Smoothies & Skirts

Although mine don't look as appetising as this, I've gone smoothie crazy this weekend!  Not sure if they'll actually help with my goal to lose weight but let's see.  Smoothie of the morning:  Grape, Blueberry & Raspberry.  Yum!

I finally went to Hobbs earlier - to track down my dream skirt that I saw on Gok Wan last week, and which caused much excitement from a certain Miss Froberg on Facebook.  Although this is indeed my dream skirt, the price-tag of £89 did scare bit a bit!  Luckily (or not) the Brighton store didn't have my dream skirt and don't know if they're going to get it so perhaps it's for the best!  I managed to get out the shop without spending all my salary on things I loved but didn't really need.  Since getting home, I've found all of these things on the Hobbs website and I'll now be hoping they turn up on ebay in the near future!

Oh now I've looked at them again, I really want all of these things NOW!  Maybe I could stretch to the purple top - safe bet.  Out with the Visa Electron card perhaps.



This long weekend has gone way too quick.  Just time for a bit of cleaning, testing out my new iron, watching some crap tv and maybe a few more of these:

Glory Boys

No blogging time yesterday so catching up today.

I had a well deserved indian head massage at Revitalise in Church Road yesterday morning - very nice it was too.  Am contemplating going to their "Taster Session" next Sunday where you can try out mini therapies on the cheap!  I actually slept well last night thanks to the massage - or was it the cider?

Last night was a quick trip to The Sidewinder and then on to the Concorde for Long Tall Shorty and Secret Affair.  If you've read my blog before, you'll know that Secret Affair were the first band I ever saw in my teens so this was a huge nostalgia trip for me. 

Both bands were excellent & people seemed to come out of the woodwork for the gig which was nice.  I'd forgotten how many great songs Secret Affair had back then (and I still remember most of the words!) and they still sound as good now.  Two encores and they kept my favourite til last - Glory Boys.  Definitely a song that shaped my teenage years and I'll always love it.  Was disappointed to see that not more people had made an effort to dress up and that they still insist on doing the "We are the Mods" thing when they should know better at their age....but I loved the night regardless!

Other ramblings today:  It must be the weather or something but it seems that Brighton's teenagers are having kids at the moment like there's no tomorrow.  I saw at least 3 on the bus this morning - all about 14 at the most.  I don't get it - we're lucky enough to have free contraception in this country, there's plenty to do in Brighton and they must have learnt by now that they don't automatically get a house if they have a baby so what's with it?

and....I see we came last in the Eurovision last night.  No surprise there then!  Maybe England should have taken the Justin Lee Collins song - we might have had more of a chance - but then again!

I've turned on the tv to see a load of men chasing a ball round - some major footie game apparently.  Off to plant up my chillis then!

Squatters Rights

I've turned into a NIMBY and I don't like it!  Squatters have taken over a run down house in my usually pretty, quiet road.  I'm fairly sure that it was used by some hardcore drug users previously so I guess squatters are a step up from that.

I've seen these squatters coming back from the Co-op with carrier bags full of alcohol and Pot Noodles (probably).  At one point, two of them were asleep on a urine-stained mattress in the front yard.  The upstairs window is kept open with used beer bottles.  There's unfortunately a poor little toddler living there amongst the chaos too I think.

Over the past couple of days, handmade banners have appeared - "Save my Squat", "Too Many Empty Houses in Brighton" blah blah blah and while I sympathise with their situation and agree about the housing situation, I think that if they want a property, they need to take a bit more care of it - you know what I mean, a bit of Cillit Banging, booze bottle recycling, that sort of it.  And maybe respect their neighbours a bit more.

I know what I'm talking about as regards squats you know!  I havn't always been the clean cut lady I am now.  I've stayed in squats (lots of them) - good & bad, and was even going to live in one once.  Good:  A 3 storey Victorian House in Eversholt Street, NW1, with a working bathroom & kitchen on each floor, and electric (provided of course by a friendly fixer).  Bad:  Drug infested hovels in Kennington/Brixton where people came & went, taking everyone's belongings with them.

I don't know if it happens much these days but in the 90s, there were stories all the time of long-term squatters being allowed to keep their squatted properties as the owners had died, given up or gone mad!  I'm positive that this was only because they made these places their own little homes, looked after them and treated them in a way in which anyone would be proud.

Blimey this was a bit serious today.  I might go and have a word with the squatting kids - tidy up or go away!  I really don't want their mess ruining my pretty road.

Tomorrow's blog will hopefully be prettier!

Mojitos and Mods

Someone asked me today what I write my blog about.  I should have a theme I guess but instead I just told her that it was just me rambling about crap.  As payday isn't until tomorrow, the mention of frocks I've purchased has been pretty slim so apologies to anyone that's clicked on this expecting some fashion news from the streets of Brighton!

For our weekly work lunch today, we went to Giraffe (again!).  They love us in there.  No-one else in the whole of town probably spends as much as we do!!!!!!  I think we should be awarded with something - a "Best Customers of the Decade" plaque maybe.  As today was a special (but sad) day in our office, desserts or cocktails were definitely needed after our usual main courses.  I went for the largest, most expensive (probably) cocktail - a trusty Mojito.  Very nice it was too.  I needed it after the hairy lettuce that bothered me so much.
 

Much excitement at work this morning when I realised that a work colleague not only knew what mod revival bands were but actually went to see them in the 80s like I did, at the same places I did!  I think that we almost definitely know the same people as he came from Ilford and I knew a lot of the infamous "East London (la la la)" back then!  Tis a small world as not only did he know an ex of Mick Talbot but I knew his wife....maybe he just got around a bit!  I will be reporting back after Secret Affair and Long Tall Shorty at the weekend.  Am hoping there's not too much bad parka wearing and "We are the Mods" chanting going on as the guaranteed audience is at least in their mid 40s.

and....my chilli plants came today so I'm on a compost buying mission before work tomorrow so we can get planting.

Sneezes and Summer Disasters!

Ok, so who's wearing cheap market perfume in the office today?  I can't stop sneezing and it's getting a bit annoying now.  From experience, it's only cut flowers (of which we have none), dust (very unlikely we have much) or that cheap Impulse type perfume spray that sets me off.  I will be starting an investigation after lunch and the culprit will be evicted from the office!  Someone has said "bless you" so many times this morning that he said from now on, they're on direct debit.

I had the sudden urge to do a Facebook cull over lunch.  Such a therapeutic thing!  No longer will I have to put up with news from the Stockholm indie scene, of which I never really was a part or be bombarded with Farmville & Mafia Wars rubbish.  I know you can physically hide these things on certain people and I have done but it's such a chore darling!

Last night was another restless night.  I think I was traumatised by Gok Wan telling me that not only is linen in this Summer (well he didn't tell me but I know these things!) but so is tie dye and ethnic prints - the thing of nightmares.  If tie dye is "bang on trend", something needs to be done and fast.  I'm intending starting up a petition which I will personally take to our newly formed government, and obviously the obligatory Facebook group entitled "I bet I can get 1,000,000 people to sign up who hate tie dye" (or something).

While I'm on the subject of such Summer disasters, I'm campaigning against the wearing of any of the following too:

Something is wrong.....

I'm considering joining LA Fitness!

Maybe it's because I'm feeling fat & frumpy or maybe it's because middle-age is creeping up on me and I don't want to be that cuddly mumsy shape that happens when you hit your mid to late 40s....Or maybe it's because it's next door to the office and it's a sensible idea seeing as I'm going to have spare cash every month.

The chances of me using anything more than the pool or doing a couple of yoga classes is pretty slim but we'll see what happens.  Have made a mental note to do a little tour round before my first "proper" payday at the end of June.  Watch this space.

My first payday will also see appointments being booked for a massage, indian head massage, facial and eyebrow threading......building gently up to Botox in August, fillers in September & a full on facelift by the end of the year.

Received some sad news yesterday.........my best friend's Mum died in hospital on Sunday night.  Not sure what to say at times like these but am sending all the love in the world to them right now.  R.I.P June Lee - I'll remember you with a smile.

and finally.................angry today............and feel like causing trouble.  Maybe I will!

Stockholm Syndrome

I'm missing Stockholm today.  Sunny days like this remind me of my lovely second home in Bagarmossen that I had for too short a time.  I was so incredibly lucky finding it - £320 for a huge place, no bills, and 2 toilets!!!!



I didn't know much about Bagarmossen before I moved there.  I'd only heard that it was a bit rough and a bit far out - neither of these turned out to be the case.  My metro journey into Sodermalm was only 12 mins door to door and as I spent the majority of my time there, 12 mins was perfect!  The little square near my flat was a bit of a meeting place for Stockholm's, let's say, unusual types but I felt safe, even coming home from my club at 3 or 4 in the morning.

My apartment block was classed as being 'old' despite it being built in the 50s - hence the cheap rent I guess.  I was 2 mins away from 2 supermarkets, a chemist, a library (with an english section) and the best takeaway pizza hut I've been to.  I avoided The Sherlock Holmes Inn but I'd heard a lot about it!

It was in Bagarmossen that I experienced the swedish laundry experience for the first time.  Most apartment blocks/houses in Sweden have a laundry room which you gain access to with an electronic key fob.  My laundry room was just up the road through a gorgeous little flowery wood and was used by several blocks.  I was very proud of myself that first time I managed to figure out how to book myself a 2 hour laundry slot using my fob and basic knowledge of swedish!  I actually found it quite a nice experience - very different from english laundries.  You have access to 2 washing machines, a dryer, a dryer cupboard, rails and a laundry trolley.....making it all very easy and painfree!

With that, I'll leave it there as I'm sure no-one is at all interested in the swedish laundry process, particularly not swedes!  I could ramble for hours about my love of Stockholm but those of you that know me have heard it before - maybe another time!