Merry Christmas!

I'm going to head over to your blogs soon to see how you have been getting on.  It's been the typical Christmas build-up here with concerts, shopping, making stuff.  Busy enough to keep me offline.

I probably won't be round much til after the New Year so would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year a bit early.... (that's it done!)

snow experiment

It's a bit hard to see... but the experiment was excecuted perfectly, however in my amazement I poured the remaining boiling water down my arm.  What a doofus!

Still - it was worth it.  Made my day.

It's s s s s so c c c cold... brr.

I tried chucking a kettle of water into the air today not thinking it would really do anything.

It made snow!

It's THAT cold here!!

Sad! And Happy.

Well Brownies has been snowed off for 2 weeks in a row.

Last week my DC (also halls boss-lady for church) texted me to cancel Brownies. One of those times when I think a phone call would be better as I'd have had better explanations for my kids when I rang them all if I'd know WHY exactly - Icy?  Slippery? Heating problems?

This week we were to have the division christmas concert, but the snow here on Monday closed the entire city - shops closed, trains stopped, buses were cancelled... I haven't been to school for a fortnight.  I'll be skint - now glad I bought so many presents on my credit card this year!.

Anyway - my house must be pristine I hear you remark, with all this time off.  Haha... or not.

I am going to do some work now - practise I mean.  Yippee.

UK Weather-Watch

Well it has all gone a bit Wintery in the UK!

We have had a lot of snow here lately and I feel as though I am on permanent weather-watch.  At the moment it's 5am-ish and I am awake for two reasons:  My boyfriend snort-snored suddenly extremely loudly scaring me out of my slumber, and I've got to get to Anstruther on Sat for work and don't fancy my chances much.

However the weather forecast is changing every time I check.  It is also not correct - the current weather on the BBC website (generally more reliable than elsewhere) is wrong.   Visibility here is excellent - says v poor - and we have no snow and have had none all night.

I would like to book a train for this weekend but don't know if they'll run.  There also is no train station in the village I'm playing.

I would book a bus but none run in the evening so I'd be stuck there overnight.  Car it is!

On Sat when the snow started we were so excited that we grabbed the nearest clothes (I was in PJ's - it was midnight) and headed out.  I had just done a xmas gig - so the Santa hat and heeled shoes were out... I also have on 3 jumpers, a coat and a scarf. Looking good, eh?!

 Gleneagles - Saturday day

 A tree.  I like it - snowy and crisp against beautifully clear blue sky.  

This was Gleneagles too - I have lots of photos as I was playing the Girlguiding Centenary Fanfare for the last time (fingers crossed) this year and got a lift up with one of the event organisers so arrived 2hrs early with nothing much to do.  I played for a while in the hotel til someone came in to prepare the room for the do, then went for a walk in the snow.  New snow is fun - I can't help myself messing it up! 

Got an East Coast train on Sunday morning - view from the train of the coast South of Edinburgh.

OUR SNOWMEN!

Jen pointed out (in comments) that there are dietary requirements for many of her Brownies.  There are a few in mine, but no vegetarians.

For my Halal req Brownie we used profiteroles (without the cream filling) - I tried it and it tasted nice.  Just like you'd imagine dry profiteroles covered in white choc might taste.  It also looked quite good but was much more difficult to do as she had to dip each profiterole in the choc and roll it around, then skewer it and stick the 3 lumps together at the top of the stick.

As to our milk and egg allergies - they can have the things IN stuff... and there actually wasn't anything in the marshmallows other than the gelatine (which clearly would rule out veggies).

For the nut allergy I checked EVERYTHING but there was no 'trace nut' warning on any of the items.

The Marshmallow Snowmen came out like this:

I ate most of mine... it was so sweet it made me feel sick!  I binned the bottom marshmallow.

This week we are making these: Chocolate marshmallow snowmen

Not my photo - this was from the blog below.  I only hopeours can look this cool!

http://susanbanderson.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-little-corner.html

I NEED A HOLIDAY!

I really really really want to go away somewhere to do fun things in the days.  Roll on New Year!

Brownies - Winging it again!

I started re-planning tonight this morning.

We have a board game thing that my assistant started in my absence and has a bit of work left to finish off... so what to fill the rest of the evening when we have use of the big hall?

Board game-themed party games!

We will play:  human noughts and crosses, plus game-themed fishes or any other group games that use names I can think of.  We might do charades or Who am I/20 questions... will be fun!

Photo - for no reason other than to make me happy.

It's FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!

And I already have that Friday feeling!  It's going to be a good one - I can tell.

In order to maintain this optimism I am now heading to bed.  See you in the morning... evening?  Tomorrow perhaps.

Peace Globe 2010 & link for Travis

If you're baffled by the Peace Globe thing (why have they appeared all over the internet again?) go here http://mimiwrites.blogspot.com/ to find the answer.

Personally I'm not sure about the peace globes.... I don't know if they make a difference, but I'd like tolerance and understanding to be more widespread, as that's the basis for peace, right?  So I'm posting this year after a 1yr absence, as a reminder to myself as much as anyone else - if someone does something you don't understand, if someone has an opinion you don't share - think twice before you condemn it.  What makes it right? What makes it wrong?  Are you qualified to make that judgement? 

Hey Travis - check out our dancing show.. this was good I think.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/vt0kc/

Meaney

I am horrible.

My considerate boyfriend asked when I was on the phone to him today what he should get from the shops as he would pass them on his way home (in a 'what would you like' way).

My response went something like this: "I don't care what you buy.  This is my only 2 hrs in the house now until Sunday between 8am and 11pm - when am I going to need anything?!!"

What a horror!  In my defense I had already explained I was really tired and was going to try to grab an hour of sleep before going back out to work tonight...  But I was still a bitch.

bwah ha ha

Halloween... night out... started badly!  Finished well!!!!!!!

Earlier I did a gig - I forgot my trumpet mouthpiece.  A trumpet is made up of only 2 parts:  trumpet & mouthpiece... so it's a very stupid mistake.

I did the gig - it was ok.

As I left the church my shoe caught and the heel broke.

I was then pulled over by the coppers after making a mistake at an amber light (def amber) - and was charged.  That's £60 fine and 3 points.  For goin through on orange with a taxi on my right getting in my way distracting me........

However I then attended the end of a gig by funk band Fnuk.... and it was great!  A good 3 hrs of boogying later and I'm happy.

Incidentally: the police told me to go out.  I was just following their advice..... ha!

As I plan to fascinate all...

I wish to inform you that I did have cheese tonight - in left over red pepper & tomato soup (that I made on Weds for a friend) with bread.

It was delicious.

Flying Solo

I'm on my own for 5 nights as my boyfriend has gone away for a birthday present treat trip to London (that I declined for financial reasons).

What shall I do?  I'd do all the things he hates but he's so easy going there isn't really much... I can eat cheese and tuna.  I think I will do that tomorrow.  I can practise the trumpet lots as I'll have the house to myself....

Fun fun fun... Or not so much.

VISION 2010 - GIRLGUIDING GLASGOW

For me it took up the afternoon & evening of Wednesday 20/10/2010.

My Brownies caught the train at a little after 5pm.
We had a change at Partick but arrived safely in Queen Street before heading off to Pizza Hut for some tea.

While the girls (and Guiders) tucked into their mini-pizzas and salad (Hahahahahaha... nachos... that's about the only salad bar option I spotted them eating!) I had to go for a sound check at the venue.  I returned to pay for food then had to leave again as I was booked to play the Centenary Fanfare to open our event.

The gig started at 7pm with approx 2000 members in attendance I believe.  My Guiders/Helpers/Mum got the kids into their seats with their goody bags in time for us to start. 

The background music faded, the light dimmed, a microphone was put in the centre of the stage at the Royal Concert Hall and I was on.  By myself.  In a spotlight!  Performing the Centenary Fanfare composed by Claire Griffin.

2 mins later the fanfare was finished, and the real entertainment started.  Clyde 1 fm hosted the concert and after a little chat from the beautiful blonde compere Pearl and The Puppets were introduced.

Pearl and her Puppets were great!  I snuck into the auditorium and found my unit - who were loving it too. 


I hung around for a bit. 20million toilet trips later I had to leave to head back backstage to prepare to close the event.

The making of the promise bit at 20:10 20/10/2010 didn't quite go according to plan I presume... it was a little strange.  Still - everyone did it - we joined the rest of the uk in making/renewing our promise.

We then saw dance group The Fusion who were also brilliant - and very popular if the screaming and shouting was an indicator!

Following a few thank yous I had to head back to my very scary spotlight to play Taps - then off home we shot on the 20:53 train.  This is a shot from the stage (snuck on in the corner partly to distract myself partly to have a look at what was going on!).

I was very proud of my pack - they were very well behaved and had a great time - well done 310th Brownies and well done Girlguiding Glasgow!!!

VIP PASSES

Think it's ok to have this up here? It says division etc...

Brownies Centenary Finale

This year we have been celebrating 100 years of Guiding.

Our year-long party culminates next week with a nationwide make or re-affirmation of our Promise.  In Glasgow we are going to the Royal Concert Hall where we have a big concert with pop acts and radio hosting as well as other exciting stuff.

I am nervous about this because I have to open and close the event with a solo fanfare.  In front of 1700-plus people I kind of know or have a link to.  It's strange - playing to strangers is dead easy but performing to friends and family is horrible.  So I am sh'tting it.

I am also a little nervous as we have all our Brownies going (except 1 who says she doesn't want to go and that her mum is making her come to Brownies.... I only discovered this when it was too late to get another ticket anyway, so I am leaving it be for now.)
I was quoted 75p for return tickets by Scotrail but when I phoned back to buy them the price had somehow doubled. Still - we have to get there.

To try to make the whole thing a bit less stressful I have elected to add dinner to the mix.  We are all going to Pizza Hut first...  Sometimes I wonder where I get these ideas from!!!

And I am up now because I want to get this stuff done - sorted - finished - organised - before Ma & Pa arrive.  I have counted the promise badges (special limited edition ones for the Centenary). 

I have written the Promise Certificates for our 4 new Brownies who will be making their promise for the first time. 
I have packed the cloth badges from the division. 
I have packed the name badges we made in wks 1 & 2 in anticipation of this trip (and to help the new ones learn names of the others).  They are fake VIP passes and they look amazing - I might blog them for any Guiders out there.  Amusingly the kids all think they can actually use them for the gig... they'll be too busy to remember when it comes to the night.
I have printed spare consent forms as I'm missing a few.
I have written a letter to go to the ones who missed the last meeting where we provided final details of the trip.
I have sorted out the emergency contacts - updating mobile numbers wherever poss as we're using public transport for this one and I'd like to be able to text them if there is any delay getting home.

I think that may be it.  Phew!  Night all.

DIY

We are still doing up our house - we have today steam cleaned our carpets. Before the descent (ascent?  Wales - Scotland) of my parents we need to tidy our bedroom and steam clean the tiled floors.

DIY-ing

I was woken up v. early again, this time by my boyfriend getting up to climb a hill. A trip with his friend taken on the only day off that we have shared several wks (and for at least a couple of weeks to come). A trip on which I was not invited - this is a munro-climbing day for him - ouch.  I have work today - but not til 7.30pm.

So this morning I've done a bit more DIY/decorating (adjusting a sheet for our new bed).  Would you like to see?

I've also read a book (finished a chick-lit book my friend left after her recent visit).  However I am meeting a friend at 1pm (- no plans to sit around the house waiting for him to come home!! -) and I am concerned I might be knackered come gig time tonight.  It affects your concentration - tiredness. 

Maybe a quick nap would be in order.

happy again!

I'm a bit tired and am wondering WHY I'm awake at 7am when I don't need to be at work til 2.30pm, and have had 2 long days in a row that I expected to sleep well after.

However I didn't want to leave the impression that I'm a big grump-ball so decided to let you know all is well.

Which it is.

Screaming Internally with frustration

This is why still having a blog's a bonus.

I am frustrated by a friend who annoyed me this morning.

He is hassling me for phone numbers but on my blackberry I can't send them as text business cards. So it's a pain. And I don't see why I should help. I've had 3 texts so far and have been working since 8.50. I now have 30 mins break then am working til 8.30 tonight.

I don't want to fall out with that friend but I do want to shout 'Piss Off' at him.

Actually I want to say 'I couldn't care less who plays 2nd trumpet in the matinee on weds, and I don't see why I should be involved fixing someone for it on the Monday when I am a dep myself'. I don't care if the other player isn't my friend - I'll be there for 2 hrs! I am a professional... Its work!'

But instead I have left an answerphone message reading out a number - which is revenge because I know it'll piss him off not just being able to click the link to phone.

I am quite petty!
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Music and nice people

This is a list of random mp3 plays I listened to on the way to Wales tonight.

Beck - Broken Drum
Murray The Hump - Colouring Book

(At this point I am tired as it's midnight - but I will persevere)

The Dears - Missiles. Skipped (dull)
Kasabian - Swarfiger
The Futureheads - hounds of love
FFS! Me singing. Ridiculously.
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
Adam & the Ants - whip in my valise

Game interrupted!! Left wallet at Crewe train station. Spent 30 mins panicking then had it returned by staff in Chester station. I LOVE the train staff. Thank you!!!!

Back to music:
Stephen malkmus & the Jicks - sheets
Kasabian - butcher blues
The XX - Islands
Ed harcourt - Birds fly backwards

End of game - going to doze for the last hour of my journey.
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break

Hello - there's too much going on to blog at the moment so I suppose I'm following Travis' lead and taking a wee break.

Since my last post I've been working, had visits from family, been to visit family, had sad things happen to close friends and finally term has begun so I'm back at school.  I am happy, sad, happy, sad, busy, chilled, stressed.  High, low, high, low..

The combination of these things has left me uninclined to blog, so I will remove the guilt I feel when this pops up each time I log onto the internet, and will admit to suspending this for the time being.

I hope my friends are doing well, and I will keep up with what you're up to on the reader.  That will suffice for now.

The return journey

When I embarked on this trip it was fun.

I left on a whim at 2am to drive 350 miles south with the incentive of an amusing 'wind-up my parents' surprise arrival.

Now I have to drive back. My boyfriend has told me he may possibly be working til 9pm but he may not.... So if I arrive as planned I will probably have to hang around for 2 hrs before coming out again to collect him.

Not a good carrot on a much less pleasant drive around rush hour.
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It was the ratio I had wrong

Mum and Dad turned the mattress yesterday, and I tried a puffy pillow in addition to the flat one I prefer to sleep on usually. 

This had the result of making my head higher than my feet.  I suspect that without the big pillow the bed would have been just as bad as before (shh... don't tell the Olds), but with the correct pillow:mattress-squidge ratio a good night's sleep was had.

Yey!

I am going to London to look at the Queen... ok actually it's to see my little brother who lives there.  Mum's coming too, and we're going to see the 39 Steps http://www.love39steps.com/ this evening.

This trip home has been a bit of a nostalgia tour for me, in that my parents are moving to Wales after 30+ years in the Shire and this will be my last visit to their old(current) house.

Over the last two days I have driven round for a look at the area and today's trip into London, something we did fairly often as I grew up, will be the last one I make from Milton Keynes train station.  To be honest that's not something I'll miss!

After today I need to head back to Glasgow, for the remainder of the school holidays are all filled up with a variety of enjoyable activities.  My boyfriend's family still live down here, so we'll have to come back down at some point. 

It's not a goodbye to the town - but it will be strange coming here to visit someone else's family.

A Good Sleep

How important is it for you to have a good night's sleep?

Generally it isn't something I worry about overly.

However yesterday I drove 400 miles to my parents' house overnight as a surprise, and had hoped for a decent sleep tonight.

I had not forseen that my parents had binned all of our beds (they're moving house).

They have bought a new bed and have kept their old bed - a double - which would be better than our old single beds in theory.

In practise, it feels as though your head is lower than your feet and you're lying downhill. I just couldn't get to sleep!

I ended up folding the duvet up on the floor and sleeping on that instead of in the bed under the covers.

So at 6am I'm wide awake and wondering whether to get up to begin a very long day with nothing to do, or to try the squidgy mattress again for a few hours.
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mammoth task

Some months ago I decided to make a king size blanket... crocheted.

I can do a max of 1 inch per day.

By my calculations of 1 day per month - which is a little generous - it will take me the next 20 years to finish the blanket.

On a separate point:  Think I'm gonnae heid haim tomorrow.  Back down South.

Dixie *cat*

Our cat is a bit weird. He loves people - and tends to be wherever we are.

In the morning he wants to be fed, so he tries to get into our room to wake us up.  To prevent this we generally baracade our door.

After eating he either comes back into our room (if we have gone back to bed) or he follows us into the living room where he tries to sit on one of us.

If we are in the house during the day he curls up to snooze in the room we are in.  If we leave the room to spend an extended period in another room (for example when I practise in the spare room) he will tentatively sit and hope for some attention.  He is unlikely to get any.

Around 4pm he starts to demand food again, but we try to hold off to 6ish as this is when we would be in on a working day.  We don't always manage to wait that long as he can be very annoying tripping us up at every turn.

Following his evening meal he will curl up on one of us until we go to bed - this may be interrupted by periods where we are not sitting... but he'll just wait til we do sit again to leap onto a lap at a moment's notice.

If we go out, Dixie goes out. 

He'll meet us at the gates on our return.

Cleaning

Since the school hols started I have cleaned 5 days a week. And STILL there's cleaning to do.

It seems being in the house more means I make mess more!!
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Motivation

I have just walked to the bank. It felt a long way.

Last week I walked to the pub. It's a little further on from the bank. It felt no distance at all.

Motivation!

Update: As I left the bank the heavens opened. Torrential rain - and I went out in shirt and sandals. I had taken photos of grotty scenery on my way to the bank, and was planning to post pictures of the pretty things on my walk home.... just wait to see how they turned out!

On the way : a bit dreary and drizzly.

On the way home! (view through the bus window)

allergies

I have a rash on my face, itchy eyes and  a scratchy throat - and all the symptoms are worse when the cat is nearby.

I hope he's just been rolling in something nasty.  In which case it'll wash off as soon as I shut him out in the rain.... hahaha...evil plans afoot.

Update: I think it must have been cupboard dust, or dust mites.  I feel much better today.

storage - why boys are a problem

With a cupboard full of games, cards, starwars lego, tools and wood offcuts where, oh where can I put all our shoes?

(I'm ignoring the spare room which contains 13 trumpets, a piano, wool, needles, 2 sewing machines... all taking up space, all belonging to me.)

Recycling.

In times of boredom I can't help myself - I start making stuff.  I have practised too - in case you wondered about music.

This is the latest - it's a work in progress, and will be beautiful.  It's dark denim on the back (old jeans) and Rowan Biggy Print wool on the front (donated) - love it. 

summer break

This summer is very quiet for me.  Summer is always quieter but this year it is very quiet, and I don't know what to do with myself!

I have budgeted badly - so am skint.  I feel house-bound although I know there are many things I can do that cost nothing.

I have tons of back-log work to catch up on and plenty of time to practise- which I definitely need to do, yet motivation is at an all-time low.

And blogging I have just avoided along with everything else.

Today I started a few jobs - so hopefully this is it:  back to work time.

hahahah... it's pouring.

changed my mind

Just gonna go through the CD collection and pull out anything by an American or about America.

That'll do!

Happy 4th July!

4th July Party

What music should we play?  Please don't be offended, but I really want the cheesiest American themed stuff you can think of.  I have got Sousa and we have plenty of film music.

blahs

I have the End of Term blues.

Need to buck up.  Hopefully the holidays will become fun soon.

Brownie Camp

Hello,

Well the first thing I haven't told you about was Brownie camp.  It was great!  We had sunshine all weekend - not a drop of rain.  That's a rarity round these parts.

On Friday night we arrived, did safety stuff, set up bedding (tents had been put up Thurs night by Guiders), had soup and roll, made pretty bags for crockery & cutlery (wish I had a photo) then wound down for bed.

They did not sleep.

On Sat we had a fun day with loads of Brownies, which I was co-ordinating, so I had some work to do for that.  I went to the tent at around 1am.  They were not sleeping but didn't spend too long making noise.  Then at 3am they got cold.  They hadn't brought the kit they were told to bring, so they were cold. 

Now what I didn't know was that there were blankets in the Guide hut.  It seems this was mentioned by other Guiders but I think it must have been when I was having a meeting in Brownie House.

Oh well.  I just donated out all my kit and then shivered outside as I was sleeping in the porch.

Saturday - gave up trying to sleep at 6am.  Found another Guider setting up the shop in the Guide huts so popped round for a chat.  Went back to tents around 7.30am and left Brownies sleeping til they started to make noise of their own accord....at a fairly late 8am.

Had breakfast, tent inspections, then fun day.  Was great - deserves it's own post!

After the fun day we had rest hour.  I tried to get them to rest, as we had a campfire that night.  They did not.

Campfire came and our girls were knackered.  Gave them minor lecture about gratitude for efforts Guiders running campfire had put in.... oops.  Wasn't feeling sympathetic as they'd not slept and had had opportunity to!!

Sat night they went down MUCH more easily, though our Unit Helper who was trying to have an early night was still not impressed with the getting to sleep routine.  Both nights they had a story but night 2 I did it, and sat there til noise stopped (after making them repeat Brownie Promise and Law and pointing out that they had to sleep to keep that promise & law.  Swear you can make it fit ANY situation!!).

Sunday - I woke up feeling midges biting my face.  We were up, dressed, breakfassed and then down to Loch Lomond for some fishing before we returned, made some kites (REALLY good) then packed up properly and left them to play while we cleaned out our solid shelter before HOME time (not a moment too soon).

They had a great time.  We had one minor incident of home-sickness (which was from the youngest Brownie only) and no incidents of sickness sickness.

One girl told me it was her best camp EVER.  I stupidly asked how many camps she had attended... This was her first.  Still it was really nice to hear them saying they'd all had fun.

Forgot...

I have been mega-busy but that's not really why I went quiet here. 

I forgot to blog.

I clicked off my blog many times without really registering what website I was leaving.

Doh.

Updates to follow.

Scottish Annual Event

This weekend I played Girlguiding's Centenary Fanfare at the Scottish Annual Event.

It was a beautiful setting - I'll post a photo, though I didn't take many.  They made me pose for a whole load though, so I expect there'll be an official one somewhere.

Anyway it was a lovely day.  I felt a bit bad claiming expenses, but with a 150mile round trip I couldn't afford not to really.  They were getting my playing for free, and I arranged for the composer to write GG the fanfare... think I just talked myself out of feeling bad here! Ha.

Why I went back to volunteering.

Simply - I missed it.

When I graduated college and had free time that wasn't in the pub I missed doing something for fun... for someone else... for free. 

I played the last post one remembrance sunday and they had Brownies in their parade.  I got chatting to their Brown Owl and she took my phone number to pass on.  I then contacted Girlguiding through their website, but it was 2 years before anyone actually contacted me and I was put in touch with Guiders in my locality.  I hope they have improved this part of the recruitment of adults since then!

That was around 2004/5 I think.  .

I had looked around at other options too. I considered helping with old people - there's a charity in Glasgow that organises monthly tea parties for the elderly. They look for volunteers to host a party and volunteers to transport the elderly to and from the parties, as well as talk to them of course.  I quite like this idea.

So now I run a thriving Brownie unit in Glasgow.  This year we had a few issues as we were too big for our small hall, and we didn't have enough VOLUNTEERS to run a lot of the activities we would have liked to.

Don't imagine that we didn't still have a fun year.  We did... and we have achieved a lot this year despite these limitations.

However I have sent out an SOS asking for regular unit helpers.  Worth a try, right?  I also plan to speak to my Brownie boss to ask for more help.  

I know in our division there are several units who still run with just 1 Guider so they'll get priority though whenever the next new leader happens along. 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!

I am organising a fun day on the 19th June for our division.

The only thing I am not responsible for is the buses and the numbers.  I am keeping out of it - I've provided my numbers to the people who volunteered to co-ordinate this bit.

However I have received about 400 emails over the last few days from the fundraising committee, chasing numbers and worrying about the numbers going.

Now I have no idea whether the concerns are justified.  I have 18 kids signed up, which I think is pretty good out of what is now a unit of 23. 

However our DC has now called an emergency meeting next Weds night at 8pm.  I am working from 8-10pm and don't see why I should try to get out of work... surely they can be flexible with the meeting.

Usually I would let it go and send apologies, but I am co-ordinating this bloody thing... so SURELY I should be there??

Volunteering

This week is national volunteer week.

This morning they have highlighted the problems recruiting volunteers, and I thought I would just post a few reasons why I think it's important to volunteer, and how I benefit from my volunteering. 

Why I started volunteering:
I first volunteered because it was a clause required to complete my Duke of Edinburgh awards.  I went through my Bronze, Silver and Gold awards at high school.

The first experience I had was helping at a local Mencap centre at their monthly youth club.  I was around 14 years old, and it was great!  I could see how much the adults appreciated the help of me and my friends which was rewarding and the service we were asked to do was just to play with the youth club members who were people of all ages with mental disabilities.  We played table tennis, made jigsaws, listened to jokes, talked to people... how easy is that?!  So easy to make other people happy.

I then volunteered with Brownies, which I LOVED.  Little girls enjoy crafts, games/sports, singing, cooking.  I enjoy crafts, games/sports, singing and cooking!  Win win win win win.  I completed my Young Leader Certificate and passed my YL Camp License to take guides on camp to cover the clauses of the award.

After this I stuck with Brownies until I left home to go to music college.

Putting Together A Proposal

Hello - do any of you know how to go about putting a formal proposal together? It'd be for educational workshops.

Comedy Night

Last night I went out to celebrate my friend's impending marriage. We went to the comedy club, The Stand, where hen nights are banned on Saturdays so we had to be on a 'work night out'.

It started a bit ropey but actually ended up being very funny! I now want to know who I saw and if I can find out I will update this later.

OK - I have found one. It's really difficult to find the comedians names - nothing on google. I have had to look for things I remember about them and click on links to recognise photos. I do really have better things... well more important things... to be getting on with. Like practising a bit for the gig this afternoon. Or doing the Brownie accounts.

But this is niggling so I'm gonna keep investigating for a bit.

This was the easiest person to find as he looked familiar and as he had my full attention during his set I remember him well. Michael Smiley - VERY funny. He was last on, and I liked him very much. This had nothing to do with the 2 pints of cider and Crabbies ginger beer I'd consumed by the time he came on.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/comics/m/129/michael_smiley/comments/

Found them all! Carol Tobin - we just kept waiting for her to get funny. We all wanted to laugh, but we never quite found the punchline.

http://www.comicbook.ie/artists/carol-tobin/

Bob Graham - funny. Was he really that pissed? At one point he appeared to take a swig of beer and dribble so it's possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJbMuF0iUxs

John Gillick - also funny. http://www.standoutcomedy.com/comedians/JohnGillick.aspx


If I were to put them in order of funny it would pretty much be as they were billed on the night.
Carol, Bob, John, Michael.

sunshine!

The sun's out again!! 4 days in a row in Glasgow - wonderful!

Today

Last night we had a barbecue with some friends.

We made burgers & sausages of course, but also marinated a lamb joint in mint and yoghurt with some brown sugar and roasted it outside. YUM (I heard... there wasn't enough as there were 8 people and it was a little lamb joint).

We brought some cocktail mixes from New Orleans and had already had one at a party a few weeks ago, but we took this opportunity to make up some more.

Crushing ice was fun without any suitable equipment, but with all the usual funny(?) antics that occur when pissed people get hold of ice.

Mixing them up was fun.

Drinking the second round was most fun as my pal had put the ice (in a glass bowl) that was left over back in the freezer and it had set solid.....

So we had no option but to pour the whole lot into the bowl and dig out straws to guzzle it lying on our stomachs on the grass. 4 people played the game (don't think about the backwash from the straws please!).

Today I cleared up and tidied because I had people coming round this evening.

I did some revision for camp.

I arranged What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor and Skye Boat Song for trumpet groups I teach.

I practised a bit on my new old new trumpet (was new, discarded as didn't like it so is now old but am using it again as my other trumpet is gubbed).

I did some ironing, then went outside and sat (dozed) in the sun for the best part of an hour.

Love the sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Camp Menu

If you click on the pictures the menu should come up nice and big.

camp

Ok I know this could well be boring to a reader, but it's my blog of things I want to remember.

So: Our first crafts on camp are going to be welly pegs and bags for their plastic plate, cup, bowl.

I found these bags online for under £1 each.


And these packs of fabric crayons for £2.50 each.


To test out the crayons I gave decorating the bags a shot.


They work really well! I bought 18 bags, 12 kids, 2 YL, 4 leaders.

Newspaper Night

Tonight at Brownies we had a Newspaper Night.

After a very quick game of dodgeball to make use of the big hall we had tonight (which is usually used by the Guides), we began making plant pots from newspaper, then planting seeds.

They had a choice of pansy seeds, marigold seeds and tomato seeds. I think they all chose flowers, which is worth remembering for next time.

We then played games (run by my YL) using newspaper.

In the first game my YL made up a story about a shopping trip. The girls (split into four teams) had to find what she wanted to buy in their newspaper pages... it could be words or pictures. The first example was 'make-up', which stumped them. Not one of them thought of ripping out the words 'make' and 'up'!

They enjoyed it.

The next game was a shapes game. YL called out shapes she wanted ripped out of the newspaper with a time limit. They then had to bring their best shapes up and she judged a winner with an overall team winner at the end.

At the end of the evening, four girls forgot their flowers, so I have some gardening to do this week to get the seeds germinating for them.

Incidentally - we have also done our garden veg plot tonight - I will photograph it as I think it'll be lovely when it grows. We'll have a 'before' and 'after' shot if I take one now.

My boyfriend is weird

He brought me flowers... and a giant cardboard bunny.

politics facebook and opinion

I have seen a whole load of status messages on facebook commenting about how much they disliked the hung parliament, and now the coallition which has been formed between lib dem and conservatives.

I am on the bus just now and can't remember the stats, but conservartives got by far the most votes. Labour were second, but a labour conservative alliance was never an option. Liberal Democrats received around a quarter of the votes leaving them able to join another party to form government.


However strange it may be that they chose Conservatives, they were voted by us to run our country - so we should let them get on with doing it.

So when I see whiney facebook status messages from people who told me they couldn't be bothered to vote.... Well I think they should just bite their tongues and think about what THEY did.

Chilling out

I am trying not to stress as much this term.
I have made a to do list, and am starting to tick the big things off: reports are done. Magician (actually balloon modeller in the end) booked.

Fingers crossed this should prevent me getting as tired and cranky as last term!

Making stuff

I have made a toy.



And here is the model.

The Gig

The main event: Jamie Cullum.

I wasn't sure at first. We were in the Royal Concert Hall, a classical seated venue - which is not somewhere I would choose to hold a rock gig although jazz... perhaps ok. Having seen the gig there I would definitely not choose it. I like standing - so I can move about. Seated gigs aren't my thing.

Jamie opened with Don't Stop The Music and the fun started. He was lively and enthusiastic. You felt what he felt about the songs - his excitement was inspiring.

The set was varied, and he chatted to the crowd. He coped well with the Weegie (friendly) heckling and came across as cool, funny, intelligent.

He played for 2 hours without a break, and I was not bored for a minute. There was such contrast - in mood,style, genre.

Some moments were poignant, some were pretty, some were driven, some were sheer fun. We bopped to the lively numbers, and hung on every word of the melancholy love songs.

The tour is timed alongside the release of his latest album, and I am definitely planning to buy it.

This was a concert I will never forget.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUN_ZrvU9EM





The Support Act - Eliza Doolittle
The gig tonight began with a singer called Eliza Doolittle - daft name - an English girl who seemed to have forgotten her trousers.

She has a light summery style - a little reminiscent of Corinne Bailey-Rae but a bit rougher with more contrasts (better!).

Some of her songs were great - some clever writing lyrically and musically. Some of her songs I didn't like - in particular there was one which had a weird repeated note in the chorus that annoyed me every time I heard it.

She did really well - nothing I can critisise about her performance. I didn't love the music though... sorry. http://www.elizadoolittle.com/
___________________________________________________

oops

oh yeah - I was pissed.

Jamie Cullum

I am pissed, but FYI tomorrow we are going to see Jamie Cullum and are very excited about it.

Today we vote for PM... and it's a bit of a farce..... still I will let you know whwat happens in the end x x x

Election

I have done the deed and cast my vote.

Last night I google searched the policy comparisons of our major parties. It turns out that I still prefer the policies of the party I liked best as a student.

journey

OK. Well the journey home wasn't much fun, to be honest.

We were beset by problems - the ash cloud, illness... I want to tell you the ins and outs, but I have relayed the story so many times already today (had to rearrange all pupils and every parent has asked about it) that I have lost any desire to share.

New Orleans was amazing - completely unique. It's laid back, shabby even - with food to die for, drink available all the time all over the place and lovely people - such diverse people - nothing comparable.

Chicago was nice - but less amazing. It is a big American city - neon lights, skyscrapers, very nice people, nice drink. Cosmopolitan.

I will elaborate.. but not today.

home

yey! Thanks Dad.

I will be back to tell you about it later on.

the new plan

Today we fly to Dallas then to Heathrow. Tomorrow my Dad drives top Heathrow and picks us up, to return us to Glasgow. Fingers crossed!!

stuck in the USA

Well we had a fun 48hrs trying to get home!

We left New Orleans on weds at 1pm and flew to Philadelphia.

We boarded a flight at 9pm to Dublin and then at midnight were told our flight was returning to Philly.

On our way to New Orleans we had found Philly airport awful and had said to each other 'let's not visit this town!'.
Imagine our delight when we found the airline could get us to London the next day but told us to wait to try at the airport the next day to get to Glasgow.

We waited around a lot. We travelled from terminal to terminal dealing with unhelpful staff throughout, however by 8am we had printed tickets to heathrow via Chicago.

And that's as far as we got. Chicago.

To add to the list

Hot boiled crawfish

We have seen:
Bone Tone Brass Band
Liberty Hall Stompers
Irene Sage
Ensemble Fatien
Billy Iuso & the Restless Natives
Higher Heights Reggae Band
Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs

Crawfish-eating contest (BORING)
J. J. Caillier and the Zydeco Knockouts (not my cup of tea - country)
Canal Creepers (Sweeden)
Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers
Lars Edegran's New Orleans Jazz band
The Fritzel's New Orleans Jazz Band
Ovi G & The Froggies
The Tin Men (amazing sousaphone!)
Irvin Mayfield & the NOJO All Stars
Bonerama
Rebirth Brass Band

We are all shattered with sore feet and sore legs. I have sunburn on my head and face (also now have a hat as sunscreen clearly isn't enough for me!) but we are very happy!

NEW ORLEANS!

Well! We have been here for 48hrs now.

So far we have (between us!) eaten:
hotdog
pizza
po-boy (shrimp & crawfish)
bbq rib
Fried chicken and fish
Fries
Hamburger
Ice cream
steak
Grilled chicken
crawfish egg roll
fish taco
beef taco
breakfast (eggs, pancakes, sausages)
.... I can't even remember the rest!

We have seen: John Malkovich, Santa a parade and MANY bands plus the Hornets basketball team.

We have tripped over the sidewalk at least 2 times each.
We have drunk beer and cocktails... and a LOT of water.

I have a US army frisbee and some purple shiny beads, flip flops and clip-on shades (which look REALLY rubbish but will be handy for my work commute).

We are all pink from day1 but have learnt our lesson and now have factor 50 sunscreen!

The boys are in the bar - I must join them... Loving New Orleans!

High Society

Since we booked this holiday to New Orleans I am finding links all over the place.

The night after we booked it, we went out to our fave pub and opposite was a huge sign selling New Orleans chicken.

We have seen New Orleans cocktails... quite honestly it has mostly been food and drink. Which bodes well I feel.

Anyway - we now have High Society on telly - Louis Armstrong and all.

I must now go to buy some pants and socks for my fella to take away. I also have to take the cat to the cattery and get some dollars.

Am I excited? Not at all....

Happy Birthday Doris!

Today we watched Lullaby of Broadway - Doris Day. Then we IMDB'd the film and found it is Doris Day's birthday today.

So Happy Birthday Doris - we loved the movie.

a-ma-zing!

We get to see a genuine American eating contest in New Orleans!

Holidays approaching!

It is only a week now til I go away on my exciting trip to New Orleans (that I have pestered all people I meet day to day about for a month but have kept relatively quiet about online).

I am excited!

We are having a BBQ party (which seems even more optimistic than before as we are in snow again today) just after we get home, and my pal suggested we pick up some real New Orleans BBQ sauces while we are there. I think this is an excellent idea.

Post Costco Cooking

Well, after my Costco experience I attempted yesterday to make dinner from as many of my purchases as possible.

In retrospect this was a mistake.

Our dinner of linguini with tomatoes, artichokes, wild mushrooms and smoked trout was just a bit weird. I ate it... but I won't ever make it again. Leaving out the fish would have improved the meal immensely.

glasgow is ace

Yesterday was lovely. Today we went to Costco for the first (and last for a good while) time. It was an experience!

I spent a ton of money on things like artichoke hearts, pickled peppers, spicy sauce. It was fun, but I couldn't go too often.

FUN

Our plan for today:

Get up (I have done this bit)
Have breakfast
Get bus to Kelvingrove Art Gallery/Museum
Walk along river to shops
Buy cheese and fish (stinky I know)
Go to Peckhams and get cake and wine
Go home
Make and eat fish pie
Drink wine
Go out for some drinks
Boyf will go to comedy gig while my friend and I will drink and explore
Meet up again after gig for drink
Go home

Tired!

Today I have done 2 shows and taught at 2 schools.

However I only have 2 days left of the busy bit, and I'm a bit sad. While it's tiring rushing around so much, playing the trumpet is really good fun.

People annoy me

Life would be very easy I think, if it weren't for other people.

I like my job!

Especially when it takes me to the seaside.

update on me gob

I have a virus. Nothing can be done about it. Brilliant.

mouth hurts

I have had a really sore mouth for days. Finally I have booked a docs appointment... Find out tomorrow why. The roof of my mouth is puffy in places - and my gums are receded. I floss and brush and mouthwash as directed by my dentist. Methinks infection. Pah.

Fantastic day.

Today began early. 6.30am I left for work having scrabbled around last minute for some clean clothes.

I found a pair of trousers in my room and thought to myself "I love these trousers. Why have I stopped wearing them?". On finding no obvious flaws I donned the troos and headed off to school.

Before teaching I nipped in for a toilet break... and realised that I had stopped wearing the trousers because the zip was duff.

So I then grabbed a needle and cotton from my bag (as all good Girlguides know, one should always 'be prepared'!) and sewed the fly up.

I then got on with the day.

As I went to put petrol into the car I opened the boot, locked the car, placed my keys on the parcel shelf and took my wallet out of the boot. I then closed the boot. With the keys inside.

If you take a look at my 'example week' below (which may in fact be this week), I don't have much time between school and my rehearsal some distance away.

So I duly called the RAC, and the man came. He was great - tried 5 different ways to break into a car and managed to break in eventually. It is quite comforting to know that it is actually very difficult to break into a Hyundai Getz!

Anyway - loooong day over and I got home 1hr early, so it's not all been bad.

working week.

I thought I'd give you an example of my working week to explain how I get confused.

Monday:
6.30am - leave for work.
9.00am - teach at SchoolA (52 miles from home)
10.20am - teach at SchoolB
1.00pm - teach at SchoolA
4pm - rehearsal (70 miles away from SchoolA)
7.30pm - dress rehearsal
11.00pm - home.

Tuesday:
7.30am - leave for work
9.30am - teach at SchoolA
3pm - finish & head home
7.30pm - gig (20 miles from home)

Wednesday:
9am - leave for work (takes 40mins less after rush hour!)
10.20am - teach in SchoolB
2.45pm - play piano for a pupil's music exam (nr home)
7.30pm - gig

Thursday:
9am - office job
7.30pm - gig

Friday:
9am - office job
7.30pm - gig

Saturday:
2pm - rehearsal (86 miles from home)
7.30pm - gig
Stay with friend who lives nearby.

Sunday:
2pm - rehearsal (53 miles from gig on prev day)
6pm - home
9pm - pub quiz.

Total 555miles. 55hrs not incl. commute.

should've done more practise!

Today I tried the whole piece I was practising (half-heartedly) very late last night. It's got some tricky bits! Oh well... just have to do it all night today instead.

work work work

I have so much work on that nights in are the most exciting thing to me just now!

Tonight we are having a night in. I finished work just before 8pm, and then made dinner. It was delicious. I wish I'd taken a photo... but it didn't look as good as it tasted.

Very simple: Salmon baked with lemongrass, ginger, lime, red peppers and leek, served with plain rice.

I want to eat it again. (The stumbling blocks here are that we don't have any more, and I am full.)

After this I have made banana loaf - which is cooking for tomorrow.

I should be practising. I may start now (with a practise mute of course, at this time of night!).

excited

This is the most excited I have ever been about a holiday. I can't wait! And I have had trouble getting to sleep on the last two nights because my brain has been racing around.

I have also woken up all week feeling hungover, without having drunk any alcohol. Might as well have gone out and had some fun!

Last night we had Brownies. I didn't want to go... but of course had ideas for the night organised anyway. Anyway - I had been a bit fed up with Guiding. On Thinking Day only 1 of the 9 kids who had returned permission slips actually turned up. That really annoyed me, although I wasn't there for long as I just got back from Cardiff that afternoon.

Then last weekend's residential training was cancelled at the last minute (due to the weather which isn't anyone's fault) but I had rearranged work at a fair cost... annoyed again.

SO I was seriously fed up.

But the week I was off, the kids started making adverts for tv about 'growing guiding'. They didn't have time to film them, so we practised them again this week for filming next week (the other Guider was off - she owns the video camera). Anyway - they had all come up with something different but the number of 'I love Brownies because....' sentences really perked me up.

Thankfully.

So tonight we go round to a friend's for dinner. As ALWAYS I can't really be bothered, but I know when I go I'll have a great time with some lovely food and ace company.

Look where we are going!

busy

doing guys & dolls this week... so not in much to update.

annoying

so many things annoy me.

Generally I'm very happy - mostly I'll look on the bright side - but this week I'm irritable and grumpy.

I go on holiday tomorrow, though. Phew!

Results

We did well - raised £120 which is good as very few of our Brownies turned up after all their efforts making things to sell. We had 6 I think - out of around 26...

After the sale, there was a Guiders meeting (prep for Thinking Day). I emailed all the Guiders to say if they were early we were holding the sale to raise money for Haiti - they'd be welcome. Nobody was early.

The woman who suggested the sale (mother of 2 Brownies) had a tummy bug and didn't come... which I am not very sympathetic about. I would NEVER have texted to say I couldn't come if there was any way I could make it (immodium??). I don't know this woman well enough to judge - so perhaps she really was very ill.

Our Assistant Guider & YL are very reliable and are a great help, and a mum came bringing her daugher and daughter's friend... and they worked very hard to get as much money as possible.

Hearts for Haiti sale - scroll down for previews of the goodies we'll be selling.

On the actual poster it tells you where it is as well...

cake

lemon drizzle cake


chocolate cake


coffee cake (with chocolate icing)

brooches

cards

bleurgh

Going out was great... I met my friends and they cheered me up no end.

Today I am tired and don't want to go to work. I think I might have to face up to my age - I can't get up at 6am, work all day, stay out LATE then get up bright eyed and bushy tailed the next day any more.

Moody Blues

I have had a day teaching in 2 schools followed by parents' evening.

I am really grumpy now... going out will surely cheer me up though!

re-upholstry... the TC way

OK - to set the scene. TC is not a skinny girl. She needed to change a lightbulb. She picked the least solid item of furniture in the room then stood on the central point.

The piano-stool did not make it through the ordeal.

Saddened by the casualty TC embarked on a mission to resurrect the seat.

This is the result.