New Persona

I have been given a new persona (Aginoth, Mrs Aginoth and silentmum are gonna love this!)

The Gangstah Nanny!

From Eric Mutta, aka Teh Blogfather and author of hippopotomonstrosesquipidelian blog.

He likes my story store and has added me to his list of Partners in Creative Crime.

'I've just met her recently via Teh Blogfather and loved the energy she has about her. She has two blogs that I visit, but I'd like to point out her Story Store which contains touching and thought provoking stories. Show her some love :-)'

wow! [still blushing furiously]

cq

Tempus Fugits

You know [draws closer conspiratorally]

fitting writing a novel around a day in the office ain't easy......

or should it be

fitting a day in the office around writing a novel ain't easy.....

?

Whichever it is, I have my line management's tacit approval that this is going on in the background and my lunch times are pretty much spoken for....
In fact my line management are helping me to draw out ideas :-)

ok - now a re-write - Demonic Wars.........

mwahahahaha.....

cq

Word Count

Confirmed by NaNoWriMo update tonight

13,025

cq

Excellent new game at Michele's place today

Other Than You're Sorry

Finish this line:

Love is never having to say.......

Let your imaginations run riot! :-)

cq

Straight from Teh Blogfather

Y'all better bow down on both knees 'cause Krazie "Tha Royale" Queen is in da hoooouse!
Yeee-hayah-heee-yaaah!
So there we were on the highest peaks of some tall mountain with high peaks, when Krazie asks me: "did you see that guy take a tumble?".
Smiling warmly, I turned to her and said: "don't worry yer highness, Frankie boy tha instructah tells me your insurance covers broken legs, broken backs, broken necks, and get this, even broken nails!". Took the fear of skiing right out of her blessed soul.
Now she can be found in her palace journaling her life, her universe and other back-breaking things saved for the royals.
Pay your respects and show her some looooove!

[chuckle]

And I do know he spells it with a K - but he can, 'cos he's Teh Blogfaddah.......and now my blogfriend [smiles at Eric]

Sudden thought - I am now Blogfather Approved [rushes to get icon HTML]

cq

Teh Blog of Teh Day

My blog has been graciously chosen by Teh Blogfaddah to be Teh Blog of Teh Day!

I am touched. Please visit Blogfather and see my intended new piccie. Don't I look absolutely gorgeous?? That crown is one of my favourites.......

9,300+ words and counting :-)

cq

Question Time - Answer Time!

Not bad - 21 questions! Actually Jennifer technically asked three - but who's counting! And here we go........

Doris asked:
What is one of the strangest things you have eaten?
Shark. We had shark in Sri Lanka. Sadly my mum isn’t the best sharkmeat cook and we ended up giving it to the cat, Mr Poussa. When the cat turned his nose up at it, he was forcefed it!

What do you think of your toes?
I hate my toes. I have broken at least three, two of which are still crooked.

Eric Mutta asked
Why do you like the colour pink?
Oddly, I never liked pink before I reached a ‘sensible’ age, eschewing it for little girls – and myself. But my signature colour is purple – and pink and purple look really funky :-)

What's currently inside your kitchen sink?
Nothing – I’m a clean bean :-)

mar asked:
Which book are you reading/last one you read.
The Novice by Trudi Canavan. Number two in an excellent trilogy about dark deeds in a school for magicians.

What would be your idea of celebrating Xmas?
I have never really liked Christmas – too much childhood trauma related to it. I now celebrate my perfect Christmas every year. A nice tree, pretty lights, good food, HWMBO and me together for a peaceful Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day. Then he toddles off to the bosom of his loving family and I get a few days to myself – during which I have all the crazies over for a ‘Crazie Christmas’ evening party with junk food, pressies and screaming children!

Dak-Ind asked:
John, Paul, George, or Ringo?
None - not a Beatles fan

if THE answer is 42. what is the question?
Of course the scifi anoraks out there are willing me to say ‘life the universe and everything’ – but I’ll say ‘how old will I be next year?’

Aginoth asked:
Shall we all go to cornwall again?
You are – without us, I might add :-) I think we shall, and sometime soon I hope. I like holidaying with my crazies.

What did He who thinks he must be obeyed get you for your birthday?
He has promised me money towards my skiing trip. Also he bought dinner and a movie :-)

Jennifer asked:
What is your favorite book of all time?
Easy Peasy – Wild Swans by Jung Chang. A biography of three Chinese women; grandmother, mother and daughter through the most turbulent of Chinese times. Get it, read it – it’ll change your life.

Do you like to cook? What is your speciality?
I hate cooking – and I’m not very good at it. But I do make a mean mash – and apparently my sausage and onion with mash and gravy is most edible.

cyberkitten asked:
What is the best quality you see in yourself?
Other than I hate you for asking this question? I dunno, I don’t like me very much and see very little redeeming qualities in myself. I guess – oh – kindness.

and the best that you see in others?
That would be the same again, kindness. I'm a bit of a wet, really :-)

Le laquet asked:
What about Pirates of the Caribbean makes it one of your favourite films?
That’s a toughie. Seemingly a simple one to answer, but not. It is not ‘one’ of my favourite films – it is probably my favourite film – ever.
Firstly I adore Johnny Depp and his work. I think he is a genius.
Secondly I like films that engage me from moment one – and this film does it with Jack arriving at the port – one of the funniest cinematic moments ever.
It is a pacy movie, with a good story line, excellent casting, great soundtrack, fantastic directing, superb special effects – and I know ALL the words :-)

What kind of music (soul, disco, country etc) would make up the soundtrack of your life? ~ artists / bands / genres all allowed!
Born in the 60’s, grew up in the 70’s, discovered freedom in the 80’s, matured in the 90’s and am now revelling in the new century. Growing up in that era, I think that my life is shaped by all the music I have ever heard, from Mozart (thank you Mother) to Motorhead (thank you, my generation). But my enduring musical passion has been Queen and Freddie Mercury. I grew up singing Bohemian Rhapsody (a la Wayne and Garth!) and now I adore crooning along to ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’. Freddie was a genius, god rest his soul.

Marcus asked:
What would be the hardest thing for you to give up or give away?
Give away? I would give away the shirt off my back to anyone who’s need is greater than mine.
Give up? Sadly, even after all the publicity, I am still one of the Unclean and have been for all of my adult life. I would like to give up smoking – and I will one day!

What do you think about Jesus?
[this one needs more coffee] My thoughts about Jesus are inextricably entwined with my opinion of the Bible. Seeing, as I do, the Bible as a guidebook for one’s journey through belief to faith, I see Jesus as a metaphor for how to let one’s goodness lead one through life and touch everyone one caomes in contact with.
As for the man? He was the son of a carpenter and a good woman. Nurtured by his parents and well educated, he went on to ‘lead’ and educate the people around him. He was open enough to allow the love of God to infuse his life and saw through the darkness of people to the light inside.

ribbiticus asked:
Can you cook? if so, what are your "specialties"?
see my answer to Jennifer. Naughty ribbiticus, repeating a question! :-)

If you could choose to be anyone in the world, who would you be and why?
Anyone but me – I hate being me.

Feel free to discuss any of these further :-)

cq

NaNoWriMo Count

Finally - got past my writers block.

5,500 words and counting.

On a roll tonight [looks at watch] 2339 and still got loads more to write while it's all still in my head!

Good thing I have a day off tomorrow! I knew this stuff would hit me at night time! :-)

Update: 0052hrs and the words are coming thick and fast! 7,000+ and more to come.......no sleep for me yet.......


Update: 2am and 8,200 words down. I am now tripping over my fingers so will go to bed. Got to try for another 8,000 tomorrow.......


cq

Update Time

Hi Everyone [waves]

Here I am, another year older, and year wiser [not!]

I had a lovely birthday, thank you all for your good wishes, you have *no* idea how much they mean :-)

My evening with HWMBO was lovely, a nice dinner and Wallace and Gromit - fantastic! Take your kids - better yet, leave them behind and treat yourselves!! :-)

I was busy Saturday, as I wanted to clear the decks in order to go to my party with a clear conscience. So I did my walk-shop (handed my rucksack to HWMBO who nearly dropped it saying 'bloody hell, that's heavy!!' I said yes, otherwise where was the point!?) and then did dinner at lunchtime (had to line my stomach!), plus two loads of laundry, hoovered etc etc etc......and even found time for a quick blog!

Then it was over to cyberkitten's gaff for the party, stopping off on the way for evilboss and alcohol (oh, and the later forgotten choccie cake!). We were joined by Aginoth, Mrs Aginoth, the Aginothlings, bionicdwarf and sleepyp.

When cyberkitten said fireworks, he wasn't kidding! I think him and bionicdwarf bought up most of the North Bristol stocks! I lost count, spending most of the time hiding behind kitty or Agi. Poor Aginothlings were not ready for rockets and Mrs A sadly missed all the fun with two little trembling bods, while Jnr watched through a closed window. Then pizza :-)
The children tucked up in cyberkitten's bed, the adults had 'grownup talk' time - well, with four bloggers most of it *was* blogbased - sad, I know!
The party slowly and contentedly split up about 1030 and cyberkitten, sleepyp and I stayed talking until about 0030, when we threw out sleepyp (to his house next door!) and I blew up my airbed and shook out my sleeping bag.

As an aside; I love my sleeping bag. In this modern world of mummy bags (which, being claustrophobic, I hate!) I found the funkiest sleeping bag by Coleman. Not only does it have a side zip, but also a separate zip across the bottom, so you can have the side done up and the bottom open! And it's - rectangular! - instead of mummyshaped.

So I snoozed down on cyberkitten's sitting room floor, woken only by the sound of very large bangs outside (thought initially shotgun, then remembered where I was!) during the night.

A very pleasant couple of days to celebrate my birthday! Now, where did I put my Nano....?

cq

ps I thought evilboss managed really well for her first time thrown to the crazie wolfpack :-)

Enough Doom and Gloom!

Time to put aside sad reminisces and get back on with the job in hand.

If you haven't yet, drop me a couple of questions into Question Time - I'm looking forward to answering those! I'll let it run for a few more days.

For my feline readers - don't forget to check in with Charlie and Pandora - they have each posted lovely photos!

If you fancy a quick read of some short stories, then pop over to my storystore where I am publishing my works! And if you want to have your story on there - let me know!

I am eagerly awaiting my review from Teh Mighty Blogfather - based on previous reviews and our conversations, this should be a goody! Once my blog is approved, I will be entitled to carry a Teh Blogfather Approved icon :-)

I had a lovely birthday yesterday - indulged myself and did nothing but blog - all day :-) Then last night we went to dinner at Bella Italia and I was treated to Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Very funny film - we thought one of the other members of the audience was going to rupture something :-) Very well recommended by this craziequeen!

Tonight it is crazie party night, with fireworks, pressies, children, pressies, pizza, pressies, booze and maybe even a movie or two on cyberkitten's sooper dooper new telly :-)

But in the meantime - laundry beckons.....

cq

Bruise Brothers

There has been a lot in the news (and on blogs, I see) about Ross Kemp and Steve McFadden from BBCs Eastenders both being allegedly assaulted by their women.

Oh, the irony of it! Two big men, bruisers in fact, with hard reputations and famous for playing hard men, brought to their knees by women.

Sadly, though, I see no irony. Spousal abuse is on the rise with men, women are becoming more empowered and the shackles of propriety are being pulled away. It is now reasonable (and even humorous in some cases) for a woman to slug her man.

My best friend 15 years ago was called Mike (not real name), gentle soul, my Mike. We were inseparable, worked together, played together and thought each other's thoughts - brother and sister in all but blood. One day Mike met a girl. He brought her to meet me (ostensibly for my approval) and they married. They set up home and I was a regular visitor. I noticed marks on the walls and broken ornaments, but didn't say anything. Then one day, Mike answered the door with a black eye. That was the day I asked if Michelle was hitting him - and that was the day he looked me in the eye and said yes.
I had no idea what to do, and neither did he. I was abused earlier in my life, and I told him he should do as I did and leave. He refused - he still loved her, temper and all. I understood, it took me a year to pluck up the courage to walk out.
Mike and Michelle moved overseas to 'start afresh'. I missed Mike terribly, and called him often. He was reasonably happy and told me nothing was wrong. I believed him - he's never lied to me before.

I got a phonecall from a mutual friend. To tell me Mike had killed himself. Only six months or so after the 'new start'. He was still being abused by Michelle, and the distance from his family and loved ones made it all the harder.

I blamed myself for my best friend's death for years. I should have been firmer with him. I should have toughened up that gentle soul - but I didn't....because it was Mike, and he was just right the way he was.
And Mike would never hit a woman.
Something Ross Kemp has said - hard man or not, he would never hit a woman.

When you're laughing about the Kemp/McFadden story, remember - there could be more in it than meets the eye, and women aren't the only ones abused.

cq

Question Time

Taking inspiration from Aginoth this morning.

Question Time.

How it works: Please leave a comment to this post asking 2 questions about me. Please try to ask different questions. Feel free to gain inspiration from my A-Z on my links.

I'll answer them in a new blog in the near future.

If you want to use this idea for your blog, please do! Let me know, and I'll come leave two questions for you too.

update - lots of interesting questions which I will have fun answering - keep 'em coming!

cq

Big Blogland Day

Happy Burfday to me, happy burfday to me - happy burfday dear me-e.....happy burfday to me!

Those more observant may draw the conclusion that today is my birthday!

Dear Readers, you are correct. I am officially now one of the 'over-40s' but attempting to remain young at heart - and in word and in deed!

I'm treating myself to a long weekend for the wondrous occasion, and I intend to do some work on my NaNoWriMo novel. So feel free to nag me!

It's as if the cats know - Charlie didn't wake me at all last night, merely walking on my face at 6.30 to ensure I was awake. There has been no fighting, no swearing and no galloping around the house.
(Did someone sneak in during the night and swap my cats!?!)
And [gobsmacked look] - Charlie got an email! From his mew pal Beau the cat. That kitten has a better social life than me!

Nice snuggle with HWMBO this morning before he lurched off to work, leaving me the house all to myself for the day! :-)

Tonight we're off to see Wallace and Gromit and I get to eat someone else's food (I do object to cooking on my birthday!!)

Tomorrow is Party Day. Crazie Part-AY!
cyberkitten is throwing a fireworks party! Aginoth and Mrs Aginoth and the Aginothlings will be there, so will SleepyP, BionicDwarf and evilboss :-) Fireworks, alcohol, pizza and movies - EXCELLENT!

cq

I appear to have arrived....

Not only has my blog been graced by a visit from the delectable Michele, whom I visit to mix and mingle in the blogosphere, but now I have had a visit from Teh Blogfather [bows VERY low], whose blog I have been admiring from afar for a couple of weeks now - since seeing it on ribbiticus' enchanted lilypad! (Is it me, or does Teh Blogfather look uncannily like Wesley Snipes?)

At his beckoning, I have submitted my blog to the great Blogfather for his attention - and hopefully a classic Blogfather review :-) Watch this space!

Now, I wonder if I can get away with submitting storystore, fluffbum and pandyspeaks to him :-)

So to recap, I am a BritBlogger, a Blogging Brit, I Blogroll, I am BlogMad, I put my name up at Michele's place, I have submitted to Teh Great Blogfather....hmm anything else I can do.......? :-)
Oh yes, BLOG!! I forgot [sheepish grin]

Couple of extra days off this weekend, to work on my NaNoWriMo novel :-) But, of course, I will have to make time for my PAR-TAY!!!!!!!!

cq

More Firsts

First skiing......

Then blogging.......

Then novel writing.......

and now badminton!

My life is full of 'firsts' atm. Although, technically, my novel is my second and I have played badminton before (long, long ago!)

The plan is to shuffle off to a local sports centre after work on Wednesdays for a session of badminton with Aginoth and a couple of non-bloggers. Aginoth wants to get some exercise, me and S are going skiing and P was just interested :-)

On the plus side, the arrangement for weekly badminton has necessitated me having a new bat - and this was my wonderful birthday pressie from the Aginoths (a few days early!)

my lovely new badminton bat!

cq

BlogMad People are good - and quick too!

Hi there and thank you for signing up with blogmad.

While checking the validity of blogs who sign up, to ensure there are no spammers abusing the system, we came across a comment by Mrs.Aginoth on your blog regarding SPAM.

We would like to put your blog's visitors at ease by pointing out that we detest spam ( hey we are bloggers ourselves ;-) ) and we have mentioned that in our privacy policy.

Your information is safe and secure with us.

We will only email members on an adhoc basis for communication / support purposes and will NOT send the newsletter to those people who have opted out of receiving it. Please feel free to direct people to our privacy policy which covers these and more points, located at http://www.blogmad.net/privacy.php

Thank you for your support!

RegardsBlogMad HelpDesk

Cool - friendly, reassuring and polite :-) And they do actually read people's blogs!

cq

I must be MAD!

I have signed up to write a novel.......by Nov 30! 50,000 words or 175 pages.......

Picked up the website from Mary P's blog and sort of got sucked in.....

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

[chews on pencil]

what to write........what to write.......?

cq

BlogMad

Picked up from ribbitcus....

You have joined BlogMad.net successfully!
BlogMad is allowing early signups for keen users to get ahead on the system before its official launch.
You are now able to invite other members, gaining an infinite number of credits!Once launched, you will be able to spend these free credits on getting huge traffic to your blog instantly!

Once you have logged on you will be able to email users through the system, but you can also give people your referral url directly:

http://www.blogmad.net/index.php?ref=8629cba2c9675f5!

You will get 30 free credits for every signup, which will translate into traffic for your blog come launch day!

okaaaaaaaayyyyy

cq

Itinerary

Awake 2.30.

Separating fighting cats - 2 hours.

Ironing - 4.30

Separating fighting cats - 2 hours.

Cats now sleeping - cq going back to bed.......

'Night!

cq

Directions

If you'all look to your right, you will find two new links on my blog.

These are [ready guys?] Pandora and Charlie's blogs........[pauses for sigh of frustration from certain bloggers :-)]

Linking will be manual for a while, so I'll get round to you feline bloggers as soon as I can.
I see no reason to blogroll them, or put site meters etc on there.

Mama cq

Update - Charlie has already had his first visitors! Lizzie, Firenze and Knightly have popped in to welcome him :-)

teehee!!

cq

It's a Done Deal

After much nagging from Buddha, Max, the 3 S's, the Monsters......and various other feline bloggers (and human ones too!)....we have our own blogs.

Newly created, they need to be customised and sorted - that should keep Mama cq occupied for a while!!

Watch this space!

Pandora
Charlie

On the Brink

ok, I'm teetering on the brink of giving Pandora and Charlie their own blogs.

They have their own friends; Charlie is bonding with Buddha, Pandy has chatted with Max and they both like Oreo.........and now The Monsters have arrived :-)

Oh my god! I am finally a blogmaniac! Blogs for my cats.........oh dear........

I'm also thinking of registering them with the Tuxedo Gang.....is there no end to this madness??

[holds out arms for jacket with long sleeves and big silver buckles]

cq

Charlie Post

This is an unashamedly feline post about my Charlie.

This is Charlie!













Charlie has recently cut his new adult fangs, after a rather long wait, and he is a different cat! Those people who think animals don't go through teething are wro-ong!
His behaviour over the last four weeks has been frenetic and vicious - all down to the pain of teething. Now his 'grown-up' canines have broken through he is a whole different cat!
Of course, he still torments Pandora (that's his job as adopted little bruv!) but not as much, and there's less chewing on her! His own play is now more structured and less panicked. He isn't gnawing as much and is way more relaxed.
He is chatting more and is more loving and less jumpy.

Had to laugh just now - I went outside in the rain and he was jumping and crying at the door 'lemme out! lemme out!' - so I took him outside.
Two seconds later he was stretching back for the door squeaking 'lemme back in! lemme back in!'
Ah, my baby's first experience of proper rain :-)

His neutering is scheduled for the 16 Nov - B-Day! (Balls Day!) Once all that is over and done with, he is going to be a wonderful companion through the years.

Charlie is to be an indoor cat - my first ever. I don't wholly approve of indoor cats as cats are predatory by nature, and need to to be outside. But, having lost my precious Ambrose and little Echo on our horrendous road (2 of the 6 cats killed in the space of a few years in a 100yd stretch!), and given Pandora's advancing years, we have decided that, as long as we live here, they will be indoor cats. That being said, we have to watch them keenly for furballs and they will have to have their claws clipped regularly (luckily de-clawing is illegal here!). When Charlie shows a desire to graze, which cats do naturally, we will have to provide him with some suitable indoor grass.
In the meantime, he is accepting the fact that he doesn't go out, and only really kicks up a fuss if I go out without him!

But one question is bugging me - is there any way of disposing of cat litter rather than just putting it in the regular bin? I should call my recycling place and see if they have any ideas...

cq

Caption Time!

Ghetto Chicks

This is just crying out for a caption!! :-)

cq

Games

I like computer games.

Not those complicated role-playing games that suck you in for a lifetime, but those little web-based sample games of downloads. Mah Jongg Quest, Tri-Jong, Cubis, Zuma, (and it's spawn Luxor), Chuzzle; little games that are designed to occupy a small amount of your time, and it doesn't matter if you have to go away - you can always try another day :-)

I mostly play on Zylom or Real Arcade.

Well, Real Arcade are the first to put out a web version of Cubis2! Cubis is a fun game, linking up cubes to form threes, clearing a board within a time limit, attempting to reach the fiendishly camouflaged star cubes, and I have been whiling away many a pleasant hour on it over the last few years.

Cubis 2 is even more fun. With dual coloured cubes and bombs (oh, I like the bombs!) as well as the usual osmosis cubes and grenades, this is a fantastic game. Also, to it's credit, the web version only has 20 levels (as against Cubis original which you can play past 100 - if you have the time!) so it is an excellent skill game that takes only about an hour to complete.
Perfect for us busy housewives! :-)

My current score for level 20 completion is 283,495 - but I intend to improve on that!

update - Cubis2 has two games - Arcade (score above) and Morph-fun (where cubes appear out of nowhere!). I am currently playing the latter and level 20 completion is 326,400 points! :-)

cq

Teeth, TEETH

On the evening when Aginoth finds the first real tooth coming through on LMD, I return home and find that Charlie has finally broken through his fangs.

In felines, normally the baby teeth are pushed out by the adult teeth, but Charlie's baby teeth fell out freely and then it was a bit of a wait for his adult canines.

There it was last night, one broken right through and the other following on :-)

That should sort some of his behavioural problems. He has been in pain for some while waiting for his new teeth. One canine has been embedded for a while (ie nicely wrapped up in gum) and we have been keeping an eye on it.

Once the fangs are developing, then his other teeth should follow.

My Little Man is definitely growing up :-)

And the good news keeps coming - I got paid doubletime for last night's sneak attack on Mrs A. Two bags of Flying Saucers ( the currency acceptable to this babysitting service!) - I'm a cheap date :-)











cq

Shhhhhh......

[shh]

I am babysitting for the Aginoths. After weeks of being nagged by his bessie mate, Aginoth has whisked Mrs A away for a surprise evening out at her favourite restaurant. Me being the family BreechStepper, I was in on the scam and agreed to provide free babysitting - anything to get them to go out for a nice night out! :-)

Of course, Aginoth had connected up the laptop ready for me :-)

I have achieved an all time record! Mrs A sorted out LMB, and A jnr was 'sort of in bed. All I had to do was get LMD to sleep. Last time I was here it was hours of rocking and humming, swaying and singing - she wasn't unduly upset, merely making her disgust at being left known! But tonight I got her snoring in 20 minutes!
Then it was a little comfort for 5yr old A jnr, sometimes he kicks back :-)

So I can relax now (listening out, of course, for the first Wailer!) and chill with some Simpsons.

quiet now everyone! shhhhhhh......

cq

So, it's 8pm and all is quiet on the Aginoth homefront. I just hope that Aginoth and Mrs A are having a wonderful time!

Bloginality!

My Bloginality is ISFJ!!!

As an ISFJ, you are Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging.This makes your primary focus on Introverted Sensing with Extraverted Feeling.

This is defined as a SJ personality, which is part of Carl Jung's Guardian (Security Seeking) type, and more specifically the Protectors or Nurturer.

In blogging, your journal will always be immaculate and have a touch of style. You may also feel overwhelmed because you want to be a part of everything going on. Because of your wonderful memory, other bloggers may come to you to ask about things you posted months before.

cool - pretty close! except the memory bit; I can't remember 10 minutes ago, let alone months ago :-(

cq

Demise of The Pub

With the new fashion of winebars and theme bars, I was discussing the demise of the traditional old British Pub.

These could be identified by any of the following.....

Tables that rocked - literally!
Short legged chairs - a free fun fair ride every time!
Naff cheap carpet, usually in that revolting swirly design, invariably ripped - and some even fixed with duct tape!
Loos out the back, cold, concrete, simple bolt on the door, often unisex - optional soap and towel!
Wet bar - no, not the modern definition, but a real wet bar, where your elbows get soaked in booze when you lean on it!
A barmaid who looks like the mother of all Chavs, neon pink low cut top revealing wrinkled boobies and half a ton of cheap gold jewellry - but a heart of gold.
Bar Manager - who stands at the end of the bar, invariably chain-smoking cigars or cigarettes, mentally urging people to drink more/faster (and of course, watching the above mentioned barmaid like a hawk.

and the atmosphere......
Packed!
A small fug of rather sweet smelling smoke over the table in the darkest corner.
The odour of the back toilets eking out into the bar
The overpowering smell of spilt alcohol
The familiar fog of cigarette/cigar/pipe smoke

and the geography....
The Snug - no children allowed, average age 50-60, beer/cider cards and dominoes compulsory
The Lounge - Children allowed, occasional sandwiches on offer, mostly crisps and nuts.
The Public Bar - where the 'real' drinkers hang out, and where wives could usually find their husbands when no shows for Sunday Dinner.

Entertainment........
Sometimes a lone hippy sitting in the corner (usually the one with the sweet smelling fug) strumming tunefully on a guitar, being kept in booze by the bar manager.
Once a week; Quiz Night. Bingo Night. Ladies Night.
The jukebox - ah, the last resort for decent music! Must be equipped with 70's rock music; Slade, TRex, Queen and Hawkwind (a trip to the pub is not complete without a group rendition of 'Hi Ho Silver Lining!').

Whilst making my requests for this year's office Christmas Party, I remember with longing propping up a damp bar, chugging pints, inhaling more tobacco by-products than I could ever hope to smoke myself, singing along *loudly* to Hi Ho Silver Lining - and not feeling the odd one out.
And of course, being Christmas - Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everyone' was a compulsory jukebox inclusion!

With the arrival of the new bars etc certainly in town centres - is the old British Pub dying? And what do we replace the undeniable social aspect with?

cq

Spider Cookies

Want to let your kids get involved with the Halloween cooking? You'll want many small hands helping you with these Halloween treats -- they're as fun to make as they are to eat.

Spider Cookies
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Makes about 90 cookies
Prep: 40 minutes
Bake: 7 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
1 recipe Decorating Icing (see recipe below)

Directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in the egg, melted chocolate, and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour and the chocolate pieces.

2. Shape dough into two 12-inch-long rolls. Wrap rolls in waxed paper; chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake cookies in a 375 degree F oven about 7 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

4. Spoon Decorating Icing into a decorating bag fitted with a writing tip or fluted tip. Pipe icing into various size spiders or other Halloween shapes on cookies. Let cookies stand until icing is set. Makes about 90 cookies.

Decorating Icing: In a small mixing bowl stir together 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and enough milk to make an icing that is easy to pipe. Tint with desired colors of paste or liquid food coloring.
Make-ahead tip: Prepare dough and shape into logs; wrap tightly, label and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before slicing and baking.

Nutrition facts per serving:
calories: 34
total fat: 2g
saturated fat: 1g
cholesterol: 5mg
sodium: 23mg
carbohydrate: 5g
fiber: 0g
protein: 0g

http://www.celebrate-halloween.com/halloween-recipes.html

cq

History and Customs of Hallowe'en

Halloween is an annual celebration, but just what is it actually a celebration of? And how did this peculiar custom originate? Is it, as some claim, a kind of demon worship? Or is it just a harmless vestige of some ancient pagan ritual?

The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New Year.

One story says that, on that day, the disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year. It was believed to be their only hope for the afterlife. The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living.
Naturally, the still-living did not want to be possessed. So on the night of October 31, villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes, to make them cold and undesirable. They would then dress up in all manner of ghoulish costumes and noisily paraded around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess.

Probably a better explanation of why the Celts extinguished their fires was not to discourage spirit possession, but so that all the Celtic tribes could relight their fires from a common source, the Druidic fire that was kept burning in the Middle of Ireland, at Usinach.
Some accounts tell of how the Celts would burn someone at the stake who was thought to have already been possessed, as sort of a lesson to the spirits. Other accounts of Celtic history debunk these stories as myth.

The Romans adopted the Celtic practices as their own. But in the first century AD, Samhain was assimilated into celebrations of some of the other Roman traditions that took place in October, such as their day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, which might explain the origin of our modern tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.

The thrust of the practices also changed over time to become more ritualized. As belief in spirit possession waned, the practice of dressing up like hobgoblins, ghosts, and witches took on a more ceremonial role.

The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing their country's potato famine. At that time, the favorite pranks in New England included tipping over outhouses and unhinging fence gates.

The custom of trick-or-treating is thought to have originated not with the Irish Celts, but with a ninth-century European custom called souling. On November 2, All Souls Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes," made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage to heaven.

The Jack-o-lantern custom probably comes from Irish folklore. As the tale is told, a man named Jack, who was notorious as a drunkard and trickster, tricked Satan into climbing a tree. Jack then carved an image of a cross in the tree's trunk, trapping the devil up the tree. Jack made a deal with the devil that, if he would never tempt him again, he would promise to let him down the tree.

According to the folk tale, after Jack died, he was denied entrance to Heaven because of his evil ways, but he was also denied access to Hell because he had tricked the devil. Instead, the devil gave him a single ember to light his way through the frigid darkness. The ember was placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to keep it glowing longer.

The Irish used turnips as their "Jack's lanterns" originally. But when the immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips. So the Jack-O-Lantern in America was a hollowed-out pumpkin, lit with an ember.
So, although some cults may have adopted Halloween as their favorite "holiday," the day itself did not grow out of evil practices. It grew out of the rituals of Celts celebrating a new year, and out of Medieval prayer rituals of Europeans. And today, even many churches have Halloween parties or pumpkin carving events for the kids. After all, the day itself is only as evil as one cares to make it.

http://wilstar.com/holidays/hallown.htm

cq

Quickie

Just a quickie before I disappear for pizza and The Corpse Bride:

A website drawn to my attention at work yesterday.........

http://www.pencils.com/

is this the most boring website in the world? Or do you have a contender?

cq

I wanna tell ya a story....

Apologies for the bad Max_Bygraves impersonation!

I have a new blog - Story Store - where I will be publishing my own short stories.

This will remain my primary blog, although comments will be welcomed on Story Store.

Also, am more than happy to publish other people's stories, so let me know.

cq

True/False

Here we go.........

1) I have written a novel. True - one of our annual assignments at senior school was to write a full novel. Mine was entitled 'I Don't Like Mondays' and was about bullying.

2) I am left-handed. False - I am right handed - except I eat left-handed.

3) I have been inside Buckingham Palace. False - yeah right, like they'd let *me* in!

4) I cannot swim. False - see 10

5) I have parachuted for charity. False - I was offered the opportunity whilst witnessing a jump for charity and refused. Scared of heights.

6) I have seen dead bodies. True - sadly, one small boy and one man.

7) My favourite composer is Holst. True - love the Planets Suite - especially Mars.

8) I am an electrician. False - although I am good at changing bulbs and fuses!

9) I have been on television. False - even though I wrote to Jim'll Fix It, Swap Shop and Tiswas.

10) I was captain of the school swim team. True - when I was in junior school, and I also competed against the lower senior school.

11) I have been in a film. False - I wish - one of my lifetime dreams.

12) I have been on stage. True - I was the principal girl in the local amateur dramatics' presentation of Rumpelstiltskin - the local Brownies loved me :-)

13) But I didn’t sing a solo. False - yes I did - two actually. I was cast for my voice, rather than any other redeeming princessly features.

14) I have been on television. False - only one person noticed the duplicate!

15) I was in the Army. False - the Army turned me down, but I ended up working on a barracks for 7 years and was treated like one of the 'family'.

16) I have never been to sea. False - ooh, tons.....I love boats. I have even been mackerel fishing in the North Sea!

17) I have seen aliens. False - neither the films nor the little green men.

18) I used to teach music. True - Occasionally when I was a nanny to a musical family, I used to stand in for mum and take the infant music class.

19) I have been a nanny. True - see 18

20) I’m a dragon. True - I am a dragon. Born in the year of the Dragon :-)

So the falsies were
2
3
4
5
8
9
11
13
14
15
16
17

ach! yer little liar!!
So no one was even close, not even my oldest friend! :-) Although dave and cyberkitten just about tied.

I tag

dave

aginoth

cyberkitten

cq

Masochists R Us

ok, it's official - I am a masochist!

Not content with walking about 18 miles yesterday with a fractious child - I decided to complement the excess by doing the shopping on foot this morning.

I am now *officially* 106yrs old..........

I am *so* going to binge out on the 3rd Feb, Munich airport had better get in plenty of stocks of junk food and candy - I may well start on the plane!

cq

Blissful Sunday

It's a cold, miserable day out there.

My legs ache.

My back hurts.

My hands are sore from the buggy handles.

My lips are chapped.

But it is SUNDAY! Traditional Day of Rest for men and Busiest Day of the Week for women the world over.

Sunday is the day working women rush to get their laundry done by, so it's not hanging around when they start work on Monday.

Sunday is traditionally the day with the most ambitious meal of the week (we do like a nice roast here!)

Sunday is the day when the Man rests, and the Woman rushes around him cooking, cleaning, shopping and performing the usual sundry necessary daily tasks.

Is it me, or is Sunday like Christmas? I break up from work on Christmas Eve, having already purchased and trimmed the tree a week earlier, spent *way* too much money on luxury food items (well, it is Christmas!) and broke the bank on pressies.
Christmas Eve is spent hoovering and washing clothes, so that I can devote Christmas Day to attempting to cook Christmas Dinner for Two.

Cooking is complicated in our house. First of all I hate cooking and as a result am a 'meat 'n' potatoes' cook! I am a strict vegetarian (have been for over 20yrs) and HWMBO is a dedicated meat-eater. I cook his meat for him (distasteful, but I don't have to eat it) and make sure he eats sensibly every day, with fresh veggies, potatoes etc.
But every day requires cooking two types of 'meat'. One pot with real dead flesh for him and one pot with a meat substitute for me, separate utensils and everything. Only real hurdle is that I can't taste his food - so I do rely on ready-made sauces, so I know the basic flavour is ok.

So Christmas Dinner is turkey (in some shape or form - not usually the whole bird for one person!) for HWMBO and an attempt at something imaginative for me - which is where the plans collapse. Where there are lots of choices of bird for him (including wonderful stuffings, glazes etc) there are minimal choices of Holiday Fayre for me - unless I fancy nutroast (not high on my list of 'Yummy Foods'!) So I traipse up and down supermarket aisles and visit delis, desperately seeking something original (and more importantly TASTY!) for Christmas Dinner - and usually end up with burgers or shepherdess pie.

Is there *anyone* out there in blogland who has ideas for a veggie Christmas Dinner element, which goes with roast potatoes, sprouts, carrots, stuffing and gravy?
It has to be faux traditional, as I'm a traditional girl, but easy to prepare with idiot-proof instructions....all I want for Christmas is a proper Christmas Dinner :-)

cq

A Day in.......

Croydon!!

I get asked to all the best places :-)

Actually I was helping out Mrs Aginoth who was left with nobody to help her with LMD, so we all three piled down to Croydon, leaving Mr A with A Jnr and LMB.
While Mrs A did what she does (teaches!) I was given care of LMD.

One small problem - LMD doesn't like me - actually she doesn't like anyone that isn't mummy.
But (and I did do my homework!) I knew LMD was usually content in her buggy, so rather hang around the class with a screaming child I told Mrs A I would take LMD out in the buggy and bring her back regularly for feeding.

Upshot - I walked the streets of Croydon for *6* (count 'em!) hours today. What I didn't realise was that LMD doesn't like the buggy stopping - so when I paused to cross a road, a familiar wail would set up.

'For god's sake child, I have to stop to check the traffic!'

So I walked for three hours this morning and three hours this afternoon, pausing as little as possible, dodging buses, cars, locals, phonecalling drivers (particularly the nut who was *so* keen to answer his phone he swerved up onto the pavement and missed me by about 6 inches!) and the local bum (complete with ex-shopping trolley stacked high with what was obviously his pathetic life's possessions).

And just when it seemed she was quiet and I could sit in on the class for the last hour, LMD started getting bored and vocal, and it was back in the buggy pounding those pavements!

At one point I asked Mrs A 'sorry, but what am I getting from this again?
Oh yes, of course - Love!'
She replied smartly 'and a free trip to Croydon! - what more could a person want?'

Two bonuses from today:

• *So* much walking that I have met all my training regime requirements for this weekend - and probably half of next week too!
• Mrs A's mother actually seems to respect me now - well, judging by the yelled 'They've got a good friend in you, I hope they realise that!' I modestly replied 'I think they do' and beamed. It only took four years :-)

Minuses from today:

• I still *hate* London and I never want to see Croydon again!
• I couldn't find the new Croydon Centrale Mall.....
• My feet hurt.
• I'm hungry.
• The sound of LMD wailing will stay with me for a while....

A sign that intrigued me 'Croydon Curry Chef of the Year 2005' - I mean...........huh??

cq

The Truth is Out There.......

Tagged from Fuzzy, with a true/false meme. 20 things about me but not all of them are true. Can you spot the falsehoods? Leave the numbers of what you think are lies in my comments and I'll reveal the truth after the weekend and pick another lucky blogger or two for this game when all is exposed.


1) I have written a novel.
2) I am left-handed.
3) I have been inside Buckingham Palace.
4) I cannot swim.
5) I have parachuted for charity.
6) I have seen dead bodies.
7) My favourite composer is Holst.
8) I am an electrician.
9) I have been on television.
10) I was captain of the school swim team.
11) I have been in a film.
12) I have been on stage.
13) But I didn’t sing a solo.
14) I have been on television.
15) I was in the Army.
16) I have never been to sea.
17) I have seen aliens.
18) I used to teach music.
19) I have been a nanny.
20) I’m a dragon.

cq

Eternal Gratitude

You know......[muses]

Only yesterday I was saying to Aginoth and Kitty how blogging just wasn't working for me...

OK, so I'm impatient - it's not a sin..........oh hang on, yes it is! :-)

So anyway, today during lunch I switched over to Michele and thought I would play some of her games.

Well, blow me, I didn't get myself all tangled up in the Three Day Meet and Greet (what is it, 160 posts just today or something!).

As a result, I have 'met' LOADS of new bloggers, seen different blogs from all over, and had people come to see me too!

[sudden thought] jeez, I should tidy the place up - what will these visitors think!!

If you want to know about me - check out my A-Z.

cq

Meme - Me Me!!

Nice little meme, which I found on Kenju's blog!


1. My favorite vacation spot - Cornwall, England. I am hanging out for Canada in the near future though!


2. My hobby - at the moment? Blogging! In January? Might be skiing, you never know....


3. My occupation - civil servant [waits for howls of laughter from the Mezzanine]


4. A favorite Christmas present - Frostie the bear, and his little sister Liberty.


5. My current home - Thornbury, Glos


6. My birthplace - Uffculme, Devon [that little blip on the map north of Exeter!


7. My favourite scent - Lily of the Valley - same as my beloved late granny!

The meme is also supposed to include a photo of my favourite meal, which I don't have (no one else makes it except my mum, and it's never around long enough to be photographed! It is Cheese Rice, a plain risotto laden with melted cheese - delicious with panfried swede!

cq

Smile of the Year!

To all and every one

It is with great pleasure that I would like to announce

The winner of Smile of the Year for SEARS, South Centre Mall is

[big enormous drum roll]

BOO!

from a very proud and thrilled godmother

good job, silentmum :-)


cq

Dear Santa (or the Birthday Fairy)

Please can I have the funkiest slippers in the universe :-)

http://www.hargreavesuk.com/site/shop_detail.lasso?search_type=sku&sku=53313518&-session=hg1:526E6DD218e7512758IMj222B263

I want to wear them on my skiing trip - what an ice-breaker!

also please I want dragons, lots of them - a girl can never have too many dragons, you know........

cq

ps please can I also have ten years back - I promise not to squander them again!

remember, remember - the 5th of November....and the 4th of July.....and the 31st Dec........

Remember that animals dislike fireworks and find them frightening. Follow these sensible guidelines:

• Keep all pets inside the house once the sun starts to set, some people set off fireworks before nightfall.
• Cover aviaries, rabbit hutches etc. so that should the very loud noises disturb the animals, they do at least have a natural-like habitat, where they are able to hide.
• Feed and exercise your animals well during the day, this will lead to a calmer animal once the noise starts.
  If your cat/dog runs for its bed, a cupboard or under the bed, leave it there and allow it to follow its natural instinct which is to hide in a den or cave.
• Do not try to acclimatise your cat/dog by insisting it faces the noise, they may never get used to the noise and you may be causing damage.
• Allow the cat/dog comforts within the den, give it its blanket, some water and a toy to make it feel comfortable.
• Suprisingly your cat/dog may jump into the bath! This shows its instinct to run into holes when danger is present.
• You may find that your cat/dog starts to dig, this is following the same hiding instinct.
• If your cat/dog shows any tendency to hide, let it.
• If you are building a bonfire don't forget to check it for hedgehogs just before you light it, they hibernate this time of year in stacks of wood. Look for them, don't just prod the bonfire as they will be in torpor (a deep hibernating sleep which takes them a long time to wake from).
• Keep windows and curtains firmly shut - which helps 'distance' the pet from the kerfuffle.

Here in England, the fireworks start going off about now - and then pretty much straight through until New Year. Guess people are firing off stocks through November and December.
The sound of private fireworks parties make our little estate sound like the Somme :-(
As someone born on the 4th November fireworks have always featured around my birthday celebrations - but I'm not actually that keen on them.......

cq

Feliway

Feliway® is a product which reproduces certain pacifying properties of cat facial pheromones.

The placing of facial pheromones is a behaviour which is well known to all cat owners. When a cat feels safe in its environment, it rubs its head from the side of the chin to the base of the ear, against the furniture, the corners of walls or the bottom of curtains. By doing this, the animal is depositing facial pheromones. These marks convey a message of well-being and a feeling of security.

When there is a change in the cat's environment (such as visits to the vets, return from hospitalisation, moving house, new arrivals, rearrangement of furniture) or if the cat is scared, a state of disquiet or stress may develop. This state can be expressed by changes in behaviour, such as urine marking, vertical scratching, loss of appetite or refusal to play and to interact.

In these situations, Feliway® Spray or Feliway® Diffuser can be used to restore the natural balance. Feliway® is a safe solution of feline facial pheromone, which mimics the cat's natural pheromones, creating a state of well-being and calm.

Pheromones are natural substances extremely widespread in the animal kingdom. They are used to communicate between members of the same species.The development by CEVA SANTE ANIMALE and PHEROSYNTHESE of commercial formulations of nature identical pheromones for use in cats (Feliway®) and in dogs (Dog Appeasing Pheromone - D.A.P.®) created a new field in veterinary science. Pheromonatherapy is an innovative and natural solution to manage stress related problems in cats and dogs.

We swear by Feliway in our house since Pandora was diagnosed with chronic recurring cystitis, brought on by stress and depression. She has a diffuser in the dining room near her day bed, and one up on the landing for night times. She also has a little puffaspray for her pen at the cattery. She was a different cat when we introduced Feliway to the house; after being very poorly for a few months, she got a new lease of life. So the Feliway stays :-)

cq