Blog stirke over

Thank you all for you nice comments and posts. It's always good to hear there's people out there enjoying my blog.
I like to think of myself as a very positive and generally happy person. The beginning of this week I was feeling very low and non-Karen like (which was obvious in my post). Thanks for your happy wishes. The good news is I'm feeling much more Karen-like and have my smile back.

While I was "blog-striking" I was still blogging, just not posting them ... I was enjoying all the sympathy comments. What can I say? I'm a pouter. What woman isn't. So there are a few posts to follow - enjoy

A good day at work?

Oxy-moron some might ask? I'd say so. But I have had a good day at work today. I was able to voice some issues I had and actions were agreed to help those issues go away. Only time will tell whether things get better, but as for today I'm staying positive.

A sound sleeper

Britain's largest earthquake since 1984, measuring 5.2 quake hit just before 1am today and was centred in Lincolnshire. As far as I'm aware there were no deaths, one serious injury and a bit of costly damage to houses nearer the epicenter. Several people in London felt the earthquake, but me - I slept through. I always miss the good stuff!! (Then again, it would have made me wet my pants with fear so it was a good job I was asleep :-)



If you want to know more, click this link.

The "shed" fiasco

Last year I bought a plastic shed to put a load of stuff in (as my flat is SO small). In some of the wind we've had, my Christmas tree that was outside fell on the lid of the shed and broke it. Boo. I have no idea how long it was broken before I realised it was broken, but several weeks had passed I'm sure.

The broken lid

Step 1: take all the ruined stuff out of the shed

Step 2: Find something in flat that might work to repair damage

Step 3: Put heaps of glue in crack. Tape over glue - just to be sure.

Step 4: Put some plastic that you found over entire lid
Step 5: Decide cling film (Saran/Plastic Wrap for the Americans) would work better
Step 6: Put random big of plastic over cling film as extra matter

"Did this work?", I hear you ask. Watch this space. (But I wouldn't have high hopes if I were you)

I love visitors

Last week I had a few people over at my flat. I love having people around!

Lydia didn't know I had a blog: so here's a picture on my blog of her reading my blog - oh how fun :-)

Cate came over on Friday for a "girly night" of movies, ice cream and pop corn. I had good fun, but it was hard to pick which movies to watch. Here's a few pictures of Cate trying to choose (sorry for the quantity - I just thought they were all a bit funny)

"Ewwww, so many to choose from"

"any, many, miny, moe..."
"there's just too many, I give up"

A cold flat

My feet were a bit cold a few nights ago so I went rummaging through my sock drawer (as you would). I found these cool, comfy, fluffy red socks - "they'll do just nicely" I say to myself. I now have little red bits all over my flat. Nice. Thanks for the socks mom - fancy hoovering my flat :-)

and while I'm thanking my mother... I have this mess in my office to thank my mom for.

My mother puts confetti in a lot of the greeting cards she sends me throughout the year. I saved the above pictured confetti from Halloween so that I could send it in a card to her next year (resourceful, eh?). I now know I should have just thrown the confetti away. I saved it in a cup on my office window ledge. The window was open last week and the cup fell over, covering my tabletop in Halloween confetti. It's the gift that keeps on giving: thanks mom :-P

catching up

I haven't really felt the urge to blog recently. In fact I still don't felt said urge. I can't be bothered. As you might have noticed, my posts have been coming less frequently. The novelty of blogging has obviously worn off. Besides my parents - does anyone read this? Is it worth the effort? Should I bother? Time will tell. Maybe I'm just going through a dry spell and my enthusiasm will come back.

The following are pictures from the weekend of 16th. I drove to Peterborough because it was my friend's birthday. We went bowling in town and then back to Jim's (my friend who's birthday it was) for a few drinks and guitar playing /singing. Oh the fun.

(click to enlarge)

It was an early morning on Sunday to drive the hour and a half to get to church in Nottingham. Then it was to Patty and John's for Sunday roast and the to the hospital to visit Ken who had gone back to hospital after getting an infection in his foot after surgery. Oh what a busy day.

Monday I went to the doctor's in the morning for a check-up (heart's still ticking fine, if you were wondering) then lunch with Grant, back to the hospital to see Ken, then to Patty and John's for a quick good-bye, back to the hospital to bring Ken a razor (that he said he didn't want, but I know he's glad to have it).

Pictures: petrol is 5 pence cheaper in Derby than London - how ridiculous!!!; church; me at church - nice, huh?!; Derek - I told you I'd put the picture on my blog
line 2: at John and Patty's Sunday night for Chinese; John doing the crossword; John and Patty coo-ing at their first grandson over webcam - oh so funny to watch!
Line 3: Lunch with Grant on Monday at Starbucks; John Patty, and Sue at hospital with Ken
Line 4: At the hospital: Ken and Sue; "the foot"; Ken with his new razor

(click to enlarge)

Before heading back to London, I stopped by Nick's to say hello. I ended up staying for pizza and watched the end of America's Next Top Model. In hind sight it wasn't the smartest of ideas as I didn't leave Derby until 11pm. As I was EXTREMELY tired I stopped for a cup of tea and can of diet coke, and called my mother so she could chat to me and keep me awake. That she did. I got caught up on the goings on in Paris and Tyler.

Sadness. My parents are moving from my childhood home after 20 years of living there. Not only that - they're moving from Paris!!! I'm SO sad about this. [sigh] Now how am I going to keep up with who's getting married / having babies/ sick, etc. How am I going to say hi on my infrequent trips to Paris; who am I going to say hi to - everyone will have forgotten me. Who will tease me for my ridiculous accent? Oh the sadnesss. I will miss knowing my parents are in Paris. I will miss visiting "home".

Makes you think

200th post

Can you believe it? You've endured 200 of my rants, babbles and general waffling. Well done for those of you have pain stakingly read every one of my posts.

Never needed to wee so much!

A new addiction. Last summer one of the councillors that came from America brought these packets.* I thought they were great, so when I was in the States over Christmas I got some. I'm addicted. Two days ago I ran across the bag I brought over and thought I'd bring them into work so encourage me to drink more water. I think i average a bottle an hour at the moment. Geppers creepers, I've not used the loo this much in my life!

*not just Crystal Light - all different variations of sugar free packets

Friday night

Friday night was the start of half term.* There was some "unwinding" in the staff room...

...before leaving for the local
Picture 1: Claire Cate, Danny (Cate is amused with herself, obviously, Claire not so much - Danny looking obviously intrigued by it all)

Kelli; Antony, Mary, Leigh

Picture 2: Cate & Clude; Becky, Jon, Siabon; Antony, Teon, Tyrone & Dan; Clude; Claire, Kate, Teon & Claude (serious faces everyone!); Cate & Claude (practicing their serious faces); Claude kareoke; Cate & Claire

*A week's break from school: much like the American "spring break"

Valentine's "Singletons" Night

(click to enlarge)

The "singletons": Kelli, Mollen, Emma, Christian, Anita, Glen, Nick, and Kate
Nick stealing food from Kate; Anita swapping food from Christian
Kelli and I; Kate and Kelli
Nick playing "Mac-Daddy" with some strangers; the London eye (view from train on the way home - look closely at the window reflection and you can see me taking the picture)

I joined a group of relationship-less people to have a fun singles night out. We went for a very nice (and relatively cheap) meal out (great find Anita) and then a few of us headed to an American-style bar for a bit of cheesey music and a dance. Fun fun night!!!

***********updated**************

I forgot to mention one of the "moments" of the night. I ordered a diet coke with a slice of lime (I find the lime takes the "icky" diet flavour out of the coke"). It came back with the smallest sliver of lime in it:

Keeping on the drinks theme, I tried to order the drink "sex on the beach" but it wasn't on the menu. Instead of asking if the bar tender could make me one, I said "Can you do sex ...." and then just put my head in my hands. Why on earth did they name the drink that. Oh such fun embarrassing yourself.

Valentines Jewelry

I've mentioned a couple times that my sister sent me a box of jewelry she didn't wear anymore. In the box of jewelry was a note saying that if I didn't like something I was free to give it away - she wouldn't be offended. Well, when I saw the necklace in I'm wearing in this picture, I will admit I thought it hideous and it'd be going. "Who would wear that!" "What on earth was she thinking when she bought it?" "What would you wear that with?!" Well apparently, I would wear that, she was thinking she had taste and you would wear it with a white shirt.

I wanted to show a bit of Valentines spirit today, but didn't want to go the normal red/pink shirt. As I was pondering what to wear, I remembered the red necklace my sister gave me. Perfect! I had a lot of compliments on my jewelry. Thanks again Seester!


Oh ... for those of you who read my last post. Yes I got myself worked up about nothing (as normal). And yes I'm fine. Thank you for laughing at me :-P

(Cheryl - you got a smile in the picture, but still haven't managed make-up at work.)

just a big scaredy cat

There are a lot of benefits to living alone, like being able to walk around in the buff, and not having to worry that your mess will bother someone else. There are also down sides to living alone: no one to help pay the bills, no one to make you soup when you're I'll, and no one to calm your nerves when you are scared senseless by the creepy noises in your flat!!!!
I have always been a big scardey cat, and it was quite a transition when I first lived on my own (aged 24). But there are times (like right this moment) where I absolutely wet myself with fear! My logical side is trying to convience me that the creepy noises are just the hot water pipes cooling off. The other part of me thinks it sounds like someone is in my flat - and that's the part that is winning the war on what I should believe. So scared. Sad, I know, bit still true.

A bit puzzled?

Last month I was at a work conference thingy-ma-bob and once of the advertising thingies was a 3D puzzle cube. Such great fun and entertaiment for so long! (Pictures below are 3 different days... see the fun continues!)

Me

Friend /colleague, LAI
Friend MHE

Thank you Papa!

For Christmas my grandfather (aka Papa, Tom, Sam etc) gave me some money. I decided I would update some of my wardrobe with his generous present.

Afrika! Afrika!

What an amazing show!!!! It was a bit of an adventure to get to. I went to "KPR's" house to go with her, but the tube was closed, and then the nearest train station was closed. So I ended up driving. The traffic was horrendous and we were a half an hour late to the show, but what we saw was just jaw-dropping fantastic.

This is a link to their preview - take the 2 minutes and watch it - some of it is SO incredible!

Click to enlarge. Check out these amazng men! The top middle picture there's a guy on someone else's shoulders holding two guys up off the floor, one in each hand. Middle left has guys doing one armed hand stands off someone else's head. Middle middle picture is just amasing if you look at it; the arrow is pointing to guys doing hand stands off each others hands. Middle right - ok check out the guy's abs where I have the arrow pointing to; he's doing a back bend off other people's abs and he has a guy standing on his abs. Bottom left has a guy doing a head stand on someone else's head! Bottom middle - if you can see the balance on these guys - it's astonishing

These ladies legs and balance were incredible! They balance and twirled large pots (that were half her size). They also twirled fire batons and here they are bablancing (and twirling) tables. All with their feet!!!And the finale - a contortionist! The human body just shouldn't be able to do what this woman did!!!
A few cheesey smiles from KPR, myself and "Jak" (KPR's flatamte)

It was just a wonderful night! KPR / Jak if you read this - thatnks SO much for inviting me!!!

And can I just say ... how good of a blogger am I - within an hour of getting home, I've blogged about it with pictures! You are lucky lucky readers!

Another weekend in the city

Fridays after the school bell goes, it's often hard to be motivated to work. Such was the case this Friday. A few congergated in my office for a chat...

(This is CSI and EWA)

and even a bit of a nap

We finally gathered ourselves and decided we'd just go into work on Saturday morning so that we could get out to the "local"

CSI at the local

Saturday there were people that went in, but alas, I didn't make it out of my bed early enough to go into work - d'oh! I did however meet up with some friend / work colleagues for Wataingi Day.

It was extremely crowded in the city because of Waitangi Day

When I called to find out where they were, KWS said, "I'm under Winston Churchhill". Not a statement thought she'd ever use :-)

KWS & KPR under Churchhill There were several people being stupid, several climbing up statues for a laugh. In fact just before I took the above picture of KWS & KPR, there were 2 blokes on top of it.

But this one bloke takes the cake of stupid things to do.

Look closer! He climbed up a lamp post!

The sun went in and so did we.

KWS, KPR and myself (KWS didn't want to be in the middle)
More photos - this time with Ant, EWA & me
Aren't you jealous of all the love he's getting?!
EWA and I ended up leaving the "gang" and headed out in search of food. We ended up at The Texas Embassy. I think I'm begining to like that place - in spite of it's touristy clientelle

Now I'm off to go back into the city to see Afrika Afrika. I am begining to like the vast aray of things you can do and see in London.

What do you think?

The before

(this is from last summer)

The After

I can't look Ok, I'll show you
Do you approve?
This one is for my sister that tells me I should smile in my pictures

Do you know what changed? Look at the strips of hair above my eyes ... what do you think of my eyebrow waxing? Comments wanted.

Tonight after work I went to get my eyebrows and legs waxed ... and then decided to pamper myself and went for a pedicure. Nothing like a little pampering to forget about the work day :-)