Situation Update / Boy Town
1 inch of snow. Icy not soft.
Thai food from the Bangkok Cafe was excellent.
Exchanged sweater for India.
Naboo was destroyed by the Deathstar. The Force is with us!
Work has been better today (could it be any worse?). Got some things done and helped others to do the same. Chicken casaer salad for lunch was yummy. As were the Dunkin Donuts. A couple of the american ladies want me to stay here forever: they like my "easy going nature" and reckon I'd fit right in. [ooer]
Tonight Rob and I are going downtown into the city with Jen -- an asia colleague of Rob's who visited our house in the summer. We're going to "Boy Town". Look out fellas! Hopefully we'll have chance to do some lightning sightseeing and ride to the top of the Hancock Building [another Freudian?].
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Having Fun?
Yesterday was completely unproductive: Everything that could go wrong with my laptop and the other IT systems did so. I got home stressed that my Transatlantic trip was turning into a nightmarish waste of time.
Today started the same, just cranked-up a notch. Things got even better at lunch time, when out-of-the-blue over our Chicago deep-pan pizza, Amy (the Finance Mgr here) announced that she is quitting at the end of next week due to "personal reasons".
I wish I'd taken a camera to capture the picture of her seven direct reports faces. Stunned. White. Ghostly. Jaws dropped.
Nobody said a thing.
Amy burst into tears and left the table. As the most remote person there, I followed -- I like Amy and hate seeing people upset -- she was OK, just needed a breather. When she got back to the table, it was really weird: Still nobody said a thing, they just got on with lunch as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Back at the office, I have an email from the UK, asking me to call my managers home. He asks if I'd like to stay on for another week in Chicago to help support the remaining Finance Team and soften the blow of Amy's sudden departure.
Hello Graeme, I have my grandfather's funeral on Monday!
So not only have I done f-all work so far, I'm now the go between agent for Amy and my Director back in the UK. Caught in the crossfire. Fantastic! Best thing is they'll probably offer me the job for the end of January. Too late folks -- we're buying a new house!
[Sigh]
Last night's food & entertainment was:
California Pizza Kitchen pizza (1x pepperoni, 1x pear and blue cheese)
2nd Qtr of Green Bay v St Louis
2 hours of Star Wars Battefront on the PS2.
Tonight's food and entertainment is:
Food unknown
Shopping
More Star Wars probably
Yesterday was completely unproductive: Everything that could go wrong with my laptop and the other IT systems did so. I got home stressed that my Transatlantic trip was turning into a nightmarish waste of time.
Today started the same, just cranked-up a notch. Things got even better at lunch time, when out-of-the-blue over our Chicago deep-pan pizza, Amy (the Finance Mgr here) announced that she is quitting at the end of next week due to "personal reasons".
I wish I'd taken a camera to capture the picture of her seven direct reports faces. Stunned. White. Ghostly. Jaws dropped.
Nobody said a thing.
Amy burst into tears and left the table. As the most remote person there, I followed -- I like Amy and hate seeing people upset -- she was OK, just needed a breather. When she got back to the table, it was really weird: Still nobody said a thing, they just got on with lunch as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Back at the office, I have an email from the UK, asking me to call my managers home. He asks if I'd like to stay on for another week in Chicago to help support the remaining Finance Team and soften the blow of Amy's sudden departure.
Hello Graeme, I have my grandfather's funeral on Monday!
So not only have I done f-all work so far, I'm now the go between agent for Amy and my Director back in the UK. Caught in the crossfire. Fantastic! Best thing is they'll probably offer me the job for the end of January. Too late folks -- we're buying a new house!
[Sigh]
Last night's food & entertainment was:
California Pizza Kitchen pizza (1x pepperoni, 1x pear and blue cheese)
2nd Qtr of Green Bay v St Louis
2 hours of Star Wars Battefront on the PS2.
Tonight's food and entertainment is:
Food unknown
Shopping
More Star Wars probably
Monday, November 29, 2004
Like Any Other Grey Monday Morning
After a great weekend, my work here has begun.
Or rather it hasn't -- it's taken all morning to get the IT systems running.
It's already clear that my week is not going to be easy. The sales database is screwed and nothing seems to be working as it should be. I didn't think I was jetlagged, but it's just approaching lunch time and I'm dizzy, flushed and headachy. And tired. I'm looking forward to my chicken casear pitta sandwich with onion rings side order...
The office is like all small manufacturing facilities around the globe. Grey. Dull. It even has the standard sweater-wearing scientists and techies. Open Univeristy 1970's stylee. They live.
It feels like any other Monday morning.
After a great weekend, my work here has begun.
Or rather it hasn't -- it's taken all morning to get the IT systems running.
It's already clear that my week is not going to be easy. The sales database is screwed and nothing seems to be working as it should be. I didn't think I was jetlagged, but it's just approaching lunch time and I'm dizzy, flushed and headachy. And tired. I'm looking forward to my chicken casear pitta sandwich with onion rings side order...
The office is like all small manufacturing facilities around the globe. Grey. Dull. It even has the standard sweater-wearing scientists and techies. Open Univeristy 1970's stylee. They live.
It feels like any other Monday morning.
Saturday, November 27, 2004
My Kind of Town
Hello from Chicago!
I arrived yesterday afternoon, after an uneventful eight hour flight, to be picked up by Rob in his Soccer Mom-bile. A light dusting of snow covered the ground -- an exciting sight as we came into land. Unfortunately we had rain overnight and all the snowmen have been washed away.
A glass of champagne and a couple of beers also washed my jetlag away. Last night we ordered pizza in and played some boardgames with Mark, Dave and Kate. An easy first night. The guys were a little surprised to see me still up at ten -- it was a 23 hour for me -- but whereas in the past I might have been a mess, India has trained me to survive on a lot less sleep than before.
In flight movies were:
The Bourne Supremacy -- pretty good.
Dodgeball -- really funny.
After a good night's sleep -- I only woke up once at six (just like home!) -- I cooked breakfast and we headed out to Gameworks for some video game acton and then a movie; National Treasure -- it's mediocre and anti-British (as usual these days with Hollywood).
Tonight is Tapas in Arlington Heights -- the original plan had been La Baton (go search on google) or the KitKat Club but they were booked up (my Gay Night out will have to wait until midweek) -- followed by drinks at the local sports bar.
It's not a holiday though...
Other notes:
Rob's apartment is very cool. Lots of floorspace and nicely decorated. Certainly might steal an idea or two for our new home.
I'm missing my wife and baby already.
Big kisses from the Windy City.
Hello from Chicago!
I arrived yesterday afternoon, after an uneventful eight hour flight, to be picked up by Rob in his Soccer Mom-bile. A light dusting of snow covered the ground -- an exciting sight as we came into land. Unfortunately we had rain overnight and all the snowmen have been washed away.
A glass of champagne and a couple of beers also washed my jetlag away. Last night we ordered pizza in and played some boardgames with Mark, Dave and Kate. An easy first night. The guys were a little surprised to see me still up at ten -- it was a 23 hour for me -- but whereas in the past I might have been a mess, India has trained me to survive on a lot less sleep than before.
In flight movies were:
The Bourne Supremacy -- pretty good.
Dodgeball -- really funny.
After a good night's sleep -- I only woke up once at six (just like home!) -- I cooked breakfast and we headed out to Gameworks for some video game acton and then a movie; National Treasure -- it's mediocre and anti-British (as usual these days with Hollywood).
Tonight is Tapas in Arlington Heights -- the original plan had been La Baton (go search on google) or the KitKat Club but they were booked up (my Gay Night out will have to wait until midweek) -- followed by drinks at the local sports bar.
It's not a holiday though...
Other notes:
Rob's apartment is very cool. Lots of floorspace and nicely decorated. Certainly might steal an idea or two for our new home.
I'm missing my wife and baby already.
Big kisses from the Windy City.
Monday, November 22, 2004
House News
We've accepted an offer on our house -- £202,500, a little below our "minimum acceptable" -- but only because we have offered (and had accepted) an offer on a large four bed detached house on the modern part of Thame's estate. Our purchase is a bargain and will set us up for a long time: the house represents 2 steps up on the property ladder for us. We are excited, and it ticks all of our boxes and more.
Mum is helping us with the Stamp Duty and moving costs -- the only reason we can afford this leap up.
The ball is now rolling and if everything goes smoothly, then with luck we may well complete the sale mid January: the chain is our cash buyer, us, our vendor who is going into rented -- i.e. a good short chain.
Fingers crossed.
We've accepted an offer on our house -- £202,500, a little below our "minimum acceptable" -- but only because we have offered (and had accepted) an offer on a large four bed detached house on the modern part of Thame's estate. Our purchase is a bargain and will set us up for a long time: the house represents 2 steps up on the property ladder for us. We are excited, and it ticks all of our boxes and more.
Mum is helping us with the Stamp Duty and moving costs -- the only reason we can afford this leap up.
The ball is now rolling and if everything goes smoothly, then with luck we may well complete the sale mid January: the chain is our cash buyer, us, our vendor who is going into rented -- i.e. a good short chain.
Fingers crossed.
Black Friday
I was going to update this last Thursday, but thanks to a nasty little virus passed on by India (she was poorly for 2 weeks), I was off work again with ANOTHER chest infection. Hardly the best preparation for my exam tomorrow.
But it was to get worse on Friday.
We had been looking forward to receiving news of Sara and Stashers new arrival: Sara was booked in for a cesaer.
Instead I got news that my grandad had dropped dead.
Seven weeks after his wife had died, my gramp seems to have died of a broken heart. You hear of these things all the time when elderly people suddenly lose their life-long loves and partners, but having seen gramp doing so well over the last week -- he seemed to be back to his normal self according to my mum -- the fact he's gone is a real shock. I can't believe it really. No chance to say goodbye. No chance to help me get over gran's loss by talking things through with him. Quite simply a terrible blow.
We await the Coroner's post-mortem report tomorrow: As gramp hadn't seen a Doctor since gran's death, and his collapse was so sudden (he had spoken to his neighbour five minutes before he was found dead), a post-mortem is required.
Frankly, this year has been dreadful, with all three of my surviving grandparents dying. The only consolidation I can take from gramp's death is that he is now where he wanted to be.
The silver-lining of the day was the good news from Sara and Stasher that tempered our tragedy suffered:
Rory Edward Neville was born fit and healthy. 5 lbs, 12 oz
Congratulations Mum and Dad!
Edward was my gramps name...
I was going to update this last Thursday, but thanks to a nasty little virus passed on by India (she was poorly for 2 weeks), I was off work again with ANOTHER chest infection. Hardly the best preparation for my exam tomorrow.
But it was to get worse on Friday.
We had been looking forward to receiving news of Sara and Stashers new arrival: Sara was booked in for a cesaer.
Instead I got news that my grandad had dropped dead.
Seven weeks after his wife had died, my gramp seems to have died of a broken heart. You hear of these things all the time when elderly people suddenly lose their life-long loves and partners, but having seen gramp doing so well over the last week -- he seemed to be back to his normal self according to my mum -- the fact he's gone is a real shock. I can't believe it really. No chance to say goodbye. No chance to help me get over gran's loss by talking things through with him. Quite simply a terrible blow.
We await the Coroner's post-mortem report tomorrow: As gramp hadn't seen a Doctor since gran's death, and his collapse was so sudden (he had spoken to his neighbour five minutes before he was found dead), a post-mortem is required.
Frankly, this year has been dreadful, with all three of my surviving grandparents dying. The only consolidation I can take from gramp's death is that he is now where he wanted to be.
The silver-lining of the day was the good news from Sara and Stasher that tempered our tragedy suffered:
Rory Edward Neville was born fit and healthy. 5 lbs, 12 oz
Congratulations Mum and Dad!
Edward was my gramps name...
Monday, November 08, 2004
Confidence Evaporates
I had been confident that we'd be celebrating the sale of our house -- at it's full asking price -- within a matter of days. Unfortunately this hasn't happened. We had the one viewing on Saturday and the feedback was:
"He liked it... but thought that the living room was too small. He won't be putting in an offer."
WTF did he expect?! It's a Victorian Terrace house. ALL the reception rooms are small. If he's that worried, then knock the internal wall down... Nevermind.
And after speaking with our agent about the girl who put in the laughably low offers, it's clear she was taking a punt on things: Apparently she DOES have the money, as she's been looking at up to £225,000...
Going into this week we now have ZERO potential buyers lined up. Not good.
Of course we looked at 3 properties ourselves over the weekend.
Property 1 is good enough that we're going to offer on it tomorrow, despite the fact there are already 2 bids for it on the table and we haven't sold. Asking price is £249,950 and we'll have to offer that I think.
Property 2 was a 35 min round trip due to road works. The agent turned up 5 mins late... with the WRONG KEYS. F*ckwit. As the house is right next door to a pub with a kebab van in it, we won't be going back for another look.
Property 3 was OK, but outside our budget once you added on the fees and the work we'd want to do to it.
So property 1 it is then... It's not in Thame though, it's in Stone.
I had been confident that we'd be celebrating the sale of our house -- at it's full asking price -- within a matter of days. Unfortunately this hasn't happened. We had the one viewing on Saturday and the feedback was:
"He liked it... but thought that the living room was too small. He won't be putting in an offer."
WTF did he expect?! It's a Victorian Terrace house. ALL the reception rooms are small. If he's that worried, then knock the internal wall down... Nevermind.
And after speaking with our agent about the girl who put in the laughably low offers, it's clear she was taking a punt on things: Apparently she DOES have the money, as she's been looking at up to £225,000...
Going into this week we now have ZERO potential buyers lined up. Not good.
Of course we looked at 3 properties ourselves over the weekend.
Property 1 is good enough that we're going to offer on it tomorrow, despite the fact there are already 2 bids for it on the table and we haven't sold. Asking price is £249,950 and we'll have to offer that I think.
Property 2 was a 35 min round trip due to road works. The agent turned up 5 mins late... with the WRONG KEYS. F*ckwit. As the house is right next door to a pub with a kebab van in it, we won't be going back for another look.
Property 3 was OK, but outside our budget once you added on the fees and the work we'd want to do to it.
So property 1 it is then... It's not in Thame though, it's in Stone.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Inertia Creeps
She has just come back with an increased offer of £200,000.
I didn't need to say anything to our agent...
I'm half expecting her to now come back with £202,500 -- which will be her top offer and one that will still be instantly rejected.
I think we can safely write this first potential buyer off now.
She has just come back with an increased offer of £200,000.
I didn't need to say anything to our agent...
I'm half expecting her to now come back with £202,500 -- which will be her top offer and one that will still be instantly rejected.
I think we can safely write this first potential buyer off now.
Dream On
Tried to blog some of this yesterday, but Blogger was clearly crippled under the strain of millions of Americans voicing their dismay and fury at George W Bush getting in again...
We had a viewing on our house at lunch time yesterday and she was keen enough to book a second viewing. with her mum and dad, at half past five last night. According to the agent she's a first time buyer who has missed out on a house on our road before -- I'm guessing Ben and Sharyn's two doors down.
I've been waiting on an offer coming in all morning and have just received it: £195,000.
I actually laughed at the agent. What a joke. Dream on lady. I told the agent to tell her that if she was a serious buyer, and wanted to seal a deal before the house is advertising in the local papers, then she would be offering the asking price. After all, Ben and Sharyn's went for £193,000 and it has one less bedroom and isn't as nice.
I think she's watched too many of those property TV shows where peeps offer way below the asking price as their opening bid. Unfortunately for her, we're not desperate to move and the asking price is aggressive to realistic.
Now we'll wait to see her response: Vic doesn't think she's got the money for a much higher bid...
Tried to blog some of this yesterday, but Blogger was clearly crippled under the strain of millions of Americans voicing their dismay and fury at George W Bush getting in again...
We had a viewing on our house at lunch time yesterday and she was keen enough to book a second viewing. with her mum and dad, at half past five last night. According to the agent she's a first time buyer who has missed out on a house on our road before -- I'm guessing Ben and Sharyn's two doors down.
I've been waiting on an offer coming in all morning and have just received it: £195,000.
I actually laughed at the agent. What a joke. Dream on lady. I told the agent to tell her that if she was a serious buyer, and wanted to seal a deal before the house is advertising in the local papers, then she would be offering the asking price. After all, Ben and Sharyn's went for £193,000 and it has one less bedroom and isn't as nice.
I think she's watched too many of those property TV shows where peeps offer way below the asking price as their opening bid. Unfortunately for her, we're not desperate to move and the asking price is aggressive to realistic.
Now we'll wait to see her response: Vic doesn't think she's got the money for a much higher bid...
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Wiggle It Just a Little Bit
We've put our house on the market (yesterday). American readers may be a little surprised that the asking price for a Victoria terrace property in a provincial SE market town, with just 3 bedrooms and 2 reception rooms, is £207,500 -- that's a round $370,000. Frankly £207,500 is a bargain: we've looked at a host of local properties recevtly and you won't find a nicer home in Thame until you get to the £275,000 mark.
Of course, it what you DON'T get for £207,500 that's the key: no garage or off-street parking, and no escape from the next door neighbours attached on both sides. Seriously, we're looking at houses up to the £250,000 stamp duty threshold and we'll get less floor-space, a kitchen and bathroom that will need refitting, nasty sticky carpets, BUT a garage and a cloakroom for our extra £40 grand.
Feel free to make us an offer, although Australian dollars will not be accepted.
Why are we moving? You'll know why from previous blog entries if you've kept a sharp eye on things and read between the lines. We just need to start afresh with a new project too. The possibility of relocating -- places like Kent and Chicago -- has cropped up in conversation, although Thame is still our current preferred location.
We actually put an offer in on a property just around the corner from us last week but it got rejected in favour of the cash buyer. Which is why we've bitten the bullet and put ours up for sale.
I'll blog what happens daily I think.
Today's House News:
No calls from the estate agent.
No viewings on our house.
No viewings made by us.
Viewings in the book:
None on our property.
We're looking at 1 on Friday and 1 on Saturday.
We've put our house on the market (yesterday). American readers may be a little surprised that the asking price for a Victoria terrace property in a provincial SE market town, with just 3 bedrooms and 2 reception rooms, is £207,500 -- that's a round $370,000. Frankly £207,500 is a bargain: we've looked at a host of local properties recevtly and you won't find a nicer home in Thame until you get to the £275,000 mark.
Of course, it what you DON'T get for £207,500 that's the key: no garage or off-street parking, and no escape from the next door neighbours attached on both sides. Seriously, we're looking at houses up to the £250,000 stamp duty threshold and we'll get less floor-space, a kitchen and bathroom that will need refitting, nasty sticky carpets, BUT a garage and a cloakroom for our extra £40 grand.
Feel free to make us an offer, although Australian dollars will not be accepted.
Why are we moving? You'll know why from previous blog entries if you've kept a sharp eye on things and read between the lines. We just need to start afresh with a new project too. The possibility of relocating -- places like Kent and Chicago -- has cropped up in conversation, although Thame is still our current preferred location.
We actually put an offer in on a property just around the corner from us last week but it got rejected in favour of the cash buyer. Which is why we've bitten the bullet and put ours up for sale.
I'll blog what happens daily I think.
Today's House News:
No calls from the estate agent.
No viewings on our house.
No viewings made by us.
Viewings in the book:
None on our property.
We're looking at 1 on Friday and 1 on Saturday.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Haiku
I'll tell you about my gran's funeral when I remember to take the reading I performed [I can't find the right word here -- I was going to write "read", but that sounds lame] during the service out of my jacket pocket.
Work is getting me down. It's just not any fun. During a net-trawl I stumbled on some really nice Haiku, and I've been filling my waiting-for-an-accounts-download-time with writing Haiku rather than doodling.
Classic Haiku poetry is about nature and strictly fits the rule of three lines, first line five syllables, second line seven syllables, third line five syllables. An example of one of mine would be:
Leaves press against glass;
Yearning to break the prison
and taste a new day.
"Houseplant" - Nobby (c) 2004
...which is about the Ikea plant I've got sat on the windowsill next to my desk.
Senryu poetry is in the same format, but can be about any subject. Most of my attempts are lame but give you an idea of how I'm feeling -- the words seem to form themselves.
Smothered by grey dregs,
a beating heart crushed under
the feet of dull drones.
Rising up through black
sodden earth, angry beetles
bite at my spirit.
Call me Nobbysan.
I'll tell you about my gran's funeral when I remember to take the reading I performed [I can't find the right word here -- I was going to write "read", but that sounds lame] during the service out of my jacket pocket.
Work is getting me down. It's just not any fun. During a net-trawl I stumbled on some really nice Haiku, and I've been filling my waiting-for-an-accounts-download-time with writing Haiku rather than doodling.
Classic Haiku poetry is about nature and strictly fits the rule of three lines, first line five syllables, second line seven syllables, third line five syllables. An example of one of mine would be:
Leaves press against glass;
Yearning to break the prison
and taste a new day.
"Houseplant" - Nobby (c) 2004
...which is about the Ikea plant I've got sat on the windowsill next to my desk.
Senryu poetry is in the same format, but can be about any subject. Most of my attempts are lame but give you an idea of how I'm feeling -- the words seem to form themselves.
Smothered by grey dregs,
a beating heart crushed under
the feet of dull drones.
Rising up through black
sodden earth, angry beetles
bite at my spirit.
Call me Nobbysan.
Monday, October 11, 2004
Alice Bull
My gran died at 4.30 pm on Saturday afternoon. It wasn't a shock -- it was inevitable. I managed to see her on Friday afternoon for a while and say all the things I needed to -- not just for me, but for Vic, India, my brother and my best mate Rob who has always regarded gran as his own. She was tired and lost in a fog of morphine, but I hope she heard what I told her. My brother arrived five minutes topo late to speak to her himself on Saturday -- but as I told him yesterday, I'd said what needed to be said for both of us and it's not about the last five minutes, or the last few weeks, it is all about the last 33 years.
It was a rapid decline for my gran. Two weeks ago I thought she would make Christmas, but over the course of the fortnight expectations of her survival time dropped first to a few weeks, then a few days, and by Friday it was down to a few hours. In the end she lost the fight, but it was one she couldn't win.
I'm going to miss her. She was a brilliant gran -- the best a grandson could hope for -- and a lovely person.
My gran died at 4.30 pm on Saturday afternoon. It wasn't a shock -- it was inevitable. I managed to see her on Friday afternoon for a while and say all the things I needed to -- not just for me, but for Vic, India, my brother and my best mate Rob who has always regarded gran as his own. She was tired and lost in a fog of morphine, but I hope she heard what I told her. My brother arrived five minutes topo late to speak to her himself on Saturday -- but as I told him yesterday, I'd said what needed to be said for both of us and it's not about the last five minutes, or the last few weeks, it is all about the last 33 years.
It was a rapid decline for my gran. Two weeks ago I thought she would make Christmas, but over the course of the fortnight expectations of her survival time dropped first to a few weeks, then a few days, and by Friday it was down to a few hours. In the end she lost the fight, but it was one she couldn't win.
I'm going to miss her. She was a brilliant gran -- the best a grandson could hope for -- and a lovely person.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
A Link For the Sake of It
For some reason google has dropped the links to our Oxford magic club sites, so I'm creating one here for the sake of it.
It will act as a useful reminder that this blog is not here to entertain.
For some reason google has dropped the links to our Oxford magic club sites, so I'm creating one here for the sake of it.
It will act as a useful reminder that this blog is not here to entertain.
NaNoWriMo
I know at least two friends who read this blog who reckon they have a novel ready to go inside of them. NaNoWriMo -- a US writing month challenge championed by at least one other reader of this site (hello Kate) -- kicks off on the 1st of November and is an excellent motivational tool to get on and write that novel. I myself am very keen to sign up, but unfortunately my final CIMA exam is scheduled for the 23rd of November, making it an impossibility.
I know at least two friends who read this blog who reckon they have a novel ready to go inside of them. NaNoWriMo -- a US writing month challenge championed by at least one other reader of this site (hello Kate) -- kicks off on the 1st of November and is an excellent motivational tool to get on and write that novel. I myself am very keen to sign up, but unfortunately my final CIMA exam is scheduled for the 23rd of November, making it an impossibility.
Monday, October 04, 2004
Uber Violence
India and Thomas are effectively exactly the same age: Although Thomas popped out over a week later than India, they were both due on the same day.
The two of them are as thick as thieves. Many of the ante/post-natal parents reckon they're like a married couple. But it's turning into a love-hate relationship.
On Friday they went swimming together and Thomas managed to bite India on the arm. An entirely deliberate act that left India with red teeth marks on her pale skin and a bruise. On Sunday India got her revenge, running Thomas down -- Duel style -- with her walker and then throwing up milky sick over his toy piano. In response, Thomas picked up a Noddy toy car -- a blunt and heavy weapon -- and waved it menacingly at her. India cut loose and grabbed a plastic hammer -- the sort that make a squeak when you bash anything with it -- and we were left with a Mexican stand-off, each baby grimacing, determined to face the other down.
I am now calling the two of them Itchy and Scratchy.
I had to warn the nursery this morning that the two of them had to be closely watched...
India and Thomas are effectively exactly the same age: Although Thomas popped out over a week later than India, they were both due on the same day.
The two of them are as thick as thieves. Many of the ante/post-natal parents reckon they're like a married couple. But it's turning into a love-hate relationship.
On Friday they went swimming together and Thomas managed to bite India on the arm. An entirely deliberate act that left India with red teeth marks on her pale skin and a bruise. On Sunday India got her revenge, running Thomas down -- Duel style -- with her walker and then throwing up milky sick over his toy piano. In response, Thomas picked up a Noddy toy car -- a blunt and heavy weapon -- and waved it menacingly at her. India cut loose and grabbed a plastic hammer -- the sort that make a squeak when you bash anything with it -- and we were left with a Mexican stand-off, each baby grimacing, determined to face the other down.
I am now calling the two of them Itchy and Scratchy.
I had to warn the nursery this morning that the two of them had to be closely watched...
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Caffine Free
Apart from a single cup of coffee, I've not had any caffine for 25 days now. My 3 days of sickness at the start of my holiday kciked the habit and covered the cold turkey. Where I was pretty much addicted to 2 cans of Coke a day before, I'm now devoid of the urge to crack open a can of the brown.
Apart from a single cup of coffee, I've not had any caffine for 25 days now. My 3 days of sickness at the start of my holiday kciked the habit and covered the cold turkey. Where I was pretty much addicted to 2 cans of Coke a day before, I'm now devoid of the urge to crack open a can of the brown.
According to Ronan Keating, Life is a Rollercoaster
It's been a week (and a bit) of troughs and peaks:
I didn't win the flavour text vote.
India has had REAL BAD nappy rash and a cold.
Last Wednesday evening my car broke down on the way home from work. The thermostat gave up the ghost, closing the air coolant value, causing the pressure to build up to such an extent that the radiator burst. It took 2 hours for the RAC to reach me, plus an extra hour to figure out that the problem wasn't repairable at the roadside and tow me home. The bill for the new radiator was £410 -- money that we don't have -- and that made last Thursday an equally brilliant day.
Friday featured my mum and dad telling me that gran won't make Christmas. I saw her on Sunday morning and they're right. I'm not coping too well with this fact.
On Saturday we went along to the Rectory Homes launch of the new properties being built just down the road from us. They had one three bed house in our budget. It had no garage, less floor space and garden that our existing house, no dining room (ie. one less reception) and was badly overlooked. Completely depressing and zero value for money. It's getting me down how little even the top of our budget will buy.
Saturday night we went out for dinner to celebrate Lucy's 30th and even that was frustrating: Sara and Gareth decided to go to war over how bad the Eden Project is (when it's actually a fantastic achievement and day out), Sara spent the whole meal sat forward, cutting the rest of the table out from me (we were sat on the end), and a chap at the other end of the table who cannot tell the difference between a fillet steak and a sirloin, ate MY fillet steak. I got the slice of old boot. Horror of horrors.
But things haven't been all bad, and indeed have been pretty darn good over the last few days:
India was bought her first pair of proper shoes and is now steady enough on her feet that she is walking unaided up to nine steps at a time*.
Last Thursday Vic and I went dry-slope skiing for the first time ever. Really enjoyed it.
We got together for a curry with ante natal James and Rachel on Friday night and had a great afternoon on Sunday celebrating Alex's first birthday at Matt and Martina's.
My dad has conjured up a cheque for £400 -- no strings attached.
We are off to see a house tomorrow that seems to tick all our boxes.
Vic bought me the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD. India watched the first five minutes with me and loved it.
I've had my business trip to Chicago confirmed and booked for the end of November -- I'll be spending the week at my best mate Rob's apartment. I'm very pleased and excited.
Larry and Carole have a baby boy! Finlay was born on Saturday and weighs a healthy 8 lbs 14 oz. He has more hair than his dad. Congratulations to Lazza and Cazza. We're chuffed for them!
* Many of India's little friends are now walking. Collectively they resemble little zombies, shuffling slightly off-balance and awkwardly, mouths open and groaning, towards you.
It's been a week (and a bit) of troughs and peaks:
I didn't win the flavour text vote.
India has had REAL BAD nappy rash and a cold.
Last Wednesday evening my car broke down on the way home from work. The thermostat gave up the ghost, closing the air coolant value, causing the pressure to build up to such an extent that the radiator burst. It took 2 hours for the RAC to reach me, plus an extra hour to figure out that the problem wasn't repairable at the roadside and tow me home. The bill for the new radiator was £410 -- money that we don't have -- and that made last Thursday an equally brilliant day.
Friday featured my mum and dad telling me that gran won't make Christmas. I saw her on Sunday morning and they're right. I'm not coping too well with this fact.
On Saturday we went along to the Rectory Homes launch of the new properties being built just down the road from us. They had one three bed house in our budget. It had no garage, less floor space and garden that our existing house, no dining room (ie. one less reception) and was badly overlooked. Completely depressing and zero value for money. It's getting me down how little even the top of our budget will buy.
Saturday night we went out for dinner to celebrate Lucy's 30th and even that was frustrating: Sara and Gareth decided to go to war over how bad the Eden Project is (when it's actually a fantastic achievement and day out), Sara spent the whole meal sat forward, cutting the rest of the table out from me (we were sat on the end), and a chap at the other end of the table who cannot tell the difference between a fillet steak and a sirloin, ate MY fillet steak. I got the slice of old boot. Horror of horrors.
But things haven't been all bad, and indeed have been pretty darn good over the last few days:
India was bought her first pair of proper shoes and is now steady enough on her feet that she is walking unaided up to nine steps at a time*.
Last Thursday Vic and I went dry-slope skiing for the first time ever. Really enjoyed it.
We got together for a curry with ante natal James and Rachel on Friday night and had a great afternoon on Sunday celebrating Alex's first birthday at Matt and Martina's.
My dad has conjured up a cheque for £400 -- no strings attached.
We are off to see a house tomorrow that seems to tick all our boxes.
Vic bought me the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD. India watched the first five minutes with me and loved it.
I've had my business trip to Chicago confirmed and booked for the end of November -- I'll be spending the week at my best mate Rob's apartment. I'm very pleased and excited.
Larry and Carole have a baby boy! Finlay was born on Saturday and weighs a healthy 8 lbs 14 oz. He has more hair than his dad. Congratulations to Lazza and Cazza. We're chuffed for them!
* Many of India's little friends are now walking. Collectively they resemble little zombies, shuffling slightly off-balance and awkwardly, mouths open and groaning, towards you.
Friday, September 24, 2004
A World of Spain
How was the holiday?
Hmmmm... We were due to fly out Tuesday lunch time, but things didn't go to plan. India was repeatedly sick (and we're talking big person's sick) on the Friday night beforehand. I got it at 1.38 am Tuesday morning. And I got it bad. Hours of puking up replaced sleep. My body was wrecked. At 10.00 am the rest of my family departed for the airport, leaving me on the bathrrom floor. I managed to fly out Wednesday evening, keeping a firm grip on my bowels. Air pressure can do horrible things to a man who has a body that wants to expunge its gizzards by whatever outlet possible.
Vic came down with it on the Thursday and didn't leave the apartment for two and a half days.
Great start to a ten day holiday...
Apart from that things were good: The weather -- that can be very changable this time of year -- held out for all but one day. We were hit by four nights of electrical storms however -- amazing events, as L'Escala lies on a bay surrounded by hills, meaning that once a thunderstorm gets caught in the bay, it never escapes. It was like watching some sort of immense ethereal naval battle. At times the night sky was light up like the middle of the day.
Visted the Dali museum at Figueres -- his fine art is surprisingly superb. I'm used to seeing his cliched rubbery clocks and elephants on stilts and was pleasantly surprised by the vast scope of his other work. The gold gorilla skeleton by his bed was quite freaky. We also visited the sprawling Roman and Greek ruins of Empuiries too: I still don't get why the ancients were so obsessed with willies. If they weren't drinking out of willy-shaped goblets, their stonemasons were chiselling willy images into city walls.
We managed to catch up with some old friends who I hadn't seen for 6 and *12* years respectively. It's scary how people don't change: I few pounds heavier, different hair, wives and children, but that's it.
How was the holiday?
Hmmmm... We were due to fly out Tuesday lunch time, but things didn't go to plan. India was repeatedly sick (and we're talking big person's sick) on the Friday night beforehand. I got it at 1.38 am Tuesday morning. And I got it bad. Hours of puking up replaced sleep. My body was wrecked. At 10.00 am the rest of my family departed for the airport, leaving me on the bathrrom floor. I managed to fly out Wednesday evening, keeping a firm grip on my bowels. Air pressure can do horrible things to a man who has a body that wants to expunge its gizzards by whatever outlet possible.
Vic came down with it on the Thursday and didn't leave the apartment for two and a half days.
Great start to a ten day holiday...
Apart from that things were good: The weather -- that can be very changable this time of year -- held out for all but one day. We were hit by four nights of electrical storms however -- amazing events, as L'Escala lies on a bay surrounded by hills, meaning that once a thunderstorm gets caught in the bay, it never escapes. It was like watching some sort of immense ethereal naval battle. At times the night sky was light up like the middle of the day.
Visted the Dali museum at Figueres -- his fine art is surprisingly superb. I'm used to seeing his cliched rubbery clocks and elephants on stilts and was pleasantly surprised by the vast scope of his other work. The gold gorilla skeleton by his bed was quite freaky. We also visited the sprawling Roman and Greek ruins of Empuiries too: I still don't get why the ancients were so obsessed with willies. If they weren't drinking out of willy-shaped goblets, their stonemasons were chiselling willy images into city walls.
We managed to catch up with some old friends who I hadn't seen for 6 and *12* years respectively. It's scary how people don't change: I few pounds heavier, different hair, wives and children, but that's it.
