>Insert witty Kelis Milkshake reference here<

I tried this the other day. It was perhaps the finest milkshake ever to pass my lips.


I promise you it's like melted ice cream in a bottle.

Gorgeous. I will be buying more. Well it’s never too early to start the fight against osteoporosis you know.

No probably about it

This weekend I definitely:

-went to the mall. I bought a towel, I am so homely. Or old.
-did not get a cold, Friday was a freak it would appear.
-slept in. 11.00am. Anything other than a time in double numbers is too early for a Saturday.
-spoke to Lynsey on the phone. Good times.
-hit a squirrel. Oops.
-got photos developed and bought frames ready to hang up. More drill fun for me!
-went to dinner and the cinema with Maggie and her Macedonian friend. European fun! Oh that sounds dodgy doesn’t it?!
-went to church and Sunday School which despite what it sounds like is for adults.
-went for a run. No excuses with the magical disappearing cold. Arse.
-celebrated at Reese Witherspoon’s win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Bring on the Oscars! Walk the Line comes out this week at home, see it! If for no other reason than to see what I’m talking about.

But the most exciting thing about the weekend came on Saturday lunchtime. I got mail! My post, for reasons best known, doesn’t get delivered to my house. I have to go to a wee box thing a few streets away. It’s pretty small, what am I talking about? You’ve seen it! But here’s where it gets really stupid. The USPS (American Royal Mail) doesn’t deliver letters to my house, but parcels are ok to be delivered to the house! Huh? What sort of crazy system is that? Well anyway, on Saturday lunchtime I heard someone on the porch, I just thought it was David Next Door, although the stomping wasn’t to his usual high standard. Anyway I thought no more about it til I was going to leave for Wal-Mart and the Lynsey call. As I was locking my front door I saw two packages. I actually prayed that they would be for me, or at least one of them. There was a chance that they could have been for David. As I ran (yes, I actually ran to them!) I saw that they were both for me! I cannot tell you how excited I was. Well seeing as I am writing about it in such detail you can probably guess. I rushed back into the house to open them. I could not wait! It was a good job Lynsey had postponed our phonecall due the television event that is Celebrity Come Ice Dancing (?)!! I’m trying not dwell on the fact that I, one of Lynsey’s closest friends who happens to be 4000 miles away who she hasn’t seen or talked to in a month was pushed back in favour of TV show. It wasn’t even the final! Mind you she would have been pushed back in favour of opening mail!

Anyway, hurray for Kari and Jud who sent me, independenly I might add, great great parcels before Thursday’s request for any mail whatsoever. Do not fear, you do not need to try to beat these great parcels! Any mail will do (reminds me of a song)!


The aforementioned parcels (the notebook and Bible were not included – merely being used to hide my address from would-be stalkers/freaks/killers that would chance upon this picture on the world wide web) If points were being awarded Kari would get bonus points for it being a brown paper package tied up with string (another song!)


Although Jud would get bonus points for providing me with reading material. Everything was wrapped in a page from Heat! I completed the Crossword for you Jud. 27 across was Cabaret in case you’re interested!


Jud’s parcel contained the following – Chip Shop Curry x2, Hot Chocolate x4, strawberry laces, a drumstick (supersize), Curly Wurly, Dairy Milk (hewge), fajitas mix, Mini Creme Eggs, Cheese and Broccoli Pasta ‘n’ Sauce, apple laces, Butterscotch Delight (my favourite flavour! How did you know?! I'm quite sure we've never had a conversation about it!) Strawberry Millions and Love Hearts Dip.


A whole box of tastiness from Kari.


Laid out for all to see. It included Beef flavoured Hula Hoops x2, Haribo Starmix, Bikers x2, Maoam, Space Raiders x2, Sherbet Dip Dab, Flumps x2, Rollers x2, strawberry laces, Skips x2, Rainbow Drops x2, Lip stick looky-likey sweet x2, and a Double lolly.

So thank you thank you thank you! You are the bestest friends a girl could ever ask for. You knew what I wanted post before I had even asked for it! You spent time researching what I liked (well ok you read the blurb at the top right) and spent good time and money sending me it all out!

I spent the rest of the weekend trying to ration it out. I think I did quite well considering, all that’s gone so far is a Flump, 2 Mini Creme Eggs, a packet of Rollers and a lipstick looky-likey sweet. This was mostly because I put it all in Kari’s box and then on top of the fridge. Out of sight, out of mind!

I will set to compiling your return parcels!

You too could get this sort of treatment if you send me a postcard/letter/something exciting!

It’s only blooooooody Friday!*

Not much for you today but seeing as I blog every work day I thought I better not let the side down! I know there are people who just don’t know what to do with themselves if they have nothing to read from me!

So Friday already! My goodness this week went quickly. Might be something to do with the fact that I so tired from last weekend. I think I fell asleep in front of the TV twice this week. Well, at least I’m making the most of my time here!

This weekend is filled with ‘probablies’. I’ll probably sleep in tomorrow, my threatened cold will probably get worse but I’ll probably still go for a run (it’s getting close!), I’ll probably do something with Maggie and I’ll probably go to church. No doubt I’ll fill you in on Monday on which of these things actually happened! Have a good weekend!

*Not me actually swearing as all Scott Mills fans will know! (That is, assuming you count 'bloody' as a swear word)

Announcement

The TINA has decided to start the 2nd Write to Tina Awards due to the severe lack of any post since Christmas. You should have my address from before but if not you can email me to find it out.

There are going to be no complicated rules this time. If you send me a postcard/letter/something exciting you will get something similar returned to you. Plus the thanks of a grateful Tina who is fed up checking her mail box for there to be nothing there. You might also get a mention here for being a great friend! Now there’s an incentive!


The sight I have been greeted to all too often since Christmas!

I look forward to your post!

Wal-Mart: Guaranteed to give you a laugh

You would be forgiven to think that I was being slightly big headed saying that I was going to be the most stylish person in Hicksville. These photos (ah the happy return of surreptitious photos!) will hopefully prove to you that I wasn't.


I had a pair of ear muffs when I was in P2 (circa 1986). Have they made a come back?


Is this woman wearing tie-dye for a dare?!

Ski weekend - Part deux

On Sunday morning, despite Saturday’s high exercise and activity I was awake at 6.30am and annoyingly I couldn’t get back to sleep. I used my time well though, by reading out on the balcony so as not to disturb Sarah. Although I think me dropping my book, sliding the door open, going back in to get extra layers, coming out again and going back in to get my mobile might have ruined that plan somewhat. I must have been feeling super fit because then I went out for a mini-run! When I got back I showered, changed, put the face on, packed, and finally the rest of them were up!

We packed up and went for brunch at the Pancake Pantry. Mmn mmn. Even in the touristy place we were (in peak season!) in a proper sit down restaurant the crepes (NB plural) I had were bigger but only slightly more expensive than the rip off ones at Summer Madness. I’m thinking about writing a letter to not only my MP but the Monopolies and Mergers Commission about this act of extortion.

When we were done we walked around the shops a bit. As is my custom I bought a postcard of the new place I had been to for my wall of world travels. Everyone apart from Jose, Will and me were on a tight schedule and had to hit the road (jack). So we headed to the Outlet Mall rather than home. Shopping with boys, now there’s an experience! Frugal Tina came to the fore and spent zippo, so my role was more advisory, but that was still fun! When the boys were done we headed back to our cars and back to the interstate home.


The gang's all here! Along the front is me, Lindy, Sarah and Megan. Along the back is Robert, Jose and Will. And yes, that is a Christmas tree in the shot too. It seems Gatlinburg is the opposite of Narnia, it's Christmas every day there!

Despite my brilliant weekend (another contender for weekend of the experience, certainly winner thus far of weekend of 2006!) when I got into the car to drive home, I felt homesick. That was the first time since the day I moved into my house and was unpacking. Being with such a close group of friends made me miss mine. Please don’t get me wrong, I totally felt included in everything and everyone was lovely, but driving home to the Methodist Ministers’ Retirement Facility was a bit depressing or something.

The feeling was a bit like when our YF weekend was over, or CHW, or some other big experience time away from home. When you get home, no one there really understands what you’ve just gone through and you feel a bit dejected. I’m lucky that my parents are the kind of parents that I could (and do) tell anything to, but at those times they’ve learnt to let the stories just come out in due course! More than enough times we’d be eating dinner or something and my dad, thrilled to see us back again, would clap his hand in joy and cry ‘tell us from the very beginning…’ which generally resulted in David or me saying ‘well we reversed out of the driveway, put the car in first gear, drove to the end of the street, put on the indicator…’. It still took a few trips before they got it. Parents!

The homesickness didn't last long however, I roll with the punches, me! Once I was home and back looking at the lake again I realised there are worse places to be in the world.

I'm alive!

I’m not in the hospital! Nor I do not have a leg in traction! It seems that despite Friday’s blog eight years isn’t really that long ago and skiing is just like a riding a bike, you never forget. Well, ok, maybe not never, but a couple of runs on the nursery slope is all you need to remind you. We skied all day Saturday and I fell twice the whole day, and technically they shouldn’t really count. Once I was going to help Robert, who fell and I quite simply ran out of snow to ski on. The other was at the bottom of the hill, when I had all but stopped. I’m still not quite sure how I ended up on the ground but there I was. Had it not been for these two minor incidents I might have been rushed home to represent GB & NI in Turin in the giant slalom.

It was just a great weekend from start to finish. Straight after work (as in once I packed the car, went to the bank, drove back to the house to get the stuff I forgot the first time, ran back to the house to get something else) on Friday I left to drive up to Gatlinburg, about an hour or so away. Jose and the other girls (apart from me, not Jose!) had been skiing that day already and I met them at the ski place. Once they were done with their night skiing we went back to the apartment, got pizza and hung out (little Americanism there for you!). On Saturday morning we headed to the slopes despite the drizzle. By the time we had got our passes and skis, I think I could have thrown up I was so nervous. As it turned out, there were a few others who weren’t exactly pros either. I thought I was out of practice with only a week’s worth of skiing eight years ago, but Robert, dear love him, was hitting the slopes a day’s skiing 14 years ago! I hate to say it, but this fact alone boosted my confidence. We skied down the nursery slope and then hit the proper runs. I forgot the adrenaline rush you got hurtling down a snow covered mountain at high velocity! They should sell that in capsule form! The rain was more than annoying though. Especially for those people who wear glasses.


The good thing about the rain was that it made for a quiet day on the slopes! There really were more people skiing than this photo would make it appear but it was lunchtime!


Lindy (who was so good she looked like a ballerina on skis), Jose (he spent more time on his butt than me, but that's the way snowboarding is), Will (a novice but his inability to snow plough made him look so much more experienced), Megan (had the best fall of the entire day when she got a face full of snow) and Robert (fell more than anyone but had a brilliant hero run from the top, although there was a collision with a wall that time). Obviously not pictured is me (the real reason for my severe lack of falling is that I was just more cautious than anyone else).

After a long day whoosh whooshing, it was decided (and not by me I hasten to add) that the best thing to soothe bumps and sore muscles was to go to the apartment complex’s hot tub. It worked a treat, I never wanted to get out. But eventually I was convinced. There were plans afoot to go out into the town that night, but when it came to it, we just couldn’t be bothered. After showers and dinner we sat around playing games into the night. Now there’s a group of twenty-somethings in their prime! No kidding, I was in my jammies by 7.00pm!

1998

I was shocked to realise just how long ago 1998 was. Eight years ago! Where has the time gone? To illustrate my point here are some things that happened in 1998:

- The Good Friday Agreement was signed
- Billie Piper was a pop star
- Paula Jones was the least of Bill Clinton’s worries when the Lewinsky scandal came out
- Dana International won the Eurovision
- Father Ted himself Dermot Morgan died
- The country hated David Beckham for that needless red card. Time heals all wounds
- Hurricane Mitch hit Central America
- John Glenn went into space…again
- The iMac was launched
- Despite ceasefires and peace agreements, 29 people died because of the Omagh bomb
- Frank Sinatra died
- We all did indeed wonder what she was going to look like with a chimney on her
- Boyzone were the Irish boyband
- B*Witched were the Irish girlband
- Robbie Williams got in two years early on the act with ‘Millennium’
- Geri Halliwell left the Spice Girls
- We were all gutted that Celine Dion’s heart was going on

But I find the best way to discover just how long ago something happened is to see at what happened in Neighbours at the same time. (The good old BBC has a brilliant Neighbours website. You can watch clips and everything, including Scott and Charlene’s wedding!)

So in Ramsey Street in 1998:

- Harold came back
- Claire, that annoying French girl arrived. Thankfully her stay was short lived
- Helen died
- Toadie and Billy turned 18
- Drew and Joel came to Erinsborough
- Karl cheated on Susan with Sarah

1998 was also the last (and indeed only) time I went skiing. This weekend I’m going again. And as I have proven 1998 was a fair while ago so anything less than a leg broken in three places will count as a successful weekend. Wish me luck!

Remember, curiosity killed the cat

During my last supermarket shop I came across these and I gave in to my curiosity and bought a packet. I know, I should have known better, apple crisps were never going to be lovely but I just wanted to taste them to see for myself. I think a new level of rankness has been reached. Apple crisps will definitely not set the world alight as the new taste sensation.


I think it’s fair to say that Tayto have nothing to worry about.

The UK's greatest export

Last night I watched American Idol. It was, perhaps, the funniest thing I have seen all year. Simon Cowell makes the programme! He is as you know him to be, cutting, harsh and rude but there’s also a sense of bewilderment at the … hmm … how to put this … characters that audition.

There was one 17 year old girl last night who turned up in what can only be described as a wedding dress. Simon was hilarious when she told him it was her prom dress. Turning to the other judges he said with all the disdain he could muster ‘is that what prom is?’.

Another classic was the guy who turned up dressed as the Statue of Liberty, he was singing ‘New York, New York’ but only got as far as ‘Start spr’ before Simon cut him off and told him no. The guy thought it was a joke and tried to plead with him but it was to no avail. Simon was having none of it. Off he went, torch crestfallen.

But the best one of the lot was the girl trying to look like Paris Hilton. She was as thick as all get out! Simon’s first question was ‘tell us about your tan’. She started to ramble on about the song she was singing. He tried again ‘No, I said tell me about your tan’. Off she went again talking about how important music was to her. This carried another two or three times before she finally understood the question. Then he asked her what her mother thought of her look. ‘Well she’s outside so you can ask her’. Mom was then brought in. It was quite clear to everyone where the Paris-a-like had got her inspiration, and the question what her mum thought of the look was now totally redundant. Needless to say she didn’t make it through, I’m quite sure that was based solely on her singing.

There is an obvious difference between the American and British versions. The Americans all thought they were going to make it. There were none of those attention seekers that make up the early shows back home, you know the ones that have just turned up for a laugh to get on TV. It must be the way they are bred, it’s all part of the American dream, you know ‘you can be anything you want, don’t let anyone stand in your way’ kind of thing. I’m not complaining mind you. It makes for fantastic TV, so long as Simon Cowell is there to pour the contempt on them.

Normal service has been resumed - no deep thoughts today

One of my most favourite memories of my TOM girls comes from CHW the year they were on team. I was sharing a tent with them and the whole week was pure laughter. I was reminded of one time that week with them today. It went something like this (identities will remain protected):

TOM girl 1: (just back from a moonlit walk around the lake with a boy!) We’re so similar, it’s unbelievable! Seriously! Like what’s my biggest fear?

TOM girl 2: (without the slightest hesitation, clearly recollecting the thousands of miles they have spent on the roads that year) Roadkill.

TOM girl 1: (quite perturbed that after nearly a year together TOM girl 2 has missed that piece of information) NO! (but goes on undeterred) It’s that I’ll end up on my own. That’s his biggest fear too.

The point was lost on us by this point, we were all laughing so much that she thought roadkill was her biggest fear in life!

So why was I reminded of this conversation today? Because I think I killed a squirrel.

I was driving along my street going home for lunch when a little grey squirrel, startled from the obtrusive noise of the car engine disrupting his nut gathering, ran out in front of my car. I slammed on the brakes hoping I would stop in time. The squirrel looked right at me, he was paralysed with fear. I’m not sure I stopped in time but I don’t think the yelp I heard is a good sign. I’m trying to take comfort in the fact it was grey squirrel and they are overpopulated already. Imagine if it had been a red squirrel, the guilt I would feel over killing a little Squirrel Nutkin would be unbearable.

I’m maybe not scared of roadkill but I certainly don’t like it. I avert my eyes when I see any unidentified object on the road and I tell myself it’s a rag of some sort. I still remember my first victim of roadkill. I was driving to Derry and a bird swooped across infront of my car. There was no time to stop, to brake, to do anything. I just hoped he had made it across in time. As I looked in my rear view mirror, what I saw looked exactly like it would have had a cartoon bird got run over by a cartoon car - a great mass of feathers falling slowly to the ground and I knew he hadn’t made it.

I live on a one way street so tonight on the way home I will have to avert my eyes for fear that I might see the flattened body of a former squirrel. At least this time there were no feathers, I can tell myself he made it away.

[Oh and yay for Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix and Walk the Line winning Golden Globes last night! The Hollywood Foreign Press Association agree with me that it's a good film!]

Happy birthday to you!

Today is Martin Luther King Day and a Public Holiday. Although it appears that this was a hard fought day. Reading about it on Wikipedia (knowledge is power!) it took a while to get it and today Greenville County in SC (coincidently where Jose lives) is the last US county to give it as a paid public holiday.

Yesterday church started with a clip of Martin Luther King’s famous speech ‘I have a dream’. And no matter how many times you see it or read it, it’s pretty powerful stuff.

The bit that stuck out yesterday is ‘I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.’

There’s not a lot you can say about racism, well actually there is. It’s horrible, disgusting and just plain wrong. But that's for another time. Yesterday the ‘content of their character’ bit got me thinking.

What is the content of my character? Do I please God with the content of my character? Sometimes I’m not so sure. Is that how I look at other people? By the content of their character? I’m ashamed to say, not always.

Sometimes I discount someone for the tiniest outward thing. Sometimes I think about myself before anyone else gets a look in. Sometimes I find it hard to forgive someone even though they said sorry. Sometimes I take the word of someone about a third person before I find out the truth for myself.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who’s like that. But does that make it any better? Failing an exam that the majority of the class failed shouldn’t be much comfort.

A woman in her prime!

Last night was not one of my more exciting nights. I fell asleep on the sofa, sleeping soundly for two hours. Thankfully I woke up in time to pray as part of 24/7. Then I went to bed. I did not go around the lake as planned (I consider myself to be in training for the proposed run around it) but I might tonight. Although as I look outside my office window it’s like a rainy day in Greendale so I’m not sure that’ll happen either. I might force myself though. Given last night’s lack of activity it might be good for me!

My goodness, more Christian activity

People will really begin to think I am a Christian at this rate! Last night I went to the Bible Study in the welcome pack giving church. Roma had told me to introduce myself to the leader, as she (Roma) had talked about me to her. My reputation precedes me! So I did. My goodness, what a lovely, lovely lady! She’s the sort of woman you wish was your Granny! For example, as I walked up to say hiya, she greeted me with ‘what a pretty young lady!’ I think more people should greet me this way!

Anyway, she was talking about Hosea which, if I’m honest, is not a book I can say I’ve looked at before. She’s an amazing teacher and gave all the background and then went through the story. The crux of what she was saying was that God doesn’t want us to be sacrificed, He wants the relationship. Even when you make a mess out of your life, if you come before God with repentance He can fix it and restore it. He wants you to come home.

The other thing about last night was that they announced that a woman from the church had died suddenly that morning from a massive heart attack. There was an audible gasp from everyone as they came to terms with the news. That’s when it hit me, I might miss everyone at home, but I also miss the community that church brings. I miss knowing people here. It’s hard to start from scratch, with people not knowing who you are and you not knowing them.

I used to be good at Maths

Well ok, maybe not good, but certainly above average. Along with my double A in Science I got an A in Maths and a coughCsplutter in Add. Maths (it’s still a pass!). I even did Maths A Level for about a month until I realised I didn’t care what x was anymore (I chose the far more worthy subject of History. What a sound decision that turned out to be!). The numbers is my favourite part of Countdown. I really like it when you can do it before the timer even starts. I was always better at Maths than English (I have only recently, as in the last few years, got to grips with grammar). In P4 my favourite times tables were 7 (I had a favourite times tables!). They just seemed to come naturally to me, 7, 14, 21…. I don't know why.

But yesterday I realised my brain has frozen over in the Maths department. Yesterday I couldn’t multiply 20 by 200. And then worst of all, I couldn’t work out what time it was here when it was 2.00am in NI. Since I’ve been out here I am always adding five hours. Maybe that was my problem? This was subtraction. I spent most of the day thinking it was 10.00pm and just in the nick of time I realised it was 9.00pm. Oh ya ho!

The reason why I needed to know what time it was here was because I was praying as part of 24/7 prayer. The good people at DYCW have set up a prayer room and asked people to sign up for an hour of prayer. And despite my distance I could sign up too. Yay!

So last night from 9.00pm to 10.00pm I was praying. It says on the website that some people say an hour feels like 10 minutes. I wouldn’t maybe go that far, but it definitely did not feel like an hour. But then I didn’t have all the cool stuff to help you like in Aldersgate. Instead I went to (the most obvious place at the Lake) the big lit up cross. It was amazing! Tonight I’ve got another hour, and I think I will get a bit more creative. Well I have got my mother’s creative mind! I’m sure the mighty Wal-Mart will be able to help me out.

You should strongly consider signing up. You can do it here.


I think it would feel like 10 minutes with all this stuff! Well done Jud et al.

Tip for those looking to skive out of studying

Exam season again! I have many a fond memory of studying for university exams. During my university years I discovered one of the best ever reasons not to go back upstairs and revise some more – I had to watch the darts! (I think I could watch nearly any sport at all on TV. I’ve even watched Weightlifting at the Olympics.) But during the first week or so of January, it’s darts. It is fantastic! The crowd, the entrance, the cheering, counting down from 501 (darts players have amazing mathematical minds!) and the tension of hitting the double all make for great skiving. You have to watch a leg to see how it goes. And the beauty of it is another leg follows, getting you out of more work! It's so addictive!

So in an effort to keep up with news from the old world, I was on the BBC Sport website there and was reading about who got knocked out. Ted Hankey, Andy Fordham and John-Boy Walton all gone!! I’m quite worried I won’t know anyone at all now, there’s a new breed. But excitingly you can watch highlights too on the BBC. Hurray for the BBC.

Actually there is a pattern of me getting out of studying to watch sport. During my GCSEs England were playing for the Ashes. There was a Test on the weekend before my Physics exam and I decided that was the perfect time to learn how cricket was played. I actually sat with a dictionary looking up terms like ‘over’ and ‘maiden’. I was totally baffled as to was O M R W meant on the table. But I persevered and got there. And I got a double A in Science. Oh yes!

So try watching the darts, it may help you with your exams!

Etiquette for air travel

I am not without my experience of travelling and when I was coming back here I was thinking about different journeys. So here are my social rules for plane travel. Unfortunately these come from personal experience from the skies, even 15.

1. Drug all children likely to cry for the entire flight.

2. Do not push your way through the queue to board the flight. You will only end up sitting beside the person you just elbowed to beat onto the plane. There's no rush, the plane will not leave any quicker because you were first on the plane.

3. At least acknowledge the person sitting beside you, a warm smile or if you are feeling brave talk a little, for example where are you from, travelling for work or holiday but no names or personal information. This will avoid awkwardness for the rest of the flight but neither will you appear like a stalker.

4. Sit in the seat assigned on your boarding card. No switching unless with the expressed permission of the seat owner.

5. Know the boundaries – put the arm rest down.

6. Never pull the window shutter. Just because you are sitting beside the window does not mean you own it. Think of your row mates.

7. If you are the size of Geoff Capes do not block the window view by leaning forward. This is rude.

8. Never put your finished food tray on someone else’s fold down table – unless travelling with family member/friend.

9. Share any empty seat you and a fellow passenger happen to be beside. Do not hog it all to yourself, or move to exclude the other party.

10. If you are lucky enough to be in an aisle seat it is your responsibility to stay awake during the flight to give your row mates an exit route. Or at least not be grumpy if someone wakes you to get up.

11. If you are in a middle seat you must take every opportunity to get up, so when the aisle seat passenger gets up for a whizz, you do too.

12. The only excusable reason for putting your seat back is when the person in front of you puts theirs back. Unless you are at the back of a section in which case you can have your seat back for the whole journey without the slightest guilty feeling that it is someone else’s face

13. Someone collapsing on the flight and lying in the aisle for 45 minutes is not part of the in flight entertainment. Unless you are trained medical personnel and feel you can benefit the situation do not approach the scene.

14. Do not use the seat in front of you to help lift you out of your seat. They do not need you to help them feel like they are on a theme park ride. Turbulence does that all on its own.

15. If you are travelling with a baby and they poo please move immediately to the toilet to deal with the situation. If the seatbelt sign is illuminated and this is impossible do not attempt to deal with the situation in your seat using the fold down table as a baby changing table.

A pictorial view of my journey

The queue at City airport to check-in. This was the most ridiculous thing ever and it came far too early in the morning. Dad dropped me off at the airport, yes dropped me off, there was no emotional farewell at security. Misses me my foot! He couldn’t wait to get shot of me. Anyway, eventually I made through check-in. There were a few nervous moments when they phoned to check the luggage allowance on Delta. Thankfully I was safe, in fact I could have had a good 20kg more! So yo!


These water fountains still impress me. This was taken as I made my last phonecalls in Gatwick. When I was on the phone to the parents a little boy came wandering over, crying his eyes out. It was horrible to watch, so the caring person that I am went over to him and tried to help him. Just with that his mum came over and my job was done! I hate people crying. People crying make me cry. Especially cute little boys lost in airports.


I have never seen so many military personnel in all my life, well at least not since we went to that shopping centre right beside the Pentagon. I sadly missed the most brilliant photo of all when there were about 200 army people boarding a plane to Shannon. But this photo shows the ATM that wouldn’t let me take money out. Fair enough it took me 3 goes to get the PIN right but still! This unfortunately had the knock on effect of me not eating for 24 hours.


So with no money to buy any food I resulted to scavenging through my bags to see what I could find. I decided it wasn’t a desperate enough situation to break open the Thai Sweet Chilli crisps, the Creme Eggs, or the Digestive biscuits (for fifteens) but I felt like I’d won the lottery when I discovered a drum stick (sadly the sweets not a big old chicken leg) and two chewy sweets in one compartment. Lynsey actually gave me them the last time I left. But it seems age matures them, much like good cheese or fine wine. They were lovely but that could have been tiredness and hunger fooling me.


This boy ate his Burger King right infront of me. I did not like him for this.


I hoped they were on their way to Honolulu. That’s the only reason that comes close to being good enough to wearing those shirts.

You feel like you were travelling with me, don’t you?

I'd like to think of a witty title for this blog but my mind is blank!

So apparently when you go on holiday for three weeks, there's work waiting for you upon your return. Who knew?! I have loads to tell you about from the plane over and since I got back (there are even a few photos!) but I just haven't had time to write it. Last night I got food shopping, I had NOTHING in the house and went to bed. Maybe tonight I'll have the chance to write about it all. I checked the TV guide for tonight and I'm super excited by the fact 'Dancing with the Stars' (Strictly Come Dancing USA) is on tonight! Woo hoo! We'll see who they have instead of Brucie, I don't doubt he will be better!

Back in Hicksville!

Yes, I'm back. I made it through the journey from hell in one piece. All my bags made the trip too, which I always consider a triumph. I arrived back last night at 1.30am. A whole 27 hours after getting up I was back in bed. I should have followed my own advice and never travel in early January, it never goes well. The whole world is travelling with you and it just makes for a nightmare trip. The wheels really fell off at Gatwick when my transatlantic flight was delayed by two hours. I only had an hour and half in Atlanta anyway so I knew I wouldn't get my next flight. Sadly the next flight I was on was 11.00pm. I already hated Atlanta airport and despite spending some good quality time with it last night, I've decided I still don't like it.

So now I'm back in the office catching up on all the work I missed in the last three weeks. Joy!

Packing is not my forte apparently

You've really got to wonder is there any point in me going to bed?!

Leaving on a jet plane: Part II

[I wrote this this morning when I still knew what the concept of spare time was. For some reason I didn't post it but now having written it I am squeezing the last out of my remaining hours to put it up. The time at the bottom is accurate, it is 12.35am. My flight is out of City at 7.00am. I do have to get up at 5.00am. And I do still need to pack. Arse.]

So this is it, my last day in NI for another few months. I’ve had such a great time being back, I don’t honestly know where the time has gone. It seems like yesterday I walked into our living room and surprised the parents. But now it’s all over and I need to pack again.

People have been asking me whether I’m enjoying it and am I looking forward to going back. And I suppose the short answer is yes to both. I am enjoying it, it’s not the high life though. I don’t have a thousand new friends and a social life that would make anyone envious. And I am sort of looking forward to going back, well I’m not dreading it. I’m going back and that’s just the reality.

I do feel like it's where it's I'm supposed to be. The fact that I haven't been homesick at all has been super and given my previous homesickness when I have been away I take that as a sign that it's meant to be. I’ve said on more than one occasion since being back ‘when I go home…’, and it truly does feel like home. But I guess at the minute I’m just in that weird position of having two homes that happen to be 4000 miles apart.

But to be honest when I was making the decision on going or not I didn’t really think about post-January part, my whole thinking was whether I could get myself to Christmas and I’ll deal with January when it comes. But it’s here now and I’m going back. Probably for four months. I think the pull of Caroline’s wedding and the practicalities of trying to get some sort of job for September will bring me back in May.

When I think about it now four months seems like an awfully long time and anything could happen in that time. For a start it’ll be summer and the Christmas decorations (plus axe) will long be packed away.

So have a good four months, I’ll maybe see you in May?! Keep in touch, write me emails, if you blog, keep it up. I love hearing news from the auld country. I no doubt will keep you informed of the goings on in Hicksville and my adventures there. I’m excited to go to Wal-Mart to see what novelty clothes will be on sale now. I think they’ll be hard pressed to beat reindeers skiing though. Well there’s not a lot you can do with daffodils.