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R.I.P. Starbucks gingerbread latte

Posted in around the UK, It's my life, wealth and finance, tagged bank bailouts, corporation tax avoidance, taking a stand on October 17, 2012| 5 Comments »

Oh woe is me!!! This is the death of the Starbucks gingerbread latte for me. Since about 2006, once autumn was in the air, I have waited with anticipation for when Starbucks bring back their gingerbread lattes – my favourite winter drink!

death of the Starbucks gingerbread latte 😦 saving lives and tax!

This for me heralded the season of dressing up in my winter woollies, xmas lights and snow (hopefully!)….whoo hoo!

Just yesterday I read in the Daily Mail that Starbucks has (allegedly) not paid any tax in the UK for the last three years! And they are not alone. Since the furore created with the news that the many of the large Corporations sponsoring the London2012 Olympics were exempt from paying tax I have decided to take a stand and boycott any company that does not pay tax and/or pays their CEO’s outrageously over-the-top salaries and bonuses. The latter are usually the banks and invariably these men at the top walk away from their posts after a few years with perks/payouts/pensions in the £millions. Are these types of payouts warranted? And what about when the banks fail? Invariably we; the British tax-payer have to bail them out….along with all the other (m)uck-ups!

So since the furore of the Olympics I have kept a close eye on the papers and especially on the large corporations that pay very little or no tax in the UK, this despite a turn-over that runs to £millions plus. According to the Daily Mail Starbucks posted a UK loss of £33million on sales of £398million (it does however pay VAT on in-store hot drinks!) Big deal…WE pay the VAT. It’s included in our bill and all they do is hand that over to the Treasury… It does make you wonder that if they are posting such huge losses, are their CEO’s capable of running a company? They should be making a profit, how come such big losses? And I am not referring to legitimate expenses.

So coming back to the subject in hand, this means the death of my gingerbread latte…I am from now boycotting Starbucks and any other company that I hear of that doesn’t pay tax, especially if I have to pay them for their product or service. So far facebook and google are only exempt from my boycott because they are free, although that does not excuse them. A small stand perhaps but from the backlash on twitter last night I would hazard a guess that there are a great number of people in the UK that are fed-up with the large USA corporations coming into the UK, opening up shop, making money and then laughing all the way to the bank, and mind the UK companies that do the same thing. Whatever has happened to ethics and honesty in business?

Starbucks

facebook

amazon & google

and this has been going on for some years now….

The Great Tax heist

and Comics have gotten in on the act too!

my idol has fallen 😦

and lets not forget our erstwhile politicians…the people we are meant to trust, the people we trust to do good for us in Government!! reminds me of the whole debacle a few years ago….and duckgate!!! All very well selling the duck house for charity…he sure knows that you can claim any donations to charity off your tax!! So big deal!!

and the list goes on, and not just in business either – a report from the TUC has claimed that every year an astonishing £13 billion is avoided in taxes by the UK’s wealthiest people….well of course they would, they have smart, expensive lawyers that can unearth all the loop-holes.

Seems the old adage of “there are two things in life you cannot avoid: death and taxes” is no longer valid…. you CAN avoid tax.

However….we also have some honest Business men who do pay their taxes

On the bright side…..I am saving myself a heck of a lot of money by not buying from these companies and as I unearth more….the C.H.I.P.S. will fall. And the issue that sparked the creation of the page!

UPDATE:

2012.10.19 and so the chickens come home to roost GOOGLE now don’t get me wrong, I love google I have no problem with them making bundles of cash/a profit and I would be happy to pay a monthly fee to use it for my business, but I do object to these large corporations NOT PAYING THEIR DUE TAXES.

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Weobley revisited and the Hereford poop machine

Posted in around the UK, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, Historical, It's my life, tagged black and white villages of the UK, bollards of london, dragon and flagon pub tours london, hidden london, historical villages of the UK, history of london, street bollards, weobley on May 12, 2012| 4 Comments »

the Weobley poop machine

And that of course would be the dog!!! I have nicknamed him the Hereford poop machine and for good reason. I am not really partial to dogs, I can take them or leave them…preferrable the latter, but as it turns out this little dog has won a spot in my heart…albeit only a tiny spot! 🙂
When the agency initially phoned me about the job, I was keen until I heard about the dog….and then I had pause for thought. As it turned out of course I accepted and here I am. This is my 2nd stint at this particular position and so far I am enjoying it as much as I did the first time. When I arrived I received a raptuous welcome from the dog that really made me smile and feel kinda special….ahhh how sweet, he remembered me and was thrilled to see me. Ha! A few days later my illusions were shattered when a friend came to visit….she got as raptuous a welcome…..so it wasnt my scintillating personality then!!!
However, be that as it may, the dawg has taken quite a shine to me…probably coz I take him for frequent walks. He sits under my chair when I am working and at my feet when watching TV. Sweet! He has cottoned on to the routine for when we are about to go for a walk….of course I daren’t use the word ‘walk’ in his presence and usually say something like ‘ I’ll take himself out for a stroll’…hahahaha. So now when he sees me walk upstairs and come back down with my black jacket over my arm, he starts getting hyper and the tail goes mad….wagging so violently that his bottom end moves from side to side. I then sit down on the chair to change my shoes and put my trainers on and at that stage is when I start talking to him! Ok, so don’t raise your eyebrows like that….I have to build the anticipation of the walk ahead you know. I say things like ‘yes, you know we’re going for a walk don’t you?!’ or someother nonensical stuff like that and the little dog sits and watches me intently, cocking his head from side to side as I talk, his bright button eyes never leaving my face, just waiting for me to get up and then he is off like a rocket to the scullery bouncing around like a puppy despite his considerable 11years+. Then when I pick up the lead…omgosh! He goes ballistic and it’s all I can do to stop him jumping up into my arms. Hysterical. And thats where the poop machine comes into it, and that is the bit of my job I do not appreciate….being the pooper-scooper!!! blergh!! I have to take at least 3 bags along each time and wonder why he can’t just squat once and get it over with.
As we walk I have to wonder why it is that we walk 10 feet and he lifts his leg, walk another 10 feet and he lifts his leg, this goes on right through the whole walk. Lady dogs are far more polite and sensible and squat once and thats it! However, I do enjoy the walks, although it’s unclear who is taking whom for the walk…..I get a lot of brisk exercise as he rushes about, sniffing here, sniffing there and bolting along like we have a train to catch, and when we head for home it’s all I can do to keep on my feet!!

One of the walks we make is out the village past the village hall along what is known as a ‘country road’; 7ft high hedges, fields of crops or orchards on either side, birds flitting about overgrown grassy fields and twittering for all kingdom to hear, wild flowers scattered like bright jewels alongside the hedgerows and overall this, amazing peace and quiet. Have you ever stood and listened to the quiet? It’s palpable here. The contrast between here and home is very apparent in that here I see the occassional car, peak-hour traffic

weobley, herefordshire, black and white villages of the uk, historical villages of the uk

peak-hour traffic

whereas at home the traffic flies past, a never-ending roar of about a thousand cars an hour. Here there isn’t even a stop street or yield sign, never mind a traffic light. Another route takes us along a narrow little lane with a small stream on one side and a field of crops on the other, the blue sky stretches to the horizon filled with fluffy white clouds that tower up like puffs of cotton wool, a field of sheep and the blissful peace.

fluffy white clouds in blue skies

I am totally in love with this little village. The first time I came I took hundreds of photos so it’s not like I missed anything, but I can tell you that I have been hard put to not take just as many photos again.

weobley herefordshire, black and white villages of the uk, historical villages of the uk, king charles I

The Throne, where King Charles I slept on 5th September 1645

The history of the village is just amazing, and the one house that used to be the Unicorn Inn, now known as ‘The Throne’, is where King Charles I slept 5th September 1645 on his way to London , where he eventually lost his head. The thought that King Charles I actually walked (okay probably rode his horse is more like it) in the same place where I was walking is just thrilling beyond words. I am dying to knock on the door of this rambling, ramshackle, ancient building, now called ‘The Throne’, and ask if I can have a look around. I can just imagine the rickety staircases, and low doors, and wooden beamed rooms filled with history. Imagine living in a house like that!!! I have had a chance to have a closer look at the construction of the houses too and it’s incredible to see the ancient wooden pegs knocked into the struts holding them to the main frame of the house.

weobley, black and white villages uk, historical villages of the uk, herefordshire

ancient architecture

The Manor House is the oldest remaining house in the village and predates Tudor! Imagine! So instead of taking loads of photos of the houses I have concentrated on photos of the fields and flowers and just a few repeats of the architecture…… 🙂

The Manor – probably built pre-Tudor

I also explored the remains of the castle (built in the early 1200’s by Walter de Lacy), walked along the top of the mound and walked through the remains of the moat.

the remains of the moat of the castle

So this 2nd stint in Weobley has been good, just the long days kill me. I don’t mind staying up till 11.30pm, in fact I seldom get to bed before 1am in London, but then I get to sleep till 9am the next day….here I only get to bed by 11.30pm and have to be up at 7am the next morning, in fact the sun comes up so early that by 6am I am usually awake. Also sitting around and being confined to the house most of the day is quite tiring. The routine is the same every day and the same thing happens at the same time with very little variation. The pace is very slow and for someone who is used to heading through the day at fullspeed…it’s amazing how tiring it is. But I do enjoy the peacefulness of the area and the lady is lovely. I am not sure though that I will be back since it takes such a long time to get here…6 hours travelling in all. We shall have to see.
One of the other things that I love is how friendly the villagers are, never in London would you walk past someone on the way to the store and have them say ‘good-morning’ as you walk by. It’s great. it’s been raining a lot in England lately and we had a deluge the first few days I was here and the flowers and leaves were hung with drops of water that look like diamonds.

diamond drops

Everything is so lush and beautiful. We have also had lots and lots of bluebells growing in the gardens which are all open plan so it’s been a treat to see them in clumps everywhere.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta (formerly Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta) is a bulbous perennial plant, found in Atlantic areas from north-western Spain to the British Isles

bluebells; Hyacinthoides non-scripta (formerly Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta) is a bulbous perennial plant, found in Atlantic areas from north-western Spain to the British Isles (ref wikipedia)

I was quite concerned I may miss them as I never did get to go to Kew last month, but I plan a trip for when I get back and before I whizz off again for the next job…thankfully that will be in zone 3 of London and only an hour or so from home. What that means is that I will have internet reception and hopefully get to do some work online, one of the things I have missed a lot in Weobley….zero internet reception and very little phone connection. I usually have to hang out the upstairs window to get reception.
So with just four days left till I head on home, I will continue to enjoy the quiet and the walks and the company. The lady, who is 94, used to play snooker when she was younger, is a great fan of the game and so we have been watching the snooker finals with Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ali Carter amongst others…and I have become quite the addict myself!! hahaha. That said it’s a real bother that after the snooker is finished the TV goes off and except for Eggheads which we watch religiously every day, and I know know a lot of useless information…. So I have missed most of the programmes I usually enjoy and that is one of the things I shall make the most of when I get back home…. and as I write, that is only 4.5 days away. Hooray!!!! (that was then and of course as I write now….I am already home).

The train journey through the English countryside is a real treat, so beautiful and the yellow fields of rape seed plants stretch to the horizon,

rape seed fields

a wonderful contrast to the green fields dotted with sheep or horses. The rivers are full to the brim, thick brown water racing along, ignoring the corners and just swamping the banks as they go.

River Usk coming round the corner into Newport, Wales

Many of the fields are still under water but what can be seen is lush and green, in so many variations you could not imagine that one colour could have so many different shades. The rain has lifted now and the sky is a fabulous blue with puffs of white cloud piled high, marvellous.

fields swamped with water

and here I am back in London, and besides the level of noise, one of the first things I have noticed is that my headache is back! Well now? There’s a thing. I didnt have one headache whilst I was away and within 12 hours of being back in London I have a headache. Hmmm. Is it the pollution perhaps or the noise levels? Although I take Vogel’s ‘oat drops’ at night to help me sleep (they knock me out), I am sure the constant noise of traffic outside my window doesn’t help (we have a major thoroughfare about 10 yards from my window). I was also very aware of the pollution as we came back into the city perimeter, the sky looks brown and grey. Urgh! And again it was brought home quite forcefully the mad rush and calamitious nature of the city. People are so rude, pushing and shoving; the sheer level of aggression which you get so used to when here all the time that you eventually don’t notice it, and within 10 minutes of getting off the train I was feeling so aggro! Grrr.

And then to top it all, I waited 25 minutes for the bus (after a 4.5 hour journey, this is not what I wish to do with my time), and then a bus-ride that normally takes about 10 minutes took over 20 to get from the station to my stop. My god! I am going to write to Boris Johnson and suggest he gets the buses sorted. I can’t even begin to imagine how bloody awful it’s going to be with the Olympics. And now of course the drivers et al are threatening to strike unless they get and extra £500 for the period. Come on people, you have a job, just do it. I haven’t had an increase in salary for over three years now and they are bitching about having to drive extra people.

Anyhow, that’s enough of that….I will put #grumpygranny back in her box for now and save that particular rant for another blog. 🙂 🙂
Some great and fun news is that I went on my 5th and final Dragon and Flagon Pub Tour last night and whoooo hoooo I got my badge! I have now been inducted into the Order of the Dragon and am officially a Dragon! Harhar!

dragon and flagon pub tour, pub tours of london, history of london

me and Vic – our erstwhile pub-tour guide. I got my badge in front of The Monument

And what a fun night it was too. Vic is such a terrific tour guide. I got to see the first church that was re-built by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666, a narrow cobbled road that slopes downhill with a gutter that runs down the middle – designed to allow the effluent of the ancient city to run off into the river!! ewwwww!!!

Lovat Lane – where the old surface is barely the width of a plague cart’s wheelbase and the gutter still runs down the middle carrying effluent to the river

imagine how vile the air must have been, visited the site of the entrance to (oops cant remember now) from the “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askeban” movie, had a Bailey’s on ice in a pub closely associated with Lewis Carroll (he of Alice in Wonderland fame), visited my favourite pub of all time, saw the last of the ancient city bollards – made from the tube of a captured French cannon,

bollards of london, hidden london, street bollards, history of london

on the banks of the Thames this old bollard is made from an old cannon from a 18th century warship

we re-visited the site where Samuel Pepys stood as he watched London burning in 1666 and did a whole lot of ‘shard spotting’ (the building is looking brilliant now and it’s almost unbelievable how high it is).

The Shard, designed by the international architect, Renzo Piano

super cool. The evening ended off at a pub I had wanted to visit, have walked past a number of times and never gone in; awesome…..and then home (1.5hours journey time????), never let it be said that London is a small city….. and then a catch up with my delightful daughter whom I have not seen for 2 weeks and finally to bed at 1am.
I am home!

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Things I saw

Posted in around the UK, It's my life on April 25, 2012| 2 Comments »

As mentioned in an earlier post I spent a few days in the marvellous Black & White historical village of Weobley (pronounced Webbly) in Herefordshire; a gorgeous little village to be sure. There were many trappings of modern life that were missing, like internet reception, supermarkets, Starbucks, Costa Coffee and traffic lights, but there were many things I saw that I never see in London:

black and white villages of the uk, weobley in herefordshire

tractor and trailer laden with hay driving through the centre of town

green fields from my bedroom window

sheep in the fields

and a blanket of stars at night

night sky via http://startswithabang.com/

There definitely are benefits to being in the country. I am heading that way again in the near future and after last nights road-works right outside my window till after 2am in the morning…..I am looking forward to the peace and quiet of the country and a peaceful, traffic-free sleep. 🙂

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warbling in Weobley

Posted in around the UK, Historical, It's my life, tagged black and white villages, herefordshire, historic villages in the uk, villages in the uk, weobley on April 22, 2012| 8 Comments »

Ok so it’s not me doing the warbling…that honour goes to the birds; literally 🙂

At time of writing, here I am in a little village called Weobley (pronounced Webbley) in the middle of the country in the county of Herefordshire. And I am working as a Carer….never say never eh!!! So you may ask: ‘what are you doing working as a carer again?’….and well you might ask! What am I doing working as a Carer again? Last year in August when I quit the job it was with the intention of not working as a carer again!! I wanted to work in an office and bring my skills up to date. I managed to find a job fairly easily (hmmm…perhaps too easily) but because I knew of the company through someone else I felt fairly confident that it would be a great position. And so it turned out to be except for one very important aspect…..the boss!!! He was of the mind that it was not only acceptable but traditional to shout at the employee (me)….. really?

Well as you can imagine I did not take very kindly to that and within 3 months I resigned. Anyhow he (the boss) and I had a meeting and he asked why I had resigned so I told him…I don’t like the way you speak to me. Simples!!! So things settled for a bit and they asked me to stay on till after Xmas (this being November) and in a moment of insanity I agreed. Yeah, yeah, yeah take my temperature why don’t you!! The shouting settled for a bit until one day after a particularly stressful day I told him that he was a bit bullish (subtle terminology for ‘you are a bully’) and we ended up having a spat….. anyhow he took it on the chin, and away we went. The the shouting escalated again and when I challenged him on it (and challenge him I did), he was of the mind that he was stressed and blah blah blah and that if I could not handle it then I should resign….so I did. Resignation #2! Again after a couple of weeks of looking for a suitable person and not finding anyone they asked me to stay on and again I did (ok this time a phychologist would be in order). However it did not last long and I finally resigned for the 3rd and final time when I found myself listening to him berate me for a totally arbitrary issue, and I found myself picturing what it would be like to smash his head in with the mug I was holding in my hand. They found someone else to take the crap and I left on 3rd April…just short of 7 months at the job.

Hmmm, now what to do? I am of the mind that if what he says is true, and shouting and being bullied is the norm in the office environment in the UK….then I want nothing of it. Back to the caring then!

And here I am…as I write I am in a little village called Weobley that has a fantastic history dating back to mediaeval times with some fabulous houses built in 1422 and 1561 and so on. Right up my alley so to speak. This position has reminded me of all the things I loved about being a carer and all the things I disliked about being a carer. Fortunately the lady is a delight and despite my misgivings about the dog (he is actually very sweet and has taken a shine to me – follows me around the house). I am enjoying this particlar job. Fortunately it is only a 5 day position and not 2weeks which seriously kills me, especially if the client is full of doodah!!

I love the adventure of going to new places in the UK and I get to see amazing little villages I would not otherwise, and get paid for being there. I love the discoveries I make and if the job is pleasant I love what I do. The thing I dislike about the caring is being stuck indoors for 22 hours a day unless the client likes going out. I chaff at the bit of being unable to go out for walks, of being unable to go to bed when I am tired and the assumption by the client that it is ok to ‘demand’ without a ‘please’ in front. It’s not the easiest of jobs, but the one thing I do appreciate is that they are mostly short-term and if you land up with a client that is rude you can request to be withdrawn. Benefit!! What I dislike… is being away from home, of not sleeping in my own bed and having my things around me. The benefit this time though is that I have a home to go back to. 🙂 and I have my delightful daughter there too.

So Weobley, established in the 7th century, has a fascinating history as well as the archaeological remains of what was a castle, probably built by one ‘de lacy….he of many castles in Ireland as well. I have had a fab time meandering the streets of the village and photographing the numerous houses that still exist from the dark ages ( 😉 ) and walking the dog. Unlike at home where there is a constant stream and cacophony of traffic, I hardly ever heard a car, slept like a log and in the mornings when I woke, it was to the sound of sheep baaing and birds warbling.

I am of course now back home. There was no internet reception in the area which I found unsurprising and totally annoying. However, it has given me a chance to catch up on stuff and now that I am home again, I can get back online and do what I need to do. Of course the plan is to build my business to the point where I not longer have to go away as a carer, but can go away on holiday….to explore and discover new villages and places at my own pace.

I took hundreds of photos as you can imagine (you know I do!) and have made a video for your enjoyment. Weobley

Here is a wee bit of history of the village:

Weobley is a picture postcard village surrounded by glorious countryside, in the county of Herefordshire, renowned for its stunning black and white timber framed houses, and buildings some of which date back to the 1400’s. The village has an interesting history with Saxon origins, an ancient 12th Century church with an impressive 14th Century Tower, and spire that graces the skyline. At the southern end of the village stands a link with Medieval times at Weobley Castle.
Weobley is one of the best-preserved Tudor villages in the country, with many beautiful timber framed buildings.

When Wibba created a clearing in the woods (a ley) here in the 6th Century, little did he think that his name would still be attached to the village 1500 years later. His father, Cridda, was King of Mercia and held a hill fort not far away at Credenhill (Cridda’s hill).

In Weobley many aspects of 1500 years of British history are represented. From its Saxon origins, through the Norman Conquest to the medieval period, the Civil War, and the agricultural revolution. Here you will discover the remains of an 11th Century castle, a 12th Century Church and many houses from the14th Century onwards.

In 2008 Weobley appeared in the top fifty of the Times Newspaper’s best places to live in England.

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the best sniper of the afternoon

Posted in around the UK, Fun Stuff, It's my life, tagged conspiracy theories, spy games, stirred not shaken, virgin trains euston to milton keynes on November 20, 2011| 3 Comments »

my first time on a Virgin train

Yesterday saw me heading north on the Virgin train from Euston to Milton Keynes. It was my very first time on a Virgin train and (even though I really admire Richard B) I felt like a bit of a traitor supporting the brand when not only has Richard Branson moved his business interests out the country to save on taxes, but now he has bought Northern Rock and is now the owner of a bank he wanted, we the tax payers are left with a massive £400million loss. Not that I can blame him really, what with the taxes we pay here and if he wants a bank….well then why not! It’s certainly better than having to go cap in hand to the bank manager when you want a loan! 🙂

But I digress. I was heading north to take part in my birthday present…. Spy Games Academy 🙂 Ever since I was a young girl I was fascinated by and read WW2 stories of spies and mystery, women who parachuted behind enemy lines into France and Germany on secret missions…..right up my alley. I desperately wanted to be a brave heroine and read every book I could lay my hands on. As I grew up, so my desire changed course, and I wanted to be an FBI Agent, thoroughly fascinated by conspiracy theories and stories of clandestine meetings and secret codes posted in dead-letter boxes. My daughter grew up hearing me say these things over and over again. So this year for my birthday she bought me an excursion to the Spy Games Academy!!! OMGosh!!!!! That was back in April and now finally I was able to go on the excursion; booked for the 19th November.

The past week my excitement had been building by the day and by Saturday morning I was bursting with excitement….stirred not shaken, 008 and NotJustAGranny 🙂

The train journey was fab as always, the UK is so beautiful. Tranquil canals, barges slowly meandering along, lush green fields dotted with white sheep, clumps of ancient woodland, towering hedges that twist and wind following the country roads that lead to quintessential English villages. I never tire of whizzing along through this country’s marvellous landscape. The weather was fabulous and we are in the midst of a very warm November.

After a very quick 30 minute journey we arrived in Milton Keynes and from there a 20 minute cab journey to Thornton Village in the heart of the Buckinghamshire countryside. By that stage my heart was racing and my tummy filled with butterflies. Finally! Spy Games Academy!

Spy Games Academy in Buckinghamshire

The green fields ahead and a massive aeroplane hanger to the right I trotted on over and registered. First up a briefing and into our respective teams. Then a course in unarmed combat where I learned how to knock someone out with a sock full of stones…..very useful for when I am meandering on my own through the countryside ( 🙂 ). We also learned how to use a pen as a weapon and how to down a fully grown man with moves that I know for sure I have not a chance of replicating. I’ll stick to screaming, thank you!!

Then it was off across the fields to the the guns!!! whoo hoo!!! I love target shooting and the last time I had the opportunity was in 1976 when I was dating a guy who used to go target shooting with handguns. I loved it then and now I was to have another chance! We were given a brief run down of what and what not to do…..like point the barrel at our compatriots. Then I got to lift this beautiful piece of wood and metal that slid into my hand like it lived there. I love the feel of guns and so enjoy the challenge of aiming and firing….at a non-living target of course. So first things first….we had to cock the barrel and insert the pellets (not real bullets…I doubt they wanted to let us bunch of amateurs loose with that kind of thing). I had to use both hands to cock the barrel… no strength at all in my arms. hahaha! Then it was eye to glass and my target 500 meters away sprang into view. I took a deep breath, swung the cross-hairs till I had the bulls-eye in my sights, aimed and gently squeezed the trigger. What a thrill to hear the thwack of the pellet hitting the target…..5 times!!!

my first attempt 🙂

I had absolutely no expectations of actually having hit the target so you can imagine my surprise and delight when we got to the boards and whoaaaa!!! All my shots had hit the mark with two right in the black!! The instructor was really complimentary and I felt so chuffed!!! Then yay!!! we got to do it all over again. Another 5 shots!!

After we had all shot off our quota we walked back to the target and OMG!!!! I had hit the black circle another 3 times out of 5, all tightly grouped. All the shots were within the inner circles and the instructor cheered when he saw my target and gave me a huge hug!!! heehee.

results of my 2nd attempt 🙂

I felt so thrilled especially as I was the oldest by about 20 years easily of the next oldest person in the group and the rest of the group bar one, were all guys!! whey hey….Not Just a Granny 🙂 What a thrill. We were then given carte-blanche to shoot off as many pellets as we liked at small metal targets hanging from a metal frame suited about a hundred yards away….and hey hey hey…. I hit this very small swinging target 5 times out of 7!! One of the instructors behind me exclaimed each time I hit the target with “geez look at that…she can’t miss!” They were really impressed and apparently I got the accolade for the best shot of the afternoon!!! Bloody marvellous.

Then we headed over to the assault rifle section and got to heft an assault gun, not real of course, but close enough to make it feel like the real thing. Filled with pellets, we had two targets to hit this time, one of which was beyond a pile of tyres that we had to run towards, sink behind then aim and fire! Way Cool.

the assault rifle course...so much fun!

So first the instruction…again a little reminder not to aim the gun at anyone, then safety glasses on and so we lined up behind a barrel and on the command of ‘UP!’ we fired……whoaaa!!!! a stream of pellets went flying through the air and pounded the target!! I was in my element.

safety glasses on, and assault rifle in hand....008 strikes again!

We got to do this about 5 or 6 times and then the game changed and our next exercise was to first shoot the front target, run across the field, fall down and hide behind the tyres take aim and shoot the target down field. What a blast….needless to say I came absolutely last in the group getting back to the start. Once I am down on my knees it takes a massive effort to get back up again! hysterical. I was laughing so much I could barely stand. We got to this about 5 times. So much fun!

Then over to the axe throwing section where I got to let my inner tiger out in a war-cry that I defy anyone to beat. Fortunately I am of the age where I no longer care what people think and I got right into the spirit of the game and really let fly with the axes and the war-cries. Shame, but the fellas were far more tame and no-one besides me did the whole war-cry thing. Man, did it feel good. The instructor was quite impressed hahaha. Called me ‘sweetpea’….can you imagine!!! Sweetpea…of all the names!! hysterical.

Next we were given instruction and hints and tips of how they do surveillance, using cameras so small you could not imagine. Evasive techniques, trailing techniques and how they use groups to tail someone. Scary stuff. Then as the day started to come to a close and the sun slipped down the sky, and dusk began to fall, the last 40 minutes was spent strapping on webbing round our waists with leg holster gear and so we learned how to draw, aim and shoot a hand gun (all plastic guns of course).

dusk in Buckinghamshire, near the village of Thornton

Then we were given replicas of machine guns, donned red or blue coloured vests and army type helmets and guns charged, off we went. Piles of tyres, metal barrels, piles of hay bundles and what not. The aim of the game was to run around a replicated combat zone and shoot the other team. The guns had a limited lifespan and you had 10 lifetimes. Once you had shot off all your ammo and your quota of grenades, that was it….you were dead! Well, all I can say is that I must have died about 50 times, I ended up shooting my own team (my night vision is non-existent) and I laughed so much that I could barely stand. By the time my gun ran out (which was very quick in comparison to the others) I had sneaked up on someone behind a pile of barrels and pam pam shot him dead, my pants were all muddied from falling down onto my knees behind piles of tyres and I had killed most of my team!!! Hysterical.

What a brilliant afternoon! I can highly recommend letting your inner child out and having a blast! I can’t wait to go back again. Spy Games Academy – Summer 2012 for sure!!!

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10 years = 3652 days. 87648hours. 5258880 minutes.

Posted in around the UK, Castles of UK and Ireland, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, Historical, Holidays, Inspiration, It's my life, Travel, tagged life changing events, world travel on October 8, 2011| 3 Comments »

Heading off to the airport, bursting with excitement, my bags packed; 1 rucksack and a backpack, my stomach swirled and whirled with a mix of excitement and terror.

The journey to get to this point had been fraught with loss, anxiety, fear, hard work, worry, excitement and the thrill of setting off on an adventure to lands unknown…..loss of a job, giving up my home, fear of the unknown, the anxiety of leaving my daughter on her own (how daft am I), fear of being in foreign countries, worry of what to do when I got there, and how to get to where I had to go – the future spread before me and I had no idea of the adventures that lay ahead.

10 years ago today; 8th October 2001 = (3652 days, 87648 hours, 5258880 minutes ago) I left South Africa. The first time ever I was leaving the shores of my country of birth, I was flying across continents and seas over to Ireland to visit my little sister and to celebrate her 30th birthday with her which was the following day (and also the day I arrived in Ireland).

3 months before this day, I had come to a fork in the road of my life. The company I was working for had gone into liquidation in July, my daughter had attained the age of 21 in August (we had a fab party for that), and my sister who was living in Ireland at the time, as mentioned was due a landmark birthday in October and wanted someone from the family to join her. So, since I would have no job from the end of that September, it made perfect sense for me to go. There had of course been many forks in the road and I had gone on many a new journey in the preceeding 46years, but this was the first time I would be travelling overseas.

Getting to the point of departure was a journey of it’s own. I had to obtain a visa, arrange for my house to be sold, worry about where my daughter was to live, sell my car, pack my belongings into storage, find the money to live on while I was away and pay the bills, fight with the airline that went into liquidation 3 weeks before I was due to depart (think Swissair), talk myself onto a packed flight with South African Airways, and spare a thought or two about what I would do for a job on my return……little did I know. (and as I write those four words: ‘little did I know’ I am overwhelmed with emotion).

One of the most incredible things about being human, with a logical memory and perception is that….we can look back on events that change our lives and be amazed at the sheer wonder of it all.

My wonderful family; daughter Cémanthe, sister’s Sue & Joanne, nieces and nephews all came to see me off at the airport. I literally bounced through the airport, both terrified and excited beyond words, so much so that I could not contain myself and as I bounced along towards Customs I jumped up and down like a kangaroo, laughing and crying at the same time.

The flight was long, and overcrowded and tiring. I arrived in Zurich the next morning, absolutely terrified at finding my way to my next flight. In the event I did and as we flew over Europe I was in tears; tears of excitement, of joy, of wonder, of fear and the overiding thought was that in these very skies the 2nd WW had been fought. As a 2nd WW aficianado it was so emotional to think of those people who had lived through that time.

Next stop was London City airport. How foreign then, how familiar now. Finding my way to the tube; a time of confusion and fear. Trying to convert Rands to Pounds, thank goodness they spoke English. First a bus ride and finally onto the Piccadilly line and I was on my way, one more leg and I would be in Ireland!!! Hooray. I thrilled at the novelty of riding on a train underground, amazed that this was possible, amused at the people around me, the changing faces, the foreign languages, the suitcases and the fact that I, me, was there too! I felt as if I was in a dream.

Then suddenly we left the underground and I saw the houses of London for the first time and I was smitten. I often tell this story because it was life changing: as we left the tunnel I looked up and saw the houses and the chimneys that reminded me of Mary Poppins, and I fell in love. A love that has never waned, grown stronger and as I said to someone today…..if I had felt as much passion for my husband as what I feel for London….I would probably still be married!!! (and no offence to anyone who is happily married, but I shudder at the thought 🙂 ), imagine all that I would have missed out on if I had not been single. It still amazes me today that all my life I never expressed an interest in even visiting London and now it has become my home and I can’t imagine wanting to live anywhere else in the world.

The next surprise was Heathrow. A LOT smaller than I had anticipated from the stories I had heard and then suddenly we were airborne and my excitement knew no bounds. The patchwork fields below me looked enchanting, then the Irish Sea spread before me and my excitement escalated, then suddenly the coast of Ireland started to appear!! And as we came in to land, I heard gaellic for the first time, realised why Ireland is called the ’emerald isle’ and whoa……there below me I could see a castle! A real genuine castle, castle. Alice in Wonderland had nothing on this!!

At the time I arrived Ireland they were in the midst of an outbreak of foot & mouth disease and we had to walk through a special fluid to clean our shoes. That was quite symbolic for me as I felt like I was starting with a clean slate. (I know, I know, but it makes sense to me!). The Customs man waved me through, but I stopped and asked him to stamp my passport…..duh!!! My third stamp in 24 hours. Meeting up with my beloved sister and brother-in-law was out of this world. The joy I felt at being there, seeing them again was beyond words. My head was buzzing with all the new experiences I was having.

The next 24 hours were just beyond description….and I never went home!

Since that day I have travelled the length and breadth of Ireland, visited and stayed in hundreds of villages, dozens of towns and many cities of England, Scotland & Wales, visited dozens of islands and 2 continents, been to America (3 times), Venice, Verona and Sirmione, Paris and Versailles, Amsterdam & Gouda, Bruges & Damme, Gibraltar and been on a cruise to the Bahamas. I have explored medieaval forts and towers, meandered through Castles, Abbeys, Cathedrals, Churches, world-famous Universities and two Roman amphitheatre’s. Walked on a Roman road in the crypt of a church, visited many other crypts and a 5,000 year old burial mound, the sites of significant historical battles, a medieaval Tower and Palaces, seen the Queen of England (a live one!), walked in the footsteps of a beloved Princess, Winston Churchill, Christopher Wren, Oscar Wilde, Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Kings and Queens, Dukes and Duchesses, and watched the Royal Wedding of a future King and Queen from close proximity on The Mall in London. I have participated in and watched ancient parades and ceremonies, waded barefoot in the Irish Sea, the English Channel, the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic ocean on the other side of the world, seen the Crown jewels of England, the crow’s nest of Shackleton’s ship, and sat on the seat where Alexander Pope rested and Walter Raleigh planned his round the world trips. Seen the Atlas mountains, the Swiss Alps, the Sahara desert, and the Grand Canyon from the air, walked on fire, tramped along jurassic cliffs and historic tunnels, clambered through caves and grottos, travelled on planes, trains, boats and a barge, the Eurostar, a limosine and a horse & carriage in New York, in a soft-top Cadillac in Paris, a riverboat steamer, a ferry in Ireland, a gondola in Venice and a ship across the Caribbean sea, walked across historical bridges, been rock-wall climbing, para-sailing, climbed a 60′ pole and then bungeed off, had a white christmas, built a snowman in Hyde Park, and went sledding at Alexander Palace, had a cruise on the Seine and rowed on the Thames, been to the top of the Empire State Building, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Eiffel Tower, heard the bells of Big Ben in London, St Marks Cathedral in Venice, Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Southwark Cathedral and St Paul’s in London, St David’s in Wales, the Notre Dame in Paris, and listened to the sirens of WW2. Stood on the most central spot of New York, Paris, London and Dublin, I’ve seen amazing sunsets in 8 countries and many more counties, and very few sunrises in any!! I have seen world-famous paintings by VanGogh, Monet, Van Dyck, Gainsborough, Rubens and others, ancient pottery and artefacts 1,000’s of years BC, medieval art and dwellings, stood on the spot where artists like Bellini, Canneletto, Carravagio, Titian and Tintoretto stood as they splashed their paint onto church walls in Italy that still stand today. I’ve walked through the red-light district of Amsterdam, along the decking of Horatio Nelson’s ship, through the house where Shakespeare was born, the Tower where Sir Walter Raleigh was incarcerated, seen the bed where Queen Mary was born, sat on the couch where Keats lay dying, had tea in a cafe where Princess Diana once did, walked up steps that have seen the feet of Saint Patrick, pilgrims, monks, and travellers of old, walked through ancient Monasteries and woodlands, a Masonic Temple, stood on the Meridian line and the spot where 3 English Queens were beheaded. I’ve seen red deer, hares and foxes, painted ladies and for the first time heard a robin, a cuckoo and a blackbird sing. I have eaten key lime pie and conch fritters in America, crepes in France, pizza in Italy, chocolate in Belgium, cheese in Amsterdam, soda bread in Ireland, Cornish ice-cream and fish and chips with mushy peas in quintessential English seaside resorts.

In these 10years I have become an aunty again for the 4th time, a great-aunt 3 times over, been to 3 weddings and one funeral (non family), lost a dearly beloved (almost) father-in-law, travelled to South Africa as a ‘visitor’ 5 times, slept in airports in 3 countries I haven’t visited, started a business and learned about MLM, internet marketing, spread betting (still haven’t figured it out), learned about personal development, the universe and being in your flow, listened to world-famous speakers and bullshitters, been on courses that have altered my perceptions and learned about values and beliefs, read ancient manuscripts and The Book of Kells, had my daughter join me in London for a holiday and end up staying 🙂 made many new friends and lost a few, fell in and out of love and almost moved to America, lived in cottages, apartments, flats, houses, mansions, a loft, a boat and a gypsy caravan (none of which were my own) and slept in a tent on The Mall. I’ve learned how to use a mobile phone, send text messages, use a phone in a foreign country (Italy), edit photos on my computer, to blog and to tweet, written 2 books, had 3 poems and a book of photos published, I have stood up in front of a room full of people and done a presentation and yet just 10 years ago my sister in Ireland had to coach me on how overcome my fear and to speak to people I didn’t know 🙂 Now I can and do speak to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

From one rucksack and a backpack when I left my home shores, I have during the last 10 years accumulated so much that I now have 12 suitcases, 30 boxes filled to the brim, a chest of drawers, a rebounder, books by the dozen and mementoes galore, a postcard collection to rival any other and so much stuff that I now need a storage unit to store it all. And in my heart I have stored some of the most amazing sights, sounds, memories and experiences.

I have done more in the last 10 years than I did in the preceeding 46, and as I write I marvel at the journey it took to reach this anniversary, and dream with anticipation of the possible journeys that still lie ahead.

I am one of the luckiest people in the world. Long may the journey and the adventures continue.

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gypsy Rose

Posted in around the UK, Fun Stuff, It's my life, tagged being homeless, gypsy caravans, life in london, no longer homeless, princess diana, transport in london on September 22, 2011| 2 Comments »

whooo hoo!!! what a marvellous stroke of luck. You may recall I mentioned that I had been living in a hostel (which did my head in)

the hostel

and then by good fortune a friend of mine said her sister had a spare room.!!! marvellous. and this spare room was in a little wee house on an island!!! even better. So heres the thing….my goal is to live on or visit 100 islands and so far I have managed to do quite a few. I first saw this island and strolled about on it last year, and at the time said ‘AHH I woud love to live here’…..and now I am, albeit for only 24days. 🙂

So on Tuesday morning after I left the hostel I stopped off at a little wee café had wanted to visit ever since I first saw it!

all photos of Princess Diana

Diana’s Café on Bayswater Road. I popped in the other day and the walls are covered with photos of Princess Diana….quite emotional. So I had a yummy breakfast and delicious cup of tea and then headed off to work.

yummy!!!

So loving being out in the morning and really enjoy the hustle and bustle…..despite the buses et al being late!!!

So as I write I am sitting in front of….wait for it….I kid you not….truly and cross my heart….a gypsy caravan. 🙂 how bloody marvellous is that!! When I arrived on Tuesday night, I was made to feel very welcome and we sat and chatted over tea (for me) and wine (for them). We spoke at length about travel and travelling (my favourite subject, besides my daughter!) and I happened to mention my dream was to travel round the UK and then the world in a campervan!! And so it was mentioned that they had a gypsy caravan at the end of the garden!! really?? wow!! So from there the conversation verred off in the direction of what I call a ‘most sensible idea!’

I was asked if I would like to sleep in the caravan!!! Geez….can you see my grin?? of course I would!!! So we traipsed down to the end of the garden and there was the most darling little red gypsey caravan. Think in terms of Cher in one of her music videos. It is gorgeous. I had a peek inside and was smitten.

my home till the 14th October 🙂 wheee

So we trundled my bag down the garden path and into the caravan. What a brilliant little place. I cant swing my arms, never mind a cat, but it is just darling. I have the most fab view of the river which flows by no more than 15 feet away….thankfully at least 30 feet down….or I may be in trouble at high tide. 🙂

So my first night was a charm!! I slept like a log with the background sounds of the river teasing the edges of my conciousness. I woke the next morning to the sound of geese honking and whipped my ass out of bed quicker than you could say “rise and shine”. There were dozens of these very noisy creatures flying by and honking, hissing and bickering like mad!! what a cacaphony!!! and how marvellous. what a way to start the day. Lovely fresh air, birds honking, ducks quacking, and the sound of the river rushing by.

the view from my bed!!!

So last night I visited with my beloved daughter for supper and helping her pack for Spain. She is going skydiving in Seville (lucky fishy) and will be flying out today! I am really trepiditious but at the same time thrilled for her….what an adventure. wow!!! My turn next! So after supper and chat and pudding I walked from her house to mine (took about 20minutes) and marvelled again at the fact that I can walk about at that time of the night with no fear. I love that I can do that!

The little wee caravan was waiting with open doors (welll actually I had to unlock them first! 🙂 ) and I settled in for the night. So this morning I woke really early at 6.30 and immediately got up and out onto the terrace. wow! what a marvellous morning. I first made myself a cup of tea, then settled down to watch the sun rise and the birds waking up. It is the most beautiful day and I am loving every minute of this little adventure. My commute in the mornings is along a shady green path that winds it’s way past quaint little corrugated iron sheds and little cottages,

how darling is this!!!

over a footbridge across the river then through a delightful little town and so to the tube!!! The train crosses the river again at Richmond and the view is something else.

my commute in the mornings

When I come home once again the train trundles over the river and the view is so uplifting!!! the Thames is such a beautiful river and this is such an amazing part of the country.

06.36 am this morning 🙂

I feel truly blessed. The job is improving (or perhaps its coz I know more what I am doing now) and I really enjoyed having the office to myself the last few days. I get to do a lot of social media too as part of the role so that is right up my alley, and I could spend all day on facebook and twitter….not that I do, there are other things to be done!

.....other things to be done!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

So, I have just finished my breakfast, am about to pack up and head off for my commute……feet first, then a bus, then a train, then another train and then feet again and I am at work. 🙂

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that elusive quality called time

Posted in around the UK, It's my life, Travel, tagged searching the web for work, spedning time with my daughter, villages of the uk on August 27, 2011| Leave a Comment »

hmmm, and the eternal question is: where does it go? I have been back in London for just on 10 days and the days have whizzed by. I have moved on to North London and am staying at my friends place whilst she is in South Africa….great timing really. The days in Twickenham were great fun and CJ and I had some really special times together, either watching TV, working, chatting, strolling along the riverbank, eating out, munching our way through cupcakes, taking photos and having lonnnngggg conversations about the meaning of life.

view of the Thames at Richmond

the conclusion I have recently come to is that we really have to enjoy the moment. enjoy and appreciate where we are as much as is possible. We are urged time and again to reach for goals and although that is good, so much of life is missed out because we are focussing on the future instead of the now. I really slowed down the few days I had with my daughter and instead of stressing about work or money or getting blogs up or posting on twitter, I just enjoyed whatever time we had together. I don’t get to see that much of her even when I am in London so those few days were really precious. I even managed to surprise her on Sunday night with a mini-birthday party, which was great fun and she didn’t suspect a thing despite me never being able to keep a secret.

a surprise birthday party

we didn’t get to do the tour after all. We woke late and I felt really ill (turns out I had food poisoning from the meal the night before), so we decided to just relax and chat and spend the day together, and it turned out just super.

The last few days have been spent updating records and sorting my photo albums. I have joined a group on facebook that has a different theme every day and it has been a fun challenge to see if any of my photos are suitable. Some of them have been well liked which is brilliant. I really do love taking photos and think I will drive everyone nuts when I have a more sophisticated camera. I already have over 22,000 photos!!! Hysterical. Of course not all of them are good enough for publication, but most of them remind me of places I have been and things I have seen, and that is awesome.

a storm's brewing

we had a brilliant thunder storm yesterday with the accompanying lightening and a massive downpour which was pretty awesome. My sweet sister-in-law is in labour and within the next day or so I will be an aunty again!!! yay! It’s a little girl and I am really looking forward to welcoming her. They recently adopted two kiddies; a boy of 7 and a girl of 6 years old, so with the new baby on the way they are going to have their hands full. They live in Hungary so sadly I don’t get to see them much, but I am hoping to make a trip there sometime later this year.

On the job front I have found absolutely nothing that excites me!!!! urgh. I loath doing job searches and this is no different. So I am using the care work as a fall back till I find something that will be of interest. Initially I was really annoyed with myself for using this as a fall back, but I have now made my peace with it. Instead of resenting this I have instead resolved to enjoy the fact that I can now visit some more villages or towns of the UK and add to my now very long list which is approaching 100!!! Way cool. I am thinking of making a book about the villages as this will fit in with my dream of travelling around the UK in my campervan and blogging about the places I go (as mentioned in an earlier blog).

As I write I am watching the news of hurricane Irene in America and it looks frightening. I can’t even begin to imagine such big storms. We had awesome storms in South Africa but nothing like whats going on there.

So back to the web for more job searches. How awesome it would be if I could just magic up a number of clients who need my credit control services and I could do what I really enjoy…..sorting, organising and fixing. 🙂

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back in London

Posted in around the UK, It's my life, Travel, tagged chipstead village, halstead village, searching for a job, travelling to villages in the uk on August 26, 2011| 2 Comments »

(Ok, so this blog is a week overdue. I wrote it on 18th!!) I am back….haven’t absconded to India just yet 🙂

I am back in London after a lovely week in Halstead/Kent with a really lovely lady. One of the nicest placements I have had in all the years I have worked as a Carer. However, as I mentioned earlier, spending time with her has really given me a serious kick on my metaphorical butt!!!! I must, and that is a MUST get to travel again. There are so many places she wanted to see and visit but coz of this debilitating disease (motor neuron disease) she is, at the same age as me, confined to a wheelchair. She does go out of course but only to places that are close to home. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to have been an active and busy person to suddenly be diagnosed with a debilitating disease. I know people do cope and adjust, but I am quite healthly and able and I really do want to see so many places and of course as you probably already know….I want to travel round the UK and hopefully Europe with my campervan 🙂

my daughter sent this to me...it's now my desktop pic!! love it, makes me smile eveytime I log on

I had a lovely week and got to visit a delightful little village; Chipstead. So adorable with the cutest little houses and cottages. A bubbling stream winds through the village and in front of some of the houses.

Victorian cottages in Chipstead

I was thrilled to find a wee bridge that crossed the stream which meandered past a ‘Mill House’….these villages are just heavenly. I also found some terrific cottages, more modern than the one dated 1694!!!

built 1694

that I want to investigate (when!!!!! I have internet access again). I got my dongle on Tuesday, only to discover that they had sent me the wrong one. I have a contract and they sent me a pay as you go!!! Seriously I am so fed up with them now that I could not even phone them when I discovered their mistake……I was unsure I could hold my temper. So I have packed it away and will tackle this issue tomorrow or Saturday. So annoying. Ah well. Perhaps the Universe is trying to teach me some patience 🙂 – as of today 26.08 I have been back online for 6 days and playing catch up.

Right now (18:44) is am sitting at Costa, where it’s warm and cosy, I have just finished some spreadsheet work for my friend (I do love spreadsheets) and am now writing this blog in preparation for when I get online! When I arrived back in London this afternoon the rain came down in buckets and I got soaked!!! my trainers are wet and cold and it feels ucky!! I still have a few hours before I get home and be able to change. When I arrived I have a delicious hot choclate with trimmings (cream & marshmallows) and an almond croissant…..yummy. I think I deserved that after getting soaked and after my long journey. I am meeting up with a friend for dinner later on which will be fun.

So home for the next few days is after all going to be with my daughter. Her housemate had a bit of a hissy fit last week and threatened all sorts of dire things and said she is not at all happy with another person staying at the house…..never mind that she has had people staying over a number of times, once for a month!!! geez…how to feel welcome hey. This homeless business is not fun!

Tomorrow I am going to take her on a tour of the ‘old’ City of London, from the Tower of London to St Paul’s cathedral where I am going to take her right up to the Golden Gallery, then from there we will visit The Old Bailey, and St Bride’s Church, then past the Olde Cheshire Cheese to Samuel Johnson’s house, back to Fleet Street and thence to The Royal Courts of Justice on Strand. We will meander the streets and visit ancient places and commune with ghosts along the way!!! this is the 3rd and final itinerary of the 3 Days in London itineraries and hopefully once we have done this one I can finally get them into a decent format and uploaded online.

The weekend promises to be quiet, my daughter is off to Rochester with a friend, so I plan to knuckle down and get some blogs online. Haven’t been able to do any for weeks now. My poor hootsuite account needs attention too….that has also suffered since my internet access has been so disrupted. Eish!!!

On the work front…..of course I have not been able to get onto google…which has been a real nuisance, but hopefully this weekend I can. I do have another short placement shortly but I hope the agency can find me another before too long. Other than that I shall continue to look.

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keeping my nerve

Posted in around the UK, It's my life, tagged halstead kent, panic attacks, seeking employment at 56, villages of the uk on August 14, 2011| 4 Comments »

So this morning I awoke to a full-blown panic attack!!! well actually, since I hardly slept last night I guess I didn’t wake to the panic attack, I just simply had one! Urgh! It’s the most horrible feeling. And coz I am working, and in someone else’s house I can’t even have a good old scream to release the tension. So squish the feelings and hold them at bay!

Yesterday was a very long day. Sometimes I not sure which is worse…..working from 8am-11pm and being stuck indoors all day with not much to do and earning a wage, or being outdoors walking and exploring at my own will and not earning a wage! Which is best? 🙂 hmmm. I think I should just abscond to India and become one of those mad english women who shuffle along barefoot, dressed in long white robes, their hair askew, unwashed, a begging bowl in hand and muttering all the way!!! or perhaps I can install myself in a monastry high in the hills and go meditate and levitate!

On the plus side, the lady I am caring for at the moment gave me a set of books on London, she was going to discard. 4 small little paperbacks that tell the story of 4 different era’s in London’s history! Whoohoo!! so fascinating. There should have been 8 books, but she is not sure where the others are. But hey, I am more than happy with the 4, already found some things I want to follow up on when I get back to London. She is lovely, and is the type of person that I love about this kind of work. Gentle and sweet, not condescending and hoity-toity. It has been a pleasure to be here and if it was not for the fact that I know this is a rarity, I would quite happily do more of this.

Talking of which…..on the job front, I chucked in some random tags words into google yesterday and it spat out some really cool looking stuff. Will have to be a little more targeted and I may just find something right up my alley. Of course I have to remind myself that what I really want to be doing will pull me in two directions! My love is London; to walk around exploring, taking photos, blogging about it and (somehow) getting paid to do so. My desire is to drive around the UK in a campervan, visiting little villages and out of the way beauty spots, exploring, taking photos, blogging about it and (somehow) getting paid to do so! Hahahaha. A metaphorical fork in the road of my destiny! Which way do you think I should go?

During my break today I headed off to visit the village church. There has been a church in halstead for over 1,000 years and unusually for one of these little villages, this church its situated right on the outskirts. On my way there I visited the ancient site of a tiny medieval church built on Saxon foundations, now tumbled down and overgrown with ivy and weeds, the remaining headstones, some of which date back to the late 1700’s line the wall which is about 2 feet thick. The site is English heritage and considered to be of significant interest….I’d agree. It’s set back in a forested area, quiet and peaceful as most of these places are – the only sounds; birdsong and the crunch of breaking wood underfoot.

the medieval church

From there I continued my meandering and discovered the ‘New’ Church. Built in the late 1870’s, in the style of the 13th century, a delightful little building with a bell tower much too tall for it’s size. I was in luck……a service was just finishing as I arrived so I waited patiently in the churchyard, studying the headstones and sitting quietly under a shady tree till they left the building. I then slipped in quietly for a look round. Beautiful. These country churches are something to see. Filled to the brim with memorials and mementoes of parishioners gone by, amazing stained glass windows of intricate glasswork shaped into pictures, some too beautiful to imagine. In some instances the history goes back hundreds of years and many are built on the remains of ancient medieval, Saxon or Tudor sites.