Sunday 30 November 2008

My birthday

Well another year is almost over and I have taken Friday and Monday off from work to make a nice long weekend of it. I always refuse to work on my birthday - I'm not doing anything but I just like to spend the day doing whatever I feel like.

Well this year I've decided that having been so busy working/decorating etc I am going to spend my birthday (tomorrow) first of all going to the garden centre and getting further supplies of cat food and bird seed (for the wild birds) and then just getting on with a bit of painting. Not painting the house - but finishing an art project that I started about 3 weeks ago. By no stretch of the imagination am I an artist but I find painting so relaxing and I am definitely improving....

Missing Spain

I find it terribly difficult to spend time away from Spain and it is especially difficult this time of year. What with grey, cold, wet, dark days and it being 6 months since we were last in Spain I get withdrawal symptoms.

Over a drink or two last night we were discussing once again our dreams and I am sure that learning the Spanish language is not going to improve much more until we are totally immersed in it. I can study the language and read the language but my difficulty is 'hearing' the language. I have enough trouble making out what people are saying in English let alone another language.

But we did find a couple of years ago that when we were surrounded by only Spanish speaking people that our language skills improved considerably and once I had 'tuned' into the language I was able to chat away with no problem. The problem came when I returned home to England as I was still thinking in Spanish!!!

As for our missing Spain I am sure people will think that everyone misses the sunshine but it is not that with us as I would be quite happy being there in the snow/rain/wind etc. What I miss is the people and their attitude to life. In Spain I never even consider my age whereas here in the UK you are considered old once you get passed 40.....

I love the way they respect other people whereas here they don't. I love their family values - where has that gone in the UK?

Ok so the UK has a lot going for it - after all if it didn't how come so many people move here - but I just know where I feel most at home....

Ruth Lorenzo

I can't believe it - Ruth is voted out of X Factor! Or rather, she wasn't voted in. Well we voted so what is the matter with the UK public after all she was without a doubt one of the most talented singers on this programme. Alex and Ruth would have made a fantastic final but now the X Factor has lost its shine for us and although we will watch it we won't be voting anymore.

I guess the nationality thing came into play where the UK couldn't allow a non-UK winner.... How narrow-minded people can be. Still Ruth is happy, she has been given no end of coverage and she has proved to all concerned that she can make it as a star and with her voice; personality and composure I will await the release of her first album.

Good luck Ruth.

Sunday 23 November 2008

Snow

Well it snowed today - as forecast. Mind you not that you'd notice. I woke up at about 8.45 and there was snow falling (the birds were eating the seed I put out like there was no tomorrow) but within an hour it turned to rain and washed all the snow away.

It's pretty cold though - about 4 degrees C.

Roll on summer.....

Another busy weekend

Well that's the bedroom painted. Now all we've got to wait for is Ian to bring the carpet over. I've had a massive clear out of all my clothes/bags/shoes and can now fit them in the new wardrobe! The charity shop will gain from my losses :-)

Just where do you accumulate so much 'stuff'. I guess when they say that you fill the space available is true. After all before I had the fitted wardrobes I didn't exactly have stuff lying around all over the place but once the wardrobes were built they gradually filled up. Well no more "keep it just in case...." I've got to be stricter and just throw out/give it to charity shops/sell on Ebay.

But I bet it won't be long before I'm saying "I thought I had one of those......"

Friday 21 November 2008

Netlog

Wow now I've had an invite to join Netlog.com. Just how many of these sites are there! Well the invite was from my grandson so being the dutiful nan I've registered and am in the process of creating a site there. I'm starting to get all over the internet :-)

I haven't been able to write much this week as we've been up to our eyes in decorating (in the evenings) and my house looks like a bombs hit it! How I hate living amongst disruption....

Well the finished product will be worth it - the bed will be in the correct position (Feng Shui) the room will be nicely decorated - and to get all my clothes etc into my wardrobe I will have to do some serious space clearing so all the charity sacks will get an early Christmas present!!!

Oh for a bigger house...............

Monday 17 November 2008

Spanish answer to Facebook?

We had a surprise invite from our Spanish friends to meet up on Multiply. Is this the site that the Spanish prefer rather than facebook?

Ok so I registered with Multiply and uploaded absolutely loads of photos so our friends can see them and then that was all I had time for.

First impressions is that it doesn't have quite the same ease of use as Facebook - but then perhaps that's just because I'm used to FB.

I received a notification that my friend had replied on Multiply but I can't access this type of account while at work so I will have to take a look later.

Will let you know what I think of it later on....

Feng Shui, Ley lines and all that...

Well this last weekend was a busy one! It started a few weeks ago when I realised that I hadn't checked my home recently on the Feng Shui factors. After realising that there were a few things amiss I started to clear out some rubbish which led to noticing that our bed was the wrong way round.

Well in our pokey little house you can hardly swing a cat let alone move a bed round in the bedroom! Also many years ago Mick built a full width built-in wardrobe with sliding doors just where the bed should be positioned. Well to cut a long story short we had already ordered a new carpet and Ian (Mick's son) was going to come over on Sunday and help to lay it. A phone call Saturday put paid to that as Ian had hurt his back.

Ok so picture the scene - Saturday night watching the telly - a couple of drinks later - we decide it might not be such a bad idea to remove the built-in wardrobe before we fit the new carpet. After all built-in sliding robes are old fashioned now - nice free standing wardrobes are the latest thing. So Sunday morning I'm on the internet looking up Ikea's site and designing my new wardrobe; Sunday midday we are at Ikea - NEVER AGAIN on a Sunday it's absolute chaos. However new wardrobe in the back of the Kia we battle with the queues of traffic trying to get back over the Queen Elizabeth Bridge arriving home at about 3pm.

Now Mick is really good at building stuff and that built-in wardrobe was an absolute pain to get out (not to mention a physical pain for Mick with his hernia!!) and where did all my clothes come from - and the shoes (I didn't know I had so many). There is the bed piled high with clothes/shoes/books and all the other rubbish you tend to put in a space hidden behind a door.

By 10.30 pm we had managed to complete the wardrobes (minus the doors - they can go on today sometime) and I had managed to cram the clothes back in them.

By 11.30 pm I am lying in bed wondering why I ache so much and why I can't get to sleep....

I really am going to have to clear out some stuff.... very bad Feng Shui :-)

PS The ley line bit refers to testing and finding a ley line going right across Mick's pillow when the bed was in the old position.

Wednesday 12 November 2008

Wishes


While we are onto wishes here is a lovely old house in Mallorca that I just wish we could get hold of and do up. It has loads of potential and we just happened to come across it.
It is up for sale and it is in need of lots of TLC as it seems as if someone started to do it up and then gave up/ran out of money or whatever other reason but it's left with loads of building work to be done on it. Anyway I just fell in love with it.
If only wishes could come true.....

French Invites

Our first real journey into the world of motorhoming is provisionally booked for next Spring.

We intend to spend a week touring around France and it has been brilliant the amount of invites we've received from those already living in France to stop over with them on our travels.

Although already a little nervous about going away for a week in the van (in case I forget to take something we need, or we run out of gas etc) it is really quite exciting.

The main problem with me nowadays is my lack of confidence on the roads. I'm definitely pushing myself to conquer this problem as it is due totally to the fact that in the last 5 years I've been commuting to work and only driving my car at weekends (if at all). Consequently when we venture out on the road I find myself holding my breath at times and braking (even when Mick is driving) :-)

I won't let it stop me though - I've got to get the better of this fear.... after all Mick says that if we take to motorhoming then perhaps we can upgrade later on and I've definitely got my sights set on an RV next...................something like this...........I wish..........


Tuesday 11 November 2008

Accents

I don't know about you but I get caught up in a persons accent rather than listening to what is being said. If you follow my blog you will know that I'm learning Spanish and French but it is any accent that gets to me. I tend to listen to the flow of the accent and just don't hear what the person is saying to me.

That tends to be a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to learning another language :-)

I wish there was a way to just tune into another language without having to concentrate so hard. Is there a stage when learning another language that it all just kind of slots into place? After all I've learned the words, the grammar and can read a fair amount of it but listening to it - well that's another ball game altogether....

I just wish I found it easier to do...

1984 George Orwell and all that

What is this world coming to?

It seems to me that the Government is trying to obtain a perfect race of people. My initial thought was "didn't Hitler want a perfect race - so who did win the war?" Now any German bloggers please do not take offence I am just trying to make a point. After all we have now got the fascist regime.

So far they have alienated smokers - to such a degree that there is a distinct animosity between smokers/non-smokers. Then they started on drinkers and we were told how bad it was to drink, then they tried to have a go at fat people and when that didn't work they have now focused on fat children - making both the 'fat children' and their parents feel guilty and insinuating that it is bad and a failing in someones character that they should be 'fat'.

They are driving a wedge between people; they are causing divisions. We now have the

smokers v. non-smokers
drinkers v. tee-totallers
'fatties' v. skinnies

and we are slowly being brainwashed into believing that to be a perfect human being you have to be a slim, non-smoking, healthy eating person. What has happened to individuality and more importantly isn't it a person's character that is most important?

Gosh George Orwell was right.....

Sunday 9 November 2008

X Factor Result

For those that are following the X Factor in the UK I have to say I was bitterly disappointed this week.

Both the fantastic Ruth and Laura were both in the bottom two and had to sing for their places in the competition. Both were brilliant in their own different ways but the disappointment was the fact that they were both put in this position.

Neither of these girls should ever have been in the bottom two places and both my husband and I were completely shocked and sat shouting 'fix' at the TV.

What is wrong with this country that we don't vote for talent but instead vote for the underdog/sympathy vote/cute person etc.

This should never, never, never have happened.

To grow or not to grow

On a more light hearted note, if you look at my profile you will see my hair this time last year.

Unfortunately I gave in to the pressure - you know the thing, oh you shouldn't have long hair after you reach a certain age; it is much more modern and with it to have shorter hair; long hair ages you, etc. etc.

Well just before my birthday (1st Dec) last year I went and had it all cut off to a short bob. I have to admit it felt good to start with and I thought it looked good but the novelty soon wore off. For a start I spent more time trying to keep the style looking right than I had ever spent on my hair before and then when the hot weather came (well what few days we had!) I found it hard to put up and keep off my face and neck.

Straight away I started growing it again and it is growing quite quickly. It has now got to mid back length and I can now put it up much better. I really miss the ease in which I was able to put it up in a bun or twist and I will have to keep telling myself not to have it cut again....

Oh and for anyone that was wondering - it didn't make me look any younger, in fact I think I looked older and Mick certainly didn't like it :-)

Remembrance Sunday

Today, almost in respect, the rain held off while the Remembrance Sunday parade went ahead.

Amongst the many people on parade it was astonishing to note that there were still 3 veterans from the First World War. Bless them and may their health continue.

This is still an emotional mark of respect to all who fought in the First and Second World Wars and to the many who gave their lives so that we would keep our freedom.

May we never forget.

Guy Fawkes wash out

Well celebrations for Guy Fawkes night this year were a complete wash out. As November 5th approached there were the occasional odd firework let off but on the day - or more importantly the weekend before and after (when the major displays are generally let off) - we were plunged into rain; rain and more rain.

For the animals it was a blessing. Even my cats didn't seem bothered by the odd firework this year.

It seemed that every time there was a slight let up in rain and people ventured outside to let off some fireworks then down it came again. It certainly put out any fires that were alight!

Friday 7 November 2008

Wii fit = Wii fun

Ok without wishing to bore everyone to tears I just have to say that Wii fit arrived last night. (Good on Parcelforce). It was great fun, and it worked the muscles. I ache this morning.

Well I jumped on (sorry - carefully stood on) the balance board and entered all the details required. Hey it said you are overweight (just!!!) and your BMI is 25 so how do you want to reach your goal. Well I figured as I didn't have too much weight to lose and really just wanted to get about midway through the healthy BMI range I chose to lose weight and get fit over 3 months. Oh and it also showed me that I stand slightly leaning to the right (too heavy handbags over my right shoulder for years!) and also leaning slightly backwards. Have you got that....

Ok well we'll see how we go :-)

As I had just eaten my dinner I thought I should not attempt anything too drastic for the first attempt so I just went for the balancing. Well.... a football player I would never make as I kept missing heading the ball - I was forever getting hit on the head by flying football boots and panda heads (don't ask why). I did better on the balancing tray and getting balls through holes. The ski-ing I did quite well at - that was after I had been in hysterics after hitting every flag and ending up as a snowball.

The ski jump I was useless at - snowball time again.

But all in all for the first attempt it was great fun - well apart from seeing that it gave me a Wii age 5 years more than I am.

I hope that it will help with my fitness and honestly with the amount of aches and pains in my muscles then something must be happening.

I look forward to a weekend of Wii-fitting (well inbetween all the normal duties) as the weather is not going to be much fun so I may as well have fun indoors.

Thursday 6 November 2008

Exercise is Addictive

OMG last night I spent about an hour and a half just training and playing with the Wii Sport. Boy do my muscles ache this morning! Brilliant I can't wait to get back on it again. It is so addictive and competitive. I've upped my position on the bowling; tennis and baseball to a bronze medal - yippee I must have improved on the Wii age now!

Anyway my Wii fit is on the way and I'm determined to have a good go at it when it arrives.

When I used to do weight training I used to love the feeling when I worked on my back muscles. It's a real adrenalin rush. Well I would never have believed you could get a buzz from a computer 'game' but it really does work.

I don't get a lot of time for exercise these days, half an hour before leaving for work in the morning, and then by the time I get in at night it's too late to do too much but being able to switch on the TV and work out in my own living room is just what I needed to get me off the settee :-)

Update later.

Wednesday 5 November 2008

Wii

Well it started with a quite innocent visit to one of the grandchildren (like these things always do) and ended up with us buying our Christmas present to one another early :-)

We started playing bowling on the Wii and it was good fun. Then Mick's son had a go at testing his fitness level - now that was interesting and I couldn't wait to have a go but unfortunately it was time for us to leave.

After discussing it we decided it would be good fun to play around with one of these instead of watching TV in the evenings. So I ordered one - and it arrived the next day! (See my profile for being impulsive)

Now being impatient (see my profile) I couldn't wait to read the manual properly. After all how difficult could it be.... Well Mick thrashed me at bowling so I thought I'd have a go at the fitness level.... Oops I should've read how you use the controller first - it gave me a Wii age of 77.

That's it - I want more (and to get fitter and get my Wii fitness age down to normal) so I've now ordered the Wii Fit package. Oops even more money (our Christmas present to one another has got a bit expensive - still it's my birthday in December so I'll take the Wii Fit as a present).

So now I'm just waiting for the Wii Fit to arrive and then I'll give you an update on how I get on. What with the belly dancing every morning and the Wii Fit at other times I should progress a little (I hope so anyway).

Monday 3 November 2008

Rain, rain, go away

Will it never stop raining!

Saturday had to be the worst day so far with the torrential rain all day long and well into the night. Sunday morning I went out in my garden to find everything completely drowned. Where did all that water come from?

Sunday continued with a slight reprieve with just occasional showers but Monday continued with light rain on and off all day.

The old weather is definitely weird this year.

We did not have a summer at all - well we had warmer temperatures, but not much sun and now with the dark evenings; very cold snap and now rain, rain, rain, I think it's going to be a long, long winter.....

Britain is not the only place with strange weather this year. Spain, my favourite country, has had its fair share of flooding this year. Let's hope for a sunnier 2009.