As usual these days I don't really have so much to write about as my life has descended (again) into a cycle of work, eat, graphics, sleep. I did however give myself a day off on Saturday and went car (window) shopping and even took a trip to the cinema...and I must say that by Sunday I felt sooooo energised and ready to take on the world again! Sadly, by Monday I was feeling distinctly Monday-ish again LOL. I did perk up again yesterday when my manager told me our business trip was cancelled. It wasn't that I didn't want to go, it's just that the timing was all wrong...snow was due (and did actually fall the last 2 days running)....I'm waaaaay behind with my graphics....and I have a big presentation to do at work on Monday and need time to prepare. If we'd gone on the business trip I would have had to pull the presentation togather over the weekend...and who wants to work unpaid at a weekend? It's not like I have oodles of spare time to waste.

Has anyone seen The Lovely Bones? I read the book about 10 years ago and loved it. As always though, the film wasn't half as good as the book. Now, I'm not much of a reader, but I believe the best thing about the book is that it really plays to your imagination, it describes things perfectly and lets you imagination run a little wild - but with the film it just gives you all that on the plate. Also, I thought the film didn't seem to get across the fact that Susie (the main subject of the book) is really angry with her murderer, whereas this is really obvious in the book. If you have seen it (or even read the book) then let me know your thoughts.

Don't you just love it...

...when you spend an hour clearing snow off the drive way...and then it starts snowing again :(

Is anyone actually enjoying this snow? LOL

Randomness

Here's 12 random facts that you may or may not already know...
1. Online I appear to be really extrovert and confident but in real life I'm quite the opposite. In fact, good luck every trying to meet me because chances are I'll chicken out LOL.
2. I can take or leave pizza and ice cream...I have to be in the mood
3. I love maths and science
4. I FINALLY passed my driving test when I was 26
5. I am TOTALLY tuneless. And I mean totally!
6. I am a twin - my twin looks nothing like me

7. I don't drink alcohol except maybe once a year...I just don't like it. I have never been bothered about being one of the crowd so I don't feel the need to keep up with them.
8. I'm currently thinking about my next car - which I will get once Andy gets a job - I was thinking of a Vauxhall (Opel) Corsa as I've had one of those before and loved it.
9. I still feel guilty that Andy was forced to sell his beloved sportscar so that I could go to university. He'd wanted that car for years and had it less than a year :(

10: I have 1 ovary and tube thanks to one of two cancer scares that thankfully turned out ok in the end!
11. I'm scared of telephones...seriously
12. My biggest fear is being lonely when I'm old - stems from having no kids I think

£400 later...

Bertie is now fixed...yay! We FINALLY have heating and hot water...much to the cat's annoyance as he was kind of liking the gas fire being on all the time...

More flowers!

Andy won a local radio competition and the prize was a bunch of roses....they came a day too late for valentines day, but aren't they gorgeous? The photography doesn't really do them justice and flower arranging is hardly my strong point....clearly LOL.

Notice anything?

Meet Bertie....

Bertie is my 5 year old combi boiler. I call him Bertie because it always seems to fit a belligerent, grumpy old man. If my boiler was a man, he'd definitely be a Bertie.

Notice anything interesting about Bertie? Look closer...I'll wait...

Soooooo, you noticed it? If you're wondering what that lunch box is doing under there let me tell you...

This morning as I merrily leaped out of bed with a spring in my step {believe that if you must} I became aware of some kind of dripping noise coming from downstairs. Well the cat looked a little wet and "put out" so my spidy senses were telling me something was up. I crept downstairs, not knowing what I'd find, and lo and behold, it was {almost} my worst nightmare come true. Now anyone who can remember my frozen pipe/flood/broken dishwasher events that unfolded last month will forgive me of the melodramatic explanation of today's events LOL. I walked in the downstairs bathroom to find Niagara Falls spewing out of the bottom of my boiler at the rate of 1 pint a minute (forgive me of the non-metric measurements but my jug is oooooold). Aaaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh!

So...long story cut short...I'm still waiting for Bob - The Odd Job Plumber to turn up and sort Bertie out. Let's hope a good talking to will work as I have little money to throw in Bertie's direction. Why do things like this always go wrong when you can least afford it? Well, hopefully Bertie gets better without having too much pampering and talking to.....

Update: Plumber number 1 came out and couldn't fix it. Plumber number 2 on his way. Looks like we may need a new boiler - been looking at prices (eeeeeek.....about £2,500!!!!!!). I'm now panicking because I haveno idea how we could even pay that much money - it's been hard enough finding money for the plumber's call out fees. I'm just praying plumber number 2 can fix it!

This.Is.Bliss

Can I just say I'm almost in heaven right now? Normally I sit at my desk for lunch, but since work got really, really busy (instead of just really busy) after Christmas, I swear I have not had a single lunch time where I have not been interrupted by the phone, an instant message (of the work variety, not MSN) or somebody asking me something and taking up half of my lunchtime. So why do I stay at my desk you might ask. Well really there isn't anywhere else to go, except the staff canteen, and I like peace and quiet at lunch time. That and the fact that I like to answer personal emails and things at lunchtime. Anyway, I digress.....I'm currently sat in the staff car park tinkering with my new toy. Internet access AND peace & quiet...what more could I ask for?

Hey, this netbook even has a camera LOL. See? I really AM sat in the staff car park :)

Boo!

PS: I may even get time to update my blogs now!

My new baby

I'm going on a business trip to the Isle of White from 24-26th February and I've been kind of worried about the number of emails I'll be coming back to once I get home. 3 days with no internet access is almost unthinkable for me....it's almost sending shivers down my spine thinking about it LOL. Well fear not Louise because PC World had a great solution for you. We spotted an offer which meant that we could get a brand new netbook for just £75....a cracking offer! The catch was you had to sign up for mobile broadband, but since we were doing that anyway, it meant we saved about £250. I did try getting them to throw in a free case with it, but clearly my bartering skills weren't working....funny that because it always works on the telly LOL.

The only snag? Well the mobile broadband doesn't work at home or work.   So, it really will be for occasional use. I'm hoping the network coverage improves over the next couple of years otherwise I won't be renewing my contract. The entire (ish) south of england is covered though....well that's just terrific.....IF you live in the south.

Happy Valentines day

Check out these little beauties...

 

 

Would you like to share your love story? Have a look at my other blog Adori Graphics on 14th Feb

And now for something completely random...

Lately I've been a bit worried that I've been neglecting hubby a little, what with the day job and then the graphics work taking up every evening and weekend. So tonight, when the hubs came back from a job interview, we decided to spend some quality time together. We went out for dinner and then came home and had a game of this...

Can you guess what it is yet?

Yes...you guessed it....Trivial Pursuit (wii edition). It was LOTS of fun and oh...can you guess who won? Look below....Ok, well you can forgive me for a little gloat LOL.

Onto other things, well lately I've been tired and grouchy after a few very challenging weeks. I don't talk about everything on my blog, though some of you will know what I'm talking about...and I just wanted you to know that I have appreciated your thoughts and prayers while I learn to deal with the current ups and downs. My patience is still being {seriously} tested by a few people, but overall I'm feeling a bit more relaxed.

I've been making a real effort to get more sleep because I've noticed that both of us seem, to be much better for it...who'da thought?....LOL

A little personal reflection

As I said here, lately I've been feeling really tired the most exhausted I have ever felt in my life. It's my own fault really. You see I think I was put on this earth to help people and, that, coupled with the fact that I dislike confrontation, means that I never say no. It's the same at home, work, whatever...and this is great for other people, but I find that it's making me stressed, tired and ill as it inevitably results in me taking on too much. The end result is that I get grouchy and stroppy and then start snapping at people because they've pushed my buttons. When I think deeper into this I realise that I haven't been entirely fair here because I'm sure many people wouldn't have pushed my buttons if they knew I was feeling very fragile at the moment. And they probably wouldn't have gone as far as pushing my buttons if I'd said "no" occasionally. In effect, I denied them the opportunity to deal with a person who as being completely honest and open.

So, now I know what needs to change it's just a case of "how". It's hard to change 34 years of being "me". And I need to make sure the "right" bits change LOL.

In other news, I've been on a training course at work all week. It's on "6 Sigma" which is basically business tools that you can use to strive for perfection in various things that you do. We use the tools a lot at work and I have some good ideas how I can use those tools to improve my blog or to increase the chances of getting things right first time. That will involve some planning though so it's a long term thing...definitely no extra work for now LOL.

So anyway, what's new with you?

Dear poor, neglected blog,
I'm so sorry for deserting you, I never intended to be gone so long, but with my graphics work taking up all of my time, I just never got chance to come here and give you some TLC. I promise I will be a better blogger from now on...
I've been thinking about what to do with this blog and I've decided that I'd like to use it more to talk about my thoughts and feelings and general day to day stuff, because sometimes I just need to "put things out there" or talk through them. I haven't decided yet whether I'll keep the blog public or make it private, but I'll review that later on. If it seems that my posts are getting a bit heavy or I'm getting the wrong kind of "commentage" then I may consider it. So that's it for now, I'll make a proper post later...