In response ..

to a prod about how things are going .. I might say, very well indeed thank you.

New Year’s Eve was an odd sort of day (and night) .. whilst shopping and visiting earlier in the day, I felt distinctly “not right”, but couldn’t have told you what was wrong for the life of me.

It started in TKMax and got gradually worse as the day went on .. to the point where photographing a flashing plastic duck in various trees in the village (whilst shoppers watched in disbelief) became very unfunny after the 15th tree, especially as I just wanted to go and lie down!  (pictures will be uploaded at some point) – and the reason?  The local village idiot thinks ducks live in trees and we have a “wall of shame” in the pub where said pictures will be displayed as proof that ducks do live in trees!  (And before anyone dashes off to look, possibly some do, but generally they don’t!)

The Admirer and I debated long and hard about what we were going to do to see in the New Year; early drink followed by meal in; or meal in followed by late drink.  We settled on the second option.

I didn’t eat much, and didn’t fancy any wine with the meal and so, not feeling too great, I then toddled off and had a shower before we went out to the local (me, having said I didn’t feel like drinking (god, must be ill), would drive).  In the bathroom, under the glare of the 2m watt lightbulb The Admirer has, I started getting dots flashing and my eyesight went!  It was a migraine, but without the headache!!!

We still went out.  And then rather wished we hadn’t!

We pulled up outside the local and it all seemed very quiet.  Maybe they are all out the back?  Er, no!  There was 1 customer, and we made it 3 .. and at this point we couldn’t really leave!

What also didn’t help was The Admirer and ChelseaFan hate each other, so I was sat, sipping lemonade, between the sniping pair!  The landlord (as usual) and his good lady (not as usual and very funny to watch) were totally off their faces, as was the bar manager (as usual) .. and the two girls behind the bar were just relieved to be going home at a decent hour!

Thank god I was driving and we didn’t have to hang around in the cold waiting for a taxi we didn’t need!

We did have a good laugh about it on the way home (with 3/4 of a bottle of champagne the landlord gave us so that I could have a drink when we got home) .. next year will be very very different!

So, for the moment things are going well.  I’ve been re-reading some of the stuff I was writing at the end of 2007 and the beginning of last year and it all seems pretty depressing!  On the whole, life is on the up, although there are various bits which need changing, but I’m now at least, not fighting a battle on my own or being knocked back and worn out at every turn.

This year will be a good one!  I am determined to make it that way!

Flowers!

On Saturday night I had to drop a couple of customers home .. their dad was too frail to walk the mile or so .. they were South Africans!  In my opinion South African men are the most arrogant on the planet (so shoot me for having an opinion) .. these guys weren’t – a fact that shocked me! They were supposed to pay me for taking them as they couldn’t get a cab - but they didn’t - but hell, it wasn’t actually too far out of my way .. yesterday they bought me a bunch of flowers as a thank you!

I’m not sure the Admirer was over pleased about me being bought flowers by random customers but he carried them home for me and put them in a vase and apologised for not buying me flowers!

Edit: and thanks to this post .. I now know they are Peonies!

You gotta smile …

I had long talks with The Admirer last night and loads has been sorted out!  We are way similar and seem to react to each other in the same way – which when we had talked it over and realised this, we were both rolling round on the floor hysterical with laughter!

Anyway part of the conversation was as follows:

TA: “What have you done to my washing“

Cat: “Me, nothing, why?“

TA: “Well it’s all soft and even my socks are soft and there was a lovely smell when I was ironing“

Cat: “Ahhh, that’s simple …“

TA: “How did you know to do that then?“

Cat: “Well, it’s not exactly rocket science, but I’ve always used it.  Do you want me to stop using it?“

TA: “God no, I like having soft socks, I used to have to break them to put them on”

and before you guys have a go at me .. I am NOT doing his washing, but if I don’t have a full load he shoves some of his in and vice versa and I like my clothes soft.  I have also shown him where the fabric conditioner goes and how much to use!

Mind you, for someone quite intelligent and able to look after himself, I found it strange that he’d never thought to use the stuff!

That’s blokes for you!

Missing: Gekko!

So, I’m dog, rabbit and Gekko sitting as of last night.  So I get to the house and have a quick check on the inhabitants …

• Dog: Check
• Rabbit: Check
• Gekko 1: Check
• Gekko 2: (Fidget) .. missing!

Bugger!

I had to text my friend .. “er having a mini panic as Fidget does not appear to be in his tank“

A text came back saying that her little boy had probably put him on the bed whilst he cleaned the tank and obviously had forgotten to put him back, he was possibly hiding under the covers, or down the back of the bed  …

Double Bugger!

Me and the Admirer had been kneeling and sitting on the bed peering into the tank to see if we could see the ruddy thing!

I stripped the bed and was grateful to find that there was no squashed reptile .. so he’s probably down the back of the bed, but I can’t get the bed out because it’s sort of wedged in and if I move it I might possibly squash the gekko … I’ve left water out for it but even if Fidget does reappear, it wasn’t my intention to actually handle him!  Feeding them is enough of a nightmare!  The crickets I fed the other gekko I sort of opened the box and prayed that 2 would jump out!  I don’t do bugs and stuff!

First a missing cat (icklesis) which finally tipped up about 20 miles away from home, and now a missing gekko .. next I think my mind might go missing!

Conned (and other stuff)!

My best friend has a habit of asking me to “animal sit” .. no problem usually as these have generally been a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and a cat, or as I politely call them “fluffies”!

One time she took the boundaries of friendship a little far and I had Bingo the Rat, but we (rat and I) became great friends once I had steeled myself to pick him up and play with him – knowing that he was a very well handled, friendly rat helped!

On another occasion I had the snake too, but that was only over night and all I had to do was check that

1. it was still in its tank; and
2. it had heat, light and water ..

Last week I got a text ..

Hiya babe, hope the holiday is going well and no-one has died yet (do these people know me too well?).  Could you dog and babbit sit for me next week, Wed to Tues?

I replied that this was ok as the dog is old and sleeps alot after her exocet missile excitement over seeing me, and how hard can a rabbit be?

Only I discovered last night that I’ve been conned!

“Animal Sitting” does not just include fluffies!  It.also.includes.”scaleys”!

One scaley .. Fidget the Gekko (name suggest anything?) is well handled, the other is being “animal sat” for someone else (oh great – cue me killing it!)  Apparently I have to feed them crickets (live) and grubs (live) .. every other day!  My cup spilleth over with joy, can my life actually get any better?

I shall be going to meet the “scaley” side of the household later this morning to get distructions (very possibly literally) on how to care for these wee beasties .. I think The Admirer might have a new job!

PS: Incidentally on The Admirer side of things, we have had, since I have been back, some very long, in-depth conversations about what is going on from both sides and what I want (and don’t want) and what he wants and what we both want.  This holiday really helped clear my head .. I didn’t really ”miss” anyone (other than my bloggy friends      ) and I wasn’t plagued by “what am I going to come home to” which is what used to happen with Pig, and I was able to throw myself into enjoying it for a change.

I am much more focused on “me” and not letting stuff get to me .. I just need to keep telling myself that life is too short and to enjoy it!