Busy, busy, busy ...

Blimey – no time to blog lately – what’s going on in my world that made that happen all of a sudden? No time to blog lately roughly translates as “No time to myself lately …” or at least no time to myself which didn’t involve doing chores. I must admit that I did only plan on spending an hour working in the garden the other day, but the problem is you make a neat bit and then the bit next to it looks a real mess, so you have to do that bit as well. Before I knew it I’d spent a mammoth 4 hours out there, was sunburned, had a stinking headache and hadn’t showered or packed in readiness for a couple of days away with TH - oops. Either way the time I had earmarked for blogging last weekend was shot – but the garden looks great!

Since my last post then …

I finished work for a week’s annual leave. Hurray! I had a seriously bad week that week. Maybe it’s because I’ve only been there 2 months and the novelty of the new job has worn off, but I don’t feel comfortable enough in my position to be able to bite back at some of the stupid things that go on. Happily on my last day I had lunch (lunch?? How outrageous! the office cries …) with another member of staff who started on the same day as me and we had a couple of glasses of wine (drinking at lunchtime? How outrageous! the office cries …) and a seriously good bitch! It was just the tonic both of us needed I think and we have made a pact to get out and have lunch at least once a fortnight – steady on – we’re going to get seriously frowned upon here!

I had a very sedate Saturday night out with Georgina Mary – we had planned debauched eating, drinking and dancing but ended up drinking, drinking, eating and then me falling asleep in front of Finding Nemo … How embarrassing. Good news is, after a little IM master class, she is now making tentative steps into the world of IM – don’t think she was quite taken with scrobbling, but once her typing is up to speed and we can have a decent conversation, I’ll work on her!

Sunday was spent on the mammoth gardening session and was followed by drinking far too much with friends in their new house (I always end up doing that with them – the evening generally deteriorates into a bottle of Port, especially if I don’t need to drive after …) They’re doing up an old school house (in the country – complete with country smells!) which is great, apart from the “North face of the Eiger” staircase you have to negotiate every time you need a pee … Fine in the normal scheme of things (well, no actually its not really fine – its really scary) but an utter nightmare in the early hangover hours of the day! Thank goodness no-one saw me climbing it on my hands and knees …

After that, TH and I hit the south coast and spent a couple of days in said friends’ cottage. Really lovely little place – with another seriously scary staircase – what is it with these people? However there is no TV – TH was going stir crazy, and no access to the internet – Bloominjools was going stir crazy! I really didn’t think I was addicted to my laptop, but it turns out I am. I couldn’t get online but I still sat with my laptop on my knees like some sort of security blanket. I played a bit of music which TH endured but I don’t think liked (Avishai Cohen) and made some additions to my “farewell Jazzshark” recipe book. I have just finished the book this morning actually and am making arrangements to get it printed out this afternoon – after a session with my Pocket Personal Trainer and before yet another leaving do. So if you’re reading this Ms Shark, it’s on its way!

We had a happy little day trip to France where my lovely summer heat rash attractively bubbled into action … Sun, heat and me don’t mix – I go red and blotchy and very, VERY, ITCHY and remain that way for a couple of days. At this point English summer normally gives in and returns to its usual damp and dismal August state and I then go back to being white again. Hence the fake tan obsession. It’s really embarrassing realising that people aren’t dazzled by your beauty or personality, just the unfeasible whiteness of Bloominjools in a sun top …

Anyway, pleasant lunch in Boulogne was followed by a leisurely stocking up on wine in Calais. Well, it was leisurely right up until the point that I overheard the woman behind me in the queue mention the time … Who had completely forgotten to change her watch on the crossing over in the morning …? Its amazing how the threat of missing the last Seacat back to Dover can focus your mind into making very quick decisions on how many cases of what to buy in the next supermarket on the list! We got to the Seacat just in time to check in thanks to some nifty wrong side of the road driving from TH – phew!

Once back in London, the holiday continued with Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic, which I thoroughly enjoyed – apart from the embarrassingly audible gasp when Mr Spacey made his first entrance. Honestly – it was just silly. I thought the American woman behind me was going to wet herself! Yesterday was spent having a picnic and mooching around Camden Lock (I bought several second hand books and a silly skirt I don’t need!) and then took the River Bus down to Little Venice. A lovely relaxing day.

And now it’s Friday again! And as you can see TH is off with his little white balls and I have had time to do a mammoth blog! I had meant to do the ironing and dye my eyelashes but hey, this has been more fun – for me anyway!