E's Year in Review
Mood:  hungry
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Well Stephen's selfish ways has inspired my own recap of the first lines of each of MY first posts of the month:

January:
Yesterday Stephen posted some pictures of us, but I got "pissy" and told him to take them off. Sorry.

February:
"She-bop", better known as Stephen's Laptop, has fallen ill and will be out of commission indefinetly.

March:
You can now rest assured that Stephen has not done me in...I am alive and living in this noisy hell called England.

April:
I'm scrapping brownie from a knife with my teeth, and then washing it down with white wine.

May: Guess who's back?

June; Good Morning Blog! I sit here listen to Ray Charles on a Sunday morning, watching the washing machine spin in front of me.

July: We did it! We did it!! We've booked our tickets to Canada!!! FINALLY!!! Look out for us on September 16th in Montreal...and we will depart from Toronto on 29th September. 2 weeks to drink Sleeman, eat poutine, and eat scrumptious Canadian breakfasts....oh bliss...

August:
Wail...wah...Stephen's doing a sleep-in tonight.

September:
Yup---Tim & Vicki(e)? and I saw Knightsbridge & Chelsea, Westminister, Camden Town, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Soho, Regent & Oxford Streets, Savile Row, Piccadilly Circus & then capped the evening with a stroll along the South Bank of the Thames to Waterloo Bridge to see Parliament. I think it's safe to say they'll be back to London soon.

October:
So I've taken seriously the advice of my big brother Mark & have not just sat on my arse waiting for some stupid job to come along.

November:
Didn't end up doing any theatre stuff...hopefully tonight. Did go for a run this morning, did go to work (so did Stephen), and we've had leftovers for dinner, Stephen was kind enough to bring a fresh baguette home...so we're now happily full.

December:
See what did I tell ya? Going back to work would effectively kill off the regular blogging!

What excitments will 2006 have in store?

Alright, fine,
Mood:  silly
Topic: Stephen Says
I really should be going to bed but there's this silly bloggy meme thing going around where you're supposed to put the 1st sentence of the 1st entry of each month of 2005 that you posted on your blog, get all 12 sentences together and that's the summary of the year.
So I just did that.
(Loser, I know.)
But I only did it for entries that I wrote.
(Selfish loser to boot!)
And, um, it's pretty lame, actually.
Anyway, without further ado, here's my year in review. Make of it what you will:

What better music to listen to when you're about to go on the dole?
Okay, first things first: I've been meaning to post this link that Sean sent me.
Ok; first things first.
Or else I'm not sleeping enough.
Light blogging over the next few days (Erm, isn't it ALWAYS light blogging???) as I'm working & Elisabeth's still fighting jet lag & illness (Not SARS or bird flu, I swear) and working awfully hard getting all the work that she did in China ready for presentation.
The weather is ominous today.
Is what I've been told.
Pooped.
My God, it's September already!
I meant to say this earlier, but one thing that I really miss over here that Canada has is a strong sense of a social contract.
Elisabeth has just blown out of the house because she's late for a hair consultation and hasn't eaten her pancakes.
This was the conversation E&I had on the way to the pub last night:

Random Stuff
Mood:  chillin'
Topic: Stephen Says
Just got back from a long day at work and am chilling out before bed. So, what's new, you ask? Well, after two very, very slow weeks where it feels like I've been the only person in Britain actually working (And, if by working you mean sitting in the smoking lounge watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Jungle Book and other festive treats, lamenting the fact that no real work can be done because, well, everyone else in England is off, then yes, that is working. [Sorry, I lost the plot there, somewhere.]). So now I'm getting used to suddenly having to do things all over again which is weird because watching old childrens movies on television can be really quite addictive.

The weather's warm & humid, lots of drizzel and there's not a damn thing to eat over here. Even our massive stockpile of assorted flavours of squash has run dry. The so-called Christmas detox isn't happening by choice, folks, we just can't find time to go grocery shopping!

(Actually, that's not true; I'll be going tomorrow and right now, as I realize that I'm quite tired and that what I've written is quite pointless, I'm off to bed.)

The Party's Over!
Mood:  incredulous
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

Of all possible words to describe a mood, why do they have incredulous? There's no "tired", "fatigued", "stressed" or any other normal frame of mind! I mean really. Hmph.

Anyway...this blog marks the end of the blogging streak as tomorrow it's back to work.

I caved in and took advantage of the sales & bought a jacket, trousers & a wrap-around sweater...all around 50% off so I feel satisfied.

What I'm unsatisfied with though is my lip wax. While 95% of the hair was removed, my skin is reacting as if in shock and little bumps and red marks are dotting the upper lip. Nothing that can't be concealed with make-up...but a bit disappointing. And yes, I've been keeping it clean, exfoliating, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize & lashed on the tea tree oil. But I must not focus on such superficialities, right?

Stephen's been working today & am now signing off to make some Minestrone...we need some detox food to flush out the Pizza Hut pizzas we ordered last night...mmm...greesy goodness...

ok-until next time!

2006: Day 1
Mood:  party time!
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
For anyone who does not know how to straighten or curl your hair, I URGE you to check this out, and click on: "Watch the preview"

http://www.ghdhair.com/uk/news/promotion-dvd.php

In other news: Happy New Year! I hope it came in with a bang...we've had 2 bottles of champagne & some pizza...just about as exciting as it gets chez Allins-in-Woking.

New Years Resolution: drink more champagne, and make food that tastes very good when possible.

Bonne Annee!

Last blog of 2005 (maybe)
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: Hanson Brothers - Get it right back (My Game)
Topic: Stephen Says
Well, Happy New years everyone!

E&I have been doing the pubs and eating pub food before they all get jam-packed, we've got some champaigne over here (Some very nice bottles, actually - thank you to whoever sent us that Marks & Sparks gift certificate for Christmas).

This year's depressing predictions come to you courtesy of The Independent:

In 2006:
-30bn tonnes of greenhouse gasses will be released,
-22bn rolls of toilet paper will be used,
-The sea will rise by 2mm,
-Around 130m babies will be born, and aound 57m people will die,
-292bn cans or bottles of Coke will be sold,
-around 350bn pounds will be spent on advertising,
-Around 1trn pounds will be spent on arms,
-1 person in 5 will be Chinese,
-Over 100,000 new book titles will be published in the U.K.,
-More than 900 films will be made in Bollywood and,
-Around 2.7trn insects will be accidentally eaten by humans.

I hope that this upcoming New Year is a good one for you all!

Chilly Chilly Bang Bang
Mood:  cool
Now Playing: Chattering Teeth
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Drafty pooh apartment! It's cold cold cold in here!

Mr. Dehumidifier isn't standing up to those "and it warms the apartment too!" claims.

At the moment I've got my woolly toque on, and waiting for Stephen to call...which he should have done .5 of an hour ago! The idea is we'll arrange to meet in town so we can grocery shop together, but I can't go into town until I know what time we're meeting, and where. Isn't this what mobile phones are for? Mine is on the blitz you see...

So I've run in the rain, made my first miso soup, played piano, read, etc...made an appointment for my first lip & chin wax tomorrow... I know I'm so blonde, but being a feminist (quasi or otherwise), I seem to have a healthy level of testosterone. I shall say no more, for your sake of course.

Oh, & I cleaned our water filter today...bingo!

Now the big question is: What are we going to do this weekend? We have no plans and I'm already bored. So will it be DVDs? Board games? an excursion (not bloody likely), or some good old-fashioned tuning into the radio?

Ah! I know...we'll just get pissed drunk and make Mr. Men cupcakes...

Whatever we end up doing, you'll be the first to know.
>>>>>>
Or the last to know. It's Stephen here and bloody algelfire isn't updating properly. This was supposed to have gone up yesterday. Moan.

Como Esta Usted? /How are you?
Mood:  hungry
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

Barthelona...the thity of Gaudi & late thupperth.

I've been listening to a how-to-speak Spanish CD from the library, and honestly I had no idea Thpaniards lisp tho much!

Otherwise Stephen is at work, sleeping-in and won't grace the apt. with his presence until tomorrow afternoon.

I tried something new with avocados today:

1. Cut & pitt an avocado, drizzle a small amount of olive oil in the "natural well" then dump some freshly chopped cherry tomatos in there, and cover with cheese. I then baked this in the oven at a high temperature for a short period of time, but really I only did this because the avocado was too ripe & needed some softening up. Which it did, but it still wasn't very edible because it wasn't ripe to begin with. But the tomato & cheese part was nice.

2. Make some guacamole & on freshly sliced baguette layer on cheese & guacamole. Then broil for a few minutes so bread is just starting to crisp. The guac. tasted nice warm & the cheese had melted...

Not feeling enticed by the sales this year. I just want to go shopping when I need to go shopping...

Stephen on a wave of testosterone last night fixed the extractor fan & cleaned the dehumidifier's filter. So the apartment's airwaves are all clear.

To be honest for a second, I can't wait to get back to work! I'm getting really fed up with bumming around the house. I would go to London but they are doing engineering work on the rails between Woking & London & I frankly don't fancy the replacement bus service. So making lots of plans for what to do in the new year. Just discovered the Borough Market in London on the internet...the oldest food market in London...whee!

Hope everyone's gearing up for Saturday night...it'll be a winner I just know it!

Curry Capers
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

For the first time in...? Stephen was up and out of the house before I could get myself out of bed. This is not a reflection on Stephen's habits, as he is like a boy scout when that alarm rings...no snooze buttons for that bloke...but rather that I'm finding the more sleep one gets, the more sleep one wants. There's nothing like 10 days with nothing to do!

So last night we went to Jaipur in Woking. I'm deliberately naming the restaurant so hopefully anyone curious about going to this restaurant and searching it on the internet will be able to read about our experience.

While the food was not bad, it was not exceptional. It felt very much like eating a British bastardization of curry, rather than an authentic specimen of Indian cooking. I think the fact the place was full of white people should have tipped us off. Anyway, this would have been fine and acceptable had the prices not been totally off the charts! I mean you think you're going to get what you paid for, but boy oh boy: 50 pounds for a vegetable biriyani, another veggie main dish, appetizers (veggie again), 2 beers, 2 coffees & 1 dessert...how does that equal 50 smackers?

It's time to go back to L'Aroma with my tail between my legs.

Anyway, on a more serious note, below is a link to an article by George Monbiot which was published in the Guardian yesterday. The subject: Britain's secret holocausts. Wonderful seasonal material.

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2005/12/27/how-britain-denies-its-holocausts/

Today, more errands in town. The library is resuming normal hours, oh joy, and get some food for dinner.

That's all for now folks!

Fun with wikipedia
Mood:  bright
Topic: Stephen Says
Just a quickie blog entry because I must be off to bed.

I typed 'Woking' into Wikipedia this evening and such gems as the following appeared:

"Woking's history starts in 673AD or CE. Woking begins around about this time as a settlement of a Wessex tribe followers of Wocca. The name has been corrupted and was spelt as Woccingas, Wochinges, Wokynge, Wochynghe at different times."

Wha??

"Woking was home to author H.G. Wells, who had the Martians in The War of the Worlds land on Horsell Common, close to the town centre. There is a statue of a (Wellsian) Martian in the town centre commemorating Woking's fictional destruction. There is also, inexplicably, a Hawker Hunter jet fighter, painted silver and mounted on a pole roughly 10 metres tall."

WHA???

And best of all is a link at the bottom of the entry to THIS POEM Which you all really must read to beleive. Yep, that's our Woking.

Yikes, I mean, my God, this is where we live?!?!