MMMmmmadhur Jaffrey
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Blondie - Denis
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Madhur Jaffrey sure knows good food! I just tried one of her receipes: red lentil & courgette "curry" and boy is it ever yummy. I didn't think I would even eat it because it looked pretty unappetizing all the way through, but the finished product: mwa!

Work work work...going to Saffron Walden in Essex tomorrow for some training...should be interesting. Taking the train with a co-worker at 6:31 AM. Coffee coffee coffee... but the best part is that I'll stop off in London on my way home, seeing as Stephen is sleeping in at work, and the train ticket's paid and all.

To be honest, I've been a bit down this week, perhaps it's hormones (always a good excuse), perhaps it's because Tim & Vicki left, or perhaps because you can't always be happy? It's hard to say. But what's I've learned is you've got to give up the funk.

Here's a soul brother at the Woking Mental Health Fair:

Hi folks, Stephen here - I just got off from work to find Elisabeth doing what I should have done earlier. My manager's back next week and as given me a nummy, nummy bottle of Bulleit (Yep, that's how you spell it!) Burbon Frontier Whisky as a thank you for covering in his absence.

The mental health fair was kind of deadening; saying the same schtick over & over again but there were, at least, many interested parties and we sold the service really well. Here's another pic of the fun:

It's nice to be a professional and actually be able to talk the professional talk. I'm not quite as sure if I walk the walk, mind you.

Cheers to Tim & Vicki for a fun filled weekend that we must do again (In June, I suppose...). Life is quiet again as our livers shrink to their normal size and we catch up on some much needed sleep.

Early to Bed Early to Rise
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
SO tired today. So tired. Didn't realize how sensitive I am to drinking and lack of sleep. But we had such a good time with our visitors, and as promised, here are some pictures of yesterday in Shere:

Tim & Vicki on the train.

Going to church in Shere.

This picture was taken in the dark, hence the doctoring...we're in The White Horse pub in Shere...

Tomorrow Stephen is doing the Woking Mental Health Fair at the H.G. Wells centre, and I'm working.

Just discovered the machine that dispenses free hot chocolate and coffee today...just one more reason to drag myself out of bed in the morning...

Tired
Mood:  down
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Tim & Vicki departed us & Europe on Monday morning. On Sunday we went to Shere, and will post some pictures tonight.

I feel shattered & look forward to a weekend of catching up on sleep, cleaning and health.

Stephen's working like a monkey & I don't know how he does it.

Will update again this evening.

have a good day!

Hungover
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: PJ Harvey
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Been drinking and not blogging...sorrr-y!

Been working & then drinkning in the evenings. It's the weekend now and Tim & Vicki head into London for the day while we meet up with Jane's family in Weybridge for a luncheon.

We'll rendez-vous at L'Aroma this evening for a bit of a celebratory dinner.

Not much else to report...gotta eat our potato & egg breakfast now....mmmm

Hip Hip Horay!
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Tim & Vicki arrived yesterday! They'll be here until the 14th, and we're going to have some fun.

Stayed up late talking, now Stephen has to go to London and I'm going to work.

More L8R.

Rioting in Paris
Topic: Stephen Says
Out of curiousity, is this getting any coverage in North America?

Update:
I should have titled this Rioting in Western Europe. My bad.

And while Elisabeth is doing chores...
Mood:  spacey
Topic: Stephen Says
There was myself and the other vegetarian at work cooking the Sunday lunch. And what did we whip up?
-Roast garlic pork,
-Roast potatos,
-Roast onions,
-Roasted carrots in thyme,
-Yorkshire puddings,
-And assorted veggies (Carrots, peas & cabbage).
-Plus gravy, of course & mint sauce & apple sauce.
Yum Yum.

Chores
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
It is raining. The sky is grey. It is November in the UK.

Sunday morning Stephen is at work, I slept in. I tested my mettle and in shorts and t-shirt went for a run to see if I could stand running in the rain. It was surprisingly relaxing. And I now have no excuse in the mornings not to go running just because of the weather.

Saturday I woke up with cotton in my brain having thoroughly enjoyed my Bridget Jones Fri. night. I went into town, and what do you know? I ran into Stephen on his way to do the weekly grocery shopping for his residence. So I joined him, and witnessed the insanity that is Morissons & shopping on a shoestring for 8 people for a week. It was like shopping for an American family: crisps, ready-made meals, 5 gallons of milk, pork, vegetables, cereal, coffee, tea, etc...

I helped him pack the bags...full cart! And waited for the cab to collect him. Then into town I went and was harassed by an stallkeeper in the Italian market that was set up in the town square. I did buy a slice of nougat that sadly neither Stephen or I cared for, but ate all the same.

Today is chore day: laundry, vacuum, etc... BYE!

Girlie Drunk
Mood:  party time!
Now Playing: Barbara Streisands Greatest---shuffled play
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Stephen's not here...I've been through the Hairbrush Diva's dual CD, ate a fried egg sandwich, walked into town, bought a bottle of chardonnay, a girlie magazine, and some Wallace and Grommit cupcakes.

And I've tried on the free makeup samples that came with the zine...the effect of all this combined with some Barabra can be summarized:

-hiccup-ooo

Blah! Not enough coffee = grumpy blogging
Mood:  cheeky
Now Playing: Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children
Topic: Stephen Says
I'm counting down the hours to a fun 25 hour shift at work. It's always like this when I have to pull this stunt: A bit of dread and then I show up and I feel more dread and then, by 9pm, I just want to kick all my co-workers out so that I can hang out with the residents & watch TV. The Hitcher is on tonight so Big Excitement there.

Then I get up tomorrow, stinking of cigarette smoke & eat a shitty breakfast and catch up on paper & course work all day while chatting to residents, before I slink out of the house at around 3 and head home to where there some chilled cans of cider waiting for me in the fridge and a nice hot shower.

And from there I have to fight the urge to get pissed because I've got to be back at work on Sunday morning at 8:30AM. But that's not a tough fight because I'm usually in bed by 9 o'clock, anyway and Sunday is fun because it mostly involves cooking a roast and watching TV shows for deaf people. Which is funny and sad all at the same time.

I'm constantly surprised by how much London sucks. Yesterday I had to get in there early for my course and I'm perpetually disgusted by the sad sack business men all doing work on their lap tops in the train, bustling into the tube station... honestly, it's like the 1930's movie Metropolis. And then, ass soon as you're on street level in the city, all these dopey zombies suddenly go into London mode and go whizzing all over the place, bumping into each other like a three year old with tunnel vision who hasn't taken his ritalin.

I had a good conversation about theatre in London but I just can't get excited about it. The city & it's mind-set ruins it for me. If I was God, I would spike London's water supply with horse tranquilizers.