Daughterly Duties

My mum is serving a year as Chair (or Chairman as she would say as she thinks Chair is PC nonsense) of the South Western Region of the Institute of Structural Engineers. She gets to wear a Chain of Office and everything.

In her capacity as Chair she has to go to several dinners, and a problem arises in that my Dad being a grumpy bastard, (but a lovable grumpy bastard), won't go with her. With some of them it's OK as she can go on her own, but two, one in Bristol and one in London she really needs a partner for. So I'm going. Which is good as I'm getting a new outfit out of it, the London one being v. posh and me having nothing suitable.

This week I got a letter from the wife of the President of the ISE, inviting me to coffee at the Wardolf Hotel with all the other wives of Chairmen, and then a tour around the Art Deco exhibition at the V&A. My first response was to laugh, as it all seemed a little Hyacinth Bucket. I mean for a start everyones going to be at least twenty years older than me. And I've never been to the Wardolf, but it sounds posh. And I'm not.

But we have to be in London early as Mum has a meeting in the morning prior to the dinner, so I have to choice of wandering around London on my own, (which does appeal slightly) or going to the V&A (which I love) to see an Art Deco exhibition (which I also love.)

I am however on my reply slip, very carefully crossing out the Name of Spouse, and replacing it with Name of Mother.

Got my first pair of new glasses today since, um... April 99. It is so nice to be able to see again without my eye feeling as they're straining to focus. Frames are going to take a bit of getting used to as they're quite different shape to my old ones. They're Ralph Lauren, unfotunately, as I hate Ralph Lauren, but I liked the design, and they looked OK on me. I really liked some Nicole Farlhi(sp?) frames - they looked really amazing on the self, but looked crap on me. :-(

Addictive Bad Fic

I need help. I'm addicted to this really bad piece of West Wing Fic. It's addictive in the worst possible way. Not because the taut storytelling won't let me go, but despite it's poor spelling, grammar, characterization and plot, I can't stop reading each installment as it appears on the list. Even though it kills a bit more of my brain each time.

I keep swearing I'm not going to read anymore, but it pops up in my inbox and I have no choice but to read it. And OH MY GOD it's awful.

Please, someone put me out of my misery. (Or at least send me a bottle of Jamesons to dull the pain. 12 year special reserve for preference.)

Bugger!

Designing a get well card for my father-in-law, who is rather badly ill. (He has Angina & Parkinsons and has just developed a severe chest infection).

I've spent approx the last two hours on it, (I know I'm slow!), go to save the last hours changes, and the bastard program crashes!!

Arrghh!

Why I love my cottage

Spring is coming. Today we had beautiful blue skies, warm sunshine and a light breeze. It was heavenly.

This afternoon, I was sat at my PC, the top half of the door wide open, sun light streaming in, and all I could hear was the rooks up on the heritage, the occasional cry of a young buzzard, and the smaller birds fighting over the bird feeder.

My cottage is a 17th century miners cottage with walls three foot thick. It's warm in winter, (even when our stove is the only heat source in the house, and cool in the summer.

( To Show You Why I Love My Cottage )

I love where I live, and life, at times, is good.