I've had a rather rough time for the past few days. It all began to go wrong mid-morning on Thursday when I began to feel rather sick, and went downhill from then on it. I called it quits around 2pm and headed home. Which was perfect timing as it turned out, as my tummy became a particle accelerator shortly after. I wasn't able to hold onto any food for very long. Poor me! I woke with the alarm at 6:15 the following morning, got up, immediately felt sick and rushed to the bathroom, then back to bed for another 5 minutes. Again I got up, again felt sick and again went back to bed for 5 minutes. I was really determined not to leave Joni on her own in the office, so ignoring my body, I got up and had a shower. Big mistake. By the time I was done I felt awful, and began to acknowledge that it my body might be telling me something! I needed to be horizontal as upright=nauseous and near my own bathroom in order to spend some quality time with my loo...!!
Thankfully, by the time Stephen reappeared from his visit to the UK I was feeling more human. Especially thankfully as later that evening we were collecting Stephen's cousin (another Paul!) and his girlfriend from the metro as they were coming down from NYC for the weekend. They're moving to the area and are down to look at apartments. They've seen umpteen today and I think they're beginning to run into one another in terms of what they're all like. We've been round a couple with them. One was an apartment in a historic house on Prince St. It had some nice mouldings and hardwood floor, but it was like Honey, I Shrunk the Apartment!! The bedroom would have fit a bed and that was it, and the kitchen (if you can call it that) was essentially a cooker on one side and a sink on the other - almost no counter top at all. As you might expect, the new builds were all almost identical and the older ones were in need of some TLC. We're moving the search from Old Town to Pentagon City tomorrow.
Saturday, 23 August 2008
Thursday, 21 August 2008
Advertising space
You know in the UK you have adverts for Cillit Bang (or whatever its called) where a man comes out and shouts "Hello, I'm Barry White" (or whatever he's called) "and I'm here to tell you about...". Well we have the US equivalent where a man comes out and shouts "Hello I'm Harry Black" (or whatever he's called!) "and I'm here to tell you about Kabooom". This chap advertsises all sorts of home and car cleaning products. He's on the TV all the time. It therefore didn't surprise me to see him in another advert...but it took me a while to realise that he wasn't shouting about the amazing powers of another cleaning prodct. He was advertising life insurance!! It was a bit of a stretch in the credibility stakes!
I miss the clever and funny adverts you get in the UK. They just don't have the same thing here at all! The adverts are all rather earnest. And they aren't scared to rubbish the competition! There is no subtle suggestion of a carton design for the rival product. No! Its all extremely direct! "Here is why Brand A is better than Brand B".
We also get a constant stream of adverts for medication which you should "ask your doctor to prescribe". The advertisers are also compelled by law to list the contra-indications of these medications - usually read at auctioneer speed at the end of the advert! Some are rather serious, including the ultimate contra-indication... It would certainly put me off taking them! We can cure your ingrown toenail, but the tablets could kill you, addle your brain or make your arm drop off. Hmmmmm....let me think about that one!
If ever you need more information on any er, how shall I put this? - gentlemen's medications, can I suggest picking up a copy of Golf Magazine? It cannot have much space for articles on golf as every TV advert suggests you buy a copy for more details on its product!
I miss the clever and funny adverts you get in the UK. They just don't have the same thing here at all! The adverts are all rather earnest. And they aren't scared to rubbish the competition! There is no subtle suggestion of a carton design for the rival product. No! Its all extremely direct! "Here is why Brand A is better than Brand B".
We also get a constant stream of adverts for medication which you should "ask your doctor to prescribe". The advertisers are also compelled by law to list the contra-indications of these medications - usually read at auctioneer speed at the end of the advert! Some are rather serious, including the ultimate contra-indication... It would certainly put me off taking them! We can cure your ingrown toenail, but the tablets could kill you, addle your brain or make your arm drop off. Hmmmmm....let me think about that one!
If ever you need more information on any er, how shall I put this? - gentlemen's medications, can I suggest picking up a copy of Golf Magazine? It cannot have much space for articles on golf as every TV advert suggests you buy a copy for more details on its product!
Make mine a venti
We have coined a new phrase today. Starbucks no longer sells us lattes. It sells us liquid will to live!
"Hey! How are you? Can I have a venti, extra shot, no foam, will to live please?"
I think it could catch on!
Its certainly very apt for me some mornings. Despite getting up at the crack of dawn I'm still not really a morning person. It can take a bit of time, and caffeine before I feel perky and/or able to deal with perky people!
My latte addiction is something of a standing joke between me and our Chairman's EA. She called me this morning and her first words were "Its me! Have you had your coffee yet?" She was in stitches when I told her that we're calling it "will to live" now.
I have needed the extra boost of will to live in the past couple of days. One of my young colleagues is going to the UK on a business trip and he is hyper excited about the trip which is very understandable. I think its only something like his second or third trip out of the US and he's looking forward to visiting the two main sites then spending some time in London.
I forget that I'm a jaded old hag when it comes to travel. I travel a lot, I book a huge amount for people in work and have done for the best part of 14 years. I know travel agent speak. It doesn't phase me. I'm happy to book via our work travel service. I'm happy to book on line. I was once able to book a custom 5-centre vacation in 40 minutes direct with the travel company when it took a (very hopeless) travel agent 10 hours (a whole day, plus some time the following day sitting in the agency) to book a two-centre holiday straight off the brochure pages. Its safe to say I'm comfortable with the whole idea! It easy to forget that others are more apprehensive about the whole process. And when I stop and think about it I can appreciate why....but having to go through everything in great detail many times is somewhat sapping!!! Its all booked though, so he can get on with the exciting "anticipation" part now!
"Hey! How are you? Can I have a venti, extra shot, no foam, will to live please?"
I think it could catch on!
Its certainly very apt for me some mornings. Despite getting up at the crack of dawn I'm still not really a morning person. It can take a bit of time, and caffeine before I feel perky and/or able to deal with perky people!
My latte addiction is something of a standing joke between me and our Chairman's EA. She called me this morning and her first words were "Its me! Have you had your coffee yet?" She was in stitches when I told her that we're calling it "will to live" now.
I have needed the extra boost of will to live in the past couple of days. One of my young colleagues is going to the UK on a business trip and he is hyper excited about the trip which is very understandable. I think its only something like his second or third trip out of the US and he's looking forward to visiting the two main sites then spending some time in London.
I forget that I'm a jaded old hag when it comes to travel. I travel a lot, I book a huge amount for people in work and have done for the best part of 14 years. I know travel agent speak. It doesn't phase me. I'm happy to book via our work travel service. I'm happy to book on line. I was once able to book a custom 5-centre vacation in 40 minutes direct with the travel company when it took a (very hopeless) travel agent 10 hours (a whole day, plus some time the following day sitting in the agency) to book a two-centre holiday straight off the brochure pages. Its safe to say I'm comfortable with the whole idea! It easy to forget that others are more apprehensive about the whole process. And when I stop and think about it I can appreciate why....but having to go through everything in great detail many times is somewhat sapping!!! Its all booked though, so he can get on with the exciting "anticipation" part now!
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Oh, the power of the remote!
There is a small upside to not having my protector here....I can watch what I want on the TV! I am not normally allowed control of the remote, and he is a complete remote control commando! If I glance away from what I'm watching, even for a second, the TV is immediately turned over to baseball/soccer/football/golf/Olympics...whatever sport is in season. Actually, in season doesn't matter. They show repeats of all sports all year. You can watch football and ice hockey in summer and golf and baseball in winter. I was flicking through channels on Saturday and there was sport on practically every channel! I had to get to the religious channels before I found something non sport related!
I have been on a mission to watch as many chick-flicks as I can before he gets back! You know...the kind of thing that would make him run screaming from the room, or reach for the sickbag! He still brings up the time that I made him watch Neverland...I was moved practically to tears and he was...well, he was not! So far this week I've watched soppy, sugary, emotional, musical, uplifting films every night and have been loving it!
I have been on a mission to watch as many chick-flicks as I can before he gets back! You know...the kind of thing that would make him run screaming from the room, or reach for the sickbag! He still brings up the time that I made him watch Neverland...I was moved practically to tears and he was...well, he was not! So far this week I've watched soppy, sugary, emotional, musical, uplifting films every night and have been loving it!
The Great Hunter
Why, oh why? Why do these things happen when my protector is several thousand miles away? Stephen is the official bug dispatcher and rescuer of (not so) helpless women in this house and he's still in the UK.
I was was passing the downstairs loo when out of the corner of my eye I saw a dark shape on the tile floor. I put on the light and there was a spider! Eurgh!! It looked dead. It soon was. I was looking for the dustpan in order to scoop it up, but couldn't find it. I found it out in the yard (don't ask me why). I went to pick it up...and there was a spider on it. I shrieked and kicked at the dustpan and watched as the spider scuttled off into a crevice. After a dash back in to scrape the spider off the floor I went down to the gate in order to toss it over the fence - as far from the house as I could! I was so intent on performing a perfect pitch into the rear garden that I failed to see the huge web that was spun across between the plants. There was yet more shrieking as I fought to brush the clinging strands of web off my face. My poor neighbours must have been wondering what the heck was going on...or watching and laughing at my antics!!
I am now sitting here twitching at the touch of imaginary spiders. I am going to have to go and have a bath and wash my hair in a minute, otherwise I'm not going to get any sleep at all tonight. My recurring dream is one in which spiders are crawling in my hair. I haven't had it for a while actually, but feel this may change now! I'm sure Stephen is looking forward to me waking him in the night for the next few weeks as I sit bolt upright shouting "get them off me" as I swat at the imaginary spiders in my hair!!
At least the wildlife isn't so bad here. I can deal with a few spiders every now and again! Stephen was down playing golf at Pax River a couple of weeks ago and came back with tales of the preying mantis on the porch screen, the snake on the drive and the vulture sized mosquitoes that were trying to chew his leg off! I would be in a state of permanent anxiety at what would assault me whenever I walked out the door!
I was was passing the downstairs loo when out of the corner of my eye I saw a dark shape on the tile floor. I put on the light and there was a spider! Eurgh!! It looked dead. It soon was. I was looking for the dustpan in order to scoop it up, but couldn't find it. I found it out in the yard (don't ask me why). I went to pick it up...and there was a spider on it. I shrieked and kicked at the dustpan and watched as the spider scuttled off into a crevice. After a dash back in to scrape the spider off the floor I went down to the gate in order to toss it over the fence - as far from the house as I could! I was so intent on performing a perfect pitch into the rear garden that I failed to see the huge web that was spun across between the plants. There was yet more shrieking as I fought to brush the clinging strands of web off my face. My poor neighbours must have been wondering what the heck was going on...or watching and laughing at my antics!!
I am now sitting here twitching at the touch of imaginary spiders. I am going to have to go and have a bath and wash my hair in a minute, otherwise I'm not going to get any sleep at all tonight. My recurring dream is one in which spiders are crawling in my hair. I haven't had it for a while actually, but feel this may change now! I'm sure Stephen is looking forward to me waking him in the night for the next few weeks as I sit bolt upright shouting "get them off me" as I swat at the imaginary spiders in my hair!!
At least the wildlife isn't so bad here. I can deal with a few spiders every now and again! Stephen was down playing golf at Pax River a couple of weeks ago and came back with tales of the preying mantis on the porch screen, the snake on the drive and the vulture sized mosquitoes that were trying to chew his leg off! I would be in a state of permanent anxiety at what would assault me whenever I walked out the door!
Monday, 18 August 2008
Food glorious food
Stephen has headed back to the UK, so I spent today gutting the house and cleaning it to within an inch of its life. Then as a reward I watched the most saccharine, romantic, girlie movie I could find...the kind of movie that would have Stephen running for the door. I'm trying to catch up with all the chick-flicks that I missed at the movies (which is a lot!).
We were round at Andy and Marie's on Friday night. They had invited us round for a curry. Marie had been busy in the kitchen. It was very tasty indeed! Stephen called me earlier to tell me that he had been out for the best curry when he was home. He was also crowing about the bacon sandwiches on farmhouse loaf that he'd had for breakfast. What a rotter!! I have bacon, but bread....now that truly is difficult to get!
We were round at Andy and Marie's on Friday night. They had invited us round for a curry. Marie had been busy in the kitchen. It was very tasty indeed! Stephen called me earlier to tell me that he had been out for the best curry when he was home. He was also crowing about the bacon sandwiches on farmhouse loaf that he'd had for breakfast. What a rotter!! I have bacon, but bread....now that truly is difficult to get!
Olympic highs and lows
I had to laugh when I was reading the BBC news website the other day. It was reporting on two competitors who had tested positive for banned substances and been chucked out the competition. One guy was stripped of his medals in pistol shooting. WHY do you need performance enhancing drugs where you're basically standing still?? And the other was a female gymnast who had come 82nd on the floor exercises. Surely, if you only come in 82nd then you must be using the wrong kind of drugs!!!
Phelps has won his 8th gold medal at these Olympics and the whole of the US is justifiably proud of his achievement. Team GB is also doing really well (they've won almost as many as Phelps has on his own!), but we're not really getting to see their achievements!
Phelps has won his 8th gold medal at these Olympics and the whole of the US is justifiably proud of his achievement. Team GB is also doing really well (they've won almost as many as Phelps has on his own!), but we're not really getting to see their achievements!
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