Take That are back.
Bloody hell this could be truly embarrassing. I watched the documentary on tv a few weeks ago and felt a wave of nostalgia...I was a huge fan. True Take That fans have known for several months now that a reunion was on the cards. We have been waiting to find out if they would tour again and now they've announced that they will.
I can still remember the day they announced they were splitting up. Thousands of girls in tears and suicide helplines set up to aid those so overcome that they thought life wasn't worth living...Richard and Judy dedicated their daily agony phone in to Take That fans!
10 years on and those same girls who were in hysterics were cringing on their sofa's last week as the footage of them in their grief was re-shown during the documentary. I was a 22 year old woman expecting my first baby the day they split and I'm pleased to say I wasn't in tears or in need of the suicide helpline...
Sis and I used to have posters of them all over our room. Back then she was very much a Robbie girl and I was a Mark fan and the room was divided to show this! We bought the cd's, taped everything they were in off the tv and kept it...I still have it to this day, we went to all the tours, bought magazines with them in and t-shirts...you name it we wanted it...The money spent doesn't bear thinking about!
So now they're back again. Of course it can never be the same. For one thing the boys are all a decade older and I can't see them breakdancing or wearing rubber anymore, for another those screaming girls are now mostly Mum's like me...more importantly there's still no Robbie...
Still I went to see Wet Wet Wet a year ago on their reunion tour and I was instantly 15 again...Marti Pellow is still gorgeous (if a little haggard from the heroin) and the voice still there. The audience had all been there before and were all a good bit older than the last time we saw them in Glasgow but the atmosphere was still the same, the women still screamed and everyone sang along...I hope the Take That gigs are the same.
I will dust off my dungaree's, dig out the video, get my dummy round my neck and queue for my tickets...for deep inside me there is a teenage girl still lurking desperate to get out...I shudder to think what would happen if Wham! reformed!!
And if all we get from this reunion is one more chance to see the guys live before they drop into obscurity again then so be it.
So forget Westlife and Boyzone and all hail the original and best boy band of the 90's and naughties....
Jenny xx
Monday, November 28, 2005
Night Fever...
I was out on Thursday night to see the stage musical version of Saturday Night Fever. There was 16 of us that went ranging from the kids to the mums.
None of us were old enough to have gotten into the cinema to see the movie when it was first released...I was about 4 at the time but being in my (very early) thirities I was part of the "John Travolta was a god" era. You know, the same age group of women who worshipped John Taylor from Duran Duran and who dreamed of marrying George Michael long before we knew he batted for the other side and who proudly wore t-shirts with "Frankie Says Relax" on the front.
Sad but true.
So we sang our way through the performance in our best Bee Gee's voices, much to the embarrassment of children and the whole place was on it's feet dancing along at the end even the kids!
It's not the best show I've seen but it was a good night out and strangely enough 9 year old has asked me to download the soundtrack for her...I won't be downloading it though because I already have it...it sits alongside my Wham and Duran Duran CD's.
Jenny xx
None of us were old enough to have gotten into the cinema to see the movie when it was first released...I was about 4 at the time but being in my (very early) thirities I was part of the "John Travolta was a god" era. You know, the same age group of women who worshipped John Taylor from Duran Duran and who dreamed of marrying George Michael long before we knew he batted for the other side and who proudly wore t-shirts with "Frankie Says Relax" on the front.
Sad but true.
So we sang our way through the performance in our best Bee Gee's voices, much to the embarrassment of children and the whole place was on it's feet dancing along at the end even the kids!
It's not the best show I've seen but it was a good night out and strangely enough 9 year old has asked me to download the soundtrack for her...I won't be downloading it though because I already have it...it sits alongside my Wham and Duran Duran CD's.
Jenny xx
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
General Opinion...
Following my earlier post about my so called "friend" the general opinion seems to be that I should cut all ties with the offending thing.
Mmmm. I'm not sure about making it that easy yet. As I've already said I normally go in all guns blazing. I'm not hugely confrontational but when I'm pissed people generally know about it.
In the intrests of fairness and logic though I feel it may be an idea to gather opinions on the matter and ponder them over. After all some of you folks on here give not bad advice!
So for the benefit of allowing you all to make a judgement on my revenge here's the actual chain if events...
I have known this "friend",who we will now name X, for about 5 years. She is in her mid-thirties. In that time we have partied together, cried together, laughed together, gossiped together, got drunk together, even been on holiday together. Her kids are ages with mine and we live 100 yards from each other.
Each year around Christmas we have a night out...there are 8 of us that go, all couples. Last year X got hideously drunk...which she blamed on having her drink spiked! So nothing to do with the fact that she mixed her drinks all night and regularly gets into that sort of state. X became abusive and eventually was dragged away and after falling down drunk...in a 4 star hotel I might add, very classy behaviour...she was taken home.
None of us spoke to each other for the next 6 months...I hadn't fallen out with her and had said nothing wrong on the night. She had fallen out with better half. Eventually the move was made to patch things up. I called her and tried to sort out what had happened all those months ago. It seemed to work and we agreed to put it all behind us. A week or so later at another mutual friends house I met her for the first time in ages and as per the script she was slightly pissed when I arrived. She basically spent the next hour and a half taking the piss when ever she could and doing her utmost to get me to rise to it...which I didn't. She spouted out all sorts of lies about the infamous xmas night out and blamed everyone but herself for what happened. I left, having bit my tongue, but was absolutely raging. I told the other people who had been out that night what she had said and they too were less than happy at her.
Amazingly she denied all knowledge when confronted by another friend despite that fact that she had accused this friends husband of spiking her drink and said she'd reported him to the police. Again I made the move to sort out the shit she had caused. Again everything was to be forgotten and we all agreed that we could never go back to being as close as we all were but we could still get togther now and then and at least be civilised adults.
So I invite them all up to mine for a take away and a drink...I figured the sooner we all got back to normal and got together to put everything behind us the better...everyone agreed to come and the date was set for 6 weeks away.
The gathering never took place.
The reason for this I can't say without letting them know what I do...and I don't want them to know yet. When I found out...and I always find out...I cancelled the whole night without a word to anyone why. I have since got a few more nuggets of wisdom which have prompted the already festering anger I had to start bubbling away nicely.
In all honesty I have made every effort with this piece of trash and I am now at the end of my rope. I have held my fucking tongue even when she tried her best to get me to react. She even informed me I had called her 9 year old a "fanny"...wrong I called him "rude"which he was... but I let it ride.
I have not spoken her name to anyone in weeks and I said and did nothing to her at the Xmas night out...in fact I was the one who tried to help her out of the mud when she fell on her arse.
Yet somehow I have come out as the baddie here...could it be that she has been helped to this conclusion by others? Most possibly. Forgive me for being cynical but one other "friend" who has stated time and time again that she's not getting invloved has been distant in the least for a good few months now. There was a time when she would be on the phone asking if I fancied a glass of wine but it seems X now gets the call. Mmmm. All the while X smiles and waves as if nothing has happened and as if she still likes me...even though she's made it damn clear she doesn't.
What pisses me off is knowing that she'd have sat in my house, playing nice, acting as though all was forgotten yet just days earlier she was slating me to others.
So that's basically it. So what's a girl to do? I'm still for slow-burning revenge myself but if you know better let me know.
Jenny xx
Mmmm. I'm not sure about making it that easy yet. As I've already said I normally go in all guns blazing. I'm not hugely confrontational but when I'm pissed people generally know about it.
In the intrests of fairness and logic though I feel it may be an idea to gather opinions on the matter and ponder them over. After all some of you folks on here give not bad advice!
So for the benefit of allowing you all to make a judgement on my revenge here's the actual chain if events...
I have known this "friend",who we will now name X, for about 5 years. She is in her mid-thirties. In that time we have partied together, cried together, laughed together, gossiped together, got drunk together, even been on holiday together. Her kids are ages with mine and we live 100 yards from each other.
Each year around Christmas we have a night out...there are 8 of us that go, all couples. Last year X got hideously drunk...which she blamed on having her drink spiked! So nothing to do with the fact that she mixed her drinks all night and regularly gets into that sort of state. X became abusive and eventually was dragged away and after falling down drunk...in a 4 star hotel I might add, very classy behaviour...she was taken home.
None of us spoke to each other for the next 6 months...I hadn't fallen out with her and had said nothing wrong on the night. She had fallen out with better half. Eventually the move was made to patch things up. I called her and tried to sort out what had happened all those months ago. It seemed to work and we agreed to put it all behind us. A week or so later at another mutual friends house I met her for the first time in ages and as per the script she was slightly pissed when I arrived. She basically spent the next hour and a half taking the piss when ever she could and doing her utmost to get me to rise to it...which I didn't. She spouted out all sorts of lies about the infamous xmas night out and blamed everyone but herself for what happened. I left, having bit my tongue, but was absolutely raging. I told the other people who had been out that night what she had said and they too were less than happy at her.
Amazingly she denied all knowledge when confronted by another friend despite that fact that she had accused this friends husband of spiking her drink and said she'd reported him to the police. Again I made the move to sort out the shit she had caused. Again everything was to be forgotten and we all agreed that we could never go back to being as close as we all were but we could still get togther now and then and at least be civilised adults.
So I invite them all up to mine for a take away and a drink...I figured the sooner we all got back to normal and got together to put everything behind us the better...everyone agreed to come and the date was set for 6 weeks away.
The gathering never took place.
The reason for this I can't say without letting them know what I do...and I don't want them to know yet. When I found out...and I always find out...I cancelled the whole night without a word to anyone why. I have since got a few more nuggets of wisdom which have prompted the already festering anger I had to start bubbling away nicely.
In all honesty I have made every effort with this piece of trash and I am now at the end of my rope. I have held my fucking tongue even when she tried her best to get me to react. She even informed me I had called her 9 year old a "fanny"...wrong I called him "rude"which he was... but I let it ride.
I have not spoken her name to anyone in weeks and I said and did nothing to her at the Xmas night out...in fact I was the one who tried to help her out of the mud when she fell on her arse.
Yet somehow I have come out as the baddie here...could it be that she has been helped to this conclusion by others? Most possibly. Forgive me for being cynical but one other "friend" who has stated time and time again that she's not getting invloved has been distant in the least for a good few months now. There was a time when she would be on the phone asking if I fancied a glass of wine but it seems X now gets the call. Mmmm. All the while X smiles and waves as if nothing has happened and as if she still likes me...even though she's made it damn clear she doesn't.
What pisses me off is knowing that she'd have sat in my house, playing nice, acting as though all was forgotten yet just days earlier she was slating me to others.
So that's basically it. So what's a girl to do? I'm still for slow-burning revenge myself but if you know better let me know.
Jenny xx
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold...
There are some things that just piss me off.
For example I can't stand people with no manners. I also have a general dislike for people who are nice to your face but slate you behind your back, especially when they haven't got the balls to say it to your face. I also can't be arsed with people who are involved in conflicts but pretend they're not while all the time getting more and more invloved. I also have no respect for people who would rather not talk to you but pretend that they really like you.
Sadly I know one such person who has all these traits and bizarrely enough she is a so called friend.
There have been a fair few up's and down's with her over the last year and despite the fact that everything is supposed to be sorted out now I have been unable to shake the feeling from my gut that something has been going on behind my back.
Luckily I am a clever girl and smarter than the average dumb fuck. I now have the information I have been looking for to confirm my gut feeling and now know without a shadow of a doubt that this "friend" is in fact a two faced cow.
It's a pity really because we've had some good times over the years and she has a damn fine sense of humour. I wouldn't say we were ever really close, unless you count the times I've held her up to stop her falling over drunk or tried to lift her out of bushes when she's fallen down drunk, but we were once quite good friends. However, I have suspected for a few years now that she had a devious streak to her.
Gut feeling is always a good thing to have and I tend to go with it in most cases because it's nearly always right. Of course it helps when what you suspect about someone is backed up by "mutual friends"...seems some who have known her a hell of a lot longer than I have already have her marked as a prize cow.
Still like I said we have had some laughs in the past and it's a shame things couldn't be different. I've tried to sort it out with her this year...I've made the phone calls, I've invited her to my house, I've shrugged off her comments and her lies for the sake of the fact that she does have the ability to be a nice person.
Now I should, for the sake of fairness, admit here and now that I am no angel myself. I bitch and gossip as much as the next woman but the thing is I whatever I say behind your back, if you ask me, I'll say it to your face. Pity she's never asked...
So now I know what I do, what on earth shall I do with the knowledge I have? I could go to her home and tell her what I know...but that would give me source away. I could just cut ties with her totally...but that would be too easy. I could lose my temper and slap her clean across the face...but the buzz of doing so would wear off too soon. I could keep what I know to myself...but that would just be silly.
So instead I'll bide my time a bit and have a bit of fun with what I know. Normally I'm all for jumping in with both feet and causing fireworks but this time I'm going to play clever because I can. It'll be more effective that way because while she is a prize cow I am a prize bitch and I have one thing she doesn't and that's a fucking brain.
Like the saying goes revenge is a dish best served cold.
I feel this little post makes it one-nil already.
Jenny xx
For example I can't stand people with no manners. I also have a general dislike for people who are nice to your face but slate you behind your back, especially when they haven't got the balls to say it to your face. I also can't be arsed with people who are involved in conflicts but pretend they're not while all the time getting more and more invloved. I also have no respect for people who would rather not talk to you but pretend that they really like you.
Sadly I know one such person who has all these traits and bizarrely enough she is a so called friend.
There have been a fair few up's and down's with her over the last year and despite the fact that everything is supposed to be sorted out now I have been unable to shake the feeling from my gut that something has been going on behind my back.
Luckily I am a clever girl and smarter than the average dumb fuck. I now have the information I have been looking for to confirm my gut feeling and now know without a shadow of a doubt that this "friend" is in fact a two faced cow.
It's a pity really because we've had some good times over the years and she has a damn fine sense of humour. I wouldn't say we were ever really close, unless you count the times I've held her up to stop her falling over drunk or tried to lift her out of bushes when she's fallen down drunk, but we were once quite good friends. However, I have suspected for a few years now that she had a devious streak to her.
Gut feeling is always a good thing to have and I tend to go with it in most cases because it's nearly always right. Of course it helps when what you suspect about someone is backed up by "mutual friends"...seems some who have known her a hell of a lot longer than I have already have her marked as a prize cow.
Still like I said we have had some laughs in the past and it's a shame things couldn't be different. I've tried to sort it out with her this year...I've made the phone calls, I've invited her to my house, I've shrugged off her comments and her lies for the sake of the fact that she does have the ability to be a nice person.
Now I should, for the sake of fairness, admit here and now that I am no angel myself. I bitch and gossip as much as the next woman but the thing is I whatever I say behind your back, if you ask me, I'll say it to your face. Pity she's never asked...
So now I know what I do, what on earth shall I do with the knowledge I have? I could go to her home and tell her what I know...but that would give me source away. I could just cut ties with her totally...but that would be too easy. I could lose my temper and slap her clean across the face...but the buzz of doing so would wear off too soon. I could keep what I know to myself...but that would just be silly.
So instead I'll bide my time a bit and have a bit of fun with what I know. Normally I'm all for jumping in with both feet and causing fireworks but this time I'm going to play clever because I can. It'll be more effective that way because while she is a prize cow I am a prize bitch and I have one thing she doesn't and that's a fucking brain.
Like the saying goes revenge is a dish best served cold.
I feel this little post makes it one-nil already.
Jenny xx
Monday, November 14, 2005
Hello To Ross' Mammy...
Had a comment on here from Ross' Mum.
She's a really nice lady and it's both nice and scary to see she's been on here.
Nice because Phylis was always really good to me whenever I visted her home in my younger days and she was a great role model mum!
Scary because some of the stuff written on here and commented by me on Ross' blog is not the sort of stuff I'd like her to be reading!! I've been swearing and all sorts!!
Still she reads a damn site worse on Ross' blog I suppose!
Anyway nice to hear from you Ross' Mum and I hope you're well!
Jenny xx
She's a really nice lady and it's both nice and scary to see she's been on here.
Nice because Phylis was always really good to me whenever I visted her home in my younger days and she was a great role model mum!
Scary because some of the stuff written on here and commented by me on Ross' blog is not the sort of stuff I'd like her to be reading!! I've been swearing and all sorts!!
Still she reads a damn site worse on Ross' blog I suppose!
Anyway nice to hear from you Ross' Mum and I hope you're well!
Jenny xx
Friday, November 11, 2005
She's How Old???
8 year old is becoming 9 year old in about 3 hours time. I am not a happy woman.
It was bad enough when 4 year old became 5 year old but this is just nonsense. How the hell can she be 9? What happened to the other 8 years?
It is scary how quick the kids grow up. I still look at her and see the cute little toddler that used to run around the place singing and looking in the mirror at every chance. Actually she still does the singing thing...and the mirror thing come to think about it.
I suppose I'm lucky. I have a 9 year old who still wants to climb on my knee for a cuddle and still wants a kiss as she goes into school despite that fact she thinks she's one of Girls Aloud and would happily dress like one of them given the chance.
She has asked fro a mobile phone and a Barbie Pegasus Styling Head for her birthday which I think sums her up totally...allRizzo from Grease one minute and Sandra Dee the next.
Anyway she's got the phone and the Barbie thing so she should be happy!
It was bad enough when 4 year old became 5 year old but this is just nonsense. How the hell can she be 9? What happened to the other 8 years?
It is scary how quick the kids grow up. I still look at her and see the cute little toddler that used to run around the place singing and looking in the mirror at every chance. Actually she still does the singing thing...and the mirror thing come to think about it.
I suppose I'm lucky. I have a 9 year old who still wants to climb on my knee for a cuddle and still wants a kiss as she goes into school despite that fact she thinks she's one of Girls Aloud and would happily dress like one of them given the chance.
She has asked fro a mobile phone and a Barbie Pegasus Styling Head for her birthday which I think sums her up totally...allRizzo from Grease one minute and Sandra Dee the next.
Anyway she's got the phone and the Barbie thing so she should be happy!
That's her above with 5 year old. This year's party is more traditional...we've booked a table at a restaurant of her choice so she can have dinner with her friends. Last year it wasa pink Limo which I really enjoyed and it was nothing to do with the free booze!
Happy Birthday BeccaBelle (not her real name but her nickname!)
Jenny xxx (or Mum!)
Doing Well...
My friend May has had her Triple Bypass Surgery and I'm pleased to say that everything went well. She is off the ventilator and awake and seems to be doing as well as they would have hoped for.
I am relieved and pleased and have lost the butterflies I have had in my stomach for the last few weeks.
Get Well Soon May.
Jenny xx
I am relieved and pleased and have lost the butterflies I have had in my stomach for the last few weeks.
Get Well Soon May.
Jenny xx
Nearly There...
You may recall I was going for the guided tour of the premises I'm looking at taking on. Well I've been and I've seen the accounts and I'm still intrested.
I need to finalise my business plan...a little scary...and I have another meeting next week to discuss finance and proposals for investment.
The timescale is a bit up in the air...if everything goes alright I could be in within the next few weeks but it seems more likely and more sensible to wait until the new year now.
So for the next few days my head will be full of profit margins, stock levels and staffing issues while I fill this plan in.
This is where it starts to get serious I think...I only hope I can keep my sensible head on long enough to get it done!
Jenny xx
I need to finalise my business plan...a little scary...and I have another meeting next week to discuss finance and proposals for investment.
The timescale is a bit up in the air...if everything goes alright I could be in within the next few weeks but it seems more likely and more sensible to wait until the new year now.
So for the next few days my head will be full of profit margins, stock levels and staffing issues while I fill this plan in.
This is where it starts to get serious I think...I only hope I can keep my sensible head on long enough to get it done!
Jenny xx
Back And Bankrupt...
Well not quite bankrupt but let's just say my purse is empty and my next credit card bill will probably dent the floor as it drops through the letter box.
Minneapolis was, as usual, fantastic. I had a great 5 days with Mum and Sis doing the shops. I spent a hideous amount of money at the BeneFit make-up counter in Macy's and more money than I should have in Old Navy but c'est la vie.
I also helped Santa out a bit by getting in a few things to save him the bother!
I have discovered that neither my Mum nor my Sis should ever get an automatic car...in fact Mum just shouldn't be allowed to drive at all never mind in a foreign country and Sis thinks that automatic means there is no hand brake!
I managed to boost my shoe collection by another 3 pairs which is always good and the only issue I have now is that I have no space for the clothes I bought for myself which are all still lying in my bedroom.
We took a bit of time out this year to do a few girly bits and pieces...manicure, pedicure and massage which was nice although I'm typing like a novice now that I have nails!
So I leave Scotland with one suitcase holding only a pair of jeans and 2 tops in it and return to Scotland with 2 large suitcases and a large hold all all full to bursting...sounds like a sucessful mission to me.
Oh one more word while I'm here...I flew Icelandair again this year and I need to say that the flights were fantastic, bang on time, large seats, loads of legroom and decent food. I've flown with a fair few airlines and they are definitely among the best.
Roll on next year...
Jenny xx
Minneapolis was, as usual, fantastic. I had a great 5 days with Mum and Sis doing the shops. I spent a hideous amount of money at the BeneFit make-up counter in Macy's and more money than I should have in Old Navy but c'est la vie.
I also helped Santa out a bit by getting in a few things to save him the bother!
I have discovered that neither my Mum nor my Sis should ever get an automatic car...in fact Mum just shouldn't be allowed to drive at all never mind in a foreign country and Sis thinks that automatic means there is no hand brake!
I managed to boost my shoe collection by another 3 pairs which is always good and the only issue I have now is that I have no space for the clothes I bought for myself which are all still lying in my bedroom.
We took a bit of time out this year to do a few girly bits and pieces...manicure, pedicure and massage which was nice although I'm typing like a novice now that I have nails!
So I leave Scotland with one suitcase holding only a pair of jeans and 2 tops in it and return to Scotland with 2 large suitcases and a large hold all all full to bursting...sounds like a sucessful mission to me.
Oh one more word while I'm here...I flew Icelandair again this year and I need to say that the flights were fantastic, bang on time, large seats, loads of legroom and decent food. I've flown with a fair few airlines and they are definitely among the best.
Roll on next year...
Jenny xx
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
One Step Closer...
to my little business venture. Next week I'm going for the guided tour of the premises and finally getting my hands on the accounts!
It's not the place I'd want to have in normal circumstances but I'm being led by the potential more than what already exsists. The place has the potential to be better than it is and needs a bit tlc. I like a challenge so I guess that's why I'm intrested when my initial reaction would have been to say no outright.
Anyway if it all works out Better Half will be right beside me running the show and I couldn't ask for a better partner.
I've told a few people about it and alredy have people asking for work and I haven't even decided I'm going for it yet! That said I'll confess I've already given staff issues a thought and I reckon I'll need someone else who I can trust in their with me. I know who I'd like it to be but I'm not sure if it will happen although I'd be a better boss than they have now without question!!
We'll see what happens...I'll update you all next week once I've seen things for myself.
Jenny xx
It's not the place I'd want to have in normal circumstances but I'm being led by the potential more than what already exsists. The place has the potential to be better than it is and needs a bit tlc. I like a challenge so I guess that's why I'm intrested when my initial reaction would have been to say no outright.
Anyway if it all works out Better Half will be right beside me running the show and I couldn't ask for a better partner.
I've told a few people about it and alredy have people asking for work and I haven't even decided I'm going for it yet! That said I'll confess I've already given staff issues a thought and I reckon I'll need someone else who I can trust in their with me. I know who I'd like it to be but I'm not sure if it will happen although I'd be a better boss than they have now without question!!
We'll see what happens...I'll update you all next week once I've seen things for myself.
Jenny xx
Heading Of Again...
No sooner have I unpacked one bag than I'm packing another.
I'm off on my travels agian tomorrow and at around about this time I will be boarding my plane. First stop is Reykjavik in Iceland. Iceland is a strange place. I can remember last year, my first visit, thinking it was insane that at 2pm it was already getting dark. The landscape is desolate, very volcanic looking and if I'm being honest it looks pretty much like Sweden does in all those Ikea pictures. When you land you are whisked off in a coach for a swim in the Blue Lagoon which is just fantastic. Everyone should try it. The Blue Lagoon is a "geothermal spa" which basically means it's a naturally occuring pool of hot water with a very high mineral content! The name is very apt as the water is the most beautiful shade of topaz blue and the pool is surrounded by brilliant white rock all of which is natural. It's a bit chilly in Iceland at this time of year (-5 today) but luckily you can enter the water from an indoor area - soon as you get outside though everyone drops instantly to their knees to get covered by the water which is a warm as a bath. Last year is seemed very surreal to be in this lovely hot water in a swimsuit while the snow was falling on my head. You also get to try the natural clay face masks which is nice!
Following our wee stop off it's back to the airport to board the flight to Minneapolis. Bizarrely enough we get on the flight at 5pm and land in Minne at 5.20pm yet it will take a good 7 hours to get there! Ain't time changes a wonderful thing!
It's not far to the hotel from the airport once we land so all going well I should be in the hotel bar - vodka and cranberry in hand- by about 7pm.
For the next 4 days it's all shops, shop's, shop's! Minne is home to the largest shopping mall in the world and also a fantastic outlet centre and like last year I fully intend to make the most of them! My credit card is quivering already! Last year I sensibly thought that if I limited myself to about $300 a day I'd have more than enough money with me! Yeah right! I spent $700 in about 4 hours and that was on day one! This year I've taken a wee bit more cash with me...it'll avoid the need for me to find a cash point and rob my bank account like I did last year!
I'm not a mad designer bitch (luckily) and to be honest I love wandering round Wal-Mart for hours buying cheap clothes and accessories. Better Half thinks it's hysterical that I go across the Atlantic to shop in what is essentially Asda's! However my view is I'd rather spend $10 on a gameboy game for the kids there and buy shit loads of them than pay £30 here and buy them one! Anyway they have a massive Apple shop and last year I got an Ipod for less than half what I'd have paid here. The flight justifies the ending!
We're a little more prepared this year as we know what we're heading to. I've got empty suitcases and am taking nothing more than a few pairs of knickers, one pair of jeans and 2 tops. I'll buy anything else I need when I get there! Hopefully Mum and Sis will be doing the same so we won't need to sit for an hour on our cases to get them shut when we're heading home!
Have a great weekend y'all and I'll see you soon!
Jenny xx
I'm off on my travels agian tomorrow and at around about this time I will be boarding my plane. First stop is Reykjavik in Iceland. Iceland is a strange place. I can remember last year, my first visit, thinking it was insane that at 2pm it was already getting dark. The landscape is desolate, very volcanic looking and if I'm being honest it looks pretty much like Sweden does in all those Ikea pictures. When you land you are whisked off in a coach for a swim in the Blue Lagoon which is just fantastic. Everyone should try it. The Blue Lagoon is a "geothermal spa" which basically means it's a naturally occuring pool of hot water with a very high mineral content! The name is very apt as the water is the most beautiful shade of topaz blue and the pool is surrounded by brilliant white rock all of which is natural. It's a bit chilly in Iceland at this time of year (-5 today) but luckily you can enter the water from an indoor area - soon as you get outside though everyone drops instantly to their knees to get covered by the water which is a warm as a bath. Last year is seemed very surreal to be in this lovely hot water in a swimsuit while the snow was falling on my head. You also get to try the natural clay face masks which is nice!
Following our wee stop off it's back to the airport to board the flight to Minneapolis. Bizarrely enough we get on the flight at 5pm and land in Minne at 5.20pm yet it will take a good 7 hours to get there! Ain't time changes a wonderful thing!
It's not far to the hotel from the airport once we land so all going well I should be in the hotel bar - vodka and cranberry in hand- by about 7pm.
For the next 4 days it's all shops, shop's, shop's! Minne is home to the largest shopping mall in the world and also a fantastic outlet centre and like last year I fully intend to make the most of them! My credit card is quivering already! Last year I sensibly thought that if I limited myself to about $300 a day I'd have more than enough money with me! Yeah right! I spent $700 in about 4 hours and that was on day one! This year I've taken a wee bit more cash with me...it'll avoid the need for me to find a cash point and rob my bank account like I did last year!
I'm not a mad designer bitch (luckily) and to be honest I love wandering round Wal-Mart for hours buying cheap clothes and accessories. Better Half thinks it's hysterical that I go across the Atlantic to shop in what is essentially Asda's! However my view is I'd rather spend $10 on a gameboy game for the kids there and buy shit loads of them than pay £30 here and buy them one! Anyway they have a massive Apple shop and last year I got an Ipod for less than half what I'd have paid here. The flight justifies the ending!
We're a little more prepared this year as we know what we're heading to. I've got empty suitcases and am taking nothing more than a few pairs of knickers, one pair of jeans and 2 tops. I'll buy anything else I need when I get there! Hopefully Mum and Sis will be doing the same so we won't need to sit for an hour on our cases to get them shut when we're heading home!
Have a great weekend y'all and I'll see you soon!
Jenny xx
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Saying A Little Prayer...
A family friend, May, has been awaiting a date to go into hospital for triple bypass surgery. She is 67 years old and for years has suffered from angina. Last week she was told she would get the operation done some time in the next 6 weeks, probably early December. Turns out it'll be a bit sooner than everyone thought. She goes into hospital this Sunday and the op will take place on Monday morning.
May lived next door to us for over 20 years and has known my Mum since she was just a baby when she would take my Mum out in for walks in her pram. She has been there with my family through the good times and the bad times along with her Husband Bill and a testament to how close she is is that her number was the first I rung when Dad died as she and Bill can always be relied upon in any crisis.
Now normally we are there for May and Bill as much as they are there for us but fate has dictated that we won't be around this weekend or indeed on Monday when she has her Op. We don't get back from the States until Tuesday. I'm a bit pissed of about this.
Yesterday we met up with them and Mum for lunch and it was a strange occasion. May looked tearful although she was her usual chatty self but when I gave her a hug in the car park she looked so sad and I couldn't help but think that she was saying goodbye to me in her own way...She is terrified, it's written all over her face.
It made me uneasy and a little sad to think that she feels she might not pull through this op. I don't know if she will either but I do know they wouldn't being doing it if they didn't think she had good odds. There is a high chance she'll suffer a stroke while she's under but it's a risk you've got to take when the alternative is that you could drop down dead from a heart attack at any moment. May's Dad did just that at a bus stop.It's a big operation but god willing if it goes to plan she'll have a much better quality of life and can get back to her dancing!
We'll just have to wait and see...fingers crossed.
Jenny xx
May lived next door to us for over 20 years and has known my Mum since she was just a baby when she would take my Mum out in for walks in her pram. She has been there with my family through the good times and the bad times along with her Husband Bill and a testament to how close she is is that her number was the first I rung when Dad died as she and Bill can always be relied upon in any crisis.
Now normally we are there for May and Bill as much as they are there for us but fate has dictated that we won't be around this weekend or indeed on Monday when she has her Op. We don't get back from the States until Tuesday. I'm a bit pissed of about this.
Yesterday we met up with them and Mum for lunch and it was a strange occasion. May looked tearful although she was her usual chatty self but when I gave her a hug in the car park she looked so sad and I couldn't help but think that she was saying goodbye to me in her own way...She is terrified, it's written all over her face.
It made me uneasy and a little sad to think that she feels she might not pull through this op. I don't know if she will either but I do know they wouldn't being doing it if they didn't think she had good odds. There is a high chance she'll suffer a stroke while she's under but it's a risk you've got to take when the alternative is that you could drop down dead from a heart attack at any moment. May's Dad did just that at a bus stop.It's a big operation but god willing if it goes to plan she'll have a much better quality of life and can get back to her dancing!
We'll just have to wait and see...fingers crossed.
Jenny xx
Hallowe'en Cometh Again...
And my little horrors joined the rest of the kids in the street for "trick or treating". In my day we went guiseing and hoped to make a few quid - my Mum always thought it was no more than begging for money...she has a point.
Now though we seem to have adopted the American form and the kids come to the door asking Trick or Treat...I'm not always a big fan of doing things the American way but they have always been big on Hallowe'en and I love it myself so I'm all for this new change of ways.
Our street is a big cul-de-sac of 102 houses and there are a fair number of kids in the street all of whom from the toddlers to the 10 year old's were out last night in their fancy dress costumes. The good thing about it is the Mum's and Dad's get into the spirit as well...houses have decorations outside and the Mum's head to Asda (Wal-Mart if we're being American!!) and buy in sweets to dish out to little witches and wizards who come knocking. Most of the Mum's and Dad's go out with the kids and we all have a chat and frequently a glass of wine or two as we go round! It's not unusual to see Mum's and Dad's wandering round with masks and hats on!
A quick glance out the window last night and I saw a handful of witches, a good few wizards, a few skeletons, some cats and a princess! I am always reminded of that scene in ET when they go out trick or treating and take ET as a ghost!
I'm not sure why I enjoy Hallowe'en so much. Better Half hates it. He can't be arsed with all the knocks at the door and constant ding dongs of the bell. So he says anyway. Secretly I think he does enjoy it...after all he's often heard telling people he lives with a witch!
I assume he means 8 year old!
Jenny xx
Now though we seem to have adopted the American form and the kids come to the door asking Trick or Treat...I'm not always a big fan of doing things the American way but they have always been big on Hallowe'en and I love it myself so I'm all for this new change of ways.
Our street is a big cul-de-sac of 102 houses and there are a fair number of kids in the street all of whom from the toddlers to the 10 year old's were out last night in their fancy dress costumes. The good thing about it is the Mum's and Dad's get into the spirit as well...houses have decorations outside and the Mum's head to Asda (Wal-Mart if we're being American!!) and buy in sweets to dish out to little witches and wizards who come knocking. Most of the Mum's and Dad's go out with the kids and we all have a chat and frequently a glass of wine or two as we go round! It's not unusual to see Mum's and Dad's wandering round with masks and hats on!
A quick glance out the window last night and I saw a handful of witches, a good few wizards, a few skeletons, some cats and a princess! I am always reminded of that scene in ET when they go out trick or treating and take ET as a ghost!
I'm not sure why I enjoy Hallowe'en so much. Better Half hates it. He can't be arsed with all the knocks at the door and constant ding dongs of the bell. So he says anyway. Secretly I think he does enjoy it...after all he's often heard telling people he lives with a witch!
I assume he means 8 year old!
Jenny xx
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