Sunday, December 31, 2006

Things I like that begin with...

I like a lot of things that begin with M, for example:

1. The wonderful M (who is also magnificent, great, and all other marvellous adjectives).
2. Martinis
3. My new mac
4. The word mollycoddle
5. Mince pies
6. Me (officially that probably begins with R but never mind).
7. Mint - the plant and the general flavour
8. Money (sort of essential really, I don’t have a lot so I value what I do have)

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Put 'em up

Well it is a bit late to talk about Boxing day but I said I would. Did some research to confirm the story I had always thought was behind its origins and although I found some support for that I also found about ten other theories. It appears the correct one is in dispute. I refer you to the Wikipedia entry on Boxing Day if anyone wants to read all the different options.

What to say

Well Christmas day has come and gone and it was a lovely day. I toodled over to where my parents are staying and spent the day there. The big surprise for me was that my parents bought me a new laptop. Had no idea whatsoever - so grateful as the other one is old and decrepid, I love it nonetheless but was increasingly nervous it would crash on me at anytime. Love my new toy, if I did not already have a wonderful M then my new mac would become it, alas as much as I love my new purchase it cannot replace the original wonderful M (and of course nothing can).

Boxing day came and went (I will do a nice blog on that perhaps tomorrow for my American friends). We all went to see the Knoxville Ice Bears play. I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to ice hockey but I enjoyed it. They won, which always helps.

Today we went to the zoo - expect pictures later as the gorillas were most obliging. Also saw the History Boys - I really enjoyed it. Hurrah for the cinema. Now I am going to bed… well in a bit. Fancy a cuppa first.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Polly want a cracker

The comment from J has inspired me to educate my American friends as to some British Christmas necessities, starting with the cracker.

Crackers were invented by Tom Smith, in 1847 (old huh?), he made sweeties (candy for you Americans) wrapped in a twist of paper. But apparently the confectionary business was not all it could be and he was trying to think of gimmicks to market them. He heard a log crack on the fire and BINGO he decided to add the cracking stick (for want of something better to call it). To accommodate it the wrapping got bigger and eventually the sweet was replaced with a gift… and of course the paper hat that is too big for everyone’s head and the joke…. and the awful joke. Honestly I have never heard a good joke from a cracker, but it is half their charm.

For those deprived individuals that have never seen a cracker - here is a handy link for you.

I'm crackers!

Christmas eve - well I hope no creatures are stirring in my flat, especially any mice! The days have gone by so quickly this week, I have meant to blog several times but never actually got around to it, so here goes.

You will be relieved to know that my parents bought me a new vacuum cleaner and that the one that had recently been reborn as a smoke machine has been released from service (and I believe from this life as well). My new one is a rather obnoxious blue colour but it works without any extra effects. We also bought some decorations to bring Christmas to my flat so it looks all garish and Christmassy now, which is fabulouso. Alas I do not know what Americans put on the top of their tree but it is not an angel or a fairy because we cannot find one anywhere. We have sort of stuck a santa there but he looks rather uncomfortable, sort of like we are crucifing him really - but in times of crisis (no-angels) one must do the best one can. I did manage to drive to the other side of town (which in Knoxville is a ways away) to a shop I was convinced would sell crackers, another item lacking in an american Christmas, and there I was triumphant. Hurrah!

We toodled down to North Carolina Wednsday with the idea of getting up early Thursday and snowboarding (as a family awwwww). Alas the rain predicted was rain and then some, the whole area was under a flood warning and so no snow was seen as it would have been rather miserable. Mother Nature and I are not good friends anymore. We drove to Cherokee instead and went to the Museum of the Cherokee Indians, it was very interesting. The people I saw dancing a few months back are from there but alas there were no demonstrations.

Last night K came into town (she left Uni last year to go be with the magnificent B) and we discussed everything - including wedding plans. I am sure it will be wonderful. Got to get my bridesmaids dress in though, measured myself for it and was horrified (but I’ll get over it by means of necessity).

Phew well I think that is all I wanted to say. Happy Christmas everyone in case I do not post tomorrow.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Holy smokes!

So I decided to vacuum today… finally. I may not vacuum as much as I should but even I know that smoke coming out of the vacuum is not a good sign. Well it is good in one way - I was able to discontinue the chore guilt free.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Dreamland

Managing to do my snowboarding workouts, well the weight bit and the stretching which is all the book mentions, I should get some cardio in but that is hard to do without going to the gym and well I am not so good at that. Arms and legs tired… well I am tired. Even dreamt about snowboarding last night but they were not good dreams and involved cliffs and bizarrely I was wearing orange flip-flops, an orange t-shirt, and a mini-skirt. Was not cold though. I am a hardy lass in my dreams.

Volunteered at a school today - taught geology to 12-13 year olds. Scary stuff, maybe I will write about it tomorrow, but made me thankful for the opportunities I have been given.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

What a to do

I had a big to-do list this weekend, with many work and no-work related items. Pleased to report that excellent progress has been made. Only a few items left and I have to say that if I don’t get the vacuuming done I won’t shed any tears. My car is now all clean both inside and out. I am sure it was a little sick of the pizza box that has been in it for over two weeks - I was getting hungry every time I got in my car, although the smell was getting slightly stale. I put my ipod to good use during the big clean and was at one point singing out loud - I was at a public car place but no one was looking funny at me (at least directly, I am sure the guy in the next wash area was most amused but I could not see him and so I am humouring myself by saying ‘maybe he could not hear me over the water hose’).

My parents get into town tonight - at what time depends on how fast they can get through Cincinnati security as their connection was a little tight. That will be fun - hoping to drag them to Cataloochee next week to work on my snowboarding skills (well to work on developing some skills as right now I am skill-less in that area). Think they will ski though.

Right well I had better toodle off and try to get one more job done before I have to go to the airport. Not sure where my weekend went, or my week for that matter!

Friday, December 15, 2006

Countdown

Three weeks till I leave for Canada, which means I have three weeks to get a little bit more into shape. My physio is helping me out and I bought a little book which has exercises specifically for skiers and snowboarders. 21 days is not long but if my legs can progress from jelly to perhaps rubber (struggled to think of something firmer than jelly but not all that firm) then at least I have made a little headway. Shame I did not think to do this earlier - time has been playing tricks on me and gone by rather quickly. Bad time BAD!!

Now all I need is some discipline - I am short on it and alas it is one thing that Walmart just does not sell. It should.

I am in a rather bah humbug kind of mood this evening. Balderdash and other satisfying b words (bother is the only other decent one I can come up with… well apart from bulldozer but I am not sure what relevance that has, although my brain keeps bringing it up).

Phew

I am tired. My brain has done entirely too much thinking these last three days. Bed is looking good this evening - but then so was a cup of tea, and as fortune has it I can do both (although the tea has to come before bed really as after would just be nonsensical).

My sea monkeys survived another three days of neglect for the second week in a row, which is good since they are only about three weeks old. Not sure I blogged about them. Am very excited. They live in a highly unrealistic martian-scape aquarium (well aquarium is an insult to aquariums, it is more like a jam jar, with decorations in it… and not even a big jam jar but they are small little things). I wanted a pet so bad that shrimp seemed like a good idea - with my travel schedule I need something forgiving. Anyone want to look after my sea monkeys when I go to Whistler?

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Smells like..

There are a couple of phrases that came to mind tonight as I was showering:

‘there are more ways to kill a pig than to smother it in butter’

‘there is more than one way to skin a cat’ etc…

What, you may ask, has me pondering such things? Well the whole airline travel thing is still a tad complicated and you can only take silly small containers on the plane in carry on. I did not want to check a bag for DC and had these samples I was given by some medical people trying to get me to persuade my Dr to prescribe me their brand spanking new asthma meds (which is a whole other story). They say they are fragrance free. This can be read two ways. The correct way is that they have added no fragrances to them because trust me they smell…. sort of like wet dog. Unpleasant. Thankfully the people I am staying with have other stuff (their kids’ stuff) so I am a johnson’s baby to hide the wet dog aroma.

Poo

Monday, December 11, 2006

Going going gone...

So the wonderful M is flying home as I type. Luckily it is under a month until I see him again so I am feeling better than I could be. Plus Rome knew I needed cheering up so my board bag arrived today. Had much fun this afternoon finding all the pockets and realising that I can actually get in it - although I would need another person to zip it up and provide me with an oxygen supply. I like it though.

So what I have I been up to the last week or so, besides the snow trip (where we got REAL snow)? We went to the zoo, most things were hiding indoors because it was cold. The chimps put on a show for us but I think there was a lady chimp they were trying to impress and that we were watching what was intended to be a private show. The last few days we have spent the evenings watching films - we picked some real good ‘uns. I would recommend Analyse This. We have done (well M has done it mostly) some serious shopping. I did the work I wanted to get done too. Back to the humdrum now I guess.

Tomorrow I leave early for a three day research trip to Washington DC. Going to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum - it is always hard work but I have a good time. Now I need to go pack.

Friday, December 8, 2006

Snowboard listage

Things I learnt whilst snowboarding the last few days:

1. I need to buy some knee-pads. Paddage = good.
2. I need to get my lazy self to the gym to work on my legs as they are as weak as a big weak thing living on weak street drinking weak juice.
3. I love my physio

Went to physio this morning to get a little movement back. Have a bit of a hip strain and taped knees but nothing a few days won’t deal with. The wonderful M asked for a normal girlfriend though. What’s normal?

My apartment is a pig sty - the wonderful M has made a not so wonderful mess everywhere by leaving stuff on any once clear area. Does not help that between me, him and Beetle’s GG we have ordered enough stuff to fill up my place with boxes. So if anyone is moving soon I may be able to help - although I think that we shall be making a trip to the rubbish bin later.

I’m back in one piece

Yes believe it or not I am still whole, not broken, with all body parts functioning. The last bit is a little untrue as I am very stiff. My body is not used to such activity and that expression ‘using muscles I never knew I had’ is true for me, also have some nice purple bruises but they look way worse than they feel. I had a lot of fun though. Am I a natural at snowboarding? NO - but that is no surprise, but after three half days out there I do think that at some point I might be able to get by at it. My snowboard is fabulous, so major props go to the wonderful M for that. Another cheer for the man as he really helped me with the whole boarding malarky. I took a few lessons but then he helped me work on everything and was very patient etc… I am all excited for my holiday now.

Anyway must book more lessons for Whistler.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Wish me luck

Today the wonderful M and I are off to a local ski resort. Fake snow but snow nonetheless. I am excited about starting to learn to snowboard but a little nervous too as I think it is not something I will excel at. My board looks very pretty though. Perhaps the butterflies in my stomach will lift me above the snow and stop me from falling lots.

Back on Thursday.

Saturday, December 2, 2006

Lost for what to do

So this blog will officially take me forever to type as I have been banned from using my right hand to type today (and a few days after if possible), and what is almost worse I am banned from knitting too! Managed to make my ulnar nerve more unhappy than it was before, personally I think it just has issues, it cannot deal with stress well and does not see its purpose in life - it thinks being an elbow is not significant. Let me tell you I would hate to only have one elbow! Maybe it needs medicating. Here is my problem: all I do at the moment is write my dissertation or knit. What do I do now?

On the upside I went to a Christmas parade tonight - lots of floats and just made me feel all December-y.

I confess that trying to hold shift down and type with my left hand got too irritating, I used my right. I should be chastised. I shall stop now to placate the ulnar nerve.