Mini heatwave

I am very excited that we are having a mini heatwave.  Last weekend I nearly put my Winter wardrobe away.  I am very glad I did n't as this week I can wear it again.  Today I am now going to have to do my Summer routine of painting my toe nails and shaving my legs.

I think we all feel a bit cheated in the UK with our Summers.  You blink and you miss it.  However, when the season changes it is fabulous on a Saturday to be in with a bar of chocolate, your joggy bottoms on and watching X factor.  Strictly Come Dancing starts this Saturday as well.  More great TV on a Saturday night.  You can tell you are getting old when you prefer staying in to going out.

At least we can drag out putting the heating on for another few weeks.  I think we are all very mindful of what are utility bills are costing us.  Everyone I have spoken to is trying not to use it.  I used to be terrible I hate being cold, so I would put the heating on.  Now I put a jumper on instead.  We are praying for a mild Winter, but in the meantime I am going to enjoy the last of the sunshine.  This also means I have hunted around the house to wash everything and get it dried outside whilst the Sun is out.

No that is against my Human Rights!

I can not believe this week how many times in the news I have heard the term Human Rights.  This term these days seems to be banded around for anything.  It is yet another example of political correctness gone barmy.  It is like a get out of free card on monopoly.  I first heard it as a man who had raped a woman was not deported because of his Human Rights!  What about the Human Rights of the victim?  Then there is the ongoing battle for Dale Farm in Essex.  Will the gypsies stay or go?  It will most likely go to a high court and then the term Human Rights will be banded around and they will end up staying.  I don't get it.

Yes, of course I understand people have human rights but it has gone too far.  Human Rights are there to protect people not to be used as an excuse for vile crimes. 

I watched the documentary about Dale Farm and my conclusion is that Gypsie ways don't really have a place in society anymore.  In essence they used to roam the country in a nomadic state, now they can't do it because no-one wants to be near them as they have a bad reputation for theiving, leaving mess behind where ever they go, and they get away with living outside of the law.  The documentary enlightened me that they do not go to the toilet in their caravans, because who wants to cook food near a toilet.  Instead they shit in bushes, nice!  The ones that were interviewed all used the tag lines, "That is gypsey ways, ", or, "That's travellers for you,".  I have decided that these are all great excuses and I am going to start using them.  I think my favourite will be, "No, that is against my Human Rights, sorry", I am going to start by not paying my utility bills with my new tag line.  I will let you know how I get on?

The Great North Run....count me in!

I watched The Great North Run on Sunday and it has inspired me to do it next year.  I love running and have done the Swindon half marathon twice.  Apparently, the Swindon half marathon is the second hardest in the country.  It is bloody hard, each time I have done it, I have vowed never to do it again.  The last time I ran it, I got roped in at work by one of the Directors who wanted to put in a corporate team.  Everyone, knew I had done the London Marathon.  Before, I had agreed to say yes my name went out on an email saying I was in the team.  The London Marathon was easier than the Swindon half.

I love all the stories of why people are running it and of course that it is all for Charity.  I find it compulsive viewing.  I will rope in a few of my friends and we weill all run it for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.  I hope I get a place now I am putting it out there!  I am not sure if it is a ballot or not.  I will keep on running until I find out.

Bake a cake Monday...whoops!

On Monday at work we had a team meeting, the team decided we would bake cakes.  I decided to bake a chocloate cake.  I have tried to do this before not with very much success.  They came out the oven gooey and then went hard!  I got the receipe off the BBC website for this ultimate chocolate cake.  My Daughter helped me bake it, as she loves cooking and baking.  She did a good job of doing all the mixing.

I went to get the cake out of the oven and the one on the top was a bit burnt, but not to bad.  My excuse is that I have a fairly new oven and I am not quite used to it.  When it had cooled down I added double cream and nutella, and for a finishing touch sprinkled a flake on top. 

When I came to slice the cake, I could not get the knife through it!  I some how managed to slice it up.  We all sat around the table and had a slice.  It did taste alright but very sickly sweet.  The receipe did have a lot of sugar in it.  My Husband finished his and looked at me whilst looking a bit pale.  He then proceeded to run to the bathroom to vomit!  Then my Daughter started crying saying she felt sick.  I felt a little nauseas but not too bad.  My Husband does tend to vomit easily.  He looked at me and said, "You can't take that into work tomorrow,",  I hesitently looked at him and said, "I know,".  So, that was my attempt at chocolate cake.  I think I need to get Lorraine Pascale around to give me a few pointers, if anyone has her number or knows her do let her know!

Instead, I baked a banana cake, an old faithful.  It went down a treat at work (well so they told me?).

9/11 Anniversary

I cannot believe it has been 10 years since 9/11.  This is probably going to be the biggest single global event in our life time.  Everyone remembers where they were when they heard about 9/11.  I was at a tuperware party.  I did not have any Children at the time and was at my friends house.  There was lots of Mum's with their new borns.  My Husband rang me on my mobile and told me that there had been a terriost attack on The Twin Towers in New York.  First of all I thought he was joking.  At the time I don't think I realised the magnitude of what had happened.

I remember telling everyone in the room what had happened.  All the Mum's looked at me with like I was from another planet.  They were more interested in their babies and probably thought I was a lunatic.  I went home straight away and watched the burning Towers with disbelief.  I had been to New York and seen The Towers.  I could not beileve they were not there anymore, they were vast, I stood at the bottom you could not see the tops of them. 

This week I have been watching all the documentaries.  What those people went through in those Towers I can only describe as horrific.  It is the epitomy of Human Tragedy.  I only hope all the memorial ceremonies tomorrow go smoothly and that the family's who have lost a loved one can grieve peacefully.

Legally blonde..who moi?

A dear friend of mine told me she went to see the musical Legally Blonde in the West End in London.  She said, "The lead character reminded me of you!", I responded, "Thanks,", she then clarified, "No she acts really dumb but she is really intelligent,".  I felt a little better with the clarification.  I had forgotten about the bit that she became a Lawyer. 

I know what she is saying I can come across as a bit dizzy, but really I am not, honestly!  Any way, I have decided it is time that I reinvent myself.  I want to be a proper bonefied Author.  I have done the HR thing and I am now over it.  The beauty of being an Author is touching lots of people and taking them on a journey.  I have written a book and I have decided now is my time.  I read One Day by David Nicholls and I believe my book is just as good if not better.  I have decided to approach agents in New York, why not.  If I am deluded then I am happy.  I have always thought my day will come.  Does everyone think like that or is it just me?

Royal Wootton Bassett

I am very proud of Wootton Bassett and the homage it pays to the fallen.  Last night the small town had a celebration to end the convoy of the fallen.  I know many people who live in Wootton Bassett.  I have been in various pubs when a casuality of the war has taken his/hers last journey through the streets of Wiltshire.  These people wait for hours along the route to pay their respects, and lets face it they could be doing other things.  There is no less than 49 locations where people gather to say farewell.

This all started when 3 people from Wootton Bassett stopped on the day of a courtege.  Then more and more people started to pay their respects until the entire high street was lined with people.  I think this has been a great way to show the world how this has affected the family's who have had to cope without their loved one.  

Wootton Bassett is only a 15 minute drive from my house and now it is globally renowned, even Barrack Obama has mentioned it in a speech.  It would be nice if a village or town takes on the same responsibility of respect when they arrive at the new base.