Wow! That was my week's holiday that just flew past at 100 mph! Time here is so weird. When everyone left last night I felt really homesick and just wanted to get out of Vegas asap. However now I am confronted with doing just that (flight is in 1.5 hrs) I don't want to go home! Not so much because I love Vegas - it has been BRILLIANT but I don't need to be coming back - more so that I don't want to step back into my everyday life just yet! I guess the fact it is Christmas in 9 days has escaped me - looking out at Vegas Strip with the mountains as a backdrop bathed in glorious sunlight beneath a perfect cloudless clue sky does make the idea of an English Christmas seem fairly out of reach!
I managed to get all my 'extras' into my suitcase bar by Nikes so was pretty chuffed. Especially as Colby managed to avoid taking her Birthday Jacqueline Lantern (plastic pumpkin to you and I) home so I had to take the contents of that too (which includes a baseball cap signed by three World Champion Bull Riders from the rodeo. Unfortunately none of us have heard of them or know which one is which). Steph will be furious as she stole the said Jacqueline out the back of a truck on the way to the In and Out Burger and was kind of aware Colby did not really want it as every attempt made to leave it with her throughout the week failed!
After my marathon hike to Stratosphere yesterday I was dead but after an hour of packing I walked back to Margaritaville and met Colby, Steve, Laura and Emma where we drank some beers and watched the rodeo finals in a bar that was wall-to-wall cowboys. Thenwe called in at Coyote Ugly bar which was crap initially then 2 beers later became excellent. Then a brisk march back to the Luxor where they got their bags and left for Philly leaving me half drunk and no one to party with! As it turned out I needed to extra time to repack (swipe 2) and ended up dead to the world about 10pm - that walk certainly tired me out! Colby and Co did lunch at the Wynn which would have been fun but expensive and I am Officially Broke now. I found Macys on the way to Stratosphere so finally was able to get my cheap Levis, $30 each! Bargain.
Right, some screaming kids behind me who had better not be on my flight else I will kill them. I'll worry about no money when I get home, right after I worry about no petrol eh! We are already planning where to have the next Big Birthday, being my 40th. Amsterdam was suggested by many of the Yanks.....we will just have to see. Wherever we go it will be hard to beat this trip I must say.
Right, I have finished the vegas blog you will be glad to know. Next stop - the Old Biddy Christmas Lunch Blog !!!!! See you Thursday, can't wait. I will be the one in Pradas!! Love me xx
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Saturday 15th December - The Party Finishes
10'20 am - Steph just left! I am so sad to see her go, she has been a Total LA Legend this week. We did the Strip yesterday, her in flip flops and ass-skimming skirt invoking 99% of men we passed to stop and quite literally stare open-mouthed at this vision of youth and beauty (the wives of said men doing the standard 'David/Roger/Andrew - STOP dribbling and come away, you are old enough to be her father' !), then we bumped into Ronnie (a native New Yorker with the driest sense of humour ever) so we did the Moving Statues show in the Forum. Luckily we were early so we armed ourselves with very large vodka tonics (Steph wanting a foot long one with 32 shots in it but alas lacking the $40 required to buy it!). We quaffed our drinks, were taking the mickey out of everyone walking by when we heard 'thunder' and started shouting 'the show is starting', only to realise the 'thunder' was in fact the noise of a large btrash bin being wheeled past us. Needless to say the large drinks had hit the mark and we quite literally were crying with laughter. The security guard was not impressed and kept glowering at us, had it not been for Ronnie's unique 'I am from NY and don't take me on' aura we would have been chucked out no probs.
Last night we all did Fremont Street on the bus. Steph and I were hungry when we got there so had a sneaky McDonalds, only to locate everyone 2 mins later in an Italian which was apparently where we had all agreed to have dinner. Steph and I had no recollection of thisbut in fear of being abused again for not remembering stuff we did not confess the McDonalds and proceeded to eat a 2 course meal. Talk about stuffed! Then we kicked about the local casinos (Golden Nugget etc) and we had ourselves a foor long drink each finally. We called Charlie to leave her a message on her mobile (no one has been able to contact her since she left for NZ in October) only to discover she was on the end of the phone!! So we had a long and involved three way conversation with her and I cried when we said goodbye (But she IS my niece and I DO love her so it is ok!).
Wed night we did Cirque du Soleil which was fab, unfortunately we'd been drinking since midday so I have only a vague recollection. Apparently we went to Mirage casino after which I hotly contested the next day only to be shown a photo of me at Mirage. Damn these cameras! We had an In and Out Burger which was delicious, it was on the freeway though so we jaywalked there which was a tad scary and took forever. I insisted we got a cab back which embarrassingly took about 3 mins!!!! One unhappy cabbie.
Colby's birthday we ate at the House of Blues (21 of us, one large table of fun) and then did LAX nightclub (owned by Nicky Hilton and some tosser called Kriss Angel who is a magician who is based at our hotel and who films his show every night and barges past everyone who gets in his way - one of whom was me hence my extreme hatred). Will thought he met two Aussie guys he had made friends with the night before called Andrew and Luke (he was v drunk), only to discover half way through the conversation they were in fact Dutch. 'Wait a minute, you're not Australian! Ok, no matter - you can be Andrew and you can be Luke'. The look of complete confusedness on their faces was brilliant. Steph and I once again crying with laughter. Am sure this does not come across as hilarious now but honestly, it was one of the classic moments.
We went to Wynns hotel which is my new favourite - fab. We got lost in the Venetian for ages (ventured into the Anti-Ageing Convention at one point) (I joke not) and then got mesmerised by the Gondolas. I thought the Gondoliers were wax works but Colby threw a sweet at one and it moved and swore at her so we guessed they were poor humans instead! (Such is the standard of wax out here that people look worse than the waxworks).
We had breakfast in Tropicana one day after Will and Steph had done 30 hours of drinking. The Tropicana is dead old and very green in decor, so green in fact that Steph fell asleep at the table. then went home and threw up in the foyer of the hotel!! Nothing to do with alcolhol or lack of sleep or the stack of terrible spicy food she ate for breakfast, it was the awful decor that was responsible....
Endless photos were taken at every opportunity (Steph has most of them), we had a fashio show in a our room waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive Wed (they got in at midnight so we were wasted by then as you can imagine), Steph trashed my room so I had to leave an apologetic note for Elsa the cleaner which they all thought was just hilarious, I also made my bed every day which again caused much mickey to be taken from me. None of them have ever been hotel cleaners, they have no idea!!
Julia (wife of Ronnie the NYorker) fell in love with a $4250 Oscar de la Renta dress, and last I heard had nearly persuaded Ronnie to buy it for her. This is a particularly amazing fact as Ronnie had a fit at the $6 Starbucks bill on day one. Julia retalitated by having a $200 facial which he has yet to find out about! So getting him to even CONSIDER spending all that money on a dress was some feat! I must find out if she got it....
I have withdrawn cash from every ATM on the Strip I think. The bank have helpfully cancelled my main card so I am holding my breath every time I withdraw on my other one hoping it does not run out! This place is sooooooo expensive.
Will was going home Thursday night at which Colby had a fit so he paid $100 to put his flight back 8 hours and then she didn't even see him as she spent time with everyone else! Will not amused. Steph and I very amused!
So, we have had wall to wall fun and I have aching cheeks from laughing all the time. I have spent a fortune, barely slept, drank my body weight in vodka every day and just loved every minute of it! However now the party is over and I am on day 6 of being in Vegas, I have had enough and am looking forward to going home. This place is amazing but I think it is a clear 'been there done it' place myself.
I am off to walk the 4 miles to Stratosphere and back to (a) see the whole city from 800ft up, and (b) to waste the rest of the day. Will catch up with everyone else this evening before they all fly out tonight (as Steph left I realised I do not have Colby or anyone elses' mobile numbers so cannot get in touch with any of them today! Doh). Homeward bound tomorrow. Yippee. Goodbye Las Vegas, it's been an absolute party! Love me xxxx
Last night we all did Fremont Street on the bus. Steph and I were hungry when we got there so had a sneaky McDonalds, only to locate everyone 2 mins later in an Italian which was apparently where we had all agreed to have dinner. Steph and I had no recollection of thisbut in fear of being abused again for not remembering stuff we did not confess the McDonalds and proceeded to eat a 2 course meal. Talk about stuffed! Then we kicked about the local casinos (Golden Nugget etc) and we had ourselves a foor long drink each finally. We called Charlie to leave her a message on her mobile (no one has been able to contact her since she left for NZ in October) only to discover she was on the end of the phone!! So we had a long and involved three way conversation with her and I cried when we said goodbye (But she IS my niece and I DO love her so it is ok!).
Wed night we did Cirque du Soleil which was fab, unfortunately we'd been drinking since midday so I have only a vague recollection. Apparently we went to Mirage casino after which I hotly contested the next day only to be shown a photo of me at Mirage. Damn these cameras! We had an In and Out Burger which was delicious, it was on the freeway though so we jaywalked there which was a tad scary and took forever. I insisted we got a cab back which embarrassingly took about 3 mins!!!! One unhappy cabbie.
Colby's birthday we ate at the House of Blues (21 of us, one large table of fun) and then did LAX nightclub (owned by Nicky Hilton and some tosser called Kriss Angel who is a magician who is based at our hotel and who films his show every night and barges past everyone who gets in his way - one of whom was me hence my extreme hatred). Will thought he met two Aussie guys he had made friends with the night before called Andrew and Luke (he was v drunk), only to discover half way through the conversation they were in fact Dutch. 'Wait a minute, you're not Australian! Ok, no matter - you can be Andrew and you can be Luke'. The look of complete confusedness on their faces was brilliant. Steph and I once again crying with laughter. Am sure this does not come across as hilarious now but honestly, it was one of the classic moments.
We went to Wynns hotel which is my new favourite - fab. We got lost in the Venetian for ages (ventured into the Anti-Ageing Convention at one point) (I joke not) and then got mesmerised by the Gondolas. I thought the Gondoliers were wax works but Colby threw a sweet at one and it moved and swore at her so we guessed they were poor humans instead! (Such is the standard of wax out here that people look worse than the waxworks).
We had breakfast in Tropicana one day after Will and Steph had done 30 hours of drinking. The Tropicana is dead old and very green in decor, so green in fact that Steph fell asleep at the table. then went home and threw up in the foyer of the hotel!! Nothing to do with alcolhol or lack of sleep or the stack of terrible spicy food she ate for breakfast, it was the awful decor that was responsible....
Endless photos were taken at every opportunity (Steph has most of them), we had a fashio show in a our room waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive Wed (they got in at midnight so we were wasted by then as you can imagine), Steph trashed my room so I had to leave an apologetic note for Elsa the cleaner which they all thought was just hilarious, I also made my bed every day which again caused much mickey to be taken from me. None of them have ever been hotel cleaners, they have no idea!!
Julia (wife of Ronnie the NYorker) fell in love with a $4250 Oscar de la Renta dress, and last I heard had nearly persuaded Ronnie to buy it for her. This is a particularly amazing fact as Ronnie had a fit at the $6 Starbucks bill on day one. Julia retalitated by having a $200 facial which he has yet to find out about! So getting him to even CONSIDER spending all that money on a dress was some feat! I must find out if she got it....
I have withdrawn cash from every ATM on the Strip I think. The bank have helpfully cancelled my main card so I am holding my breath every time I withdraw on my other one hoping it does not run out! This place is sooooooo expensive.
Will was going home Thursday night at which Colby had a fit so he paid $100 to put his flight back 8 hours and then she didn't even see him as she spent time with everyone else! Will not amused. Steph and I very amused!
So, we have had wall to wall fun and I have aching cheeks from laughing all the time. I have spent a fortune, barely slept, drank my body weight in vodka every day and just loved every minute of it! However now the party is over and I am on day 6 of being in Vegas, I have had enough and am looking forward to going home. This place is amazing but I think it is a clear 'been there done it' place myself.
I am off to walk the 4 miles to Stratosphere and back to (a) see the whole city from 800ft up, and (b) to waste the rest of the day. Will catch up with everyone else this evening before they all fly out tonight (as Steph left I realised I do not have Colby or anyone elses' mobile numbers so cannot get in touch with any of them today! Doh). Homeward bound tomorrow. Yippee. Goodbye Las Vegas, it's been an absolute party! Love me xxxx
Wednesday 11th December...The Party Starts
9'10 am - got woken at 6am by the phone - Colby! (She of the 30th birthday) Was like we saw each other yesterday, not six months ago. Chatted for an hour (she was stuck in traffic on her way from Aiken to Philadelphia delivering a trailer before flying from Philly to Vegas, only Colby) and I am now Officially Excited at everyone arriving today! Put the phone down, it rang immediately and it was Will (another good friend from the US), who is in Colorado skiing and on his way here this morning.....can't WAIT for them all to get here and to start partying, my jetlag is over and I am ready to rumble at last. Steph (who is actually my niece Charlie's great friend who I met in March and she is now my great friend too, she is quite literally the American Charlie. I have never been in the same place with the pair of them but apparently it is a sight to behold - both 20, both blonde, both gorgeous, both very loud, both slightly deranged and both party animals with the ability to scream at such decibels that dolphins form schools at the nearest coastline in response) has already been busted for being 125lbs overweight with luggage so she is 'pissed' as they say here. Classic.
Got to go get coffee and lurk in the foyer for Will and Steph to come in, they are sharing my room so we need to smuggle them in illegally. Who knows when I will get back to you blog-wise, but whenever it is I will definately have stories to tell!! Love me xx
Got to go get coffee and lurk in the foyer for Will and Steph to come in, they are sharing my room so we need to smuggle them in illegally. Who knows when I will get back to you blog-wise, but whenever it is I will definately have stories to tell!! Love me xx
Tuesday 11th December - What a Difference a Day Makes!
12'05 pm - Starbucks, Excalibur. I know this is not the nicest hotel but it is (a) linked to mine, (b) on the way to the Strip, and (c) seems to be the one place I am able to find on first go!
Woke up with cracking headache at 2am and have yet to shift it which kinda sucks. Mind you after my Bloody Mary in Bellagios I did a marathon shop in the Forum Shops (part of Caesers Palace) (have the slogan 'For Those About to Shop, We Salute You' !) - unreal. Better than Bond Street (all the designers, 150 + shops) but odd lighting that makes you feel like it is about 6pm at night all the time, which is rather disorientating at 1pm! Had to make Emergency Purchase #2 - Nike Shox - as my feet were dead man! And the saddest thing? I chose the ones I bought purely on the strength of some little black girl of about 7 had them on and boy did she make them look hot! (Naturally I don't quite offer them the same je ne c'est quoi as she did...) Taking fashion advice from a child - not good! Please shoot me on sight if I ever appear in any form of Disney branded clothing eh.
How I am going to get all my stuff home I have no idea, went mad in Abercrombie & Fitch, it is so cheap it is almost free! $60 for a hoodie...so I bought 3 as I 'do'. Bought some odds and sods as gifts too, bizarrely (or maybe not so considering where I am) the old souvenir trail is pretty crap here. At least I know enough of the US to order hot tea and specify NOT Earl Grey. I don't know anyone who drinks Earl Grey, why they think it is all we Brits drink I have no idea. (I tell a lie, I do know someone who drinks Earl Grey but he is Australian and thus knows no better!!)
The worst part of here is that it is such hard work to get Outside, it takes me ten minutes from my hotel room to achieve this (and that is after much much practice, it started off running at about 25 minutes..!) I think the headache is a combination of post-flight, post-finish-work relief, neon lighting everywhere and the endless beep beep beeping of a million slot machines - plus cigarette smoke, amazed at how many people smoke here... you can smoke anywhere and everywhere which is very odd in Modern America. Needless to say the smokers make the most of it and are chaining it to the max!
Observation: there are as many anorexic people here as there are obsese. I have never seen so many stick thin legs!
Feeling better so am off to try and replenish my depleted paracetamol supply, the CVS has two whole aisles of pain relief but not a paracetamol amongst them.
6'30pm - Luxor Hotel Room. Did Shark Reef Aquarium @ Mandalay Bay hotel - good though short (the Aquarium not the hotel, that would be very very tall), the green sea turtles were amazing. What was not amazing was the bit where you have to walk across an expanse of glass with the turtles/sharks/rays etc etc swimming underneath your feet. I hate these things (I once had a nervous breakdown in a pub where they had a well that you could choose to walk over, I was pushed onto it and practically passed out with fear), but I had no choice, it was the only way out. There were tens of kids running over it, not bothered a jot, and there is me, on my own, sweating and clutching on the side of the wall with white knuckles! Just as I plucked up courage and was making my wobbly way across with eyes closed, some child ran past me and stopped in front of me, meaning I took it out (eyes closed remember) and thus child screaming, parents glowering at me and me babbling my apologies over my shoulder as I high tailed it out of there!
Having regained most of my composure I then wandered round to the Cowboy Expo - they have the World Championship Rodeo Finals here this week so it is wall-to-wall Cowboy. (Many many of them in black Stetsons, which makes me think of my trip to Oz and an older male friend of mine saying 'never trust a man in a black hat'.....he'd be having a fit if he were here amongst so many Untrustworthy!). The cowboys are a sight to behold, the cowgirls even more so, but the biggest most amazing sight is the tack they stick on their horses! You have never seen so much bling in your life. I never even imagined dyeing Ostrich leather bright pink, these guys have done it and made saddles out if it. Was sorely tempted to get Jacks something pink and glittery to put on Abba (her dressage horse) but resisted, as I know I would Never Be Forgiven!
Found shortcut from Mandaly Bay to my hotel which is great, it takes you past some decent shops too which is always a bonus in my book. I have also found a bookshop about which I am very excited, as I have finished the Kite Runner and cannot face the flight home without a book!
Am trying to summon up the energy to go out this evening to Fremont Street on the bus, as it is only $5 for 24 hours apparently and Fremont Street is the 'original' Vegas and has an amazing light display. It is very easy to stay in and watch tv however! I am so crap. Square eyes as my parents would say. Talking of which my Mum had her ankle operation yesterday so I phoned my sister to get an update (all ok thank goodness) but the phone call cost me $100!! Ouch. Mind you much of that could have been saved had we not chatted about her dog, the weather, our brother etc etc!
7'45 pm - Pyriamid Cafe, the Luxor - I did venture out but only as far as downstairs in the hotel for supper! Sad I know but there are a couple of valid (I beleive anyway) reasons ; 1. being my poor little toe is killing me as I have a huge blister on it, due to walking miles in unbroken in (but gorgeous) boots. 2. the second I stepped out of my room I was overwhelmed with tiredness and 3. I got lost again and couldn't find the shortcut to Mandalay Bay so ended up at the place I ate at on Sunday! 500 restaurants and I choose the same one twice! So here I am, Coke in hand (red wine here does not agree with me, even the Aussie ones) and one Shepherds Pie on order. Perfect. The background music (currently Lady in Red) is competing in vain against the zillion slots plus some very loud Manilow eminating from the buffet which is the floor below...all v bizarre and not in the least relaxing. I guess that is the aim of a 24/7 party place though, don't let people come down in case they stop spending money. It reminds me of what a cruise must be like, where you get all kinds of people in one place with vastly different ideas of how to enjoy themselves - some all tarted up at every opportunity, others dressing for 'comfort' and the long haul at the slots. What gets me about the food joints is that they are all selling mediocre food (even by my bland standards!) at inflated prices, yet people take doggy bags away! What the hell are you going to do with cold beefburger and chips in a basic hotel room??? It's like they know they have been ripped off but cos everyone is so perpetually NICE they can't complain so their solution is 'it's mine so I'll be taking it' ! Strange. Love me x
Woke up with cracking headache at 2am and have yet to shift it which kinda sucks. Mind you after my Bloody Mary in Bellagios I did a marathon shop in the Forum Shops (part of Caesers Palace) (have the slogan 'For Those About to Shop, We Salute You' !) - unreal. Better than Bond Street (all the designers, 150 + shops) but odd lighting that makes you feel like it is about 6pm at night all the time, which is rather disorientating at 1pm! Had to make Emergency Purchase #2 - Nike Shox - as my feet were dead man! And the saddest thing? I chose the ones I bought purely on the strength of some little black girl of about 7 had them on and boy did she make them look hot! (Naturally I don't quite offer them the same je ne c'est quoi as she did...) Taking fashion advice from a child - not good! Please shoot me on sight if I ever appear in any form of Disney branded clothing eh.
How I am going to get all my stuff home I have no idea, went mad in Abercrombie & Fitch, it is so cheap it is almost free! $60 for a hoodie...so I bought 3 as I 'do'. Bought some odds and sods as gifts too, bizarrely (or maybe not so considering where I am) the old souvenir trail is pretty crap here. At least I know enough of the US to order hot tea and specify NOT Earl Grey. I don't know anyone who drinks Earl Grey, why they think it is all we Brits drink I have no idea. (I tell a lie, I do know someone who drinks Earl Grey but he is Australian and thus knows no better!!)
The worst part of here is that it is such hard work to get Outside, it takes me ten minutes from my hotel room to achieve this (and that is after much much practice, it started off running at about 25 minutes..!) I think the headache is a combination of post-flight, post-finish-work relief, neon lighting everywhere and the endless beep beep beeping of a million slot machines - plus cigarette smoke, amazed at how many people smoke here... you can smoke anywhere and everywhere which is very odd in Modern America. Needless to say the smokers make the most of it and are chaining it to the max!
Observation: there are as many anorexic people here as there are obsese. I have never seen so many stick thin legs!
Feeling better so am off to try and replenish my depleted paracetamol supply, the CVS has two whole aisles of pain relief but not a paracetamol amongst them.
6'30pm - Luxor Hotel Room. Did Shark Reef Aquarium @ Mandalay Bay hotel - good though short (the Aquarium not the hotel, that would be very very tall), the green sea turtles were amazing. What was not amazing was the bit where you have to walk across an expanse of glass with the turtles/sharks/rays etc etc swimming underneath your feet. I hate these things (I once had a nervous breakdown in a pub where they had a well that you could choose to walk over, I was pushed onto it and practically passed out with fear), but I had no choice, it was the only way out. There were tens of kids running over it, not bothered a jot, and there is me, on my own, sweating and clutching on the side of the wall with white knuckles! Just as I plucked up courage and was making my wobbly way across with eyes closed, some child ran past me and stopped in front of me, meaning I took it out (eyes closed remember) and thus child screaming, parents glowering at me and me babbling my apologies over my shoulder as I high tailed it out of there!
Having regained most of my composure I then wandered round to the Cowboy Expo - they have the World Championship Rodeo Finals here this week so it is wall-to-wall Cowboy. (Many many of them in black Stetsons, which makes me think of my trip to Oz and an older male friend of mine saying 'never trust a man in a black hat'.....he'd be having a fit if he were here amongst so many Untrustworthy!). The cowboys are a sight to behold, the cowgirls even more so, but the biggest most amazing sight is the tack they stick on their horses! You have never seen so much bling in your life. I never even imagined dyeing Ostrich leather bright pink, these guys have done it and made saddles out if it. Was sorely tempted to get Jacks something pink and glittery to put on Abba (her dressage horse) but resisted, as I know I would Never Be Forgiven!
Found shortcut from Mandaly Bay to my hotel which is great, it takes you past some decent shops too which is always a bonus in my book. I have also found a bookshop about which I am very excited, as I have finished the Kite Runner and cannot face the flight home without a book!
Am trying to summon up the energy to go out this evening to Fremont Street on the bus, as it is only $5 for 24 hours apparently and Fremont Street is the 'original' Vegas and has an amazing light display. It is very easy to stay in and watch tv however! I am so crap. Square eyes as my parents would say. Talking of which my Mum had her ankle operation yesterday so I phoned my sister to get an update (all ok thank goodness) but the phone call cost me $100!! Ouch. Mind you much of that could have been saved had we not chatted about her dog, the weather, our brother etc etc!
7'45 pm - Pyriamid Cafe, the Luxor - I did venture out but only as far as downstairs in the hotel for supper! Sad I know but there are a couple of valid (I beleive anyway) reasons ; 1. being my poor little toe is killing me as I have a huge blister on it, due to walking miles in unbroken in (but gorgeous) boots. 2. the second I stepped out of my room I was overwhelmed with tiredness and 3. I got lost again and couldn't find the shortcut to Mandalay Bay so ended up at the place I ate at on Sunday! 500 restaurants and I choose the same one twice! So here I am, Coke in hand (red wine here does not agree with me, even the Aussie ones) and one Shepherds Pie on order. Perfect. The background music (currently Lady in Red) is competing in vain against the zillion slots plus some very loud Manilow eminating from the buffet which is the floor below...all v bizarre and not in the least relaxing. I guess that is the aim of a 24/7 party place though, don't let people come down in case they stop spending money. It reminds me of what a cruise must be like, where you get all kinds of people in one place with vastly different ideas of how to enjoy themselves - some all tarted up at every opportunity, others dressing for 'comfort' and the long haul at the slots. What gets me about the food joints is that they are all selling mediocre food (even by my bland standards!) at inflated prices, yet people take doggy bags away! What the hell are you going to do with cold beefburger and chips in a basic hotel room??? It's like they know they have been ripped off but cos everyone is so perpetually NICE they can't complain so their solution is 'it's mine so I'll be taking it' ! Strange. Love me x
Monday 10th December: On The Strip
12'30pm - having my first Bloody Mary of the day...in Bellagios! Pretty damned good one too. Cost me $11 mind you which is $2 more than at the Luxor (my hotel) (the Pyramid), buy hey, we are talking mid-strip here!! It's a beautiful day though a cold North Wind, I even had to buy sun block (no desire to repeat the whole Bridget Jones suntan episode of March!)
This is the wierdest place I have ever been to in my life. Literally anything goes. For example, I just saw a group of Asian ladies in full ballroom dresses and accompanying make up, sitting having lunch like they were dressed in jeans and t-shirts like most everyone else! Everyone wears full-on sunnies (thank God for the Pradas, I am more than holding my own in the Sunglass Stakes with those babies) at all times, despite the fact it is pitch black inside all the casinos. Lots of slow steady steps required to navigate darkened casino in full sunnies. Good cover for being drunk midday though!
The vodka is on tap here like we have Coke. I am liking that. The hotels all link to each other and are individually bigger than airports. I have got lost so many times already! Been to Excalibur (not so nice), MGM Grand - MASSIVE. They have lions (yes real live lions) in the lobby. Nice casino there. Bellagio however is my favourite so far, it really is gorgeous and very opulent. Dior, Versace and Vuitton have boutiques here. At the Luxor we have Starbucks and Luxor Branded Crap boutiques! Not sure where to have lunch, maybe Ceasars Palace. Who knows in this town, probably McDonalds knowing me!
Some totally normal skint-looking dude sporting a tracksuit and fake sunglasses (I can tell) just asked where the High Stakes Poker Lounge was. Just goes to show you really can't judge people by their tracksuits! I have yet to play a slot machine or in fact make any wager whatsoever. Am toying with the idea of making this my aim for the week - Do Vegas Without Gambling. Different - and I have marginally more chance of succeeding than I do with my other aim of getting married!
Talking of which I saw a real live bride and groom last night which was kind of cool. My plan to get spliced here myself has been shelved most of you will be glad to know. Turns out David is still rather annoyingly married to Posh! Damn her.
Off to console myself with another BM. Laters dudes xxx
This is the wierdest place I have ever been to in my life. Literally anything goes. For example, I just saw a group of Asian ladies in full ballroom dresses and accompanying make up, sitting having lunch like they were dressed in jeans and t-shirts like most everyone else! Everyone wears full-on sunnies (thank God for the Pradas, I am more than holding my own in the Sunglass Stakes with those babies) at all times, despite the fact it is pitch black inside all the casinos. Lots of slow steady steps required to navigate darkened casino in full sunnies. Good cover for being drunk midday though!
The vodka is on tap here like we have Coke. I am liking that. The hotels all link to each other and are individually bigger than airports. I have got lost so many times already! Been to Excalibur (not so nice), MGM Grand - MASSIVE. They have lions (yes real live lions) in the lobby. Nice casino there. Bellagio however is my favourite so far, it really is gorgeous and very opulent. Dior, Versace and Vuitton have boutiques here. At the Luxor we have Starbucks and Luxor Branded Crap boutiques! Not sure where to have lunch, maybe Ceasars Palace. Who knows in this town, probably McDonalds knowing me!
Some totally normal skint-looking dude sporting a tracksuit and fake sunglasses (I can tell) just asked where the High Stakes Poker Lounge was. Just goes to show you really can't judge people by their tracksuits! I have yet to play a slot machine or in fact make any wager whatsoever. Am toying with the idea of making this my aim for the week - Do Vegas Without Gambling. Different - and I have marginally more chance of succeeding than I do with my other aim of getting married!
Talking of which I saw a real live bride and groom last night which was kind of cool. My plan to get spliced here myself has been shelved most of you will be glad to know. Turns out David is still rather annoyingly married to Posh! Damn her.
Off to console myself with another BM. Laters dudes xxx
Mid Flight
10'50 am - Bloody Mary and the Simpsons Movie - life sure is sweet! (Even though I had to pay for my drink, poxy BMI flight).
12'15 pm - Curry only option left for lunch! Crap. Hate curry. Also failed to open salad dressing pouch effort so had hideous 'starter' of dry lettuce leaves. Good job I am en route to the US, home of decent bland fayre! (To add insult to injury the wine is Argentinian and £3 a shot!).
4'20 pm - Eating a Fruit Bonbon in desperation. Had fitful sleep. Entertained myself brilliantly by opening my window blind, letting a shaft of blinding sunlight fall across the faces of 3 sleeping people in the middle seats....got them all to wake up! Love it. Almost makes up for shite movies, shite food and non-existant &&&((*&^ alcohol service!
7'15 pm - WOW. Scenery spectacular from plane. Huge snow-capped mountains and fabulous sunshine. Just saw a terrible promo video for Vegas on the plane, they are selling it already! Never seen that done before. Am v v v excited now! Wish me luck for the dreaded customs!
Me xxx
12'15 pm - Curry only option left for lunch! Crap. Hate curry. Also failed to open salad dressing pouch effort so had hideous 'starter' of dry lettuce leaves. Good job I am en route to the US, home of decent bland fayre! (To add insult to injury the wine is Argentinian and £3 a shot!).
4'20 pm - Eating a Fruit Bonbon in desperation. Had fitful sleep. Entertained myself brilliantly by opening my window blind, letting a shaft of blinding sunlight fall across the faces of 3 sleeping people in the middle seats....got them all to wake up! Love it. Almost makes up for shite movies, shite food and non-existant &&&((*&^ alcohol service!
7'15 pm - WOW. Scenery spectacular from plane. Huge snow-capped mountains and fabulous sunshine. Just saw a terrible promo video for Vegas on the plane, they are selling it already! Never seen that done before. Am v v v excited now! Wish me luck for the dreaded customs!
Me xxx
Sunday 9th December 2007, 0930 - Vegas Bound
Managed to forget everything I have ever learned from all my work travels - lounged around all day yesterday being 'on holiday' only to realise at 7pm (after 2 glasses of wine) I had forgotten to get petrol. Bugger. No worries, I'd just have to get up slightly earlier than the 4am I had planned in order to fit in a fuel stop. At this point I felt I should think about throwing some clothes into a suitcase, which was when I realised I had no idea of where I had efficiently stowed my suitcase - the last time I used it was for the South Carolina trip which was not only way back in March but also before I bloody moved!
Some 25 minutes later as I was consoling myself with glass of wine #3, I remembered I had a loft and that was where I had stowed said case. Result! I won't go into detail about retrieving said suitcase from loft but put it this way, I don't care how much a loft ladder costs I Am Getting One Installed.
I then spent the next two hours debating what I needed for the next 7 days - this was my first 'smart' holiday for years, not a Three Day Event (or horse) in sight! So my usual must-haves of waterproof coat, selection of baseball caps and waterproof/thermal Timberland work boots meant I had a load more suitcase room to fill, yippee! Nonetheless I did my standard trick of applying the 'sod it' approach and ended up not being able to close the lid at first swipe. Removing all items of clothing I have possessed for > 1 year but never had the balls/occasion/waistline to wear still left me with a little overflow so I bit the bullet and hefted out 3 of the 4 pairs of stilletos I had packed (1 pair of which I can quite literally only stand up in. Walking is Not An Option). This move helped enormously and I have thus managed to fit in a Different Jumper For Every Day. Despite the fact I am going shopping tomorrow for a whole new wardrobe! I will never learn, I am still haunted by the enforced purchase of the infamous Yellow Samsonite Hardsider when I came to see my brother in Philadephia back in 2001, due to the ridiculous amount of clothes purchased! Ah well, life would be fairly god damned boring if we all learned all the lessons we should.
On which note, having staggered to the airport on mere petrol vapour (due to the dodgy people hanging round the petrol station at 4am) (I got up at 3am in the end - couldn't sleep for fear of over-sleeping), meaning several mental pygmies who should have been on the receiving end of a Demonstration due to their totally inept driving escaped as I needed to conserve valuable vapour - I realised I had left my bloody sunglasses at home! So, had no choice But to Buy New Ones...mm mmm wait til you check out my Pradas! Be-yoo-tif-ul!! AND I saved at least £45 by buying them Duty Free! (I am smirking at the Financial Ones amongst you who will be right now shaking your heads and saying Out Loud to your PC 'you cannot SAVE money by SPENDING it' !!! Newsflash - YOU SO CAN WHEN YOU ARE ME!
Anyways we have just taken off which is cool. What is not cool is the fact the flight is packed. What is cool is (for once) is being a Lone Traveller meaning I have scored 2 seats to myself. What is not cool is realising I have no paracetamol in my hand luggage and now have an instant headache, au natrelle! Off to continue reading The Kite Runner (what a fantastic book). Laters dudes Me xxxx
Some 25 minutes later as I was consoling myself with glass of wine #3, I remembered I had a loft and that was where I had stowed said case. Result! I won't go into detail about retrieving said suitcase from loft but put it this way, I don't care how much a loft ladder costs I Am Getting One Installed.
I then spent the next two hours debating what I needed for the next 7 days - this was my first 'smart' holiday for years, not a Three Day Event (or horse) in sight! So my usual must-haves of waterproof coat, selection of baseball caps and waterproof/thermal Timberland work boots meant I had a load more suitcase room to fill, yippee! Nonetheless I did my standard trick of applying the 'sod it' approach and ended up not being able to close the lid at first swipe. Removing all items of clothing I have possessed for > 1 year but never had the balls/occasion/waistline to wear still left me with a little overflow so I bit the bullet and hefted out 3 of the 4 pairs of stilletos I had packed (1 pair of which I can quite literally only stand up in. Walking is Not An Option). This move helped enormously and I have thus managed to fit in a Different Jumper For Every Day. Despite the fact I am going shopping tomorrow for a whole new wardrobe! I will never learn, I am still haunted by the enforced purchase of the infamous Yellow Samsonite Hardsider when I came to see my brother in Philadephia back in 2001, due to the ridiculous amount of clothes purchased! Ah well, life would be fairly god damned boring if we all learned all the lessons we should.
On which note, having staggered to the airport on mere petrol vapour (due to the dodgy people hanging round the petrol station at 4am) (I got up at 3am in the end - couldn't sleep for fear of over-sleeping), meaning several mental pygmies who should have been on the receiving end of a Demonstration due to their totally inept driving escaped as I needed to conserve valuable vapour - I realised I had left my bloody sunglasses at home! So, had no choice But to Buy New Ones...mm mmm wait til you check out my Pradas! Be-yoo-tif-ul!! AND I saved at least £45 by buying them Duty Free! (I am smirking at the Financial Ones amongst you who will be right now shaking your heads and saying Out Loud to your PC 'you cannot SAVE money by SPENDING it' !!! Newsflash - YOU SO CAN WHEN YOU ARE ME!
Anyways we have just taken off which is cool. What is not cool is the fact the flight is packed. What is cool is (for once) is being a Lone Traveller meaning I have scored 2 seats to myself. What is not cool is realising I have no paracetamol in my hand luggage and now have an instant headache, au natrelle! Off to continue reading The Kite Runner (what a fantastic book). Laters dudes Me xxxx
The Week That Was Vegas...
hey all...I am back from Vegas - what the hell has happened to the weather in my absence? It has gone from about 10 degrees to sub-zero! I mean it was cold in Vegas but as in 'only twelve degrees' which was pretty much negated by the clear blue skies and bright bright sunshine!
Anyways, I have been a very good Blogger and kept a little notebook full of comments about what I did on hols, so I can share some of the insights with you! Cos believe you me, the amount of vodka I drank does mean had I not jotted some things down as they happened they would have been lost in the mists of hangover.... thank god also for photographic evidence cos there was a classic argument one day where I swore blind on my mother's LIFE I had not been into Mirage casino...only to be presented with a photo of me in Mirage, a mere 12 hours earlier! You get my drift. I didn't cry and tell anyone I loved them but I did achieve several Blackout Nights!
Right, I am going to end this Intro and start writing the first Notebook entry..... I hope the following few posts give you some insight into The Week That Was Vegas! Love me xx
Anyways, I have been a very good Blogger and kept a little notebook full of comments about what I did on hols, so I can share some of the insights with you! Cos believe you me, the amount of vodka I drank does mean had I not jotted some things down as they happened they would have been lost in the mists of hangover.... thank god also for photographic evidence cos there was a classic argument one day where I swore blind on my mother's LIFE I had not been into Mirage casino...only to be presented with a photo of me in Mirage, a mere 12 hours earlier! You get my drift. I didn't cry and tell anyone I loved them but I did achieve several Blackout Nights!
Right, I am going to end this Intro and start writing the first Notebook entry..... I hope the following few posts give you some insight into The Week That Was Vegas! Love me xx
Friday, December 7, 2007
Two More Sleeps to Vegas!
Hey Kids
Cannot believe in just two more sleeps' time I will be on that plane to Vegas! It has been such a long time since I booked it (never done that before, always been a last minute holiday kinda girl) I really cannot comprehend this Sunday is The Day!
My only sadness is that I go out a mere 12 hours after the magnificent Ricky Hatton fights in Vegas at the MGM Grand - man, talk about bad timing! I LOVE Ricky and I LOVE Boxing and Boxing + Vegas + Ricky would have just been amazing. C'est la vie, you lives and you learns eh. What I must not forget is the euphoria I felt at 4.15 tonight when I walked out of the office, not to return until 2008!! Now that does go some way to alleviating some pain re Ricky I must say!
So, next time I blog you lot I will have Been To Vegas, and I am hoping very hard that when I return I return a Married Woman......am sick of being asked whether I am married/divorced etc, so fully intend to marry some random stranger in Vegas and then when next asked if I am married, I can legitimatey respond 'No, seperated' !!! Perfect. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Right must go as have loads to do before departure. Can't wait to see you all on 20th.......assuming I don't win millions on the roulette wheels and never return! Me xxxxx
Cannot believe in just two more sleeps' time I will be on that plane to Vegas! It has been such a long time since I booked it (never done that before, always been a last minute holiday kinda girl) I really cannot comprehend this Sunday is The Day!
My only sadness is that I go out a mere 12 hours after the magnificent Ricky Hatton fights in Vegas at the MGM Grand - man, talk about bad timing! I LOVE Ricky and I LOVE Boxing and Boxing + Vegas + Ricky would have just been amazing. C'est la vie, you lives and you learns eh. What I must not forget is the euphoria I felt at 4.15 tonight when I walked out of the office, not to return until 2008!! Now that does go some way to alleviating some pain re Ricky I must say!
So, next time I blog you lot I will have Been To Vegas, and I am hoping very hard that when I return I return a Married Woman......am sick of being asked whether I am married/divorced etc, so fully intend to marry some random stranger in Vegas and then when next asked if I am married, I can legitimatey respond 'No, seperated' !!! Perfect. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Right must go as have loads to do before departure. Can't wait to see you all on 20th.......assuming I don't win millions on the roulette wheels and never return! Me xxxxx
Friday, November 30, 2007
The Hockey Blog
Ok kids, I promised you this so here it is......Sit back, relax and prepare to enjoy a classic piece of Williams.
The lady I bought my house off is a PE teacher at the local school. Being a typical Educated Type she has zero organisational skills and thus I have spent the first 8 or 9 weeks in my house sending her a massive collection of mail each week, as she has not got round to doing a redirect. I was getting crosser and crosser about this as it was costing me a fortune in stamps nevertheless hassle! So my enclosed 'notes' suitably got less and less friendly. Just as I was about to get Very Cross Indeed she posted me a lovely Thank You card, saying how bad she felt about it and how amazing I was to post it all on etc etc, which was really nice of her and of course meant I could not unleash my Serious Crossness on her.
The next week I received a note from her enclosing a letter for me I had sent on to her by mistake (how complicated?) in which she asked whether I would mind putting up a poster for her Hockey Team in work, which I did. When I sent her the next week's load of mail (still no redirection...), I added on my by now 'Hi Kirsty how are you what have you been up to in the last week' chatty type note the fact that I had put her Hockey poster up in work, and jokingly asking if 38 was too old to play Hockey.
Some two weeks went past where the post I received for her decreased massively (hurrah! redirect at last) with just the odd clothing catalogue (kept by me) and Wine Club flyer (binned by me) arrived for her. Then one cold Monday evening there is a knock at my door - lo! and behold
The lady I bought my house off is a PE teacher at the local school. Being a typical Educated Type she has zero organisational skills and thus I have spent the first 8 or 9 weeks in my house sending her a massive collection of mail each week, as she has not got round to doing a redirect. I was getting crosser and crosser about this as it was costing me a fortune in stamps nevertheless hassle! So my enclosed 'notes' suitably got less and less friendly. Just as I was about to get Very Cross Indeed she posted me a lovely Thank You card, saying how bad she felt about it and how amazing I was to post it all on etc etc, which was really nice of her and of course meant I could not unleash my Serious Crossness on her.
The next week I received a note from her enclosing a letter for me I had sent on to her by mistake (how complicated?) in which she asked whether I would mind putting up a poster for her Hockey Team in work, which I did. When I sent her the next week's load of mail (still no redirection...), I added on my by now 'Hi Kirsty how are you what have you been up to in the last week' chatty type note the fact that I had put her Hockey poster up in work, and jokingly asking if 38 was too old to play Hockey.
Some two weeks went past where the post I received for her decreased massively (hurrah! redirect at last) with just the odd clothing catalogue (kept by me) and Wine Club flyer (binned by me) arrived for her. Then one cold Monday evening there is a knock at my door - lo! and behold
if it is not Ms Previous House Owner and Member of Hockey Team, clutching some more post for me (parking permit application, jolly pleased to get my grubby mitts on that) and also holding a piece of paper that had a map on it.
I invited her in, took great delight in telling her she no longer needed to take her shoes upon entry as the white hall carpet was now (a) mine, (b) filthy and (c) being replaced by Father Christmas (hee hee), and we went to the kitchen for a cuppa and a catch up (our penpal relationship blossoming nicely into Possible Buddies). Over said cuppa she announces that 38 is not too old to play Hockey, there are several ladies older than me on the team and gave me directions to the Hockey Club where I was to report at 7pm prompt the next night in order to attend training!
Well, I was so gobsmacked at this (having completely forgotten my foolish off-the-cuff comment about playing) that I agreed to turn up, after making a feeble attempt to cry off by stating I did not have a Stick. 'No problem!' came the reply 'just borrow one of mine!'. So, off she tore (being a PE teacher she is Manic with respect to her physical movements) leaving me stunned in the kitchen.
I spent the rest of the evening and all the next day whirling the idea of Actually Turning Up around in my head, going from 'F It! Go For It' to 'Don't be ridiculous, it is 24 years since you last picked up a Hockey Stick and you were damn useless then'. Anyway, I got home Tuesday night from work and decided to embrace the F It approach, duly donned the only Sports Kit I own (being my running gear) and set off for the Hockey Club.
The Club, being some 12 miles away, took about 15 minutes to drive too and half way there I was forced to pull over as I was finding it hard to drive due to the fact my whole body was shaking with nerves (if the cops had turned up they would have bundled me into a blood wagon and sent me straight to the Hozzie (as we Northerners call the Hospital) convinced I was suffering from Epilepsy). I sat there, clad in my thin tight chilly running lycra, and told myself I was totally stupid, I couldn't play Hockey as a child so what made me think I could now, I have never had any time for the whole Women United Through Sports scene, and I was simply setting myself up to make a complete show of myself for an hour and a half. Shaking having subisded to a manageable degree, I turned my ST around and we started back for home.
Next set of lights I literally shout at myself to Get A Grip - it is one evening of your life where you will undoubtedly make a show of yourself (nothing new there), in front of complete strangers who you would never see again, and what the hell you Just Might Like It. So, U-Turn #2 and back we are heading to the Club.
I get there, meet my mate Kirsty, get introduced to anout 30 women of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities and before you know it I am taking part in Hockey Training! I could not believe it. Moreover, I was enjoying myself, despite the fact it was -4 degrees and everyone else had hoodies and thick track pants on so I was the only tw@t in running lycra; and even despite the really embarrassing fact I could not remember a single bloody thing about Hockey - how to dribble, how to tackle etc etc! But I strove on remorselessly and even played a blinding 20 mins as Goal Defence at the end (where I performed several Killer Tackles, one causing some verbal abuse which I was dead chuffed about!).
So, training session over we all bugger off home pronto, me all a glow with my personal physical and mental successes of Having A Go and Liking It.
Time I got home to my cold empty dark house it was 9pm, I am now suffering Full Body Shakes #2 and have already developed pulled muscles, so I sink into a hot bath to warm up. Time I have that, eat some tea and chill out it is 10.30 pm which for me is Very Late Indeed considering I am stone cold sober! So I fall into bed and have a massive sleep. Morning comes, I can't bloody move! Every muscle in my body has gone into revolt and is refusing to work, I was like a 100 year old when I finally persuaded my limbs to move and get out of bed, it was awful. I got to work and felt a bit better, especially when I started telling everyone I Played Hockey Last Night (Amazing how massaging an ego can remedy any number of physical injuries!). (I must confess I nearly took my borrowed stick to work so I could effect that casual 'Oh yes, I play Hockey' approach).
So, the week progressed and everyone remained Very Impressed at my new found skill. Tuesday came around real quick mind you, but all my friends wished me luck for Hockey as they left work so I was all set up for Training Session 2. I got home, sat on my sofa, lit the fire (just to take the edge off) and yup, you guessed it, I went straight to F It mode and snuggled up to watch a decent evening's telly, no more of that freezing my ass off pretending to bond wirh complete strangers who verbally abused me and of whom a significant number were gay (remember the unwanted but ever present attraction I hold for gay women if you will) !!
So, that was the end of my Hockey Playing.
However, before you start with the 'Oh No' s and 'Go Back' s, consider this - I managed NOT to spend several hundred £ on the complete kit - which in itself is a Huge Achievement, especially when you cast your mind back to the whole Mountain Bike Episode, which cost me around £400 and left me falling over a bloody bike I no longer wanted after 3 rides (which I leant to my sister back in 2006 so you can bet your bottom dollar I won't be seeing that again)! So, all in all a bit of a result for me I reckon. (I forgot to tell you I also confirmed during the training session that I really Don't have any hand-eye co-ordination. Think Golf Lessons!). And a fab story which has certainly made me laugh in the telling, so hopefully will have made you laugh too.
Until my next fad - good bye !! xxxxxoxoxoxxxooox
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
...The Week After
Well, what a wedding that was! A fantastic event, thank you very much to the B&G for my lovely evening invitation, I was honoured to be amongst your guests. Hope SA is fun!
The wedding set the scene for what turned out to be a very social weekend for me, I spent lots of quality time with lots of lovely lovely people who I have not seen 'properly' for ages, so I had an absolute ball as my Pops would say. It took me all of the next weekend to recover mind you, being unaccustomed to such intense revelling, but boy oh boy it was worth it ;-)
Been an odd week so far, lots of ups and downs work wise, hopefully they will all have been for a reason and hopefully the ultimate ending will be the right one for me. Sooooo hard to make a decision this time! Who would have thought that choice can be a bad thing.
Went for a run Sunday, first one for 2 weeks, was terrible! And got spotted by a colleague, why do you never get seen when you are fit and lithe and athletic and running properly? Why only when you have not been for weeks, have put on a stone at least, are bright red in the face, sweating for England and barely lifting your feet more than 1 cm off the ground? Life is so unfair. Anyway, this experience coupled with critically viewing myself in a three way mirror in Next later that day drove me to purchase an exercise bike. I can't go running here in the dark on my own, crazy. I have left the gym - too expensive and full of lycra clad idiots, mostly grossly overweight who should never be allowed to buy lycra, not even for a famly member. And I am getting fat and unfit. So, I am now the proud owner of an EB.
Actually it rocks I must say, especially cos you can cycle away in your jeans whilst watching EastEnders, with a nice glass of red nestling safely in the drinks holder! Heaven. Why on earth I did not think of it before I have no clue. The bizarre thing about an EB is the fact no-one who enters your house is unable to resist the temptation to sit on it! Very funny when they realise they are perched on someone else's EB for no apparent reason! It's a bit like the old calculator urge, people have to do 9 x 9 on them just to check they work. Love life's little foibles!
So, I have just 12 (TWELVE) more sleeps til Vegas!!! Holy crap how exciting is that?! I have so much to do before I go, of which I know I am only going to get about half done, but that works for me! I primarily need to get all the crap I bought from Ikea put up. I was waiting until I had painted everywhere but seeing as how I have only painted 3 rooms so far, one of which being the bathroom which doesn't reallty count as a whole room, and have 3 left to do thus is not something that is going to happen soon. And I am sick of tripping over cardboard packages containing very solid shelves that really stub your toes! So I have invested in a digital wall scanner thing that tells you where wires are, and I intend to Erect Shelving this weekend. (the bloke from work who was going to do it for me has never turned up, and when he spied me today he actually ran away. Don't think therefore I can rely on him!). I am sure this event will prompt a blog of its own, which reminds me I still owe you a Hockey Blog. I've added it to my List of Things to Do Before Vegas!
Take care folks and keep watching this space
Lots love Me xxxxx
The wedding set the scene for what turned out to be a very social weekend for me, I spent lots of quality time with lots of lovely lovely people who I have not seen 'properly' for ages, so I had an absolute ball as my Pops would say. It took me all of the next weekend to recover mind you, being unaccustomed to such intense revelling, but boy oh boy it was worth it ;-)
Been an odd week so far, lots of ups and downs work wise, hopefully they will all have been for a reason and hopefully the ultimate ending will be the right one for me. Sooooo hard to make a decision this time! Who would have thought that choice can be a bad thing.
Went for a run Sunday, first one for 2 weeks, was terrible! And got spotted by a colleague, why do you never get seen when you are fit and lithe and athletic and running properly? Why only when you have not been for weeks, have put on a stone at least, are bright red in the face, sweating for England and barely lifting your feet more than 1 cm off the ground? Life is so unfair. Anyway, this experience coupled with critically viewing myself in a three way mirror in Next later that day drove me to purchase an exercise bike. I can't go running here in the dark on my own, crazy. I have left the gym - too expensive and full of lycra clad idiots, mostly grossly overweight who should never be allowed to buy lycra, not even for a famly member. And I am getting fat and unfit. So, I am now the proud owner of an EB.
Actually it rocks I must say, especially cos you can cycle away in your jeans whilst watching EastEnders, with a nice glass of red nestling safely in the drinks holder! Heaven. Why on earth I did not think of it before I have no clue. The bizarre thing about an EB is the fact no-one who enters your house is unable to resist the temptation to sit on it! Very funny when they realise they are perched on someone else's EB for no apparent reason! It's a bit like the old calculator urge, people have to do 9 x 9 on them just to check they work. Love life's little foibles!
So, I have just 12 (TWELVE) more sleeps til Vegas!!! Holy crap how exciting is that?! I have so much to do before I go, of which I know I am only going to get about half done, but that works for me! I primarily need to get all the crap I bought from Ikea put up. I was waiting until I had painted everywhere but seeing as how I have only painted 3 rooms so far, one of which being the bathroom which doesn't reallty count as a whole room, and have 3 left to do thus is not something that is going to happen soon. And I am sick of tripping over cardboard packages containing very solid shelves that really stub your toes! So I have invested in a digital wall scanner thing that tells you where wires are, and I intend to Erect Shelving this weekend. (the bloke from work who was going to do it for me has never turned up, and when he spied me today he actually ran away. Don't think therefore I can rely on him!). I am sure this event will prompt a blog of its own, which reminds me I still owe you a Hockey Blog. I've added it to my List of Things to Do Before Vegas!
Take care folks and keep watching this space
Lots love Me xxxxx
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Day Before...
...The Wedding that is! Cannot believe B&S are getting spliced tomorrow, where the hell has this year gone? Scary stuff, scary stuff. Am so looking forward to the party afterwards, it is going to be just great to see Absolutely Everyone when Absolutely Everyone will be partying! This is the official start of my party season so it is damn good to be starting right up there at the top!
I have even taken this afternoon off in honour of it, though I must confess that honour is shared with my Mum's Birthday, as that is tomorrow also, and I have yet to get her a card. She has luckily sorted out her own present (Bird Table) (New, not from The Charity Shop!) (about which we shall all be tackling her tomorrow) so I don't have to worry about that. I do also have to worry about getting a replacement Wedding Card (got all organised last time I went to Chester and bought one then, now of course have lost it.) (Did locate invitation in the hunting-for-card process though so not all lost!). I also have to worry about getting a load of washing done, getting a spare house key to my neighbour, and agreeing a price with a guy from work to out up all the crap I bought from Ikea last week. Oh and get the various areas of the house where the said crap will be hung painted before he hangs stuff up. So that is pretty much this avo sorted! (SO if I do have loads of dodgy streaks in my hair tomorrow night it is paint not grey). Honest.
Just remembered I have another job to do, being returning a hockey stick to the woman I bought my house off. This is a long and special story that deserves a blog post all of its own, which I shall do retrospectively next week for you. It wil give me something to do when in Swindon office Monday!!
Right kids I have to love you and leave you as I need to get myself Vicky'd. (Organised!) (See how brave you can be by blog!) (Watch her rip my head off for it In Person Next Week!)
Have fabulous Fridays all, and I am seriously looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow night, when B&S will be Mrs & Mrs!! Love me xxxxxxx
I have even taken this afternoon off in honour of it, though I must confess that honour is shared with my Mum's Birthday, as that is tomorrow also, and I have yet to get her a card. She has luckily sorted out her own present (Bird Table) (New, not from The Charity Shop!) (about which we shall all be tackling her tomorrow) so I don't have to worry about that. I do also have to worry about getting a replacement Wedding Card (got all organised last time I went to Chester and bought one then, now of course have lost it.) (Did locate invitation in the hunting-for-card process though so not all lost!). I also have to worry about getting a load of washing done, getting a spare house key to my neighbour, and agreeing a price with a guy from work to out up all the crap I bought from Ikea last week. Oh and get the various areas of the house where the said crap will be hung painted before he hangs stuff up. So that is pretty much this avo sorted! (SO if I do have loads of dodgy streaks in my hair tomorrow night it is paint not grey). Honest.
Just remembered I have another job to do, being returning a hockey stick to the woman I bought my house off. This is a long and special story that deserves a blog post all of its own, which I shall do retrospectively next week for you. It wil give me something to do when in Swindon office Monday!!
Right kids I have to love you and leave you as I need to get myself Vicky'd. (Organised!) (See how brave you can be by blog!) (Watch her rip my head off for it In Person Next Week!)
Have fabulous Fridays all, and I am seriously looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow night, when B&S will be Mrs & Mrs!! Love me xxxxxxx
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Blackpool Illuminated
Hello all
Apologies for being a Bad Blogger and not posting anything for a week or so, it has to be fair been quite a hectic few days....went to see Man U play Middlesborough (or should that be 'kick Middlesborough's backside') at Old Trafford, fab fab fab, love it so much, cannot believe I was 37 before going to a match, it is The Best Day Out! So thanks to those special people who helped that happen, I loves ya. What else, went on a Girls Night Out to Liverpool but it was a bit shite this time, it was really quiet in the city which did not help, plus one of us drove which did not help, plus one of us was pretty much detested by most of the rest of us which did not help, so three of us called it a night at midnight and were nicely tucked up in bed by 12.30, bit of a shame but far superior to 'seeing it out' as the other 3 did and not getting in til 3am! So Fun but not Fantastic. Went to Blackpool, never been before, will never ever ever go again, what a hideous place! Full of hideous people selling hideous things, really was awful. Glad I have been so I can tick it off the list but seriously, can you imagine staying Overnight in some blue neon lit hovel calling itself a Guesthouse? Or even a Weekend?? These people are insane. Gross.
The Blackpool trip was unfortunately (for him) A Date. Though unfortunately (for him) I decided it was never going to work the minute he turned up on my doorstep to be honest, I should have listened to my highly-developed Tolerance Detector and picked up on the fact it was nearly at full noise for No Tolerance! But I ploughed on telling myself I was as usual being too quick to dismiss someone. Uh uh! I was spot on! So the poor bugger slowly comitted social suicide ... could not drive well, drove a crap car, made crap jokes, could not park, had no money for car park, wanted to go on fairground rides and most of all LIKED BLACKPOOL!! So the end of a possible relationship. However, I am not in the least traumatised by this, I am in fact Dead Proud of myself for actually Getting Out There and Having A Go, it has been a long long time since I did anything as daring as actually go on a date so nothing was lost (bar his social standing of course) and masses gained. Done it once, can do it again! Just maybe not too quick....!
I then capitalised on this new found bravery and went, alone and knowing one person slightly (in that I bought her house), to Hockey Training on Tuesday night, and I bloody loved it! I have not picked up a hockey stick since I was about 14, so we are talking 24 years ago, and as those of you who had the duious pleasure of attending Golf lessons with me, I have no hand-eye coordination whatsoever, so I was never any good at it as a kid let alone 24 years later. But, I really really enjoyed myself, and although some of the Ladies were a tad frosty/not particularly welcoming most of them were lovely and I have decided to Go Back Next Week! Don't get me wrong, I am still totally useless (we were doing exercises in channelling attacks on goal away from you which required a simple dribble out round a cone and then into goal attack. Guess who could not even get the dribbling round the cone bit sorted!) but there were some others who certainly weren't Excellent and it was just fun. Though I do have to invest in a hoodie and track pants, I turned up in my running gear (being all the Lesiure clothing I possess despite living in Tracksuit Town) and consequently froze my ass off for 1.5 hours. But, a new found sport! How cool is that?!
Work has been crap this week with doom and gloom annoucements re redunos etc. We were all particularly stunned to receive a Bad News Announcement and then watch the Manager disappear on holiday for a week! Nice timing, and real good demo of your personal commitment to the place... we were initially outraged at this (yesterday) but today the atmosphere was the best it has been for months as we all blatantly asked each other Who Was Going and Who Was Staying and then played Critique the CV all afternoon (I did 5!). So although a sad reflection on the state of the place it was the best afternoon I have had for ages. And I have a shit hot CV now and an appointment with a head hunter tomorrow am! They emailed me! Yipperdeedoodah. So I will keep you posted on progress.
Right kids best go as we have ourselves a massive storm up here which keeps making the internet drop out which is doing my head in. I hope some of you are still logging in and interested in this, though to be honest I get as much pleasure from just writing my whirlwind thoughts down so I shall pretend you all read it and not worry about it if you don't! Have fun y'awl and I will post more blogs more often (if only for my own sanity!). Looking forward to The Wedding! Love me xxxxxxx
Apologies for being a Bad Blogger and not posting anything for a week or so, it has to be fair been quite a hectic few days....went to see Man U play Middlesborough (or should that be 'kick Middlesborough's backside') at Old Trafford, fab fab fab, love it so much, cannot believe I was 37 before going to a match, it is The Best Day Out! So thanks to those special people who helped that happen, I loves ya. What else, went on a Girls Night Out to Liverpool but it was a bit shite this time, it was really quiet in the city which did not help, plus one of us drove which did not help, plus one of us was pretty much detested by most of the rest of us which did not help, so three of us called it a night at midnight and were nicely tucked up in bed by 12.30, bit of a shame but far superior to 'seeing it out' as the other 3 did and not getting in til 3am! So Fun but not Fantastic. Went to Blackpool, never been before, will never ever ever go again, what a hideous place! Full of hideous people selling hideous things, really was awful. Glad I have been so I can tick it off the list but seriously, can you imagine staying Overnight in some blue neon lit hovel calling itself a Guesthouse? Or even a Weekend?? These people are insane. Gross.
The Blackpool trip was unfortunately (for him) A Date. Though unfortunately (for him) I decided it was never going to work the minute he turned up on my doorstep to be honest, I should have listened to my highly-developed Tolerance Detector and picked up on the fact it was nearly at full noise for No Tolerance! But I ploughed on telling myself I was as usual being too quick to dismiss someone. Uh uh! I was spot on! So the poor bugger slowly comitted social suicide ... could not drive well, drove a crap car, made crap jokes, could not park, had no money for car park, wanted to go on fairground rides and most of all LIKED BLACKPOOL!! So the end of a possible relationship. However, I am not in the least traumatised by this, I am in fact Dead Proud of myself for actually Getting Out There and Having A Go, it has been a long long time since I did anything as daring as actually go on a date so nothing was lost (bar his social standing of course) and masses gained. Done it once, can do it again! Just maybe not too quick....!
I then capitalised on this new found bravery and went, alone and knowing one person slightly (in that I bought her house), to Hockey Training on Tuesday night, and I bloody loved it! I have not picked up a hockey stick since I was about 14, so we are talking 24 years ago, and as those of you who had the duious pleasure of attending Golf lessons with me, I have no hand-eye coordination whatsoever, so I was never any good at it as a kid let alone 24 years later. But, I really really enjoyed myself, and although some of the Ladies were a tad frosty/not particularly welcoming most of them were lovely and I have decided to Go Back Next Week! Don't get me wrong, I am still totally useless (we were doing exercises in channelling attacks on goal away from you which required a simple dribble out round a cone and then into goal attack. Guess who could not even get the dribbling round the cone bit sorted!) but there were some others who certainly weren't Excellent and it was just fun. Though I do have to invest in a hoodie and track pants, I turned up in my running gear (being all the Lesiure clothing I possess despite living in Tracksuit Town) and consequently froze my ass off for 1.5 hours. But, a new found sport! How cool is that?!
Work has been crap this week with doom and gloom annoucements re redunos etc. We were all particularly stunned to receive a Bad News Announcement and then watch the Manager disappear on holiday for a week! Nice timing, and real good demo of your personal commitment to the place... we were initially outraged at this (yesterday) but today the atmosphere was the best it has been for months as we all blatantly asked each other Who Was Going and Who Was Staying and then played Critique the CV all afternoon (I did 5!). So although a sad reflection on the state of the place it was the best afternoon I have had for ages. And I have a shit hot CV now and an appointment with a head hunter tomorrow am! They emailed me! Yipperdeedoodah. So I will keep you posted on progress.
Right kids best go as we have ourselves a massive storm up here which keeps making the internet drop out which is doing my head in. I hope some of you are still logging in and interested in this, though to be honest I get as much pleasure from just writing my whirlwind thoughts down so I shall pretend you all read it and not worry about it if you don't! Have fun y'awl and I will post more blogs more often (if only for my own sanity!). Looking forward to The Wedding! Love me xxxxxxx
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Vodka
A very quick hello from Poland! Where the wind is quite literally artic and the vodka is beautiful....though not if you decide to drink serious amounts, neat, shot by shot. My liver actually hurts today! Any every time I stand up I feel dizzy. Every time I sit down again I feel dizzy. Watching words appear on this screen makes me feel dizzy. Poor me! Cracking night out though, cracking. One of the funniest aspects being someone accusing a certain Welshman we all know of being Irish!!! Very very amusing ripostes as you can imagine, mostly centred around the words 'power shower'. Loved it! Off for my 64th coffee of the day, not that I drink the stuff usually (maybe that explains liver agony) but (a) I am exhausted (b) I am still drunk 12 hours after my last drink and (c) I am a very hard training course! Wish me luck, me xx
Friday, October 19, 2007
Friday!!
Morning all, and a chilly one at that! Had to put me old central heating on this morning to take the edge off (old age), then had to turn round half way to work as I could not remember turning it off (old age #2). I had. Must find the handbook and learm how to set the timer eh!
Am delighted it is Friday, I am knackered this week what with being here and there and at my Mum's Saturday and the stress of working for who we do at the moment! But just have to get over Poland next week (not literally) (well not all of it anyway) and then I should hopefully have a bit more of a cruisey period before hitting Vegas in December! I am sooo excited about it it is untrue. In fact I am so excited about it I will probably be the first person ever to get to Vegas and be disaappointed by it, having built it up in my head to manic proportions! Oh well, guess there are worse things to be disappointed by! Won't go into those now!
So have myself a dead expensive haircut this afternoon in Chester, after my foolish reasonably priced one a few weeks ago which as you all saw this week has been a disaster. I look like Vernon Kay used to if he didn't bother 'styling' of a morning. Not quite the look I was after to be honest. So am hoping investing another £60 or so will have a dramatic improvement! Lets just hope I don't get the 'trendy' expensive hairdresser who will send me out into the world with bits hanging off my head at odd angles, like that bird we know in work! I'ff just be forced to hack them off with the kitchen scissors and end up looking exactly like I do now, only £60 worse off! But fingers crossed he may just turn this duckling into a cygnet...
The weekend I plan to Build My New Bed which I just know will involve much swearing and cursing, and no doubt some skinned shins and a bruised toe or two. These things are always such a nightmare on your own, your arms just aren't long enough half the time. So long as I am not reduced to getting the handsaw out to rectify some major error I'll be glad. Then once I have it built (kingsize bed) I have to sleep on it for a week (bar the few nights in Poland) precariously balanced on my double mattress, as the kingsize one don't turn up til next week! But if I don't build the bed first the new mattress will be abandoned downstairs and I will never get that up the stairs on my own, and it will be like The Wardrobe Situation all over again. And I cannot cope with that. So please send positive DIY thoughts!
Right kids I had better go as I am on a half day today (to accommodate said haircut, I have discovered that People Do Things Differently here and apparently having your haircut in work time is somewhat frowned upon! Surely looking like Vernon Kay on a particularly bad hair day is a greater crime?! Ha HA, you have fallen into the same trap I did. This is the Land of Mullets!!) It was fab to see those of you I saw this week, and for those I you I did not see I am looking forward to seeing you next time, in just two small weeks in fact. Have yourselves amazing weekends and I will update the blog Sunday or Monday with the Bed Building result! Love me xxx
Am delighted it is Friday, I am knackered this week what with being here and there and at my Mum's Saturday and the stress of working for who we do at the moment! But just have to get over Poland next week (not literally) (well not all of it anyway) and then I should hopefully have a bit more of a cruisey period before hitting Vegas in December! I am sooo excited about it it is untrue. In fact I am so excited about it I will probably be the first person ever to get to Vegas and be disaappointed by it, having built it up in my head to manic proportions! Oh well, guess there are worse things to be disappointed by! Won't go into those now!
So have myself a dead expensive haircut this afternoon in Chester, after my foolish reasonably priced one a few weeks ago which as you all saw this week has been a disaster. I look like Vernon Kay used to if he didn't bother 'styling' of a morning. Not quite the look I was after to be honest. So am hoping investing another £60 or so will have a dramatic improvement! Lets just hope I don't get the 'trendy' expensive hairdresser who will send me out into the world with bits hanging off my head at odd angles, like that bird we know in work! I'ff just be forced to hack them off with the kitchen scissors and end up looking exactly like I do now, only £60 worse off! But fingers crossed he may just turn this duckling into a cygnet...
The weekend I plan to Build My New Bed which I just know will involve much swearing and cursing, and no doubt some skinned shins and a bruised toe or two. These things are always such a nightmare on your own, your arms just aren't long enough half the time. So long as I am not reduced to getting the handsaw out to rectify some major error I'll be glad. Then once I have it built (kingsize bed) I have to sleep on it for a week (bar the few nights in Poland) precariously balanced on my double mattress, as the kingsize one don't turn up til next week! But if I don't build the bed first the new mattress will be abandoned downstairs and I will never get that up the stairs on my own, and it will be like The Wardrobe Situation all over again. And I cannot cope with that. So please send positive DIY thoughts!
Right kids I had better go as I am on a half day today (to accommodate said haircut, I have discovered that People Do Things Differently here and apparently having your haircut in work time is somewhat frowned upon! Surely looking like Vernon Kay on a particularly bad hair day is a greater crime?! Ha HA, you have fallen into the same trap I did. This is the Land of Mullets!!) It was fab to see those of you I saw this week, and for those I you I did not see I am looking forward to seeing you next time, in just two small weeks in fact. Have yourselves amazing weekends and I will update the blog Sunday or Monday with the Bed Building result! Love me xxx
Friday, October 12, 2007
The Weekend!
The weekend started early for me as I awarded myself today off having endured a gruelling two day audit...one of the best ideas I have had for a while I must say! Had a lovely extra 2.5 hours in my bed, a lazy get up/get dressed session, an extended breakfast, then a mooch to Chester retail park to buy a new mattress for my fab new king size oak bed (mm mmm), then back to a light lunch followed by small painting (finished landing/stairwell/hall), interspersed by Dave the Gas arriving (installed new gas fire, now v sexy!), then a whirlwind tidy up including the ceremonious unpacking of another box (shoes: assorted), to this exact point in time being writing to you guys! And I am out tonight with one of the girls from work, not sure if we are out-ting or in-ing but whatever it will be nice to have some beers and a chat, it being Friday and all!
Audit was bloody hard work but good result in the end so am chuffed, my boss is so cool, he gets all het up when the auditors ask me a difficult question bless! Very funny. We are all on our knees up here mind you what with the recent set of issues followed by the Fairly Demoralising News issued to us all yesterday, it does feel a bit like every time you stagger to your feet after a major knock down you just get knocked straight back down again! Lots of people who usually deal with the whole change thing are muttering that enough is enough and the shares aren't even that great any more eh, so I think we will see some significant changes next year with some really decent people going, which is sad. Whatever happens we must stay in touch guys, we are beyond sharing an employer now I hope!
Check me out being all Doom and Gloom! Must be the weather (grey and murky up here, boo hoo). What else, not much, am off to see my Mum tomorrow (who is under strict instructions I will arrive at 12 and leave at 3 so she is categorically NOT to get enough food to feed any army for three days in) as I have not seen her since 1st September bless, and that was for 30 mins and when I was in a v bad mood as me and my brother called in to get The Wardrobe from her house on our fourth trip up the M5/M6 at time of moving, so hopefully tomorrow's visit will be more enjoyable for her!
Talking of The Wardrobe (my grandmother's, made for her in 1939 as a wedding present, so a Fairly Substantial Furniture Item) has finally been moved from the bottom of my stairs (where my brother abandoned it on 2nd September - 'way too heavy man, I am way too tired man') to its rightful place in my bedroom! Am so delighted, had to mercilessly hassle two of the guys in work mind you to get it done but if they never speak to me again it will have been worth it! This great event is what drove the whole bed/mattress purchase and what has prompted the recommencing of the painting programme. So, all groovy in my world!
Am sooo looking forward to seeing you guys next week, have brilliant weekends all and see yoo sooner rather than later. Me xx
Audit was bloody hard work but good result in the end so am chuffed, my boss is so cool, he gets all het up when the auditors ask me a difficult question bless! Very funny. We are all on our knees up here mind you what with the recent set of issues followed by the Fairly Demoralising News issued to us all yesterday, it does feel a bit like every time you stagger to your feet after a major knock down you just get knocked straight back down again! Lots of people who usually deal with the whole change thing are muttering that enough is enough and the shares aren't even that great any more eh, so I think we will see some significant changes next year with some really decent people going, which is sad. Whatever happens we must stay in touch guys, we are beyond sharing an employer now I hope!
Check me out being all Doom and Gloom! Must be the weather (grey and murky up here, boo hoo). What else, not much, am off to see my Mum tomorrow (who is under strict instructions I will arrive at 12 and leave at 3 so she is categorically NOT to get enough food to feed any army for three days in) as I have not seen her since 1st September bless, and that was for 30 mins and when I was in a v bad mood as me and my brother called in to get The Wardrobe from her house on our fourth trip up the M5/M6 at time of moving, so hopefully tomorrow's visit will be more enjoyable for her!
Talking of The Wardrobe (my grandmother's, made for her in 1939 as a wedding present, so a Fairly Substantial Furniture Item) has finally been moved from the bottom of my stairs (where my brother abandoned it on 2nd September - 'way too heavy man, I am way too tired man') to its rightful place in my bedroom! Am so delighted, had to mercilessly hassle two of the guys in work mind you to get it done but if they never speak to me again it will have been worth it! This great event is what drove the whole bed/mattress purchase and what has prompted the recommencing of the painting programme. So, all groovy in my world!
Am sooo looking forward to seeing you guys next week, have brilliant weekends all and see yoo sooner rather than later. Me xx
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