Life is like a box of chocolates

When the weather got cooler last week and I spotted leaves and conkers falling from the trees I started making preparations for autumn-cum-winter.  I put away the shorts and the flip-flops and got out last years jeans, jumpers and boots.  I got Phil to adjust the central heating programme and ordered me a new winter coat from La Redoute.  A couple of weeks ago I put away the patio chairs and was waiting for Phil to dismantle the patio table, I job I might add, that he didn’t get around too.   So I was a little surprised when the sun came out on Monday afternoon enabling me to cut the lawn in the back garden.  And yesterday it was hot too and the forecast this morning says the temperature today is going to reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  It’s bizarre, I’m not complaining but I just like to know where I stand so I can get the wardrobe department sorted; I write this now but it will probably snow at the weekend.  I hope not because my in-laws are off to Great Yarmouth on Saturday where they will be spending a week in a caravan along with their friend Gladys.

It’s been a funny old week with lots of odd jobs ticked off on the ‘to do’ list.  I’ve had the usual daily visits to the gym and was pleased with myself when I ran 7k on the treadmill on Monday morning; this is the longest I’ve run in one session in years.  On Monday afternoon I took myself to Dolland & Aitchison in the city centre for an eye test.  My last prescription said I didn’t need an eye until 2011 but I knew my eye sight had worsened and the test proved me right.  I gave the optician my glasses and just ordered replacement lenses but this still came out at 85 quid and this was for the basic standard glass with no fancy extras.   Still, I managed to wiggle out of the eye test fee of £27.50 so I mustn’t complain too much.  In the meantime I bought a cheapie pair of specs from Superdrug and hopefully my new prescription glasses should be in ready for Friday.  Fingers crossed!

I took 2 big boxes of mixed chocolates in to the agents after my workout on Monday as a thank you for securing a let on the TMA flat.  I spoke to both Rhys & Adam and both said they’ve had a couple of manic weeks.  Chocolate is always good on a Monday morning so I hope my chocs made their day a little sweeter.  Tuesday was a gentle day; I cooked up a batch load of Udon noodles with chicken and a lemon grass and ginger sauce before going to the gym.  Normally I’m not awake enough to cook first thing but yesterday morning I woke way before the alarm.  Unfortunately I also woke up Phil so he was not too happy.  At lunchtime I went to see Carmelo in Stony Stratford for a cut and finish, since having his baby daughter he seems to have lost his touch so I’m not sure I shall be going back there.  Emma has given me the name of her hairdressers so I’m definitely going to try her girlie next time round.

Harriet called from work to say that she had passed her PowerPoint exam, scoring 92% so well done HH.  She’s done really well in her efforts to achieve her ECDL certificate and has surprised even me.  I think she’s only got a couple more exams to do, so if she manages to complete the course it will give her another skill under her belt.  In the current recession you have to do everything you can to help your chances.   Speaking of which, I whacked out another job application to the OU on Monday evening just getting it in only a couple of days before the cut off date.  We shall see what this application brings.  I won’t be holding my breath.

Phil had a very long day on Monday and didn’t get in the door until gone half past seven.  He wasn’t too bad yesterday morning but he was moaning about tiredness when the alarm went off today.   It looks like that he shall have to put in some hours on Friday so I’m probably going down with him to Abingdon tomorrow.

Yesterday I went to Dunelm’s for a second visit; I’d spotted some rather pretty mugs and placemats from the ‘Poppy’ range just by the tills and couldn’t resist myself.   Of course, I didn’t really need these but sometimes it’s nice to chop and change and my old stuff always ends up in one flat or another so it’s not really surplice to requirements.

It was an exciting day for Phil yesterday because the new iPhone4 that he’d only ordered the day before from Mr Tesco was delivered.  Actually, that isn’t strictly true; Parcel Force tried to deliver when I was out and about and had taken the new phone to the post office in Newport Pagnell.  The card said wait a day before trying to collect but I took my chances and as luck would have it, the parcel was ready and waiting for me to sign and take home.  Needless to say all of yesterday evening was spent charging, playing and exploring.  What is it with boys and new toys ????????

I don’t begrudge Phil his new phone because his old one was really crap but we had to get a new boiler fitted in a flat yesterday so that’s going to cost a pretty penny or two.   We are going to have to watch the pennies for a while, I just hope Phil can work a few more weeks in Abingdon although I’m pretty he doesn’t! 

Phil mentioned in his weird and wonderful blog last week that I follow many blogs.   I don’t follow THAT many but there are a few that I follow religiously and am very loyal too.   My fellow bloggers have been a little lazy lately and I’ve been disappointed when I’ve clicked in to check for new postings and there haven’t been any.  I was excited last weekend to see that Vanessa had posted journals and photo’s from her Kilimanjaro trip; it was reading The Ford Family in New Zealand that first gave me the inspiration to start our first blog in Goa. 

One blog that I’ve been following for nearly 10 years is Frank and Joan in Northern Cyprus.  Actually they’ve recently moved to France and will be starting a new blog but that’s not set up yet and I read yesterday that they’re currently on holiday in Spain.  Frank normally blogs every couple of days but he hasn’t posted in over a week and I’m beginning to worry.  I guess he’s in transit and as I know only too well, trying to get internet connection whilst on the road, can be very difficult.   I hope he posts an update soon; I’m itching to know what’s going on.  Yesterday was a good day for my fellow bloggers; Attack of the Redneck Mommy had posted and also there was a recent posting on Diary of a Desperate Exmoor Housewife, so that was a good result.  I spent an hour or so surfing for new blogs to follow and with Alan very much on my mind I somehow got caught up with kidney cancer blogs definitely not good for the soul.   And Sue, if you're reading this, just don’t got there, at least not until you know just exactly what you’re dealing with. 

Yesterday afternoon I found myself home alone (no change there) so decided to take myself to the cinema, I know this was very indulgent but I didn’t want to sit alone in my kitchen with my thoughts and besides Tuesday is bargain bucket ticket price day.  I watched the 3.30 showing of ‘The Kid’ which is based on a true story.  Phil watched it with G on Sunday and said the film was very depressing and he was right.   It was an extremely thought provoking film that stayed with me all evening and I guess the message that the producer wanted to make is that life can be violent and brutally hard but it is possible to overcome and triumph over adversity. The next film that I can't wait to watch is ‘EAT LOVE PRAY’ starring Julia Roberts which is released on Friday.  I promised I’d go with Christine to see it but she’s away for the weekend and I just know that I won’t be able to wait until she returns.

I have not had a great start to the day.  Opting to go back to my bed after Phil left this morning has made me very late.   I fancied poach egg on toast for breakfast as a change from fruit and yogurt.  Phil normally cooks the eggs when we have this so I wasn’t sure how to make poached eggs.  I looked it up on the internet and it said pop an egg in a dish and put in the microwave for 1 minute.  This seemed easy enough however what I hadn’t factored in is that my microwave is really powerful so my egg exploded after only 40 seconds!  It was still edible but it’s made a right mess of the microwave. Late, late, late, I should make haste and publish this posting, get dressed and start my Wednesday.  And who knows what the day will bring.  As Forrest Gump says “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gonna get”.