dietdevil: Early mornings, dead rabbits and total resilience...

dietdevil: Early mornings, dead rabbits and total resilience...: So I did the 4 am run this morning but am up, am up! I am not tired honestly - I am fine. The eldest and 2 friends were drunk and I heard t...

Early mornings, dead rabbits and total resilience on the roof!

So I did the 4 am run this morning but am up, am up! I am not tired honestly - I am fine. The eldest and 2 friends were drunk and I heard the sounds of TC ( tactical chundering) when I was trying to get back to sleep but they are all alive today.

 

I had to come home the back way along all the windy country roads  and had the misfortune of running over a rabbit. It was a clean kill but I'm sure that I decapitated him as his body went in 2 separate directions. I hate seeing roadkill by the road and I have so far managed to avoid contributing to it and I hope karma doesn't come back and get me.

 

That's life - or not, for that poor little bunny.

 

As it is Sunday that can only mean one thing -

 

ROOFTOP DRINKIES

 

It is not sunny but it is dry and it is warm. That's all that matters as far as we are concerned. We love the Pednolva Hotel and especially the 'sun' terrace and we will be there catching up on our moans and groans of the week. I 'm not sure that there will be any other rabbit murderers amongst us but I do like to be different. Having said that, there are a couple of new characters joining our throng today so maybe there will be...............

Just back and lots of laughs from all concerned. Lisa and I dressed for summer. We both ignored the odd raindrop and the fact it , let's just say. wasn't the warmest day, and we put on a brave face. Actually it was bloody freezing. Lisa wore a short dress and I had on a flimsy skirt and flip flops. We could both clock the goose pimples on each other's legs but we kept smiling.............and drunk magners on ice.

That's what it's all about. Good banter and good laughs and planning on a special afternoon next week where it is a certain member's birthday and I'm sure that after I had had a vodka after my magners that I may have rashly promised banners and juggling midgets............

 

Looks like I have a bit of planning to do.

dietdevil: All I want is an effing chip! At least I had a bap...

dietdevil: All I want is an effing chip! At least I had a bap...: So today was 'weigh day' and I lost another pound. Woo hoo and all that. It's the time of the month when I don't tend to lo...

All I want is an effing chip! At least I had a bap though.............

So today was 'weigh day' and I lost another pound. Woo hoo and all that. It's the time of the month when I don't tend to lose so I was chuffed with it. Onwards and downwards yada yada yada.

 

And it is Saturday and it has been busy and I was starving so I was forced to eat something I try to avoid and that was..............

 

A 'BAP' FROM A GARAGE.

 

It was egg mayo, it was huge and it was doughy. I know there was butter on it and I didn't care. I was a non diet rebel for a brief time today. I do admit though that during and after eating it I did think that it may reappear at some point as my frail ( ? ) non carby type digestive system just doesn't do shit like that no more.

 

Well the good news is that 7 hours later it has stayed down and so I had sirloin steak for dinner.

 

 

With salad.

 

There was no chips. Not even my special 'healthy' chips.

 

God I miss them so much I could cry.

 

I have often said that potatoes are my favourite vegetable and if I was doing Slimming World still then I could wolf them down like there was no tomorrow. But I'm not - I have sacrificed rules and regulations in favour of food freedom and unfortunately when chomping on the big bap at lunchtime I knew deep within my heart that I had thrown away my chance of a chip.

 

I just can't do the bread and potatoes in one day any more but it seems to be working so I'll stop harping on about it and be thankful for rocket, cucumber and tomato....oh and the spring onion that I treated myself to as well. They tasted just as nice as a chip. I am going to change the subject now before I get emotional.

 

On a brighter note I have told eldest child that I will collect her from Penzance at 4am tomorrow morning. I do not know why on earth I said this I am shattered and there is always the risk of an emergency stop for a quick chunder. She hasn't been out much since returning from uni as she is working off her massive overdraft so I suppose that's why I said yes. It's all about timing though. If I went to bed now I wouldn't sleep so I may as well stay awake until midnight and then set an alarm. It's not a long drive but once I have dropped off the various other passengers then it will take almost an hour and a half and by the time I get back the gulls will be out squawking.

 

Whatever , I still plan on having rooftop drinkies tomorrow.

 

No chips and early mornings?

 

I have to have some fun don't I?

dietdevil: Cute twins, lots of mist and the paranoia of being...

dietdevil: Cute twins, lots of mist and the paranoia of being...: So it's Friday again and as you know last week I got well and truly splattered. I was confident this week that I would be one step ahea...

Cute twins, lots of mist and the paranoia of being watched by seagulls.

So it's Friday again and as you know last week I got well and truly splattered. I was confident this week that I would be one step ahead of the feathery little bastards and would return home poo free. My vigilance paid off and I did avoid a shitting but I think that may have had something to do with the fact that the whole of the town was covered in a spooky type mist so the nasty gulls probably couldn't see me anyway. Well not now I have lost 2 stone of course........................boom boom.

 

There was a couple hanging round my car though,  for a while and I named them David and Nick. David pretended that he hadn't seen me but Nick clocked me big time and I know they were talking about me.

 

 

 

David - ''psssst Nick, Nick, is that her?''

 

Nick - ''Who? The one George got last week? In Island Square?''

 

David - ''yeah that was a beauty. My beak literally dropped open , man. He had been saving that for a few days''

 

Nick - ''Did you see the fuss she made?''

 

David - ''Fuss? Bloody hell she was screaming like a crow. Funny as hell though''

 

Nick - ''David, mate, I think she's clocked us''

 

David - ''it's ok bud. I'll pretend to whistle and you just stare at the boats. She's too busy instagraming to notice''

 

Nick - ''Ok mate. Oh shit, she's getting in her car now. Same time tomorrow?''

 

David - ''yeah no worries. Am gonna eat some raw sausage later so I'll be full as a bandit's rifle. We'll find her tomorrow''.

 

Or words to that effect.....................

 

I also banged into a lovely 'girl' that I have know since she was littler. She is a married woman now and has 10 month old twins and I clucked and fussed at them and had a nice chat. When the boys Zac and Rory were born one of them ( I'm sorry Donna I can't recall which ) was very poorly as was their mummy and it was a horrible time for her when it should have been a wonderful time. This made the cockles of my heart glow to see them out and about and smiling and happy and contended and it was one of those 'awwww' moments which we should all have the pleasure of every so often.

 

It made me feel quite broody. Not for myself to have a baby obviously - my days are long gone, thank god, but there are more and more of my same age friends becoming grandmas. I can't wait to be one. I won't teach them how to bake or sew or anything like that ( I can't do either so I can't) but I will do mad things with them and have them doing blogs and poems in no time at all. I will also let them eat chocolate and crisps and play in mud.

 

But not yet everyone........not yet! I have stories to write and gulls to avoid.

 

 





 

dietdevil: Sweet jesus, not the 'g' word!

dietdevil: Sweet jesus, not the 'g' word!: So I have lost nearly 2 stone since the end of March. I do admit that part of it has been stress related but who cares? I could have maybe ...

Sweet jesus, not the 'g' word!

So I have lost nearly 2 stone since the end of March. I do admit that part of it has been stress related but who cares? I could have maybe done without the sleepless nights , panic attacks and questioning of my role in the world and self worth etc but, hey I HAVE LOST NEARLY 2 STONE!

 

And on the back of this - the 'G' word has reared its' ugly head.

 

G is for GYM.

 

Youngest child has been pestering me to go. I am thinking about it. I am caving in to pressure. I am going to buckle. I just know I am. And you know what?

 

I HATE THE GYM.

 

I joined last year with the best of intentions and after sitting gazing out of the window one Sunday morning whilst riding an exercise bike I did think to myself...''why the hell am I here? It's Sunday morning for god's sake. I should still be in bed'' and so it wasn't long lived.

 

I quite like the swimming and the hydro running class is good and if I join am I going to stick with it or last maybe a month like last time? Will I ever be able to coordinate myself on a cross trainer? Will I ever truly understand the settings on the treadmill? Will I ever attend a spinning  class and really will I ever become addicted to it?

 

I think the answers to the questions above will be

 

unlikely

doubtfully

not a hope in hell

no way

don't be ridiculous

 

But I know I will still join just to toss into the conversation here and there, ''hi, I'm off to the gym'' and ''sorry I missed your call, I was in the gym'' and ''where's my gym bag''.

 Personally I will give myself 2 weeks until I think enough is enough but it's the thought that counts.

 

And then of course, there's that old wives tale that muscle weighs heavier than fat so whenever ex fat club buddies used to join the gym they would always put on weight the following week. I don't want that you see. It will knock my confidence and may make me want to eat butter and crisps and drink more wine that I do already.

 

It's a tough decision to make....................and thinking of it logically, my youngest child would probably rather pluck her very eyeballs out than be seen dead with me in a place of sporting activity so the fact that she is hassling me to join, should be infact that she is hassling for me to pay for her to join. Hmmm.

 

It's a toughie alright and when I think about it I may just go and dust off my trainers........

 

dietdevil: I like wine. It's nice.

dietdevil: I like wine. It's nice.: So today I went for lunch with Leanne. We ate at Caffe Pasta and the food was delicious and we had a window table and we people watched and...

I like wine. It's nice.

So today I went for lunch with Leanne. We ate at Caffe Pasta and the food was delicious and we had a window table and we people watched and we talked and laughed and it was lovely. The weather is really warm, but not too warm  and infact, it was just right for us pale and freckly people. I had steak and greek salad ( again ) and not a potato passed my lips. I don't miss carbs. Honest.

 

I did have some wine though. I haven't drunk wine properly for a while and it's only when I have it that I realise how much I love it. If I could eat and drink what I wanted then I would drink it with every dinner. With every meal, if truth be told, but I can't so I don't. I have had to have a cheeky disco nap this afternoon as I am going out again tonight and at the moment I feel a bit like I feel after dinner on Christmas day, not  hungover, just, well, a little bit tipsy.

 

Before lunch I went to visit my 2 favourite holiday property owners in the whole wide world. I seriously think they are amazing people and could sit with them all day. Their house is a shrine to 1940's England and they are too. Proper upper class and so switched on to the ways of our world. I always get offered a tipple no matter what time of day it is. I generally think that Mrs D has had a sherry prior to my arrival and she always tells me what she is reading and she shrieked indulgently whilst telling me she had read the ''first 50 shades book and have you dear?''. Mr D said it was 'poppycock' but shrieked a bit too. My mind was boggling but I was glad to see them alive and happy.

 

Mutley was taken to his second home again this morning. They have 'reorganised' his pain relief. His leg is not looking good but is still there. I am getting fed up with it now. He is doped up to his eyeballs and looks quite depressed in a way that only a springer spaniel can.

 

Off out again in a while for hopefully a fun night. I like the summer and I like wine and everything else will be okay.

 

 

CAKES!!! No thanks, I'll just drool like a Victorian orphan at a sweetie shop window..........

So this photo does not do the size of these 'teacakes' justice.

 

 

At a loss for something to do and after having been very busy this morning  I asked my friend Lisa to come with me to M and S and Next at Hayle this afternoon. We mooched and poked around stuff and to be honest there was nothing neither of us really wanted to buy so we went to the Costa Coffee shop next door. I had a ridiculously large and overpriced cappuccino and Lisa had a brew that apparently tasted like 'washing up liquid' but we had a good old gossip.

 

The drinks may be cack but the cakes were looking good. Lisa and I are always on diets so we squealed and drooled. I love a Tunnocks Teacake and the ones in this photo were gigantic. They were the size of bowler hats, which oddly enough is what I used to call them when I was a bairn back in the day.

 

Due to our self imposed restrictions and our general obsession with all things naughty we genuinely got excited at what was on offer. Muffins, gateaux, those teacakes, flapjacks etc etc , they were all there but we stuck to our yukky drinks. Of course, being on a non diet I could have had one but at the moment I have iron tight discipline and don't want to risk a trigger.

 

You see normally cakes don't really float my boat. My trigger is definitely bread or wine or chocolate or potatoes or butter. It's hard when you want to eat them but know that one nibble will mean more and more. My youngest daughter is a great cake maker and my kitchen is often filled with various brownies and slices of things that smell and look lush and I can generally ignore them but sometimes it would be nice to ram one in my gob and not think of the consequences............

 

It's a busy time for me at the moment. Both daughters are working a lot and youngest madam has the finals of the public speaking competition in just over a week and the subject she is talking about is .

 

CAKES!

 

I missed the last round and so am planning on being in Stafford next Saturday to cheer her on. I would like to think I will behave better, but I will be the proverbial showbiz pushy mother in the front row mentally cheering her on. It's all very stressful but good stressful and the trainer, Hugh has already planned which curry house we will be dining at on the way back. It's one of those that has the extra large naan breads that are as tall as a person.,.... I can't wait!

 

And this is why I said 'no thank you' to one of those teacakes.

dietdevil: New do's for the dawgs.

dietdevil: New do's for the dawgs.: So today has been one of those days when I have chased my tail and run around like a blue arsed fly but I have still actually accomplished ...

New do's for the dawgs.

So today has been one of those days when I have chased my tail and run around like a blue arsed fly but I have still actually accomplished quite a lot. I did have a bit of a humiliating incident  first thing but I really do not wish to disclose the finer details. It is over and done with now so I will not lose any more sleep over it.

 

Mutley was back at the vets this morning for his post op check up. The rumours are that they are building a new wing over there very soon and that it will be named after 2 of my 3 dogs. I am going to be making a speech and cutting the ribbon and it's all very exciting. I am joking by the way. Really laughing. If I don't laugh, then I will cry.

 

And as for the other 2 spaniels, Maddie May Marmalade and Fredrico Chico Humperdink ( Maddie and Freddie for short ) they had the delights of a visit from their favourite West Cornwall dog groomers Lesley and Keith, aka, Dapper Dogs. Mutley was booked in but bearing in mind half his body is already shaved and he may bite them if they touch his dodgy elbow, he sat today out. I don't think he's that bothered really.

 

Maddie looked like an overweight sheep pre- dappering and she loves Lesley and Keith so it was a nice day for her.

 

BEFORE ..........

 

and

 

AFTER.................

 

It was Freddie's first time being washed shampooed and blow dried and having his nails clipped and his anal glands squeezed - the big difference between these 2 dogs is that Maddie loves having her photo taken and Freddie doesn't but here goes.................

 

BEFORE....................

 

and

 

AFTER..................

 

Now you lot may not be able to tell the difference, but I can and they both smell of flowers. Mutley is growing more and more frustrated that he isn't allowed out and the waft of a sensual mist about Maddie drove him a bit hyper and 3 working legs or not he was trying to play 'wheelbarrows' with her but I yelled at him and he stopped.

 

So I now have 2 beautiful groomed spaniels, one with a dodgy leg and not so beautifully groomed, all traces of seagull poo are gone from my own hair, I did something today which was humiliating but needed to be done, I have avoided contacting the arsehole, I have made plans to be even more productive in a creative way tomorrow and I have given Leanne my scales to safeguard until saturday.

 

And this is why I am giddy with the thought of having a couple of roast potatoes with my roast chicken tonight.

 

Carbs are not my enemy. I just need to know as and when to spend time with them.

dietdevil: I have nothing to say but you've come this far so ...

dietdevil: I have nothing to say but you've come this far so ...: So all I got from my French 'Chad enticing' title yesterday was lots of French people which is very nice but they're not Chad. ...

I have nothing to say but you've come this far so please read it.

So all I got from my French 'Chad enticing' title yesterday was lots of French people which is very nice but they're not Chad. Unless they are Chad people on holiday in France? Do people from Chad go on their hols and if they do, would they go to France? If anyone could thrown any light on this then I would be really grateful.

 

Today has been one of those days when nothing has really happened. I had a lie in, I got up and ate a huge full english breakfast ( low fat obviously ) ,  I did bits around the house and then as it wasn't raining, I decided to go to the Pednolva for a rooftop drink. I had to come back at 4pm  to dogsit  Mutley  as he still cant be left on his own so I only had one lovely Magners with ice, lost my sunglasses, found them again, had a quick chat and a laugh with some friends and then wandered home. Sometimes you need days like that.

 

My peace was shattered not long after arriving home when Hattie squished a baby seagull whilst driving up the lane behind my house. I know seagulls are a pain and I know they are noisy but I hate seeing ones that have been injured or killed. It's that time of year when the baby ones fall off roofs etc and have to be rescued. The problem is that once they have been touched by a human then their mummies wont go near them. This one has been given a stately burial in the wheelie bin and Hattie is feeling guilty, but unfortunately these things happen at the best of times.

 

I have been writing a few more poems recently and have had a good idea for a longer story but am not sure I have the attention span for it. I do love my poems though and I have to admit that some of them are quite good. I posted a few a couple of months ago and am not sure if my blog readers would say the same as  they were largely met by silence.  Am not sure as yet what I am going to do with them or if they will ever make me rich or famous but it is something that helps me relax and takes my mind off other stuff.

 

Oh and speaking of other stuff - some people really annoy the crap out of me on facebook! I realise that I am probably a person that annoys the crap out of a lot of people in the same way, but I really do think that certain folks should curtail what they are saying.

 

Yes, I post a lot of stuff but if you read closely , none of it is much of a revelation . I post updates of my life in general but there is certain parts of my life that I wouldn't dream of writing down for the world and his wife to see. I would like to delete some of these people but as myself and a couple of friends have already agreed - we can't - ''it's car crash'' - no matter how horrific it is, we can't help but watch...................... Is this sick of us or wrong?

 

 I'm not so sure if it is either of these thimgs or maybe it's a case of ''there for the grace of god go I''? 

 

There are also the statuses where people feel the need to say how perfect their lives are. Now I know I am a bit of a miserable cow at the best of times and my life is far from perfect but some are just vom inducing over the top ridiculous to the point I cynically or quite rightfully think ''who exactly are you trying to convince here?''

 

And on that jolly uncharitable note I am off to plot and plan.

 

 

 

 

dietdevil: bonjour le peuple du Tchad a lu ce blog svp!

dietdevil: bonjour le peuple du Tchad a lu ce blog svp!: So everyone liked my blog yesterday - maybe it was because some people thought it was amusing to see poop dribbling down my cheek. I must s...

bonjour le peuple du Tchad a lu ce blog svp!

So everyone liked my blog yesterday - maybe it was because some people thought it was amusing to see poop dribbling down my cheek. I must say if it was one of my friends in the same situation then I too would have laughed. And it was on the basis of this outpouring of literary love that I perused the www last night and found out that blogs could be published onto Kindle via Amazon.

 

I registered on it.

 

And that means there are different people all over the world hopefully now reading the mumblings and rumblings that I write about on their cute little electronic devices.
  I hope that some of these people live in Chad.
I am beginning to wonder if the good folk that live there actually have the internet. I don't have any friends from there on Facebook or Twitter but I am crossing my fingers that I soon will have dozens of them. I also think I may be counting my chickens before they are hatched and that your average Chad Lad or Lass will have no idea what the hell I am going on about.

I very rarely know what I am going on about too.

 

A few more updates from my day -

 

I have lost another 2 pounds on my non diet - wahoo!

 

I have had monumental strops of the teenage variety at my house today - not so wahoo!

 

I remember quite clearly being a vile teenager too so am not going to dwell on it. It's definitely karma!

 

There was a royal wedding in Alnwick and an old school friend posted a pic on Facebook of them all walking past ma old hoose man. It was canny to see that street again.

 

I have formulated a new life plan and  I am going to worry less and enjoy life more.

 

Mutley still has 4 legs. One of them is useless but it is still attached to him.

 

I found some more seagull poop in my hair tonight - I have fine hair but a LOT of it and that is the problem.

 

I wrote a fab poem last night. I have only written two poems recently and they are both very good, even if I say so myself.

 

I am planning on ridding myself of a certain arsehole. I am mentally composing the email at this very moment. It will be brief, catty and to the point.

 

I have given up carbs and am sort of managing. Potatoes are my favourite vegetable but I really don't miss them at all, not one little bit of their cheeky taste and texture and yum and oh my god I must stop thinking about them.

 

I am hoping that the sun comes out tomorrow as I feel a cheeky rooftop magners would be nice.

 

I was a bit optimistic wearing a summery skirt today. I didn't get shat on but I got p***ed on several times and my legs are still cold and white and a bit pimpled.

 

I found out that the primary language of Chad is french, hence the title of this blog. If you want to know what it means then google it.

 

And on that jolly note I am going to do something delicious for dinner that involves prawns.....and obviously no potatoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

dietdevil: Being shat on and screwed all in the same day........

dietdevil: Being shat on and screwed all in the same day........: So .......well, what can I say? Mutley has had a bigger screw put in his elbow - I am bracing myself  to ring the vets to ask how much this...

Being shat on and screwed all in the same day.............

So .......well, what can I say? Mutley has had a bigger screw put in his elbow - I am bracing myself  to ring the vets to ask how much this second op is going to cost. Personally I don't think it should cost anything as they got the screw size wrong in the first place so after another coffee and a few motivational chants to myself , I am on it - just like a car bonnet or whatever the expression is.

 

Fridays are never my best day. I am always thinking about Saturday whereas on Saturdays I am always thinking about drinking lots of wine and having a lie in on a Sunday.

 

And this Friday was going ever so well until 11.05 am ish when there was an 'incident' in Island Square, right at the heart of St Ives Downalong area and where seemingly an excessive range of passers by and motorists were present.

 

I GOT SHAT ON BIG TIME!

 

 

Not a drop of that noisy winged bastard's poop hit the road. It went in my hair, it splattered against my cheeks, a bit may have gone in my eye and it covered  the left side of my t shirt and some hit the upper part of my nicely tanning right boob. For all of you that know me, I think you are guessing for even one of my breasts to be even half   covered meant that there was a lot of liquid involved.

 

Luckily my friend Steve was in his car. He heard my screams of self loathing and terror and wound his window down. He is a kind man and he didn't laugh, he ignored the cat calls and the guffaws and kindly leant me a towel to wipe the gallons of white slimy poo off myself.

 

All I can say is that it's a good job that I ( sometimes ) have a sense of humour and managed to see the funny side of it. The good thing about seagull poo is that it doesn't smell and it's a good job I am a calm and tolerant person and I managed to joke and banter with the first few dozen people that felt the need to say - ''hey love, buy yourself a lotto ticket''..... although I may have muttered something under my breath to the 12th would be funny guy that was not very nice. I wanted to remind them all that it's me that cracks the jokes around here. I admit, I did eventually get a bit , well a bit shitty really!

 

It's good to laugh, even if it is at myself.....honestly.

 

And if I ever see that bleddy gull again, he's for it. I think he's the same one that got me when I was with Leanne a couple of weeks ago. Trouble is they all look the same to me...........

 

And now I am off to soak in a bath.

dietdevil: Back to life , back to reality , three legged dogs...

dietdevil: Back to life , back to reality , three legged dogs...: So London seems a dim and distant memory now. I am back home, back in St Ives and I think that everyone that  lives here sort of missed me ...

Back to life , back to reality , three legged dogs and all that ............. oh and welcome back to the arsehole.

So London seems a dim and distant memory now. I am back home, back in St Ives and I think that everyone that  lives here sort of missed me a bit. It was agreed by all members of my household that we all needed a break from each other so maybe things will calm down  now they have enjoyed a Liz free couple of days. The house was still standing, everyone was still alive and I came back to as many pets as I had when I left. My next trip is already in the pipeline.

 

The subject of my arsehole blog reared its' ugly head yesterday by email . Now the question I am posing here is -

 

do I email the arsehole back in anger

or

stew another couple of days and then email the arsehole back with more anger and a bit of venom thrown in as well?

 

That's only something I can decide but your thoughts are very much appreciated. I am known by some for being an askhole, ie, someone that asks for advice but does what they want anyway so I can't guarantee that I will actually take any advice on board but I would be interested in seeing what you all have to say.

 

Mutley's leg is buggered. His screw has come loose ( a bit like mine) and he is staying at the vets to have another op tomorrow. I predict that after hundreds of pounds and a lot of sleepless nights that my poor dog will lose his leg. It's not something I want to think about but I reckon that's what will happen.

 

Things to keep my pecker erect -

 

Writing group is going well and some very good ( and funny )  work is in the pipeline.

 

Fat is no longer a feminist issue for me - non diets rock!

 

I have had a lovely couple of hours and a good old moan with my friend Lisa.

 

Maddie, the stone swallowing spaniel has recovered.

 

Freddie my puppy spaniel is cute and in good health.

 

I am going to see Mickey Flannigan in October - watch this space for details - I am seriously excited.

 

I am still alive.

 

The X Factor starts soon and my craving for totally shit telly will be satisfied.

 

Barrack Obama referred to George Osborne as Jeffrey Osborne ,who was infact a cheesy 80's black singer and that made me LOL ROFLMAO snort and titter.

 

I have a fringe that I am control of.

 

And that is basically all I have to say.......until tomorrow.

 

dietdevil: I knew his brother you know...............Oh and t...

dietdevil: I knew his brother you know...............Oh and t...: So I have been to the big city and I am back!   A flying visit to London to see my best friend Nicola and my long lost cousin Stuart in...

I knew his brother you know...............Oh and there was Will Young and Janet too!

So I have been to the big city and I am back!

 

A flying visit to London to see my best friend Nicola and my long lost cousin Stuart in Oxfordshire and of course, to see The Pet Shop Boys at the O2 Arena. I am shattered and I didn't sleep very well ( I like my own bed ) but it was just what the proverbial doctor ordered.

 

On hindsight, maybe I should have pre-warned Nicola about my sketchy last 6 months before I got there but I managed to cram in a brief synopsis and it only took me an hour so I made it as concise as possible. I think..............

 

The Pet Shop Boys have been one of my favourite 'pop groups' ever since the 80's and when I was 19/20 ish I went out with someone from Newcastle that knew the lead singer Neil Tenant's brother very well. We even stayed at his house once ( the brother's  not Neil's ) and that is my sort of claim to fame.

 

It was a proper show. Most of the people there were in their 40's and / or gay men and it was a fantastic atmosphere. They did some new stuff but mixed it in brilliantly with their old stuff and they even had Example make a guest appearance halfway through. I was proper star struck. I am quite possibly a saddo and I drank far too much but it was fantastic.

 

I adore Cornwall and I love its' easy going way of life and I would never want to live in a city again but I am so glad I went even though I felt like a bit of a country bumpkin next to my city slicker friend at times.

 

THINGS THAT MADE ME LAUGH!

 

The train journey up where I was forced to use the loo on the train and was a very brave soldier.

 

The mad woman that got on at St Austell that tried to catch my eye.

 

Nicola not being able to park at Paddington so me having to try and find her using the satnav on my Iphone.

 

Going to visit Stuart in Oxfordshire and we all started talking with Northumbrian accents.

 

 

2 glasses of red wine, a double vodka and diet coke and a WKD- THIRTY QUID!

 

Nicola and Sona going to the bar and not being able to find me. When 'Go West' came on I shrieked 'eek' and grab the man next to me's arm and said 'ooh sorry, but it's my favourite song' and he said 'ooh don't worry, fingers crossed they will do 'Always on my Mind' ''- they did as a matter of fact, it was the next one, and he then grabbed my arm and hugged me and we eeked together.

 

Nicola and Sona saw Janet Street Porter in the loo. I pointed out that I see her in St Ives a lot anyway.

 

The bloke called John that  we were talking to that showed us photos of his kids, who had gone to the show on his own and claimed he was straight!

 

Me making Nicola laugh so much she cried but I cannot divulge what I said - far too personal! But still very funny.

 

Nicola and I saw Will Young at Liverpool Station this morning.

 

THINGS THAT MADE ME GRRRR

 

My hangover this morning.

 

People with Bo on the tube - no need!

 

Sitting opposite someone eating meat of a dubious origin crammed in a baguette.

 

A fire at Reading station which meant that in order to catch my connecting train from Plymouth I had to jostle old people out the way.

 

One of the arseholes that I blogged about a couple of weeks ago.

 

THINGS THAT MADE ME GO 'AAHHHHH'

 

The O2 Arena - simply stunning.

 

. Thank you Pet Shop Boys for an excellent show.

 

Back to normal now - whatever normal is.

 

 

dietdevil: Father's Day and never forgetting.

dietdevil: Father's Day and never forgetting.: So today is Father's day and is the 6th one that I have been without my father to send a card to. When he died in 2008 it was Father&#3...

Father's Day and never forgetting.

So today is Father's day and is the 6th one that I have been without my father to send a card to. When he died in 2008 it was Father's Day a couple of weeks after and then what would have been his 70th birthday another couple of weeks after that. I am struggling today. Not because I want to send him a card and aftershave, just because I would really like to speak to him again and just hear his voice.

 

The cynical cow in me thinks that days like today and mother's day are just another  reason for us to shove our hands in our pockets and spend money we don't have on cheap tat where we should infact show those that we love and respect the same adoration every day of the year. But hey, I'm only human so  I'm also a sucker for a special day and am feeling a little wobbly so bear with me please, I would like to write about him.

 

My Dad was called Adam and was a big tall fella. He was given the not particularly original name of 'Big Adam' in Alnwick , or if you speak proper Northumbrian , 'Big Edam' where the 'e' is pronounced 'eh' and not 'ee'. My Dad was not a large piece of Dutch cheese.

 

He was very well known, he was a hard worker, he liked to drink ( a lot ) and he had quite a temper at the best of times, but he was still my dad.

To say we had our moments is an understatement - we could fight like cat and dog and it's only now that I am older and a little bit wiser that I acknowledge that this is because we were very alike.

 He could be the life and soul of any party but relished his alone times too.

He knew every nook and cranny of the town I grew up in and when he died, along with my grief, the realisation dawned that I had lost a huge part of me and my roots.

 

Who would I phone up to ask the name of a street or person that had suddenly sprung to mind and that I knew only he could remember?

Who would always without a shadow of a doubt have my back?

Who would be the only Dad I ever had? 

 

I laugh now at some of the phone calls we used to have. If he ever rang me and started the conversation with ''you remember old Jimmy that lived next door?'' then I just knew that Old Jimmy was a goner. If I didn't remember Old Jimmy then my Dad would get exasperated and would say things like ''but he gave you 20 pence for sweets when you were ten'' or something like that.

 

Despite being a working class northern man, my Dad was also quite cool. My mother read ( and probably still does read ) The Daily Mail and would often come out with statements like ''all lesbians wear dungarees'' but my Dad read The Mirror and if he felt any serious bigotted right wing tendencies then he certainly never made them known to me. I did go out with a Jewish lad once and he wasn't over happy as there were plenty of canny catholics that I could have met, but apart from that one sentence and a bit of tight lipped silence then no more was said on the matter.

 

My parents were never happy together yet stayed together and when my mother finally left ( I was 29 ) that was when Dad and I became closer. I felt a fierce loyalty to him and that lasted until he died 12 years later. It was an emotional time and  as we were nearly 500 miles apart  it wasn't easy but it did change the dynamics of 'us'.  It was a sad time but good came from it.

 

And on to the afterlife question? I personally do believe that when we die our spirits go elsewhere - am not sure exactly where but it's an optimistic attitude. I went to see a medium once that claimed my Dad was there in the room next to her. I got all weepy ( naturally ) and in my heart I wanted so much to believe her, but if my Dad had been there then he would have stubbornly kept quiet and would be cross that I had wasted a tenner of my inheritance on such mumbo jumbo.

 

So all I am really trying to say is this -

 

Dad, whether you're up there, or down there, or floating around in trees or you've come back as a pigeon or a prince or whatever, Happy Father's Day....

 

From your bairn xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

dietdevil: Culinary mojo gone? Spag Bol is the answer.....and...

dietdevil: Culinary mojo gone? Spag Bol is the answer.....and...: So I used to cook.   All the time.    I would create stuff that tasted sometimes rank but most of the time it tasted good. Well I l...

Culinary mojo gone? Spag Bol is the answer.....and do they eat it in Chad?

So I used to cook.

 

All the time.

 

 I would create stuff that tasted sometimes rank but most of the time it tasted good. Well I liked it and seeing as in my house we tend to adopt the 'everyone cooks for themselves' attitude that was all that mattered. Since the lows and lows of my past few months I have no longer wanted to be Nigella or Delia or, if you're old enough to remember, Fanny, I just haven't been interested. I can stretch to a roast if pushed but most of the time it's been jacket potatoes and things involving bacon and eggs and mushrooms. I even stooped so low as to have a tin of soup with some grated ( low fat of course ) cheese in it the other night.

As far as I am concerned, that is infact lower than low. I am 45, not 15.

 

Being on a non diet and not following SW has attributed to this. When I was following 'the plan' you really had to cook and as I haven't, well then , I haven't.

 

Tonight I am hungry and I opened the fridge and the cupboard and thought 'hmmm' and then I thought some more and then I decided that I would make spaghetti bolognese and I decided this because-

 

1. I like spaghetti bolognese

2. It's easy

3. It tastes nicer than the time given to cooking it.

4. I only need to use 2 pans.

5. I had minced beef and veg and tomatoes and oregano etc.

 

 

 

 

So that was that really.

 

I remember I used to read recipe books, I used to stuff chicken with other stuff and then wrap more stuff round it and grill it and serve it with a sauce made from runny stuff and lightly steamed vegetables. I would eat it and give myself a proverbial pat on the back and then I would think about what else I could create in the kitchen. I found it relaxing and used to love putting my ideas into action but I think those days are gone.....well for the moment anyway.

 

I know that on the list of many things I have to do is to find my culinary mojo and reclaim my kitchen. Everyone else in my house is selfish when it comes to the catering. They use the last of ingredients and don't tell me, they leave packets of stuff open in my quite damp cupboards, they make a mess, they don't scrape their plates and it's time I maybe got a lock for that door. Despite having ignored it recently, the kitchen I still think of as mine and I don't want other people messing with it or in it.

 

Am I being harsh? I'm not sure. That's just how I feel.

 

Maybe I need to take a slowly but surely approach?

 

Tonight - spag bol.

Tomorrow night - beed wellington with duchesse potatoes and asparagus.

 

Or maybe I should just stop thinking about things so much?

 But then if I did then I wouldn't blog and I love my blogging. I am desperately trying to entice some readers from Chad - which incidentally is a land locked country in Africa and not a South American drug baron's haven as I initially thought.

 

So in true blogger style I have googled some typical Chad recipes and apparently the way to 'satisfy the hunger of any friends from Chad' would be to serve them the following.

 

A salad with lettuce, avocado, cucumbers and sliced carrots, with a vinegar and oil style salad dressing.

Green or red tea, very strong and with plenty of sugar

Fresh tropical fruits: mangoes, guavas, papayas, pineapples, bananas...

Peanuts roasted in a skillet on your stovetop

 

I am a little disappointed in how plain their food is so maybe I will lay off any culinary blogs whilst I try to capture their attention.

 

Now where did I put my peanuts and skillet?

 

 

 

 

dietdevil: Does that time of the month or life mean you are n...

dietdevil: Does that time of the month or life mean you are n...:     So I'm not sure that I have that many male blog readers and if I have then they may want to perhaps not read this as it'...

Does that time of the month or life mean you are never Happy? The emotion - not the jolly Disney dwarf.

 

 

So I'm not sure that I have that many male blog readers and if I have then they may want to perhaps not read this as it's a bit of a girly type subject. It's all about the hormones you see and the fact that too many or too few  or just a strange mix of them can reduce us females to quivering wrecks.Once a month some women can turn from calm cool and collected creatures into psycho axe wielding maniacs and god help the more fesity amongst us females who are never calm cool and collected in the first place ( like myself )  and OH EM GEE SISTA - don't get me started on the M word. And if any men are reading this - M is for menopause.

 

 I shall therefore refer to a couple of the key words  and phrases by intital just to make it more reader friendly. We all know what the M means and I think we can all guess what TOTM and P means too, so please keep up!

 

 

I am infact, a quivering wreck most of the time anyway. Do not be fooled by the jolly  facade, most of the time I am a right miserable cow and  I cry almost every day and this is prior to my current stress and depression and  if I am being brutally honest ( which I hope to be in my writings ) then I think that I always have had a daily weep just for the hell of it. I'm not sure that this means that I am never happy because I am occassionally, I just like a good old screech, wail, sniffle, sob to let my emotions flow, so as to speak. Every 28 days this is worse than normal. And now I am 45 - well , I'm not quite sure what to expect.

Fluffy kittens? Cute puppies? Sad stories on the news? Finding that the loo roll in the bathroom has run out and nobody has replaced it? Someone being nasty? Someone being nice? yes they will reduce us all to blubbering idiots and god help anyone that questions why we are behaving like that.

 

TTOTM  ( P )  is a pain in the arse. No matter how many calenndars I write its'  imminent arrival on, it still always makes me think ''oh that explains it'' when it marches brazenly  into my week. I am now 'of that age'  so I am sort of guessing that the fruitful time of my life will be drawing to a close and the era of a particularly nasty does of the hormone may appear to throw me off balance when  the monthly P evolves into its' nastier big sister M.

 

 I remember when my own mother went through the M and thinking she should really get a grip. I was a teenager at the time so my thoughts very rarely strayed beyond my next potential snog / perm / packet of 10 bensons / bottle of woodpecker / flavoured lipgloss etc,  and teenagers ( as I well know ) aren't best known for their caring and sensitive nature so am sure that I was a right bitch at the best of times.

 

Dear Mother, you don't have the internet but if you did and you read this then can I apologise?

 

Last week my friend ( we'll call her D ) and I went to another friend's house in a taxi and about 2 minutes into the journey we were wilting like damp lettuces in the back. We joked and we laughed and we fanned our faces and looked at each other and  then admitted defeat and asked the driver to whack the air-con on.

 

The first thing I have learnt about the M - air con makes no difference whasoever. I think we may even accused the driver of simple switching on a sound button that went 'RRRRRRRRRRRR' because if there was any air flowing through the back of that cab then it sure as hell made no difference to our florid and moist complexions. I will bear this in mind for any future adventures.

 

Facial hair is also apparently a big growl in the world of the M and apart from the odd little wisp that may appear here and there on my jaw I am quite hair free so I am totally  dreading looking like a member of ZZ Top. Put it this way, the sales of Veet in St Ives will soar.

 

With the monthly P - well despite the adverts and the media hype, I have yet to go sky diving or to frollick in white pants around one of our many beaches. The reality is that I just want to howl ( even more than normal) and perhaps knife the odd passer by. Oh and chocolate is good too but with the success of my non diet attitude I have curtailed my chompings so every cloud has a silver lining and all that . And the saddest part of the P is the short term memory we all adopt when it's over. We forget all about our mood swings, temper tantrums and near death experiences only to be starkly reminded 3 bloody ( no pun intended)  weeks later.

 

So to clarify to all you wimmin out there and to any of you ultra sensitive men that have seen this blog through.....bear with us every 4 weeks and maybe avoid us when we hit our mid 40's, until you see us with a packet of HRT in our hands or 'something from the health shop'.

 If we have beards, don't pass comment but if we are wearing any  form of smocks or jesus sandals along with said natural remedies clutched in our sweaty hands - feel free to tell us to man up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

dietdevil: I'd like to think I'm a celebrity, get me out of h...

dietdevil: I'd like to think I'm a celebrity, get me out of h...: So after my liberating outdoor experiences of the last couple of weeks I haven't put my nose outside the door today. I hate the rain. I...

I'd like to think I'm a celebrity, get me out of here! Oh yeah, I'm off to Wales!

So after my liberating outdoor experiences of the last couple of weeks I haven't put my nose outside the door today. I hate the rain. I hate it more than life itself . I especially hate it when it's windy too. The worst rain is the drizzly stuff that doesn't look like proper rain but you still get wet anyway. It makes my hair go frizzy and it makes me want to be violent and I'm not a violent person.

 

Ok, I think from that opening you will all have established that I am not in the best of moods today.

 

I have a dog that limps.

 

I have a dog that eats stones and slurps on her stitches. Slurping of any size, shape or form makes me feel physically sick but when it's on a wound then that is crossing the line.

 

I am very frustrated with some customers.

 

I have a sleep problem, in that I don't.

 

I have lost my cooking mojo and this makes me sad.

 

I cried today and it was because someone was nice to me.

 

I have decided I like peace and solitude but rarely get it.

 

I don't like the old man called Ron that lives up our road.

 

I have a really low tolerance of stupid people.

 

My washing machine is leaking.

 

I need to visit my mother.

 

I think I may have PMT.

 

I have been told my husband that I need to write a 'to do' list.

 

My youngest daughter has used eldest daughter's bedroom as a dumping ground since April and hasn't tidied it up and they are both back here tomorrow and I can't be arsed to sort it.

 

I am going to Cardiff tomorrow and need to pay £6 to cross THAT bridge!

 

Apart from all the above, I am tickety boo. People that moan a lot annoy me but I am well aware that I am one of those people. I can't help it. I am vocal, I am black and white and I wear my heart on my sleeve..............most of the time. Not for my inner emotions ( yeah man ) but definitely for the day to day things that generally get up my nose.

 

I am 45 so it's very unlikely that this leopard will be changing her spots. My Dad used to say I was 'peppery' and my Mum would say I'm just like my Dad who had a short fuse.

 

All I really want to do is live quietly, read a few good books, have dogs that dont cost a bomb, eat chocolate in moderate quantities without obsessing, do lots of  writing, win a BAFTA , go to the BAFTA's ( the speech is already written ) and to not care if it's raining or not.

 

Is that really too much to ask?

 

 

dietdevil: Stones/ Slates /Rocks/ Poo/ Blood - Chad can you h...

dietdevil: Stones/ Slates /Rocks/ Poo/ Blood - Chad can you h...: So the update is......Maddie went back to the vets this morning and I insisted they do an x ray. This was after   the waste of money blood ...

Stones/ Slates /Rocks/ Poo/ Blood - Chad can you hear me????

So the update is......Maddie went back to the vets this morning and I insisted they do an x ray. This was after  the waste of money blood tests. I am not angry, just very cross as what I said in the first place proved to be right.

 

SHE HAD SWALLOWED ANOTHER BLOODY STONE!

 

She ate one in 2008 when she was a stupid young puppy and the symptoms she had this time were just the same. It was very distressing for me as if you don't operate they will die as the stone will attach itself to the stomach wall and rip the lining away but there is also the possibilty they will die during the op. Not the nicest decision  of my day, but one that I didn't hesistate in making.

 

Below is Exhibit A - Stone from 2008

 

 

 

Below is Exhibit B - Stone from 11/06/13

 

 

Both Exhibits Together - please note the slight blood smear. There was blood and poo on Exhibit B but I have suffered for my blog art.

 

 

The Eater of Exhibit A and Exhibit B looking slightly ashamed

 

 

It has been a long day so I have no more to say other than that after Mutley's elbow and Maddie's dietary habits , I wont be booking any holidays too soon.

 



dietdevil: Poorly pups, cakes, crunch and lots of poo.

dietdevil: Poorly pups, cakes, crunch and lots of poo.: So Monday morning dawns again. I am still feeling a bit rotten and am still drinking cough mixture straight out of the bottle with complete...

Poorly pups, cakes, crunch and lots of poo.

So Monday morning dawns again. I am still feeling a bit rotten and am still drinking cough mixture straight out of the bottle with complete and utter gay abandon. It leaves a nasty taste in my mouth, but there again so do a lot of things these days and needs must etc etc. I am still stressed and today started with a bit of a blubber and a panic attack and being told to 'calm down' and this was all before 9am.

 

I did a quick whizz round town today to do 'stuff' and to deliver Martha to work. She is a waitress in a gorgeous little cafe in St Ives and as her hobby is baking she took in a batch of her infamous chocolate and raspberry brownies for them to sample. They were a success so she has gone off with more this morning, this time with cranberries in instead and she is already counting the pennies that she is planning on making. I leant her the initial £8 for the first lot of ingredients so am just calculating how much interest to charge on her new business loan.

 

  The dog is still looking rough and at the best of times she is not the prettiest looking dog in the world. Her eyes are glazed, she can hardly breathe and she is not happy.The vet agrees that she is really ill but cant decide why??? She has had a full check up, 2 injections and some tablets and been sent home for us to keep an eye on. She has to go back there tomorrow morning for more tests . If  her condition gets worse then she needs to go to the dog hospital at Truro. Remind me why I have dogs???? Ah yes, the joy they bring.

 

 And I was in so much of a rush to get back for the dog to go to the vets that I drove into my poor battered Berlingo parked outside. In all fairness there wasn't much ( more ) damage done , but I need to remember where the reverse gear is on Hattie's car. Either that or I really need to stop driving. I also narrowly missed a few tourists on the harbour that appeared to be oblivious to the pavement but hopefully I will get them next time.

 

On a funnier note - I was gossiping to Leanne today when we both got splatted by a seagull. I never cease to be amazed at how much liquid there is in one of their poops. It got my chest ( which would be hard to miss ) and my left foot, Leanne was narrowly missed and we both decided in between 'yuk' and 'eww' to go and buy a lottery ticket. It is meant to be good luck and let's face it, I could do with a bit of that right now. We all could .

 

So, in between car crunches and ill spaniels and profiteering teenagers, let's all keep our fingers crossed that we get shat on................in the best possible way of course.

dietdevil: And in true British style..............we did it a...

dietdevil: And in true British style..............we did it a...: So the sun was out. I knew that it wouldn't let me down. The one and only day of the week that I want a bit of sunshine is today. This ...

And in true British style..............we did it anyway......and another sick dog.

So the sun was out. I knew that it wouldn't let me down. The one and only day of the week that I want a bit of sunshine is today. This is so I can escape and relax for a couple of hours. And also there was the promise of a barbecue today ( as mentioned yesterday ) and the thought of not having to cook excited me. I had a vegetarian day yesterday ( not by choice ) and the thought of meat meant that I needed the weather to be rain  free.

 

Anyway, we had our rooftop drinkies and at that point I thought that my left arm would get the tanning it so missed out on from last week. We then moved on to the venue of the BBQ and the sun went in . I wouldn't say it was cold but no new freckles appeared and I definitely didn't need any ice to pour my Magners over.

 

But in true British style it went ahead. I have never seen so much meat in my whole life. You name the animal, there was a bit of it covered in oil and sizzled over those smouldering coals.

 

I settled for a chicken breast and a couple of sausages along with heaps of salad. That's what non dieters do. My friend Debbie made a potato salad which had all sorts of random extra ingredients but I admit -  it was bloody delicious.

 

I then came home to a poorly spaniel.

 

Maddie has been being sick all day and I am trying not to think that the way she is being sick reminds me of the time she swallowed a stone at the river bank and it got stuck in her belly. She is lying quietly beside me now but I think a trip to our vet ( the richest vet in Cornwall ) may be on the cards tomorrow. I am dreading it. But she is my pet and I need to make sure she is ok.

 

And I also think I have asthma. Either that or a bad cold and a nasty chest infection. I am going with the asthma as I always have to go one better. I have glugged bronchial cough syrup without measuring it as I am a rebel and I am now sipping a Magners that I brought home from the BBQ. If it doesn't kill me it will cure me.

 

And on that note I am going to avoid any wet disinfectant smelling patches on the hallway carpet and I may just do a freckle count while I'm at it.....I may be wrong and there may be one or two there that weren't this morning.

 

 

 

 

dietdevil: Nothing evokes optimism like blocked sinuses and a...

dietdevil: Nothing evokes optimism like blocked sinuses and a...: So today is Saturday and that means that tomorrow is Sunday and that can only mean two things.......the sipping of drinks outside and the w...

Nothing evokes optimism like blocked sinuses and a thunder clap and the thought of a BBQ.

So today is Saturday and that means that tomorrow is Sunday and that can only mean two things.......the sipping of drinks outside and the watching of the sea and dolphin spotting. Is that actually 3 things? Oh I don't know.

 

What I do know is that when I awoke this morning there was no sunlight streaming through my window and there was no blue skies with the odd fluffy cloud hovering above the sea. I have sea 'glimpses' from my bedroom and today at 7am the sky was the same colour and temperament as the sea - grey and angry looking.

 

Within the hour the thunder had started . Not horrendous and no forked lightning but a few distant rumbles and claps. Then came the rain. Big fat spots and the whole of St Ives, through the medium of social networking said 'awww no, we were just getting used to the summer!' I know I certainly was - after my fantastic tanning of my right arm last week, this Sunday I was intent on evening up the score by getting my left one to match. It wasn't looking good but after a few shuffles about on my trusty Iphone it said that the summer would return at around 12pm and give or take half an hour or so, it did just that! Hooray and all that! We can all breathe a sigh of relief. Crowds cheered! Gulls squawked and mackerel frollicked in the calm and now once again blue sea.

 

And as well as the alfresco drinkies, there will also be alfresco nibbles.............or more precisely -

 

MEAT

 

I personally love nothing better than a good old BBQ. They are just fab and lovely and wonderful, and if you time your alcohol consumption just right then it doesn't matter if the meat is slightly raw in the middle, or the salad has wilted or the bread has gone chewy in the sun.

 

Dodgy tummy the next day? Blame it on the heat.....or in my case, blocked sinuses, which I am sure are so bad that they could be the cause of some sort of bileous onslaught if I think about it hard enough. My sinuses will not be beaten. I still have a mouth to breathe through and I am sure the aroma of burning chinese styleee chicken drumsticks tomorrow will give them a good clear out. The pain I will ignore as it's just one of those things.

 

 Just incase though, I am going to squirt some Sinex nasal spray up there later - and can I just say that I am being very brave as sticking things up my nostrils does not come easy to me. It's a bit like someone else doing your mascara for you - you know it wont hurt but there's always that chance your hand will slip and some permanent damage will be done.

 

So with the thought of possible food poisoning but clear and squeak free sinuses and the distant memory of a bit of thunder? - that's what is keeping me optimistic today.