
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Caitlin
This article in the Times on Sunday was so my sister that I became convinced she had written it . I spoke to her online , my sister that is , and she feigned lack of knowledge and an interest in reading the article , so sent her the link . Today , Tuesday, out of the blue, received a text from her ( again my sister , not Caitlin ) pointing out that Not Bothering is the ideal solution really , all the delights of the planning and the anticipating without ever needing to get off one's arse ( is arse an acceptable word in a blog ? Ass might be better , but so American ?). Oh , the link didn't work , try this one .....
caitlin How come these links arent working here but they work fine in my favourites list ? Another of the mysteries of the world .
Due to the recent demise of the MR2 ( was that its name ? Sudden mental block , anyway the Blue Car ) D has been frantically scraping around for another Car with Character , ebay being the second port of call , where to my horror he was again focusing entirely on Loud Subarus which go Far Too Fast and make a loud banging noise at the back end to boot .
Having failed in a bid war whilst I was watching Casualty , things were getting desparate as he needed to drive to Sheffield today and still no wheels on sunday night . Undeterred , he found an RS2000 not too far away in a magazine and went to collect it yesterday . The journey involved getting the metro to Newcastle , followed by the train to Durham ( fifteen minutes ), then a bus to the Durham village where it was living . Suffice to say D is not used to public transport.
Whilst he pored over train timetables and bus routes I had a clear picture of him on one of the few trains heading for London which fails to stop in Durham ..... so tried to say to him " make sure you get a train that does actually stop in Durham blah blah " . I knew he wasnt listening , wondered , shall I say that again , but not wanting to come across like someone's Mother , I kept my counsel .
Next day , he texted me to say " Guess what , Im now heading for Darlington. Caught the one train today that doesnt stop in Darlington" .
The car looks great , but I have a funny feeling about it too . Probably just the loud noise from the back end ( a something bore exhaust ?) , which makes me very nervous in the passenger seat . Only one solution to that .
Watch this space .
Sunday, 13 May 2007
sunday
No CatCalls today again so the chance to sleep later and recover from the 5am awakening and attendant Issues ( Teenage Business again ). Mist and drizzle from the window so back to bed until 8 with half an hour of Carol Shields to get me back to sleep .
felt like a day to celebrate no work , so cooked mushrooms and bacon and toast as well as the usual Rachel's coconut yoghurt ( from Hexham , we can't get it round here ) and strong black coffee from the new machine . The cats swarm as usual and the guinea pigs squeal with glee as the fridge is opened . Kitty , our tortoiseshell ThunderThighs is furious as Waitrose food is on offer , forgetting that she rejected Pearl Gourmet last week . She barges at bare legs and throws backward hisses over her shoulder but it cuts no ice .
At nine we brave the chill outside and do the usual Fish Quay run , this time with the camera in tow and are rewarded by the arrival of two imposing ferries right in front of us as we ride along the edge with no barrier .
A few minutes later we are in front of the Priory , castle ruins and I stop for a breather ( steep hill ) on pretext of taking some pictures . I hate the fact I struggle with those tiny hills just now , hopefully not for long . The picture of the castle was meant to be here but there you go
Saturday, 12 May 2007
MR2
Pug Puppy
N is desperate to have a pug puppy . A few of her friends have dogs now , all acquired in the last year or so , and she describes how they all take them out religiously every morning before school and the only reason N herself stays in bed right up till the last possible minute and beyond is because there is nothing to get up for . Of course , with that puppy in place everything would be different . I point out that we rarely see her these days , she is always hanging around with her friends who knows quite where , but apparently most of the friends ( two of them at least ) take their dogs with them and they sleep with them , train them feed them brush them!
As the days pass , the pug puppy begins to turn into the panacea for all ills and would improve all aspects of her functioning , her homework would get done , she would do this and that blah blah .
I resist all discussions for days . We cant have one . We have four cats . The cats are used to a queit life . The cats would hate them . I dont want another dog . After Jasmin I was determined we would have no more .
Finally , proud of my resolve , I call upon Google and sneak a look at a page of pug pupppies , then quickly look at some breeders sites .... £ 1200 .... Surely not ! My Birman kittens went for £350 or thereabouts and are Far Superior in every way . But then again ..... I find myself logging on again and reading about the breed personality ,and before I know it pug puppy has become Pug Puppy in my mind and I hear myself mentioning the fact that N would like one when we meet my mother for coffee at Kirkharle courtyard , a favourite Saturday morning haunt . " Mm " she says noncommittally , trying to carry on the pretence that its nothing , just a passing fancy .( She could not imagine life without her dogs . )
Later in the day N brings my purse to me to give her some money to buy some new school trousers as her old ones "have stretched " , a thing mine never seem to do , and oh poop , she catches me looking at Pug Puppy pictures , little grumpy faces from all angles
Mum , she yells , I KNOW you want one ! And I HEARD you telling Grandma about them too .
Why do teenagers shout everything out loud so the whole world knows your secrets .
Mm indeed .
As the days pass , the pug puppy begins to turn into the panacea for all ills and would improve all aspects of her functioning , her homework would get done , she would do this and that blah blah .
I resist all discussions for days . We cant have one . We have four cats . The cats are used to a queit life . The cats would hate them . I dont want another dog . After Jasmin I was determined we would have no more .
Finally , proud of my resolve , I call upon Google and sneak a look at a page of pug pupppies , then quickly look at some breeders sites .... £ 1200 .... Surely not ! My Birman kittens went for £350 or thereabouts and are Far Superior in every way . But then again ..... I find myself logging on again and reading about the breed personality ,and before I know it pug puppy has become Pug Puppy in my mind and I hear myself mentioning the fact that N would like one when we meet my mother for coffee at Kirkharle courtyard , a favourite Saturday morning haunt . " Mm " she says noncommittally , trying to carry on the pretence that its nothing , just a passing fancy .( She could not imagine life without her dogs . )
Later in the day N brings my purse to me to give her some money to buy some new school trousers as her old ones "have stretched " , a thing mine never seem to do , and oh poop , she catches me looking at Pug Puppy pictures , little grumpy faces from all angles
Mum , she yells , I KNOW you want one ! And I HEARD you telling Grandma about them too .
Why do teenagers shout everything out loud so the whole world knows your secrets .
Mm indeed .
Friday, 11 May 2007
Freddie's Funeral
Started work on yet another court report at seven knowing I would struggle to get it all done in the day as there was a meeting I needed to go to in Darlington later .... from inside, a lovely day , sunny and bright . By 8 45 took the bike down to the fish quay , the wind was not apparent through the windows , hard work pedalling along to the ferry landing . So much goes on down there .. cycling back along past the shops with their blackboards outside advertising their stuff , much of it home made or home cured or home whatever , the wind at my back I could have been on a Greek island . Wrapped up in a fleece with a gortex over that I was as warm as I would have been in a vest top in full sun , and the sun sparkling off the oily water and later the waves , I could have been anywhere enjoying two weeks of bliss.
Wherever we live now it seems we all live CityLives , seeing nothing except the inside of our homes , our offices , department stores and the occasional pub , hotel or restaurant .
Wonderful to be in a different life which plays out not ten minutes from my house and yet rarely seen by me anyway . On a bike you swish past the shops with wet fish in the doorways and patches of oil mingled with twists of fish guts , close enough to really see the fisherman standing in the alley ways talking and sometimes drinking from a can as they go off after the night shift .
After the quay the wind blows me along the river as it opens to the sea , the waves splash against the walls and I plan the rest of my report .
They buried Freddie on this day , in the afternoon .
Wherever we live now it seems we all live CityLives , seeing nothing except the inside of our homes , our offices , department stores and the occasional pub , hotel or restaurant .
Wonderful to be in a different life which plays out not ten minutes from my house and yet rarely seen by me anyway . On a bike you swish past the shops with wet fish in the doorways and patches of oil mingled with twists of fish guts , close enough to really see the fisherman standing in the alley ways talking and sometimes drinking from a can as they go off after the night shift .
After the quay the wind blows me along the river as it opens to the sea , the waves splash against the walls and I plan the rest of my report .
They buried Freddie on this day , in the afternoon .
Tuesday, 8 May 2007
Pulling up at the kerb tonight at six pm I spied an elderly lady watching my approach and obviously ready to have words with me . Tall and genteel with elegantly set hair , yet somehow I knew she wasnt just going to talk about the weather or ask me to look after the cat . Recalling encounters years ago with Mrs L who frequently came out onto the road to complain about her husband , I smiled and then looked away but before the car had fully come to a halt she stepped off her perch on the pavement , and pulled open my car door . ( Goodness me what price personal space ) . She immediately launched into a tirade of words ( well , yes , there now , you see ) so I said Are you all right ? fearful even as I spoke that she might clout me one .
No , I'm not , she said , firmly , Ive had enough of you pulling up to the kerb with your dark glasses on and telling me nothing of anything I need to hear , you're saying nothing at all of anything .
Oh ! I said . Im sorry .
Anything else would have sounded inflammatory I think .
Im sure there are people all over who would agree with her , though how she knew how little I have to say , beats me .
And at that she stalked off up the road .
I collared one of the neighbours later who recognised my description and promised to have a word with her sister whom apparently she might have been looking for .
No , I'm not , she said , firmly , Ive had enough of you pulling up to the kerb with your dark glasses on and telling me nothing of anything I need to hear , you're saying nothing at all of anything .
Oh ! I said . Im sorry .
Anything else would have sounded inflammatory I think .
Im sure there are people all over who would agree with her , though how she knew how little I have to say , beats me .
And at that she stalked off up the road .
I collared one of the neighbours later who recognised my description and promised to have a word with her sister whom apparently she might have been looking for .
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