Back in the saddle

Yes, well almost.

It's taken longer than expected to get over this flu/cold/cough thing - it's been a right vengefull bugger in hanging about and draining me of my life force!

Since the last blog, I didn't even make it into work that week - and I cancelled going out Friday night to meet Margo, and also Saturday night out to Andy's farewell do and beers with Morrish! I was however, determined to make it to Rochester on the Sunday to meet up with Kate for the Dickens Festival - I was not going to have spent the whole week indoors suffering - so had made the decision to save all my strength for the festival and cancel Friday/Saturday nights out.

So, off I went to Rochester on Sunday (bringing Anna with me as she's never done the whole 'Ye Olde English' thing before (being an Aussie!)). And there was plenty of ye olde english people to look at!

All very strange...... They even had fake snow, just like in the Victorian times!!.

We weren't all dressed up in costume! Although i don't think anybody told we Arran that!

But Naomi & John didn't seem to mind!

There's one thing to note about Rochester - it's mainly full of white people. I known this because when we were in Rochester castle at the craft market there were whole stalls of Gollywogs!!

They even had 'Black Mama Doorstops'!!!! Somehow, I don't think that they would get away with that in London!!

Apart from hacking my lungs up, it was a fantastic time and I'm really glad that I made the effort to go along - I really enjoyed the festival and the mulled wine with Brandy went down a treat!

Anna enjoyed the olde english thing, and loved the castle with it's crumbling walls and big cannons!

After the festivaties ended we all wandered back up to Kate and Matt's for some lovely hot food and wine before heading back to Londonium.

Full photo's can be found at: http://picasaweb.google.com/baskers1/DickensFestival

After we left Kate & Matt's we wandered back to the station to catch the train. By this point, I was almost dying on my feet - it had been a fab day, but I was absolutly exhausted!! This bug had taken more out of me than I realised. By the time we had gotten into London, I was practically crawling off of the train, I knew I couldn't face the trauma of public transport to get home so crawled straight into a cab at Charring Cross and straight home for bed!

Monday

I didn't sleep too well - bloody kept coughing all night, so decided to work from home that day. I was still exhausted when I woke up, and really didn't have any energy at all.
Tim phoned up later on that day and wanted to pop over, but there was a catch! He wanted to watch the Watford game on the telly in the evening. I don't have sky sports. So, I arranged to meet him up in Ryans Bar on Church Street to watch the game and grab some food. Even walking up to the pub tired me out.

As soon as the match was finished, it was back straight to mine and off to sleep. I was dead on my feet.

Tuesday
Well, I made it into work.

Managed to do a wee bit of work and catch-up, left work early (As I was still coughing and knackered!) and came home and straight to bed.

Wednesday

I began to feel a bit better, and managed to get a lot more work done - oh how easliy I forgot how ill I was!!! My team got invited to 'Post-Pre Budget Report' drinks by the Generaly Expenditure Policy team in the lightwell to celebrate another successful PBR...... and once the wine had all been drunk in work, we all decanted to the Westminster Arms to carry on the celebrations.

Big mistake.

I eventually left the pub and got a cab home hours later, and rather tipsy

Thursday

Oh I don't feel that great. I think I over did it the night before, as I am sneezing and snotting all over the place! Have I managed to re-catch the cold again?? Maybe it was just being in a smokey pub that's done me in??

But it's not all doom and gloom... My new shinyness has arrived!

Hoorah!

I've got my new Freeview box delivered!!!

What's so special about this box?

Well for the fellow geeks that read this blog here you go;

• The Thomson DTI 6300-16 Top Up TV Anytime box has the following specification:
  
  Twin Tuner
  160GB hard disk
  Up to 120 hours of recording space
  Ability to fast forward and rewind (up to 64 speed)
  Includes: bespoke Top Up TV Anytime remote control and Scart Lead
  Digital Audio Output (Coaxial)
  RF Modulator and RF loop through
  2 scart sockets
  S-Video Output
  12 month warranty

I unpack my new shinyness and get it all set up, making sure that it all works before I head into work and snot and sneeze my way though the day. Of course, I leave work early as I'm knackered and with a very red nose!, head home to play with my new toy and sleep!

Friday
I seem to be feeling a wee bit better today.

I'm getting frustrated that I can't get one of my reports to work, but there is good progress on all the other reports - so not all is lost! However, I do have our directorate conference to go to from 2pm till 5pm and am not relishing the thought too well! I give Dorian and Joanne the chance to duck out of the conference if they would prefer to stay at their desks and continue working on the reports and guidance.

What do you think they did??

Of course, it's easy!

They jumped at the oppertunity to duck out of the conference!!!! So, that just left little old me having to sit in for the whole of the DQ branch!

Oh joy of joys.

After the conference was finished, there were directorate drinks afterwards (although not much wine supplied!!!) which wasn't too bad. However, I was mindful to pace myself as Anna and I were heading out to 'Frevds' http://www.london-drinking.com/58.htm, to meet up with another old Aussie friend of mine's 'Margo', whom i hadn't seen in ages!!!.

We catch the No.24 bus outside work up to Shaftsbury Avenue and wander along the side streets to avoid all the traffic and tourists, and acccidentily find 'Coffee, Cake & Kink' , http://www.whatsyours.com/host/php/index.php?whsmodule=welcome, - a wee coffee shop where Dorian sells some of his art from and pop into the shop to check it out before we head up to Frevds to meet Margo.

Frevds was absolutly hoachin! But I spotted Margo easliy and managed to get a seat for Anna and myself.

Margo & her man Andy

Margo & Julia

Shelly & Wendy (the Aberdonians....)

Anna & the other bird (I can't remember her name!)

To be honest, I didn't think much of the bar - it was way too crowded for my liking and the music was way, way too loud - but on the upside it seems to make a hell of a lot of cocktails!!

After a while the hunger pangs kicked in for a few of us and the decision was made to find a Sushi place to eat - I wasn't in a 'raw fish' mood - but was bloody starvin so went along anyway. We ended up in Gili Gulu, http://www.london-eating.co.uk/5279-2.htm, And, actually, it wasn't too bad!

We opted for the eat as much as you want for £13.95, and you just pick what ever dishes you fancy from the convayer belt.

and eat we certainly did.

We even managed to eat through 60 plates of food!!

Of course, there was six of us!!

After the meal, we all went our seperate ways and headed home.

Yesterday

Glen had texted me earlier on in the week and asked if I was interested in going to see 'Placebo' today, but it was Christmas shopping day for me!! As much as I like Placebo, I really, really needed to get my Christmas shopping done. It was a lovely offer, but the shopping had to get done! I headed down to Oxford Street for around 10am, and by 12pm I had completed all my christmas shopping! I was just about to jump on the bus back home when I got a text from Anna - she was nearly on Oxford Street and did I want to meet up??

Well, I was a wee bit peckish......

So I caught up with Anna (with all my Christmas shopping in tow!), and we wandered to the Slug and Lettuce just off of Regent's Street, http://www.londononline.co.uk/restaurant/670/, for some Nacho's and a couple of bottles of wine.....

Shopping is hard work you know!!!

We headed back up to Stokie, dumped all my Christmas shopping back in the house, chilled out for a bit then walked over to the Shakey where we met up with Teresa for drinks. Anna didn't stay that long as she was tired, but Teresa and I carried on in the Shakey and also got some pizza before heading home!

Today

Today is wrapping up Christmas presents and writing out Christmas cards!!! I have one more weekend left in London, so I'll get all the wrapping done today so i can concentrate on finishing off all the domestic stuff next weekend before I head back north on the 22nd.

Cough, Sneeze, Snot - What a way to start 31yrs old!

Yes, what a rotten piece of timing.

Here was me thinking that I was launching my way into my 31st year and have been reduced to a snivvling, coughing, shivering wreck. Yip, I came down with the dreaded lurgie on my Birthday night. So I'm sitting here from the comfort of my bed, hacking my lungs up inbetween waves of pulsating headaches.

Oh joy of joys.

But it hasn't been all doom and gloom. The last week and half has been jam packed with 'Social' Activities, and I suppose I'd better let you in on them!

Monday 20th
What can I remember from that far back? Well, there was work as per usual, and are you sitting down? I had an early night. I finished up at work, grabbed a chinese on the way home and had an early night!!

Tuesday
It was a particular busy day at work, I was trying to get my FD Sign Off report to reconcille - you know, nothing much other than a miricale getting the Budgeting Framework to Reconcille to the National Accounts Framework!

Still no joys. It's a rather complicated thing to be doing ;-(

However, I was meeting up with Jim, Joe & Norrie later on in the Marquis of Granby at Cambridge Circus at 7:30pm http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/18/1810/Marquis_of_Granby/Cambridge_Circus, to watch the Celtic vs Man U game.

What an evening!!! Celtic scoring and saving a penalty in the last 10mins of the game!! The whole pub was singing to the sounds of the Celtic Bouys and Fields of Athenry. We were all sufficently lubricated and decided to go for a curry afterwards! By the time we finished the curry it was well after midnight, and we parted ways and headed home.

Although Joe & I did pop into the CroBar for a quick one before I made it home around 2am ish.

Wednesday
A bit groggy this morning - I wonder why!! It was another fruitless day in the office trying to reconcile the FD report. I left the office after 7pm and was going to head straight home but Glen wanted to go for a quick drink.

Okay I thought. As long as I can get home for 9pm as I wanted to watch Torchwood (I know, I am a sad geek!!!). But you can already guess what happened......

Yes, that's right. I didn't make it home for 9pm. After a quick drink Glen was getting kinda hungry and wondered if I fancied going for some food. Since I was feeling kinda peckish, I agreed. Hell. I'd already seen Torchwood on the Sunday, and this was just a re-run. So off we went up to the Med Kitchen at Cambridge Circus for a quick bite to eat, then it was off home by 11pm.

Thursday
Am still trying to get the FD reconcillation table to friggin work. It's really, really driving me round the bend.

But at least tonight I have the IE Christmas Drinks to look forward to up in the Crown & Spectre with my team and the IE guys. As the day drags on and I'm still struggling with the friggin FD specifications, Dorian, Joanne and I are all chomping at the bit to get out of the office and up the the Christmas drinks.

It get's to 5pm.

Bugger this. We've all had enough, and decide to leave the office taking Anna with us.

Boy what a night!!

Sunil & Joseph Fenn

Evil Sunil & Andrew Dorian & Glenn

Joanne

Mark & Anna, Anna and Me

More Xmas photo's can be found at; http://picasaweb.google.com/baskers1/IEXmasDrinks

Way, way too much red wine was consumed. When we left the pub, Joseph decided that he would prove his manlyness by lifting everybody up. And he was only drinking bloody lager shandies & water!!!!

After we managed to escape Joseph's clutches we made our way over to a Suhsi Bar for food and Karaoke. We got the food alright, but were apparently too late for the Karaoke!! Disaster!!! Well, not that it put us down too much, we were all a bit too well lubricated and tucked into our food instead. Once that was all finished, we all parted our seperate ways and headed home, although Dorian thought it would be a good idea to pop into the CroBar for a nightcap....

Friday
Dorian never made it into the office today. I got a text from him at 9:20am saying that he was going to take today as leave - he was feeling way, way too rough!

I was feeling rather 'delicate' myself and didn't make it into the office until 11:30. But at least i beat Andrew in, he didn't make it in until 11:50am! We all sat downstairs at 12pm for lunch - I poked and prodded some chips around my plate - I couldn't really stomach food, but Andrew was in severe need of Lard.

After lunch I head back upstairs to my desk to work on the FD sign-off report with not much enthusiasim.

But oh my god!

A eureka moment!!!

I got the bloody thing to work! Even with a hangover like hell, I do my 'happy dance' around the office, rejoicing at the genius of my efforts!! I can't believe it works! Hoorah!

After I calm down, I remember that I have a 3pm meeting with Frederick from DCLG Department to talk about Treasury Reporting Requirements and Performance Management - darn, I need to prepare for that, so spend the next 30mins gathering all my things together for my 3pm meeting.

I look up at the clock.

3.05pm

then 3.15pm

3:20pm

3:30pm

I forget, it's 'Frederick' time.

He calls at 3:40pm saying he'll be 20mins. And you know where this is going!!!

Frederick arrives at 4:15pm.

;-)

I take Frederick to my desk and show him all the wonderful and lovely reports/validations that I am rolling out on COINS over the next couple of months - Departments aren't going to know what's hit 'em!! 'I said, who's the Daddy??', I'm the Daddy!!!'. Spending Teams are now going to be armed to the teeth with financial managment reports to take Departments to task.

Frederick is smiling.

After I've dazzled him with the Reporting Suite roll out, I introduce him to Anna to discuss Standardisation of Board reports, Performance Managment and the PSA Framework. And after all of that we are in dire need of a 'hair of the dog', and decant to Tapster Wine bar for a couple of bottles of nice red.

After we leave there I wander down to the Feathers to meet up with Morrish & Stuart, only to find that they are nowhere to be seen! However, all is not lost. I bump into James who was wandering down the road with a can of Stella in his hand (he's a weegie!!), from the Divali festival in DfT.

I grab James and we goto the Feathers, whilst waiting for Tim to turn up from the Festival.

Honestly, James was in a good mood. He just likes posing for the camera!!

Tim turned up eventually, rather worse for wear in his Irish Rugby top and we head home.

sleep.

Saturday

God I feel awful.

I spend the whole day festering in my pit. Not wanting too see daylight for the rest of my life.

Sunday

I wake up bright and refreshed!

Today is my last day of being 30. And what have I done? Well since the rain has been stottin down all weekend I’ve, cleaned my bedroom, hung up a washing, hoovered, sorted out my mail, sorted out the recycling.

Wow.

Is this what the rest of my 30’s are going to be like??? Shoot me now. I’m definitely heading out tonight to celebrate my last night of being 30! To the Shakespeare I go later on tonight with a Felicity and Garth (or is it Gary?? - they met on MySpace.com just recently!), Mark & Teresa to see out my last few remaining hours of being ‘30’ in the style I have come accustomed to!

Felicity & Garth

More Flic & Garth photos can be found at ; http://picasaweb.google.com/baskers1/FelicityAndGarth

Much celebrating was done. At the end of the night, when it had gone midnight, they all sing happy birthday to me in the pub. The landlord on hearing this gives all complementary drinks of "jagermeister". Now I've never heard of this before - it's like drinking cough syrup!! God it was minging and will certainly put hairs on your chest!

We all leave the pub, and Felicity, Garth and I think it's a really good idea to have a birthday whisky when we get back to the flat.

3am is when I get to bed.

Monday 27th - my birthday!!!
Waking up is painful.

But I glance across the room and look at the birthday present Felicity had bought me!!

It's a cyberman action toy!!

Which goes rather well with the Season 2 Boxset of Doctor Who I bought as a birthday present to myself!!

I am geek girl.

I open up my birthday cards and put them up in my room before heading off to work. Slowly......

I poke and prod the food on my plate at lunchtime - I'm not really in a food mood, and my throat is hurting and my headaches, but I put that down to the 'celebrations' lastnight. I nip out at lunchtime for a couple of celebration drinks with Anna, Dorian, Nishi & Christopher down in the Cruddy bar, then head back to the office for my 2pm meeting.

Hmmm. I seem to coughing a bit now, but I think that perhaps the smokey pub has irritated my throat. I'm definatly not feeling right, but still think that perhaps now that I'm older the hangovers are worse!

Anna, Heather & I leave the office around 5pm and meet Morrish in Westminster Tube station to jump on the Jubilee line to London Bridge to walk to Vinopolis for my birthday celebrations and wine tasting session, whilst having a quick beer in the Anchor Inn waiting for everyone to turn up.

Me and Steve the Morrish monster

Tim turns up with prezzies for me!

Two very nice shiny sparkly bags with shiny boxes with presents inside. I open up the smaller one first.

Now what could he possibly got me? It's fairly light, and moves about in the box... hmmmm... what the hell could it be??? I open up the box and all is revealed.

Are you ready for this?

I don't think that you are!

It's probably one of the strangest presents that I have ever recieved in my entire life.

Can you guess what it is??

No, never in a million years are you going to get this one, so I had better end the anticipation now.

He got me......

.

.

.

A POTATO PEELER

Yes, that's right.

A POTATO PEELER

I did say that it was weird. Very strange man.

I open up the other gift with not a bloody clue what to expect.

Oh.

It's a normal one! Smellies!

Nice Smellies.

After that we go across to vinopolis and start out premium wine tasting tour. http://www.vinopolis.co.uk/groupbookings.php, sampling wines from all over the world and trying to take in what the wine guide is saying whilst sloshing the wine down!!

I quite liked the wine tour, but I don't think the boys did - I think they were expecting to drinks gallons of the stuff!! After the wine we sipped down our Bombay Saphires to cleanse our pallet.

Glen & Anna Cameron, Heather & Felicity

Heather, Felicity, me & Teresa

and of course me and Tim.

Full photo's can be found at: http://picasaweb.google.com/baskers1/My31stBirthdayDrinks

The wine tasting was fab, but afterwards I was beginning to feel rough, not well at all. I’d been feeling a bit poorly all day but put that down to the hangover from Sunday’s festivities! But by the time we got to the restaurant (we went to TAS on Borough High Street), my head was pounding, my throat like sandpaper and my joints where all aching. I was drinking sparkling water with my meal, to try and help my throat – no alcohol!! And on my birthday!!!!

I could feel my strength just sapping away, couldn’t really eat the food, I’d just no energy. Most people went home after the meal, and Steve, Andy, Tim and I just popped into a pub, and I was just sitting there shivering and shaking! Couldn’t even finish my drink! We got a cab and headed home. Thank god we managed to find a cab, I was beginning to feel like I was going to faint at any moment. Straight home by 11pm, took some nurophen and went to bed shivering like hell!

Tuesday

Woke up at 2:30am, head pounding and shivering. Took more nurophen but couldn’t fall back off to sleep until after 4am, Tim’s lying there snoring away sleeping like a log! Took more nurophen at 8:30am, managed to get a bit more sleep, woke up again at 12pm to take yet more nurophen. My head is pounding, my joints ache, throat is sore and my body can’t decided whether it’s too hot or too cold! Bloody great way to spend my first days of being 31!

I e-mail work with a list of things to do in my absence and keep on repeating the Nurophen dose every 4hrs, and i still can't feel any difference.

I drop in and out of sleep for the rest of the day/night.

Today

It's the same as yesterday really. My cough seems to be worse. I'm knackered. And absolutly bored shitless!!

I hate being ill.

Abducted by Aliens???

Oh god. What a week. It's been Fab! Somehow you have weeks where everything just seems to fall into place.....

Last Sunday
I was still having a quiet weekend, pottered around the house until I get a text from Teresa asking if I wanted to go to the pictures and grab a bite to eat? Sounds like a good idea! Before, I head off, Felicity is spending the whole day jumping about to loud music and getting all excited about going to go see 'My Chemical Romance' down in Brixton.

And she spent hours getting ready.....

And here we have the final product!

!Rock on!

So off I go to meet Teresa down in Angel and we head to Pizza Express for a quick bite to eat before onwards to the pictures.

We saw 'Starter for Ten' with James McAvoy -Freshers' year at university is as much about skirt chasing as it is about the pursuit of knowledge in Starter For 10. Adapting his best-selling novel, David Nicholls tells a conventional rites-of-passage story but lifts it with a generous dose of 80s nostalgia, plenty of quick-fire wit and an uncompromising sense of Britishness.

And actually, it was rather good. It reminded me a lot of my own university days...... oh what fun!

Monday
I spend most of the day working with my team on preparing Kieran for his presentation to the Finance Committie tomorrow on our bid to extend the project next year to deliver more Data Quality improvements.

*Fingers crossed* I think we got a very good case put together, but it's all in Kieran's hands tomorrow!

It's a bit of a stressful day, and I hate the uncertainty! So I was feeling a bit stressed out.....After work I headed down to the Old Monk to catch up with Tim & Frederick. And here's the suprise... Tim noticed that I was feeling a bit down so he popped out to grab stuff from his office and came back with a bunch of flowers for me!

I'm initially shocked and stunned! Now Tim isn't the most romantic of creatures... in fact in the last six years I've known him he's only ever bought me flowers once before!

Wow.

The flowers are beautiful. I go home happy, cheered up and wondering if Tim had been abducted by Aliens?

Tuesday
Today is the day. Kieran is off to the Finance Committie this morning to plead out case. It's a nervous time for Dorian, Joanne and I as we wait. What ever the outcome is we are all leaving work early and either celebrating or drowning our sorrows!

We wait. The meeting seems to have over ran.

Is this a good or bad sign??

Ah.. we have spotted Kieran and he wanders over. Well, we are about to find out! This is make or break time.

And you'll be pleased to know that it was a success! The committie accepted the our strategic pot bid. Woohoo! Looks like we are here for another year! We are all happy with the news and leave work early to celebrate.

I take the guys up to Ben Crouches Tavern and buy drinks. A lot of drinks.

I drunkenly stumble home and fall straight to sleep as soon as I get in.

3:30am
I wake up in agony. Bloody period cramps. Jesus christ, I hate my 'time of the month' so bad.. It's a heavy one - i'm have to change pads twice.

Why the hell do I need to get them now!!

I take some painkillers and try to get back to sleep. Christ this is a bad one, I spend the next 4 hours trying to sleep inbetween the waves of cramps.

Wednesday
7:30am I'm exhausted. Hangovers I can cope with. Cramps no. I text Dorian and Joanne telling them that I'll be in later in the afternoon - I need more sleep. I take more pain killers and try to get more sleep.

Well, I did manage to catch some more sleep and headed into work for the afternoon. Still feeling sore, but at least the pain killers have dulled the cramps a little bit. Tim e-mails me and tells me to meet him at St James Park tube station at 6:30pm. We are heading home to Stokie and he's cooking me dinner!

I'm begining to wonder if maybe he really did get abducted by Aliens??

Wow.

The meal was fantastic! We had Pork, onion & mushrooms in a white wine/cream sauce. Beetroot, Salad and tatties.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

And the food was fantastic.......

Thursday
It's a quiet day at work today. I get a lot of stuff done, and have an early night.

Friday
My hard-drive was returned to me! Hoorah! I have my music back! I have all my pictures back! All for the cost of £250. Ouch. but hey, I'll try to be more carefull with my hard drive this time! I quickly test it out before I head into work. Oooooooeeeeee! itunes is going to get a battering! And then I head into work.

Whilst I'm stuck at my desk crunching numbers trying to figure out what the hell is going on with my report, I get a text from Euan. He's in London and did i want to meet up with him later on. Hell yes! We arrange to meet in the Cruddy at 4:30pm. I also arrange to meet up with Kate & Tim down in the cruddy as well.

I eventually leave the office and it's absolutly pouring of rain, getting drenched as I make my way to the pub. Euan is already there and nursing a pint. Kate turns up, and OH MY GOD - she is getting big! The bump is definately growing... and she now has bumpettes as well! This barin is going to be big!

After introductions, the three of us settle down and start the banter when Tim arrives.......

In a new shirt.

A paisley shirt.

A blue paisley shirt.

Flowers, cooked dinner and a new blue paisley shirt all in one week.

I have decided that he really has been abducted by aliens.

;-)

We do a couple of drinks and Euan, Tim and I head off to Kings cross to collect Euan's friend Alex who was travelling down from Edinburgh, then off to Angel for drinks and food. Indian was the choice so I take them to the Guffa http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-7565.php,

Euan & Alex

The food was excellent, and we enjoyed the wine as well. In fact, Euan enjoyed the wine so much he was a bit over zealous when pouring the wine and managed to break the wine glass!

After the meal we head off to 'Clockwork' http://www.fluidstyle.co.uk/venuedetails.aspx?venueID=727, as Tim was on the guest list for this band showcase. There were quite a few bands playing, punk, indie, alternative - I even liked a few of them, but I definatly think that Tim and I will have to agree to differ on our tastes!

It was a heavy night. A very heavy night. We get home late, and go straight to sleep.

Saturday

Boy my head hurts. I feel rough. I remembered that I'd arranged to meet Euan & Alex in Soho for brunch at 2pm - but feeling so rough, I text to cancel. But, Euan won't take no for an answer. He phones up and 'shames' me into meeting them. So, off to Soho I go - but slowly. Very slowly.

I meet up with them in Cafe Boheme and we have a fantastic lunch. I opted for sausage to start, and organic salmon for mains, washed down with a diet coke & sparkling mineral water. Euan was on the wine, and tempted me to join him.... it's 3:30pm.

After our meal, we nip into a pub to catch the end of the Scotland Rugby game! Go Scotland!! Fantastic result! Before I take them on a tour of Soho's 'seedier' side. Well, they did want to see the Sex Shops! ;-)

Oh it was pervtastic. But after a while, there's only so much porn you can take in. So, head down to Leicester Sq to find a cinema that was showing 'Borat'. Oh my god. I haven't laughed so much in a cinema for ages!! This film is just pure genious!! You have to go and see it. I'm still laughing a day later.

http://www.myspace.com/borat

http://www.boratmovie.com/

Go check it out!

After the pictures, we head up to the SomBar on Denmark street for some wine and a nice place to just sit, chill and chew the fat!

Anna & her date 'Michael', also join us down in the Som Bar for a few drinks....

and the banter flows, along with the wine....

and we decide that it is indeed munchy, munchy time, and so search for food. Of course, you never have to wander far in London, and we were in a Thai mood. So Nusa Dua it was!

aaaahhhhh.... Anna & Michael holding hands....

Enough of that PDA action!

After the meal, we go to a late bar in the spanish part of Oxford Street, but it was absolutly hoachin and we didn't really stay that long. A few drinks and we all head our seperate ways home.

Of course it's Saturday night, there's loads of drunken eejits about whilst I wait for my bus. I get some drunken eejit who think it's funny to through food about. Well, he thought it was funny until it hit me. I went over to him and gave him a bloody good thump that sent him reeling to the ground. Once he came too, him and his mate legged it and luckily for me, my bus had also arrived!

Home, bed, sleep.

Today

Ouch. Head hurts, hand hurts from whacking that eejit. I'm tierd and hungover. Nothing is going to get done today.

I spend the day in bed.

It's good to talk...

Jings, Crivvens and Help ma Boab!

Has it really been two weeks since I last updated this??? Christ I have a lot to fill you in on! Just where do I begin?

Well you could say from the start, but then again do I remember that far back through 2 whole weeks of socialising and work?? Hmmmm. Well I suppose I could give it a go and try to fill in the 'blanks' ;-) So, if I last updated this on the 29th that leaves a lot of catching up to do! Thank god I manage to sync up my phone & calender -at least that gives me an inkling as to what has gone on!

Here we go...

Are you ready?

Cause I'm not!

Week commencing Monday 30th
What happened on Monday? Well, what was happening in my life?..... uhm... come on surely I can remember what I did 2 weeks ago?..... maybe it would help if I hadn't been out 'socialising' so much....

Ah ha! It's slowly coming back to me.

Tim was on holiday that week down in Devon, so I was going to have a 'quiet' week. Which is just as well, becuase there was some kind of flu bug going around the office (Kieran was off sick), and I wasn't feeling to chipper either - but I was determined to try and escape the dreaded lurgie.

Also, remember the whole mobile phone saga? Well that was still rumbling on - I still didn't have a phone, but when I spoke to them the Friday before, they swore to me that it had been dispatched and I should receive it within '3 to 5' working days........ hmmmm.... now where have you heard that one before readers?

And you've guessed it, no phone arrived on Monday

Tuesday
And still no phone. I even waited for the postman to come round before I left in work that morning.

It was a very, very frustrating and irrating day at work. I seemed to be getting it from all directions that day and was getting very tierd of having to justify my team's existance and with work we are producing. I was looking forward to meeting up with Teresa & Felicity to go see 'In search of Apollo', and a band showcase night - and it happened to co-incide with Halloween!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=67437075

But just before I managed to escape the day from hell in work, there was one last kick in the teeth for me to endure that day.

Mary.

I got a mauling. it was 6:30pm and I was being mauled. I was thoroughly pissed off by the time I managed to escape from the office.

I was in need of severe unwinding and chillin out to be had that evening.

I met up with the girls, and had several bottles of Budvar and slowly relaxed into the evening. The band that we had come to see were very good. I was very pleasantly suprised, they were very tight and enjoyed the groove that was happening! Check them out on myspace.com (link above).

Wednesday
Head hurts.

Still no phone.

I'm not feeling well - hangover's gone, but my glands are a bit sore, eyes are nipping, and I feel exhausted. I hope this isn't the dreaded lurgie!

I leave work early, go home and straight to bed.

Thursday
Head hurts, throat hurts, feeling achey, temperature is wonky, glands hurt.

Still no phone.

I drag myself into work, only because I have to get the Strategic Pot bid ready.

I leave work early, go home and straight to bed.

Friday
Still no phone.

I'm still not feeling right, but feel a bit better than the last couple of days - taking it easy and not killing myself on the commute to work is helping!

I decide to take it easy and only go to work in the afternoon for my meeting about the bid. The morning is spent arguing on the phone with O2 - it turns out that they received my other phone (so there was no need for me to send them proof of purchase!), fucking numpties. And they can't explain why my other replacement phone hasn't been dispatched yet. Of course this incompetance is going to cost them. I am now £120.00 in credit on my phone account - I won't be paying any bills for the next few months.

I am promised that a phone will be dispatched immediatly.

During the afternoon, I get a text from Adrian. Did I want to meet for a beer?

Shit, I forgot Adrian was in town!

Och well, you can't let a mate down......

After I finish up at work I head down to the Westminster Arms and we sink a beer, before I get another text from Andy (Kate's brother in-law), saying that he's in the Cruddy bar! So, off we march to the Cruddy and the three of us sit down and chew the fat, before Andy shoots off back down to Hackbridge to look after Liz and the bairn.

Adrian and I finish up our beers and think about having food. Adrian is looking rather exhausted, so I make the decision for him.

To 56 we go!

We jump in a cab, and I take Adrian to one of my favourite wee resturants in Stokie for a fab slap up meal before we wander down the road home.

Now the initial idea, was that we have food and then perhaps go for a beer or two round Stokie - but after I got Adrian home, he just collapsed in the living room! So it's Friday night, and we are sitting in the livingroom watching 'Pitch Black' and having a beer.

Rock and Roll.

Saturday
It's an early start.

I got an e-mail earlier on in the week from an old school friend whom I haven't seen or heard from in over 16 years! Cari, was coming down to London for one night only to appear on the BBC Celebrity Scissorhands - Children in Need thingy. It's her first time in London by herself. Oh boy. :-)

Only snag was, is that she arrives 8am at Euston!

8am?

8am?

I don't do mornings - let alone on a weekend!! Adrian and I leave the house at 8:40am, and miraclously arrive at Euston 25 mins later. And there she was, with bright pink hair! Although i would have taken a photo if only I had my phone........

But here's a picture of Cari off of her cousin's website.....

You know it's going to be a strange weekend when you are in Soho at 9:30am...... We order breakfast in Cafe Boheme http://www.cafeboheme.co.uk/, which was rather nice! After which Adrian went back up to Euston to catch his train home to Manchester and I show Cari some of the sights whilst we kill time until she can check into her hotel across in Shepherd's Bush.

Getting to Sheperd's Bush is normally very easy - the central line takes you straight there. But of course nothing is ever as simple as it seems. TfL, decide to terminate the central line at Marble Arch - so we get off the tube with 5 million other people and attempt to catch a bus to Sheperd's Bush - well at least Cari is getting to experience London to the full!

Once Cari is checked in, we grab some food and head back into town and jump off the bus on Oxford Street. Cari wants to buy a 'funky' top for her TV experience - so off we go to Selfridges, House of Fraser, Debenhams, British Home Stores, Top Shop, Miss Selfridges, the Gap, H & M - and still no top.

And I am in desperate need of a seat (my ankle is beginning to bite), and lubrication!

I take Cari to another one of my favourite pubs 'Ben Crouches Tavern', http://www.fluidfoundation.com/venueDetails.asp?venue_id=2559, One of the Eerie pubs in London, what marks the Ben Crouches Tavern out from the other pubs in the chain is the ‘London Vampire Group Meetings’ on the 2nd Thursday of every month – something a bit novel!!

She loves it!

We sip some well deserved beer, and then I happen to get a text from another Dundee mate 'Euan' - who happens to be in London that evening as well and did I want to meet for a beer?

It's fastly turning into the White Heather Club as Euan joins us in Ben Crouches. A few more drinks later and it's time to think about eating again! Off to Nusa Dua we go and have a fabulous meal washed down with a couple of bottles of wine. The night is still but young, so off to the CroBar we go - rock, goth, metal, indie, alternative.

It's nearly 3am when we leave the CroBar. Taxi home, everyone crashes back at mine and we sleep!

Sunday 5th of November
Ouch.

Time for breakfast. I take the guys up to the Blue Legume on Church Street for a nourishing breakfast - so nourishing that Euan order's 2 breakfasts!

Then it's back down to Marble Arch to get Cari onto the bus back to Sheperd's Bush green and Euan and I decide a hair of the dog is in order after we wave goodbye to Cari.

All I am saying is, that if you are hetrosexual, don't like white grand piano's, men going into the bar and leaving with a younger boy within 60 seconds, then it's probably best if you don't go to the Quebec ; http://fluidfoundation.com/venueDetails.asp?BarRef=5011, Located near Marble Arch tube Station, at the top end of Oxford Street, The Quebec, the oldest gay pub in London, opened in 1946 And has been managed by Tony for over 10 years.

It was a funny afternoon.

I eventually get home around 6pm and am straight back out again to meet up with Teresa to go watch the fireworks down in Victoria Park and we also bump into Glen.

We shouldn't have bothered.

The fireworks were shite. Maybe I'm a bit old fashioned. I expect there to be lots of fireworks and a bonfire! No, not in politically correct land. No, we are going to have some bizarre indian story retold by actors (and I can't see a fucking thing being a short arse!), for about 30 mins, then 5mins worth of fireworks.

What the hell?

Guy Fawkes, Blowing up of Parliment - where the hell does an indian and a tiger fit into all of this?

We leave the park with 20million other people walking in the crowd and end up at Bethnal Green tube station. I'm exhausted. It's been quite a weekend. We stop off for a couple of drinks in Liverpool Street station, and I am so tired that I ask for a Fresh Orange & Lemonade - and I can't even finish it!

Home. Bed. Sleep.

Monday 6th November
Still no phone and I'm tierd.

Off to work I go, it's a not too bad a day at work and Anna & I decide to go to Tapsters for a glass of wine after work at 5:30pm. And as if by magic...... the fire alarm went off in work at 4:55pm - Looks like we are going for that drink a little bit early :-)

Tim joins us around 7pm, and we finish up and head off home. Tim and I go to '56' for a meal, then it's off home.

Tuesday
Still no phone.

It's a quiet one and work, and a quiet one at home.

Wednesday
Still no phone.

It was fairly hectic at work and I got a call from Cameron and decided to meet up after work in the Som Bar on Denmark street after work.

Of course, I bring Anna, Steve & Glen along. And now that I have my phone back I can start clicking away like a crazy mad woman and take lots of photo's!

Here's one of Steven sitting in the office with is cup off coffee!

Anna leaves after a couple of drinks, and we are all hungry. Cameron was in the mood for Thai, so we wandered off to Nusa Dua for yet another fab meal and some more drinks.


Thursday
The phone arrived, and it actually works!

I can't resist playing with it and setting it all up before I head into work.

It's a busy day in the office, but not too bad a day. I get a lot of things done and am feeling quite good! I've already arranged to meet up with Zena for drinks & a meal as it's been a rather long time since we've seen one another.

We meet up in Pimlico Wine Vaults, before going to 'Chimes' for an 'English', and then down to the Victoria Plaza Hotel for a nice glass of wine.

Zena, doesn't like getting her photo taken - but I managed to get at least a couple of photo's without her hiding behind her hair!

Friday
It's that Friday feeling. Waiting for the weekend to kick in. Work seemed to drag on and on and on and on..... until I get an e-mail from Morrish. 'Beer Glorious Beer' - and on that note, I meet Morrish and Stuart down in the Cruddy just before 5pm.

Morrish and I then head up to the Blues Bar around to meet Tim and we were in for a treat tonight! Ian Segall wsa playing that night! http://www.iansiegal.com/, An evening of fantastic Blues music was had.

And the night wore on, more blues, more beer and Steve spotted the two girls sitting next to him starting to flag... and he wanted a photo of them....

Of course, what goes around comes around. Karma has a way in these things!

We left the Blues Bar after 1am, jumped in a cab back to mine in search of a Kebab shop that was still open as Steve had a severe case of beer munchies!

Saturday

Oh boy.

Steve looked rough. Steve was a vision of hell. And he had to do the walk of shame all the way back to Slough.

Of course, it would have been easier if he hadn't got himself lost at the end of my street and wandered around Hackney for 30-40 mins...

hehehehee

Now, remember the phone saga?? Those numpties at O2 have only gone and sent be another phone! This one is even shiner! It's silver and brand new! Oh I'll be keeping that. Everytime they fuck up, it costs them!

Shiny, shiny, shiny!

And the rest of this weekend will be spent catching up on mail, e-mails, washing, cleaning, hoovering etc etc etc. But sometimes it's nice to just chill at home.