Always Listen to your Tummy/Happy Halloween
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 31 October 2006 at 10/31/2006 07:54:00 pm.
!
The nerves? Oh yes, again, the signs from the great beyond. I always ignore them because I trick myself into thinking it's all just a load of airy-fairy rubbish, but YOUR GUT IS ALWAYS RIGHT!!
I was wondering why the hell I was getting the eebie-jeebies about playing soccer, of all things!!!! WTF!?!? I've played soccer since I was 5 and never got the eebie-jeebies like I had yesterday. Anyway thought it was bc the Mancakes would be coming, but turned out to be.... (wwooohahahaha) a sign that I was going to completely bust my knee and be injured for the next games or indefinitely!!!
2 minutes into what was already shaping up to be the game of my carreer (naturally!) some chick gets all over my back and her flying foot winds up smashing into the interior of my kneecap, dislocating said kneecap, sending ME flying through the air, eventually smashing down onto the ground, when (luckily) the ground collides with my mis-placed kneecap, bashing it back into place (thank god), leaving young Westra quivering in a heap of bones & body parts about 3 feet away from the scene of the crime.
I'm just glad I didn't have to put the *&%!ing thing back in place myself, like I did back in 6th grade and 9th grade!! So I suppose it could have been worse.
So now I'm hobbling. Hobbling like a FREAK. and this stupid hearing isn't helping, as it's all day and I cant get to a doctor. so I wrapped the Mr's thereputic panty hose from his post-hernia operation-recovery, around my knee, and that gives it some support. It's swollen up pretty bad but I iced it yesterday and we'll do the same thing tonight.
FECK!
Right. Now it's time to celebrate the 6 years of meeting. With chinese takeaway, sparkling pink bubblies, and THE FIRST EPISODE OF THE NEW SEASON OF "LOST"!!! WOO HOOOOOOOO!!!
hAPPY halloween!! (and scary badgers for all!!!)
The nerves? Oh yes, again, the signs from the great beyond. I always ignore them because I trick myself into thinking it's all just a load of airy-fairy rubbish, but YOUR GUT IS ALWAYS RIGHT!!
I was wondering why the hell I was getting the eebie-jeebies about playing soccer, of all things!!!! WTF!?!? I've played soccer since I was 5 and never got the eebie-jeebies like I had yesterday. Anyway thought it was bc the Mancakes would be coming, but turned out to be.... (wwooohahahaha) a sign that I was going to completely bust my knee and be injured for the next
2 minutes into what was already shaping up to be the game of my carreer (naturally!) some chick gets all over my back and her flying foot winds up smashing into the interior of my kneecap, dislocating said kneecap, sending ME flying through the air, eventually smashing down onto the ground, when (luckily) the ground collides with my mis-placed kneecap, bashing it back into place (thank god), leaving young Westra quivering in a heap of bones & body parts about 3 feet away from the scene of the crime.
I'm just glad I didn't have to put the *&%!ing thing back in place myself, like I did back in 6th grade and 9th grade!! So I suppose it could have been worse.
So now I'm hobbling. Hobbling like a FREAK. and this stupid hearing isn't helping, as it's all day and I cant get to a doctor. so I wrapped the Mr's thereputic panty hose from his post-hernia operation-recovery, around my knee, and that gives it some support. It's swollen up pretty bad but I iced it yesterday and we'll do the same thing tonight.
FECK!
Right. Now it's time to celebrate the 6 years of meeting. With chinese takeaway, sparkling pink bubblies, and THE FIRST EPISODE OF THE NEW SEASON OF "LOST"!!! WOO HOOOOOOOO!!!
hAPPY halloween!! (and scary badgers for all!!!)
.
BALLS!!! my tummy is all butterflyey....
I suppose there are many many reasons, so perhaps naming reasons could be thereputic.
1. Oral hearing tomorrow. I need to wake up hella early in order to get down to Tramore (Co. Waterford) for this THING. My fingers are crossed that the training in Dublin a few weeks ago will come in handy, and that whoever has the good fortune to cross-examine me goes easy on poor little old Yankee Doodle Jillington. I mean I'm confident that I know my stuff, I'm also confident that landscape and visual impact will be the least of the objector's worries, but still, it's scary to know you're going to be up on the stand, defending your shit. It could go on for several days. I'm hoping not. Tomorrow is the Mr. & my anniversary of meeting, and it would be nice to actually be home at a decent hour and do something nice for it.
2. Soccer game in about 2 hours. I haven't played for 2 weeks, and we're losing like crazy. Plus the pressure is on, as my darling is going to come and watch for the first time. I always mess up and make stupid mistakes when I'm being watched. I haven't really exactly been on fire the last few games either, so I'm a wee bit flustered.
3. It's just around the corner now: giving notice at work. Man how time flies when you're avoiding that whole "facing the music"-thing. What has been a serious eternity of anticipation for the last year and a half, is now sneaking up on me faster than the express train to Dublin. What will I say? How am I going to deliver it? Will I say something to áine first, and then hand in a letter later?
Well that's the majority of things I can think of that might be contributing to my feeling of unsettledness. I suppose as long as I can still sleep comfortably over the next month, then that's all that matters. Normally when this sort of crap gets into my head, I start laying awake at night. UGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH
OK sure the football game is going to be over in about 4 hours, so at least that's 1 thing ticked off the list.
On a side note, I gained 2kg over the last week, with the friendies here. Man I really need to get my head screwed on straight and back into the bite-drink-bite-drink-bite regime. That worked miracles... just takes so much discipline that I never seem to have when confronted with having company and holidays!!!!!!
Got to talk to Tara this wknd for her birthday, which was really nice. After our conversation I decided we're going to start a society for childless 20/30-somethings. It's going to involve a lot of going out for dinners and overseas holidays. (Hi SP-H!!! ((sorry, I promised T. I'd do that)) You can join in 18 years after Tom & Jess get packed off to University!!!) ;-)
V's halloween photos are better than mine I think.
Finally- we strolled around Blackpool today taking photos of our neighbourhood, for posterity. The Mr. is especially really worried about losing memories of the old place, all our happy days in da 'pool... so we took photos of all of it. The good, bad, ugly, delapidated, new, random, etc. Very moving, actually.
BALLS!!! my tummy is all butterflyey....
I suppose there are many many reasons, so perhaps naming reasons could be thereputic.
1. Oral hearing tomorrow. I need to wake up hella early in order to get down to Tramore (Co. Waterford) for this THING. My fingers are crossed that the training in Dublin a few weeks ago will come in handy, and that whoever has the good fortune to cross-examine me goes easy on poor little old Yankee Doodle Jillington. I mean I'm confident that I know my stuff, I'm also confident that landscape and visual impact will be the least of the objector's worries, but still, it's scary to know you're going to be up on the stand, defending your shit. It could go on for several days. I'm hoping not. Tomorrow is the Mr. & my anniversary of meeting, and it would be nice to actually be home at a decent hour and do something nice for it.
2. Soccer game in about 2 hours. I haven't played for 2 weeks, and we're losing like crazy. Plus the pressure is on, as my darling is going to come and watch for the first time. I always mess up and make stupid mistakes when I'm being watched. I haven't really exactly been on fire the last few games either, so I'm a wee bit flustered.
3. It's just around the corner now: giving notice at work. Man how time flies when you're avoiding that whole "facing the music"-thing. What has been a serious eternity of anticipation for the last year and a half, is now sneaking up on me faster than the express train to Dublin. What will I say? How am I going to deliver it? Will I say something to áine first, and then hand in a letter later?
Well that's the majority of things I can think of that might be contributing to my feeling of unsettledness. I suppose as long as I can still sleep comfortably over the next month, then that's all that matters. Normally when this sort of crap gets into my head, I start laying awake at night. UGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH
OK sure the football game is going to be over in about 4 hours, so at least that's 1 thing ticked off the list.
On a side note, I gained 2kg over the last week, with the friendies here. Man I really need to get my head screwed on straight and back into the bite-drink-bite-drink-bite regime. That worked miracles... just takes so much discipline that I never seem to have when confronted with having company and holidays!!!!!!
Got to talk to Tara this wknd for her birthday, which was really nice. After our conversation I decided we're going to start a society for childless 20/30-somethings. It's going to involve a lot of going out for dinners and overseas holidays. (Hi SP-H!!! ((sorry, I promised T. I'd do that)) You can join in 18 years after Tom & Jess get packed off to University!!!) ;-)
V's halloween photos are better than mine I think.
Finally- we strolled around Blackpool today taking photos of our neighbourhood, for posterity. The Mr. is especially really worried about losing memories of the old place, all our happy days in da 'pool... so we took photos of all of it. The good, bad, ugly, delapidated, new, random, etc. Very moving, actually.
Ah the sound of silence
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 27 October 2006 at 10/27/2006 07:24:00 pm.
Well I'm in serious decompression mode now.
So many-- I mean sooooooooo mannnnnnny things have happened in a week. There was a party. There was MS's last F1 race ever. There was the Cardinals getting 3-1 up in the world series. There was the visit from Tisharoonie and her Mr. There was trips all over the joint with the visitors. There was that thing about how we sold our house again. There was the overly-long-overdue long-winded blabbermouth phone call with Heidi after aaaaaaages. MAN. There's like 100 photos just from this week to pour over!
I guess we go in chrono-order?
I see that a week ago, I posted about the upcoming halloween party.
We made our costumes this year (well, ok, every year?). I was a jockey. Actually I was, to be technically accurate: a spooooky VAMPIRE JOCKEY. See Figure 1.
Figure 1. Spooky vampire jockey.
The Mr. was a mouse. Actually, to be technically accurate: he was a GIANT mouse. As illustrated in Figure 2, below.
Figure 2: Giant mouse with cheese.
That's a piece of cheese he's holding there, which I made for him. It doubles as a can/bottle holder for his beer. I fashioned it out of cardboard, yellow paper, and a can cooler. Drinking properties of said cheese illustrated in Figure 3, below:
Figure 3: Mouse, beer, cheese, pirate!
You put your hand in the back of the cheese, hand grabs onto can cooler, beer is inserted into top of can cooler. That's how it worked. Kal played the part of the pirate.
Other noteworthy costumes of the night included:
Vincey = puppy
Kevvy = Mexican masked man/devil
Gemma = Tiger
Steve = lamp
Alan = some scary ghoulie thingie
Auds = purpley girlie devil thingie
After the party, there was aNOTHER party, back at Kevvy's house, where we stayed til about 4am and proceeded to walk home fully dressed in mouse/jockey-wear.
Those that were out at that hour to catch a glimpse of us in all our glory, well, really probably didn't even notice.
Fast forward to Sunday. The arrival of one of my best childhood friends... and her husband... from my hometown. Man, a chance to do some uninterrupted bonding with someone you were best friends with from the ages of 14 to 17, and find out that it still works? Amazing. It was really cool. I even learned how to socialize without drinking. VOLUMES could be written on that one. Man, I really need to get out of Ireland. I can't believe I even brought that up, first thing. Wow. I love TL and it's just an amazing, amazing thing to get some long lost memories back, have a great time, hang out with nice people, and remember that there are really great people out there that you can admire AND be friends with, AND have fun with AND laugh with and... oh I don't know where I'm going with this but when they left this morning it was really sad. And I know they had a great time too-- their first trip overseas ever, and first time leaving the 2 year old daughter, AND the first time Ms. Workaholic has closed up shop at her office for a WHOLE WEEK, in the entire 10-year life span of the biz-nez. And they loved it. And I really appreciate seeing their relationship in the admirable state that it is, after 10 years. It really is cool.
But entertaining, as always, is hard work, and I'm beat.
Good thing that it's a 3-day wknd this wknd.... And the wknd that it is? Oh yeah baby, Oktoberfest at the FranciscanWell, PLUS Cork Jazz Fest wknd, PLUS (hopefully) St-Louis-Cardinals-Win-the-World-Series-for-the-first-time-since-1982 weekend!
more later.
That's not a dracula laugh. . . even though tonight is Halloween Party Night. .. . .
It's a laugh because I just saw that our sunday (last) made Vincey's blog.
hee hee.
It's a laugh because I just saw that our sunday (last) made Vincey's blog.
hee hee.
Grievances et al
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 18 October 2006 at 10/18/2006 05:47:00 pm.
Grievance of the day Pt. 1: Mother.... just for something different.
What she does is, she sends these emails where the subject line (ALWAYS IN CAPITALS) says something to the effect of: "HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU"
Then follows it up with (in the body of the message) the proof:
"Just reviewed emails from the past several weeks and realized that the last note I got from you was when you asked for my Heath Bar cake recipe on 9/21. "
(As if there was going to be some debate on the topic of whether or not she *had* actually heard from me or something... like if I got amnesia and maintained that indeed I had said something to her since 9/21. ugh.)
I suppose in all fairness to the Mominator, she's getting better. She's learning to send these checkuppy-emails with at least SOME usefulness in them. Like this one, I got a paragraph that said she & the dad-unit are busy with work, and a sentence about the garden (even a bit about how the new trellis and pergola were inspired by the garden of moi!) as well as an actual sentiment, in the way of "Would love to hear how things are going there." Uncannily non passive-agressive. No remarks about how B.S's mom hears from her all the time, and how isn't it just so nice how some daughters keep in touch so well. I have to admit, there's some progress there.
Now in fairness to me, they do read our BW blog, so I mean, hell, they know we're not dead.
Whatever. We're not a tight-knit little clan and quite frankly I'm glad. I see freedom in the fact that I can go without contact for 27 days and have the worst reprocussion be an email with an annoying capitalised subject line. Segue to Grievance of the Day Pt. 2: Close-knit clan-type families are extra ruthlessly peeving me off at the moment! Like.... ones who.... no wait, like the in-laws for example!! There's more stories on that one than Oprah has stretch marks, but myself and the Mr. are at a point where we've had it up to *here* with that freakishly cultish family as confirmed last night when we were reading the Family Magazine.
The Family Krantje (magazine) comes out every month compiled and edited by my nice 16 year old SIL. Everyone writes a few paragraphs about what they've been doing all month and sends it to her, the acting editor. It's a cute little idea and god knows I can see 16 year olds on the streets of Cork who'd be much better off in life if they'd be sitting behind a computer compiling and editing a family krantje. (Rather than sniffing glue, having babies, and puking their guts out on the sidewalk. Obviously.) And for what it's worth, I know she came up with the idea mainly as a gesture to her big bro + me, being that we're the only ones who don't live in the proverbial Giant Family Love Pocket. You know, an effort at keeping abreast of our crazy "stuff" and what not.
I'm just so sick of having to read about and even THINK about the fact my suck-ass BIL and his wife are soooooooooo excited that they've just received planning permission to build their new house ON THE SAME PROPERTY of my MIL/FIL. I'm so sick of reading and thinking about how SIL No.1 is loving the cold autumn weather because the "house is so warm and cozy with everyone at home together being all warm and cuddly". (The girl is 18!!! or is it 19? arent you meant to be out on the town, or at least living SOMEWHERE ELSE at 18-19??) I'm so sick of reading about and then having to process the concept of BIL No.2 physically bending over backwards so that all his college classes fall on M-W, whereby he can drive 3 hours home every Wednesday night and BE WITH THE FAMILY and work on the FARM for the other 4 days in the week "which is the way he likes it!" eeeeshh. And sleep in his twin bed at age 21 and share 1 bathroom with his 3 sisters and eat mommy's potatoes and nod in agreement with absolutely everything daddy lectures on at the family dinner table.
CRIKEY I just have this vomitous feeling once again.
It reminds me of my aunt/uncle/cousins in NE. That whole ~closer than this~ thing. Weirds the fuck out of me, to be precise. The whole "we're overseas for 6 days on our first holiday alone in 25 years but we have to phone in and check in on the 20+something-year-old kids!!!"
OK look, I'm sorry. I know one of my dearest friends in the world had her MOTHER as her Maid of Honor in her wedding but that just does not even register on the "normal" scale for me, and this is my damn blog, dammit.
What really freaks us out is how proud the MIL/FIL are of this freaky little clan thing that they've set up for themselves. They just.plain.love it. Dad LOVES it when his very thoughts and philosophies come out of their naive mouths ver batum when they get into these big FAMILY POW WOWS at the dinner table every night. Even when they were interviewed for some freaky farmer news article in the local paper, they go on and on and on ad nauseum about how "it's just so satisfying when you see your whole family loving and committing their lives to the farm... ALL our family loves our farm life.... we're all so happy here together..." blah blah blah friggin blah.
Granted they openly mourn the (figurative) loss of their oldest son. They talk now about how they "knew something was going wrong" with him when he turned 16 and went to Moscow. I suppose that was the long downward spiral into INDEPENDENCE that still turns their stomachs to this day. (Surprisingly enough, none of the other 5 kids were ever allowed, since then, to go on the annual school international exchange week!) Hannes talks all the time about how he literally saw them make a conscious decision to change their parenting patterns and how he was raised completely differently than the other kids, after they noticed "how he was turning out". Well I guess they got what they wanted-- 5 Kids who are too scared to leave the nest and go off to (gasp) COLLEGE, kids who do that whole "my mom is my BFF" BS, kids who want to talk like daddy, think like daddy, vote like daddy, BE daddy. AAGHH! 5 little miniature bungalows strewn about the family property, each with a kid and kid's spouse and kid's kids blossoming up from the stink of the superfarm cow pastures. Living within 5 metres of each other, JUST IN CASE someone has a problem and mommy can run over and fix it all for them! When they're 35! Handy dandy so that mommy can just WALK ON IN and start the laundry whenever she sees fit! Maybe there's a light on at some oddly late hour of the evening? Daddy can go investigate!
Now I'm just winding myself up. But MAN every month it's the same thing. An update on how everyone loves everyone and how everyone's so glad that everyone loves everyone else (and everyone loves the same shit as everyone else).
Gross.
H made me laugh eventually after we were done f'ing and blinding about all the nonsense: "well if you follow statistics, they'll be in for a rude awakening at some stage... Look at the odds of having that many kids! Isn't the divorce rate at something like 50%? That means that at least 3 of the little princess/prince perfects in that brood is gonna get it! Or become a lesbian... or a drug dealer... "
Or even worse, what, find their own 2 feet and a unique brain?
Grievance over.
What she does is, she sends these emails where the subject line (ALWAYS IN CAPITALS) says something to the effect of: "HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU"
Then follows it up with (in the body of the message) the proof:
"Just reviewed emails from the past several weeks and realized that the last note I got from you was when you asked for my Heath Bar cake recipe on 9/21. "
(As if there was going to be some debate on the topic of whether or not she *had* actually heard from me or something... like if I got amnesia and maintained that indeed I had said something to her since 9/21. ugh.)
I suppose in all fairness to the Mominator, she's getting better. She's learning to send these checkuppy-emails with at least SOME usefulness in them. Like this one, I got a paragraph that said she & the dad-unit are busy with work, and a sentence about the garden (even a bit about how the new trellis and pergola were inspired by the garden of moi!) as well as an actual sentiment, in the way of "Would love to hear how things are going there." Uncannily non passive-agressive. No remarks about how B.S's mom hears from her all the time, and how isn't it just so nice how some daughters keep in touch so well. I have to admit, there's some progress there.
Now in fairness to me, they do read our BW blog, so I mean, hell, they know we're not dead.
Whatever. We're not a tight-knit little clan and quite frankly I'm glad. I see freedom in the fact that I can go without contact for 27 days and have the worst reprocussion be an email with an annoying capitalised subject line. Segue to Grievance of the Day Pt. 2: Close-knit clan-type families are extra ruthlessly peeving me off at the moment! Like.... ones who.... no wait, like the in-laws for example!! There's more stories on that one than Oprah has stretch marks, but myself and the Mr. are at a point where we've had it up to *here* with that freakishly cultish family as confirmed last night when we were reading the Family Magazine.
The Family Krantje (magazine) comes out every month compiled and edited by my nice 16 year old SIL. Everyone writes a few paragraphs about what they've been doing all month and sends it to her, the acting editor. It's a cute little idea and god knows I can see 16 year olds on the streets of Cork who'd be much better off in life if they'd be sitting behind a computer compiling and editing a family krantje. (Rather than sniffing glue, having babies, and puking their guts out on the sidewalk. Obviously.) And for what it's worth, I know she came up with the idea mainly as a gesture to her big bro + me, being that we're the only ones who don't live in the proverbial Giant Family Love Pocket. You know, an effort at keeping abreast of our crazy "stuff" and what not.
I'm just so sick of having to read about and even THINK about the fact my suck-ass BIL and his wife are soooooooooo excited that they've just received planning permission to build their new house ON THE SAME PROPERTY of my MIL/FIL. I'm so sick of reading and thinking about how SIL No.1 is loving the cold autumn weather because the "house is so warm and cozy with everyone at home together being all warm and cuddly". (The girl is 18!!! or is it 19? arent you meant to be out on the town, or at least living SOMEWHERE ELSE at 18-19??) I'm so sick of reading about and then having to process the concept of BIL No.2 physically bending over backwards so that all his college classes fall on M-W, whereby he can drive 3 hours home every Wednesday night and BE WITH THE FAMILY and work on the FARM for the other 4 days in the week "which is the way he likes it!" eeeeshh. And sleep in his twin bed at age 21 and share 1 bathroom with his 3 sisters and eat mommy's potatoes and nod in agreement with absolutely everything daddy lectures on at the family dinner table.
CRIKEY I just have this vomitous feeling once again.
It reminds me of my aunt/uncle/cousins in NE. That whole ~closer than this~ thing. Weirds the fuck out of me, to be precise. The whole "we're overseas for 6 days on our first holiday alone in 25 years but we have to phone in and check in on the 20+something-year-old kids!!!"
OK look, I'm sorry. I know one of my dearest friends in the world had her MOTHER as her Maid of Honor in her wedding but that just does not even register on the "normal" scale for me, and this is my damn blog, dammit.
What really freaks us out is how proud the MIL/FIL are of this freaky little clan thing that they've set up for themselves. They just.plain.love it. Dad LOVES it when his very thoughts and philosophies come out of their naive mouths ver batum when they get into these big FAMILY POW WOWS at the dinner table every night. Even when they were interviewed for some freaky farmer news article in the local paper, they go on and on and on ad nauseum about how "it's just so satisfying when you see your whole family loving and committing their lives to the farm... ALL our family loves our farm life.... we're all so happy here together..." blah blah blah friggin blah.
Granted they openly mourn the (figurative) loss of their oldest son. They talk now about how they "knew something was going wrong" with him when he turned 16 and went to Moscow. I suppose that was the long downward spiral into INDEPENDENCE that still turns their stomachs to this day. (Surprisingly enough, none of the other 5 kids were ever allowed, since then, to go on the annual school international exchange week!) Hannes talks all the time about how he literally saw them make a conscious decision to change their parenting patterns and how he was raised completely differently than the other kids, after they noticed "how he was turning out". Well I guess they got what they wanted-- 5 Kids who are too scared to leave the nest and go off to (gasp) COLLEGE, kids who do that whole "my mom is my BFF" BS, kids who want to talk like daddy, think like daddy, vote like daddy, BE daddy. AAGHH! 5 little miniature bungalows strewn about the family property, each with a kid and kid's spouse and kid's kids blossoming up from the stink of the superfarm cow pastures. Living within 5 metres of each other, JUST IN CASE someone has a problem and mommy can run over and fix it all for them! When they're 35! Handy dandy so that mommy can just WALK ON IN and start the laundry whenever she sees fit! Maybe there's a light on at some oddly late hour of the evening? Daddy can go investigate!
Now I'm just winding myself up. But MAN every month it's the same thing. An update on how everyone loves everyone and how everyone's so glad that everyone loves everyone else (and everyone loves the same shit as everyone else).
Gross.
H made me laugh eventually after we were done f'ing and blinding about all the nonsense: "well if you follow statistics, they'll be in for a rude awakening at some stage... Look at the odds of having that many kids! Isn't the divorce rate at something like 50%? That means that at least 3 of the little princess/prince perfects in that brood is gonna get it! Or become a lesbian... or a drug dealer... "
Or even worse, what, find their own 2 feet and a unique brain?
Grievance over.
It's all happening
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 15 October 2006 at 10/15/2006 08:19:00 pm.
Agh! so much to cover.
I would say I'm pretty dern prepared for this oral hearing that is coming up at the end of the month. No more lawyers now for awhile, please.
(well except for you EDH, Esq. if you wanna come over)
I even got a DVD of myself being cross examined. Haven't watched it yet, well except for about 6 mimutes in the course where we all reviewed each others' but eehh.
My soccer team won another game, 2-0. I have to say though, we should've smeared 'em. They were BAD. But apparently, from what I heard, while I was away in Greece we got beat 7-0, and drew 1-1, so I suppose I shall not complain about winning 2-0. That makes us 2-2-1 for the season so far.
I have been blessed with the opportunity (one satellite channel that we got for the purpose of F1 season) to watch my beloved St. Louis Cardinals play TWO count 'em TWO post-season championship games, and win both. Yes they're on at ridiculous hours of the morning, but it's the CARDINALS in the POST SEASON and they're WINNING. I haven't gotten to catch a cardinals game in years.
I'm so happy!
This weekend has been one of eating. Friday, nothing-to-scream-about-diner food but Saturday OH SATURDAY best tapas ever and best red wine ever - a spanish red we'd never tried but must commit to memory: Muriel Rioja mmmmmmmmmmm
THen today (sun) dim sum at Star Vast with Vincey stuffed ourselves ROTTEN followed by a nice bottle of Pino Grigiot after some shopping, at another new wine bar in town, Café De La Paix, sitting outside in my FAVOURITE autumn weather, on the riverside decking out the back of the wine bar/restaurant watching the river.
Now off to Scott's to watch his Steelers play my Chiefs on Sky TV. This never happens. Maybe it's karma paying me back for the cruelty which Schumacher suffered last weekend?
OH YEAH WE SAW "THE DEPARTED" this weekend and it was SO FABULOUS definitely, absolutely, without a doubt my best movie for the last year or 2. Unbelievable how good that movie was. the mr. and I are still in shock at how good it was. How good? So good that I even felt slightly attracted to Leonardo DiC. who normally gets my "pet peeve of the year in acting" award. Man he was smokin' in this movie. I have never EVER thought that before.
excellent.
I would say I'm pretty dern prepared for this oral hearing that is coming up at the end of the month. No more lawyers now for awhile, please.
(well except for you EDH, Esq. if you wanna come over)
I even got a DVD of myself being cross examined. Haven't watched it yet, well except for about 6 mimutes in the course where we all reviewed each others' but eehh.
My soccer team won another game, 2-0. I have to say though, we should've smeared 'em. They were BAD. But apparently, from what I heard, while I was away in Greece we got beat 7-0, and drew 1-1, so I suppose I shall not complain about winning 2-0. That makes us 2-2-1 for the season so far.
I have been blessed with the opportunity (one satellite channel that we got for the purpose of F1 season) to watch my beloved St. Louis Cardinals play TWO count 'em TWO post-season championship games, and win both. Yes they're on at ridiculous hours of the morning, but it's the CARDINALS in the POST SEASON and they're WINNING. I haven't gotten to catch a cardinals game in years.
I'm so happy!
This weekend has been one of eating. Friday, nothing-to-scream-about-diner food but Saturday OH SATURDAY best tapas ever and best red wine ever - a spanish red we'd never tried but must commit to memory: Muriel Rioja mmmmmmmmmmm
THen today (sun) dim sum at Star Vast with Vincey stuffed ourselves ROTTEN followed by a nice bottle of Pino Grigiot after some shopping, at another new wine bar in town, Café De La Paix, sitting outside in my FAVOURITE autumn weather, on the riverside decking out the back of the wine bar/restaurant watching the river.
Now off to Scott's to watch his Steelers play my Chiefs on Sky TV. This never happens. Maybe it's karma paying me back for the cruelty which Schumacher suffered last weekend?
OH YEAH WE SAW "THE DEPARTED" this weekend and it was SO FABULOUS definitely, absolutely, without a doubt my best movie for the last year or 2. Unbelievable how good that movie was. the mr. and I are still in shock at how good it was. How good? So good that I even felt slightly attracted to Leonardo DiC. who normally gets my "pet peeve of the year in acting" award. Man he was smokin' in this movie. I have never EVER thought that before.
excellent.
In light of the litigatory/oral hearing preparation training I've been going through all day today and will tomorrow, I will endeavour to script this blog posting in facts.
(Don't tell me I don't practice.)
Fact: I woke up at 5 am today
Fact: I was at Cork airport at 6 am today
Fact: I flew to Dublin at 7am today
Fact: I sat through oral hearing training in Dublin all day today, listening to cocky ass ego lawyer instruct on the finer points of being cross-examined, and how to be a good expert witness.
Fact: Training ended at 5pm
Fact: I went back to Dublin airport to fly back to Cork on the 7:30 flight.
Fact: My plane was delayed by over 1 hour.
Fact: My plane hit turbulance approximately halfway through the flight.
Fact: The turbulance lasted over 30 minutes.
Fact: I arrived back home at appx 10pm
Fact: I ate dinner, took a shower, checked email.
Fact: It happens ALL OVER AGAIN TOMORROW.
Another whole day full of planes, airport busses, and lawyers. (Yes Beth, this one's for you! You know I love ye)
Why do I not stay in a bleedin' hotel in Dubs, particularly being that work is paying? Because I thought that I'd be home at 8-ish and have the bulk of the night to spend with my darling. HAH! Whoda thunk that our lovely irish infrastructure would be so _gasp_ fallible?! hmmm.
bedtime.
(Don't tell me I don't practice.)
Fact: I woke up at 5 am today
Fact: I was at Cork airport at 6 am today
Fact: I flew to Dublin at 7am today
Fact: I sat through oral hearing training in Dublin all day today, listening to cocky ass ego lawyer instruct on the finer points of being cross-examined, and how to be a good expert witness.
Fact: Training ended at 5pm
Fact: I went back to Dublin airport to fly back to Cork on the 7:30 flight.
Fact: My plane was delayed by over 1 hour.
Fact: My plane hit turbulance approximately halfway through the flight.
Fact: The turbulance lasted over 30 minutes.
Fact: I arrived back home at appx 10pm
Fact: I ate dinner, took a shower, checked email.
Fact: It happens ALL OVER AGAIN TOMORROW.
Another whole day full of planes, airport busses, and lawyers. (Yes Beth, this one's for you! You know I love ye)
Why do I not stay in a bleedin' hotel in Dubs, particularly being that work is paying? Because I thought that I'd be home at 8-ish and have the bulk of the night to spend with my darling. HAH! Whoda thunk that our lovely irish infrastructure would be so _gasp_ fallible?! hmmm.
bedtime.
I am too depressed to blog.
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 08 October 2006 at 10/08/2006 02:10:00 pm.
Today the world of Formula 1 racing has been turned on its head.
The unthinkable has happened.
My sporting hero, my nearly-all-round-hero, the man I love in life nearly as much as my own husband, Michael Schumacher, has just suffered the unthinkable:
his engine blew up in the Japanese Grand Prix.
My sporting hero, my nearly-all-round-hero, the man I love in life nearly as much as my own husband, Michael Schumacher, has just suffered the unthinkable:
his engine blew up in the Japanese Grand Prix.
When was the last time Ferrari had an engine failure?
Um, THE YEAR 2000?!?!?!?!
This is so very very wrong on so many levels I just don't know where to start or how to express my pain.
Scene:
2 races in the season left.
Our hero, MS, is in a position to squeak past our evil EVIL nemesis, Fernando "Ass"-lonso, in the drivers' championships. Ferrari is in a position to squeak by Renault ("Ass"-nault) in the constructors' championships. Both constructors' championship AND drivers' championship titles rest on this race.
1/2 way through the race and:
MS/Ferrari in first
Ass/Renault in second.
Pit stops fabulous.
MS has 5 seconds on "The Ass".
Engine blows.
Renault wins.
Jill cries.
It isn't a big deal if YOU DONT CONSIDER THE FACT THAT MICHAEL IS RETIRING.
What this means is: just a single point at the season finale in Brazil (2 wks from now) will make Alonso champion for a second time. In Michael's last season ever.
It wouldn't be a big deal if Michael wasn't the most worth, heroic, admirable, sporting professional and unbelievably gifted driver to ever race in Formula 1.
The REAL deserved winner on so many levels.
Ass/Renault in second.
Pit stops fabulous.
MS has 5 seconds on "The Ass".
Engine blows.
Renault wins.
Jill cries.
It isn't a big deal if YOU DONT CONSIDER THE FACT THAT MICHAEL IS RETIRING.
What this means is: just a single point at the season finale in Brazil (2 wks from now) will make Alonso champion for a second time. In Michael's last season ever.
It wouldn't be a big deal if Michael wasn't the most worth, heroic, admirable, sporting professional and unbelievably gifted driver to ever race in Formula 1.
The REAL deserved winner on so many levels.
I am so distressed and upset I can only think to finish this post on the only thing that has made me smile all day, after this ferocious heartbreak:
A random funny comic strip.
Taking the piss out of that "other" guy I hate:
A Tribute to one of my Greatest Loves
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 07 October 2006 at 10/07/2006 11:56:00 am.
Bombay Sapphire.
I was lustfully pondering Bombay this morning over my morning coffee (as you do) and it occurred to me just how much I really do love gin. All my friends make fun of my love for gin. Particularly the South African crowd. They call it an "oude tannie drinkie" (an Afrikaans wrinkly, geriatric aunt reference). Or Rick, mostly because he thinks I have a secret stash hidden in my bottom drawer at work. But that's not gin, that's just my own unusual ability to be totally mental at all hours of the day. If I ever feel under the weather or somewhat sickly, the first thing he always says is "well if you'd stop drinking GIN all day..." or, "go home and get some rest, take some TheraFlu.... AND NOT WITH GIN!"
I feel I've reached four really great accomplishments in life.
1) I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2000.
2) I got the Mr. to acquire a taste for red wine
3) I got the Mr. to acquire a taste for Bombay gin.
4) I got the Mother-in-Law to acquire a taste for Bombay gin.
This morning as I was admiring the greatness of Bombay Sapphire, I picked up the book that the Mr. got me, called "Sapphire and Ice". It's a book of cocktails and bars selected for Bombay Sapphire by Jamie Walker (Head of Mixology at The Bombay Sapphire Experience, Vinopolis, London). It's a really good book. It's a celebration, that most likely only I can appreciate, of the cocktail moment itself, and of what Bombay Sapphire can bring to it. It's not a "how to mix a drink"-book, it's a book specifically dedicated to the especially balanced and versatile taste of Bombay. It's focus is on real cocktails that really marry the uniqueness of the Blue Bottle and whatever else will complement it's unmatchable flavour. So as not to overpower, for example, the taste of Coriander (from Morocco) hint in the taste of Bombay. Or wipe out the subtle flavour of Almonds (from Spain) that lightly infuses the vapours that come off the lovely liquid.
There are 10 botanicals in Bombay Sapphire. From all over the world. The incredible balance that they've reached at Bombay Sapphire is unquestionable. No single ingredient dominates. This is imperative when experiencing the taste climax of a really good cocktail. The formula has remained the same since 1761, regardless of import prices on these herbs and spices. I won't go into the specifics, but there is a website. It's an enchanting website, with really BombaySapphire-appropriate trance music in the background. www.bombaysapphire.com
Full of information. And a really amazing gallery of special glasses designed just for Bombay, which are entered in the design competition every year. They really are works of art, totally deservable of a truly exceptional drink.
The Cocktail Moment is something most people my age take for granted these days. The Get-Drunk-Quick mentality has totally eclipsed the magic of a decent drink. I know, I don't have much room to talk. But when it comes to Bombay, that's different. I just won't drink a real cocktail with petroleum-vapours-gin. When a real cocktail moment is right, it's wonderful. Cocktails are an occasion. A little of the past. A little of the future. "They're theatre".
As an end to my unrealistically loving tribute to Bombay Gin, I will add my special cocktail choice of the day to this blog entry. It combines what could possibly be my 2 favourite palatable things in the world: Gin and Champagne. Only to be enjoyed with Bombay, of course.
The French 75.
Shake 20ml Bombay Sapphire, 15ml freshly-squeezed lemon juice, and 15ml sugar syrup with ice and strain into a glass. Then top up with champagne and lightly stir. This cocktail was created by Harry MacElhone in 1025. It was named after the 75 field gun used by the French army during WWI.
*By the way. The first Martini? French court composer J.P.A. Martini, in 1793... began with a cocktail of gin and white wine. Only much, much, MUCH later, in the 1880's, did some guy in San Francisco bring vermouth to the party. And even then it was completely different. Bitters. Maraschino. A whole GLASS of vermouth. eeww.
I guess I love gin.
I really really love gin.
ahhh.
Getcho Greek On...
1 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 04 October 2006 at 10/04/2006 09:38:00 pm.
How lucky am I for getting to spend the last week in a beautiful country with such a beautiful guy??? I can't even begin about the beautiful wine... and the prices!! ONE LITRE of gorgeous local greek reds and whites for €4.50!!! JEEZ I'd forgotten from our last trip to the land of paradise how cheap everything was. Well, I've also been in Ireland longer now, so obviously ANYTHING is cheap compared to here.
I don't even know where to begin so I'll just do this in "our daily routine" style.
OUR DAILY ROUTINE FOR THE LAST 7 DAYS...
12:something (average 11:40-something to 12:30): Wake up slow. Wake up really, really slow.
12: something: wander down to beach (Katelios). Drink iced coffees (frappes) at one of the beach bars to really wake up.
1:00-1:30 Think hard: Sooo are you hungry for lunch? I'm not sure. Are you hungry? I'm not sure either. Let's have another iced coffee and think about if we're hungry for lunch.
2:00-3:00 Eat lunch. Typically shrimp saganaki with feta, salad, possibly calamari, possibly grilled octopus, always a 1.5 litre bottle of water, and a nice crisp white wine... local vinyard with NO CHEMICALS involved in the viticulture. ~ahhh~
3:00-etc.: Wander to beach. The famous international sanctuary for Loggerhead Turtles- beach. Over the mountain (just to make us feel better, walking off that nice lunch)
about 2kms away from our little village.
3:something - 6: something. Sunbathing on the beach. Reading about Mma Ramotswe and her adventures with Mr J.L.B. Matekoni. Swimming. Nudifying one's self. Dreaming away in the sun. Ahhhhhh.
6:something: Nearly sunset. Follow said sunset back westward, to Katelios, over the hills and past Jodie's Beach Bar (not really called Jodie's beach bar, but some open-air beach bar on stilts in the water on the shore that looks like if it would've been in the Ozarks it woulda been called "that ol' run down juke joint" - Name written on sign board in greek, so you got me what it's real name is. Jodie was the waitress though). Drink one lovely refreshing Mythos beer. Head back to apartment.
Later: shower, read, open a bottle of Robola wine (locally produced on our island), listen to GOD on his cute baby speakers, watch the mountain and the sheep coming down the mountain.
Even Later (7? 8? 9?): Back down to the beach. Pick random Taverna on shoreline and eat more gorgeous fish, lamb, cheese, octopus, squid, whatever. Drink wine.
3 hours later than that: Walk home. Possible game of backgammon at poolside, possible fancy girlie cocktail at pool bar. Who knows. Whatever.
Lovely.
7 days of lovely.
Oh yeah, one day we actually HIKED all the way along the southern coastline, about 10km, to another town. Skala. Much bigger than Katelios, but i'm glad we weren't staying there. Too many British tourists and Anglicised menus. Gorgeous beaches though.
I don't even know where to begin so I'll just do this in "our daily routine" style.
OUR DAILY ROUTINE FOR THE LAST 7 DAYS...
12:something (average 11:40-something to 12:30): Wake up slow. Wake up really, really slow.
12: something: wander down to beach (Katelios). Drink iced coffees (frappes) at one of the beach bars to really wake up.
1:00-1:30 Think hard: Sooo are you hungry for lunch? I'm not sure. Are you hungry? I'm not sure either. Let's have another iced coffee and think about if we're hungry for lunch.
2:00-3:00 Eat lunch. Typically shrimp saganaki with feta, salad, possibly calamari, possibly grilled octopus, always a 1.5 litre bottle of water, and a nice crisp white wine... local vinyard with NO CHEMICALS involved in the viticulture. ~ahhh~
3:00-etc.: Wander to beach. The famous international sanctuary for Loggerhead Turtles- beach. Over the mountain (just to make us feel better, walking off that nice lunch)
about 2kms away from our little village.3:something - 6: something. Sunbathing on the beach. Reading about Mma Ramotswe and her adventures with Mr J.L.B. Matekoni. Swimming. Nudifying one's self. Dreaming away in the sun. Ahhhhhh.
6:something: Nearly sunset. Follow said sunset back westward, to Katelios, over the hills and past Jodie's Beach Bar (not really called Jodie's beach bar, but some open-air beach bar on stilts in the water on the shore that looks like if it would've been in the Ozarks it woulda been called "that ol' run down juke joint" - Name written on sign board in greek, so you got me what it's real name is. Jodie was the waitress though). Drink one lovely refreshing Mythos beer. Head back to apartment.
Later: shower, read, open a bottle of Robola wine (locally produced on our island), listen to GOD on his cute baby speakers, watch the mountain and the sheep coming down the mountain.
Even Later (7? 8? 9?): Back down to the beach. Pick random Taverna on shoreline and eat more gorgeous fish, lamb, cheese, octopus, squid, whatever. Drink wine.
3 hours later than that: Walk home. Possible game of backgammon at poolside, possible fancy girlie cocktail at pool bar. Who knows. Whatever.
Lovely.
7 days of lovely.
Oh yeah, one day we actually HIKED all the way along the southern coastline, about 10km, to another town. Skala. Much bigger than Katelios, but i'm glad we weren't staying there. Too many British tourists and Anglicised menus. Gorgeous beaches though.
