More deaths ...

Two beautiful young women died in the last week

Two extremely different girls, very different lives and life circumstances

One was Natasha Richardson (45) actor, wife and mother.  Celebrated daughter of, Vanessa Redgrave and much-missed wife of, Liam Neeson.  Mother to two beautiful boys.  Died tragically young following a skiing accident.

The other was Jade Goody (27) modern-day celebrity, wife and mother.  Celebrated daughter of Jackiey Budden and much-missed wife of Jack Tweed.  Mother to two beautiful boys.  Died tragically young following terminal cancer.

Much could be said about these two unique and remarkable women and I'm sure that the various forums, blogs and tabloids have already done this.

All that I will say is may they both Rest In Peace, be happy in the knowledge that many will care for your sons and perhaps one day the world will be a lighter place where ALL deaths are mourned, all lives celebrated with care, kindness, compassion and faith.

You will both be sadly missed by an awful lot of people, from very different communities - both will be remembered.

Death ...

Patrick Azimkar 1988-2009

We heard recently on the television news of the sad death of two young soldiers, Sappers Patrick Azimkar (21) and Mark Quinsey (23), on 8 March 2009 whilst collecting a pizza from a delivery boy at their barracks in Massareene, Antrim, Belfast.

We discovered the following week that Patrick Azimkar is the son of D's second cousin, Geraldine. At only 21 it is hard to hear of such a death - especially as I think we had all maybe taken peace in Ireland for granted in the last couple of years.

Click on the links to view press releases and to see BBC film footage of the funeral and of a wonderful tribute to Patrick and his friend and comrade, Mark.



His parents, Geraldine and Mehmet, following his coffin - something no parent should have to do.

RIP Patrick and may God grant your parents and your brother the strength to carry on their lives without you. God bless x

Ooop North

Grandpa and L filling the bird feeders (above).

We also had a visit up north in March to visit D's Mum and Dad and a good time was had by all - especially when the port ... my favourite port .... the 1977 Finest Vintage Fonseca .... comes out!

Sister ....

Well my lil'sis came up for a flying visit recently, which was great - we don't get to meet up that frequently due to distance etc and our busy lives. The photograph above is after G and B took E and L to the cinema to see Bolt 3D (you can make out their 3D glasses in the image). Incidentally, G and B 'conned' the kids into thinking that the GB sticker on the back of their car stood for their initials ..... and the kids believed them!



Sis bought me a bottle of Pouilly Fume as a belated birthday gift - this was quite endearing as it was one of the wines that we had at our wedding (unbeknownst to me previously)!

March already ....

I can't quite believe that we are already moving towards the end of March and I haven't entered a single blog since last month.

The month has been really busy with lots of school activities, work, studying, family crises and the like - no excuses - I haven't made time for it.

I will try to remedy that over the next few days and see how successful I am.

Lots of photographs to post and will try and do those too - they may be seriously random though with little explanation.

Have fun in the sun, one and all x

My car Betsy

View taken from the top of the street by the Old Bakery, looking to the Old Smithy

My church

View of the church where 'D' and I were married, children baptised and first hubs buried

View opposite the school

Well, poor old Betsy isn't fairing (sp?) to well at the minute

We made it through the snow and the ice on Monday to the office; finished early and took 'P' to the hospital for his scan.  Then off we went to drop 'P' and 'El' off at 'El's' house before navigating downhill in Betsy the Barge (v.old estate, rear wheel, automatic 2 tonner).

She did well, bless her!  However, Tuesday morning saw 'D' off to London with work.  He had to leave early - well on the way when I called him to tell him of the joys we were having back at the ranch with Betsy.   To cut a long story, relatively short, after de-icing the locks, we all tropped into the car, key in the ignition and .......... nothing!  Key wouldn't move.

Now I guess at this point you are wondering if the steering lock was on?  Cheeky!  No, it wasn't. Squirts of WD40 netted nothing.  Luckily, a friend 'V' was passing in her car, taking the twins to school and she kindly took 'E' and 'L' up for me.

Several more tries and I gave in and called the cab company.  10 minutes late for work and £15 quid lighter of pocket, I arrived at the office to be asked by my Head of Service if I had decided to go 'part time'!  Cheeky blighter.  I think he had forgotten that I lived the furthest away (bar 1 other) and had got in the day before.

Anyway, the photos that you will see on today's blog are ones that I took on the way back from dropping 'E' and 'L' at school this morning.  Not in the office today because I'm studying.

Met with the architect last night and discussed the more detailed plans of the house redevelopment, it should look lovely if (no, be positive) ..... when it gets done.

Will try to post again soon but with 'E's birthday this weekend, I probably won't get the opportunity.  Really looking forward to Saturday - hope 'E' is pleased with her presents.

Wednesday, 4 February 2009

Well - just a quick post to catch up with myself .... again!

I took the picture above from my car in logjam again!  No surprises there.  Bleddy snow - I can't stand the stuff.

Monday, when it all came down I was due to take 'P' to the hospital for a scan.  Thankfully, all was well and no damage there - so back for more blood tests and other tests for him.  At least we can rule out liver/kidneys so that is good.

Wolverhampton BT Building

Original Wolverhampton GPO Building

Wolverhampton Civic Hall

This is one of the views from my office.  I work opposite the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton 

I don't mind the snow if I'm looking out at it, or even driving in it - not a problem - the problem comes when I have to walk on the bleddy stuff.  Bambi - yes I know a bit old and only two legs - but Bambi nonetheless!

Another view from my office is this one of the old Wolverhampton GPO Exchange, nestled down the alley between the Civic Hall and the new BT offices constructed in the 1970's.  I love the little dovecote that you can only just see (in this shot with a snow covered roof beneath it).

Inconsiderate parking ....

Well .... if there is one thing absolutely, cast iron, guaranteed to 'get my goat' it is someone occupying either a disabled parking space, one designated for a car with baby on board stickers or as in this case (just the downright arrogance of someone) taking more than one space!


I make no apologies for my dislike of personalised number plates -- I just don't 'get it'. What's that all about? Why does someone need to shout about themselves in that way?

This inconsiderate driver frequently parks in the car park where I park and it can start me off having a really bad day ..... I don't know why it bugs me so much, but it really does. The arrogance of the individual - because I really don't think it was just someone who is useless as parking.

Moan over ... thanks for that.

Funny old week

Not written on the blog this week as my hand has been giving me problems again. I've been trying to stay away from the laptop (rather unsuccessfully, I know!)

Went to see my lovely Dr D today, whose only suggestion was two weeks off work with total abstinence of keyboarding .... impossible, I know. So it's back to the anti-inflammatories and I'll rest it when I can. It really is frustrating though. Thankful that it's only in one hand, and the left one at that.

'D's car is back in the garage.

We are absolutely skint.

Hoping to meet 'T's girlfriend this coming week for the first time, so hopefully will get a chance to talk about the future and she might see that I'm not the 'ogre' my son makes me out to be! LOL

Had lots of texts from 'El' this week; she's very upset that 'P' has broken up with her or has another girlfriend. 'P' is very much a closed book and keeps his own counsel, so I shall wait to see if he needs me.

'E' and 'L' are really upset this evening - I had to break the news that the pool party they thought they were going to tomorrow night is off the menu! 'D' should have broken the news, as it was his decision. There has been a fatality at the pool and he is not happy for them to go there. Given his job - I have to bow to his greater knowledge and support his decision. Pity he couldn't tell them this news himself though!

Oh well - better go and see what's to be raided in the cupboard. After looking at the bank balances online - I doubt we will be having a takeaway this evening. (((sobs quietly into mug of cold tea)))

Shay (co-worker) told me about something I had missed on the telly - thought you might like to see it - click on the link.

Manuel, Sangria and Tapas

Well, what a brilliant day off


'D' and I dropped 'E' and 'L' off at school, drove into town, parked the car and then got the train into Brummijum. We found seats immediately in front of a pleasant enough gentleman ........ well, that is until he starting coughing like a TB sufferer! I couldn't face sitting there, so we moved further down the train. 'Manuel' (real name on ID badge), a very gorgeous, young, Spanish looking gentleman with spiked hair checked our tickets and 'Hola'!

A journey that is often quoted as taking only 15 meetings, seemed to take longer than half an hour!









Books

We spent a long, long time in the book
store when we got there - set over four or five floors, with a most impressive central staircase.

The bookseller told me that the store used to be a Midland Bank in a former lifetime.

We had enormous coffees and flicked through our newly-purchased books .... Moby Dick for 'D' and Billy Budd and Other Stories for me (both by Herman Melville).



I also picked up a small, hard volume of Fanny Hill, Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland (more of an inpulse buy, than something that I was looking for particularly ......)


Another treat was picking up some more of my most favourite notebooks, Moleskine (pockets - naturally), one in a gorgeous yellow ... the Van Gogh Museum edition and a five tabbed, black, info book for my new activity which will be revealed later ....




Memories

We went walking around the City and found the building I used to work in, opposite the House of Fraser, in Martineau Square (it used to be called Commercial Union Building) and when I worked there, there was a Kardomah underneath where I would stop for coffee before going into the office.

All very different now, with new structures and sails in the Square. Mind you, it has been about 27 years, so I'm not surprised. We came out of the passage opposite HoF and I was amazed to see a vending machine, dispensing umbrellas for £3 a piece! I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like it before and it made a welcome change from condom dispensing machines!

Accosted ... As we walked around, we were stopped by market researchers. Now ordinarily, on a busy work day, I don't really have the time to be stopped - task and finish. However, today, I figured I was on holiday and could take time out for them - after all, it was freezing. A nice, middle-aged lady asked me if I used deodarant?!? I resisted the immediate impulse of bopping her and replied politely. She offered me £5 to go with her for fifteen minutes! I figured, well it might be the best offer I get all day, so I agreed. I called out to 'D' who accompanied me and the nice lady into an office building.

I can't go into details about what I did there but needless to say it was 'an experience'. That said, if the product ever does come on the market, I doubt I would buy it! Enough said.

Hungry

We did lots of shopping (for nice things ....) and went for lunch at bar estilo, which is a gorgeous Spanish tapas bar/restaurant. My sangria took me straight back to my holidays!

The food was great, 'D' had lamb koftka with tzatziki (sp?) and baked mushrooms with goats cheese and chili. I had rocket and manchego salad and duck, cucumber and spring onion wraps. We shared paprika fries! 'D' did the usual of not bothering to see the dessert menu. The waiter asked if I wanted to share? I guess the guy didn't understand that you cannot cultivate a substantial frame like mine, if you share! Still, I forgave him when he brought my beautiful, baked cheesecake and strawberry compote out!

The picture doesn't really do the food justice, but it was all scrummy and gorgeous and before we knew it, we had been there for hours! Anyway, further on in the search for shopping ... we walked through The Mailbox and down to the Wharfside and Canal Walk. Cold though it was, it was nice to look at the ducks and geese on the canal - so many great places to eat and drink down there too. All very different from when I worked in Birmingham and absolutely hated having to go there by bus and train and foot every day!

We walked back towards the railway station, stopping only to ask likely-looking art students if they knew of an art supply store nearby - success, they did, where I was able to buy some more pencils, varnish and other supplies in the hope that I will take up sketching again some time soon.





Finally stopping off to get some freesias and impromptu, birthday gifts on the way back to the railway station.

The flower seller had some very unusual flowers, that neither of us had seen before. They were proteas from South Africa. I didn't feel tempted to get any, even though they did look very distinctive and unusual.

All in all, a lovely day out was had by all. We did do lots of other things, and bought lots of things too - but they're not really for here ......