The tide has just come in and the boats beginning to rock a little. I've got a head cold. I woke up this morning with what I thought was the most almighty hangover only to spend four hours trying to sleep it off, to figure out it was my sinuses. I missed my physio appointment. Monday I spent trying to recover from my late night on the internet. Mole invited me to drop round the Red Cross buckets and that was the end of my attempted afternoon nap. Mole had been up early in the morning to, having spent the morning on the roof of a Helston gunsmiths. I'd like to say that Mole really was just there to enjoy the view. However he was up there with a banner saying "Stop the Cornish Arms Trade" yes our small nation is posing a real and serious threat to international peace. Who would have thought it? Mole had been up on the roof with Catherine, a rather keen young activist since dawn. At one point they had got rather confused by the volumes of young families turning up, only to discover that the next building was a nursery. Apparently nobody was really that bothered except for the guy who owned the place who was in in Moles words 'well angry'. Some press that Mole had tipped off turned up including BBC Radio Cornwall. Moles brother, who had been listening to Radio Cornwall, then called Mole to find out if it was him. Mole has taken on this direct action strategy after organising the Gaza Vigil's as a way to draw attention to what could be seen as local involvement in Israeli occupation of Palestine. Mole hasn't quite managed to find out if the Helston gunsmith's are supplying Israel with weapons. However Mole does know that the gunsmith's do have very close business links with the Israeli's. I'm sure more information will follow. Catherine and Mole managed to scamper away, when the owner went back inside, leaving behind that ladder they had used to scale the building.
Singer song writer was really good tonight. I walked home to Penryn with Simon and David. Some nightingales were singing too.
Hmmmm up earlyish tomorrow morning best be off......
Tuesday 27 January 2009
Sunday 25 January 2009
Why didn't I do this yesterday?
Yes that is my question. Why didn't I do this yesterday? The passage of time is a funny thing isn't it. Like the small jobs that creep up on you and get worse or harder the longer you put them off. Keeping this blog is a bit like that. By yesterday I had already had two interesting days and by today well it's a bit to much to write down. Will I manage to capture everything, what will I miss out or maybe I just won't get all my moods and quandaries down on paper.
Umm where was I stay focused.............
Last night I sat down to write this or mainly just check out the internet, thinking that Sunday was going to be a pretty easy going day. So I thought if I slept on it, what I would produce would be a lot better. I now think that is a mistake.
So the Pyjama Party how did that go? Well I managed to fish out those legging pyjamas I was telling you about, which are kinda petrol blue( if that's a colour) and they kinda became the perfect night club pyjama. However they were maybe just a little to figure hugging to be relaxed in. Never mind that I was exceptionally thin when I first received them. I also managed to discover some pyjama bottoms I'd completely forgotten about. Living on a boat all of the above were rather damp, so spent a good 15 mins drying them out with the fan heater, while I was simultaneously drying out my forward berth. Oh the excitement of it all. Once solving my pyjama provision problem, I struck problem number two; that being that Wayne had left the ladder up on the quay on the way out that evening, leaving me the option to either stay on the boat or scale the fifteen foot quay wall. For those of you that know me, you already know which one I chose. Not only that, feeling the need to display a certain level of prowess I decided to undertake this task in booted slippers (the ones Therese had bought me for Christmas). I would like to be able to say that I scaled the wall with out any help and arrived firmly footed on the top of the quay with no help at all. This was not the case. This does not mean to say that I may not have achieved my goal single handed, just that I knew that there were people standing outside 'Miss Peapods'. Once managing to arrive at the point that my head was visible above the quay side I decided to shout for help. I was in luck Scott Woyka (who I know) was there having a fag with a friend who both speedily came to my aide. Sometimes when you are stuck people don't notice you for ages, it can be a real pain. What was even stranger was being introduced at that point with some level of respectability. It was all very gun hoe old chap. Even though Scott and I were born in the same hospital in Paisley, Scotland. Who would have thought it!
So that was about as exciting as it gets. At the pyjama party some were dressed in pyjamas some weren't. There was also an option for table tennis, which I did not indulge in (no judgement, I just wasn't that interested). So I danced a lot with the other girls, had a glass of red wine and hung out with mole on the couch. At one point in the evening I decided that I really needed a cowboy. Then I met a 'Suicide Girl' who got into it via a friend who used to be a photograher for the site. At the end of the party Scott and his mate Kinsly asked if they could come down on to the boat I said they could. We drank some polinka (again donated by Chris) and mainly talked. There was some guitar playing to, Johnny Cash - Hurt. Cheery huh! Scott left, Kinsly stayed. I'm never quite sure of how to get unwanted gentlemen of the boat or generally off your premises without seeming rude. So he asked to stay, I offered the floor, at which point he left. Where do guys get off on this shit. I mean is the thought of asking a girl out totally redundant these days or just preposterous? I mean wouldn't it be nice that before a girl got down the track of contracting cervical cancer she might one be bought dinner first. Think about it? Whats even worse is that he forgot his scarf, came back once I'd fallen asleep let himself into the boat - Scarring the shit out of me in the process. I know I live on a boat but still, the art of knocking I don't feel has become lost in this day and age. It reminded me of a time when I lived in the YMCA and a guy got into my private room and woke me up by throwing a water in my face! The guy having seen me go to my room drunk decided that I must have needed the hydration.
So still encrusted with my eye make-up on Thursday, I was awoken by Wayne asking if I wanted to come for a walk with him and Henry (the dog). I complied by getting dress but somewhere along the line the walk never quite materialised. Firstly cups of tea happened in response to and oncoming rain shower, then Cheryl turned up with the kids and then I bumped into Phil. That was well strangely very natural and resulted in another cup of tea on 'Samara', which involved a lot of boaty talk, and the idea that Phil might help me fix my sea toilet. In fact he was quite keen to get his hands dirty but the thought of an old flame throwing himself head long into somebody else's year old shit on my boat, that I hadn't got round to fixing yet was to much for me to be able to authorise. I stopped him in his path, not that I'm not grateful for his offer. This might make more sense if I explained that Phil is primarily a Sailor and therefore has vast experience of fixing things like sea toilets or as he said 'the head' (that's their proper name). Boats, what can I say? Sometimes you can just tell a gentlemen by there very nature, can't you? I t was funny as we cam off the boat and I went to grab the ladder. You can watch people squirm in all sorts of ways. I like the way that some men squirm when they watch me doing something wholly inappropriate for a girl. Like grab a fifteen foot ladder and pull it up onto the quayside they never quite no where to look, or how there expected to behave. Their instinct is to help yet they don't want to offend your independent sensibilities. Another part of them quickly realises that maybe you are the best person place to deal with the situation, funny huh! Do I ask to much of my audience. Is there one?
Wayne had gone to the park with the kids and was still there. I promptly went to meet him and there he was in the park being more of a kid, than the kids. That's his charm. I hung around for a while and bumped into Sonja. I've only just started to get to know Sonja, she's nice, she's Scottish (which reminds me to phone Brendan and ask what the hell was going on with Steph, Thursday). She lives on a boat to with her partner and kids, so I ended up hanging out with her most of the day and being fed. Which was really nice. It was good to get to know her kids a bit better and difficult to remember how hard it is, the ages between 11 and 18. Especially when you are a girl.
Powder monkeys came and went in a flash but not before I had a shower. I hadn't been near one for three days. It was really doing my head in. I went out rowing with Wayne, Henry and the kids and it was great to see the kids soaking up the experience learning how to row and identifying birds. Wayne asked me if i wanted to help out full time and if I was ok about being police checked. I think it might be good thing to do. Cheryl invited me for Sunday roast, which was delicious and then Jeremy collected me to go to the film night at 'Potager'. I had never been to 'Potager' before despite having heard about it and been invited numerous times before. Sometimes things have t be worked up to and there is no point in spoiling your appetite by over gorging yourself. 'Potager' seems like a really nice place and I was surprised by it, I'm not sure how. It was film night and watched film two films about Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. It was really sad and challenging. I think everyone left a little stifled as to how to respond, I asked if people would donate money to the Red Cross, we raised £16.50. Matt and Cathy were there, it was nice to see them again. Jeremy started talking about some ludicrous proposal for a short film that involved a mad scientist living in a boat under a tent hung in a tree. It's quite imaginative, I think that some of the imagery would really work, I'm not quite sure about the reasoning, It depends how you slant it I suppose. Next time I go up there I think I'll join the gang and cycle.
I'm going to spell check this and post it tomorrow. I'll be getting up early
Umm where was I stay focused.............
Last night I sat down to write this or mainly just check out the internet, thinking that Sunday was going to be a pretty easy going day. So I thought if I slept on it, what I would produce would be a lot better. I now think that is a mistake.
So the Pyjama Party how did that go? Well I managed to fish out those legging pyjamas I was telling you about, which are kinda petrol blue( if that's a colour) and they kinda became the perfect night club pyjama. However they were maybe just a little to figure hugging to be relaxed in. Never mind that I was exceptionally thin when I first received them. I also managed to discover some pyjama bottoms I'd completely forgotten about. Living on a boat all of the above were rather damp, so spent a good 15 mins drying them out with the fan heater, while I was simultaneously drying out my forward berth. Oh the excitement of it all. Once solving my pyjama provision problem, I struck problem number two; that being that Wayne had left the ladder up on the quay on the way out that evening, leaving me the option to either stay on the boat or scale the fifteen foot quay wall. For those of you that know me, you already know which one I chose. Not only that, feeling the need to display a certain level of prowess I decided to undertake this task in booted slippers (the ones Therese had bought me for Christmas). I would like to be able to say that I scaled the wall with out any help and arrived firmly footed on the top of the quay with no help at all. This was not the case. This does not mean to say that I may not have achieved my goal single handed, just that I knew that there were people standing outside 'Miss Peapods'. Once managing to arrive at the point that my head was visible above the quay side I decided to shout for help. I was in luck Scott Woyka (who I know) was there having a fag with a friend who both speedily came to my aide. Sometimes when you are stuck people don't notice you for ages, it can be a real pain. What was even stranger was being introduced at that point with some level of respectability. It was all very gun hoe old chap. Even though Scott and I were born in the same hospital in Paisley, Scotland. Who would have thought it!
So that was about as exciting as it gets. At the pyjama party some were dressed in pyjamas some weren't. There was also an option for table tennis, which I did not indulge in (no judgement, I just wasn't that interested). So I danced a lot with the other girls, had a glass of red wine and hung out with mole on the couch. At one point in the evening I decided that I really needed a cowboy. Then I met a 'Suicide Girl' who got into it via a friend who used to be a photograher for the site. At the end of the party Scott and his mate Kinsly asked if they could come down on to the boat I said they could. We drank some polinka (again donated by Chris) and mainly talked. There was some guitar playing to, Johnny Cash - Hurt. Cheery huh! Scott left, Kinsly stayed. I'm never quite sure of how to get unwanted gentlemen of the boat or generally off your premises without seeming rude. So he asked to stay, I offered the floor, at which point he left. Where do guys get off on this shit. I mean is the thought of asking a girl out totally redundant these days or just preposterous? I mean wouldn't it be nice that before a girl got down the track of contracting cervical cancer she might one be bought dinner first. Think about it? Whats even worse is that he forgot his scarf, came back once I'd fallen asleep let himself into the boat - Scarring the shit out of me in the process. I know I live on a boat but still, the art of knocking I don't feel has become lost in this day and age. It reminded me of a time when I lived in the YMCA and a guy got into my private room and woke me up by throwing a water in my face! The guy having seen me go to my room drunk decided that I must have needed the hydration.
So still encrusted with my eye make-up on Thursday, I was awoken by Wayne asking if I wanted to come for a walk with him and Henry (the dog). I complied by getting dress but somewhere along the line the walk never quite materialised. Firstly cups of tea happened in response to and oncoming rain shower, then Cheryl turned up with the kids and then I bumped into Phil. That was well strangely very natural and resulted in another cup of tea on 'Samara', which involved a lot of boaty talk, and the idea that Phil might help me fix my sea toilet. In fact he was quite keen to get his hands dirty but the thought of an old flame throwing himself head long into somebody else's year old shit on my boat, that I hadn't got round to fixing yet was to much for me to be able to authorise. I stopped him in his path, not that I'm not grateful for his offer. This might make more sense if I explained that Phil is primarily a Sailor and therefore has vast experience of fixing things like sea toilets or as he said 'the head' (that's their proper name). Boats, what can I say? Sometimes you can just tell a gentlemen by there very nature, can't you? I t was funny as we cam off the boat and I went to grab the ladder. You can watch people squirm in all sorts of ways. I like the way that some men squirm when they watch me doing something wholly inappropriate for a girl. Like grab a fifteen foot ladder and pull it up onto the quayside they never quite no where to look, or how there expected to behave. Their instinct is to help yet they don't want to offend your independent sensibilities. Another part of them quickly realises that maybe you are the best person place to deal with the situation, funny huh! Do I ask to much of my audience. Is there one?
Wayne had gone to the park with the kids and was still there. I promptly went to meet him and there he was in the park being more of a kid, than the kids. That's his charm. I hung around for a while and bumped into Sonja. I've only just started to get to know Sonja, she's nice, she's Scottish (which reminds me to phone Brendan and ask what the hell was going on with Steph, Thursday). She lives on a boat to with her partner and kids, so I ended up hanging out with her most of the day and being fed. Which was really nice. It was good to get to know her kids a bit better and difficult to remember how hard it is, the ages between 11 and 18. Especially when you are a girl.
Powder monkeys came and went in a flash but not before I had a shower. I hadn't been near one for three days. It was really doing my head in. I went out rowing with Wayne, Henry and the kids and it was great to see the kids soaking up the experience learning how to row and identifying birds. Wayne asked me if i wanted to help out full time and if I was ok about being police checked. I think it might be good thing to do. Cheryl invited me for Sunday roast, which was delicious and then Jeremy collected me to go to the film night at 'Potager'. I had never been to 'Potager' before despite having heard about it and been invited numerous times before. Sometimes things have t be worked up to and there is no point in spoiling your appetite by over gorging yourself. 'Potager' seems like a really nice place and I was surprised by it, I'm not sure how. It was film night and watched film two films about Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. It was really sad and challenging. I think everyone left a little stifled as to how to respond, I asked if people would donate money to the Red Cross, we raised £16.50. Matt and Cathy were there, it was nice to see them again. Jeremy started talking about some ludicrous proposal for a short film that involved a mad scientist living in a boat under a tent hung in a tree. It's quite imaginative, I think that some of the imagery would really work, I'm not quite sure about the reasoning, It depends how you slant it I suppose. Next time I go up there I think I'll join the gang and cycle.
I'm going to spell check this and post it tomorrow. I'll be getting up early
Friday 23 January 2009
Maybe the internet isn't so great!
In fact I've probably believed that for sometime. I'm a bit shocked at myself for staying on this thing for so long maybe it's not having a TV or maybe it's You Tube's fault for not having Princes' 'Purple Rain' on there. Anyways I've now managed to distract myself for a further hour looking at You Tube. Found some Joan Armatrading and I'm now listening to 'Born in the USA' by good old Bruce.
I was quite down before I started listening to that stuff, not that it is particularly uplifting. I also remembered that I've got a pyjama party to go to. That's a problem I have some pyjamas it just that there dirty, that bad kinda dirty that only us chicks know about. You know the kind of stains I'm talking about it! Should I just wear them shamelessly, aiming to shock? Or maybe, just maybe I might be able to find some slightly fashionable legging Jim Jam's I got two years ago for Christmas. If I can't find those I reckon I'll be going in a baggy t-shirt donated to my cause by Chris with some black stocking and a pair of slippers. Seems quite easy given I haven't taken off the baggy t-shirt yet.
So the internet and a red wine hangover have prevented me from doing absolutely fuck all today. Except get online. Which to be honest has been a great achievement, though my thought processes are beginning to fade a bit and I feel like I've been awake on a bus journey all night unable but straining to see something out the window. You know what I mean.
My berth had a major leek last night and I'm not sure where from. So the mattress protector my sheet and the duvet are soaking wet in the bottom right hand corner. I managed to ignore it, well until now. Having just realised I've lost my phone I was unable to phone Wayne and tell him that I was putting it on a lttle fan heater to try to resolve the situation. Hopefully the electrics won't blow. I don't know where I've left my phone hopefully on Wayne's boat 'Silver Quest'. (I've just been on 'Silver Quest' and noticed the ladder is on top of the quay. This wouldn't be a problem except I'm about fifteen feet below the quay - drat. I'll have to get out my spiderman costume) If not I'll have to carefully retrace my steps through last night. Easily it's got to be either at the Star & Garter, The Prince of Wales or in the back of a taxi - whoops. I still have my encrusted face make-up to show for the ordeal. Why do us girls do these things? or why does this girl do these things when she aware of the immense effort it takes to remove makeup when you live on a boat and I don't have enough money to buy those disposable facial wipes - arrgggh. Oh I just remembered Vaseline - yes I've got some brilliant. That's as girly as it gets I suppose. Actually this has been a pretty girly blog with period stains on pyjamas and encrusted eye make-up.
Whats more I feel like having a bitch about my ex- boyfriend/partner but that's probably just stupid a bit to contemplative at this point in time , generally just crappy and girly and more than likely just going to upset me. So why bother. Did everybody else scream that along with me?
Hmm what more to mention, yeah I've just failed to use the internet for what I would have used it for had I had limited time on it; that is constructively. My to do list is not done and I'm now just wittering on, see it's destroyed my brain.........
I'll write something better tomorrow, I hope.
I was quite down before I started listening to that stuff, not that it is particularly uplifting. I also remembered that I've got a pyjama party to go to. That's a problem I have some pyjamas it just that there dirty, that bad kinda dirty that only us chicks know about. You know the kind of stains I'm talking about it! Should I just wear them shamelessly, aiming to shock? Or maybe, just maybe I might be able to find some slightly fashionable legging Jim Jam's I got two years ago for Christmas. If I can't find those I reckon I'll be going in a baggy t-shirt donated to my cause by Chris with some black stocking and a pair of slippers. Seems quite easy given I haven't taken off the baggy t-shirt yet.
So the internet and a red wine hangover have prevented me from doing absolutely fuck all today. Except get online. Which to be honest has been a great achievement, though my thought processes are beginning to fade a bit and I feel like I've been awake on a bus journey all night unable but straining to see something out the window. You know what I mean.
My berth had a major leek last night and I'm not sure where from. So the mattress protector my sheet and the duvet are soaking wet in the bottom right hand corner. I managed to ignore it, well until now. Having just realised I've lost my phone I was unable to phone Wayne and tell him that I was putting it on a lttle fan heater to try to resolve the situation. Hopefully the electrics won't blow. I don't know where I've left my phone hopefully on Wayne's boat 'Silver Quest'. (I've just been on 'Silver Quest' and noticed the ladder is on top of the quay. This wouldn't be a problem except I'm about fifteen feet below the quay - drat. I'll have to get out my spiderman costume) If not I'll have to carefully retrace my steps through last night. Easily it's got to be either at the Star & Garter, The Prince of Wales or in the back of a taxi - whoops. I still have my encrusted face make-up to show for the ordeal. Why do us girls do these things? or why does this girl do these things when she aware of the immense effort it takes to remove makeup when you live on a boat and I don't have enough money to buy those disposable facial wipes - arrgggh. Oh I just remembered Vaseline - yes I've got some brilliant. That's as girly as it gets I suppose. Actually this has been a pretty girly blog with period stains on pyjamas and encrusted eye make-up.
Whats more I feel like having a bitch about my ex- boyfriend/partner but that's probably just stupid a bit to contemplative at this point in time , generally just crappy and girly and more than likely just going to upset me. So why bother. Did everybody else scream that along with me?
Hmm what more to mention, yeah I've just failed to use the internet for what I would have used it for had I had limited time on it; that is constructively. My to do list is not done and I'm now just wittering on, see it's destroyed my brain.........
I'll write something better tomorrow, I hope.
Thursday 22 January 2009
Baton Down the Hatches
Yesterday it pissed down all day, it was an impressive attempt by the elements to imprison the residents of Falmouth, Penryn and probably most of Cornwall. I now have not been on my boat for five nights, which is along time. I've been on 'Samara' in the days just not at night. Except for yesterday when the rain defeated me.
I've spent the last couple of days over at Ian's up at Old Hill, this is where normality reigns and the renewal of the golden age of dole is well under way. I headed over there on Tuesday to watch history as the Presidency of the United Sates of America was switched to that of a black man. Something not to be missed and something that few ever thought that they'd see in there life time. I'm to young to claim that but still I think it took us all by surprise. Aretha Franklin definitely provided an unbeatable sound track. You have to wonder how terrified the Obama's were as they stepped out of the motorcade onto Pennsylvania Avenue unscreened from potential assassination attempts. As we say "the time is now", though I'm sure Dougie Rowe has got to lot to say about it. Though I'm sure he is harbouring just a little respect for President Obama, as a man who has achieved. Ian, Dave and I had a steak dinner and cherry pie to celebrate. Dave had won 10 rib eye sakes from Delia Smith and a signed copy of her 'Frugal' cookbook. Cab you see the irony? This was after having entered an internet competition that he'd accessed up at the Old Hill resource centre. Dave had never eaten steak before - hes in his mid fifties and spent most of his life on the dole. It was good steak, Ian and I reassured him. The Cherry pie with double or clotted cream had been a long established favourite in the house being under £1, from Tesco, well up until recently.
Further to the point about the golden age of dole, Ian and Dave have now developed the advanced habit of putting all the adverts on mute. Not only because the adverts get louder but due to there manipulative contents, aimed at the retired only fifties. You know the stuff; over fifties life insurance that doesn't pay out, stair lifts, step in baths and anti-wrinkle creams. The two of them sat there willingly deconstructing the situation for me. Pointing out that if you didn't have much intelligence or in fact much to do after retiring you would fins yourself seriously worried, most likely in a sate of anxiety about all this stuff and how this form of advertising should be banned. No wonder most people die within two years of retirement!
Wayne is now playing his pipes very exotically.........
What else is going on? I'm now drying out my berth using a fan heater that only last week was meant to be blowing the fuse all the time. I think Wayne and I suspicions have been confirmed after the cold snap, our neighbour was probably been lying about his electricity consumption.
I found my greenstone pendant and my ruby ring after having misplaced them for the best part of six weeks.I was actually beginning to get worried that I'd lost them completely and was going to have a great houlley with Chris thinking he might have scagged them. I had just left them in the shower and nobody had bothered to tell me at Miss Peapods. Though had I been more concerned I might have asked! So I'm very grateful that Hannah enquired about them to me. Thanks Hannah.
I've spent the last couple of days over at Ian's up at Old Hill, this is where normality reigns and the renewal of the golden age of dole is well under way. I headed over there on Tuesday to watch history as the Presidency of the United Sates of America was switched to that of a black man. Something not to be missed and something that few ever thought that they'd see in there life time. I'm to young to claim that but still I think it took us all by surprise. Aretha Franklin definitely provided an unbeatable sound track. You have to wonder how terrified the Obama's were as they stepped out of the motorcade onto Pennsylvania Avenue unscreened from potential assassination attempts. As we say "the time is now", though I'm sure Dougie Rowe has got to lot to say about it. Though I'm sure he is harbouring just a little respect for President Obama, as a man who has achieved. Ian, Dave and I had a steak dinner and cherry pie to celebrate. Dave had won 10 rib eye sakes from Delia Smith and a signed copy of her 'Frugal' cookbook. Cab you see the irony? This was after having entered an internet competition that he'd accessed up at the Old Hill resource centre. Dave had never eaten steak before - hes in his mid fifties and spent most of his life on the dole. It was good steak, Ian and I reassured him. The Cherry pie with double or clotted cream had been a long established favourite in the house being under £1, from Tesco, well up until recently.
Further to the point about the golden age of dole, Ian and Dave have now developed the advanced habit of putting all the adverts on mute. Not only because the adverts get louder but due to there manipulative contents, aimed at the retired only fifties. You know the stuff; over fifties life insurance that doesn't pay out, stair lifts, step in baths and anti-wrinkle creams. The two of them sat there willingly deconstructing the situation for me. Pointing out that if you didn't have much intelligence or in fact much to do after retiring you would fins yourself seriously worried, most likely in a sate of anxiety about all this stuff and how this form of advertising should be banned. No wonder most people die within two years of retirement!
Wayne is now playing his pipes very exotically.........
What else is going on? I'm now drying out my berth using a fan heater that only last week was meant to be blowing the fuse all the time. I think Wayne and I suspicions have been confirmed after the cold snap, our neighbour was probably been lying about his electricity consumption.
I found my greenstone pendant and my ruby ring after having misplaced them for the best part of six weeks.I was actually beginning to get worried that I'd lost them completely and was going to have a great houlley with Chris thinking he might have scagged them. I had just left them in the shower and nobody had bothered to tell me at Miss Peapods. Though had I been more concerned I might have asked! So I'm very grateful that Hannah enquired about them to me. Thanks Hannah.
Monday 19 January 2009
24 minutes and counting
The last week has been pretty constructive in terms of sorting my life out. Today I think classifys as a fully functional day, getting up with Jamie at 8.30 am to be dropped off back at the boat after my weekend break out at Trecouliax, it wasn't particularly planned but had been on offer for a while. Sunday seemed like a bit of a blow out as a managed to sleep most of the day. Waking up at 12pm to have a belated porride breakfast., then having a bath promptly having to return to bed again exhausted, waking again at four. It was nice to have a break and a night in a proper bed or even in a house where there is plenty of space to not to trip over other people. Sunday night was spent infornt of the fire and the T.V. watching a n old Mel Gibson film 'Payback'. Saturuday mornign was another Gaza Vigil and we raiseda further £191.34 for the Red Cross. Julia Godswrothy was there along with the new Lib Dem candidate for Cambourne and Falmouth. The police had to ask us to stop throwing shoes at images of George Bush, Gordon Brown, the Israli Presdent and some other Geezza stuck to carboard boxes, in the case that it might cause offence. Fe responded by picking up ell who ins nearly two and by getting her to throw some. The police where on the whole undisruptive I suppose they just had to say there piece. Saturday night was spent at an aucustic music night in Truro ( My first night out in Truro ever) where you paid £5 to see 10n bands. The 'Wives of Farmers' were headling and as always were very good. Intrestingly Mole was there playing a musical sawe which had the most awsome kindazingy echoey sound while Tom form Zappopin was on the Banjo. I think Scott was trying to make the show a bit more interesting. Saying that I've never seen a band where to people play the drums simoltaniosly. thats Scott an Jame on one drum kit. Some of the 'Sex Slaves' were there supporting some friends of theirs. Brenda is an inspiration she really like to be very vocal and participates alot as a member of the audience. So that's how I ended up at Emmett's
The weather has been a bit crazy here foce 7 winds, force 9 expected tonight, hail sleet an even snow this afternoon. The hail posed abit of a threat this moring moving in between 'Samara & 'Silver Quest' as my feet simply roled over the two surfaces while hanging on to a not so sturdy rope.
I've pretty much completed everything on my to do list which is a first for a long time and i'm feeling a lot more positive than for a long time. I even filled in my application for DLA (with some help from Wayne) and wrote a letter challenging Carrick's decision on my Housing Benefit award of £15.97 a week.
3 mins to go on the library computer, I'm going to have to finish this later remember to mention chuckie................
The weather has been a bit crazy here foce 7 winds, force 9 expected tonight, hail sleet an even snow this afternoon. The hail posed abit of a threat this moring moving in between 'Samara & 'Silver Quest' as my feet simply roled over the two surfaces while hanging on to a not so sturdy rope.
I've pretty much completed everything on my to do list which is a first for a long time and i'm feeling a lot more positive than for a long time. I even filled in my application for DLA (with some help from Wayne) and wrote a letter challenging Carrick's decision on my Housing Benefit award of £15.97 a week.
3 mins to go on the library computer, I'm going to have to finish this later remember to mention chuckie................
Thursday 15 January 2009
Gaza and the Red Cross
Today what happened today? Strangest thing was that I was up before 10 o'clock to attend a return to work meeting in Truro. It feels wrong to admit tit but the meeting was actually helpful inspiring and confidence building. Yes your taxes are paying for something worth while and you didn't even know it. This week has been not so hard as I though it would be with my £10 situation mainly form lots of food donations, some cooked, some not cooked. However here I am alive and sustained for at least the next few days. Not only that, I've had a lot of herbal tea today as a result of that meeting.
The last week has involved a few interesting or should I say challenging events, mainly and the most recurring is the fuse blowing on the boats quayside plug. Luckily it's not been pissing down with rain any of the times it's blown. It has struck me as a little odd how often the fuse has blown this week as Wayne and I have been using exactly the same volume of electricity over the last few weeks. I suspect that our next boat neighbour is lying to us about his electricity consumption. Either way it's just meant that Wayne and I have been drinking a lot more tea together so as not to blow the fuse boiling two kettle simultaneously.
Last Friday I got involved in a 'Gaza Vigil' that was organised by Mole (Paul) and Dom. The vigil that was held on Saturday was a real success and we managed to raise £148.97 for the Red Cross' Disaster Fund; Thanks everybody who donated. That was my main role really blagging some Red Cross donation buckets and haranguing the general public for money; very skillfully I might add. Dom took the opportunity to feather his bed with the Mayor of Penryn 'Mary May'. Is the race now officially on for the Penryn Councillor position, that we have both applied for? This week we are holding another event this time to celebrate Bush's eviction from the presidential office, thank god. There will be lots of shoe throwing I'm sure at some kind of effigy of the great president. We will still be collecting money for the Red Cross who have now opened a Gaza appeal. So if your about and you've read this it would be great to see you there between 10am & 12 on Falmouth Moor.
Slowly but surely I'm beginning to get my shit sorted, which is probably best reflected in the lists in my diary, as well as the odd notes reflecting the passage time and inconsequential events, accept of course to me.
My Christmas romance has ended, as yet another man has left me for the far corners of the planet, hey hum. I certainly know how to pick them, except this one was really really nice and that's all I'm going to say about that. Though I will be accepting sympathy in the form of cake and any offers to use washing machines and tumble dryers.
What else to say. I still haven't bought any oars and I haven't replaced the oar/s that I lost of Wayne's. I'm not being a very good girl, but then who can afford new oars on £10 a week.
I have now been signed off for a further two months which means I will have spent an entire year on the sick! Is that something to be proud of? Could it be classed as and achievement? Some people might considered it one, I'm just not sure if I've actually had a rest yet.......
Must go I've left Ian in Fynn's looking after some Red Cross donation buckets.
The last week has involved a few interesting or should I say challenging events, mainly and the most recurring is the fuse blowing on the boats quayside plug. Luckily it's not been pissing down with rain any of the times it's blown. It has struck me as a little odd how often the fuse has blown this week as Wayne and I have been using exactly the same volume of electricity over the last few weeks. I suspect that our next boat neighbour is lying to us about his electricity consumption. Either way it's just meant that Wayne and I have been drinking a lot more tea together so as not to blow the fuse boiling two kettle simultaneously.
Last Friday I got involved in a 'Gaza Vigil' that was organised by Mole (Paul) and Dom. The vigil that was held on Saturday was a real success and we managed to raise £148.97 for the Red Cross' Disaster Fund; Thanks everybody who donated. That was my main role really blagging some Red Cross donation buckets and haranguing the general public for money; very skillfully I might add. Dom took the opportunity to feather his bed with the Mayor of Penryn 'Mary May'. Is the race now officially on for the Penryn Councillor position, that we have both applied for? This week we are holding another event this time to celebrate Bush's eviction from the presidential office, thank god. There will be lots of shoe throwing I'm sure at some kind of effigy of the great president. We will still be collecting money for the Red Cross who have now opened a Gaza appeal. So if your about and you've read this it would be great to see you there between 10am & 12 on Falmouth Moor.
Slowly but surely I'm beginning to get my shit sorted, which is probably best reflected in the lists in my diary, as well as the odd notes reflecting the passage time and inconsequential events, accept of course to me.
My Christmas romance has ended, as yet another man has left me for the far corners of the planet, hey hum. I certainly know how to pick them, except this one was really really nice and that's all I'm going to say about that. Though I will be accepting sympathy in the form of cake and any offers to use washing machines and tumble dryers.
What else to say. I still haven't bought any oars and I haven't replaced the oar/s that I lost of Wayne's. I'm not being a very good girl, but then who can afford new oars on £10 a week.
I have now been signed off for a further two months which means I will have spent an entire year on the sick! Is that something to be proud of? Could it be classed as and achievement? Some people might considered it one, I'm just not sure if I've actually had a rest yet.......
Must go I've left Ian in Fynn's looking after some Red Cross donation buckets.
Wednesday 7 January 2009
Frozen River
I think I might have finally figured out how to get round my blogging problem with access to the internet and all, as this one is being written from Penryn Public Library, where as a Dolie or on the sick I get an hour fee each day, that is if the library is open. Luckily the computers are generally free and the Library is generally quite quiet, so that I am able to concentrate on what i'm writing.
Everything has gone back to normal here in Penryn except the river is now frozen which is causing a bit of chitter chatter on the great gossip highways. It was a bit of a shock on Tuesday mornign to wake up to Wayne shouting across the boat "Mrs are you up yet", Cheryl was there to kitted out in full hat, scarves and gloves. The river had frozen over, apparantly it was the first time in ten years. It was really thick but still it was frozen, being a tidal river, it was frozen sea water. A hint of Winter has finally hit Penryn, a brief escape from the perpetual autumn. I got up and climbed onto Waynes boat in my pyjama's and slippers to enjoy a cup of tea. Rather than getting dressed I decided to do my rounds ashore like collecting the mail. Andy my landlord had not yet noticed the wintery developments until I pointed it out to him. Next thing next we had gone conoeing through the ice, while I was still in nightware. The ice made the most rewarding sound as the canoe and paddles crunched there way through. It was well worth the short paddle for the experience.
Throughout the day I made various attempts to clarify my Housing Benefit payments. I had been awarded the full amount to cover the Council Tax bill, while I had only been awarded £13.34 a week towards my mooring fees which are £114.40 a month, you can see my predicament as I only recieve £60.50 a week on Income Support. Saying that on a global scale I'm doing really rather well. However after long discussion with both Wayne and Andy, we agreed that our small residential fee covered both electricity and water that therefore would not then have to be deducted for from the overall mooring fee. Complicated? Any way with £35 coming out for the credit card and £35 coming out for the ohone bill is reasonably to say I'm still skint, though still very grateful for the benefits system.
On Monday I was invited to two 'Mama Mia' parties on the same day which tells me there is a national craze. Afton my best friend is getting married to Her Romanian/Italian lover sometime this year at Toronto City Hall, which I'm very happy about.
Wayne has been frantically getting ready for Wibbilly Wobbilly Womas a celebration of his own creation, invented to raise us for the after Christmas slump. The 'relaxed get together' (as it is being marketted) requires people to bring their Christmas left overs, the most rediculous present you can find for £1 and a musical instrument if you've got one. I haven't got my present yet. Today I have been walking around Penryn in my sheepskin slippers as I can't find my red trainers. I'm sure there safe i'm just not sure where.
Everything has gone back to normal here in Penryn except the river is now frozen which is causing a bit of chitter chatter on the great gossip highways. It was a bit of a shock on Tuesday mornign to wake up to Wayne shouting across the boat "Mrs are you up yet", Cheryl was there to kitted out in full hat, scarves and gloves. The river had frozen over, apparantly it was the first time in ten years. It was really thick but still it was frozen, being a tidal river, it was frozen sea water. A hint of Winter has finally hit Penryn, a brief escape from the perpetual autumn. I got up and climbed onto Waynes boat in my pyjama's and slippers to enjoy a cup of tea. Rather than getting dressed I decided to do my rounds ashore like collecting the mail. Andy my landlord had not yet noticed the wintery developments until I pointed it out to him. Next thing next we had gone conoeing through the ice, while I was still in nightware. The ice made the most rewarding sound as the canoe and paddles crunched there way through. It was well worth the short paddle for the experience.
Throughout the day I made various attempts to clarify my Housing Benefit payments. I had been awarded the full amount to cover the Council Tax bill, while I had only been awarded £13.34 a week towards my mooring fees which are £114.40 a month, you can see my predicament as I only recieve £60.50 a week on Income Support. Saying that on a global scale I'm doing really rather well. However after long discussion with both Wayne and Andy, we agreed that our small residential fee covered both electricity and water that therefore would not then have to be deducted for from the overall mooring fee. Complicated? Any way with £35 coming out for the credit card and £35 coming out for the ohone bill is reasonably to say I'm still skint, though still very grateful for the benefits system.
On Monday I was invited to two 'Mama Mia' parties on the same day which tells me there is a national craze. Afton my best friend is getting married to Her Romanian/Italian lover sometime this year at Toronto City Hall, which I'm very happy about.
Wayne has been frantically getting ready for Wibbilly Wobbilly Womas a celebration of his own creation, invented to raise us for the after Christmas slump. The 'relaxed get together' (as it is being marketted) requires people to bring their Christmas left overs, the most rediculous present you can find for £1 and a musical instrument if you've got one. I haven't got my present yet. Today I have been walking around Penryn in my sheepskin slippers as I can't find my red trainers. I'm sure there safe i'm just not sure where.
Friday 2 January 2009
2009
Woollies will not be making it's way into 2009 and I have to say that when I walked into the Falmouth store the last day of opening a huge wage of nostalgia welled up and floated over me. Not for that particular store but for all the Woollies' stores of my youth. The hours spent moping about after school as a teenager or meeting one of my first boyfriends outside at 5.30 every Saturday before we went into town for a night out. It's so sad to think of all those expansive commercial properties languishing empty in prominent spots all over Britain. More interestingly think about Woollies' contribution to British architecture. How many of those shops were built for Woollies'? And has the heart of the high street finally been outsourced to out of town supermarkets? Everything was reduced all the shelves were empty (the shelves were for sale) and it did seem something like the great depression as people scurried to buy 90% discounted chewing gum, no body was buying the school uniforms. I was glad to see Darren walk towards me to share fleetingly the last moments of this national institution. What would it be like for all those managers and shop workers after the doors had closed? How many people had lost that job for life, that they'd started one Saturday when they were sixteen? I'm sure if the nation had voted we would have saved Woollies' rather than one of the high street banks but hey ho you can't have it all. So that was 2008
Goals achieved include finishing a crocheted blanket (a not very attractive one), playing 'Bird on a Wire' on the guitar badly on New Years eve and a few other mainly insignificant things. I can say that 2008 was the best of times and the worst of times and it certainly will be one to remember like all the rest. Best moment is easy and that is seeing my boat 'Samara' being craned into the water and I'm glad Jim, Wayne and Richard were all there to share it with me. Worst moments we will not be going into...........
Hogmany and Christmas have probably been the best that I can remember and I'm glad that for the first time in a long time I've had somebody nice to share it with. New Years eve I had more than one invitation which was a joy and in the end a simple night out in Penryn sufficed. We just missed our positioning at the turn of twelve at Penryn town clock tower, I had someone to kiss and a bottle of 'Asti Martini' what more could a girl want. We gate crashed or more appropriately first footed 'Bar 20', who then let us devour the fine buffet that they had on for paying guests (Not us), Dave wore a pink wig of Una's and Una was very glad to see someone she knew. The party moved to Jamie and Anna's and there was lots of hugging, lots of dancing and an even nicer fire pit out the back, where I was able to sit with nothing on except a strappy silk dress. David and Beth left early due to the ever spreading and present lurgy and I snuck out relatively early on Kimberley terms. I was happy. I am happy, long may it reign ............
I had New Years Dinner over at Cheryl's on the default that Aarron never turned up which although I do feel a bit guilty about I might have felt worse having not got any. I met up with Ian, Dave and Ben, who all seemed happy. They were happy that I was happy, so everyone was/is happy and that's all we can hope for it looks and feels like 2009 will be a good one I collapsed into bed not long after.
Penryn is back to normal Miss Peapods is open and everything else has the weekend to recover nearly everyone didn't know what day it was on Hogmany mainly guessing it was Thursday. How do we manage to do that? Loose track of the days of the week so easy? The east wind has been blowing for a week now, it's still blowing the boat has not sunk. So lets see what tests January and February bring.......... March here we come.
Goals achieved include finishing a crocheted blanket (a not very attractive one), playing 'Bird on a Wire' on the guitar badly on New Years eve and a few other mainly insignificant things. I can say that 2008 was the best of times and the worst of times and it certainly will be one to remember like all the rest. Best moment is easy and that is seeing my boat 'Samara' being craned into the water and I'm glad Jim, Wayne and Richard were all there to share it with me. Worst moments we will not be going into...........
Hogmany and Christmas have probably been the best that I can remember and I'm glad that for the first time in a long time I've had somebody nice to share it with. New Years eve I had more than one invitation which was a joy and in the end a simple night out in Penryn sufficed. We just missed our positioning at the turn of twelve at Penryn town clock tower, I had someone to kiss and a bottle of 'Asti Martini' what more could a girl want. We gate crashed or more appropriately first footed 'Bar 20', who then let us devour the fine buffet that they had on for paying guests (Not us), Dave wore a pink wig of Una's and Una was very glad to see someone she knew. The party moved to Jamie and Anna's and there was lots of hugging, lots of dancing and an even nicer fire pit out the back, where I was able to sit with nothing on except a strappy silk dress. David and Beth left early due to the ever spreading and present lurgy and I snuck out relatively early on Kimberley terms. I was happy. I am happy, long may it reign ............
I had New Years Dinner over at Cheryl's on the default that Aarron never turned up which although I do feel a bit guilty about I might have felt worse having not got any. I met up with Ian, Dave and Ben, who all seemed happy. They were happy that I was happy, so everyone was/is happy and that's all we can hope for it looks and feels like 2009 will be a good one I collapsed into bed not long after.
Penryn is back to normal Miss Peapods is open and everything else has the weekend to recover nearly everyone didn't know what day it was on Hogmany mainly guessing it was Thursday. How do we manage to do that? Loose track of the days of the week so easy? The east wind has been blowing for a week now, it's still blowing the boat has not sunk. So lets see what tests January and February bring.......... March here we come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)