Whoops. B e e n b u s y .

Am in danger or just writing out my calendar long hand so here are some highlights of the last two weeks.

Skating - a purpetual highlight! Tuesday night sessions are a bit terrifying as the big girls are verrry good and fast and cut us up the whole time. I'm gaining more control, and I pretty stable, but still get a bit scared at speed! Had one session where I was just off balance, just a bit useless and kept falling which I rarely do. The following week I was much more solid but made lots of minor faults trying to get through the pack - instinct gets in the way! We had the most brilliant speed skating session on Sunday with a special speed coach. This is something I can do! Not brilliantly, but it's much more in my realm, and my heart sang when coach said it was supposed to be non-contact! Yay! Not getting hit! And...I managed 25.5 laps in 5 mins! YAHAY! I've broken the 25 in 5 mark. Thrilled! And I'm sure I could go faster too - I spent quite a long time taking a long outside line trying to get past the slower pack and it was pretty congested. The final few laps were glorious, I had the right line, nice and low and everything was flying! Think I managed more than 3 laps in 30 seconds at the end! My big sister FF was wonderful, she counted up for me and was really encouraging which really helps! Hurrah! Yesterday post training the girls were going to the pub but I had a possible meetup with Asher & Chloe. I was quite relieved when they said they were still tied up with family so we chatted for a bit on the phone and it meant I could crawl home and have a lovely bath! Also in skating news, last weekend was a big international bout. It was good fun getting to hang out with my teammates more and v good to see how the actual bouts work. It was, however, watching sport, which I have never particularly enjoyed doing. So I took to ovserving closely technical sides of everything and trying not to get bored. I don't know why I thought this might be different - I have always found watching sport boring, playing it, absolutely yes tho, love it!

Work in NN is going well altho I'm having trouble getting the summer show anchored. I need to slot the final few artists into place, just not there yet. It'll come. Freelance work is going very well - esp project T! I keep having to wait on institutions to get round to things tho, but it's the way it is. Designers confirmed last week so very very happy! Just need to work on it. Ooh, and I went over to the opening of a new gallery - all a bit swanky! Managed to burble idiocy to one curator I'm generally in awe of. Bother. Do wish I wouldn't get awkward and tongue tied. Oh, and another artspace too! It was in Cambridge and superlovely to catch up with all of my east buddies. OU is still taking a back seat but I'm going to hit a cafe and do some reading today. And time off is going a little too well. Last week I was enjoying late morning starts - well, if I am working part time I might as well take full advantage of it and spend time cuddling my cat! Ooh, and crochet club was aces! I've finished my hook case now and am starting the rug now the material is all cut up. Woo. I've also been walking a lot - Si and I went up to Muswell Hill for lunch on Saturday and walked back via the Ally Pally parks. It's partly because I am really rather broke. The downside of part time & freelance land pays so erratically. Heigh ho.

The most over-exciting bits tho...I saw MCarr play! I loved the Boos so very much!! I couldn't find anyone to go with (JB is far away) so heck I went alone. The venue was small and had excellent sound and I had a perfect seat in the middle with uninterrupted view. The support were brills - 3 women singing with uke and guitar - and they were the backing for MC too. Oh I was giddy with excitement as was the whole room! The new stuff was fine, but oh we were completely whooping happy when the tracks we knew and loved said hello! Wishin I was Skinny esp! He introduced it as This is an old one, played a couple of chords, we cheered, he stopped and said we couldn't poss know what it was, we did! I couldn't help but sing along - I forgot I knew all of the words! I noticed several other people, of a certain age, all singing along too...mostly with bored girlfriends! The encore was hilarious. CM noted it: best intro ever, stares at the ceiling "Oh! I know one!" Such a lovely gig made even better as I got chatting to CMoran in the loos and then get MC to sign a wish you were here to Jon which I'll post to him when I have chance. It was funny waiting for MC to talk to me, he was being mobbed by 30 year old fanboys asking him about details from interviews about breakfast in Select magazine in 1995! I think he was quite relieved to have me going up to chat as I was sane - gave me a big hug and gladly wrote to Jonf! Hooray! I was a bit shambolic, but generally coherent! We used to go back stage every time the boos played in the Midlands, so funny and comforting to still do that now! Tee hee. I big geek, but a very happy one! Afterwards I was unchaining my bike and a guy came up to me asking if I was from Rug! WOW! Yes I am! I can't believe he recognised me! A guy called Nick who was friends with my friend's boyfriend in 1995! Brills! Took me a while but I could just about recognise him! How nice! he was with his girlfriend and I sort of jabbered away about all sorts of people we had in common and what they're up to now! Cycled home grinning at such a nice night that whilst a big dollop of nostalgia, wasn't in the past! Oh I do feel alive these days! Si mentioned BStE yesterday - wow what a dead time that was. Won't let that happen again! Fear I may be having a little too much fun at the moment and need to work harder, so I will!

Righty, have to get up and on with everything now...morning treat of cuddling Juan, watching the excellent Crimson petal and the white, and cornflakes is done. In fact, my my, is that the time...cheerio LJ, things to do!

Another week to update:

28th. Ah, a Monday. A lost one. I lay in bed and watched the whole of the internet. Unsurprisingly I was absolutely wiped out and felt queasy. Tum not right at all.

29th. Again washed out. Lay in bed feeling bad I wasn't doing any work but wasn't actually capable so after a while gave up feeling guilty and accepted that I wasn't well. Dragged myself to Earl's Court as I had my Intermediate Skills Test. Somehow I found energy to push through but felt a bit shakey at times. Had I otherwise not had to wait 3 months to retake I would have stayed in bed. It was the first time we were properly bished around by the advanced girls and oh my I went flying! I have never been more glad to have my helmet! As I was flying off the track I was in slo mo thinking 'must fall small' and pulling myself into a ball then getting right back up and running back into skating only to get thwacked by someone else. At one point I had two girls bashing me from either side. Pub after and started to feel a bit perkier thanks to the adrenaline.

30th. Not achey but again tired and queasy. Had a meeting at Arts HQ the same day as the cuts news. Crumbs. Glued to the Guardian live blog. Some made sense, others outrageous, and I am more than dubeous about commercial spaces receiving public money...hmmmm. Didn't directly affect me but ufff some dear friends have wrongly (IMO) been cut by 100%. My meeting was rather circular - we had newbies who didn't want to accept what had been before and so we had to wait for the them to catch up. I was a little blunt at times, but needed to be, it moved the meeting on. After went straight home and back to bed.

31st. NN. Still felt queasy. Blooming gluten. Evening was fun tho - SM comedian. Support not good but pleasant chap. Showed S round the gallery which was nice. Oh I do love my job and situation these days! Bed late but flexi so up late too.

1st. NN. Slept beautifully. Worked then train to meet my cousins. Brilliant evening gossiping, giggling and revelling in the fact we are related! It's surprisingly nice to be with people just like me! Tee hee. Found out that bad uncle has realised he was a bad uncle and also that my Dutch relatives were in fact Jewish and loads died in the concentration camps. Rather stark and a big shift in thinking my past families identity. Mostly lots of giggling tho and faux outdoing one another. Yay! S got on brilliantly with S and S too!

2nd. Home. Crochet club. Crochet afternoon. Finally started to feel properly better. Quiet evening in to make sure I did recover fully. Went for a walk around the block with S. Rock and roll.

3rd. Written test...oops. Didn't quite pass but not to worry I can take it again. Reminded me of how terrible I was at school trying to remember blocks of info. Doesn't suit my dyslexic noggin. THat and I've just been lazy and not done enough revision for it. Training followed - hadn't realised...it was 3 hours intensive. I ACHE NOW! After I crawled home and had a bath. Slept terribly so watched Women in Love at 3am.

Today. Despite terrible sleep I worked really well today! Got loads done all day including housework. Ooh super! Sunshine too. Plus some wonderful Juan cat purring action. Met JoCa for a trundle round Tate and hot choc then back home for more work. Feel so much better for it! Also found lots of my new rookie teammates on FB so very fun noseying through their profiles! I think I am going to make some very good friends this year!

There is so much I want to write about the last week! It's been amazing! Hence not having time to write it down. Curses. Here are the headlines: music, friends, skating, comedians, trains, trying not to be star struck!

17th - a slightly lazy start then a brilliant meeting with astounding artist. Plans coming together, hope we get the grant to make some fantastic work! Up to NN for a slightly annoying meeting - folks getting cold feet about an event we were putting on. Back to my beloved Crouch End very tired.

18th - Manchester. Day of galleries to introduce my colleagues to the art scene up there. Really nice moment when I explained the whole of art history in 5 mins to L. Well, the bare bones. She'd studied English and came to us through Future Jobs fund so it was really nice to introduce her to some of the key ideas. Also nice to remember that I know quite a lot of stuff and it's so nice to share it and bring more people into the visual language. Wow they walk slowly tho! Beautiful sunshine, some good work (had seen most previously) but generally good to have a day of seeing things. Oh, and as we were walking to the Whitworth Bju said Hello C! Wow! Very nice to see her. Went to Salford to meet Jenf from work. She showed me her library with its disco return bins and back to her place. Soozle arrived and we spent the evening giggling and gossiping and feeling quite tired.

19th - Saturday in Manchester. Bit of a lazy start then we ate masses of gf pizza for lunch. Yum. Then wandering round Northern quarter visiting craft shops. I wanted to buy everything, restrained (as am so broke) and just bought some gems to fix a broken brooch. Back to J's with the intention of going to bop local but we were all absolutely exhausted so stayed on the sofas. Oops. We got to a point where we were all dozing to Entourage. we all wanted to be sparky and make the most of us being together, but just overwhelmingly tired! At least we all were!

20th - Sunday back to London. Early train thanks to S driving to the station. I changed my wheels ready for training. Skating was great and I conquored skating on one foot. Only one tho, couldn't do the right. After skating we all went for pub lunch and then I realised I was late meeting A&S at the pub in CE. Skedaddled up and had a really nice drink with them. Our kitchen light was broken so Si treated me to a roast at a cafe. Lovely lovely day!

21st - I bought a kitchen light! Got on with some work. Was sleepy. I took Si out for supper (through a voucher deal, I'm classy) in Islington. I walked there. It took an hour but felt good. Fantastic air. The food was OK, Si treated me back and we had starters on top of our main and drink that my voucher covered. After we went for frozen yog at the lovely place that plays lovely music (nice bit of Ella F). I sort of danced on my stool as we ate. It was my treat for us. Then Si treated us both to Submarine at Screen on the Green. Love that film. Wonderful atmosphere, dialogue, beautiful, and really liked the fine touches like the mum's neck scarves and the dad's OU presentation skills. Super.

22nd - Met G at Victoria to talk VNO. Really good to catch up with her...felt quite jeals that I wasn't there and that she got to do the jobs I used to. Sigh. And really good to get the gossip! Tee hee. She gave me a book she'd helped with - all so wonderfully familiar. Felt sad not to be in it. Oh well. But the frustrating things about the place are still there so it wasn't a mistake to leave! Train to Brighton and skated down by the seafront. Met some Brighton derby girls there and chatted with them. Really nice to have that sort of camaraderie! One of the skateboarders complemented me on my wheels, Yay! I hit a cafe to do my reading then met L&R at the station and sat on the beach eating chips. I wish I saw them so much more. Same for S&J. I love love love my friends. It was just so easy to be wtih them and giggle. G found us and we hit the gig. We sat in the bar instead of watching the support DJs. We got a niceish spot for Primal Scream's start tho - great backdrop projections with their sun flower shooting psychadelic rays out! The sound quality was terrible, but oh my Bobby Gillespie was deeply attractive in a skinny suit Nick Cave kinda way! after a while I couldn't see anything so we moved to the back and just danced 90s crazy! So so much fun! There were some other folks dancing 90s near us too and in one song the girl hugged us and it was great! Did a lot of grinning and dancing. Their encore was silly rock! Country girl, Get your Rocks Off etc. Yay! We marched back to the station, hugs goodbye and L&I headed up gossiping as we went and felt smug on the last northern line of the night. Took an age to get a night bus from there ad as she was 7 months pregnant we didn't walk. Home by 2am and sleep.

23rd - very tired but very happy! Worked from home. Can't remember what I did in the evening.

24th - NN and rather distractable. We had the charity gig which was a bit random as it was organised by volunteers so we had things like a keg turning up instead of bottles of beer and tubs of ice cream. The night was fine, would have liked more people to come and to have raised more money but we raised a lot of awareness - we were all over the press and radio so that's good. The final DJ set was from the loveliest chap who was nominated for the Mercury Music prize a few years ago. We chatted quite a bit - very very nice man. Hope we can play with him in the future. We were comparing notes about working internationally...difference being he doesn't remember much! Tidied up and walked home with H. I've pretty much sussed who does what now and who comes through with what they say they will do... Oh, and T glutened me. Bother.

25th - NN phone died so no allarm. Brilliant! Got a little bit of a lie in. To the gallery and a busy and very drowsy day, esp after being glutened. Got a fair bit done and a very useful meeting - keeping folks on topic is a bit of a mission, but worked just about. I helped T by duty managing in the evening for the comedy gig in the cafe - her guy hadn't turned up. I ended up helping bandage the support's foot (another charming and very nice fellow - we talked Cornish Yarg) and after the gig (where a lady walked out, twice) the main act & manager gave me a lift to the station! I caught the train home with SC the main act and it was mega fun...altho I did get a bit tongue tied at some point and ended up explaining the Bosnian situation...hum... We were chucked off the train at Bletchley because the driver hadn't turned up and there we met an actor/comedian and the 3 of us chatted all the way to Euston. Again, what lovely people! And I was complemented on my comedy knowledge, esp of Margaret Cho and Community. Finally, a use for the only thing I can actually remember ever! Night bus and sleep.

26th - Saturday of feeling absolutely exhausted. It was OU deadline day but my brain was jelly. Decided skating might wake me up so I went to meet the girls at Albert and we skated around. I love skating up hills and fast. H & I joined the demnstration - we stood near Chris Morris & Kevin Eldon but I did my best not to be star struck and did't talk to them. Wanted to. Didn't. Dignity girl, dignity. Oh, and we were on skates. Bck home for late lunch and painfully wrote my rubbish essay. So annoyed that I was just so tired. Heigh ho. I made the deadline. The crashed to sleep.

27th - today! What a week! Unsurprisingly woke exhausted and slightly unsure of the time - half my tech updates automatically. It was basic skills test (the perfect way to finish a week like this?) and I messed up the t-stops and skating on one foot. Everything else was I think fine. Even American Julie said she thought I looked washed out. Oh dear. We did some suicides at the end - I did terribly on the backwards bit, ah well. Home & Si & I went out on bikes just to make the most of the sun and I didn't want to sleep the day away. We stopped to try out electric bikes. WOW THEY ARE WEIRD AND AMAZING. Shot up the hill! Felt silly! We biked on our real bikes to Camden to look around how things have changed. Oh how things have changed. Actually they haven't much, just got bigger and more commercial, but lots basically the same. Same fashions too. Same as 1995. Tee hee. Cycled home then I fell asleep trying to watch 10 o'clock live. Time for team us to do our tidy up, shower, fresh sheets on futon and now oh the wonderful sleep will come! Night all!

It's funny who retweets me. Random women across the globe, and some friends, but mostly strangers. I'm not often RT because I use my twitter as a diary with occasional zingers - they are what is picked up on. How nice!

I have gone a little crazy in the spending department. Monday I managed not to spend...in fact I'm not sure what I did on Monday. Caught up on sleep. Caught up on some freelance work. The evening was aces - ROH for the red nose day event. Sonia & I were in a box and were part of the world record! We are officially part of the largest kazoo orchestra in the world! Woo! Was fun, but an odd selection of music and the comedians weren't actually funny, but for good cause.

Tuesday was beautiful sun & I tubed up to VB's shop and bought wide fitting skates. Oh bliss, no more pinching pain! And I picked up outdoor wheels and a tool too! I met 3 of the girls in the evening and we skated round Arsenal. It was brilliant! So nice to be outside and with new friends. Only down side was that one of the girls was rather negative about some of the other girls in the group in terms of their cloths...it was a bit mean, I defended. That was one of the things I like most about the sport, it's all accepting. Ah well. We went for a drink after and home for late supper and a lot of sleep.

Today I was a consultant at a good meeting. Hope we get the gig! Then slightly maybe popped into Top Shop on Oxford Circus and bought pink shoes with Mercury wings and a t-shirt, then another top for summer skating. Realised how pudgy I've become but it's lent so that will change. Home, some more work, gave a friend interview advice and slept. So so exhausted after the NN opening! But in a good accomplished way! Must not spend any more money tho...am back to broke. But broke with AMAZING SHOES.

What a busy week! The exhib is up and to rave reviews! Overwhelmingly postive responses from colleagues, the board, the artists and the public too! Relief! Hadn't thought the show would be bad, but wasn't sure the board would dig so much! So a big hooray! The artists esp, the opening was a big love in, yay!

Thurs - went to recruit more students to volunteer...all failed me. They didn't turn up when they said they would, didn't bother letting us know, one girl even is having a teeny show in a small space we've given to the uni - turned up a day late to install, didn't bother to come back to finish it, didn't come to the opening. So darned slack. So, they are on our black list and we'll not offer volunteering to them in the future (they have a module next year with compulsory work experience so they may rather regret their total letting us down).
After a quiet day of just me and J in (he helped me with the lights, really good egg) I had a tw meeting followed by me working in the very very cold space until midnight but it was worth it!

Fri - As our volunteers didn't turn up we had to work even harder. Got exciting in the last hour - I called the countdown "30 mins till opening" which was exciting in a flipping heck will we finish kinda way! We did, with 5 mins to spare. The opening was lovely and followed by us closing way later than we intended which is a good sign! I did some late night letter press posters. Pub after then sleeeeep.

Sat - work tidying up lots of things (had a little skate before we opened) and sorting protocol with L. She is excellent. Good to clear my desk too and sort some website stuff. Then skuttled to the train to meet maman for a cat handover and Si met us as Euston. Juan is now home and wonderfully affectionate! Last night was very tasty and fun supper at S&S' with giggling about all sorts, esp S talcing the cat as a kid to make it look old! (cat was a bit sick, but fine). Then our couch surfer arrived and we settled her in before some lovely sleep.

Today - training. I wasn't particularly good at hip checks, but it was very fun! Home then sleep and lost of internet with Juan curled up next to me. Lovely. CSer back, leaving tomorrow. CS good!

Oh I am in such a happy place these days! Life is good! Yes I'm broke, but heck who needs a pension or new trousers? Errr...
Today was installing more of the show - it's looking blinking brilliant! The rule to only work with brilliant artists is a good one to stick to! Lots to do tomorrow and day after, but it's all coming together! Will be late with one piece of print but can't be helped. THe fact I've turned around this exhib in (I started in Jan) 18 days isn't too shabby! Am getting lovely responses to the invite too. Hurrah! Need to do more work to make the website ship shape and get on top of the print deadlines/find more designers to work with...but it's on its way! Also need to make the tools system properly work and enforce some proper organisation, but that will happen! I have a great team and it's a joy to work! Other projects are having to take a pause whilst I'm in the final throws of getting this up and then they'll come back into the foreground. Oh, and we found out we got funding from the county at the gallery - yay! And phew! THat would be jobs going if we hadn't got that, and we are working with a minimum as it is. So hooray! And we got approached with 2 other funding pots too - our reputation is growing! Our CEO was really sweet and said it was all down to the arrival of me, which isn't true, but it is really great to know that I'm appreciated and we are at least a little bit safer in the scheme of things! The BIG funding bid is yet to come, and my job depends on that one, *gulp* but that's September's worry. I have to sort out the rest of this year before that comes to the top of the to do! Ooh, and I was recommended to be a guest lecturer at a thing in south eastern europe! It'd dependent upon the right people getting funding, so fingers crossed! Yes, life is on the up again after the most tedious 2 years of my life!

I skated round the gallery after everyone had gone - am trying to perfect skating on one leg - then walked home to Ch's. Had a derblf skype - I'm helping E with her training as a coach so talked diets and goals to help skating. I needs me some more protein! And I'm going to support her by getting some disolvable vitimins which will also help me! Double win. This week, however, is week of cake. I'm starting lent next week once the show is up and I am no longer working all the hours.

Am tucked up in bed but still cold. Oh come along now summer!

Swan Lake. Oh it beautiful! I shall now only enter and exit rooms like a swan lady.

Yesterday I slept a lot. And forgot things. Forgot to give blood and forgot to return an email. Rats. My v pregnant sister came and dropped off stuff that's been in storage since undergraduate days. Spent the rest of the day sorting stuff out - there is a LOT of recycling to go out this week. Then ate many pancakes.

Today I slept a lot. I did a fair bit of work, went to the library. Enjoyed sunshine. Napped. Then met Sonj & Nich for Nepalese supper then biked to sit in the gods. Got chatting to a Swiss postgrad sitting next to me. Lovely. I like single serving friends. Really enjoyed the ballet, altho frankly the inbetweeny bits could be edited out & evil baron a little less panto. But the sets and costumes were stunning, music flawless and performances spot on. Won't see another swan lake for at least 30 years. Last time I saw it I was 18 months old and it was with Margot Fonteine & Rudolf N...so the production I'll see when I'm 64 will have to be spectacular!

Oops. And again. More than a week slips by. OK, here's the highlights:

Weds: Devon! Was zonked the whole day. Intention of dynamic working on train didn't happen. H had a virus she was kicking too so we both sort of gazed out of the window. We couch surfed, it nice, but dear me do all divorced men live in the same state of grime? Needed to save pennies in the budget and it's always good to meet people! Oh, and saw rubbish exhib and another not good but with one AMAZING work show. Must find that artist and invite I think...

Thurs: our kind host (who kept a drill in a saucepan) took us for a brilliant hike with views, then wonderful meeting at House with wonderful writer L and wonderful artist H. THe project should be tickety boo! Very excited. Afterwards surprisingly nice fritata lunch in Exeter with L&H in blissful sunshine. Ribbon shopping and long trains back. Was supposed to meet friends in pub but so tired I completely forgot. Embarrassing. Realised on Sunday. Grovelling email from me.

Fri: Up to COL for meeting. It good but I was quite weary. Tip top to see friends from East UK. Trains back and the power of twitter showed me a friend was just near where my train got in, so we met for cake! Splendid and lots of talking lots! Biked up hill home then out for Magic show ad supper. Si's tenner ended up inside a kiwi!

Sat: Day of working on OU assignment didn't really happen. Crochet did, and sleep. And going to Twicks to meet my cousin/wife/babsquatch. It was really really ace! Like them a lot! Am frighteningly like my cousin! We weren't allowed to see them when we were kids. Facebook got us in touch! Seriously!

Sun: Spend whole day painfully writing OU assignment. And went to RD training too. Essay in before 2am. Ugh.

Mon: Day off. Si had day off too. We didn't go anywhere or do anything. Yes!

Tue: NN via Ruggles to take Juan cat to my mother's for holliopops. He was getting bored and yowly at home so time for a change plus I's away all last week and most of next so he's playing happily with Ferdinand cat in the midlands. After cat handover I headed back to gallery and started work. Stayed in Rugs, Juan didn't curl up next to me all night, he had Ferdinand. Much more interesting.

Wed: NN installing work. Wrangled with designer and text but seems to be working. Stayed in Rugs and got completely distraught by the This American Life podcast of Lucy the chimpanzee. Welled up when I listened to it when walking from the station to my mum's but when I saw the picture of Lucy hugging Janice I absolutely sobbed. So sad. Later I told my ma the story of Lucy and couldn't get through it without crying! Oh dear. Listen to the story and look at the pictures here: http://www.radiolab.org/2010/feb/19/ Wish I could help. Oh no! I just looked at the hugging picture again and am crying again! It's so heartbreaking. Well, if I ever need to prompt a tear I know what works!

Thur: talked to students in the morning after an early start then long working day. New pal D helped with web (he ace!) then pub for a bit before going back to work for a while then to C's to sleeeep.

Fri: but not for long. Woke far far to early. Back to work and superhectic day with artists, suppliers and all sorts of questions bouncing my way. Was fun but lots to do. Learning the strengths/weaknesses of my colleagues. L is absolutely brilliant. Will nurture her, she will go far. Evening went to train skating - am improving so so much! Did 23.5 laps in 5 mins...just 1.5 off the advanced requirements! Damnnnnn. Really enjoyed it! They're not very disiplined in their training tho, I'm pretty much the strongest person there. I'm not the best skater at all, but have more strength and endurance - not like the London girls where I am in the middle for everything. Joined them for hte pub after. Won't do that again, turns out I really like table manners (OK that sounds terrible, but picking up leftovers from other people's plates with your fingers and lots of swearing? Crumbs I'm middle class. Most of them aren't like that. Incredibly I was chatting with one who was 22 and when I mentioned I was 32 she was shocked! Apparently she thought I was younger than her! Think it's prob cause she's near lots of prematurely old 22 year olds who have kids rather than me...I do look a bit younger, but really not that much. Made me chuckle.

Sat: Up early again and straight to work after several nights of not enough sleep. Again hectic but lots done. Wonderful T in the cafe fed me & made the most amazing millionairres shortbread with overly gooey caramel. Yummmmm. Decided I just had to finish and catcht the 6pm train as was zonked. Home, qucik crochet at the library all nighter, slept, then realised I'd left knee pad in NN so got artist to pick it up for me. Had to pop to Euston to meet him after midnight, but the adrenaline and sleep earlier made it fine! Went back out to the lbirary after midnight to catch the rest of hte films (fareneheit 451) but dozed on their sofas until the film finished then home by 2:30am and to bed.

Today: Training was brilliat! And that lovely S brought me breakfast in bed. Ooh, turns out I'm really good at sprint starts with skating! It also turns out I forgot how to t-stop, but oh yes, I can start! Home, nap, film (I like Carey Mullican), bibimbap, bed and radio.

Oops, another week of not posting has slipped by. But it's been a splendid week! Want to capture and remember! So:
Today - watched The Promise - oh it's a good beginners guide to Palestine! I keep changing sides whilst watching it. Then after sorting laundry and a batch of work calls/things I had lunch with Charles Dicken's granddaugter. She was lovely and is the final writer in a project I'm working on. BIG HOORAY. Post lunch I was absolutely shattered tired. Home for a nap and Horrible Histories and then some very productive procrastinating and a skype tutorial with my OU tutor. My motivation had bottomed out so it was good to have a pep talk. I do feel more motivated now and did a batch more reading tonight, essay due Sunday night.

Back we go: Sunday 13th - felt terribly flat at rd training. Tired and was not at all good at the excercises we were trying but very chipper at making the new friends! There are 3 girls in particular I'm chiming with, so so nice to make new friends! After I went for chocoalte pie in Leon (it's gf!) and then home to crash! I have absolutely no idea what I did that evening!

Monday - a sad day. It was J's funeral. It was a beautiful day - sun, snowdrops and crocuses. I caught the train to A and was met by my ma & sister. It was very nice to see them, R is getting more and more pregnant with young Master sister. The church was pretty and it was a very nice service. We weren't close to J, she was my mother's cousin's partner - they never married but were together for decades. I blubbed at how sad E was to be without her. So sad. The service made me quite cross tho, went very goddy - talking about how faithful J was and how that was important. She lived in sin...so can't have been...anyway I mentioned it to my ma & R and they didn't even notice. It was like propaganda it was so strong. Oh it makes me cross. Such rot, as my pa would say. The crematorium was like all crematoriums with electronic curtains and the wake was really nice. I hardly have any family so the few members I have it's good to see. T was there and as hilarious as ever and it was good to chat to E about photography and J's photos. I hope he won't be desolate without her for too long. I used to think they were boring when I was little, but I think they were the first adults I understood as adults to be more than just adults, but real people! And funny, but oh dry! Train home was sad, started to write my will so that it's all smooth and so there is no religion at any point in my popping clogs. Years ago I signed up to give my body to medical science so that still stands and as it would prob be harsh on my family not to have some kind of goodbye moment (esp as there will be no burial or cremation, I'll be in jars on shelves) I'll arrange for a party - and everyone can take the books of mine that they want and the rest to a library. Poss the same for my clothes, but praps not as so few folks are my size. Anyway, i've nearly finished it. A very sad day.

Tuesday was also rather down, but dragged myself out to a Portugese cur meeting which was good. Post that I ran to meet Si to see a recording of the Unbelieveable Truth. Been ages since I was last at a radio recording. I am in love with the radio...must work out a way I can do radio projects. Anyway, it fun, and very hot and headache-inducing as ever! DM dropped the c-bomb...don't think that'll make it to the final edit.

Weds was bizarre but good! T & I took a local and horrifyingly pricey bus to the outskirts of Leicester to get our hair cut...and they did a TERRIBLE JOB! I now hate my hair. Awful. Looks good in a headscarf of my helmet. Oh dear. Rekon it'll be at least 6 weeks till I can do something with it. Oh well, a strange day but sort of good! Board meeting in the evening went very well...made them all love my ideas, hurrah! Then gossipped with the chair till bedtime.

Thurs was extra productive busy - lots done, extremely good meetings incl the big fundraiser for a local charity that I"m coordinating. It is so great how easily some things fall into place! D gave me a lift back to my digs and I had a very and gloriously early night.

Fri was up early and again a working dynamo till about 6pm when brain sort of mushed. Skating in the pm was super - am improving every session! Wish I didn't have wide feet, my skates are too narrow (I forgot about that when I got them as it's been years since I didn't have wide-fitting footwear) and the blisters aren't fun at all. Home very late but happy!

Sat was relaxed. Crochet club - which is more and more fun - then back to the library to force myself to do my OU reading. Saturday night Si & I were both shattered tired so watched the very Dutch Black Book (made us blush at times) and basically sleep.

Sunday as ever brilliant! Did more OU reading and training was superb. I'm rubbish at some things but it is slowly coming! Mostly it's fun and the girls are really ace! I am enjoying their tattoos! Home, reading, cleaning, S&S over for supper which was lovely and fun.

Yesterday see above (got distracted so didn't finish) plus telephone tutorial in the evening and lots of OU reading and today I've been working from bed and pyjamas mostly with Juan curled up on or next to me...he's now basking on the storage heater.

So, from this week I can see that I have an actual life again! And one that I like and feels like mine! I have someone elses haircut, but at least everything else is more like it should be! Ahhhhhhh!

Bed very late last night. Waking up was a bit tricky but managed to get to crochet club only 20 mins late. Everyone is so late for it we might change the time! Did lots of sewing ends in on my crocheted crochet bag that I spent last weekend making, still lots to finish. Also I wonkily taught a lady how to do some things as Sarah was v late but she came and is ace. I'm in a bit of a tired sugared up post big cycling blah...so this post is going to be a bit banal! Sorry readers! So, after crochet club si and I did an epic tidy up and then fell asleep. I was late for a gallery opening - lovely to see a couple of people but one was too cool for school but then off to tate for boooooring film. we ran away it was so deeply tedious. Saw the Orozco - v v good but I had seen the majority of the work before, a lot. Si and I saw a lot of it in LA in 2000 & I'd seen the yellow mopeds about 3 times before in various shows. Then a Leon supper - and WOW ALMOST ALL OF THEIR DESERTS ARE GLUTEN FREE! I had pecan pie! It wasn't great, but I could have it! It was a bit of an odd supper as my friends' friend had just broken up with long term boyf so there was a bit of a vibe, but then counterbalanced by giggling about clothkits! Then long uphill cycle home to a grouchy Si and now sleeeeep.