An Englishman's home is his (eco)castle

I love property programmes. I love them all and can watch them for hours on end, even if they are repeats. I think it's mostly because I know there's no way we'll be able to afford our own home anytime soon, I just love being nosey and looking at other peoples (more often than not) horrific takes on decoration.

I'm on a half day today, so I made a cuppa and a sandwich and sat down to watch Escape to the Country, which is a programme about, believe it or not, people moving to the country. Escape to the Country provided me with one of my favourite property programme moments ever, where a family from Birmingham looked at houses that they could run as a B&B, and everytime they went to open a door just before they did they said "Is it a toilet?" and then when they finially found the smallest room in the house exclaimed in a very excited voice "Oh! It's a toilet!!!!!" For weeks following this episode to me and my workmate opening the drawers and doors in our office at the time going "What's in here? Is it a toilet?". Imagine the hilarity!

Anyway, todays couple wanted an eco-friendly house. It was all "we need green this" and "eco that" and he was obsesseed with double and triple glazing. They wanted to have their own veggie patch and recylced water system. When they finally found a house they liked, they went down to the cellar where Eco Man said "Oh, this is brilliant. I could have a massive TV screen on that wall, a massive leather sofa there and all my games consoles."

So that'll be eco-tv, green leather and double glazed playstations then?

It's the least wonderful time of the year

As anyone who knows me knows, today is my least favourite day of the year. A Level Thursday. Whilst most rational people can let their A Level results day fade to a distant memory, mine is right up there at the front in bright technicoloured awfulness. The first thing I said this morning was "Grrr. A Level Thursday".

I hate A Level Thursday as it was one of the worst days of my life, and every year when I see all the 18 year olds who already have everything (blonde shiney hair, slimness, rich daddy) opening those godawful envelopes live on tv, only to discover that - and Oh! What a suprise! - they got straight A's, my heart goes out to all the 18 year olds who get 3D's and an E and think their life is over. Although I suppose letting the thick kids open their results only to start crying and pounding the ground wouldn't make quite as heartwarming a scene on breakfast tv. It would be more entertaining though, and at least I'd be able to relate to it "Oh, look, they've run out of the building straight to the clearing hotline to try and beg a place somewhere, I did that!", "Oh dear, she's ruinung her mascara, she could at least have waited 'til she got home like I did".

It just seems to be something I can't get over, which I should really, as it was 11 years ago. Wow, now I feel old......although to be fair, if I'd spent less time in pubs or misbehaving with boys and more time in actual lessons, I doubt it would have been so bad. I may not be a straight A girl, but boy, did I have fun!

The Big Five O!

Tomorrow one of my colleagues turns 50. He doesn't seem too fussed about this, which could be down to me shouting things like "enjoy the last night of your youth" across the library to him as he was leaving today....but me and my boss are very excited! We've been planning a party for him for ages. I've made a cake (I really have to stop volunteering to make cakes, I was whipping cream at 6.15am today) and we have banners, balloons, musical candles, everything you could ever want for a party. Apart from booze, but then we are having the party in the day, a room full of librarians is one thing, a room full of drunk librarians, well that's quite another matter altogether.

Only trouble is I have to leave as the party will be starting, as I have an appointment right the other side of town, so my dilemma is this - how best to reserve myself some party snacks? I might stick post-it's on to things I like the look of, or I could always hoard things in my desk...

This is hardcore

On Friday night we went out to celebrate a friends birthday. His wife had booked the private dining room here for him. She is a much better wife than I am. It was really lovely evening, a fabulous dining room to ourselves, the best food ever, good company, great service. In fact we were having such a lovely evening that it was some time before someone noticed that the pictures in the beautiful frames on the walls were porn. And why, yes they were! Lots and lots of victorian porn. Well! It was almost enough to put me off my dark chocolate and orange truffle cake.

Almost.

And judging by the bored faces of the ladies in the Vicporniana, I'd say my dessert was a whole lot better than theirs.

Lazy Librarian

I'm not very good at having a lie in. Stupidly early nights yes, lazy weekend mornings no. But this weekend I have had two 9am starts (this is probably the equivalent of you lying in 'til 1pm) and an afternoon nap! I must've needed it, as my nanna would have said. However, all this lying down has left me with a really bad back. The kind that is fine until you try to do something, which means every time I try and get out of bed, get off a chair, bend down, or do anything I am making an involuntary "oooh", "sssss", or "eee-aa-ooo" noise. Which is not very attractive, and the kinda thing I wasn't expecting until after my 30th birthday.

What's that coming over the hill...

...it's three people who appreciate an early night, that's what it is!

So a couple of weeks ago, me, Miss S and FM Dave went to see The Automatic. Oh, I thought we were being both 'hip' and indeed 'down with the kids' by going to see a relatively new band, and as I brought the tickets before Monster was even released (The Automatic 'Monster', not the REM 'Monster'. I don't think The Automatic were even born when that was out...) we had every reason to feel cool and smug. Ah, indie smugness, one of my favourite hobbies.

When we got to the doors a good 30 minutes after they should have opened, they were still shut! And there was a queue. A queue full of what appeared to be small children, which made us all feel 80 years old. We decided that we didn't want to stand around and wait for the doors to open, what with being 80 and all, as we needed a sit down. Ooh, our aching backs etc. etc. When we returned to the queue, the doors were open, and in we went, pausing only to remark how loud the music was - "it's so loud" - and also to note that the "loud" was still a good floor or two above us, and could only get louder.

So, to cut a long story short, we waited and waited for The Automatic to come on. And when did the cheeky blighters decide to turn up? 10pm, that's when. 10pm! On a school night! What were they thinking? Luckily they were rubbish and we decided to leave early, with a sensible loo stop on the way out, so we wouldn't have to catch the last train, or heaven forbid, the night bus home.

And that's when I knew I was old.

Senior moments

Blimey, I haven't blogged in ages! Lazy old me. There are lots of reasons I haven't blogged. I am actually busy doing work at work (I know!), not a great deal has happened to me in the last two months, but most importantly, my memory is broken. In the past couple of weeks you would not believe the amount of times I've thought "ooh, I'll blog about that" only to sit down in front of the pc and find my brain is full of "errrmmm" and not a lot else.

I'll start carrying a pad and pen around with me at all times, and we'll take it from there.