springs knickers

whose going to wash them when peak oil hits us and explodes?

I'm a performer?

Results
Your answers suggest you are a Performer
The four aspects that make up this personality type are:


Summary of Performers
Love fun, people and the world around them
Prefer hands-on learning to reading a book
Think of themselves as enthusiastic, sociable or sensitive
May forget about commitments because they're having so much fun
More about Performers
For the Performers, people and the exciting world around them come before rules and routines. This group believes you can get work done efficiently and have fun at the same time. Others are naturally drawn to the Performers' outgoing nature and enjoyment of life.


Performers are most likely to say they dislike reading travel books, according to a UK survey.
Performers are good at reading people and figuring out what their needs are. They don't believe in making plans and are confident that they can handle whatever comes their way. These skills allow Performers to quickly motivate others.

In situations where they can't use their talents or are unappreciated, Performers may become distracted, fail to accept or meet deadlines, or take criticism too personally. Under extreme stress, Performers can be overwhelmed by thinking of all the things that could possibly go wrong.

Performers may live for the moment and forget the consequences of their actions.

Performer Careers
Performers are drawn to careers that require people skills and attention to detail.

bbc personality type test

Machiavelli personality test

"The Machiavelli personality test has a range of 0-100
Your Machiavelli score is: 51
You are a low Mach, you reject Machiavelli's opinions.
Most people fall somewhere in the middle, but there's a significant minority at either extreme".

do the machtest

what do I really really want?

Now wait a minute, whose the girl who said she'd never fall in love again, never want to be with someone full time, never want to live with someone?
Don't get me wrong. I have no intentions of EVER getting married again. Marriage is stupid. Something people do to affirm their commitment to each other and have a big celebration. If you love each other then there is no need for affirmation and wedding parties are expensive extravagance. But after a weekend spent with Spring I really miss him. I'm here alone (ok I got my girls) but I want to talk to him and have his company.
The girls went out with their dad. Must be the first time in ages. He came at 7 and brought them back at 7.30. I was mad. I thought they were going to see Superman. It apparently was a complete disaster and the girls wanted to come home.
Abby walked in and asked if Spring could come back tonight.
Sadly not.

expedition exmoor 2006

A whole weekend away. No kids, no stress, just me Spring and exmoor. Should be fun.... Yes?

We arrived to be met by these vicious naughty geese. Gracie and George hated me at first sight and loved nothing more than terrorising me across the cobbled courtyard.
This amused Spring greatly and he'd spend the time trying to catch my terror on camera. Bastard.

This was our cottage, tucked in the hills. Very picturesque. Shortly after arriving we went on a 25 mile (or more) walk through wild country, grass and stingy things. We ended up in a field of vicious man eating sheep with evil stares and noises to give you nightmares for the rest of your life. Let's just say I'm not a country girl.

We finally found our way back to civilization and the house. Little did we know though that just round the corner the bloody geese and the cockerel lay in wait for me. See Springs car in the background? He thinks he's Lord of the Manor. Hmm.

Our room was the middle one at the top. The place was called Cutthorne and I can recommend it if you like comfort, quiet and country side... Oh and bloody geese. The place is set deep in Exmoor and has it's own water supply. A well with lovely spring water. All the food is grown in their gardens. Spring said the only thing wrong with it was it wasn't a nudist colony (hmm)
There were three other couples there who didn't speak all weekend. They were awfully odd. They didn't even speak to each other. This morning straight after breakfast they all grabbed their cases and left. Maybe it was us? Maybe they were late for church?

The first night my darling Spring got ready for bed and I suddenly noticed this orange hue emitting from his body. At first I thought he was tanned... Then... Who tans a bright orange?
Yep, he'd got a 99p bottle of fake tan from Lidl and mired his little body with it. Thank goodness we weren't at Dilly Dallies. I wouldn't have been able to be seen naked with him.
He looked like a bottle of Orangina.
The shock was overwhelming. I was dating an overripe piece of citrus fruit. Woe is me.

Luckily the view from the room was enough to calm the mind and body. Note how lots of it was starting to go quite brown in the sun. Saturday it did rain most of the day, but light pathetic rain that did little to water the needy plants and trees.
The owner of the place said her vegetable field was in desperate need of water but they couldn't waste the well water. Don't we take stuff for granted in the city?
They could stop watering those evil geese that might help!

Saturday we went to the Lynton cliff rail and wandered around Lynton and Lynmouth. It rained but wasn't cold. The place was full of foreign tourists. We visited three railways in 2 days in Exmoor.... ffs! We actually had a ride on one of them... a narrow gauge thing. We also visited a steam museum. Never date a railway enthusiast.

In lynmouth we had a meal in a really lovely cafe by the bridge. In hopped this little robin red breast. The owner said he was in there all the time.


We nearly had a meal in this rather fancy pub but the vegetarian options were dire. Amazing though all those colours and flowers.

Lynmouth Bay in the sunshine. The beach is odd but the view spectacular. See the road in the distance winding up the hill? We drove up there and across the countryside to Minehead. At the very top the view is brilliant. There was a car stopped right at the bendy bit with all 5 members of the family stood out taking in the view, we nearly hit them, all of them could have been killed. It was so stupid. People do not think at all.

In exchange for me being so kind, and allowing him to visit three sodding railways, Spring brought me a fluffy sheep called Dunster on the way home. Here we are after stopping at The Lamb for a drink and Spring and Dunster pose. The orange has faded slightly but still evident.
He's threatened to reapply.

bristol news central

Who gets married in a wedding dress so damn big wide and bulky that you have to be pushed down the aisle to get to the altar?

"It took twenty people an hour and a half to heave 16-year-old Carly through and up the aisle followed by her 60ft long train. Carly, who spent nine and a half hours getting into it, was exhausted when she got to the altar in Gloucester"

I was reading this story in Reveal in the hairdressers this morning. I pointed it out to my hair dresser who was just describing how 6 inches wasn't enough and she felt she needed a foot (subway just opened next door)
Danielle pipes up. "How stupid. Bet she never wears it again either"
Now how many women does SHE know who wore their wedding dress again?

The magazine was full of Bristol stuff. A child from my work whose mother sold her story to the press, a man whose nipple and thumb were bitten off by a passing cannibal and eaten. A set of sisters who share the same boyfriend. He tries to divide his time equally but is feeling quite tired lately.

Bristol eh? Den of inequity indeed.

elvis horror

Reading the TV times tonight this 'thing' sprung out at me with it's tacky hideousness.

"No one loved Christmas more than Elvis Presley. Now, his generous holiday spirit and warm, sparkling charm is lovingly evoked in this exclusive, first-ever illuminated collectable porcelain tabletop Elvis Presley Christmas tree! Aglow with over 100 sparkling faceted gems and gleaming 22K gold, this distinctive, handcrafted Elvis Christmas collectable rotates as it plays the nostalgic melody of "Blue Christmas"

Absolutely horrendous. It even rotates. The horror. Imagining opening THAT on Christmas morning.

made me feel better

"It seems as if the Cheeky Girls filed for
bankruptcy yesterday"

Popbitch newsletter today. Made me feel better.

head doctors

Go away heat!!!

Anyways. Yippeeee today I actually have my new tooth in. It fits and it's fixed and I can smile again... Only took 4 months but what the heck!
I can't seem to chew properly but I guess I'll get used to it. Might make the weekend cheaper if I can't eat!
I had a rather odd appointment with Abby's Psychologist. He's called Adrien and an odd short little fellow with a partial beard and complete absence of any humour.
He's one of these psychological people who ask an obscure question then don't say a word for 15 minutes whilst you squirm and try to fill in the long empty minutes with anything and make yourself seem a total crazy fool in the process.
"How did you feel when you found out we wanted to increase Abby's sessions" he droned in one tone.
"Great because it gets her out of the house and I can vacuum under the sofa" I laughed.
Ummm no, wrong answer Ms Trinity.
I squirmed and ummed and ahhed my way out of it for 10 minutes and then a 5 minute silence with the noise of the table top fan whirling.... Then "Can you explain in more detail how you exactly felt?"
Grrrr
We had to leave 20 minutes early to get to the dentist At 2.30 he said
"You have to leave now"
"I'm so sorry" I spluttered "You know how precious NHS dental appointments are"
"If you have to leave you have to go" He sounded disapproving. Probably thinks I'm a bad mother... Who puts her teeth before her daughter? (well I need to bite her with something!)
Bloody hell I left there a nervous wreck.

oddness

Check out a selection of rather odd status from all over the world.
I think this one is my favourite. It has a certain.... madness about it.

:)

(found via Pete)

ain't she sweet.

Abby's official prom picture with her friends and the two fabby St Lucian teachers Miss Cooper and Mrs Deans.
Plus Chloe, Eloise, Laura, Paul, Daniel and Abby.

love and more love

Bloody heat. I'm so tired, thing is I can't seem to sleep all night. It's too suffocating. Consequently tonight I'm dead tired and a bit pissy.
I went to Iceland to do me shopping. I spent 60 quid on mostly drinks.... Soft drinks. I got back and was trying to unpack the bags with the freezer stuff quickly thawing. A neighbour knocked on the door. She has a new PC.
"Umm these printer things?" I could feel my patience rackle "Umm how do you get ink in them?"
I explained that they all need different cartridges.
"Umm I saw one at the car boot Saturday for a tenner but didn't have any money"
I told her it probably wouldn't have fitted her one anyways.
Then she starts telling me about the city farm up the road and how they need money and how they're going to do a fun day. Guess the weight of the cake and 10 sweets for 10p and name the teddy bear to raise money and would I like to help?
Do I look like fucking Noah and his fucking ark?

Am I a miserable hot bitch or what? But I hate those city farm things. Smelly grungy places. Full of Christian do gooders and those awful 'real life' Nativity tableaux at Christmas. The Windmill Hill one is a very odd place full of breast feeding mothers swinging their kids on their nipples round the goats and Happy Clapping to the beat of Jesus. Oh and the slimming world meetings on a Monday Morning.
I went out and put the washing on the line... Yes Springs swimming gear. He managed a full 5 lengths today.
All our back gardens are in a row. Each garden has a trampoline situated in it and each trampoline had a kid bouncing up and down. No one is talking to one another as they've all had arguments. One kid said she'd done 50 bum drops and another said she'd done 1000 bum drops. Everyone sneered that this wasn't possible and it ended in tears. Then the scruffy kid three doors down spat on next doors trampoline.
All you can here is the eerie squeak of the springs and see the tops of their heads as they bounce.
This is our future. These children will lead us out from oppression and war and forge forward with 5 million bum drops.
This weekend me and Spring are heading out of Bristol to the Moors.
Luckily we aren't here for this years Love fest. Yes, south Bristol is hosting LoveBristolFestival 2006. But it's not the mass orgy nude fest you lot might think. It's a Christian Festival.
Their philosophy
"We believe this city needs love expressed in kindness, compassion and neighbourliness"
I believe they should sod off. Thankfully we are away. Imagine Spring's face if he had to cope with any of that crap? Guess the name of the baby Jesus doll and the weight of the bread and fish basket.
"Thou shalt not spit on thy neighbours 12 foot trampoline". Nice.

to my mate

Hope you have a really fun day.
You deserve it. Hugs xxx

catch up

I woke up yesterday to the radio news telling us all that all these houses that put St George flags up for the football were infact breaking a very old law and they could have been arrested. They'd have had fun up here, everyone (seemingly) except us had at least 6 up. Flags have to be erected properly with a flag pole. Tony Blair is looking into scrapping the law apparently..... that man should concentrate on getting out of Bush's pants as far as I'm concerned. Come on Tony form an escape route.
Work was hot. We had one small table fan pracically doing nothing to ease the discomfort. It must be hot as I wore a dress. Gone were the trousers and tunics and on with the proper nurses uniform. I thought I looked like a big barrel but they all said I looked nice. Hmmm least I got some fresh air round me legs and various other bits ;P
I was told that we'd had several complaints of people waiting a significant length of time to be seen. Was I surprised? Umm no. I think this has been the worst set of doctors ever for getting on with stuff. Unable to move out of second gear for anything very much. Kind of villified me really with all my earlier problems with them.
I came home and went to the gym. I needed the pool and a 1/2 hour of exercise to chill me.
In the changing rooms were the usual afternoon brigade. All over 60. All smelling of perfume and hair spray and bright red lippy.
"Joshy loved the BBQ on Sunday he kept coming back for more and more food. It was so lovely. A bit hot for him really though. I kept telling him to go sit in the shade but he ignored me"
"Yes my Alfie likes a BBQ" her friend continued "but he prefers a fondue night. He likes all the bits that go with it"
"Joshy got so excited when I said we were going on on Sunday night. His eyes lit up and I could tell he wanted to come" (what are they talking about? Their husbands? Son's, Grandsons?) "But in the end I had to say... go lie on your blanket sweetie. Mummy can't take you all the time"
Ahhhh bloody DOGS!
I dried quickly and left. These women go a little mentally fragile after exercising in the jacuzzi!
Spring came over and we went to a pub quiz in Clutton.
We didn't win. The woman doing the questions dressed in white see through dress and white thong was so slow. In the heat we practically fell asleep in between questions. There was a whole current news round and we got 5 out of 10 wrong. Think we need to read the papers more.
The final question was which all girl group joined Motorhead in the Valentines Day CD.
He wrote Banarama...... it was Girls School. I'd kind of heard of them.
We had a slight upset because his ex wife is being terminally awkward and bullish about child care and stuff. He was stressed about it all.
I guess there's no point getting stressed as it won't change anything but I did get a bit cross. Ah well. It will all come out in the wash in the end.
I thought it would thunder last night. I was disapointed, not a sausage just that damn cat crying all night. She's gone loonier than normal with the heat.
If it carries on much longer I might join her.

Spring's balls

Last night we went ten pin bowling at Hollywood Bowl. Here is Spring showing his magnificent bowling stance. People actually stopped and congratulated him on his professional stance. Anyways we managed to drag Abby away from the laptop long enough for her to win the game.
She'd secretly wanted to beat Spring... well maybe not too secret. He came third..... ummm I came last which was terribly unfair as the kids took my turn once when I went to buy THEM slush Puppies. Bloody cheek.
Desn't Spring look dashing with his bowling shoes on?

Sweets for vegetarians. The Hollywood Bowl even do Vegetable shaped sweeties for it's hungry little bowlers. Very odd or what?

And last thing at night the kids manage to push Spring onto the trampoline and bounce him to the moon and back. Unfortunately he felt sick afterwards. Note the skinny little legs sticking out from his shorties.
Today we got up early and did the gym thing. I'm bloody exhausted now. When's this heat going to go away. I don't mind it at about 22 or 23 degrees but THIRTY is much too much.
All I wanted to do was sleep this afternoon.
Roll on next weekend. A whole weekend to chill out and do what we want.... Minus kids.
Hope they got a TV for Big Brother.........

Traffic census causes 11 mile tailback in soaring heat

Traffic census causes 11 mile tailback in soaring heat the Daily Mail

Traffic Census.... /spit.
This happened in Bristol 2 weeks back. Luckily the heat wave hadn't hit then, but the morning traffic was horrendous. The queues snaked right back causing complete chaos and I was so mad. As if the traffic isn't bad enough? Then on the way home more census but in a different place. Only one lane open and crawling speeds only.
I can only imagine the stress of the heat being over 90 degrees though.
Hideous and someone needs to answer to those poor buggers trying to get to or from work in Essex. I spit on bureaucratic twats.

hot Trin.

It's always the way. Not enough money and always something else more important (or tempting) to buy. After the puncture a a couple of months back, I had never got the spare fixed (silly cow) and sod's law on Thursday after an arduous day at work in the oppressive heat I went out to a flat tyre.
I managed to drive slowly to the garage and pump it up a bit. But I was so stressed. I'd opened a new bank account and the cash card had come but no pin number. My only option to get out cash was the drive to town, park, walk to the bank..... Then drive to the garage and get both tyres fixed.... Oh and in between all of this nip to the dentist for yet another tooth impression for my Maryland Bridge. All this is temperatures of about 90 degrees and the horrendous Bristol Traffic.
However I didn't collapse and die or even lie on the ground screaming. I was a bit stressy but I survived... Imagine me doing all that a few years ago!
So what else has happened?
My pin number finally came. Everything got paid into the right account... Relief!
I've booked to go to chav Pontins on August Bank Holiday week with the girls and Spring and small Spring. A three bedroom chalet. The kids all together are quite the combination. Small Spring is used to being the only child and in so doing everything his way. Abby is used thinking she's the only child and doing everything her way.
Danz is just Danz though I have to say she's becoming more Kevin and Perry every day lately.
Spring is just a spoilt Bison. And me? Pure and more charming every day.
Spring joined my Gym today. He managed a whole three and 1/2 lengths before we had to call the paramedics in. It's a months trial thing. We both like swimming.... We went this morning and took Danz. She kept trying to get him to float but I fear it was rather like trying to get a concrete block on the surface of the water. Maybe next time we can get those hideous Noddy arm bands off of him.
I guess we've actually had a lot of fun lately. Spring is quite fun in a Bisonic way.
Wish the heat would tone down a few degrees though. Makes me flakey and grumpy.
We're going bowling tonight... All of us. Abby's leaving the laptop for an hour. Pictures later hopefully.
Keep cool everyone.
Whose Birthday is this week then????? :)

deliciously unchristian

So what happened to Abby when I was at the dentist today?
She has a visit from the local friendly Jehoval Witnesses. Why do they feel the need to bang on people's doors and invade their day? They were very lucky I didn't open the door... Or indeed Spring who was upstairs and would have loved an anti Christian debate.
They thrust this leaflet at Abby and asked her if she believed in god. No, she said.
"Wouldn't you like a world like this" They gushed. Thrusting a leaflet in her hand.
"Umm no" She said.
At this point Bailey arrived and began rubbing herself on the old lady stood next to the self proclaimed saviour of our Street this morning.
Abby said she could see her little kitty face saying
"Talk to me I believe in cat god, tell him to turn the fucking sun off"
After getting rid of them and examining the crappy little leaflet we have decided we wouldn't like a world like that. They all look like a bunch of perverts. There's a hefty bit of child labour going on there.
Plus where's the TV to watch Big Brother?

hot July garden

July hits the garden. To be honest it's looking really wild out there, no rhyme or reason to any of it. This is a very unusual plant growing with a tiny head of buds. I like it.

My lovely pink Lily that won't last much longer. Shame as they're so beautiful.

That blasted Sunflower I didn't ask to grow there! Oh well it's doing it's own thing. Note the chaos of colour behind and that very wild dill bush.

My lovely tomato plant. It's got lots of them growing. My first attempt at vegetables.

remaining toothless

The unglorious Portishead sea front. A coastline best ignored
I had longed for this day for 12 weeks now. I know that vanity doesn't become a lady such as oneself ;) but a front tooth missing is pretty major in my life. Spring has never even seen me with a full set of teeth. Crikey the shock might kill him!
So this morning I get up bright and early and head off to the dentist. I was promised a new tooth and a polish thing they do to remove stains and a beautiful smile.
Unfortunately my luck wasn't with me today and almost as soon as the dentist removed the tooth and plate from the bag her face dropped.
She started to tell me to give it a try but if I hated it she had this other procedure in mind that avoided the inconvenient plate.
She put it in and it fell straight back out again. But the mere few seconds it was in there I was shocked. It took up the whole of the roof of my mouth from one side to the other. It was so thick it made me gag. There is no way I could eat with it in there. All that for one tiny little tooth?
She tried to cut it down a bit but it was no good and she's rebooked me in tomorrow for a further impression for some Maryland Bridge procedure. No idea what that is but it has to be better than that horrid thing.

It's been unbearably hot today in a bad way. I decided to take Spring to Portishead to the open air pool, we had a detour to take pain Abby to the orthodontist and I took Spring to my fav record store. Then we drove all the way out there, unfortunately the world and his wife had the same idea and the queue to get in snaked back so far that we headed back home and ended up in the Gym pool. That was ok but they have a aqua aerobics class once a week in the pool and today was that day! So far so lucky... not!
The pool was heaving with wet women bouncing up and down with long foam snakes between their legs.
The lane for dedicated good swimmers only was packed with all the other plebs who didn't want to splash dance to Le Chic C'est Freak and feel their pelvis slip in the swell.
Spring did three lengths but it damn near killed him. But not as near death an experience was an extremely large lady trying to dive on his head. Never seen him move so fast.
Anyway he's thinking of joining for a month to see if he likes it. Spring and Trin get fit. Another chapter for my memoirs.
After the pool we headed to Woolworths which was fun as Spring only had the shorts on he wore in the pool. His little wet bum followed me round Woolies and carried my shopping to the car. Bless.
I'm disappointed about the tooth but I guess I can wait another week or so.
I'm more worried about my present apathy towards Big Brother. I didn't watch the highlights show last night. It was dull. I never thought I’d write that!
Watch this space.

My poor cats have suffered today. Bailey has done nothing but cry and cry all day.
All that fur coat and no knickers.
Someone turn that dratted sun off!!

ghosty crap

Last night we watched the pilot episode for a new series with Jennifer Love Hewit... "The Ghost Whisperer" It's really an 'Abby' type of programme. Supernatural, pretty women and prettier men, a bit of suspense. It's been advertised for weeks on E4.
Well I have to say I wasn't surprised to find it a bigger load of crap than 'Most Haunted with Delboy Acorah"
This week saw Miss LH getting married, having her dead Brother-In-Law at the ceremony happily toasting the new couple.
Then this ugly dead looking soldier turns up and refuses to believe he's dead. Miss LH tells him he is indeed as dead as a doorknob and he gets upset and has a message for his son, she dutifully passes this message on. This said son reasonably tells her she's a nut and to bugger off... But within 1/2 hour realised the error of his stupid ways... After all how could Miss LH be anything other than the 'real' thing? Then there's this touching scene when he 'feels' his dads arm around his shoulders and suddenly you know everything's gonna be just peachy in his life.
The soldier finds out his wife died about 20 years ago (funny how he didn't know that being in the spirit world and all that'
There's this quaint bit at the end when he decides it's time to 'Step into the light' (that bit has always worried me when in the lighting department of B&Q) and he notices his dead wife on the edge of the light beckoning him.
"It's my wife" He gushed to Miss LH "She's calling me... Damn she's as beautiful as she was 30 years ago"
Now there's a quandary. Isn't it lucky his wife hasn't remarried or anything...Or had a succession of boyfriends and lovers.
"There's my former wife, surrounded by her many husbands... I'll go take my place in the queue" just doesn't go as well.
When it comes to this Christian heaven bloody crap... It's always perfect. You're always transformed into the age you want to be. 21 again and firm toned skin... Without the need for Oil of Ulay. Too fat? Too thin? Receding hairline? Nah not in heaven. Step into the light and all your imperfections will be perfectified, like the best plastic surgeon EVER!. There's no worry, no sadness, who cares you've just left your 6 children and cat without a mummy. You just know you'll be together in eternal happiness soon enough. Hmmm not sure about the cat though? Do cats go to this 'heaven' or have they got their own where the fish are there for the catching and worms and fur balls are no more?
Heaven to me is a back to back marathon of Big Brother.... Minus ugly belching vile Jayne of course.
Wonder what 'heaven' would make of that character?
I'm not watching Miss LH again, unless very drunk and bored beyond comprehension... or to take the 'P' out of it here for you my very own readers.
Chow.. and keep cool.

a steamy day

Today was the S&D open day at Midsomer Norton. We got up at the crack of dawn to get down on that hot steamy platform to join in all the fun and frolics. Hmmm. It was ok. I'm not into steamy trains really but the day was glorious and the people were nice especially men called Julian with shorts on. My parents came along, my dad seems to like trains Reminds him of his youth... crikey did they have trains in the 17th century?
Anyways, I brought a slate for the signal box roof so my name will forever remain there. How romantic.
Spring told me this morning (after probing) that I now came before the Railway. I am officially more important than the S&D. Wow.
We had a nice if hot day. He took me out for Sunday Dinner, then we attempted a walk but I was too hot. It was too hot to do anything physical.
Talking about hot and physical.... ummm never have a passionate encounter after chopping chilies. It's an interesting hair raising experience. That's all I have to say on the matter.

My dad in the white hat buying raffle tickets... I better bloody win the first prize. Two tix for the Eurostar, first class. I am after all a first class kind of girl.
Me and Spring have planned our future today. We are going to become millionaires and open our own Nudist Colony.
You can all come join us. At a price, of course.
We might even have our very own train line in the gardens. Naked steam. Ooer.

cabaret curious

Abby was in another show today. 2pm at the City Museum. I thought it rather an odd venue TBH. It started at two and I was late. For some strange reason the city traffic was abysmal. As 2 pm approached I got more and more panicky at walking in late.
Silly cow I am. It wasn't a play rather an event. The city museum is full of pictures and artifacts... Some well know to us Bristolians like Alfred the stuffed Gorilla.
The kids from Acta has picked a particular picture or statue or show piece and did a short performance about it. Abby and her group choose a picture by Henry Lamb dated 1921 called "A Bristol Committee". A rather drab sedate piece. They did a short humorous sketch and dressed up as the men in the painting.
Other kids did sketches about Victorian ladies, disco dancing Mummies and someone dressed up as dear old Alfred the gorilla... He 'escaped' from his glass cage and had 'Alfred's Grand Day Out'
Afterwards they had a tea dance. It was a really nice afternoon. A little bit different and everyone really enjoyed it.
I'd forgotten how good the museum is.

On the way home I got some massage base oil from a Park Street shop. Sweet Almond Oil. Springs a bit stressed and I'm going to destress him tonight if it kills me!!
We're having Tacos for tea. The kids have one to see Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and the house is finally tidy.
For 2 minutes anyways.

Jolly Good Fun

Spring and small Spring enjoy a 'top hole' typical afternoon playing with their numerous train sets.
Toot Toot! ........................ ;)



Why do men make such an enormous fuss about a little simple housework?
Get your marigolds out and get on with it!!
Spring is spending the day with his beloved vacuum cleaner. No time for housework this weekend though.
It's the S&D open weekend at Midsomer Norton. A fun packed cauldron of steam, cream teas and Thomas the tank engine lollypops. Come on down.
See Spring with the infamous Tombola machine.
And you might catch me in action with the pricing gun.
How I love that device.
I knew my calling was in sales really.
I'm trying....

I really am.

Captains Log in crayon.

handsome or what? :~/

Have your portrait done in Star Trek Stylee...... I can think of a couple of people who'd just LOVE this.
You know who you are.
;)

friday thinking

"I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Ain't it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man (hey Spring!!)
I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball..."

Abba (1976)



Well, the wheels move towards me sorting out my debt problems. I've had to change banks... And I found it very stressful. I'm now with Nationwide. Thursday I got up early and trundled into town to open an account. I arrived, there were 2 cashiers on and no one at the front desk.
I told one of them I wanted to open an account and was told that you have to make an appointment to open accounts. Great. I'm on a tight schedule and need it done by next Friday or I'll be in all sorts of trouble.
Luckily the semi intelligent Trin manages to fill out the forms herself and later on I called the bank and they gave me an account number.
So far so good. Then I have to inform all these government services so they can pay the money into said new account.
FFS, why don't they all interlink and do stuff the same way. The DLA refused to do it on the phone. I have to wait a week for a form to arrive. Child benefit had to be done online (hope their system is efficient) and tax credits was a quick phone call "No prob Ms Trinity"
Changing my bank account at work was a nightmare. I had to drive 10 miles to the other hospital. Park up and find payroll in the maze of wards and departments. I did it though and I'm feeling calmer.
On the way back I drove through Briz. I still get this intense sadness driving through the land of my marital home. I find myself looking at people walking by in case I know them of old.
The ex called last night to ask for a phone number of someone (from Briz) who hasn't spoke to me since our marriage broke up. She was my best friend at the time but she dumped me subtly.
I was furious with him. He was the one who used to go round there to illicit sympathy for him and hatred for me. Bastard.
Somehow this is a nicer area though. It's council and rough but not pretentious or pushy.
I dunno though, my neighbour... Whose on the social security has brought a 13 foot trampoline. Far bigger than ours... And ordered a computer and white leather chair from some mail order thing. She's also brought a 300 quid dog, rabbit and thinking of getting a parrot. Am I doing something wrong? I can't afford to feed the cat Whiskas. The girls had a treat this week, a new nightdress from Peacocks. I only ever shop in Iceland or rarely Asda.
Funny old world.
Me and Spring finally managed to book something for a weekend away. Hope we can afford it though. 2 nights bed and breakfast in Exmoor looks ok. Lots of good walks and views of the cliffs etc. I think I'll need it by then. Fully dressed holidays! :)
I'm so much better lately. Sometimes I get really stressed and think "What's going on?" then I remember the times when I was ill and think about how far I've come back to normality. Sometimes I think there really never was anything wrong with me anyways... It seems so far away now.
Bloody white leather chair...pah!

imaginary images

I think my body image is improving... Well slightly. Collette took some pictures of me on Monday at Rainbows. I look hugely fat but not unattractive. Maybe it's because I look relaxed and happy? I think I'm a bit less negative since my nights away in the naturist resort. I got a picture of me semi naked taken by Spring... And I like it.It's happy and sunny and so me. Actually I feel a bit guilty for thinking it's an ok picture.
Work is slightly better. I was dreading today. 13 patients booked in 6 slots. But it was ok. The best bit of today was having my mould made for my new tooth. Yes, this time next week I'll be able to smile again... I'm so excited.
I have to go open a new bank account tomorrow. My financial situation demands it. I hate anything to do with banks or money, so I'll be a nervous wreck until it's done.
I will not be intimidated by the bank clerk (keep telling yourself that Trin)
I'm becoming quite the vegetarian cook you know. Small Spring has been away at school camp for 2 nights and I've been feeding up his scrawny old dad. We had vegetarian fajitas and veggie spag bol already this week.
We spent the night glued to the TV watching the almost totally fantastically real life Holby City. Drama blood guts and gore as a disgruntled punter blows up the hospital because his ingrowing toe nail operation was cancelled. The plot twisted and rocked until I could stand no more and allowed Spring to turn over to get the end of University Challenge. He threatened to end it all if he got more than 2 wrong (pah he's had his life anyways in the words of Nikki BB)
Men! I don't NEED university challenge to know I'm superior.
Oh BTW... Talking about universities WELL DONE ROB. LOVES YOU. YOU ROCK. xxx

tv cat

DVD
Video
One Space for scary eyed cat.
Perfect TV unit.
Bailey says get Jayne and Nikki out of BB

ex ex ex ex.... thankfully!

Poor Spring. He tries so hard but sometimes things don't work despite best laid plans. His ex wife is doing 'something' almost every weekend in August and September. So his plan to take me away have dissolved. Thing is... I kinda think it's a tad bit of not wanting to see him happy. Ex's are so hard to deal with. Look at me and Cretin. He still continues to make our lives a misery on every given occasion. Wait until he finds out I have a boyfriend. It'll be 50 questions as to who he is, his family heritage and down to whether we have depraved sexual practices in front of the girls.

I also really detest his girlfriend... Mainly because of the times she's upset the kids. It's not the kids fault. I feel like Small Spring is caught in the middle a little bit and won't have him made to feel bad in any way. So we aren't going away in the way we'd planned.... We're trying to snatch a night in July maybe? We'll see, no pressure. It's meant to be fun not a trial. There's always the turkey and tinsel fun weekends at Christmas. I can wear tinsel in strategic places and feel MUCH more relaxed ;)

I feel good tonight. I like being able to take control and understand stuff. Rise above the crap.
Oh cat worries..... Taylor has a limp. He's ALWAYS got something going on. Probably fighting with the neighbours with the 6 England flags (still up) scabby cats.
Bailey has brought in yet another huge Moth Moth. I am the moth rescuer in this place.
Plus I'm longing for a new kitten.

Ps Hi Spacey. I was so pleased to see your comment. Hugs for you xxx

taking out spring

Today me and Danz took Spring out to get him a bit of fresh air. He doesn't get out much. We drove to the suspension bridge and let him run up and down the footpath... Well not strictly true. Turns out Spring has a height phobia and he spent the time clutching the sides and feeling faint.
Poor boy. I'll try to find something even higher next time.

BTW We found a date to go away again... not till the end of September but at least we are going. I think I'll need the break by then!
I get my tooth made on Wednesday and the following one I get it fitted... I'm really excited.

moving on

I'm not great today. Maybe I was due for a not great day? I called Collette earlier and she said it'd been ages since I was last down.
I feel ill really but I don't think there's much wrong with me. My head doesn't seem to want to be rational.
Work is tedious. They've been taking staff to work in ANOTHER hospital all week. They're really unhappy and one threatened to give in her notice this week. She's hard of hearing and finds it difficult to cope in areas she's unsure of. I can empathise with her. Its awkward because occupational health have strictly said I'm not to be moved anywhere. So it appears to them that I always get away with the nasty things like being moved around.
Yesterday they left one nurse and a student alone on my ward and it was the trained nurses fourth day with us. I was cross and got off work late because I was worried.
We haven't got a receptionist at the moment and I was given a huge list of about 60 patient notes that had gone missing. If the notes weren't found and logged at admin by this Monday we'd lose funding for the lot and be in trouble.
I spent most of the day searching and logging on the PC and negotiating with doctors that if I took the notes I'd get them back asap. In the end I'd found most of them... There were about 15 sets still missing. Then the department who were screaming for them didn't come and collect them. I was furious.
I was also a bit childish last night. We can't go on holiday again to that place. They only had limited availability and Spring couldn't get child care for Small Spring on those dates.
I can't really see why I reacted so badly. I got real upset. I just really liked spending time with him on our own. Which is ultimately selfish and mean. The kids come first.
I guess I liked doing stuff just for us. For me, for once and it felt good and happy. Then I got knocked back down to reality.
I don't want to go away again anyways. Best home here with my cats and garden.
I really didn't like the loss of control and upset. It was a jolt after all these weeks of stability. Best not to put myself in that situation again and stay level.
I got a lot to cope with this month with my financial problems. Get that over with and move on.
I just wanted to do something for me. Something fun and off the cuff and indulgent.
Instead I got sad and down and was sick all night. Anxiety plays havoc with my body.
Anyways enough of that. I wrote it down and will now tuck it away.
Move on.
BTW where's BB this afternoon? I can't cope without it. Damn you channel 4.

be gone oh ye repressive clothes

Springs jesting about taking me to some naturist resort down south turned out to be more than a playful jest. He picked me up at 7 pm and we headed down south towards Bournemouth way. The closer we got the more nervous I got. I wasn't sure I could go through with this. But never let it be said that Trin isn't one for a challenge.
I think looking back I have an extremely low self esteem on my body image. I can't imagine who would ever wish to see me naked or even be subjected to me being naked around them. "Put your clothes on woman" I feared they'd shout.
After some driving through narrow country lanes (The Wickerman came to mind) We arrived at the gates. Spring was telling me off for calling it a nudist colony, he said that's a 1960's term. Hmph.
I was dreading the nudists all skipping to the gate to unlock it. Penis's swinging in the air. Boobs bouncing. Maybe disappointedly a man arrived fully dressed and normal looking. He had a son of about 15 on a bike going out of the gate as we drove in.
We drove to the top of the drive and got out.
"Dinners ready in the dining room" he said and left us at our chalet.
The chalet was small but lush. Comfortable and pretty and small. Our names were outside on a small chalk board. Trin and Spring. I noticed a few other names on boards outside other rooms. 'Graham and Angela' 'Arthur and Peggy' 'Bryan and Sheila'
I realized that I was going to have to strip off and walk totally naked into a dining room full of other people.
I had two LARGE glasses of red wine and followed Spring. I could see several naked bodies in the window ahead. I took a deep breath and was very brave.


As we walked in everyone looked up. Spring said hello and I smiled (sort of) I took a plate and some food and we sat down. Everyone was naked. There were 8 other couples. I drank another 2 glasses of wine and those people all suddenly were very attractive and everything was really funny fuzzy and warm.

After dinner we left the table pretty sharpish and headed to the pool and jumped in. I was so inebriated. I could hardly stand up and at one point slipped on the steps and went in head first including glasses. Spring just laughed... git.
We had a really lovely evening just playing in the pool skinny dipping. A welsh guy came and talked to us. It was kind of odd looking up at him from the pool. The first thing on view was his wrinkly willy framed nicely with auburn pubes. I told him it was my first time. "You'd never know" he reassured me "most first timers have no idea where to look, it so obvious"
No fear of that I thought, I bloody well know exactly where to look. Bad Trin.
The next morning more sober I was a little shyer. I did breakfast nude but spent much of the day with a tee-shirt on. But it did torrentially rain and I was cold.
The nudists were ok. Nice, polite and friendly but there was one issue I had with them.
Yep, the TV. There were no TV's in the rooms. There was a joint TV lounge with sky plus.
Great, but they wanted to watch.... FOOTBALL and bloody TENNIS.
I wanted to watch big brother. They hated BB. Idiots. So I had to run to the lounge after dinner and hide the remote, stake my claim to TV rights.
They weren't pleased. They told me that it WAS the WORLD cup.
So???
So, back home and reflecting. I always wanted to do something like that. Something really different. But what is so different about not wearing clothes? Why is it considered so dirty and rude?
I was brave. I guess really deep down I'm not in the least shy. Not sure if it's the nurse, the Leo in me or just me. It's given me a boost and I had such a lovely chilled out time with just me and Spring.
Once in a lifetime thing.