New Picture Alert!
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: Love
I added some pictures; more to come ... slowly, of course. Click on 'Photo album year 2' and then on either 'return of the blog pics' of 'Order of the Reindeer - year 2.' I know some are old; I'm doing some tidying up on the web page. At least the new ones are somewhat, kinda Hallowe'en/ Guy Fawlks oriented. Sorta.

A Typical Day
Mood:  hug me
Now Playing: BBC- Talking, talking, talking
Today is Saturday. We woke up at 7:30am. Stephen showered, I cooked him 2 scrabled eggs & toast with coffee.

We walked to the mall together because Stephen is working today, and we basked in our typically British behaviour. Up and at 'em!

I kissed Stephen good-day, and sat outside the hairdressers, and waited for them to open.

While waiting, I flippd through a free catalogue for a German furntiure company that sells Ikea-type furniture, but the good quality version, and very expensive. I have taken it home with me, to cut up and paste in one of my many discarded photoalbums for future reference.

I had my hair cleaned up by a friendly local lady, and then made my way to the local market. After buying a pound of mushrooms, and 6 peppers (the market stall workers are starting to reconize me which is nice...I'm starting to be local!), I made my way to the hellish superstore, Morrisons.

They don't have cocoa powder. They don't have sponges. They don't have scouring pads. And according to Stephen's colleague, they don't even pay their workers! It's a shit superstore. I will boycott them as soon as I can!

Oh, and that goes for everybody out there....BOYCOTT AMERICA, BOYCOTT AMERICA! The way to really affect change in that country, is to cut down its consumer base.

Do you realize that Canada has the capabilities to be a self-sustaining country? It doesn't need the States!

And the rest of the world can do without America too! It's just a question of excommunicating corrupt political practices and erradicating middle-management.

But really, the best way to make your voice heard, is to be a selective consumer. I am actively boycotting America when I can, and do my best to live an un-American lifestyle.

[This means, I don't own an SUV (or a car), I don't have satelite (or cable, or a TV), I read books, newspapers, and on-line newsources (and not FOX or CNN), I don't buy Disney, I don't drink Coca-Cola, or Pepsi, or eat at McDonlands, Subway, or any fast food establishment, I don't eat steak (or any meat excluding fish), I look at maps and try to learn other languages, I try to buy as little plastic as possible, and would sign the Kyoto Treaty if I could, and most of all, I do NOT mow the lawn sitting on my John Deer lawn-mowing machine drinking beer, and shooting at squirrels (I don't have a lawn.)

Right, well I've got the second load of laundry going, and am about to make a Rich Chocolate Cake (slurrrp!) and stuffed peppers for dinner. Ain't Stephen lucky---I even bought him cider.

And I am planning on tackling my letters/emails this weekend, but so far I have done nothing. If you are reading this, and you havn't heard from me in a while, remember this lovely British saying:

"You are held in a queue. Your call is very important to us. Please stay on the line, and the next available person with be with you as soon as possible."

--E.

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!

And now we are British
Mood:  hungry
Now Playing: the Japanese Chamisan(?) man being really amazing on our radio
I blame the time change but at 8 o'clock we'd put in our 1st load of laundry, I'd done the dishes and was preparing breakfast, and Elisabeth was itemizing our bills and re-drafting our monthly budget. Amlmost but not quite up to the British standard of industriousness.

"Remember, by 9.30, the morning's 2/3's over."
-The League of Gentlemen

Random spooky Halloween happening: The right-most dial on our washing machine turned 360 degrees unprompted. Elisabeth witnessed it, so I'm not making it up. Any explanations???

Mmmm... gearing up for our favorite Sunday morning breakfast: Pancakes & maple syrup with spicy garlic potatos & mayonnaise; coffee, OJ & V8 with a shot of tabasco to kick us in the arse.

What with yesterday being Protestant work ethic day; today's lounge about get a haircut and pop by the pub day followed by see what the free Halloween heavy metal concert is like evening. And pita pizzas somewhere along the way. Always the pita pizzas.

1 tidy flat, coming up!
Mood:  hungry
Now Playing: My wife singing along to Sheena Easton singing Morning Train (9 to 5)
The Dumbest Customer (A Rant)
BASED ON A TRUE STORY
By Stephen Allin

[The bookseller is quietly going about his duties. A customer and her daughter enter the bookstore.]

Customer: Do you have a book written by Trinny and Susannah?

Bookseller (Points to a prominent display): They?re right there.

Customer: How much are they?

Bookseller: With the 4 pounds off special, it?s 16 pounds.

Customer: Do you have other books by Trinny and Susannah?

Bookseller: Yes I do. If you?ll follow me, I?ll show you where they are.

[All 3 go to a part of the bookstore where Trinny and Susannah?s 4 other books are prominently displayed. The customer picks up two of them ? one has a gold cover and is titled WHAT NOT TO WEAR 1. The other is silver and titled WHAT NOT TO WEAR 2. Without looking at them:]

Customer: What?s the difference between these?

Bookseller: Well... that one?s the first book in the series and that one?s the ? second book.

Customer: How much are they?

[Bookseller looks inside the cover for the price.]

Bookseller: 6.99.

[Pause.]

Customer [quietly]: Do you think we can make a deal on the price.

Bookseller: Um, no. That?s the price. It?s printed on the book.

Customer: If I went to another bookstore would they give me a deal on the books?

Bookseller: No. The price is actually printed on the book. That?s its price. [Pause.] No matter where you go.

[Pause. The customer and her daughter stare at the books. The bookseller walks away. Later in the back room, a 6 year veteran of the business informs him that it?s not uncommon for people to ask if they can get a deal on books if they pay cash.]

Protestant work ethic
Mood:  energetic
Now Playing: Eddy Grant - "Electric Avenue"
Yikes! We've got to have guests over more often - Our flats filthy! Well actually, not really. Not any more, anyway because Saturday's Protestant work ethic day! Of course we do have help: Following a suggestion made by the billboard at our supermarket this morning, we took a trip to the 'Wines of the World' and met some charming chaps named Shiraz from South Africa and they're helping us with the tidying up. Elisabeth's doing the kitchen (A woman's place is in the...) and I've just wrapped up the bathroom ('cuz I'm so full of shit) <--Look Jenn, no asterisks!

Vacuuming's next for me. As soon as I've finished procrastinating-I-mean-blogging.

Elisabeth beat me again in Boggle in 5 straight rounds. She's found a website that allows her to practise and all this talk of early mornings and late evenings at work, I suspect is a ruse to Boggle by herself in her office.

The Boggle Score: 2 games vs. All the rest
Mood:  sharp
Now Playing: Humming Fridge
I am no longer a one-game wonder. Finally I have manged to reach 50 points in Boggle before Stephen. My second time beating him EVER!

Quickly, yes, I am still biking the 15 miles every day, and it IS getting easier. I am busy busy busy at work...and frankly cracking under the strain.

We're trying to plan some exciting activity for this weekend, now that we have 20 pounds to blow!

Stay tuned...

E-

Historic moment?
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: The Today show
As Elisabeth just said this morning: "This is a historic day. For the 1st time, we've got more money coming in than going out." Yep, I got my pay checque and, even though it only covers a weeks pay, it's taken care of our credit card for the next 56 days. Yep, we've actually managed to pay more than the minimum PLUS we've saved 20 quid for (hope, hope) another Sunday at the pub.

I've also at long last managed to score a cerdit card. Of the platinum variety, no less. Which should make 2005 very interesting considering that astronomical amount of debt we'll be able to accrue!

sheets of rain comin' down & a money rant
Mood:  spacey
Now Playing: sheets of rain comin' down
Ahh, a pleasant day - the only one E&I get to spend together this week. After a conversation (not an argument for once) about money, we decided that, yes, we could afford to pick up a paper and get a cup of coffee and then head to the pub for a few pints of beer and a two-for-one meal. Yes folks, at long last it looks as though we're able to afford spending 20 pounds on luxuries. After almost a year and a half we can do what most Britons do on a daily basis. My god, will the wonders ever cease?!?!

In other news; my mom's care package has arrived and, as followers of our comments section will know, I've now got more new socks and underwear than you can shake a stick at. Or at least a small twig. A sapling perhaps. Of the coniferous variety. Cedar perhaps. Or a white pine.

4 day work week for me coming up. Plus two pay cheques coming in sometime mid-week. ...of course mine goes right into paying off some of the credit card but oh my God look at that! It's a light at the end of the tummel! TuNNel!

Updates (...duh...)
Mood:  hungry
Now Playing: Back - "minus"
Uh, nothing really to report; I suspect that Elisabeth'll have lots to say this weekend though. Fridays used to rock but I've got to work most Saturdays so they don't so much rock as roll along into another shift at the bookstore.

[BTW mom, I don't work most Mondays - the Friday I had when you were here was a one off.]

Man-o-man, it's depressing working retail when you have to deal with the public so much and you realize just what F***ing idiots most people are most of the time. It's stopped being cute and is just depressing. I've been warned that they'll become stupider as we approach Christmas - Adults who have never been in a bookstore are the nightmare AND the reality this lad will have to face off with. Arg!

Oops! Dinner's up.
Toodleoo!