....need I say more????

*warning: audio on this does contain strong language!*

On the 25th of June this year, the world lost a genius....

Although I was never an obsessive Michael Jackson fan, I did adore his music, and apprieciate his gentle, sensitive soul, so often put down by the press simply because of his eccentric ways. However, it dosen't surprize me in the slightest that he died in the way he did, because I can remember reading about his addiction to painkillers back as early as 1982. In fact when his untimely death was announced shivvers went down my spine as I read one of the drugs that killed him was Lorezepam, which I myself was prescribed back in 2003 when I had my nervous breakdown! Its an extreamly powerful sedative, and literally knocks your legs from under you, and lets just say I coulden't wait to get out of hospital and off them horrid things, and feel myself again! Oddly enough I am the same star sign as him...Virgo!
But lets just remember his genius.
....and like all genius in arts and sciences, somtimes bordered on madness!
Michael never had a childhood so he made up for this in his "adult" life by staying a child, even though he was a man...I feel as if I grew up with him in a weird way (there is only 8 years difference in age!!!) and my childhood Saturday mornings would be filled with the wonderful Jackson 5 cartoon, through to my teenage years of constantly playing his Off the Wall and Thriller albums, and posters of him on my wall, which I would look at and think what a beautiful man he was. Even when his face changed he was still beautiful, and continued to make wonderfull music, and fill his destiny as the King of Pop and the greatest showman who ever lived!!! and his music will live on forever as will his memory! He leaves us all his special legacy...

Michaels last perfomance in rehearsal just two days before he died.
May his gentle sweet soul rest with the angels! x God bless x

Yes!!!....just like it says on the tin!
We had our "one day holiday" of the year, yesterday!!

Earlier on in the year we had decided to go camping too save money, but the weather put the dampeners on that, if you pardon the pun!! Derek had the last two weeks of July booked off for it but it just rained and rained and rained....Now dont get me wrong, I love camping. But camping in the wet is absolutly horrible as no matter how hard you try, everything seems to get damp, and if this happens 9 times out of 10 I will have a nasty cold, which is what happened last year. Plus the fact the credit crsis has put a stop to our more exotic globe trotting, so camping seems now to be our only option. I wanted to go to South Africa, and do a tour on the "blue train", but lack of funds has made this impossible, but I still live in hope. Plus, Derek is being made redundent in November from his finantial job, so we will have to tighten our belts further. So as the weather was "supposed" to be nice on bank holiday monday (yesterday) we took our chances and packed our medium sized tent, and drove up to the Cotswolds to camp for the night! It was a campsite that Derek had found on the net, and it was "tents only" which was lovely!!!! There is some degree of rivalry between campers and caravaners, and its not nice, so we tend to stick to tent only sites!
A short story for you about that rivalry.
Way back in '94 Derek and I were on a grouling trek in Derbyshire, training for the Everest trek early in '95! One night we came upon a a lovely pub in a village called Roseley with a camp site where there was a couple of tents and two caravans. We found a suitable spot and I began to set up our small tent while Derek went into the pub to ask about pitching and a price for one night. To cut a long story short I was setting up the tent when I noticed an elderly lady glowering at me from a near by caravan. Next she appeared at her door and shouted "You can't pitch that thing there! its not allowed!!"
How rude!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was thinking....and simply ignored her....the next thing I knew she came striding across the site, waving her fists and yelling. "I am going to tell the Landlord about this violation!"
Violation???
Its a small, bloody tent, not the Brixton riots!!!!!!!
I sat, befuddled, on my backpack, as I watched, the fat, bright red faced elderly woman vanish into the pub. I lit a ciggie and sure enough a few moments later a man appeared with her across the site, and he came striding twards me, and my heap of un-pitched tent.
"This part of the field is caravans only!" and "your can camp over there!" and he pointed to a spot near a noisy road side. I shrugged and expalined that I wanted to wait for my husband to come back and then we would move. But down inside I was furious!!!!!!!!!!!! What made it worse was the woman was back in her scummy van, grinning from her window. Eventually Derek came back and we moved but he was furious too and said if we had not hiked for 12 miles and been exhausted, we would have took our custom to another camp altogether! There is rather alot of snobbish, elitism in camping, and there realy is no need for it!
Ok, Back to yesterday, well Sunday night to be exact...we arrived at the camp at avout 5pm and it took us about 15 mins to set up the tent, and then another hours drive to a local town where Derek bought some beers, we came back and played ball with an inexhustable Sirius, and eveantually had an early night at about 9pm. This was where the fun started!!! And NO not that kind of fun. Sirius started to be a pain in the bum, whinning for no reason, untill he woke both me and Derek and Derek took him out to do his buisness. then at 5am he started again only this time Derek dident have him on his lead, and when they got back to the tent some time later with Derek puffing and panting, saying that Sirius had ran off down a dirt track and tried to get into someones garden before he got him back!!. Derek even carried Sirius back to the tent!!! Sirius weights about 30kg!!!
So a fun time was had by all, and I was glad I was back in my own bed last night!!
Very glad!! LOL!!

I'm truly disappinted in the way Caster has been subjected to such abuse by the media. Questioning her gender on the grounds of good sportsmanship is one thing, but to nationalise the embarrassment and humiliation is totally unacceptable. Once it has been proven that she is a indeed a female, i think she deserves a public apololy and the IAAF should compensate her for the unnecessary slander and defarmation that she has been subjected to. Please let us not forget that She has just won a gold medal at international level, at the age of 18!
Ok so she looks a bit "butch" but most women athletes are! But its discracefull that the press and world media have treated her this way! This whole "gender testing" thing should have been kept very private, and certainly, should not have been made public. Forgoodness sake has no-one in the world thought of this young lady's feelings? She may indeed , have a hormone problam. And goodness knows I have had my fair share of hormone problams, like during my monthly I get a beard!!!!! unless I keep it in check. Also I get terrible PMT which manifest's its ugly head in the form of binge drinking! I dont get angry and throw things around, I just get pissed and fall asleep. Usually it stops when my pierod stops, but I am hopeless to control it, and this is all down to my having Polycystic overies! Probabaly the same reason I can't have kids. One bad one early on this year I went to the Doctor to see if she could suggest something to help me, and she advised "Agnus Castus" which is a herb that can help with hormonal mood swings, and it seems to be working a treat, and its not even expensive! But this is all due to my hormones being all over the place so I can well sympathises with Caster if she has a hormone problam.
We should not forget that Miss Semenya has just won gold in a major international event, and she is an athlete of supreem standard!!

*drowns self in own swimming pool*

OMG!! this is such a shame!!!!!! What the heck are ShowTime up too ending at season 4!

The Tudors has been fantastic!!!!
But I feel ShowTime are cutting their own heads off by ending at season 4! Its such a shame! Edward, Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary painted such a rich tapestry between them, and they were all TUDORS TOO!! What about Edwards untimely death? and him leaving his throne to 16 years old Jane Grey because he wanted to keep His Kingdom protestant? What about Mary who had poor Jane beheaded? Mary’s persecution of all prodestants and even throwing her own sister Elizabeth in the Tower? Mary’s phantom pregnancy which turned out to be cancer that killed her? What about Cathrine Parr and Thomas Seymore? Seymore tried to seduce the young Elizabeth, even at one point cutting her gown to shredds, and Cathrine Parr’s own death on the child bed? Elizabeth finally on the throne, and her heartbreaking romance with Robert Dudley, and her refusal to marry anyone because of the horrors she had seen as a child! Please give us our Virgin Queen, Showtime!!!!!!!!!!

The Tudors simply dose not end with the death of Henry, its so silly!! I am heartbroken!!

The first part was written by a fellow blogger and is NOT my work*******

a lassi is a tradtional indian yoghurt based drink, the main constituent of which is indian ‘curd’, which the rest of the world knows as ‘runny yoghurt’.

variants include-

plain lassi (runny yoghurt plaus nothing)
sweet lassi (runny yoghurt plus sugar)
salt lassi (runny yoghurt plus salt)
banana lassi (predictable)
mango lassi (i think you’ve already guessed).

‘bhang’ means grass. in hindustani culture they’ve been smoking dope since they invented it. in the himalayan vallies of kashmir and himachel pradesh especially, enormous swathes of closely packed annabiis plants grow as god intended, up to 7 or 8 feet in height. obviously just picking the leaves and smoking them is shite, so they invented charas. the traditonal method for collecting charas was to send a clean, naked boy running through the fields for an afternoon, and then rub the sticky resin off his smooth skin. nowadays, now that they have the internet for entertainment, people just rub the leaves with their hands. colllecting in this manner will harvest around six grammes a day.

however, smoking this charas is illegal to all except the holy men (or sadhus) under hindu religious law. your average indian local would think nothing of making a bit for the travelling ascete, who after all needs to be on a level with shiva, but would never dream of smoking it himself- alcohol and drugs carry the same sort of social stiugma in a small traditional indian community as knocking back anti-freeze or sniffing glue does in a pleasant surrey suburb. to bridge this social paradox, the govt. of india runs its own chains of shops in hoply cities to supply holy men with their wares, (opium and grass), to save the locals from the moral problem of supplying it themselves- sort of like ‘halfords’ does for teenagers.

however, when it comes to the fresh, wet, mushy, absolutely unsmokable, totally impotent leaves of a cannabis plant- well they’re fair game as far as the locals are concerned. anyone who’s ever tried smoking the regular leaves off an outdoor naturally grown unselected plant will attest to the fact that all you’ll get off them is a nasty cough. but what the cunning indian has learnt to do is stick a heroic dose, 10- 20 grams wet weight of the otherwise useless vegetable matter, in a blender with half a pint of yoghurt and a few spoons of sugar. and then drink it.

that, my dear, is a bhang lassi.

first time i ever had a bhang lassi i was in the (then) holy coastal town of gokarna in the state of karnataka- mother to three of the most beautiful unspoilt beaches on the konkan coast (not any more i’m afraid), surrounded by luscious and beautiful examples of nature’s work. the advice of my friends of the time was simple- if you’re going to take psychedelics, you’re better to do it in the morning and make a day of it in the beautufl environment.

keepng this in mind i headed down to the beach at 8am and had a bhang lassi for breakfast. 40 rupees, or about a dollar (twice the price of a regualr lassi). i thought it a clever strategic move to drop it down on an empty stomach, and had banana added to try and disguise the green taste of the thing. and then i sort of sat and waited.

when i suddenly noticed i had no idea how long i’d been there, i thought it best to pay the bill. when i found myself trying to pay the bill for the third time, i though it best to leave. when i found myself leaving, i also suddenly found myself unalbe to see properly. feeling myself quite out of my depth before lunch, i opted to try and get back to the safety and obscurity of the hotel, though in hindsight i’d have probably done better just to sit where i was.

there was only one respectable hotel in gokarna, the imaginatinvely named ‘hotel gokarna’ (500 rupess or so for a double with hot water and attached bathroom and balcony. very clean. claimed a few stars, but i think that might have been pushing it.). and there is only one street in gokarna, which was not very long, though in my defence it did turn left at the end. taking this information into account it should have probably taken less than an hour to find the place.

once located ‘hotel gokarna’ was not the easiest hotel to navigate, with a series of mezzanines, half floors and intermediarry staircases interlocking on two sides to form a sort of open courtyard around the main foyer. after the bhang lassi however, naviagation became nothing short of absolutely impossible. indeed, i couldn’t for the life of me find the room, and kept seeming to arrive back at reception. in the end i thought it best to ask the now interested management if they knew where my room was. my question was a simple one, and predicatalby drew an even simpler one from them. ‘which number is your room sir.’ it was now that is discovered that somewhere between the ‘bhang’ and the ‘lassi’, i had misplaced my room number.

‘318? no, 238? no, 183…?’ and so it went on. i explained that i was staying with a group of six acquaintences, a small group of drug dealers calling themselves ‘dj s’ and we had checked into two or three rooms on different floors late the night before. this didn’t seem to help the clueless management, who in turn, obviously not having tried a bhang lassi themselves before, demanded what my friend’s names might be, and found it ridiculous that i found the disclosure of this information outside of my powers.

disgusted by the inefficiency of the management to assist me in the simple task i had requested of them, i once more took matters into my own hands, relieving myself of their inadequate company i simply went round the hotel knocking on likely candidate doors, saying ‘sorry’ when the occupier answered- after a few rounds the occupier was without exception a mildly confused middle aged pot-bellied indian wrapped in a towel,

they say all roads lead to rome, but again i arrived back at reception, where the manager and his assistant, having consulted themselves, and having no recollection that i’d even signed in, also decided to take matters into their own hands and eject me from the premises. thankfully at that moment my friends, whom i was also starting to doubt ever existed, happened to be stepping through the door returning from breakfast. they knew their own names and everything, and had the keys in their pockets which was a great relief. without even a sniff of a fuss they informed the management of the terrible mistake, took me into their safe custody and escorted me to the room that i had been alloted to.

back in the room i was shown to a makeshift bed on the balcony and possibly undressed by the lovely lucy. for the next couple of hours she kindly gave me a number of reasons to help me remember her name into the future. when i came to take a shower to cool off, i discovered god had dealt me yet another heinous blow- no electricity- and the bathroom had no windows. being a resourceful chap, i found a candle and set it on the sink. my shower finished, i returned to the lucy on the mattrass on the balcony, and collapsed in a psychic whirl of dream-like not-sleep.

when i came to my senses in the late afternoon i was aware of a strange odour eminating from the bathroom. ‘not the usual nag champa’ i thought. the electricity was back on, but i soon wished it wasn’t. the candle had set fire to the plastic framed mirror, which in turn had charred the wall black to the ceiling. the floor was decorated with the smashed mirror, silvered shards of broken glass scattered hither and thither. the frame itself had part melted into the sink, whilst the candle had fallen onto the toilet seat, still lit, and made a brown ugly mess of it.

i think the seven years is up in about three weeks, or at least i hope it is.

(above work copied from an unknown blogger**)

**********************************************************************************************************************

...and this realy took me back to the time when Derek and I were in India's holy city, Varanasi, backpacking.

One evening, just before a glowing sunset, we were both sat on the roof top restraunt of our hotel for a "Lassi" before dinner out at a smart restraunt across town. Now normal Lassi is just a cooling, gorgeous yogurt drink, fruit or salt flavored (Mango lassi is my favortie!) and needless to say totally harmless. What Derek ordered off the waiter was somthing totally alien to me, and called a Bhang or special lassi...this is the drink most favored by the Hindu God Shiva, and so is mostly drank at festivals.
"whats that then?" i asked him now more than a little bemused.
"Its a special Lassi that the locals drink so I thought I would try it!" Derek replied simply.
I shrugged my shoulders and ordered my Mango lassi, and got my nose stuck back in my Lonley Planet travel guide.
About 10 minuites later the waiter arrived back with our drinks, and Dereks lassi was GREEN!!!
It look absolutly ghastly, and was slightly frothy on top. It looked like it was somthing Dr Jekle would drink!! I eyed the thing with suspicion, half expecting a hidieous alien to leep out....and Derek was even grinning when he began to drink it. I felt my nose wrinkle up, in discust.
What followed was just as disturbing....
Slightly later we ordered a rickshaw form out side our hotel, to take us to the restraunt for our evening meal...and Derek mentioned quietly to me that he felt a "little woozy!" Derek had tried to pronounce the name of the restraunt and found that he couldent, so realy our driver had no idea where he was going. I tried to help in my awfull Hindi, but this only confused the driver more, so I showed him a map from my travel guide, he nodded and off we set.
Not long into our tinkling bell journey, my mild mannered, alcohol avoiding, University educated, Derek had turned into some one I dident recognise!! Derek suddenly started acting like he had, had 20 vodka's!
" ITS THAT WAY!!!!.....NO!! THE OTHER WAY...DOWN THIS STREET HERE!!" He began yelling at our poor, totally confused rickshaw driver.
"ok? ok?!" the driver asked and I just simply said. "He's had a bhang lassi, whatever they are" Presently the driver's shoulders began to shake almost uncontrolably and I soon realised he was in fits of hysterical laughter. Indignently, I sat back into my seat, telling Derek to shut up in the process!
What had been in that drink?? I questioned myself.
It was only by the powers of God that we eventually arrived at the restraunt!
We took a table for two and I ordered a Scotch and coke, and eyed the menu hungrily. The tradational Tandori Chicken sounded like a jolly good option when suddenly I heard Derek say quietly that he felt dreadfull. I looked up from the menu and eyed him, closley. His face was GREEN!!! and his eyes looked all boggly, and bulging!! I knew I had to get him back to our hotel as soon as possible, but I was sooooo hungry! Needless to say I got him back in a regular taxi, for swiftness, and my moaning and growning, partner in travel to bed and waited untill he slept. He nodded of just after 10:30pm. Leaving our room, I made my way back to the roof top restraunt, ordered a fanta (alcoholic drinks are not always available in Varanasi as it is a very holy city) to wash down a simple cheese omlette. After I had eaten and while paying I asked the waiter what a Bhang lassi was. The waiter grinned and tapped his nose "local secret ingrediant...is hashi"
I was totally horrified!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Derek was ill because he drank a glass of cannabis!!!!!!!! Silly sod!!!

Sorry folks for the long break on my blog but I thought I would have a break for the internet for a while...and I have had lots of computer problams over the summer months, so much so I could have not got onto the internet if I had tried. One of my worst hassles was my DC adaptor whent to Electronics heaven (it died, with a loud pop!!!) and I had to get a new one to the tune of £75!!...so apart from the horrid wet weather, I have not been a happy bunny over the summer.
Ok, on we go....
I have just joined Twitter, the social networking site, mainly out of cuirosity realy, just to see what all the fuss was all about! Its fairly easy to navigate and seems much simpler than facebook and myspace. Acctually myspace just seems to be full of bands at the moment, and I never get a "genuine" friend request anymore, so I have not used it recently. Hence I thought I would try somthing new!

So if your on there, give me a knock! I am on under my married name of Victoria Harrison.

See you soon x

My lovely 8 foot pool ended up on the patio afterall!!!

I was mulling it over for a day or so and got out the tape mesure to see if the pool would acctualy fit on the patio...and low and behold my patio measures exactly 9 foot from my patio doors to the start of my garden!! So one morning before it got too hot I lifted my empty pool (even empty it weighs a ton) and got it on the patio where I had placed two old picnic blankets for it too sit on. Its actually under the kitchen window so I could even top it up with warm water if it gets too cold, via my short hose which I use for my fishtank. The pool takes about 3 hours to fill though (about 650 gallons) and its still a bit wonky because I hadent straightened it out properly but now at least I have a swimming pool that is absolutly gorgeous and a wonderfull way of cooling down when its megga hot. At night I cover it with a large tarp and double cover the filtre unit as its electricle, and I have no desire to get electricuted by my own pool filtre...Anyway Derek is so impressed with it, he is coming home from work, usually about 4pm, stripping down to his shorts and getting straight in the pool. Yesterday evening he was in there for about an hour and I had to call him 3 times to say his dinner was ready!!! Even more surprizing was he mentioned having a "proper" dug in pool in the garden!! I nearly fell off my chair when he said this last night!!! Now although my garden is big enough for a good sized swimming pool, it would cost about £15,000 to build, and proper swimming pools need a lot of looking after, and maintainence which = hard work!!! So Last night we chatted about it over an icey cold bottle of wine and came to the conclusion a good sized "hot tub" would be a more practicle idea and we could use it all year round!! So on Sunday we are off to the Waeyvale garden centre where they sell, and install them, to price them up and genrally see whats on offer. ok we wont be able to swim in a hot tub but we can enjoy it in the evening with a cold or indeed a hot drink!!! Anyway, I will let you know what happens.
Now for my busness propersition, which came out of the blue, from a lovely chap called Brian who has a small shop which sells novalties, as well as Masonic supplies...a while back on ebay I sold him one of my Masonic tea light holders, stained glass variaty. He was so impressed he emailed me explaining his shop and he has comissioned a set of these holders I make for sale in his shop, we just need to agree a price. I had to explain the cost of the paints as well as the fact each holder takes about 4 days just to make one, and also I have to make one for my own lodge for my Fellow Craft. So we have agreed Christmas time as he thinks they will sell better then. Well at least this gives me 5 months!!!...which reminds me. I have to email him as I have not been on the internet during the heatwave, because my laptop gets hot, making me even hotter, and I have been messing with my pool...weel slobbing about in it realy!! LOL!!

Stay cool people!! x

...if its not one thing its another....

Since Sirius put a rather sharp claw through my old one, and I was unable to repair it, I decided to get a new "inTex" one, that a bit posh and huge!! But I have discovered a BIG problam....my back garden, although perfect and private for a pool, slopes, and it slopes badly. On reading the instructions for the new pool I found out the ground had to be perfectly flat in order for it to fill properly....
Argggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!
The design of the new pool is a rather new trendy one, where you just inflate a ring at the top and the rest of the pool just fills like a bag, underneath, which is why the ground has to be perfectly flat, other wise I will propabally end up very wet, with an upside down pool!!! My garden dosen't slope too badly but there is about a 2 foot difference from my patio (lowest point) to the back of the garden, which is more than enough difference to make hassles for my new pool. I thought about putting it on the patio but its not wide enough, and a woulden't fancy the prospect of putting it on flagging anyway, even with a tarp underneath.
What a moaning old cow I am!!! LOL!!

In other news...as I have not heard from paypal or my lovely little scammer in NY, I am writing to the Ombudsman tomorrow to complain, as well as BBC's Watchdog as its about time someone spoke up about paypal and its buyer preffered policies, as some people have lost thousands in scams like mine, its just that folks are scared to speak up, and I think its about time too. I have already warned ebay I am complaining to the Ombudsman but have recieved no reply, so I am going ahead with it...might seem extream for just £100, but this is a scam and needs to be reported, whatever the ammount. I have also got a complaint form from the Post Office today too...I am not going to let this go, unless the buyer can somehow PROVE he did not recieve the dolls...crikey....and its only Monday!!

Looking forward to iced pink port tonight! ;-))

This morning my ear was more blocked than ever and its driving me bonkers!!!
Apart from the pain in my cheek and neck, my ballance is all over the place, and I am walking like I have been guzzling vodka!!! (not for a long time now) so I took the plunge and phoned my Doctor only to be told I could not get an appointment next week!!!...The receptionist put me on hold for a moment and then came back to say "would you like a call from the duty Doctor?" to which I answered "yes!!!" just get rid of this bloomin' ear thingy!! about half an hour later I get a call..."if you can get hear in 15 mins I will see you now!!"
What do they think I have got?? a bloomin' Tardis??
So "Battlestations" ensued. I called a Taxi and then went into a mad panic when I coulden't find my house keys!! (left in the car at the weekend) so I had to quickly call mum to see if she could pop down and let me back in on my return, which bless her, she did. As it was I managed to get to the Doctors in time but still had to wait 45 mins to be seen. When I eventually went in she was lovely and gave my ears a jolly good look at. Firstly she checked my "good ear" and announced I had a temprecher, then checked my dodgey ear, with much pain on my part. At first she said she was going to syringe my ear, but following a further exanination she said it was very likley I have an infection as I am in pain too, and lots of it. So she has given me Amoxillin (antibiotic) and asked me to come back on friday morning. I thanked the Doctor for seeing me so soon, collected my prescription and wobbled over to Morrisons for a bottle of water to take my first tablet, at the bus stop. I am just so desperate for it to clear up!!
So I have a nasty ear Goblin...goodness knows how I picked it up, but I just wish it would go away.

Hope no-one else out there gets one....its horrible, and I feel dreadfully ill.....

Woulden't it be lovely to blow up the swimming pool and relax in the garden in the sunshine with the umbrella up as shade for Sirius and his bowl of water, and a icey cool can of cream-soda for me???

*sighs* I wish..

No...its cooking day!!
I have to make a massive bowl of chilli, and a huge cauliflower cheese!! which I shall be starting very shortly.
The cauliflower cheese is easy enough...boil cauli, cover in cheese sauce and top with grated cheese and bang in a megga hot oven for 25 mins...but the chilli takes longer, and if I am not carefull I end up with red hot fingers, that I have to rinse for ages to get the chilli juice off!!! I am not a chilli snob but I never use chilli powder...only the real thing will do. I try to use a nice mixture of tiny megga hot "birdeye" chilli's and the larger milder variaty, for a nice smooth heat. Also once made it will keep for up to a week or more, so cooking day is worth it realy. It freezes nicely too, so if I make too much, it goes into portions, cartons and ends up in the freezer.
Chilli in Summer I hear you ask??
Well its not just somthing you stick with rice you know!!
Chilli and green salad, jacket potato, galic bread dip, and all kinds of other things...Infact the ammount of boiled rice I consumed during my travels around Asia, I actually hate the stuff now and rarely eat it, so my personal fav is with a jacket and a small salad.

In other news, I have totaly finished with ebay and paypal!!
They have ripped me off for £100 with no explanation, and no answer to my emails, and the dozens of phone calls I have made I have just been fobbed off and passed from department to department only to be told I will not get my money back!!! So a warning to all paypal will not honour a return chargeback even if you have a recipt of postage. and ebay are totally useless and unhelpfull...well they have been to me, anyway.
Oh and I still have a blocked ear....Grrrrrrrrr!!!!
I am reluctent to waste the Doctors time, but a trip there looks like a must........

Ok....on with the chilii....*puts on apron*

x

About 3 years ago I developed a nasty ear infection during a stay at my mum's, when she was living in St Helens, and I ended up on antibiotics and ear drops from my Doctor....now it seems I have picked up another nasty one!!...only this one is realy evil!! Its making the whole of the side of my face ache, is affecting my ballance, and Derek says when he puts ear drops in (standard Morrisons variety) all this horrid yellow gunk bubbles out!! Scarey stuff!!! Anyway if it doesn't clear up over the weekend, I shall be off to see the Doctor methinks! I think I am falling to bits realy as when I was at specksavers recently they noticed the "lazy" pupil in my left eye. A lazy pupil just means it stays at one size instead of opening and closing in bright light like a normal pupil...its so bad the optitician coulden't get a proper photo of my retina. I asked her about it and guess what??
"Oh you will have to see your Doctor about that!"
Why on earth should I see my Doctor about my eye when its an optitions job??...a bit of "passing the buck" I suspect...but I suspect it might need to be operated on. It dosen't realy affect my sight (which is awfull without my glasses) but close up it just makes me look a bit "evil" as one eye is a different shape to the other....eemmmm wonders if Frankenstien needs an assistant perhaps!!
In other news I seem too have a problam with my fishtank at the moment!
For days now the water has turned a horrid murkey green, dispite 3 50% water changes so yesterday evening Derek and took a mad dash to Pets at home for a whole new filtre set, and did yet another water change, but to no avail...the water is still green this morning and my poor fish look well depressed, so I can feel some water testing coming on...and perhaps another water change.....
Looks like I am in for a fun day!!!!!!!........NOT!!

BACK soon x x

Following the literal tons of recent hassle I have had with ebay, I phoned some customer service boy yesterday and "railroaded" him about the missing money from my account....this morning I find that half of it has returned and I am happy with that, but their answer to my "giving this little schoolboy" a piece of my mind they have decided to give me a warning strike. I can't be bothered with them again I am afraid...Their fees are far to high, their policies are all to-cock, and their feedback system is compleatly unfair...So Richard, you were right afterall...I have gone over to Amazon and listed my "Davros collection over there!!!
I have FINISHED WITH EBAY!!!
So I guess now I shall be going through all my videos!!! LOL....BOOKS, CD's to see if I can make some pocket money!
Anyway a kind gentleman has asked me if I will do some "job lot" stained glass work for him, but we still have to negociate a price. I am just waiting back for him now....I can do the work but I had to explain that my art takes ages to dry, so each piece wont be ready for a week....
Belive me...paint drying is the least of my worries at the moment.........

They say problams come in 3....well the first two I wont even go into because I would be waffling on and on and on.....ect. But firstly my computer complealy crashed, and I was dashing around town "welll limping realy" trying to get someone to fix it (where is Jim when you need him!!!!) and that cost a bomb...my new dc adapter has been making noises like the London symphony Orchestra...and now I have compleatly lost my email. I tried setting up a different account, but even that dosent work either!!
*not a happy bunny*
Hence I have about 15 ebay buyers baying for my blood and will no dought end up having my account suspended...but what can you do without emaill?? I use it so often its like the usual part of my day....but I think my darling little laptop is coming to the end of its winter...AND be warned...if I vanish that will be the case...what did we do before computers?
So basically if you have tried to get it touch with me via vixtravels too, dont, as I cant acces it at the moment. I am going to call windows support in desparation, tomorrow, to see if they will help. But I have done this before and the lady I spoke too I could not understand her.
We shall see!

I can be contacted on FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/album.php?success=1&aid=-3&id=717306617&saved#/profile.php?id=717306617&ref=profile....or just search "Vicky Short"...I dont bite, so just drop me a simple PM (Personal Message)

Sorry folks but my tech problams are becomeing like a disater at Windows HQ!!!

hope to hear from someone soon!!

....but its in need of a few watertight repairs this year!!

Any one who runs a pub will know just how hard it is to get a night off, but this is the story of how I met Derek and our rather odd engament!!
Back in October 1993 I was running a pub called the Rifle Butt, with a gay friend (the pub has now changed its name to the Heat of Duston) and I managed to wrangle a night off from my 70 hour a week job...it was a chilly Thursday evening as I remember, waiting at the bus stop for the bus to take on on the short ride to Duston village. At one point I looked up and saw two very bright shooting stars, one after the other, and they were quite beautiful, anyway the next thing I was on my way to and my favorite local, the Melbourn arms, for a busmans holiday of several pints of real ale, that was not my own!! LOL!! I am not realy sure why I liked the Melbourn as the landlord has a smile for no-one and was a huge "Hagrid" type of a man. For some reason the place always smeeled of a mixture of gents toilets and disinfectant, but after a couple of pints you seemed to get used to it!!
The place did have a lovely warm real fire which I sat at sipping my pint and reading, when suddenly one of my regulars called me over to the bar for a chat (infact I was just about to go home) His name was Brian, and such a very colourful character he is too. He could tell tales better than the Brothers Grimm, but it was pleasent to chat to someone...Then it happened...one of those classic "eyes across a crowded room moment" except it was me that was doing the eyeing, while the absolutly gorgeous guy I was looking at was not looking back at me, and happily chatting to his friend, laughing and enjoying his pint!!
"Oh my God!!!! He is gorgeous!!!" I suddenly said without thinking....Derek had a look about him not unlike the looney David Koresh who died in his church at Wacco, that same year. Derek had curly, auburn brown hair, silver rimmed glasses, and a ready smile! Now most ladies would not have given him a second glance I guess but I have always had this "thing" for guys with curly hair and glasses!! I have no idea why!. Any way Brian answered "Who?"...I had no option now as I had to tell him.
"The chap at the bar with the curly hair and glasses!"
Quite suddenly Brian burst into laughter, and for a moment I felt quite humilliated...."Thats my cousin, Derek, I will introduce you!"...."NO!!!!!!!" I squeeked like a scared mouse and dashed off to the ladies in a fit of embarracement! I dident realy want to go so I just sat for 5 mins and smoked a ciggie, and already I could feel myself blushing. After a short while I decided to beat a hasty retreat only to find my way blocked by Brian and the much talled Derek. I was shaking and I could feel my cheeks burning. But soon relaxed as we got talking and he was teeling me all about the traveling he had done. I was intriguied to hear about his 3 month cycle trip across Canada, and trips to Asia...and then he dropped a bomb shell and said he had plans for a two year trip around Asia next year.....GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! i WAS THINKING....I find the man of my dreams and he is an addicted traveller!!!....well the rest is history as you all know he took me with him...but our courtship was not without hassle. His Mum, Rosabella!!! A tiny red haired lady who was a very strict Catholic, and so was Derek!! Now I am a Methodist (not by choice I was just baptised a Methodist) and when she found out I suddenly became the Devil incarnate!!! She made it known too!! and ofcourse because I ran a bar, made me out to be a total tart!!! She hated me with a vengence!! So mine and Dereks realationship was a long one. While on holiday in Kerela, India, the poor lady died in hospital, and naturally Derek was heartbroken, and we flew home straight away. Not long after Derek asked me a very strange question....
"If I proposed to you, how would you like me to do it?"
I thought he was joking, but he was serious! ....errrr....was all I could manage for the moment and then I suddenly said "on a 747-400 on V1-Rotate take off"....actually I was joking!!
6 months passed and we were on our way back to Bali, Indoniesia, for a holiday, ironically on a Singapore airlines 747-400! but at the time I had forgot about the engagement question...we boarded, pushed back and taxied to the end of the runway, where the engines started to build power, before take off (if you have never been on a 747, take off can be quite unnearving realy) eventually we were rummbling down the runway....still on the ground gaining speed....and rummbling, gaining more speed, and it seems like an age when you reach V-1-Roate (Captains commit to fly) and feel a gentle bump as our giaint swan glided gently into the sky....
"Will you marry me!"
Derek said quietly, as he opened a ring box with a sparkling diamond and emerald (Irish) engagement ring!
"YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I squeeled and threw my arms around him as he tried to push the ring on my finger....by now word had got around the cabin that an Engagment had just been announced, and we got congratulated by what seemed all our fellow passengers. The cabin crew presented us with a bottle of Champagne and real glasses (would not be allowed today) and suddenly the Captain announced it over the tannoy!!!!
"I would like to announce the engagement between passengers, Derek Harrison and Victoria Short, and offer congratulations from all our crew"..........
At this point I bolted down the isle to the toilets locked myself in and cried like a baby!!!!! With happiness, as I had never been so happy in all my life!!
By the time I composed myself my eyes were all red and puffy, but I left the toilet only to find a small selection of passengers and crew by our seats with yet more congratulations!!! Needless to say I began crying again...silly mare!!

A Singapore Airlines 747-400 on take off!!



Now....in other news!!!
My last Lodge meeting was brilliant, and very unusual. Because several Masters were off with cold and other things I was very honoured and privlegded to be asked to take the roll of the Inner Gaurd, and had to wear a beautiful collerette regaillia!! I also had to speak in Lodge for the first time as I had to make sure we were gurded. Normally entered apprentices like me are not allowed to speak in open lodge or vote. So this was a real honour for me, and some jolly good learning too!!!
Much to my delight I was also told I will be going onto my second "fellow craft" degree in October!! (quite quick for our Order) so I will be studying hard.

My ebay dealings are bad again!!! I sold a new pair of Peter storm hiking boots for 99p last night!! *cries* and yet I have made £50 on a set of dolls...weird eh!?
Oh and two days ago I lost one of my diamond stud earrings, and went beserk about it, but I have not found it...the day I lost it was the same day I was washing and preparing my swimming pool, drying it and making it ready for the summer...I had a break on my laptop and felt the lobe of my left ear only to find a butterfly attachment and no earring, blooming thing was real diamond too!!
Still....things are sent to try us, I suppose....

back soon
love Vix x

This morning I did a huge post on just how Derek and I had an unusual engagement....and the bloody thing has vanished for some reason!!!

GGGGGGGGGGGggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

It took me nearly 2 hours to write, and I priviewed and posted it...I even read it back though on my blog just after I have posted it, so I know it was definatly there.......also I am pretty pissed of that two of my entries have been marked as SPAM!!!!!!! First is the ballgown bus crash and wandering teeth and the other was Aliens growing in my chil room!!!

If this continues I am going to be haveing some not very nice words with "blogware!" because this is a blog I actually pay for so I am going to phone them ...and the gits who mark my posts as SPAM need to get a life!!!

I need a chill pill!!

Remember the other day that I as moaning that my hand-painted goblet that I painted myself was not going to sell on ebay....well it did....for the princely sum of 99p!!! But its not the cost....it was the feed back left by the lady who bought the godlet...

...and I quote!!!

******** exquisite handcarafted goblet. Well packed. speedy arrival. Thanks A+++*******

I sent her a special message thanking her for such a delightful comment!!

Its realy nice to know that there are people out there who apprieciate, rustic hand-painted glass art!!

*so happy dances around the living room*

I have a Masonic tea light holder listed but I dont honestly thing this will sell..........

We shall see...

love Vix

My ecclectic tastes in all kinds of music almost confuses me!!!

As a child my first love (if a 4 year old can fall in love, apart from Jon Pertwee!) was the aewsome Marc Bolan from T rex!!!(I have a thing for guys with curly hair and still have) I adored him!! his music, costumes and make up, and a true showman, which is rare to find...On holiday in Weston Super Mare in about 1972, I was sat with mum and dad in the hotel lounge, which had a juke box and on came T Rex playing "Metal Guru!"....well I jumped up and started dancing around the lounge in the style of Marc (much to my mum and dads embarracement I think) and I did not sit down untill the record ended, only to recieve a round of applause from the other hotel residents!!!!!!! About an hour later, the hotel manager came to our table and thanked me for entertaining his guests, and presented me with a Sindy Bathroom set!! (wish I still had it as the thing would be worth a fortune now on ebay!) and I was only 4 and a half...when he tradgically died I cried my eyes out but Mum told me that God liked Marc's music too and wanted him to play with the Angles!!
This consoled me a lot!!
Crikey I have just realised that I am realy showing my age here!!! *hides*
As a grew I became a real "trainee Rock Chick" and adored bands like Ranbow, Deep Purple, Saxon, Metallica, Whitesnake and countless others!! But my favorite by far was Rainbow!! Here is a clip of the awesome Ronnie James Dio (in my view Rainbows finest vocalist)....I even once named a Budgie "Dio" in his honour!!



Stargazer is my favorite Rainbow track, and I feel that some of the lyrics have Masonic undertones...its almost about building a Temple!!
Hope you enjoy!!

In other news my ebay sales have gone into the "Twilight zone!" This economic downturn is effecting ebay so badly hardly anyone is bidding on anything....In fact I have a Troika tall vase worth about £300 due to finish today, and I will be lucky to get £110 for it!!!!!!!!!!! I have no choice though, because of the Vienna trip!! I would love to see an opera while I am there (pref Mozart) and I will be gutted it I can't afford it!
I have taken up glass painting again in an effort to sell some on ebay (NOT) and my garage looks like a bomb site as I routing around for things to sell....I feel I am in Steptoe & Son mode at the moment!!! LOL!!!

SEE YOU SOON LOVELY PEOPLE! x x

Normally my days are spent quite peacefully: Checking my ebay sales, working on my stained glass, and walking Sirius! as well as the nornal house keeping duties....but just recently, about a month ago things have got rather hecktic here!!!
I am talking about brain work, rather than physical work, although there is a lot of that involved too. I am trying my very hardest to learn my Masonic Obligation off by heart before my next Lodge, and its a long piece of text, with many pieces in old styled English which makes it quite difficult to understand. Needless to say its going slowly, and I have only learned by heart about half of it so far...Also I can only do this when I am alone as I repeate it out loud, and no non Mason is allowed to hear it!!...I have even been learning it in the bath, whispered to myself, its like I am obsessed!!! LOL!!! Secondly I have to make money for my trip to Vienna (which is very difficult with the economy at the moment) and although I have made a little, its not nearly enough, as to what I need!! My Ebay sales are slower than a snail on acid!! and even if I do sell somthing, there is lots of last minuite bidding going on...At the moment I have listed a stained glass goblet that I paineted myself!!
its here!!!





Which took me about 4 days of hard work and the glass paints cost a fortune............and I have ONE WATCHER!!! is no one interested in hand painted art anymore??? or is my work just crap and I am kidding myself???? If it goes to the last day I may well remove it from the listing because I realy dont want to let it go for less than £15, becuase of all the hard work that I put into this 22cms high Goblet!!!
In other things I have had to part with some Troika which was heart breaking, and one of the vases I sold had a complaint about a hairline crack I had not noticed!!! So needless to say I have now had to get a new pair of glasses too!!!! (should have gone to speck savers) costing over £220!!! Also the power pack on my lappy packed up and that meant another £50 layout, which I cannot aford but is nessisairy!!!...oh and I have ran out of tea candles!!! tut tut!!!!
Well today I have to hand wash some delicate clothing that I need for certain upcoming events, then get on the pole for half an hour, and walk Sirius AND drum into my brain the next section of my Obligation...its all go here at ther moment, chaps and chapesses!!

love vix x

No...this isent going to be some sad attempt at one my my silly sci-fi stories but this is the only way that I can describe what happened to me today!!

Firstly let me explain about my chill room...its not a cold room or anything, its just a place with a comfy Futon to "chill" and read a book or somthing as its nice and quiet. This room was actually my old office when I was a homeworking travel advisor, but I got sick and tired of answering my phone just to hear someone say "which part of India are you from?" This is the culture of call-centres!! At the time I was working for Teletext Holidays and most clients were convinced I was a call centre in India...now I can be a patient person but one day I got so annoyed I yelled down the phone "Do I bloody well sound Indian!!!!!!!" and slammed the phone down!! Needless to say I dident work for them for very long. Anyway with all my office equipment removed by the teletext people after I threw in the towel, my old office "regenerated" into my chill room, infact a 4th bedroom with futon to chill out and relax. Recently, however, I have been very busy and my chill room has degenerated into my laundry room which also includes my sewing machine and various craft project. Several days ago I knoticed a horrible smell in there and could not for the life of me figure out what it was. My laundry doesnt smell that bad, because I bath everynight! Well today I decided to give it a bit of a tidy up and was absolutly horrified when I moved a table from near a radiator under the window, only to find massive fronds (like alien fingers) growing about 8 inches high, buried in my carpet!!!!!!!!!!!
I actually jumped back with shock, as part of my brain was saying "fungas" and the other half was saying "alien hands growing out of my carpet!!!!! Holding my nose because of the smell, and calming my nerves I had a closer inspection and it turned out to be caused by a nasty leaking radiator!!....warm water was seeping from the radiator and onto my thick piled carpet and the fungas bugs must have thought "hay!!!! Party time!!!" and grew like wild fire into these weird and very spooky shapes. So not only do I have a leaking radiator, but I had to scrape up the horrid stuff with a knife onto a sheet of cardboard!
Later I phoned Derek and asked him to pop into Tesco for my white port and a huge bottle of disinfectant!!
"what do you want the disenfectant for?" he asked, stupidly
"Well I realy fancy a drop of disenfectant with my port tonight!!!" I replied in my most sarcastic voice!
I was quite annoyed at the time as I had to walk Sirius, make a spag bol for dinner, sort my washing, learn my obligation lines...while ballancing a tea tray on my head and singing "Do wah diddy!" (last bit just sarcastic realy)
Anyway we now have to get someone in to fix or replace the leaky radiator (more expence!!!) or I could end up with my very own muchroom farm!!

Good grief!!! what a day....I am REALY looking forward to that Port tonight!

Vix x

....make of the title what you will, but it realy has been a strange day!

Mum arrived at 11am and we had tea and I made her a sausage sandwich, and just over an hour later we were on our way to town. Mum has to go via town anyway to get back home, but I also wanted some stationary bits and pieces and another look at the evening gowns in TK Max. Saying goodbye to Mum just outside Sainsburys I made my way, firstly to W H Smiths for some things, and then onto Superdrug for some more things. It was raining, intermittently but I decided I would indeed take the quite lengthy walk down to Max's to check out the gowns again. I found a gorgeous white tuille, netted gown embroidered with glittering black beads, full length with two underskirts, one of which was stiffly netted, all for the princely sum of £50 (I would have payed double this in Debenhams!) and a realy gorgeous black satin evening bag by Suzie Smith!!....all sorted....or so I thought...
Everything seemed normal untill 10 miniuts into my bus ride home I noticed a red Clio car in the middle of a busy junction not far from town, wanting to turn right. I also noticed it was a learner!!..Now the lights on our side were on green and our bus was going at about 25 mph with nothing a head apart from the then distant car at the junction. The only thing was the car stayed at the junction, right in the middle of it, infact, and our bus driver had to slam on his breaks but it was too late!!!! With screaching tires we slammed into the little car with an expleative from me of "S**T!!!" and very briefly I had a flashback to our bus crash in the Chinese mountains, in a head on collision with a huge lorry. I still pray to God to this day, that I am still alive after that horrific incedent in 1995! Anyway I saw the poor girl get out in a fit of tears, and our bus pulled into the kerb so our driver and the young ladies instructor could swap insurance details. Also we had to wait for a replacement bus, which was about half an hour, and we all had to swap busses. Before this however, our driver, visabley shaken wandered up and down the bus asking if anyone wanted to volenteer as a witness. The bus had about 20 passengers and not one was prepared to volenteer, which I thought was quite discusting so I was the only passenger to volenteer as a witness to the crash. I hardly dought it will go to court though as no-one was injured, thankfully!
On getting home I was still quite shaken so I phoned Mum for a chat and told her about the days events, but after a cup of much welcome tea, I relaxed a little enough to try on my new evening gown. The dress fitted me perfectly, which I doughted as it is a very fitted size 14, but its like it was made for me, except its about two inches too long. Fortunatly though my Mum was and still is a fully qualified tailoress and seemsstress so taking my gown up an inch or two will be a piece of cake for her. At 5pm my phone rang and unexpectdly it was my Mum again....
"I have just had two of my front teeth fall out while I was eating" she lisped!!
I wanted to giggle, but she was realy upset becuase she said she looks awful now because the teeth were at the front! I just said not to worry, keep the teeth and go and see the dentist as soon as possible so he can make a mould for a couple of false ones. She did say one of the teeth had actually broken off, and if this is the case she will have to have the root extracted or it could get infected. Now I have had both a root extraction and a root canal filling and belive me both are not pleasent, but are over qucikly so I may have to go with her when she has the extraction done to make sure she is ok.
Its been a weird day folks...but my only problam now is what to cook for dinner tomorrow as Mum is coming and I dont want to cook somthing that is going to be to taxing on her teeth...something simple with dollops of mash, methinks!

h.g.w.
Vix x

I had an extra lay in this morning as Derek was watching the Grand Prix from 5am (looney!!!!) so I am only just starting the day with my ususaly rounds of coffee...Yesterday I finally got back on the pole but after not being used for such a long time (about 6 months) it was absolutly filthy as I hauled all 3 heavy pieces out of the garage, so I had to spend about 45 mins trying to clean it with white spirit, but it still needs a jolly good clean as I couldent remove some of the more stubborn marks. I took it slowing just doing some stretching excersies (creaking bones louder than the music!!!) and then just a few simple moves that I learned last year, but my "firemans swing" is not what it was, unfortunatly. Well all this only proves just how out of condition I am, and only managed to stay on the pole for about 15 mins! I am going to try up to 20 mins today when I get chance, but that is going to be after a trip into town and having my personal classroom (Masonic) in my then silent living room. I have so much to learn, but it realy is fun, interesting, and I am testing my memory to the hilt (which isent easy, belive me) and then Sirius will have his walkies before I set about cooking Dereks dinner!
Well that is what I am up to today....as for tonight it will involve more learning and a film (DVD) as I still absolutly detest Saturday night TV. I realy enjoyed Pans Labryinth recently so I might watch that again. Its not for the faint hearted, however as its a bit gorey in places, but that just me as I love horror films. It has a great story though, and some superb acting, as well as excellent CGI. Anyway watching this with my candles all lit and my Port and a light supper, should make for a nice relaxing evening.
Enjoy the weekend folks,
and I will be back soon!
Vix x

Delightful day out in town yesterday with Mum, even dispite it was blowing a gale and there was intermittent rain, but I had to get some passport photos done and at first I thought I was going to have problams with that. To the best of my knowledge there were only two photo-booths in Northampton, one at the Post Office and there was one in the now closed Woolies. Well the one in the post office was out of order so I was scratching my head for other options. We checked Boots and Beatties, both seemed viable options, but neither had a booth and finally walking past WH Smith Mum said "how about in there?" However I was doughtful but we scoured the ground floor of the shop, only to find nothing. Eventually, Mum asked a cashier who said that indeed there was a booth upstairs, so that was sorted...Needless to say the photos are awfull, dispite the fact I was wearing make up!
*hides*
Now because of these dreadful photos, coupled with the fact I can no longer get into my much smarter black suits, has lead me to the conclusion that I am an "aged fat git" and I need to do somthing about it before my special weekend in Vienna in May....Solution!!! = I am going to get back on the pole and cut out all the rubbish I have been eating recently! As we get older we find its much more difficult to stay in shape as our metabolism slows. Now I have no excuse here because I take "sea Kelp" as it helps boost the metabolism, and is good for joints and your heart. Its just that I have been pretty lax of late, with lots of concernes on my mind, and so my diet got lax too! So the pole it is after I have walked Sirius and done my housey duties (hoovering etc)
Anyway, befor I hop off I would just like to mention I grabbed a lovely bargin yesterday in the form of a gorgeous pair of "coast" black satin evening shoes with bow detail and a small, dainty kitten heel...reduced from £75 down to a mindblowing £15!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and lets just say those shoes were off the shelf faster than Sirius after a cat, and paid for and in my bag, just as soon as!! and they fit me beautifully as well! I just love the small heel becuase I have flat feet and find it difficult to wear high heels, although I love them. Now with going on the pole I am always told by teachers to always wear platform high heels as this aids with both grip and swing, but I must admit when I am on the pole (as I will be later today) I wear ballet shoes (I am such a wuss) or nothing on my feet at all...well wuss or not, I must do somthing about my overly flabby, out of shape body...and preferabally not looking in the mirror as it gives me nightmares!! LOL!!

Love all
Vix

Following lots of informative chats, my introduction to the Bretherin at Lodge Mercury and my formal interviews, I am set to be Initiated into my First Degree of Entered Apprentice on this Saturday, at the UK's head office of Co Fremasory, Lodge Golden Rule in Surbiton, Surrey!!
My heart is all butterflies!!!!!!!
I feel so very honoured and indeed privledged that both my Lodge (Mercury) have accepted me, and that my Initiation should take place at Lodge Golden Rule! Normally an Entered Apprentice will be initiated into their "Mother Lodge" which is in my case Lodge Mercury, but I am so very humbled to have been chosen to have my Initiation at this wonderfuly Grand Temple!
For those of you that don't know, my journey into Freemasonry actually began about 37 years ago, while as I child I was totaly fascinated by my Uncles Masonic stories of King Soloman and his Temple. Now this fascination stayed with me all my life, and when I was dreadfullly ill at Christmas, I began thinking...I am not getting any younger (non of us are) and if I don't petition to join now, I basicaly never will, so there and then I made the decision. Following my joining a Masonic internet forum, I recieved lots of help and encouragement, and was pointed in the right direction so to speak by a lovely lady and the next thing I knew I was invited to the Lodge and was made to feel so very welcome that I felt I had known these lovely folks all my life!! My mentor (Jounior Warden) had me laughing while I was helping to tidy up after our delightful dinner with his "this is the ritual of the stacking of the tables!!" and the whole evening was so friendly I dident realy want to leave!! Anyway, today I realised that the week was getting on so I made a phone call to check if all had gone well with my ballot and if there is anything else I needed to know or bring with me. I was absolutly delighted when I got a lovely phone call back saying all was well, and my Initiation is to go ahead!
For a long time now I have felt there were stitches missing in the fabric of my life, and I filmly belive my journey into Co Freemasonry will help me compleate myself, so to speak. My only regret is that I did not do this 20 years ago!

In other news!
Where has everyone gone???...or have I got boring LOL!! SORRY!!
but I have noticed my blog is still getting plenty of hits so I hope some lovely folks out there still reading!
For the future I promise to not waffle on about Troika pottery and the such-like...*hides* I have got a wee bit boring of late, but the old Vixter is still here and I promise lots of posts on very varied subjects in the future, even if I am on a soap box or moaning! but thats just me! ...Ok, I am going off for some celebratory Port now, and a bit of a light supper too...at the moment I am watching the story of Wendy Richards battle with cancer and its reminding me of my Dad's final battle with this horrible disese...so I might have to watch something cheerful on DVD later on. Poor Wendy. She was a brilliant Star...
Ok, Sirius has just reminded me that its "milk and biccies" time, and my fish need feeding!

Love to all, and have a nice evening!
Vix

All good things come to an end, as the saying goes...

Way back in November 1993 I was doing management relife work at a pub in Kingsthorpe called the White Horse. I was with Linda with who I helped run the Rifle Butt, but in October we got a message that we were being moved to this new pub. As I remember the regulars were outraged that Scottish and Newcastle could move us so quickly, and questions were asked, angrily, about what was going to happen to our planned bonfire party. Well, when all said and done all Linda and I could do was to pack up all our stuff and move to the White Horse about 3 miles away.
The White Horse was an "L" shaped building on the corner of a busy crossroad towards the town centre. The Sunday before we moved, Derek and I went to take a look at it (I had only met Derek the month before) and I must admit on first sight I was rather unimpressed...it was tiny inside!!!! With a tiny bar and an even smaller clientelle consisting of Irish "old boys". Interestingly enough there was a skittles run as skittles in pubs is quite rare and seems to only belong in Northamptonshire. Anyway 4 days later Linda and I moved in her tiny car, stuffed to the rafters with our belongings! But no sooner had we got through the door, as the outgoing stock was being assesd and taken by a stocktaker, a rather angrey, red faced chap bustled from nowhere, a bit like in Mr Benn, and blurted out to me "Its was you who came snooping on sunday!!!!!!!!!!!" I tried to explain I was not snooping, it was just curiosity, but he wasent listening..."So you send your "lackie" to snoop after me eh?" He had screeched at Linda... "Now listen hear!!" I yelled, but before I could say anything Linda gently pulled me away and whispered "lets just get our stuff eh?"
The next three weeks was like a holiday for us!!!
Now both me and Linda had come from a megga busy pub to a megga quiet one!
There was only two other members of part time staff and we were lucky if the till took £50 at lunchtime! There was absolutly no catering facillities, a massive celler but only two cask conditioned ales were on offer, and a very dissused and very musty smelling function room!...Oh and a pool table! We had no cleaner so me and Linda did the cleaning between us of a morning then Linda would give me shopping money for our lunch and I would have a couple of pints in "the Keep" which was another pub by the shopping centre. In the evenings I would work "early doors" from 5:30 - 8pm and then I had the rest of each night off!!!!!!!!!!!!! Linda, despite being over 20 years older than me, we a bit of a party animal and preffered doing the later evening work which she would often turn into lock-ins for a few of the locals and she certainly dident mind very late nights. Me on the other hand, am not a party animal and most of my evenings were spent upstairs in the living quaters watching TV. On one of the first evenings he came around I had cooked a special meal for us of steak, salad and jacket potatos with sour cream and chives. As he entered the tiny kitchen I noticed an oblong wooden box under his arm..."Whats that?" I had asked "Its a game I want to teach you!" he had said rather sheepishly...and so the evening began after dinner with Derek teaching me how to play Mah Jhong for the first time! and I loved it because I kept beating him!!! LOL!!! On another evening Derek coulden't make it so I trotted off to the off-licence for some booze and spent the rest of the evening getting sloshed while I watched my favorite film "the Fog" on video! I had a light supper of veg baked on puff pasty and slumped into bed at 11 as Linda rang the bell for last orders...Oh I was so very used to going to sleep with the muffled sounds of chat and laughter coming from downstairs! Some how I found it soothing....

Today, Derek and I drove past the White Horse in Kingsthorpe and all the windows were boarded up with steel plates and there was a huge "FOR SALE" Sign outside what had once been my bedroom window!...the same windows I would look out of, to watch excitedly for Dereks red Vauxhaul Belmont to drive past, in November 93'!

Just a tad sad today..................

Iam just watching the daftest film yet, on the Sci-Fi channel about killer bees swarming around a house!!!
I am tempted to switch over but any more Only fools and horses and I will scream!!

The close ups of the bees are just pain ordinary honey bees that will certainly not harm you unless you harm them!! Its more than their lifes worth as, unlike a wasp, a honey bee only has one sting and if it looses that it dies!!
As a child I watched many of these killer bee films and subsequently became scared of bees, even more so in the summer time some time in the early 80's when one accidently flew down my Mums top while she was putting the washing out and she started to batter herself to kill the bee, which did sting her on the chest!
Back in the Spring of 1999, Derek and I took a picnik to a lovely spot in the country, next to a stream. It was a beautiful day, warm and very quiet and tranquil. I began unpacking the sandwiches, fruit, bread and a small quiche and just as I was a bout to pour my first plastic mug of tea from my flask, I heard a weird sound...
"Do you hear that?" I had asked Derek, my brain trying to figure out what this sound, which was almost like a quiet rumble, was? At first Derek had said no, but as the sound grew in strength, he had presently said "yes I do hear somthing now" and we both looked around to the back of us where the sound appeard to be coming from and at first I just saw trees and fields...then to my horror of horrors the quiet rumble became that fearsome mass buzzing you hear in the killer bee films. As I looked up with a sudden huge surge of adrenillin in my veins to my compleate terror I saw a grey patch in the sky...and it was darkening, getting bigger and very loud, and heading right in our direction!!!!!!!!
It was a swarm of some 80 thousand honey bees!!!!!!!!!!!
Briefly I remember looking down at the food I had just opened and I began to panic seriously, thinking the bees (like wasps or so I thought at the time) would some straight for the food...AND US!!!!!!!! "Derek" I had squeeled "we gotta run back to the car NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Now Derek does show his brains occasionaly and said to just sit tight, as he grabbed my arm and pulled me gently back into a sitting position! They are honey bees, he had simply said, they are looking for their new home!
What followed next was the most wonderfull and one of the most spectacular sights I have seen since I first gazed with bated breath, at the Taj Mahal in Agra!...A full swarm of honey bees swam like a living black cloud over our heads by only about 30 feet, not one bothered to come town to investigate our goodies! I swear I dident breath for about 20 seconds, as I watched, mesmerised by this awesome sight. The beautiful bees appeared to move as one with subtle ripples through the "bee cloud!" which is the only way I could discribe it!! and suddenly they were gone, over an oppersite hillock. Now like most things that scare people it is just fear of the unknown so after being treated to this amazing feat of Nature I began reading up on bees on the internet. Apparently when bees are out flying in a swam they are at their most docile because they are indeed focused solely on finding a new home for thier hive, which usually happens in early spring approx April time (as I remember this was a warm April day) and only when the weather conditions are absolutly perfect will they fly in their swarm to find a new home. Needless to say I am not scared of bees any more and infact I would like to have a go at bee keeping myself. They are fascinating creatures, who are the goveners of pollenation and nature itself, and now I have learned about them I think they are simply wonderfull!!
However I still hate wasps!! the scourge of the pub garden in summer!!!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!
Also some wasps kill spiders (which I love) In fact the story behind the "Alien" films is based on how some species of wasps, first paralise their spider and inject its eggs into the spiders body, so the poor spider is literally eaten from the inside out by the wasp lave, and the poor spider is paralized and is helpless to do anything about it...its also still alive untill the lave have eaten all the spider. Grousome I know, but this is nature, and why I hate wasps! Years ago I kept a Mexican Rosey Tarantula in a huge tank at my flat in Warrington but being a male he dident live long, and it broke my heart when he died...I would love to get a Cobolt Blue Tarantula!!! these rare and very beautiful "living Jewles" are very viscous and nasty which is ofcourse becuase of the fear of the wasp (they come from the same region in south America) it is recommended that owners of these gorgeous creatures NEVER handle them! Which is a shame as handling a Tarantula is an amazing and oddly a very relaxing expierence!
But watch this absolute LOONEY!!!!!!!!!!! handle his "Blue"



Notice that he is very gentle and is wearing little clothing which is the right was to handle Trantulars as their tiny claws get stuck in matieral.The bite from these spiders is painfull (I am told but I have never been bit) but no worse than a bee sting!

BTW phone is now fixed...apparently some vandles had damaged the wires in a box across the road! Gits!!!!

Some of you may have read that I have had laptop probs recently...well now its the turn of the phone.......

Last night I tried to give Mum her usual 9pm call but the phone (land-line that is) simply rang a couple of times and then went dead. I tried to call a few times more but to no avail, so I tried my mobile...UGH!! No charge, so I put it on charge and asked Derek if I could borrow his mobile so I could chat to Mum and only stayed onthe phonefor about 10 mins. This morning I woke to hear Derek making string of 4 letter expleatives from his office!!! What the heck was going on? I was thinking as its quite rare to hear him swear so badly. Apparently he had phoned the phone company on his mobile which then, at a crucial time in the conversation to the engineer, cut out because he had ran out of credit!!!!!!!
It never rains but it pours!!!!!!!!!
...and to top all this my mobile (which is contract) does not seem to be charging properly, and was still not fully charged this morning! Anyway it turns out an engineer is coming to sort out the phone later today, sometime in the afternoon! But what the heck is up with the charging of my phone as its an almost brand new Samsung and only takes about 2 hours to charge normally, if less. The only good thing about being on contract though is I can get a new free phone anytime, so if its broke I should have no trouble getting a relacement!
Ho hum....back later when hopefully it will be sorted!

x

My current reading is "Jane Boleyn" by Julie Fox and she appears to be much kinder to Jane's character, than other historians have painted her!
Let me explain...
Jane Boleyn Lady Rochford was born Jane Parker circa 1505 into a noble family, with excellent connections wealth, and royal blood. Her Father was the Duke of Morley and he packed Jane off aged just 14 to be a lady in waiting to Kathine of Aragon, and spent most of her life in Royal service. Poor Jane was forced into an arranged marriage to George Boleyn, brother of the ill fated Queen Anne, and as sister in law to the then future Queen of England (during the time of Henry's "Great Matter") she became royalty herself, but history has not been kind to her, and her marrriage to "possibley" homosexual George was a VERY unhappy one...I say possibley because its never been historicaly proven that George was indeed gay, as he appeared to be a womaniser, but this issue has been re-dressed in the recent TV production "The Tudors" and its certainly worth considering, and would indeed explain why Jane's marriage was so miserable as she was know to be very beautiful and much sought after by the men of the court! Now down to why history has painted Jane as a coniving, evil, jealous bitch....During the time of Cromwells plotting to get Queen Anne on the block, he had to fabricate something that would most certainly put her there and came up with the idea of adultery. So Cromwell and his men began questioning the ladies of the Queen, which included Jane Boleyne (Lady Rochford) about the goings on in the Queens privvy chamber. It was Anne's character that gave Cromwell most of his evedince. Apart from being a shewd politician, and business woman and being an intelligent woman and a force to be reconed with...Anne was also naturally flirtatious, and overly friendly with her favorits in perticular Mark Smeaton who was her musician. Poor Mark wasent just questioned by Cromwell,he was brutaly tortured almost to the point of death and forced to say he had "known" the Queen "and her private person. (In other words had slept with her, which was total rubbish as a woman of Annes standing would have never considered a commener such as Mark to be a suitable lover, they were simply the best of friends and Anne adored music) Anne was also very close to her brother George, who would visit her privatly many times and for many hours where they would talk, play cards and drink wine! In fact when Anne fell out of favor with the King becuase she failed to give him a son, her brother George became her only true confidant and friend. History reads that Jane was very jealous of Annes realationship with her brother and this is why, under heavy questioning from Cromwell she snapped and said Anne and George had, had an incestious relationship. I think it is more likely that word had got about court of Mark Smeatons terrible torture, and this had left poor Jane terrified the same would have happened to her! (it wouldent because Jane was a noble woman and noble women werenever tortured) Also Mark had forceabley confessed! Sadly Jane was not known for her intelligence and I belive she just blurted out the incest admission just so Cromwell would stop his terrible questioning. Historians have been baffled as to why Jane told Cronwell such a horrible lie about Anne, so they concluded it was Janes jealously of Anne and her closeness to George. When infact Jane was just a pawn dragged into the malestrom of Cromwells plotting....by this time Cromwell must have been rubbing his hands with glea, and Annes trail was arranged but the result was a forgone
conclusion...GUILTY....even before Anne had stepped into court.
Jane left court as soon as she possibley could, in terror following the murders of both her husband and her sister in law. George was executed on the 17th of May 1536, along with the other innocent men caught up in this plot, and Anne was executed on the 19th of May as Henry had commisioned a swordsman from France but he had been delayed on the road...it took about 6 months for Jane to return to court, and it was after the death in childbirth of Henry's 3rd wife, Jane Seymore, that Jane become more settled...Now it was Cromwells turn to recieve his just deserts 2 years later when he convinced Henry to marry a protestant Princess from Germany called Anna Von Clevv (Anne of Cleaves) Cromwells arranging of this marriage back-fired on him and cost him his life, as when Henry eventually met Anne it was a case of hate at first sight, instead of love. After his almost instantaianious divorce from what I would consider this lucky Princess, his eye had been caught by one of her very young ladies, Kathryn Howard. Aged just 16 and utterly gorgeous, Kathryn was also rather promiscious, and like Jane Boleyn, who was still at court was about as thick as too short planks! Both ladies one, old enough to be the other's mother, became firm friends both before and after Henry has made Kathryn his 5th Queen. During a progress of the King and new Queen to the north, Kathryn became captivated by Henry's favorite servent, and member of the privvy chamer, one of the highest positions at court! His name was Thomas Culpepper, and by all accounts Thomas and Kathryn were at it like rabbits the moment the Kings back was turned........aided and abetted by Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford!! Why Jane helped the couple in their illicet affair is unclear but some belive its because Jane could see how desperatly unhappy Kathryn was with her marriage to the now aged, gross and indeed impotent King, even with his gorgeous young wife he was unable to get an erection at this point, hence no male hiers were forthcoming!!!! So between Jane Boleyn and the Duke of Norfolk they both came up with a plan to help Kathryn have the hansome, young and very virile Thomas Culpepper so as the young Queen might concieve a son, to keep the King happy. This was ofcourse high treason!!! to plan to put a bastard on the throne of England, let alone the fact that the child would be a bastard of a commoner and not of the Kings royal blood. Both Kathryn and Jane apparently had a lack of discression and word soon got around the court of what was going on. One morning in the Royal Chaple a note was secretly placed, adressed to the King, informing him of his wife's indiscressions, along with Janes help!! At first Henry refused to belive it but when the whole affair finally came to light, he flew into the famous Tudor Rage, and sent both Jane and Kathryn to Syon house underhouse arrest, before their executions!!! Jane went compleatly insane at this point and Herny had to make Parliment pass an act to make executing the insane legal, as Jane had compleatly lost her mind. The act was passed swiftly, and the axe fell just as quick on the 13th of February 1542. Kathryn was executed first aged just 17, then Jane aged about 37 offered her neck to the axeman on a block still wet and warm with the blood of her mistress and friend Kathryn. By all counts Jane was rather composed at the end...after all, she was born of noble blood, but had told some horrible lies in her life, and some would say her end was justified, but I dont think so...she was just an unfortunate, pawn in the court of Henry the 8th, perhaps a little unintelligent but her unhappy marriage to George hurt her badly, as it would with any woman....
Sadly I know....I have been there.... (my first marrige that only lasted 2 years)

....And my poor little love is driving me BONKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It began 4 days ago with the usual symptoms of flu and then he passed out twice in the bathroom and I almost called the Doctor untill he appeared to be getting better, sitting up in bed, but he wouldent eat anything and even half a bowl of soup made him feel sick!!! So I gave him some dry bisquits and he nibbled on them for a few days...I have been out shopping for him every day, walking Sirius more than I normally do, and running up and down stairs like some wild Banshee taking him and fetching him things. Needless to say I have been so exhausted at the end of each day I have been collapsing in bed and sleeping like a baby!! He appears to have the Gastric flu that I have had, but I recovered in just 3 days!! This morning, however, he looked a lot better and has even had his normal breakfast but as soon as I suggested going into town he said "No!!! I will drive you to Morrisons" to which I responded "well if your fit enough to drive your fit enough to walk Sirius!"... "Oh no!!!" he moaned! "I am not up to that yet!!"..."well I am going to walk Sirius and go to town on my own then, because if your not fit enough to take a simple walk around a park for 15 minuits, your not fit enough to drive! What happens if you faint at the wheel????" I retorted!! to which he threw a wobbly and bounced up stairs, and sulkily got back into bed! When I got back from walking Sirius I asked him if he wanted another Lemsip? But he just ansewered with a blunt "NO!!!" ....now why is it when chaps get ill they make such a song and dance, drama queen act out of it????
Good grief!!!!
I just have perhaps a day or so in bed and then get on with things, if I am bad, as do most women I think...and then I will just moan about it on here!! LOL!!!
Well all I can hope is that he gets better soon, and gives me a break!

AAAAAArrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This morning I nearly threw my lappy through the window when I switched on and the"configuring updates" thing kept repeating itself and would not even let me log on!!!!!!!! This lasted for nearly two hours so I decided to do a full systems diagnostics which took over two hours and I had to compleatly wipe my "C" drive so basically I lost everythig!!! all my passwords, pictures, music, EVERYTHING!!! and then to my horror of horrors I realised I lost my Virgin broardband wireless connection too!!!!
*screams, stamps feet and throws a wobbly"
So next I raid Dereks office for the Virgin media paperwork which I found....tried half a dozen potencial passwords to get me re-connected, all to no avail...so eventually I resorted to the phone to talk to someone in tech support, only to be passed from piller to post and ended up talking to a lady in India. Now I have visited India about 5 times and consider myself fairly good at understanding even the thickest Indian accent, but this woman, I could not understand what so ever, and I am convinced she was swearing at me influent Urdu!! so as I just could not understand a word she was saying I felt the advice she was trying to give me a bit pointless, so I cut the conversation short and decided as a last resort to go back to my Eathernet cable and hay presto!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A MAGICAL BROADBAND CONNECTION!!!
Anyway folks, untill I am fully up and running again, properly things might be a bit slow around here!

Please wish me luck!
luv Vix

While I was waiting alone in a darkened anti-room at my potencial Masonic Lodge, the door opened slowly and a very familier head poped in........

"Hello I am the Doctor!!!!!!!!"

Naaaw!!!!! just kidding folks!! LOL!!!

But the guy who entered the room, who was peticioning to join the lodge just like me was the ABSOLUTE SPITTING IMAGE of David Tennant!!! Goodness konws what the look on my face must have been like but I felt my face blushing furiously!! "Hello, lovely to meet you!" I said as we shook hands and he said like wise in a heart melting French accent!!
Had I died and gone to Heaven, or what????
It turned out we were joining at the same time and we were left alone for to get to know get to know each other for about half an hour....it turned out we had much in commen, like travel and even a love of Dr Who and just like me he is not too keen on Torchwood because of its occasional adult content! He is originally from Montpellier in France and used to work in London but hated the hussle and bussle and the transport hassles, so he moved to Luton and now teaches French at a Collage there. Slightly younger than me as it turned out at age 38 but looked much younger. We had a great deal to chat about, but a bit embarracingly our conversation was not very Masonic!! Eventually we were intoduced to the Bretherin and then the Grand Master and a great feast followed on a long table with the Grand Master (who is a lovely lady) at the top of the table and I had the honoured place next to her...as the food was passed around I was offered a seafood salad, now not a lot of you know I am allergic to shellfish (apart from small shrimp) but not wishing to offend my delightful hosts I had a tentive spoonfull of muscles with rice...but OMG did I suffer on Sunday!!!! I could not stay off the toilet and had a raging body temp of 101.5 F (almost 39 degrees C) ...I think if there is a next time I will politly refuse!! LOL!! I managed to get my temp down to almost normal by drinking lots of iced fluids and stripping down to my underwear while wiping myself down with a cold face cloth and taking Ibprofen.
Anyway, when it came time to say good bye I kissed Claude (Mr Tennant) on both cheeks French style to be polite and bid him a "Au revoir" which seemed to impress him I think...The next stage will be a more formal interview, before I am balloted on...I realy hope with all my heart I am inniciated as they seem like lovely people with superb standards, and I felt much welcomed!!! I will let you all know if I make it to Apprentice Mason but I wont be able to go into much detail about it, sorry....
Now I must get back to another rehydration powder!

love vix