So, about 200 years ago I used to write this Blog on LJ. I haven't even logged IN to it in months. In fact the last entry I wrote was in November 2009. Ummm yeah. I'm a slacker.

There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that my Muse left me. Scarpered. Did a runner. Whatever. 2010 was a bad year for me and my little family unit. A long, CRAP filled, bastard of a year in fact. I didn't feel like writing. I didn't feel like doing anything much to be honest. I certainly didn't feel like sharing all my bile and hatred with the world in general. You people didn't deserve that!!

But today I came home from work and I felt... HAPPY. I realised that I had a whole list of things that had made me smile and I just had to DO something about it. I have real Things to look forward to at long, long last. And it's a great feeling!

So, here's my list of 10 things that either made me smile today or gave me he Happy feeling. Enjoy!

1. Crocuses! Spotted half a dozen bright yellow crocus flowers peeking through the leaves and general wilderness that is my front garden. On inspection also discovered daffodil and tulips sprouting away. Lady Spring is coming!! YAY!

2. Holiday! In 79 days I will be jetting off to (hopefully) sunny Majorca with my Best Friends. This will be my first proper holiday since... umm... probably 2008? I am SO excited. I just NEED some sunshine. This pale, withered body NEEDS some serious Vitamnin D. Bring it ON.

3. Books! Just finished reading the Stieg Larsson Millenium trilogy. Which were FANTASTIC. Because I haven't been able to afford to buy any new books for awhile, it was a great Christmas present. But THEN, I logged onto Amazon this evening, and discovered that one of my favourite authors has not one, but TWO new books out that I haven't read!! As I am now solvent once more, I felt justified in 'adding them to basket' poste haste. Hazah!

4. Husband! I love my Much Beloved very much and he will be HOME tomorrow!! For those who don't know, he was unfortunately without work for over a year. He started a new job in November, which although fantastic (ie we have MONEY for bills again), means that he spends a lot of time away from home. I like having some personal space, but I miss him when he's away. Absence makes the heart grow fonder may be an old adage, but it's true. He's home tomorrow until Sunday and I can't wait to see him!!

5. Music Part 1! One of my friends has said she will let me tag along when she goes to see Mumford & Sons play live this summer! Yay!! I really, really, REALLY want to see them, but couldn't find anyone to come with me, so this is most exciting news. Now all we have to do is secure tickets for a gig 'anywhere in the UK'. Mumford Road Trip here I come!  Fingers crossed.

6. Friends! The last year I have really discovered who my friends are. So thank you. I <3 you all.

7. Spa Day! I have been invited to attend an all-girls Spa Weekend in March by my Fabulous Sister-in-Law.... an over night stay in a posh hotel, dinner, bed & breakfast, plus two mini spa treatments. I cannot WAIT for my day of pampering.

8. Conversational Cheer! Talking to a mum at work today who was collecting her 3 year old from Nursery. Me: "Is she enjoying herself?" Mum: "Oh yes, she loves it". Me: "and are YOU enjoying your time alone? getting lots done?". Mum: "I don't know, it's weird. I miss her ya know? I'm bored without her. She's like my handbag - always there".  LOL

9. Music Part 2! My music club in Second Life was recently featured on the SL Destination Guide website AND hit the top sport in the in-world search facility. We have named that day as Noob Saturday because OMG they were dropping from the rafters at a rate of about 1 every 30 seconds. Manic, yes, but it has renewed my interest in SL and in the music scene in general. I have some wonderful musician friends, and am really enjoying hearing them, promoting them and sharing them with others. This makes me VERY happy. Yes indeedy.

10. Food! Crumpets with butter and a thick layer of Nutella. OMG. Food heaven. *drooools*

And so here endeth my first for about a million years. Will anyone read it? Probably not. Do I really care? Nope. I wanted to write. It makes me HAPPY to spew my brain out, if not on paper, then the next best thing.

So onward into 2011 we go. I am hopeful that the Happy Feeling with stick with me during the months ahead!

I suppose I should resurrect this at some point. I have stuff to write about, but most of the time, I just can't be arsed doing it. Yeah. I'm a lazy bitch. So sue me.

In short, since i last blogged WAY back in July the following has happened:

1. Beloved husband got made redundant from his job. Nearly 4 months later, there are no jobs, no interviews and not much money. We are not quite living on the breadline, but it's not a nice feeling. I KNOW he will find something, I just hope it is sooner rather than later. But no matter how poor we get, I refuse to eat Smartprice beans.

2. My gorgeous, scrummy neice is now nearly 7 months old. I don't see her very much though and that makes me sad. I worry that she will grow up and not know who I am. For Christmas I am getting her a photo of me to hang over her cot!


3. I got a new desk at work and no longer sit in a 3 foot square hutch. I spent 3 years in that tiny space, and I have to say... I don't miss it AT ALL! I love having space. It's great! Only thing is, I will now have to find something else to moan about during my appraisal. Bah humbug.

4. Everyone seems to be having holidays to nice, warm climes. I miss the sunshine. Not that we had any really this year, but I miss it anyway. I think I have SAD. Mornings are particularly hard so I bought this so-called SAD alarm clock that gives a false sunrise illusion, thus allowing your body to wake up gradually. Riiiight. All that happens is at 7.00 am it pings on with a flash of light, a bit someone shining a torch in your face. Of course, for the first three days I was awake 4 hours before the alarm went off, just in case it DIDN'T go off. So that was a good purchase then. NOT.

5. I went to the Aquarium and saw lots of sharks. On the same day, we went to the cinema, and saw Toy Story. In 3D. It was GREAT! Now i'm itching to see the new version of A Christmas Carol, which looks absolutely brilliant. Sadly, it costs about £9 per adult to get it. I wonder if we could squeeze through the toilet window like when we were kids?

6. I went to a Halloween party. The paper mache head I spent a week making is now sitting in the hallway scaring the cats. If anyone has a good use for it, let me know.

7. It's nearly Christmas. I am SO not ready. I am in denial. Have starting shopping, online of course, so I can avoid the queues and madness of the high street, but I know at some point I am going to have to venture out there...... UGH.

8. I'm hooked on watching The Big Bang Theory. I think I watched all 3 seasons in just over 2 weeks. Sheldon rocks but I think I have a small crush on Leonard. He's way too cute for a proper nerd.

9. The cats are still alive. Just.

10. I heard the best joke EVER yesterday, courtesy of Beloved Husband:

"Why did the pie cross the road?"
"Because he was meat'n'potatoe"


Oh how I giggled!


The End.

Well I have had a whole week to fine tune this and so far I'm doing pretty good.  It's a week and a bit on from the Ankle Incident, and although it's on the mend, I am still off work and about to go out of my tiny, wee brain with BOREDOM.  Now, why is that when you are at work, all you want is to be at home.  But when you are at home, under enforced circumstances, you just want to get OUT?  Sod's law I think.

Anyways.  The ankle is healing.  It is far less swollen and looks like a regular human leg rather than an elephant leg.  Still very bruised tho.  Here are  few pics for your delight and delectation.  Cos I'm sure you are all itching to see it.  No?  Well.  Too bad.  







Pretty colours eh?  And I even re-did my nail varnish.  THAT'S how bored I've been.

In other news:

1.   Things are afoot with Beloved Grumpy's job.  See what I did there?  A food joke!  Hahaha!  But seriously.  Not going to go on and on about it here, but suffice it to say that there WILL be big changes.  Possibly not good ones.  But that remains to be seen.    It's one more thing to worry about.  Just what I need.

2.   An update on my friend, Mr F, the poor guy suffering with severe depression and just about the shittiest life of anyone, ever.  Well, he went to the Doctor and they must've have taken him seriously as they changed his meds immediately - i think he is now on a high dose Tremazipan or something AND Prozac which seem to be helping.  He is by no means better, but is away from the brink and starting to think about the future.  One side effect - the Prozac on the higher dosage is making him feel nauseous all the time and he can't eat.  I told him he HAS to eat, but so far the sickness is better than the feeling of suicide.  Rock and Hard Place anyone?    Anyway.  So he has up and down days.  I think he always will.  But for now I am less worried about him.  He has also been given a Counsellor and has an appointment to see a Psychiatrist.  All positive steps.

3.   I was so bored on Tuesday that I joined Twitter.  I have refused to even read about it for months, feeling that it was just another epic waste of time.  Like it need another of THOSE.  But it's funny what hours of doing nothing do to your brain.  I actually thought it was a good idea!  So i joined.  You can follow my ramblings at www.twitter.com/lost_continent.  Or not.  Your choice.

4.   I am addicted to Bejewelled.  Already an addict of WordTwist on Facebook (when people actually play their turns) I recently discovered a little app that lets me play Bejewelled... over and over and over again.  Damn its addictive.  Unfortunately, you only get 1 min to play so it's pretty frustrating...... in fact, I think I need a rematch with myself soon.

5.   My cats are driving me mad.  MAD.  We in the midst of what for the UK counts as a heatwave.  It has been about 80 degrees every day this week.  And very muggy.  Cats do not like this sort of weather.  They don't know what to do with themselves.  Which, it appears, is to bug the hell out of ME.  Because I am here, and unable to escape.  Everywhere I go they are behind me, yowling.  If not that, then they are chasing blue bottles and wasps around the house and eating them.  I am praying for some cooler weather so I can shut the doors again and keep all the wildlife OUT of my house!

6.   Listening to day time radio is starting to turn my brain to mush.  They play the same songs over and over again.  And they aren't even GOOD songs.  If i wasn't so lazy I could get up and turn it off but..... well...... it's too much effort.  Meh.  I swear to go if I hear that god awful song with the Martha & Muffins Echo Beach rip off I WILL kill someone.  Probably myself.

So, that's about it.  Am now off to do some more procrastinating. 

Laters!

Just thought I'd update you.  I dithered all yesterday evening and all morning, deciding whether to go to the concert.  In the end, sense (and the fact that my foot is the size of a football) won out.

As you can see, I have made a good job of it:









It has turned a nice shade of purple since this morning, too.  Looking good!

One piece of good news, my friend just rang me.  They are at the concert ground (sob, sob) and she has managed to sell my ticket.  So at least I'll get SOME money back.  She's going to ring me later, while they're singing......... so at least I'll hear SOMETHING of the show.

Yours miserably,

Darkangel_uk

I am officially the clumsiest person in the world.

Tomorrow I am due to go to see Take That in concert.  Tickets have been booked for MONTHS.  I was so excited and looking forward to going.  Had arranged to go with a girl I know at the gym, so neither of us had to go alone.  Found a coach trip going that included travel and ticket.  Cost a mere £75.  Ok.  Expensive but worth it.  Have wanted to see them for AGES and it will be a fantastic show.

Then, tonight what do I go and do?  Decide to go to the gym.  Slip while punching the crap out of a punch bag, and fall OFF the jogging board, twist my ankle, end up in a heap on the floor, with a huge carpet burn on my arm.  I am not unable to stand, let alone walk.  In short, I am crippled. Had to be driven home and I only live 2 mins away!

I am absolutely gutted.  I can't BELIEVE how clumsy I am.  To do it at all is bad enough, but the day before a concert?  Arrgh.

It wouldn't be so bad if it were seated, but it's not.  General admission - which means Free for All bundle.  So do I risk it and go and sit in a field for 6 hours with a gammy foot?  Just not sure I can.  Hurts WAY too much for that right now. 

Have just phoned my friend and 'broken' the good news.  She is not happy, and doesn't want to go on her own. 

Why me?  Oh and it's my birthday on Friday, so yay, Happy Birthday me!   Wil now spend the next 3 days (which I booked off as HOLIDAY) sitting at home being miserable.


*SIGH*

Anyone want to see Take That?

Happy Birthday gallo_nero !!