Brains, Brains

Picked up from Mah Sweet Georgia Rose - and seen on a bazillion blogs including our Lady Daisy, Uisce, Le Laquet and Dawnie..it MUST be the Queen's turn!

BLUE:

At work or in school: I like to be with people, sharing with them, inspiring them, and helping them. I work and learn best when I can take into consideration people and the human element. I flourish in an atmosphere of cooperation.

With friends: I always look for perfect love. I am very romantic, and I enjoy doing thoughtful things for others. I am affectionate, supportive and a good listener.

With family: I like to be happy and loving. I am very sensitive to rejection from my family and to family conflicts. I really like to be well thought of and need frequent reassurance. I love intimate talks and warm feelings.

Nice, but I sound a bit of a wuss.......

What Color is Your Brain?
brought to you by Quizilla

and like Joe from Joe Versus the Volcano, I also have a brain cloud - some interesting words in there........

Most recently seen on Mah Blogsistah's blog :-)

cq

Monday Memory - Mr Morecambe

Bring me Sunshine, in your smile,
Bring me Laughter, all the while,
In this world where we live, there should be more happiness,
So much joy you can give, to each brand new bright tomorrow,
Make me happy, through the years,
Never bring me, any tears,
Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above,
Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love.

Bring me Sunshine, in your eyes,
Bring me rainbows, from the skies,
Life's too short to be spent having anything but fun,
We can be so content, if we gather little sunbeams,
Be light-hearted, all day long,
Keep me singing, happy songs,
Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above,
Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love.

Words - Sylvia Dee, Music - Arthur Kent

I love the words of this song - so evocative.

Long gone and still sorely missed.....Eric Morecambe 1926 - 1984

And why British comedy legend Eric Morecambe? I have a CD of oldies in the car and this one keeps on playing....... :-)

cq

Afternoon at the Aginoths

Cyberkitten and I are comfortably ensconced in the Aginoth household. Mr and Mrs A are off to a re-enctment fair and we are babysitting for the afternoon. Aginoth Jnr is playing his gameboy and we are treated to a stream of constant commentary at high volume as he's wearing his headphones! LMB is taking 'photos' of everyone and reading cool books with Cyberkitten. And I am off up the wooden hill to wake LMD from her afternoon nap [looks nervous]. Will she love me or hate me today?

2nd instalment: LMD is awake - and amazingly placid; a clean nappy will do that! We are all sitting watching Monsters Inc, LMD on the floor watching and playing, LMB snuggling with Cyberkitten transfixed by Sully, and Aginoth Jnr is torn between his gameboy and the film.....
Happiness is a Pixar film :-)

Dinner was a bit of a minefield - I didn't realise how big a lunch Mummy had done, but with all three refusing food, it soon became obvious they were all full. But they still got their Smarties, because they all ate something.

Then we all settled down to Ice Age (yup, more Pixar!) and snuggles while we waited for Mummy and Daddy to come home.

A successful afternoon all in all :-)

cq

Link Whore

Cruising my blogroll the other day, I found loads of cool stuff in the blogosphere. I wouldn't have time to take part in all the fun convos and quizzes, but there might be something here that you enjoy.

Le Laquet found a page on Wikipedia where you enter your birthdate and it generates a fantastic list of happenings, births, deaths etc that occurred on your big day! Mine has lots of cool stuff....like I share a birthday with Ralph Macchio and Matthew McConaughey (one older and one younger!) [dribble]

Cin has a blog on what colour your brain is! Nervous about doing this one, desperately want it to be purple, think it's gonna come out black!

Courtney has a cool post on sloganising your name! Mine came up as 'I'd Walk a Mile for a Craziequeen.' - how true!

dave is currently posting the most incredible pictures taken from the Hubble telescope - what would we have done without this miracle of modern technology?

Mah Blogsistah Dawn and her beloved fiance are currently making wedding plans, you can see their desired location on her blog - looks fantastic, and I think she should go 'Victorian'! :-)



Our Sweet OldOldLady is rushed off her little feet atm with all things STAGE. She has taken time out to blog even on her progress, with a little help from Mr Sweetie! And, of course, her 'Walks' are proving to be immensely popular.......

Jean-Luc's Weekend Question this week is what novel didn't you finish and why...so many unfinished novels in my life!

In her latest diary entry, June introduces us to the impressive Irma Brown (please note this is a satirical sketch, this blog does not condone beating children - much :-))

Killired has an interesting post on 'What's Your Life's Themesong? Apparently mine is '(There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me' by Sandie Shaw or 'Baby Love by the Supremes. Oh dear, neither one of my favourites.......... :-(

Kross-Eyed Kitty takes us on a tour of her neighbourhood in Toronto. This is a new thing, spawned by the previously mentioned and much adored OldOldLady. Unfortunately, my neighbourhood is not quite so photogenic...but I might try it sometime....

The Delightful Deni is taking part in the 'Best of Bad Art' competition.......go have a look - but don't have nightmares!

As for LazyDaisy, what is this busy woman NOT doing! Daisy is Rumour Central for the BlogOlympics and she does her job very well! Even I have had a mention or two!

Thumper is going full steam ahead, flogging books, t'shirts, all manner of things. [whisper] I have ordered her books in omnibus (and signed!) form :-)

WOW! I picked up a silver button in the BlogOlympic Training Camp! How'd I manage that, you ask? Well, here is where you will find all the answers, while we wait keenly for Barbara's return!

My old Blogmate Uisce is heading off on holiday (yes, again!), so thing's will be quiet from the whiskey tumbler for a while :-)

Poor Wendy is struggling with Blog Ethics - to link or not to link.....

And our Sweet Georgia YellowRose gets a mention for the simple reason that she's home after a stressful time with her dad being poorly. And she has the COOLEST blog music - I must ask her how she puts music on her blog....

So much more happening out there in blogland than this little glimpse and so little going on at the Palace - so, it's over to my faithful Crazie Court........

cq

Audience Participation Week

It's Audience Participation Week here at the palace! Wordless Wednesday will return next week........

OK, so someone in my office has been incredibly quick off the mark and asked me the $6M question - what am I doing for my leaving do?

Other than bowling or a meal, I have no idea.......that's where the audience participation comes in....

I need ideas! Come on all you Party Hearty Bloggers........I need ideas!

Update: in the true tradition of the office leaving do, each person normally pays their own way. It is normally not held in an individual's home, and usually involves lots of alcohol. Oh, and there will be about 50 people.......!

Our office have had, recently; pub crawls, sports afternoon on the local common with picnic, golfing afternoon and the next one scheduled is an evening at a comedy club. I threatened to take them horseback riding!!

I have since been asked by another colleague about the 'do' and she sounded quite keen about tenpin bowling (still reasonably new here in England).

I have also submitted this as a Question from a Blogger to Michele (her of the lovely legs).

This post will remain at the top for a couple of days while you all think of fun things for my leaving party. Read on down for new posts.

cq

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Authors I Love

1. Nelson DeMille - General's Daughter/Lion's Game/Nightfall and many others. An excellent thriller writer, well researched, some based on his own experiences. If you want a really thrilling ride, read Up Country, his own cartharsis!

2. Clive Cussler - too many to mention and Sahara! An experienced diver and adventure seeker, Clive runs the real life NUMA. His books are a thrill a minute rollercoaster rides with, amongst others, a definitive 'Hero' (Dirk Pitt), sidekick (Al Giordino) and crusty boss (Admiral Sandecker). And Mr Cussler turns up in all his books too with small cameos!

3. Jung Chang - Unusually at the top of the list on the strength of one book. Her second book, Mao, is out in paperback shortly, but so far, she only has Wild Swans to her credit. What a book! Three generations of Chinese history seen through the eyes of her grandmother, mother and self! Read it - I dare you not to cry.....and laugh....and recoil in horror.

4. Dan Brown - yep, him of Da Vinci Code fame. Don't just read that, read Angels and Demons, Digital Fortress and Deception Point too. Really well researched books, based on myth and science, playing with our deepest beliefs, questioning our faiths and entertaining us as well. And coming soon (I'm going blue from holding my breath!) Solomon Key!

5. Lee Child - An Englishman living in America and embracing the American Dream with his All American Hero, Jack Reacher. The film rights to the latest book have been sold. These are easy to read, exciting thrillers.

6. Matthew Reilly - more shoot-'em-ups. Action-packed (literally) books with, again, a definitive hero (actually he has two heroes ongoing). His first book was raw, Contest, but he is learning as he goes along. A cliffhanger episode King!

7. PJ Tracy - murder most foul. And written by a Mother/Daughter team thousands of miles apart. Excellent murder mysteries and a must for whodunnit fans. Red herrings and false trails abound in these books.

8. CJ Sansom - a new one! 'Dark Fire' and 'Dissolution' - whodunnit thrillers set in the reign of Henry VIII. Don't be put off, Sansom has the gift of putting his readers right in the era without long wordy descriptions.

9. Lincoln Child - another newbie; 'Utopia' and 'DeathMatch'. Oustanding mystery writer with a flair for the unusual.

10. Mo Hayder - started with gruesome murder mysteries 'Birdman' and 'The Treatment', covering necrophilia and paedophilia, then blew her readers out of the water with Tokyo, an exceptionally strong, well written mystery story wrapped around the Rape of Nanking.

11. Alexander McCall Smith - Adorable books, of which my favourite are the No1 Ladies Detective Agency (run by Mma Ramotswe) series. This is a man with his finger on the pulse of his story, whether it be in Africa or Scotland. Wonderful books to 'run away' with :-)

12. Maeve Binchy - an enchanting Irish writer who can convey the sweetest stories to paper, making her characters well-rounded and loveable.

13. Finally, my weakness, my family saga author. Mary Jane Staples, creator of the Adams family of Walworth. We have followed this family through over fifty years, two wars and numerous births, deaths and marriages. I'm not now a big fan of family sagas, but the Adams family has caught my heart and I eagerly buy each new book.

So there you are, my favourite authors. Some mysterious, some grisly, some entertaining and some challenging.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. kdubs

2. wendy

3. Daisy

4. Uisce

5. Mrs Aginoth

6. SleepyPete

7. YellowRose

8. Ivoryfrog

9. Killired

10. MamaB

11. Mar

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

That 'Gay Cowboy Movie' SCOOPED........

The BAFTAs

[and my reactions]

ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP
Lord David Puttnam
[long overdue!]


BEST FILM

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - Diana Ossana/James Schamus
CAPOTE - Caroline Baron/William Vince/Michael Ohoven
THE CONSTANT GARDENER - Simon Channing Williams
CRASH - Cathy Schulman/Don Cheadle/Bob Yari
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK. - Grant Heslov
[woo hoo! This got me out of my chair yelling!]

THE ALEXANDER KORDA AWARD for the Outstanding British Film of the Year

A COCK & BULL STORY - Andrew Eaton/Michael Winterbottom/Martin Hardy
THE CONSTANT GARDENER - Simon Channing Williams/Fernando Meirelles/Jeffrey Caine
FESTIVAL - Christopher Young/Annie Griffin
PRIDE & PREJUDICE - Tim Bevan/Eric Fellner/Paul Webster/Joe Wright/Deborah Moggach
WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT - Claire Jennings/David Sproxton/Nick Park/Steve Box/Mark Burton/Bob Baker
[at the risk of being non-patriotic - this was a no-brainer!]

THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer in their First Feature Film

DAVID BELTON (Producer) - Shooting Dogs
PETER FUDAKOWSKI (Producer) - Tsotsi
ANNIE GRIFFIN (Director/Writer) - Festival
RICHARD HAWKINS (Director) - Everything
JOE WRIGHT (Director) - Pride & Prejudice
[did Chandler/Snoopy dance at this point - exellent job by young Joe!]

THE DAVID LEAN AWARD for Achievement in Direction

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - Ang Lee
CAPOTE - Bennett Miller
THE CONSTANT GARDENER - Fernando Meirelles
CRASH - Paul Haggis
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK. - George Clooney
[no surprises here - yippee-do-dah!]

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

CINDERELLA MAN - Cliff Hollingsworth/Akiva Goldsman
CRASH - Paul Haggis/Bobby Moresco
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK. - George Clooney/Grant Heslov
HOTEL RWANDA - Keir Pearson/Terry George
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS - Martin Sherman
[Hard for me to call, as I haven't seen any of them {sheepish look}]

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - Larry McMurtry/Diana Ossana
CAPOTE - Dan Futterman
THE CONSTANT GARDENER - Jeffrey Caine
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE - Josh Olson
PRIDE & PREJUDICE - Deborah Moggach
[didjer know (cos I didn't til much later) that this was a SHORT story by Annie Proulx??]

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

DAVID STRATHAIRN - Good Night, And Good Luck.
HEATH LEDGER - Brokeback Mountain
JOAQUIN PHOENIX - Walk the Line
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN - Capote
RALPH FIENNES - The Constant Gardener
[SO wanted Heath to get this - he earned it! Meh, maybe at the Oscars!]

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

CHARLIZE THERON - North Country
JUDI DENCH - Mrs. Henderson Presents
RACHEL WEISZ - The Constant Gardener
REESE WITHERSPOON - Walk the Line
ZIYI ZHANG - Memoirs of a Geisha
[shoulda been Ziyi Zhang - that girl was magical!]

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

DON CHEADLE - Crash
GEORGE CLOONEY - Good Night, And Good Luck.
GEORGE CLOONEY - Syriana
JAKE GYLLENHAAL - Brokeback Mountain
MATT DILLON - Crash
[yells, screams and cries - FABULOUSO!]

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

BRENDA BLETHYN - Pride & Prejudice
CATHERINE KEENER - Capote
FRANCES McDORMAND - North Country
MICHELLE WILLIAMS - Brokeback Mountain
THANDIE NEWTON - Crash
[sorry Thandie, but it shoulda been Brenda!]

THE ANTHONY ASQUITH AWARD for Achievement in Film Music

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - Gustavo Santaolalla
THE CONSTANT GARDENER - Alberto Iglesias
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - John Williams
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS - George Fenton
WALK THE LINE - T Bone Burnett
[perfect - the score underlined and accentuated the film beautifully]

CINEMATOGRAPHY

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - Rodrigo Prieto
THE CONSTANT GARDENER - César Charlone
CRASH - J Michael Muro
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS - Laurent Chalet/Jerôme Maison
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - Dion Beebe
[again, perfect choice - wonderful cinematography........you were really THERE!]

EDITING

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - Geraldine Peroni/Dylan Tichenor
THE CONSTANT GARDENER - Claire Simpson
CRASH - Hughes Winborne
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK. - Stephen Mirrione
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS - Sabine Emiliani
[huh? What? I meanter say - what?? Over the penguins??]

PRODUCTION DESIGN

BATMAN BEGINS - Nathan Crowley
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY - Alex McDowell
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE - Stuart Craig
KING KONG - Grant Major
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - John Myhre
[no comment :-)]

COSTUME DESIGN

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY - Gabriella Pescucci
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE - Isis Mussenden
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - Colleen Atwood
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS - Sandy Powell
PRIDE & PREJUDICE - Jacqueline Durran
[toughie, all excellent examples of the work of costume departments!]

SOUND

BATMAN BEGINS - David G Evans/Stefan Henrix/Peter Lindsay
THE CONSTANT GARDENER - Joakim Sundström/Stuart Wilson/Michael Prestwood Smith/Sven Taits
CRASH - Richard Van Dyke/Sandy Gendler/Adam Jenkins/Marc Fishman
KING KONG - Hammond Peek/Christopher Boyes/Mike Hopkins/ Ethan Van der Ryn
WALK THE LINE - Paul Massey/D M Hemphill/Peter F Kurland/Donald Sylvester
[can't go wrong with the Man's work, really]

ACHIEVEMENT IN SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

BATMAN BEGINS - Janek Sirrs/Dan Glass/Chris Corbould/Paul Franklin
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY - Nick Davis/Jon Thum/Chas Jarrett/Joss Williams
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE - Dean Wright/Bill Westenhofer/Jim Berney/Scott Farrar
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE - Jim Mitchell/John Richardson/Tim Webber/Tim Alexander
KING KONG - Joe Letteri/Christian Rivers/Brian Van't Hul/Richard Taylor
[I seriously debated changing channels when this was announced over NARNIA!]

MAKE UP & HAIR

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY - Peter Owen/Ivana Primorac
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE - Howard Berger/Gregory Nicotero/Nikki Gooley
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE - Nick Dudman/Amanda Knight/Eithne Fennell
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - Noriko Watanabe/Kate Biscoe/Lyndell Quiyou/Kelvin R Trahan
PRIDE & PREJUDICE - Fae Hammond
[incredibly difficult to choose - all excellent - except for Hairy Potty (as it was accidentally dubbed on the night!)]

THE ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD
James McAvoy
[the first award of the night, and the most touching one - as a normally reserved James made his stumbled speech]

© British Academy of Film and Television Arts 2005 Created by Souk Digital
All awards can be seen here.

cq

[waves]

yoo hoo! I'm back! Thanks to cyberkitten for posting my messages and keeping the Court informed! CK - I would suggest you keep my log-in for a bit, just in case!

Can't keep a good queen down. Basic service atm with a cobbled PC and joint account. Ah, I miss my very own account - and I can't seem to find all my files.

But MB worked hard and late last night trying to get us back online. He came home to a very depressed CQ yesterday who was missing her blogbuddies. Normally it wouldn't be SO bad 'cos I have internet at work, but being stuck at home meant no communication at all.

So - update:

Job: I am thrilled (and somewhat surprised!) that I got the job. I thought I was terrible in the interview. The job is Assistant Health and Safety Advisor for the site I currently work on (no more information on work - it's 18a secret! shh). I should be in my new job in about four weeks!

Sicknote: I'm still off for a week. I have cut back my painkillers as one of the side-effects was I was sleeping about 18 hours a day. So more pain, but less total fatigue. And now I can pinpoint the pain more accurately and also be more definite about what hurts and what doesn't. Sitting for long periods hurts, bending over hurts, picking up things really hurts and getting in and out of the car is very painful atm. Oh, and as I discovered yesterday - sitting at a table doing jigsaws is off the scale!

MRI finding: Ah, the wonders of the NHS. I have a gynae appointment to discuss the MRI results and findings on the 9 May. 10 weeks, not bad I guess. But at least I don't have to turn up with my cheque book in my hand and a spare coupla grand in the bank!

Boo: No, not the shout, but my precious goddaughter. Thousands of miles away with her mum (my absolute girlfriend, silentmum!) they rang me this weekend and Boo serenaded me with Lullaby of Broadway. She is attending a stageschool and I thought her seven-year old voice has great potential. She can find a note and hold it - without accompaniment! Needless to say, the rendition reduced me to floods of tears. I tried to explain to silentmum; when Boo was a baby, I used to dream of watching or listening to her doing this kind of stuff, then sweeping her into my arms to congratulate her and tell her how wonderful she is. Not so easy at 5,000 miles.......

Anyway, that's enough from me for now..

cq

Good news, Bad news

First the Good news - CQ told me this morning that the job interview went somewhat better than she thought. She got the job! Well Done CQ.

The Bad news - CQ is still off-line with computer difficulties, but should be back on air soon.

Don't touch that Web Browser.

A Break in Service

CQ's computer is off-line ATM. Normal service will be resumed as soon as technically possible.

This has been a Public Webcast Announcement on behalf of CQ.

Personality Disorder Test Results

Please remember that this test isn't meant to diagnose you. Only a professional can do that. Below are your test results, broken down for the ten different personality disorders. You are rated "low," "moderate," "high," or "very high" probability for each disorder. Low or moderate ratings mean that you are unlikely to have the disorder. High or very high means you are more likely to have the disorder. Only a professional can diagnose a disorder, however.

Disorder	Rating
Paranoid Disorder:	Moderate
Schizoid Disorder:	Moderate
Schizotypal Disorder:	High
Antisocial Disorder:	Low
Borderline Disorder:	Moderate
Histrionic Disorder:	Moderate
Narcissistic Disorder:	Moderate
Avoidant Disorder:	Very High
Dependent Disorder:	Moderate
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:	Low
More on: Schizotypal Disorder Avoidant Disorder -- Personality Disorder Test - Take It! -- -- Personality Disorders --

Found on Fluke's blog. With mental illness in my family, I was curious....however the results are NOT very surprising.....

cq

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things about Interviews

1. Isn't it awful when you forget everything?

2. No matter how much you read, you don't know what they are going to ask.

3. They say 'smart but be comfortable' - yeah right!

4. My last four interviews have been with people I know - I hate that.

5. You always leave an interview feeling desperate.

6. You usually remember half a dozen answers on the way home!

7. A bad back and pain medication does NOT help performance in an interview.

8. 'Would you like some water?' 'yes, please, just lace it with arsenic and save us all the trouble!'

9. I have been diagnosed 'interview phobic' and we make up 1 in 10 of the population.

10. In order to get anywhere you have to be interviewed.....

11. I used to drink myself into oblivion after interviews - one particularly bad one led to a three day binge! Now, it would appear........I blog!

12. So - did I get the job?

13. [waits for phone to ring]




Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. kdubs

2. wendy

3. Daisy

4. Uisce

5. Shelli

6. Kimmy

7. Mar

8. Scouser

9. Mrs Aginoth

10. Aginoth

11. Mama B

12. Jake Silver

13. fauve

14. Jen

15. 'D'

16. Nello

17. Jade

18. Killired

19. Karen

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesdays

If you're playing along let me know in the comments and I'll link you up!

It's easy - just post a picture! The one day of the week when a wordy post is not required. It can be anything, travel, family, jokes, some way of illustrating your mood/achievement/status.

:-)

Other Wordless Wednesdays
kdubs
Wendy
Uisce
Courtney
Melissa
MamaB
Alison

cq

BlogOlympics

Call me Crazie (call me anything - but just CALL ME!!), but I am taking part in the Training Camp for the 2007 BlogOlympics. My performance in the training camp will determine if I am of a calibre to challenge Running2Ks and Uisce for the medals in 2007!

I have started well, with plenty of rumour and innuendo on Daisy's Log (well, she IS the official rumour-monger!). Of course, I have a worthy opponent for the role of Blogger Behaving Badly in Shelli! It has been reported that former Olympian Uisce has taken out a restraining order on myself and Shelli.......these reporters get everything wrong these days!

Also, stories are flying around that Killired is rumoured to have had finger extensions in preparation for the Olympics. Apparently the hot-pink digit bandages are a give-away! Pink, honestly......I would go for purple, myself.....

BlogOlympics' trusty and intrepid reporter is our very own WendyWings
[whispers] remember Wendy, $5 each time you mention my name! [snigger]

I have sharpened my skills with the BlogOlympic Quiz and managed a reputable 20/28 - not bad for a first-timer! Not only that, but I have registered with EgoSurf (icon to your right) which finds a blog ranking in Google (and other search engines).

Watch out, Uisce - here I come :-) Now, if only I knew what I'd let myself in for!

Check out the BlogOlympics at Daisy's Place, Wendy's Reports or Blogger Olympic Headquarters!!

Training Camp kicks off at 2200hrs EST 15 Feb (0300hrs 16 Feb here in the UK), so watch those dials, tune in and cheer us on.....

And now, if you cast your glance to the right....down a bit.....a bit more.......yep, lower........you can see the BlogOlympic Blogroll! SO many people!

cq

Ring graphics courtesy of Carrie of Cze-Johnson Fever

A Valentine's Message

RAINBOWS

If I could catch a rainbow
I would do it just for you.
And share with you it's beauty
On the days you're feeling blue.
If I could build a mountain
You could call your very own.
A place to find serenity
A place to be alone.
If I could take your troubles
I would toss them in the sea.
But all these things I'm finding
are impossible for me,
I cannot build a mountain
Or catch a rainbow fair

But let me be...what I know best,
a friend that's always there.

~Khahlil Gibran~

Happy Valentine's Day to all my blogger friends!

update - no flowers at the Palace today. But I hobbled to the supermarket to get MB a treat of steak for dinner.......ah well.......

Love

cq

Monday Memory

A story from my storystore that just happens to be completely true...

Sugar was a cat. Nothing special, just a black cat with large green eyes that peered out from under shaggy eyebrows. She was lying in the long grass in the sweltering heat, too feeble to move and meowing pitifully at anyone who passed as if crying out for help. How long she had lain there with selfish, thoughtless humans passing her by was not known. She occasionally lifted herself onto her front paws as if trying to get up and free herself from her torment.

I met Sugar on my way from work and fell in love with her at first glance. Her green eyes seemed to be begging me to help her, and she was crying in pain. My heart turned over as I bent down to stroke her. Her fur was matted and underneath the sorry black coat I could feel every rib and count every vertebra. She was just skin and bone and as I moved my hands gently down her flanks I, in my ignorance, concluded that she must have been a female cat and heavily pregnant. I could feel no movement in her swollen belly and surmised that no kittens could have survived the torture that had taken its toll on that young body.

I was torn in two. I could not possibly leave the cat in such pain, but perhaps she had an owner who was looking for her at that very moment. I ran my hand over her flanks one more time and made up my mind. She was badly emaciated and very pregnant and it was fairly obvious that nobody cared about her. I gently lifted her and carefully carried her home, and as I walked I murmured gentle words of comfort to ease the cat’s distress. She laid her head on my shoulder and, although she gave the odd pained cry, I could tell she was grateful as she attempted to purr.

Once home I gave her a saucer of milk from which she only took a couple sips before settling down on an old blanket I had found and watching me, ears pricked – well, as pricked as she could manage. Now that she was relaxed and fairly comfortable with sustenance within easy reach I could think out my next move. Not much thinking was required to pick up the phone and ring the person who would give the best advice - my mother.She advised I should ring a vet to get the cat checked over and do whatever was necessary. The first vet that I picked out of the book was very understanding and told me to bring the cat straight in. I called a taxi and prepared a box. The little cat watched me and I looked into her green eyes – oh, such trusting eyes – and then picked her up and laid her in the box, stroking her and letting her know that I cared and that, in her moment of need, someone was there to help her.

After what, in the cat’s mind, must have been a hellish ten minutes in the taxi we arrived at the surgery and the vet was as good as her word and saw her immediately.The vet had very bad news for me. The cat was not female at all, but a tomcat. He was about two years old and a fine looking cat, who unfortunately was dying a long and painful death. He had a fatal case of FIP, Feline Intestinal Peritonitis, which would kill him soon and in great pain. Euthanasia seemed to be the only answer to ease his agony. I checked that I could not help him by taking him home and nursing him back to health. The vet said the disease was too advanced and nothing could be done to cure him.With a heavy heart I signed the consent form and then I kissed the cat. As I stroked him, he lay down as if he knew what was coming and he welcomed that peace that death would bring to his pain-wracked body and troubled mind. He looked trustingly up into my eyes and I could have sworn he was thanking me. I kept stroking him; not wanting to leave him, although I knew it was best for him. I looked deep into his eyes and then I knew I was glad that I had not left him to suffer alone, and that he had known love and trust before he passed to that better place where he was assuredly bound. I had no doubt that a place would be reserved in Heaven for him, he was such a loving cat and had missed out on so much love in return.

I knew I had to leave him and the vet was so kind. She sympathised with me and let me stay a while to make up to the little cat all the love he had missed out on. Then I tore myself away from those love-filled eyes and opened the door. A thought occurred to me and I turned back to the vet."By the way, his name is Sugar. I called him Sugar and he seems to like it."
The vet smiled and nodded, I closed the door on Sugar and went home.
‘And now these three things remain;
faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
’1 Cor 13:13

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Links to other Monday Memories:
Running2Ks
Uisce
Norma
kdubs
LadyBug
Courtney
Renee
Shelli
(If you participate, drop me a line in the comments & I'll link you up)

Ho Hum Doldrums

Well, I went to work this morning - correction, I struggled in the car and then hobbled into work. A week's rest had lulled me into a false sense of healing........

Oh, the PAIN! Couldn't concentrate, was tearful........

So off I hobbled back to the doctor. We had a little chat, she told me off for going to work, I countered by saying 'but the 'bad back' thing is SO abused!' She said 'you don't have a bad back, you have an injury - BIG difference.' and handed me a sicknote for another two weeks and a new script for painkillers.

So here I am again.
Cyberkitten? Can you lend me some books????

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2nd option

And this is the second option. I'm thinking this might make the blog easier to read.

I understand these changes can't be seen in Firefox - I don't know why. If anyone can shed any light, please let me know.....

What do you think? scribbles or stars? :-)

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What do YOU think?

This will stay at the top until tomorrow's selection.....but read on down for new posts!

In the course of 'refining' my blog, I have narrowed it down to a couple of backgrounds and I can't decide.....

So you get to!

Today's background is stars on purple.

Come back tomorrow to see the other one :-)

Let me know what you think :-D

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The Classic Dames Test

Found on Jean-Luc's blog (careful their HTML doesn't work!)

The Classic Dames Test

You're Carole Lombard

You scored 19% grit, 9% wit, 42% flair, and 42% class!

You're a little bit of a fruitcake, but you always act out in style. You have a good sense of humor, are game for almost anything, but you like to have nice things about you and are attracted to the high life.
You're stylish and modern, but you've got a few rough edges that keep you from attaining true sophistication.
Your leading men include William Powell [winks at Jean-Luc], Fredric March, and Clark Gable.
Watch out for small planes.

Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test

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The Good And The Bad.

The Good, Karolina Mikolajewska:
A compassionate appeal for money to fly home the body of a Polish woman who was murdered in Bristol recently has raised almost £10,000.
Karolina Mikolajewska, 20, had come to England to earn money to send back to her sick parents.
Ms Mikolajewska, 20, was found dead in a flat in Patchway.
Remaining monies will go to Karolina's mother who requires an operation.
Ms Mikolajewska had been working as a care worker in South Gloucestershire for three weeks before she died.

The Bad, Michael Carroll:
A £9.7m National Lottery jackpot winner has been jailed for nine months after admitting affray and threatening teenagers with a baseball bat.
Former dustman Michael Carroll, 22, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court, after he pleaded guilty in January.
Carroll and three friends barged into a Christian concert at Downham Market town hall in May 2004.
Two of the concert-goers required hospital treatment.
Sentencing Carroll and David Howard, Judge Jacobs said: "You went along to exact some form of retribution.
"A large number of people were terrified about what went on. This sort of behaviour cannot be tolerated."
The court heard that Carroll has 42 previous offences recorded since 1997.
On Friday, he told BBC Look East that he has spent £1.2m over the last few years on cocaine, but he now "deeply regrets" doing so.
He says he has not touched drugs for four months.
Interviewed in June last year, Carroll said he was changing his ways and that calling him a "lout" was wrong.
"I don't want to go back to prison," Carroll told a BBC journalist. "I have turned over a new leaf and want to get on the straight and narrow path."

Human nature, eh?

She has nothing and is killed trying to help those worse off than herself.

He has everything and still is a thug......

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Update

OK, I've been back about a week - so where are we now?

New design blog - work in progress.......love DIY HTML - not! :-S

Back is still very painful and I think from the shooting pains there is some nerve damage at the base of my spine, but at least nothing was broken.

Waiting for my gynae referral, the doc said it could be a couple of weeks. It sure answers that abdominal pain I've been getting.

Got a claim form from the insurance company today - I don't know how to fill it in, they paid the hospital direct.

And if none of this makes ANY sense, check out my Bavaria Scrapbook over there.........yep, just look to the right........down a bit.........there :-)

Disastrous trips - always good for a laugh!

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Bloglift

As some of you might be aware, I am playing with customising (in the smallest possible ways!) my blog.

The last template was just too restrictive, so I am going to change templates. This may mean that some bits and bobs may disappear briefly, but I hope to have Normal Service Resumed as soon as possible.

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Mirror Universe Thursday Thirteen

Smug Bloggers R Us - time to balance things out with Thirteen Things I CAN'T DO! 1. Ski - no-brainer that one.....! 2. Sew. 3. Knit. 4. Cook. 5. Use lifts - claustrophobia. 6. Play complex computer games. 7. Speak German. 8. Walk on snow without falling over. 9. Paint - walls or art! 10. Eat meat - raging vegetarian. 11. Drink wine - allergies. 12. Go near or touch mice/rats/hamsters etc 13. Go places alone - I usually have to have MB or cyberkitten around for support. Ha! The first one sounded SO smug and made me look cool..... I ain't [snigger] cq

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things I CAN DO! I just sent a letter to everyone involved in the hospital debacle last week, thanking them for the care they showed. I received this response: 'Please thank her very much for the letter, its appreciated and hope she tries skiing again, its not all bad!!!!' This set me thinking to think of things I can do - or have done. Better than sitting depressing over the things I can't do! 1. I can ride a horse. I started riding at about 9 and gave up after a couple of nasty falls at 16. I have since found I can still ride - with some skill! 2. I can sail. Again, started sailing as a small child and stopped during my teens. But the basics stay with you. 3. I have abseiled. Not one of my favourite things, but I have done it! 4. I can shoot! Trained by an Army marksman, I turned out to be rather good with a gun! 5. I used to do archery. Fantastic sport which I took up at school and during holidays. 6. I can ride a bike. Doesn't sound much, but my mum never got the knack! 7. I can speak French - although last week I was kinda wishing I'd done German instead of Latin at school! 8. I can follow the instructions on flat-packed furniture - I believe I am only one of a handful in the world that can do that! 9. I fixed the TV when I was only 12. Although that showed initiative and logic, I did not become an electrician! 10. I can drum up a tune on a piano! 11. I used to play the viola and the violin. 12. I can act........ 13. I can sing........ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! Uisce Mrs Aginoth Mar Lazy Daisy Killired WendyWings Shelli Janne Kimmy Chickadee Erin eric fauve Trinity13 Better Safe than Sorry Lindsey cq

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

What Winter Sport Are You?

You Are Curling

What you lack in athleticism, you make up for in concentration. And while curling isn't much more of a sport than bowling, you *can* win a gold medal for it!

What Winter Sport Are You?

aha! So that's where I went wrong.......!! jeez, thank god it didn't come out as skiing!

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Wordless Wednesdays

If you're playing along -- theme or no theme -- let me know in the comments and I'll link you up!

It's easy - just post a picture!
The one day of the week when a wordy post is not required.
It can be anything, travel, family, jokes, some way of illustrating your mood/achievement/status.
This week, some are concentrating on travel - mine is for friendship :-)

amber
kdubs
killired
Leesa
Mar
Tutu
uisce
WendyWings

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What Tarot Card Are You?

Found on Mother Damnable's blog - a bit of frivolity...

You Are The High Priestess

You represent mystery - secrets that are yet to be revealed. You find yourself sitting between two worlds: one dark, one light. You tend to hold these two worlds in balance, reconciling the two. Open and welcoming, you invite others to learn your secrets. Your fortune: Something hidden, or latent, in your life is about to come forward. You need to pay more attention to your dreams, thoughts, intuition, and imagination. And if that involves tapping into your dark side, it will all balance out in the end. You have a lot of potential dying to be unleashed, so let those gates open!

What Tarot Card Are You?

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Bavaria - Part Eight

Fret not - this long tale is almost over.

To recap, I was camping out in a local British military installation having escaped Stalag 19 on Friday morning. Painkilling drugs had been prescribed and picked up and a very nice man in the office had offered to do my thrombosis injection. Of course, he waited until after to point out the last time he did an injection it was on an orange! (standard practice!).

I had spent most of the day on the phone to my office, home and the insurance company and everything was falling into place, but by 3.30 I still didn't have my Fit to Fly certificate. The hospital promised to fax it through and H and I were haunting the fax machine. No joy. So at 4.30 H jumped in his car and whooshed off to the hospital to pick it up personally. Of course, as soon as he left it came through. But he got the original anyway, good thing too as the fax version was unreadable.
The insurance people confirmed my transport to the airport, my flight and my UK transport. By this time all the office staff were wishing me well and peeling off for home, and I was still there.

At 5.30 an ambulance arrived to whisk me off to Munich airport. I kissed the last man in the office goodbye (he who had volunteered to puncture me!) and was loaded up for the trip. Needless to say, being nicely wrapped up on a stretcher, I slept most of the way there!

Wheelchairs are fun! The drivers dropped me at the airport, found me a wheelchair and took me through to departures. I had a little time before the flight so bought some booze Aginoth had asked for and went for a little ride in my wheelchair!

The flight was Business Class on British Airways. As an invalid, I went on first and the stewardesses were lovely. They offered me extra pillows and one in particular, 'Sam', kept a close eye on me. Business Class was lush - shame I wasn't really in a frame of mind to enjoy it! Room to move (vital with a strained back!), proper china crockery, metal cutlery, fabric napkins, and - profiteroles!
'Would you like a meal?'
'Is is salmon? No thank you.'
'Would you just like the profiteroles?'
[dribbles gently] 'yes please' :-)

One bumpy landing later (apparently the co-pilot was new!), and I was whisked through Heathrow in a wheelchair, my suitcase came out first and we were off to the chauffeured car.

Oh the joy of getting home.........the long deep hug with MB, the strokes and sandpaper kisses of my darling kitties, clean pjs and my own bed. And waiting for me, my Crazies, my friends, my colleagues and - MY BLOG!!

Nothing was better than the knowledge that no matter how poorly I felt, I was HOME!!

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