A Whimsicle World

Ceilidh

2009-02-09T03:04:00.000-08:00

Well Feb the 7th saw the first COJ ceilidh and the first performance for our new ceilidh band - only 150 people so no pressure. But it all went really well and a good time was had by all, inspite of the snow that continued to fall! In fact one of the bar staff said that we were the best ceilidh band that they've ever had at the Hilton tree tops - and apparently there didn't seem to be anything wrong with his reasoning faculties! So you never know - it could be the start of a beautiful new thing!

Eeek

2009-01-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

Well - I must confess - i'd forgotten about my poor little ol' blog, but Dadzasaurus reminded me so i'm updating the past eighteen months.

Where to start! i'm now in my final semester at uni - don't ask me what I want to do when i'm finished! We've bought a ruin near insch and plan to renovate it and live in it - so 2009 will be a very busy year indeed! we're just putting the finishing touches to our flat and getting it ready to sell - and then we'll be off! not sure if we'll live in a caravan or rent something very cheap - we'll have to wait and see - all terribly exciting tho! Really enjoying being at City of Joy in Aberdeen - we're having a ceilidh at the Hilton treetops on Saturday the 7th - John and I are playing in the band so that'll be interesting to say the least!

Well i'm afraid that's about all that's new really - is that sad?

Never mind we like a quiet life! that's why we're renovating a grade A listed wreck with trees growing inside it!

Resignation is Sweet.

2007-06-27T03:43:00.000-07:00

This July I turn 25 - which I'm sure will make all of those who've known me since I was small feel very old! When I told one of my lil' sis's friends how old I would be next month she promptly replied "a quarter of a century!" which did nothing to relieve my sense of pending doom, I can tell you!
However, strangely enough, as the event has closened I'm beginning to feel much happier about the whole thing - in fact I'm almost looking forward to it! Poor John probably isn't tho - he always enters a pre-Miriam's-birthday state of panic, which has led him to panic buy a pile of random things from TK Max before only to return them the next day and begin the panic all over again. I feel bad for him - it shouldn't be that stressful. He always just wants a list of things I want, but being a lady I want him to think of something himself rather than follow a shopping list. You'll be glad to hear tho that I've taken pity on him - there's no way my birthday should be so nerve wracking for him! So I've started trying to offer hints suitable for a man (i.e blatant) to try and ease his pain - we'll see how that goes!
I think Fran may have taken him under her wing with some Fran style (i.e in the style of the gestapo) hints.

Poor John! Maybe I should just cancel my birthday! Just when I've finished panicking about it - he starts!

A few of my least favourite things

2007-06-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

1. I hate these new shoes with wheels in the sole that kiddies have - I'm only just learning not to get utterly freaked out when I see a small child levitating towards me at great speed down a supermarket aisle.

2. I get really annoyed when people walking down the pavement towards me don't go into single file so there's enough room for us all - how rude!! I miss the days when people would say to their children 'stay out of the way of the lady' - I think i'll start letting them run into my knee instead of getting out their way.

3. I wish ITV would stop copying the Beeb 'How do you solve a problem like Maria'/'Grease' Strictly come dancing/skating on ice (I know they're different mediums but the format's the same) Dr. Who/oh they can't match that - ah ha!

4. I was very annoyed when a woman came up to me in the street this week and ranted at me that my boss had 'tutted' at her when she had stolen my bosses parking space. Apparently it's very rude to 'tut' at someone, but not to aggressively rant at someone who had less than nothing to do with any of it, and didn't even witness the above mentioned 'tutting' or stealing of parking space'

The world has gone mad! Yet I'm surprisingly perky!

I've been tagged!

2007-05-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

And I've finished the exams for another (academic) year - Hooray!!

How many books do you own?

I don't know and I'm not going to count em', but I do know I have too many for my shelves and I only have two years worth here - the rest are in storage - but probably quite a few are The Babysitters Club or some-such-other teenage easy reading. Anyway - I don't know - more than average for my age.

What was the last book you read?

I think it was Persuasion by my fav Jane Austen, but I'm not sure - it could've been Gulliver's Travels by Jonathon Swift for Uni.

What books are you currently reading?

Just now I'm reading Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy and loving it. It was a recommendation from Mama.
This morning I was reading Phonetic Science by Ashby and Maidment which was v interesting, but now I've finished uni so I'm free.

Five books that mean a lot to me are....

Well I don't know about books that mean something to me - I have a sentimental liking for Annalie the art hater by Anne Fine, because when I was little every week when my Mum took me to the Library to get out new books all I ever wanted was 'Annalie!' and I would read it again. Eventually Mama tried to bribe me by saying 'you can have Annalie if you take out three other books'. So I would, but I'd only read one: Annalie. I don't know how long that went on for, but i'm sure it was quite a while.

In the same vain I like The enormous crocodile by Roald Dahl, because I remember Daddy reading it to me and my sis. He would always sneak a chicken or ten into the narrative, and Fran and I would shout 'Daddy it doesn't say chicken there!!!!' which was a great game.

So apart from sentimental books I don't really have any that mean something to me. Am I tragically sad and shallow? Oh well!

Oh Dear

2007-05-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

I've just realised that my last two posts have finished with .................. what does that mean I wonder? I'm sure Dadz'll come up with a flatteringly biased explanation...............

It's that time again!!!!

2007-05-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Poo Poo Poo (pardon my French) It's exam time again and I really can't be bothered! I'm putting off revision extremely well so far tho - you've never seen so many plants on a balcony - Alan would be proud! Still I'd better hit the books tonight - no I really had better.......

By Popular Demand (well one)

2007-05-07T02:31:00.000-07:00

here is Unxie's webaddress - http://kishstag.wordpress.com/- well I think it is - I cut and pasted from the address bar - cut and paste I can just about manage....................

It's a funny ol' game - Politics

2007-05-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

I was on unxie's blog (if I was in anyway computer literate I would stick one of those linky-thingy-ma-wotsit-wot-goes-blue in for you) and he provided a link for a website wot tells you what you political persuasions are (again I'd give you the link.....), and it was great! It took a little while to fill in the questionnaire and then it plots you on a mappy doodah (which is of course the technical term). Now I have been relentlessly teased by Dadz that I am a fascist for some time (all my life) because of my political views, so I wondered if I would be scarily near Hitler. So I filled in the questionnaire very truthfully and I am delighted to report that I came out right near Gandhi. So I'm not a fascist at all! So Ha! Obviously dress-sense was not part of the questionnaire as those of you who know me will be aware, I'm not keen on nappies as part of my ensemble. It's funny because I never knew Gandhi was materialistic and thought the unemployed should be conscripted into the army - you learn something new everyday!

Spatial Awareness

2007-04-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

So men have better spatial awareness than women- it's been proved scientifically. Ask a man to pack the car and he'll get loads more in than a woman. Ask him to wash the dishes and he'll fit three plates on the rack and 'have to stop', because there's 'not enough room to do any more'. Get a woman to do the washing up and she'll pile em high just to get the job done - so what's that about?

He's going away!

2007-04-22T11:00:00.000-07:00

Boo Hoo - the past two weeks have just flown by and now Hubby's off to sail the ocean seas again. I shall miss him dreadfully - but at least this way he'll get in a couple of weeks before his week's hol when we go to our friends wedding. I'm so excited about the wedding - I've not been to many, and I'm expecting a really good day. The Doggies will be off on their Hols to a lovely kennels where they get their own walled garden, and we shall stay one night at Killdrummy Castle (If we get around to booking it in time!). So there are some good things to look forward to when John returns. Another plus point is that I am a super munx and don't do uni work when John's here, so I'll knuckle down once he's away! I will honest!
Nothing much else has happened. We rescued a Monteneagrian called Simo who was lost in Summerhill and had a lovely chat with him - he was an all around nice chap! But that's about it!

P.S Daddy do a new post!

Things are so much nicer with two!

2007-04-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

He's home He's home - Hurrah Hurrah! (sorry Mama I read the contraband Enid Blyton in secret)
He arrived about seven this morning and I'm so glad he's home. It was glorious weather here in Scotland today so we went for a lovely walk on Balmedie beach with the doggies - It was so hot
I had to cast a clout - I know I know - May's not out, but it was too hot!!
Then we went to the garden centre and bought some new flowers for the balcony - and now John is mowing the lawn. We're packing in the activites as you can see.
But I have to say that I could've done all these things (minus working the petrol mower) myself, but they wouldn't've been a tenth as fun! Things are definately more fun with two - especially if it's my John - just as well I married him then really eh?

I know I know.......

2007-03-26T05:58:00.000-07:00

I know I keep going on about then, but my doggies are so cute! When we first got Mel we had to teach her how to play because she'd only ever worked - even when she was a puppy. Toni had been in a lovely foster home before he came to us so he was more playful from the off. It's almost one year after we got Mellie and they've just been romping aroung the house chasing each other. I love it so much when they do that (they normally just sleep - which of course they've gone back to after being knackered from playing for a couple of mins!). So maybe you can't teach an old dog new tricks (they don't come unless there's something edible in it for them - or maybe they're just learning by example from me), but you can teach em' good ol' fashioned fun!

I can't wait!

2007-03-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

I'm getting so excited about John coming home - he's been away five weeks now and is due back on the 4th of April. I can't wait to see him - it's the holidays from uni as well so it's a doubly happy time! I'm planning to get some of my essay done before he gets home - but who am I kidding - I've got my eye on a recipe for gingerbread cake with lemon icing - it's just asking to be eaten. I've ordered some pastisserie cook books which I'm really excited about - I keep thinking how nice it would be to own a little french style pastisserie - but really I just want to eat all the cakes myself. Maybe I just will.......................................

All's quiet on the Whimsy front

2007-03-19T04:16:00.000-07:00

Well what can I say - it's very quiet here! John's most of the way through a seven week work trip so I'm missing him heaps (but not his mess - why is it six times as tidy when you live alone?), and I can't wait for him to come home around the 4th of April.

The doggies are doing well - Mellie's just doing her own thing and Toni's still looking out for anyone who may be up to anything naughty. He's developed a bit of a disliking for hoodies - can't tell if he wants to eat them or not due to his muzzle, but there's a lot of staring with intent! I was out with the dogs at about half ten the other evening when we came across a group of about twenty to thirty yoofs loitering in the street. Now I actually don't mind yoofs that much - I figure they're mostly bored kids who're all talk, no trousers and trying to conceal a middle-class upbringing with rap-speak. So I didn't cross the road I just walked through them all (don't tell John - he hates yoofs and fears for my safety!). It was like Moses parting the Red sea - seems like yoofs are scared of big dogs with muzzles and a rather psycho stare (not that you can blame them). So I've decided that to combat old people being too scared to leave there homes due to gatherings of young people, the Government should issue each pensioner with a greyhound. This will be great on three levels
i) Greyhounds are great pets and very gentle/lazy - which is perfect for the more delicate older generation.
ii)most people don't know that grehounds are soppy, so they cross over the other side of the road when they see them coming - as a result little old ladies will be less likely to be mugged.
iii) because most people are scared of greyhounds a significant number of ex-racers are destroyed - by allocating them to the elderly they can enjoy their retirement together! This would also help with lonliness amoungst the elderly.

Also we wouldn't need so many bobbies on the beat - reducing the cost to the tax payer (although I actually think there should be more Police pounding the pavement!(my what a lot of alliteration))

Well that's my mini rant over and done with - if you do want a greyhound - and I would highly recommend it - check out the retired greyhound trust - they're good for more than scaring hoodies! (greyhounds that is - not the trust - althought they may have a militant branch - I don't know)

I wonder if this plan will be more popular than the one I had where all pensioners should be moved to India where their pensions would stretch further and the warmer weather would be better for aches and pains? Grandma and Grandad weren't too impressed with that plan - I wonder what they'll think of their new pet!!!

Freedom at last!

2007-01-23T03:59:00.000-08:00

At last the exams are over and I have the rest of the week minus work to chill out and relax! I stayed in bed till late morning reading my book and it was fab - amazingly when I got up I found that my lovely hubby had done all the dishes and tidyed/hoovered the whole house (well except 'the room') So I'm having a great day already! Just off for a walk with Doggies and Hubby in the snow - should be fun because the snow makes the Doggies all excited and springy! Sometimes it's just great to be alive!

Scrapbook? I think not!

2007-01-18T02:51:00.000-08:00

Not that I was slagging off scrapbookers, but I don't have a scrapbook! I have a book that I stick interesting things wot I've cut out into, but it's not scrapbooking! There's no stickers or fancy paper finishes. No writing in special script written in special ink pens. There is ripped bits of paper, with sellotape! I don't put things in regularly - I put a picture of a bath in about three months ago and a picture of a kitchen about a year ago. How can that be a scrapbook? It's hardly a regular habbit! And yet Fran has decided that I am a 'scrappy scrapbooker' and is teasing me relentlessly. I tried saying it was a 'style file', but she wasn't having any of that! Oh well - it'll just have to be my dirty-little-not-so-secret. There are worse things to have than a scrapbook I guess - I hope!

Any Excuse!

2007-01-11T02:03:00.000-08:00

Why is it that when you've got to do something you don't want to do - like write an essay or revise - you'll do almost anything rather than the task in hand. It's very nearly exam time so Fran and I spent over an hour looking at the statistics about Iran, and American Geography. This then became a guessing game about the size of American states. I'm studying Primary Teaching with Linguistics (nothing to do with Iran or America) and Fran's doing Law (nothing to do with Iran or America). It's ridiculous - even cleaning the oven is looking more attractive than doing some uni work.
However, today is the day I knuckle down and get stuck in. I've been saying that all week, but today I really mean it. I'll get started right now.......just as soon as I've checked my email and investigated the Huf Haus website - what can I say?

Mmmmm

2007-01-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

Well a Happy new Year to all - and may 2007 exceed all your expectations for being truly fantabulous. I welcomed in the New Year with Hubby and another couple who live out at Tarland - it was a quiet affair, but suited me down to the ground - I must say I'm not much interested in drinking too much to stand, followed by ill-considered gyrating. However, if that's your bag baby please continue - tho preferrably not in my line of sight. Also if you require an ambulance trip, hospitalisation or Police intervention of any kind - you really should pay for wasting their time - and feel much shame.
I digress. The celebratory meal for John and the Parents went very well. A good time was had by all and everyone seemed to enjoy the food; inspite of the rather sinister blue gravy. Now I can cook and cannot think of a good reason why my gravy was blue - there was definately no blue string ala Bridget involved! It tasted ok anyway and that's the main thing. Once transferred to the gravy boat it was a more sage green than blue - and for some reason eating something green was less disturbing than eating something blue. The Goose tasted very nice and Delia and I managed to put our previous differences aside to produce the desired Prune and apple sauce for on the side. Infact the sauce was very good cold with the left over Goose the next day. There is something truly wonderful about leftovers and re-heats, especially with gravy - doesn't need to be blue.

He's home!

2006-12-29T03:55:00.000-08:00

Well I collected Hubby from the airport yesterday after him being away for the grand total of six weeks! I can't tell you how nice it is having him back home, I'm hoping that he gets at least two weeks off before he has to return to the seas - we'll see. At least he'll get more than two days, which is what he got in his last job - don't laugh - that was all he got!
So tomorrow is the day of the meal - the goose should be arriving anytime soon - I've bought it from a local organic farmer so I'm expecting it to taste great, whilst enjoying my warm glow derived from using local businesses. Hugh would be very proud I'm sure! You can buy a whole 1/2 or 1/4 pig from these farmers all prepared into the various cuts. When we have a garage or pantry I fully intend to get a chest freezer and purchase a 1/2 pig. Just knowing I've got all that meat just waiting to be eaten will be a very good feeling I'm sure! I'll have to get a lock on it though - or not tell Dadz what's in there!
I'm off to begin cleaning and tidying ready for our distinguished guests tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it - I'm hoping it's a lovely evening. No doubt I'll tell you all about it afterwards. For now I'll continue to ponder whether I should buy Markies Meringues or make em?

Merry Christmas to One and All!

2006-12-23T01:36:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and every good thing in the new year. Me and the Doggies are packing up and going over to stay with Gran for Christmas. We're really looking forward to it and have prepared a festive ham to take with us - which I am looking forward to eating! Although Christmas will be good I'm really looking forward to the 28th when John comes home after six weeks away - that's a long time - believe me. On the 30th both sets of parents are coming over for a goose dinner as a belated Christmas dinner for John. I bought a huge roasting tin ready for the purpose - only to discover that the oven door dosen't close - it's that big! So when we buy our next cooker, I will be carting the tin around to make sure it fits in the new one! I'm nearly sorted for Christmas - just some wrapping left to do - why does that take so long? I also have to make something for my secret santa gift - I think in our family tho it should be called 'widely disclosed santa' we ladies aren't great a secrets! Well I'm off to glaze a ham and consider getting dressed - Merry Christmas to all - See you in 2007.

Hello Everybody I'm Here!

2006-12-15T03:07:00.000-08:00

Well Dadz - I imagine you'll be the only one to read my little blog - but what the hey - I can feed you the answers for the next 'How well do you know Miriam' quiz! I imagine that I will be a very infrequent and uninteresting blogger, but if you want banality, stories about Greyhounds, the injustices in the world and general rage: then you've come to the right place! Perhaps I can use my blog as an audition piece for 'Grumpy Old Women' and lie about my age. Well they say children are getting more and more sophisticated at an early age, so it would follow that I can have advanced to Grumpydom in my twenties - I'm a victim of society! Well I'm off to watch the dogs incase they do something Blogworthy! x