I know you'll never love me and this is why I cry
I'll never feel your hand in mine or hear you softly sigh
I know you'll never miss me or notice that I've gone
To me you are somebody, to you I am no one.
I know you'll never cry for me the way I cry for you
I know you'll never want me so what can I do?
I know you'll never think of me, I'll never cross your mind
You'll never waste a thought on me, I'll always find the time.
I know you'll never look for me the way I look for you
Each face I see is different, each man I see is you.
I know you'll never lose your heart the way that I lost mine
They say that time's a healer, to me there is no time.
I know you'll never love me and this is why I cry
Although my body's living my heart is bound to die.
I know you'll never love me.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
wyla's worry..
Wyla twittered and hopped around nervously as daemons always do in times of stress and disconcertment..piddy stroked her fondly and told her everything would be fine. He realised now that he would have to follow the prophecy that was given to him and try to evolve to the new lifeform that was promised when humans bounced their energies back and forth to each other...if this meant living a life of solitude for the time being, then so be it....the quest had begun. Piddy knew what he had to do, he closed his eyes and thought of good times when there were people that looked to him for enlightenment and spiritual guidance, his instincts should have told him which way to proceed but his mind was muddled because of the mixed messages that his emotions had caused. Piddy was lonely, he had so much to offer someone and yet he was blind to who that person would be. Wyla cried softly and sat at piddys shoulder like every good daemon should do. Piddy tried to clear his mind but nothing happened...maybe tomorrow he thought....
Monday, November 27, 2006
Madonna - Live Confessions
Woo Hoo!...what a great show on Channel 4 last night, beautifully filmed and edited and a real peak performance. Lisa and I were texting and talking like mad between ad breaks. Lisa called Madge a cow for being so fit at fifty, all I could muster was the suprise that she didn't have a flabby minge when prancing around in her leotard :)
It was great to see the crucifixion scene in full as they edited it out when showing it to our american cousins (yah boo sucks ! and all that)
Just a quick update since we last met, I'm now holding a part time job as well at a Funeral Directors as a chapel attendant, it's a nice job and it's a very positive thing seeing people get closure with their loved ones :)
Still single...another lonely christmas :(
It was great to see the crucifixion scene in full as they edited it out when showing it to our american cousins (yah boo sucks ! and all that)
Just a quick update since we last met, I'm now holding a part time job as well at a Funeral Directors as a chapel attendant, it's a nice job and it's a very positive thing seeing people get closure with their loved ones :)
Still single...another lonely christmas :(
Saturday, November 25, 2006
suddenly...
...and suddenly out of a very dark place a chink of light appeared and piddy once more walked into the bright air, blinking his eyes he looked around him and saw the bluest of skies and the friendliest of people. With his daemon wyla at his side he was ready to face the world once again, knowing that whatever happened previously was all a big dream. He shook his head, smiled a little smile and prepared to write the words that would save his life...
to be continued...
to be continued...
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Standing at the door of the Pink Flamingo, crying in the rain..........
I was hoping we would have a goodbye blog from Steve for you but alas it was not to appear...not much left to say now that hasn't already been said...watch out for 'Kish Mauve', they may suprise the music world with a song called 'Modern Love' which appears on August 28th...that will be my last tip for the top on here...most of the time I was right which was quite pleasing, perhaps I should have gone into A & R all those years ago as a job...
I really hope you all get to live the lives that you want to live, and hey!, who knows we might meet up again somewhere along the way.... xx
*piddy puts the keys to the blog on the counter top, puts on his hoodie, turns off the lights to the office and shuffles off into the darkened land in front of him......
I was hoping we would have a goodbye blog from Steve for you but alas it was not to appear...not much left to say now that hasn't already been said...watch out for 'Kish Mauve', they may suprise the music world with a song called 'Modern Love' which appears on August 28th...that will be my last tip for the top on here...most of the time I was right which was quite pleasing, perhaps I should have gone into A & R all those years ago as a job...
I really hope you all get to live the lives that you want to live, and hey!, who knows we might meet up again somewhere along the way.... xx
*piddy puts the keys to the blog on the counter top, puts on his hoodie, turns off the lights to the office and shuffles off into the darkened land in front of him......
Friday, August 04, 2006
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Vodaphone are thieves!....
Some of you might have read the little piece I wrote about the fun or not I had upgrading my mobile phone, well just to finish off my airtime supplier bowled one last fantastic googly at me whilst I was on holiday last week. And from talking to other people they are not alone. So as a warning to all here is the final part I hope of the Vodafone saga.
During the negotiations to replace my handset I had been informed that the cost would be £50, but not to worry because as my line rental is going to be £25 per month if they gave me two free months that would offset the cost and I would not end up paying anything else a month. This all seemed fine and I was happy after all I had my new handset the monthly bill I wanted for the min’s I was going to use and I had avoided the hassle of changing my number over to another provider. The new handset arrived on time and all worked well, I should have known. About ten day latter a bill arrives from Vodafone and I expect to see the normal £25 and nothing more. My heart nearly stopped the bill in my hand was for £95 and there was no call charges. I was on the phone and talking to a customer services rep within the minute and I left him in no doubt that there was a problem. Representative one was very good understood what I said and agreed there was a mistake, told me that the £95 wrong and should only be £25 and that as I had contacted them very quickly they could stop the bill being processed so that the amount would not be taken by direct debit on the 25th July but the original £25 would be. And as a way of saying sorry and as a kind of compensation I could have another month’s free line rental so that would make three. I then pointed out that they were just about to charge me for a month and could that be the free one. “No problem” came the reply and I put the phone down a happier man.
I then went on holiday, got back home a week later and switched on the computer to check my bank balances and move some money around. A not so small direct debit on the 25th caught my eye; Vodafone had taken the £95 Hmmmm fucking bastards I new it was too good to be true. I must say that Vodafone do answer there complaints hot line very promptly. After a very firm conversation explaining everything again and the guy on the other end listening and checking there records I was informed that customer services rep one was wrong and that the £95 was correct, Hmmm. After a good few min’s of arguing Vodafone finally came up with a compromise. But I had to threaten to send the handset back cancel the contract and go to court, not you understand over the £95 if that was indeed true and correct then I would pay it but over the way that Vodafone had miss sold there products in the first place.
You see when I got to the bottom of the problem the story was a little different to the one I was told when signing up. The hand set was going to cost me £50 but they could not give me free line rental and spread the cost over two months. I had to pay for the phone up front and then the next two would be free. Not what I was told at the time, also the original sales rep forgot to mention one or two little additional costs, so it does make you think what else is hiding around the corner. Mobile phone companies are up there with second hand car sales men and estate agents. Both jobs I have done in the past so I know what I am talking about. Seriously though make sure you know exactly what you have taken on and read the small print, you have been warned.
I have just been informed that this is the last blog that I will be writing on this particular site, it’s been fun, a pain, and an experience, and a great pleasure and a joy all rolled into one. I have been active in one or two other forums for some time so I will still be ranting somewhere out there. Until we meet again I thank you and good night.
Matt x
During the negotiations to replace my handset I had been informed that the cost would be £50, but not to worry because as my line rental is going to be £25 per month if they gave me two free months that would offset the cost and I would not end up paying anything else a month. This all seemed fine and I was happy after all I had my new handset the monthly bill I wanted for the min’s I was going to use and I had avoided the hassle of changing my number over to another provider. The new handset arrived on time and all worked well, I should have known. About ten day latter a bill arrives from Vodafone and I expect to see the normal £25 and nothing more. My heart nearly stopped the bill in my hand was for £95 and there was no call charges. I was on the phone and talking to a customer services rep within the minute and I left him in no doubt that there was a problem. Representative one was very good understood what I said and agreed there was a mistake, told me that the £95 wrong and should only be £25 and that as I had contacted them very quickly they could stop the bill being processed so that the amount would not be taken by direct debit on the 25th July but the original £25 would be. And as a way of saying sorry and as a kind of compensation I could have another month’s free line rental so that would make three. I then pointed out that they were just about to charge me for a month and could that be the free one. “No problem” came the reply and I put the phone down a happier man.
I then went on holiday, got back home a week later and switched on the computer to check my bank balances and move some money around. A not so small direct debit on the 25th caught my eye; Vodafone had taken the £95 Hmmmm fucking bastards I new it was too good to be true. I must say that Vodafone do answer there complaints hot line very promptly. After a very firm conversation explaining everything again and the guy on the other end listening and checking there records I was informed that customer services rep one was wrong and that the £95 was correct, Hmmm. After a good few min’s of arguing Vodafone finally came up with a compromise. But I had to threaten to send the handset back cancel the contract and go to court, not you understand over the £95 if that was indeed true and correct then I would pay it but over the way that Vodafone had miss sold there products in the first place.
You see when I got to the bottom of the problem the story was a little different to the one I was told when signing up. The hand set was going to cost me £50 but they could not give me free line rental and spread the cost over two months. I had to pay for the phone up front and then the next two would be free. Not what I was told at the time, also the original sales rep forgot to mention one or two little additional costs, so it does make you think what else is hiding around the corner. Mobile phone companies are up there with second hand car sales men and estate agents. Both jobs I have done in the past so I know what I am talking about. Seriously though make sure you know exactly what you have taken on and read the small print, you have been warned.
I have just been informed that this is the last blog that I will be writing on this particular site, it’s been fun, a pain, and an experience, and a great pleasure and a joy all rolled into one. I have been active in one or two other forums for some time so I will still be ranting somewhere out there. Until we meet again I thank you and good night.
Matt x
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
The end is nigh...
Hi everyone...today I have good news and bad news, the bad news is that as from next Monday, the 7th August 2006, my 43rd birthday, piddys place,the blog, will close its doors to the world...you will still be able to view the archive and it may be worth checking in occasionally ;) but the truth is that I need to move on...it served a purpose, it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me angry and it made me aware of the sense of community that can be achieved over the cyberspace structure. The good news is that I have another project in mind which I will reveal details of shortly.
I would like to thank Matt, Lisa, Steve and Gina (in the early days :) for sharing their lives with us over the last 3 years and hope that they will go on to create their own worlds perhaps where people can revell in all their loveliness. It's been a blast...
Neil x
I would like to thank Matt, Lisa, Steve and Gina (in the early days :) for sharing their lives with us over the last 3 years and hope that they will go on to create their own worlds perhaps where people can revell in all their loveliness. It's been a blast...
Neil x
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Summer brief...
Hello all....normal blog service will be resumed next week, what with babies, holidays and general heat malaise it's all been going tits up...ah never mind, it'll give you more chance to catch up on those summer blockbusters..
Oh by the way, who else thinks that its odd that Suri cruise (tom and katies baby) is now supposedly 100 days old and nobody has seen any sign of it yet...how weird!
Thursday, July 27, 2006
The Visit...
oooh hello...didn't know i was going to be here this evening, forgot that matt is away on his holiday so here i am for a quick little visit...if you hit the flickr box above the blog you will see the photographs of 3steel's new edition to the family (awww i hear you all cry) went to see mummy claire and baby emily in hospital yesterday and it was a beautiful and emotional time...I got into the reception and the lady asked me if i was a visitor or a new daddy, I welled up and realised that I was experiencing maternal instincts..I suddenly realised that this is a feeling i will be forever deprived of and toddled of upstairs to see Claire Steve and baby...what a beautiful family scene. Claire was tired and a little emotional as baby emily is still suffering jaundice and cannot come home yet. Emily looks like a little angel even more so because of the ultra violet light pack that she has on, apparently it breaks down the blood cells so the babys internal organs work more efficiently (i think). When you see Steve with the baby he looks so proud..and then the moment came when I actually got to hold her. Her little hand grabbed my thumb and i became wrapped up in a world of emotional blindness. When you hold a new born baby, nothing else in the world matters and I sat there realising that we are all now responsible for this baby growing up into a world that will remain peaceful, free from pollutants, free from racial and sexual harrassment and a world that will give everybody the right of free speech and freedom...all that from one little soul...welcome to the world emily x
Neil x
Neil x
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Home is where the heart is...
Panorama on BBC1 on Sunday night was a follow-up programme to the one shown earlier in March 2006 about the national home swindle – basically the sick and elderly having to sell their homes to fund their NHS care, when they need to go into a nursing home.
The follow-up programme came about due to the high emails and letters that they received (over 5,000) about this scandal. Most of them came from relatives or friends that seen loved ones having to lie to their parents, aunts, uncles etc rather than tell them that they have sold their house to fund their care.
To think that the majority of these people worked hard all their lives, scrimped and saved to better themselves brought their own houses and then at their most vulnerable are denied the basic care needs by beaurcracy and assessments is outrageous. And lets face it when I think of my grandparents they did save if they wanted something they saved up to get it they did not go out and purchase it on a credit card and pay for it later, they made do until they could afford it. They were encouraged to save for the future, they thought that buying a house would be an investment for the future and something of value to leave the family.
The whole issue around this home swindle is the assessment that is carried out to see if a person is entitled to fully funded NHS care or whether they will have to pay the service.
There are two issues about health or social care
Services that are provided by the NHS are free at the point of delivery because NHS pays for them
Services, which are provided or arranged via social services departments or local authorities, are means tested
If care is provided via social services all or some of the cost can be passed onto the person receiving the services depending on their finances. They are charged for their care, in some cased even if they receive benefits.
If care is provided via the NHS then there should be no means test or charge
Since 1996 all health authorities have had to have eligibility criteria that specify who is eligible for fully funded NHS care and who is not (who must pay via the Social Services means test.)
Many elderly people have been placed into homes by social services think the state is paying for their care because social services are paying their care costs but the reality is they are paying towards their costs by being charged out of their income – including benefits and pensions.
In 1999 a disabled woman Pamela Couglan challenged the NHS via the court of appeal and argued that the NHS were responsible for her care. This was due to her condition and the type and level of nursing care that she required. Her local health authority challenged saying that she did not meet their criteria because she only needed general nursing and not specialist nursing. Mrs Couglan challenged the authority by saying that the NHS had wrongly transferred responsibility for health services including general nursing onto social services and that meant that people were being charged for health care which should have been paid for by the NHS.
The Court of Appeal agreed with Mrs Couglan and laid down a new test for deciding who was responsible for funding a care package in a nursing home. This was to become the `couglan test` which said that
The NHS were responsible if the persons reason for the placement in a home was primarily a health need
The local authority social services department can only be responsible for nursing care if the quality and quantity of nursing care is `merely incidental to the provision of the accommodation` The court said that social services can only be responsible for services which are of a nature which a social services can provide.
In 2001 the government introduced a new system called `free nursing care for all` however this is not the same as fully funded NHS care.
This system is a three-tier system, which involves the NHS making a small contribution towards the overall care package. It is for care that is provided by registered nurses employed in nursing homes. It does not pay for care provided by nursing assistants. The NHS bases the banding on High Medium or Low, which results in different levels of contributions.
The government pointed out that this would not replace the `couglan test` which was the one to be used for eligibility although there are concerns that in practice people are being assessed as being entitled under this system instead of the `couglan` way there they may be entitled to full funding.
The system is a mine field of who is and who is not eligible, and because of this many do not question or challenge the decisions that have been made by the powers that be.
More and more people are encouraged and helped to stay in their homes when they have high health needs and palliative care and many receive free help from the local nursing services but the NHS should also pay for the social care side of their package. They should have all parts of their care paid for them not just the district nurses.
Lisa
For more information check out the Panorama website where you will find lots of useful information and comments.
`Guide to fully funded NHS care` booklet March 2006
Age Concern www.ageconcern.org.uk
Alzheimer’s Society www.alzheimers.org.uk
Help the Aged www.helptheaged.org.uk
Royal College of Nursing www.rcn.org.uk
The follow-up programme came about due to the high emails and letters that they received (over 5,000) about this scandal. Most of them came from relatives or friends that seen loved ones having to lie to their parents, aunts, uncles etc rather than tell them that they have sold their house to fund their care.
To think that the majority of these people worked hard all their lives, scrimped and saved to better themselves brought their own houses and then at their most vulnerable are denied the basic care needs by beaurcracy and assessments is outrageous. And lets face it when I think of my grandparents they did save if they wanted something they saved up to get it they did not go out and purchase it on a credit card and pay for it later, they made do until they could afford it. They were encouraged to save for the future, they thought that buying a house would be an investment for the future and something of value to leave the family.
The whole issue around this home swindle is the assessment that is carried out to see if a person is entitled to fully funded NHS care or whether they will have to pay the service.
There are two issues about health or social care
Services that are provided by the NHS are free at the point of delivery because NHS pays for them
Services, which are provided or arranged via social services departments or local authorities, are means tested
If care is provided via social services all or some of the cost can be passed onto the person receiving the services depending on their finances. They are charged for their care, in some cased even if they receive benefits.
If care is provided via the NHS then there should be no means test or charge
Since 1996 all health authorities have had to have eligibility criteria that specify who is eligible for fully funded NHS care and who is not (who must pay via the Social Services means test.)
Many elderly people have been placed into homes by social services think the state is paying for their care because social services are paying their care costs but the reality is they are paying towards their costs by being charged out of their income – including benefits and pensions.
In 1999 a disabled woman Pamela Couglan challenged the NHS via the court of appeal and argued that the NHS were responsible for her care. This was due to her condition and the type and level of nursing care that she required. Her local health authority challenged saying that she did not meet their criteria because she only needed general nursing and not specialist nursing. Mrs Couglan challenged the authority by saying that the NHS had wrongly transferred responsibility for health services including general nursing onto social services and that meant that people were being charged for health care which should have been paid for by the NHS.
The Court of Appeal agreed with Mrs Couglan and laid down a new test for deciding who was responsible for funding a care package in a nursing home. This was to become the `couglan test` which said that
The NHS were responsible if the persons reason for the placement in a home was primarily a health need
The local authority social services department can only be responsible for nursing care if the quality and quantity of nursing care is `merely incidental to the provision of the accommodation` The court said that social services can only be responsible for services which are of a nature which a social services can provide.
In 2001 the government introduced a new system called `free nursing care for all` however this is not the same as fully funded NHS care.
This system is a three-tier system, which involves the NHS making a small contribution towards the overall care package. It is for care that is provided by registered nurses employed in nursing homes. It does not pay for care provided by nursing assistants. The NHS bases the banding on High Medium or Low, which results in different levels of contributions.
The government pointed out that this would not replace the `couglan test` which was the one to be used for eligibility although there are concerns that in practice people are being assessed as being entitled under this system instead of the `couglan` way there they may be entitled to full funding.
The system is a mine field of who is and who is not eligible, and because of this many do not question or challenge the decisions that have been made by the powers that be.
More and more people are encouraged and helped to stay in their homes when they have high health needs and palliative care and many receive free help from the local nursing services but the NHS should also pay for the social care side of their package. They should have all parts of their care paid for them not just the district nurses.
Lisa
For more information check out the Panorama website where you will find lots of useful information and comments.
`Guide to fully funded NHS care` booklet March 2006
Age Concern www.ageconcern.org.uk
Alzheimer’s Society www.alzheimers.org.uk
Help the Aged www.helptheaged.org.uk
Royal College of Nursing www.rcn.org.uk
Monday, July 24, 2006
Sunday, July 23, 2006
"I see dead people..."
helloo my dahlings....thanks for joining me on this balmy sunday...I hope you enjoyed yesterdays storm in the UK...there was I basking in rooftop sunshine when all hell broke loose with hurricane force winds, me chasing a pine tree across the roof getting soaking wet (which was actually quite nice), the pigeons taking cover whilst thunder and lighting flashes ambushed the place for about 20 minutes. Having now cleared rooftop flooding damage it is now calm and sunny as usual!
3Steel sent me a picture of Emily through my mobile today and she's lovely, as soon as i can get a pic from 3Steels flickr site I will post it on here...he's a very happy daddy!
Just finished watching the whole of the first series of 'Ghost Whisperer', I did actually rave about this a couple of weeks back but the series is so good I really beg you to watch it, its on tonight on E4 and its only the second episode..suffice to say jennifer love hewitt runs an antique store and has a gift where she can see and talk to dead people who normally want her to do something so that they can finally cross over to the other side. It's a beautifully done series and each episode normally ends with a two tissue weepie scene, it's magnificent and scmaltzy and just presses all the right buttons...series 2 has just been commisioned in the states...yay!
Lisa is coming round for Pizza after she finishes work so I must tidy up a bit and put some more clothes on, I wouldn't like to frighten the delicate little flower!
all for now
Neil x
3Steel sent me a picture of Emily through my mobile today and she's lovely, as soon as i can get a pic from 3Steels flickr site I will post it on here...he's a very happy daddy!
Just finished watching the whole of the first series of 'Ghost Whisperer', I did actually rave about this a couple of weeks back but the series is so good I really beg you to watch it, its on tonight on E4 and its only the second episode..suffice to say jennifer love hewitt runs an antique store and has a gift where she can see and talk to dead people who normally want her to do something so that they can finally cross over to the other side. It's a beautifully done series and each episode normally ends with a two tissue weepie scene, it's magnificent and scmaltzy and just presses all the right buttons...series 2 has just been commisioned in the states...yay!
Lisa is coming round for Pizza after she finishes work so I must tidy up a bit and put some more clothes on, I wouldn't like to frighten the delicate little flower!
all for now
Neil x
Friday, July 21, 2006
A Message from Rosie...
Rosie Gaines is a fantastic singer (ex- prince vocalist) and from her Myspace account she sent out a bulletin to all her friends..I want to share this message with you as I thought it was very true and very coherent...over to Rosie...
Hey guys just been sitting at my computer wanted to share a few things with you, most of you know about my daughter being in a car crash thankfully she is doing okay now, But it got me thinking about how jacked up this country of ours can be, in terms of medical bills and expenses etc, We really live in a country were you cant really afford to be not well or be involved in an accident and I put myself in that category to because I struggle.
In the uk they have the national health service were you get the best of care regardless of your financial situation okay I imagine its not perfect but at least they try, as a county were not really good at looking after our own people we seem to live somewhere were the rich get richer and the poorer poorer and we base a lot of ourselves on how successful we are how successful we appear to be or even how we look to one another, Remember God made us all in different sizes.
There should be three basic things in the world that people should receive food, shelter and medical maybe if we had these things there would be less crime and poverty in the world, the governments spend enough on war and the military so why not look after the people for a change, there should also be rent control because everybodys rent shouldnt be getting jacked up all the time from unscrupulous landlords its just another instance of greediness, just remember that the power lies with us the people and we should consciously get together as one and say enough is enough and do something about it, dont forget they work for us, maybe its time we took our own power back. We should treat each other as brother and sisters and take back our dignity.
And to everybody that gave prayers to my daughter you dont know how much that means to me I love you so much, thank you for that and your continued support of the music
One love
Rosie G
Hey guys just been sitting at my computer wanted to share a few things with you, most of you know about my daughter being in a car crash thankfully she is doing okay now, But it got me thinking about how jacked up this country of ours can be, in terms of medical bills and expenses etc, We really live in a country were you cant really afford to be not well or be involved in an accident and I put myself in that category to because I struggle.
In the uk they have the national health service were you get the best of care regardless of your financial situation okay I imagine its not perfect but at least they try, as a county were not really good at looking after our own people we seem to live somewhere were the rich get richer and the poorer poorer and we base a lot of ourselves on how successful we are how successful we appear to be or even how we look to one another, Remember God made us all in different sizes.
There should be three basic things in the world that people should receive food, shelter and medical maybe if we had these things there would be less crime and poverty in the world, the governments spend enough on war and the military so why not look after the people for a change, there should also be rent control because everybodys rent shouldnt be getting jacked up all the time from unscrupulous landlords its just another instance of greediness, just remember that the power lies with us the people and we should consciously get together as one and say enough is enough and do something about it, dont forget they work for us, maybe its time we took our own power back. We should treat each other as brother and sisters and take back our dignity.
And to everybody that gave prayers to my daughter you dont know how much that means to me I love you so much, thank you for that and your continued support of the music
One love
Rosie G
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Its A Girl!
A Quick congratulations to 3Steel and family who produced a beautiful 6lb 12oz girl this morning at around 10.00 am. She will be taken into the fold and called by the name of Emily Alice ....aaahhhh...all the best from piddy's place and friends...
a box on wheels and my cooking ring in me backsack
I was lucky enough last weekend to make one of my regular trips to Newcastle. Because I am married to a Geordi I am lucky enough to go and visit this fantastic city regularly throughout the year every time I visit the north of England I drive up the A1 which is right on my doorstep and therefore very convenient. Between three and a half and four hours later I am in the fare city usually drinking beer but always having a good time. The journey north is always quite a pleasant one but as I drove this last time I became aware of the rather large and frequent problem on the road I am of course talking about bloody caravans.
I have long been known to hate loath and detest the caravan I have never been able to understand why anybody would consider spending money on one, towing one behind there car, or spending a miserable week sitting in it watching the rain come down. My philosophy has always been if god had meant us to live in caravans he would not have invented the hotel. And then another thing struck me as I was driving up the road, for the amount it actually costs to buy one and the extra petrol you going to need towing one you could have quite a few really good foreign holidays.
Why buy a caravan in the first place. It's not as if you can even pull up at the side of the road and park it where ever you like. There are rules and the rules say that you have to park in neat little rose in fields full of porta cabins, wash blocks and proper electric supplies. Then of course there are the people who actually enjoy caravanning, they are best summed up with two worlds Margaret Beckett. Yep she is president of the caravan in association and if that doesn’t some up low rent no sophistication I don’t know what does. A caravan belongs in a strange middle ground on the one hand you have proper camping with a tent and a rucksack, and on the other a hotel with bathrooms restaurants and staff.
People in caravans are too scared of proper camping and too poor to enjoy a hotel (HA HA HA...You are going to hell for that one !.....blogmaster) so they are stuck in this strange middle ground in a time warp of 1953. Then of course we come on to the damage that caravans actually do to the road, or rather everybody else on it. If ever there was a case for legislation then caravans deserve it. They should be banned from travelling during the hours of daylight and if you are going to tow one you should have to have a car capable of sustaining a decent speed. Since I started driving in 1982 I have probably sat behind thousands of traffic jams caused by people trying to pull their latest purchase with a 1973 Austin allegro. And for all I know some of them are probably still on the same journey. Come on this is the 21st century we have New Labor and vicious health and safety laws people can't fart anymore with out a license. How come no one has sorted caravans yet. There a throwback to an era that should be forgotten.
This blog was planned and written (Yes I know it’s hard to believe but its true I do think about what I write) before the edition of Top Gear was aired on Sunday. But I suppose it just goes to show that great minds all hate caravans.
Matt x
I have long been known to hate loath and detest the caravan I have never been able to understand why anybody would consider spending money on one, towing one behind there car, or spending a miserable week sitting in it watching the rain come down. My philosophy has always been if god had meant us to live in caravans he would not have invented the hotel. And then another thing struck me as I was driving up the road, for the amount it actually costs to buy one and the extra petrol you going to need towing one you could have quite a few really good foreign holidays.
Why buy a caravan in the first place. It's not as if you can even pull up at the side of the road and park it where ever you like. There are rules and the rules say that you have to park in neat little rose in fields full of porta cabins, wash blocks and proper electric supplies. Then of course there are the people who actually enjoy caravanning, they are best summed up with two worlds Margaret Beckett. Yep she is president of the caravan in association and if that doesn’t some up low rent no sophistication I don’t know what does. A caravan belongs in a strange middle ground on the one hand you have proper camping with a tent and a rucksack, and on the other a hotel with bathrooms restaurants and staff.
People in caravans are too scared of proper camping and too poor to enjoy a hotel (HA HA HA...You are going to hell for that one !.....blogmaster) so they are stuck in this strange middle ground in a time warp of 1953. Then of course we come on to the damage that caravans actually do to the road, or rather everybody else on it. If ever there was a case for legislation then caravans deserve it. They should be banned from travelling during the hours of daylight and if you are going to tow one you should have to have a car capable of sustaining a decent speed. Since I started driving in 1982 I have probably sat behind thousands of traffic jams caused by people trying to pull their latest purchase with a 1973 Austin allegro. And for all I know some of them are probably still on the same journey. Come on this is the 21st century we have New Labor and vicious health and safety laws people can't fart anymore with out a license. How come no one has sorted caravans yet. There a throwback to an era that should be forgotten.
This blog was planned and written (Yes I know it’s hard to believe but its true I do think about what I write) before the edition of Top Gear was aired on Sunday. But I suppose it just goes to show that great minds all hate caravans.
Matt x
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
The Wax Story...
Had to share this...a friend sent it to me!
"Why WAX is Not your Friend"
All hair removal methods have tricked women with their promises of easy, painless removal - The epilady, scissors, razors, Nair and now...the wax. My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner, play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet." So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom. It was one of those "cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!) So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ("Cold wax,"yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull. It works! OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can do this! Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinaire. With my next wax strip I move north. After checking on the kids, I sneak back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair fighting championship. I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet. Using the same procedure, I apply the one strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my *hoo-hoo* and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (Yes, it was a long strip) I inhale deeply and brace myself... RRRRIIIPPP!!!! I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!....OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!! Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip. CRAP!!! Another deep breath and RRIIPP!! Everything is swirly and spotted. I think I may pass out...must stay conscious...Do I hear crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe...OK, back to normal. I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused me so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the glory that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip! There's no hair on it. Where is the hair??? WHERE IS THE WAX??? Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the hair The hair that should be on the strip. I touch. I am touching wax. CRAP! I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now covered in cold wax and matted hair. Then I make the next BIG mistake.. remember my foot is still propped up on the toilet? I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down. DAMN!!!!!!!! I hear the slamming of a cell door. *hoo-hoo*? Sealed shut! Butt?? Sealed shut! I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do and think to myself "Please don't let me get the urge to poop. My head may pop off!" What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!!! I'll run the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in, immerse the wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off, right??? WRONG!!!!!!! I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit. Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together is having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub...in scalding hot water. Which, by the way, doesn't melt cold wax. So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cement-epoxied myself to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!! I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has some secret of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter - "So, my butt and who-ha are glued together to the bottom of the tub!" There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal but she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly where the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks or who-ha?" She's laughing out loud by now...I can hear her. I give her the rundown and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box. YEAH!!!!! Right!! I should be the joke of someone else's night. While we go through various solutions. I resort to scraping the wax off with a razor. Nothing feels better then to have your girlie goodies covered in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then dry-shaving the sticky wax off!! By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this event. My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace....the lotion they give you to remove the excess wax. What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!! The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend. It's sooo painful, I but I really don't care. "IT WORKS!! It works!!" I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up. I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief and despair....THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!! So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now. Nothing hurts. I could have amputated my own leg at this point. Next week I'm going to try hair color...... Now that's funny ......... Notttttttttt.
"Why WAX is Not your Friend"
All hair removal methods have tricked women with their promises of easy, painless removal - The epilady, scissors, razors, Nair and now...the wax. My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner, play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet." So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom. It was one of those "cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!) So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ("Cold wax,"yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull. It works! OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can do this! Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinaire. With my next wax strip I move north. After checking on the kids, I sneak back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair fighting championship. I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet. Using the same procedure, I apply the one strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my *hoo-hoo* and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (Yes, it was a long strip) I inhale deeply and brace myself... RRRRIIIPPP!!!! I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!....OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!! Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip. CRAP!!! Another deep breath and RRIIPP!! Everything is swirly and spotted. I think I may pass out...must stay conscious...Do I hear crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe...OK, back to normal. I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused me so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the glory that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip! There's no hair on it. Where is the hair??? WHERE IS THE WAX??? Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the hair The hair that should be on the strip. I touch. I am touching wax. CRAP! I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now covered in cold wax and matted hair. Then I make the next BIG mistake.. remember my foot is still propped up on the toilet? I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down. DAMN!!!!!!!! I hear the slamming of a cell door. *hoo-hoo*? Sealed shut! Butt?? Sealed shut! I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do and think to myself "Please don't let me get the urge to poop. My head may pop off!" What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!!! I'll run the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in, immerse the wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off, right??? WRONG!!!!!!! I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit. Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together is having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub...in scalding hot water. Which, by the way, doesn't melt cold wax. So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cement-epoxied myself to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!! I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has some secret of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter - "So, my butt and who-ha are glued together to the bottom of the tub!" There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal but she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly where the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks or who-ha?" She's laughing out loud by now...I can hear her. I give her the rundown and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box. YEAH!!!!! Right!! I should be the joke of someone else's night. While we go through various solutions. I resort to scraping the wax off with a razor. Nothing feels better then to have your girlie goodies covered in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then dry-shaving the sticky wax off!! By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this event. My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace....the lotion they give you to remove the excess wax. What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!! The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend. It's sooo painful, I but I really don't care. "IT WORKS!! It works!!" I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up. I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief and despair....THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!! So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now. Nothing hurts. I could have amputated my own leg at this point. Next week I'm going to try hair color...... Now that's funny ......... Notttttttttt.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
The rambling rose....
Lots of random ramblings but no substance…….
Well I have been given until 6pm to get this blog to Neil or suffer the consequences – I was tempted for a moment to see what the consequences were but then decided it would be easier to write a blog.
Well I picked a good week to have off the weather is fantastic and I hope you are all enjoying it – I do feel for the people that have to work and think there should be something written up that says when it hits a certain temperature its too hot to work and everyone should be allowed to go home. I know this may bring the nation to its knees but we have known for ages about climate change and the ozone layer so you would think companies would be investing in some form of cool air systems for its employees.
I don’t think for a minute that employers can be getting the most out of their staff when they sit in hot and humid conditions sweating. Lets go European and have siestas lol.
I have been invited to Arsenal again to watch the first team train on Thursday at their new stadium called Emirates – does not have the same ring as Highbury but from the prctures that I have seen it looks an amazing stadium, so I am really looking forward to it. This time I will be taking a digital camera hopefully will get better shots than I did last time!
Mercury Album of the Year Shortlist:
Arctic Monkeys -- "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not"
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan -- "Ballad Of The Broken Seas"
Editors -- "The Back Room"
Guillemots -- "Through The Windowpane"
Richard Hawley -- "Coles Corner"
Hot Chip -- "The Warning"
Muse -- "Black Holes And Revelations"
Zoe Rahman -- "Melting Pot"
Lou Rhodes -- "Beloved One"
Scritti Politti -- "White Bread, Black Beer"
Sway -- "This Is My Demo"
Thom Yorke -- "The Eraser"
Anyway my random ramblings with no substance have come to an end must try harder for next week think of something that will get people talking, and leaving comments, rub people up the wrong way ……………….mmmmmmmmm maybe I will leave that to Neil
Until next time thank you for reading and enjoy the weather I am off for a Pimms
Ciao
Lisa xxxxx
Well I have been given until 6pm to get this blog to Neil or suffer the consequences – I was tempted for a moment to see what the consequences were but then decided it would be easier to write a blog.
Well I picked a good week to have off the weather is fantastic and I hope you are all enjoying it – I do feel for the people that have to work and think there should be something written up that says when it hits a certain temperature its too hot to work and everyone should be allowed to go home. I know this may bring the nation to its knees but we have known for ages about climate change and the ozone layer so you would think companies would be investing in some form of cool air systems for its employees.
I don’t think for a minute that employers can be getting the most out of their staff when they sit in hot and humid conditions sweating. Lets go European and have siestas lol.
I have been invited to Arsenal again to watch the first team train on Thursday at their new stadium called Emirates – does not have the same ring as Highbury but from the prctures that I have seen it looks an amazing stadium, so I am really looking forward to it. This time I will be taking a digital camera hopefully will get better shots than I did last time!
Mercury Album of the Year Shortlist:
Arctic Monkeys -- "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not"
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan -- "Ballad Of The Broken Seas"
Editors -- "The Back Room"
Guillemots -- "Through The Windowpane"
Richard Hawley -- "Coles Corner"
Hot Chip -- "The Warning"
Muse -- "Black Holes And Revelations"
Zoe Rahman -- "Melting Pot"
Lou Rhodes -- "Beloved One"
Scritti Politti -- "White Bread, Black Beer"
Sway -- "This Is My Demo"
Thom Yorke -- "The Eraser"
Anyway my random ramblings with no substance have come to an end must try harder for next week think of something that will get people talking, and leaving comments, rub people up the wrong way ……………….mmmmmmmmm maybe I will leave that to Neil
Until next time thank you for reading and enjoy the weather I am off for a Pimms
Ciao
Lisa xxxxx
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