged things but there is nothing like your typical English slug. They come out after dark and slime their way across your garden path and can occasionally be found on your lawn. I know this because I have had the misfortune to actually step on one in bare feet and lived to tell the tale. Both me and the slug – I hope. Disgusting. I've even seen one bigger than your dad's thumb! Eeewww!
A few things have transpired since I last reported. The weather has improved again which is good for my soul. And my sanity. Last Friday night we had dinner at home then got dressed up and wandered down the road to Pleasure [our local bar/cafe/hangout] and shared a bottle of lovely red wine and a shot of Goldshnappes. To say we got terribly drunk is an understatement. So I won’t. We sat outside on the window ledge as it was far to warm and smoky inside and simply watched the world go by - well, given the bar faces the busiest bus route in Europe we actually watched the world go by in an assortment of double decker buses. It was great. However on our way down we were lucky enough to time it so we got to watch the fireworks the Games Committee put on to end the party they threw for the 10,000 or so volunteers in Platt Fields. We stood in the middle of the road open mouthed as the sky was lit up by thousands of tiny coloured explosions. It was a little bit magic.
Saturday we walked down to Fletcher Moss Park in order to get some exercise but it was such a hot, sunny day it was nothing like exercise. Well a little bit like it. We wandered through Didsbury, in and out of shops then found a park bench and read the paper. A nice loungy afternoon which was rather spoilt when Mark called to tell us the 2 missing girls' bodies had been found and it was now being treated as a murder case. Quite distressing but one can't ever imagine what it must be like to be family in situations like this. I said a little prayer for them.
Mark ended up coming over for dinner and for the first time since my birthday BBQ in May we ate al fresco! I dragged the table, chairs and slate tile placemats [don't ask] outside and set the table, lit some candles and tried to make lentil bolognese look special. It was a great night and as darkness fell and the sun made pink criss crosses out of the vapour trails we lit some lanterns and talked ourselves through 2 bottles of wine and too much food. What a great way to spend an evening.
I'm looking forward to Barcelona in November and I'm pleased to report we've booked a hotel right off the Ramblas in a quite little part of town. I like that - close enough to the action but quiet enough that it feels far from the noise and hoards. I'm making a little list of things I want to do, see [and buy!] this time around and I'm hoping the weather is still nice.
I've had some great chats with my girlfriends in the last couple of days. My friend Sharia who has been in Amsterdam with her lovely bloke Ian is moving back to Australia soon and I'm going to miss her loads. Not that I see much of her really but having her in the same time zone makes me feel like I've got an expatriate in arms and I almost feel like I'm being left behind. I know this is not the case but given my recent case of homesickness I'm feeling her leaving a little more acutely. We had a great chat last night - the last one as neighbours - and I felt good when I hung up the phone. I'll miss her.
My beautiful friend and soul buddy Helen called me over the weekend and we talked for what seemed like hours. What? It was hours. Oh. It was so nice to hear her voice and just share some of what has been on my heart and in my head and to hear of her life down in Melbourne town. I miss our lunchtime excursions to various eateries in Melbourne and I especially miss our $4 'lunch' - a 'flavour sensation' from DJ's food hall. Can't wait to share one when I'm back in March Helen - how about it?
I might just post this entry to get it off the screen and think about things a bit more. I'll post some more thoughts again soon.
Oh, I discovered to my delight and horror that I can text both my brother and Helen for a mere 25p a pop! I know, I know ...
Cx
Listening to: 'Best of Blondie', Blondie / 'Torch the Moon', The Whitlams / 'Chilled Sessions Vol 2', Ministry of Sound / 'Daybreaker' - Beth Orton
Reading: 'Tales of the City', Armistead Maupin [can't put it down!]
I need to write this down before I forget. What is it about slugs in England?! Now I come from the land of big bugs, spiders and assorted multi-legged things but there is nothing like your typical English slug. They come out after dark and slime their way across your garden path and can occasionally be found on your lawn. I know this because I have had the misfortune to actually step on one in bare feet and lived to tell the tale. Both me and the slug – I hope. Disgusting. I've even seen one bigger than your dad's thumb! Eeewww!
A few things have transpired since I last reported. The weather has improved again which is good for my soul. And my sanity. Last Friday night we had dinner at home then got dressed up and wandered down the road to Pleasure [our local bar/cafe/hangout] and shared a bottle of lovely red wine and a shot of Goldshnappes. To say we got terribly drunk is an understatement. So I won’t. We sat outside on the window ledge as it was far to warm and smoky inside and simply watched the world go by - well, given the bar faces the busiest bus route in Europe we actually watched the world go by in an assortment of double decker buses. It was great. However on our way down we were lucky enough to time it so we got to watch the fireworks the Games Committee put on to end the party they threw for the 10,000 or so volunteers in Platt Fields. We stood in the middle of the road open mouthed as the sky was lit up by thousands of tiny coloured explosions. It was a little bit magic.
Saturday we walked down to Fletcher Moss Park in order to get some exercise but it was such a hot, sunny day it was nothing like exercise. Well a little bit like it. We wandered through Didsbury, in and out of shops then found a park bench and read the paper. A nice loungy afternoon which was rather spoilt when Mark called to tell us the 2 missing girls' bodies had been found and it was now being treated as a murder case. Quite distressing but one can't ever imagine what it must be like to be family in situations like this. I said a little prayer for them.
Mark ended up coming over for dinner and for the first time since my birthday BBQ in May we ate al fresco! I dragged the table, chairs and slate tile placemats [don't ask] outside and set the table, lit some candles and tried to make lentil bolognese look special. It was a great night and as darkness fell and the sun made pink criss crosses out of the vapour trails we lit some lanterns and talked ourselves through 2 bottles of wine and too much food. What a great way to spend an evening.
I'm looking forward to Barcelona in November and I'm pleased to report we've booked a hotel right off the Ramblas in a quite little part of town. I like that - close enough to the action but quiet enough that it feels far from the noise and hoards. I'm making a little list of things I want to do, see [and buy!] this time around and I'm hoping the weather is still nice.
I've had some great chats with my girlfriends in the last couple of days. My friend Sharia who has been in Amsterdam with her lovely bloke Ian is moving back to Australia soon and I'm going to miss her loads. Not that I see much of her really but having her in the same time zone makes me feel like I've got an expatriate in arms and I almost feel like I'm being left behind. I know this is not the case but given my recent case of homesickness I'm feeling her leaving a little more acutely. We had a great chat last night - the last one as neighbours - and I felt good when I hung up the phone. I'll miss her.
My beautiful friend and soul buddy Helen called me over the weekend and we talked for what seemed like hours. What? It was hours. Oh. It was so nice to hear her voice and just share some of what has been on my heart and in my head and to hear of her life down in Melbourne town. I miss our lunchtime excursions to various eateries in Melbourne and I especially miss our $4 'lunch' - a 'flavour sensation' from DJ's food hall. Can't wait to share one when I'm back in March Helen - how about it?
I might just post this entry to get it off the screen and think about things a bit more. I'll post some more thoughts again soon.
Oh, I discovered to my delight and horror that I can text both my brother and Helen for a mere 25p a pop! I know, I know ...
Cx
Listening to: 'Best of Blondie', Blondie / 'Torch the Moon', The Whitlams / 'Chilled Sessions Vol 2', Ministry of Sound / 'Daybreaker' - Beth Orton
Reading: 'Tales of the City', Armistead Maupin [can't put it down!]
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