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.
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.
