I'm currently using a random wifi connection that doesn't need password or payment and very grateful for that. Bit cheeky I know but I also know that my track record for submitting and claiming expenses is abysmal so any avoidance of charges has to be good. It's just a real shame that it only seems to work in, or directly outside, the civilised smoking room they have in the hotel.
The boy wonder continues to be a nightmare to work with but I am making the most of this couple of days to grab as much info as I can from the team to be able to influence the project direction and make my working life easier. Dining alone isn't usually my favourite pastime but not having to take care of someone else's ego during dinner last night was a relief.
My 'niece' Donna had a camera on Saturday, I'd forgotten all about that till I got a facebook message to say I'd been tagged - oops. Getting drunk around drunk people with cameras and facebook accounts is always a dangerous procedure ~ but a nice reminder of an enjoyable night out.
Home tomorrow night, and then the juggling act to squeeze in everything I want to do before I go to chermanee for Monday, then back to Den Bosch for Thur/Fri. The following week is already under siege but I ought to be in the UK until the 16th at least. I'm looking forward being at home even if it will only be for a week at best.
OK, enough sauce, I'm off to find out if it has stopped raining so I can visit the 'street of restaurants' and check out the local eyecandy with a nice glass of something....
tot de volgende tijd
Wednesday 27 October 2010
Sunday 24 October 2010
leaving home
Last night was a stunner, after eventual breakfast at my mother's; and the unexpected pleasure of having a visit from her cousin Robert while we there there, my sister and I toured about town (which has become unbelievably shabby since I was last here) I declared stumps and we retired to the Old Schoolhouse for coffee and the ability to sit outside and enjpy a cigarette with it.
We decided to eat on the balcony there and to have a final drink on the outside terrace with more smoking, and so it was done. We split a bottle of wine with a pleasant meal before going back down to the bar and ordering our drinks.
Out of nowhere, a tall good-looking young man accosted my sister. How much coincidence to find our 'Nephew', his sister, her fiancé, their best man, and later their parents, to be in the same pub we'd picked by chance? We ought to apologise for gatecrashing and practically taking over the leaving party they were at, but it was so wonderful to spend the time with them all. I'd forgotten how raw a Saturday night in town can be, and am entirely out of practice in situations where people know what I drink and just keep setting them up. It means I entirely lose track of how MUCH I'm drinking. The saving grace was probably that the drunk fishmerchant trying to chat me up, entirely disbelieving I was on the phone with my lover, managed to knock over my drink when I was outside, and my sister managed to knock over the next drink when I got back inside. We were pretty much slaughtered and didn't leave till about midnight, but then, Oh surprise! carried on drinking (martinis by then for me) and sharing deeply emotional sister2sister conversation.
Top night; I'm sad to be going home today, and even more sad that I'm not actually going to get home to my own house but to an hotel in Holland where I will be until Thursday night. Double invites for Saturday, an attempt to fit in seeing my brother and his wife who left for MK the day after I came up here, and the shorts, who I miss, before probably losing next Sunday afternoon and evening to travel to Germany.
"However the sky grows dark with invitations, However we follow the printed directions for sex, beneath it all...." (Larkin)
PS my sister did my ironing today and we're about to have another drink in the house before I get back on the hamsterwheel and set off for Schiphol. *wail!* I don't want to go!!!
We decided to eat on the balcony there and to have a final drink on the outside terrace with more smoking, and so it was done. We split a bottle of wine with a pleasant meal before going back down to the bar and ordering our drinks.
Out of nowhere, a tall good-looking young man accosted my sister. How much coincidence to find our 'Nephew', his sister, her fiancé, their best man, and later their parents, to be in the same pub we'd picked by chance? We ought to apologise for gatecrashing and practically taking over the leaving party they were at, but it was so wonderful to spend the time with them all. I'd forgotten how raw a Saturday night in town can be, and am entirely out of practice in situations where people know what I drink and just keep setting them up. It means I entirely lose track of how MUCH I'm drinking. The saving grace was probably that the drunk fishmerchant trying to chat me up, entirely disbelieving I was on the phone with my lover, managed to knock over my drink when I was outside, and my sister managed to knock over the next drink when I got back inside. We were pretty much slaughtered and didn't leave till about midnight, but then, Oh surprise! carried on drinking (martinis by then for me) and sharing deeply emotional sister2sister conversation.
Top night; I'm sad to be going home today, and even more sad that I'm not actually going to get home to my own house but to an hotel in Holland where I will be until Thursday night. Double invites for Saturday, an attempt to fit in seeing my brother and his wife who left for MK the day after I came up here, and the shorts, who I miss, before probably losing next Sunday afternoon and evening to travel to Germany.
"However the sky grows dark with invitations, However we follow the printed directions for sex, beneath it all...." (Larkin)
PS my sister did my ironing today and we're about to have another drink in the house before I get back on the hamsterwheel and set off for Schiphol. *wail!* I don't want to go!!!
Saturday 23 October 2010
backed off
Enjoying my two days holiday in Aberdeen at my sister's, wondering where the time barrier is between breakfast and lunch since we are supposed to be at my mother's for breakfast this morning.
I'm out of words. I've shared them all with my sister-in-law who collected me from the airport on Thursday, my mother who cried when I arrived unexpectedly on her birthday, my brother, my favourite nephew and his gorgeous girlfriend who also came to my mother's chosen "rated number 1 in the UK" restaurant for her birthday meal and especially with my sister.
Dressing up for dinner seemed a bit OTT so I didn't, and thoroughly enjoyed a proper seaside meal, meltingly good smoked haddock and chips, followed by a knickerbocker glory complete with tinned mixed fruit and cloyingly sweet thick icecream. Having moved my bank account and unable to get to the major dosh in transit between old and new accounts, my nephew rolled up with a bithday card for me stuffed with scottish notes which may well disappear on our shopping trip this afternoon.
No, he's not that generous, it was payment for Edinburgh in August which has been floating in the bank system since then and only found it's way back into his account this week.
Steak and butcher burgers for dinner last night, and the amazement of seeing both eggs turn out to be double-yolked. Proper farm eggs, from a farm, not a supermarket.
Fly in the ointment was squeaky and the dutch manager calling me yesterday; especially since the message is that they want me to be in Germany extra days next month. I'll think about it on Monday, I'm on holiday!
Next holiday: December and sunny Cyprus!
I'm out of words. I've shared them all with my sister-in-law who collected me from the airport on Thursday, my mother who cried when I arrived unexpectedly on her birthday, my brother, my favourite nephew and his gorgeous girlfriend who also came to my mother's chosen "rated number 1 in the UK" restaurant for her birthday meal and especially with my sister.
Dressing up for dinner seemed a bit OTT so I didn't, and thoroughly enjoyed a proper seaside meal, meltingly good smoked haddock and chips, followed by a knickerbocker glory complete with tinned mixed fruit and cloyingly sweet thick icecream. Having moved my bank account and unable to get to the major dosh in transit between old and new accounts, my nephew rolled up with a bithday card for me stuffed with scottish notes which may well disappear on our shopping trip this afternoon.
No, he's not that generous, it was payment for Edinburgh in August which has been floating in the bank system since then and only found it's way back into his account this week.
Steak and butcher burgers for dinner last night, and the amazement of seeing both eggs turn out to be double-yolked. Proper farm eggs, from a farm, not a supermarket.
Fly in the ointment was squeaky and the dutch manager calling me yesterday; especially since the message is that they want me to be in Germany extra days next month. I'll think about it on Monday, I'm on holiday!
Next holiday: December and sunny Cyprus!
Tuesday 19 October 2010
facebook link It's ludicrous that the social engineering wallahs can't seem to get out of their ivory towers enough to see that this stuff isn't just theory. I truly believe that the majority of people not working WOULD work if they could find a job that brought in enough to keep themselves and their families. Council tax, private renting, cost of travel, cost of childcare and getting over unemployed de-conditioning alongside the terror of being out on the street are exacerbated by over-complicated and unfair taxation rules. Minimum wage should be completely tax-free, for everyone. Travel costs and time should be paid (at some level) for everyone. Small business employers get stiffed by complex tax, National Insuranceand employment legislation rules alongside stupid 'schemes' where they can sometimes be paid several times more than the person they are 'helping'. That's OUR money, not the government's - the government don't HAVE any money except what they collect in taxes. I pay tax, I work long hours, I am reasonably-well funded but very time-poor. Like most of the other reducing number of tax-payers, I am my notice period & savings away from trying to live on £50 a week. .....
Libertarian and liberalist I might be, but I resent working for a nothing future; the unemployed and unemployable are suffering a nothing present without much hope of any change in their future. Shoot them, put them out of their misery, or do something tangible to give them back their pride instead of targeting the headlines with cheap shots about cheats and punishment for the un-abled
/end rant/
Libertarian and liberalist I might be, but I resent working for a nothing future; the unemployed and unemployable are suffering a nothing present without much hope of any change in their future. Shoot them, put them out of their misery, or do something tangible to give them back their pride instead of targeting the headlines with cheap shots about cheats and punishment for the un-abled
/end rant/
Wednesday 13 October 2010
tomato soup
chicken soup might be good for the soul but porn star martini's are good for birthdays ~ deep appreciation for everyone who helped make my birthday special
Saturday 9 October 2010
work/life unbalanced
0919, not long up, and already feeling stressed again; more so if anything. It’s Judy's birthday and I feel it matters enormously that I should get there today, but I so wish it wasn’t for noon; I need to leave at 10:30 to maybe get there in time.
I can’t do this; the effective scenariois was: words on the right are the update
1. leave for East London and Judy's irthday at 10am Birthday card/gift
2. arrive at Becton at noon Took the wrong exit on the A406 and had to retrace. Found her house but they were at the pub. Directions were wrong and I overflowed
3. share Judy's birthday Got to the pub at about 1330; Judy loved her pink presents and recognised the silk of the scarf *happy*
4. travel to Victoria and the O’Brien’s birthday for 5:30 Cancelled
5. stay in London at Mark’s Cancelled
6. leave for Heathrow at 12:30 Re-scheduled for Paul to drive me at 1pm from home
7. flight to Amsterdam at 1600
7a train to s'Hertzogenbosch consorting with squeaky again but at least we won't be sitting together and I have my new Kindle to play with
Groan* working with the blonde boss. I actually HAVE done some thinking; if he and 80% set objectives, then I want to know what they are – NOW. I also want to know specifics of milestones and deliverables. How we get there is manageable even if impossible
8. 2 days in Veghel working too hard need Laptop, Business clothes and shoes
9. Taxi to station ½ hour Noon latest to leave. Thankfully alone to unwind and de-stress
10. Train to Schiphol 1 hour More unwind and de-stress time
11. Flight to Heathrow 1.5 hours => 15:30 Even MORE unwind and de-stress time
12. Home or Mark’s?? Mark’s.
13. Brickhouse for 7pm. From home 2 hrs, from Mark’s 1 hr Party clothes and shoes
14. Day off at Mark’s
15. Office by 9am Laptop, Business clothes and shoes in place
1934 NOW, AT HOME. Sid called just after I got back to the house, and we were on the phone for almost an hour. I have promised I will go over there; ironing, packing and sorting myself out are once more in abeyance.
I went back to Judy’s after the pub and met her adorable little dog, leaving at 1640 and still managing to screw up directions. Maybe I’m short of B-vitamins.
So, the revised plan. I get Paul to drive me to the airport tomorrow; I go to Mark’s from Heathrow on Tuesday, from his to the Brickhouse for my birthday celebration and to work on Thursday by train from Mark’s, leaving my clothes at his to collect at the weekend.
Weekend 16th is the poker regional finals at Brighton. Mark sounds very keen that I should go with him. (*item: Mathijs wants me to be in Verden some days of the week 18th-22nd – I am on holiday 21-24, flight gets into Luton at 22.30 and I need to be at home and organised the evening of the 20th.)
Weekend 23/24 I will still be away but need to get to Viersen on the Sunday night ready for PAM workshop 2. That will be another nightmare since, although I may be able to get a flight direct to Amsterdam, it will mean taking the laptop and business clothes with me.
Weekend 30th I am invited to, and plan to attend a do N&N are running on the Saturday afternoon, I missed their first one and need to show some support! At least the next workshop, location tba - Dusseldorf??? is planned for the 4th/5th and not the Monday/Tuesday
Weekend November 6th I will have got back from 2 days in Viersen, Veghel or Verden. Will life seem less frantic then? It might be the first available weekend to have some quality time with the shorts. I did see them on Monday evening after work; the gorgeous blonde is reading everything he can lay his hands on and the minxcat from hell is being pretty gorgeous. We won’t mention the lipstick scribbles on the mirror in the cloakroom, it means she loves me (and that I need to keep my makeup out of her reach)
Fighting off the guilt and sad I'm missing the candlelit dinner Mark had planned for me tonight. He's forgiven me, so he says. I've almost forgiven myself. At any rate I am much more calm than I have beeen since yesterday morning
I can’t do this; the effective scenario
1. leave for East London and Judy's irthday at 10am Birthday card/gift
2. arrive at Becton at noon Took the wrong exit on the A406 and had to retrace. Found her house but they were at the pub. Directions were wrong and I overflowed
3. share Judy's birthday Got to the pub at about 1330; Judy loved her pink presents and recognised the silk of the scarf *happy*
4. travel to Victoria and the O’Brien’s birthday for 5:30 Cancelled
5. stay in London at Mark’s Cancelled
6. leave for Heathrow at 12:30 Re-scheduled for Paul to drive me at 1pm from home
7. flight to Amsterdam at 1600
7a train to s'Hertzogenbosch consorting with squeaky again but at least we won't be sitting together and I have my new Kindle to play with
Groan* working with the blonde boss. I actually HAVE done some thinking; if he and 80% set objectives, then I want to know what they are – NOW. I also want to know specifics of milestones and deliverables. How we get there is manageable even if impossible
8. 2 days in Veghel working too hard need Laptop, Business clothes and shoes
9. Taxi to station ½ hour Noon latest to leave. Thankfully alone to unwind and de-stress
10. Train to Schiphol 1 hour More unwind and de-stress time
11. Flight to Heathrow 1.5 hours => 15:30 Even MORE unwind and de-stress time
12. Home or Mark’s?? Mark’s.
13. Brickhouse for 7pm. From home 2 hrs, from Mark’s 1 hr Party clothes and shoes
14. Day off at Mark’s
15. Office by 9am Laptop, Business clothes and shoes in place
1934 NOW, AT HOME. Sid called just after I got back to the house, and we were on the phone for almost an hour. I have promised I will go over there; ironing, packing and sorting myself out are once more in abeyance.
I went back to Judy’s after the pub and met her adorable little dog, leaving at 1640 and still managing to screw up directions. Maybe I’m short of B-vitamins.
So, the revised plan. I get Paul to drive me to the airport tomorrow; I go to Mark’s from Heathrow on Tuesday, from his to the Brickhouse for my birthday celebration and to work on Thursday by train from Mark’s, leaving my clothes at his to collect at the weekend.
Weekend 16th is the poker regional finals at Brighton. Mark sounds very keen that I should go with him. (*item: Mathijs wants me to be in Verden some days of the week 18th-22nd – I am on holiday 21-24, flight gets into Luton at 22.30 and I need to be at home and organised the evening of the 20th.)
Weekend 23/24 I will still be away but need to get to Viersen on the Sunday night ready for PAM workshop 2. That will be another nightmare since, although I may be able to get a flight direct to Amsterdam, it will mean taking the laptop and business clothes with me.
Weekend 30th I am invited to, and plan to attend a do N&N are running on the Saturday afternoon, I missed their first one and need to show some support! At least the next workshop, location tba - Dusseldorf??? is planned for the 4th/5th and not the Monday/Tuesday
Weekend November 6th I will have got back from 2 days in Viersen, Veghel or Verden. Will life seem less frantic then? It might be the first available weekend to have some quality time with the shorts. I did see them on Monday evening after work; the gorgeous blonde is reading everything he can lay his hands on and the minxcat from hell is being pretty gorgeous. We won’t mention the lipstick scribbles on the mirror in the cloakroom, it means she loves me (and that I need to keep my makeup out of her reach)
Fighting off the guilt and sad I'm missing the candlelit dinner Mark had planned for me tonight. He's forgiven me, so he says. I've almost forgiven myself. At any rate I am much more calm than I have beeen since yesterday morning
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