lizzie_and_ari: (family)
Hello,

So much stuff!

We moved house this week - hopefully for the last time in a long long while. That's pretty much dominated the week.

1. The actual move was done on Friday, with a little leeway into Saturday morning to clear some final bits and pieces and clean - not quite to the standard I would have liked, but as it was we overlapped with Joanne and Giolla by about half an hour.

Fortunately, Dora was in nursery all day Friday. We are also so incredibly lucky for all the wonderful people who've helped with this whole thing:

Andrew Ducker, who arrived in Burntisland early to help Jo with her moving. He messaged to ask if we needed help and we threw ourselves on him in 'omg yes'ness. (Our main problem is heavy lifting - because I can't, that puts it all on Ari, and apart from the fact there's so much, some things are two person jobs.)

Alex Rodgers, who took the day off work and arrived super early for super hefting.

Most of all, Erin, who got up even earlier to come straight from Glasgow, with a suitcase, to carry and clean and strategise and plan and execute. She even cancelled early evening plans to stay later. She is a superhero (and commander of the flag).

2. The kids - Dora and Cedric - have both coped amazingly well with the move. For Dora, I think it was actually great to have the first night in the new house followed by a final trip to the old house. We said goodbye to all the rooms, and now it's "We live at the beach now, next to the dragons."*

Cedric was much the same - a big investigation followed by "cool; this'll do". We need to get a cat flap put in in, but it looks like there was one in the back door that's been filled in, so fingers crossed that won't be too hard. In the meantime, we're just letting him in and out. He went for a long trip outside yesterday - I wonder if he maybe wandered to the old house.

* there are some dragons who live at the beach. Some of them eat rocks and some eat lettuce.

3. The folk who sold us the house, aka our new next door neighbours, are just lovely, too. They did lovely thoughtful things like chopping us some extra firewood, and setting the fires for us all ready to go. They've been so kind.

4. Mum arrived the day after we moved, which in retrospect was a terrible idea. There are things *everywhere*, and we keep abandoning her to unpack etc :(. Once everything is properly unpacked (I give it 1-2 months) things will be able to properly be awesome. Plus, the weather will be on the mend. (Talking of which: Housewarming/my birthday party on March 4 - save the date!)

5. I had (possibly still have?) a UTI. That was a fun addition to moving. #tmi

However, it did give rise to Dora's comment: "Stop weeing, Lizzie's brain!“ Other classics this week include:

On coming down the stairs to find us yesterday morning, because we woke up before her:
"Mummy, there was a person in the bed!"
"Really? Just now?"
“They were looking for you."
"OK. Was it you?"
"Yes."

During a discussion about what we all liked most about the new house (the fireplaces? The view? The Narnia room?):
"What's your favourite bit, Dora?"
[thinks for a long time]
[points]
"That lightswitch."
(No, it wasn't even a particularly interesting lightswitch.)

6. She's also captivated by her new doll's house. I saw this listed on Freegle a few weeks back, and it turned out to be the person selling the house - so she just left it for Dora, who *loves* it. It's great; she will properly play with it for ages, while we get stuff done.

Other stuff... maybe...

Tomorrow Ari’s parents arrive, and that and unpacking composes all of our plans.

Happy Tuesday,

Lizzie xx

Jobs meme

Sep. 11th, 2014 11:33 am
lizzie_and_ari: (beach)
I HAVE CREATED MY OWN MEME. This is what maternity leave is good for.

It follows a few conversations I've had about how many different jobs people have had. For example, I believe the gentleman currently covering my maternity leave has had only two, depending on how you count it, whereas I have had over 50.

The rules: list the jobs you have had, including approximate time you worked there and approximate age when you were. The same type of job with different employers counts each time, self-employed type jobs pretty much count as one, but it's up to you how separate you regard(ed) them. You don't necessarily have to have been paid in cash; a job is defined as anything for which you were either paid, aspired to be paid (eg commission or self -employed stuff that never actually made money) and/or had regular responsibilities towards (eg ongoing voluntary work, internships).

I was going to say 'tag as many people as you've had jobs, but I'm not tagging 53 people, so just tag as many folk as you like. I tag everyone reading this on LJ, in an attempt to re-energise LJ.
my-jobs )
(Most of the very short-term stuff here is when I was temping so was just short-term – sometimes as little as a day - some I quit. It's interesting how the jobs become fewer but longer as I've got older. I might make a graph.)
lizzie_and_ari: (Lizzie (by Chris))
Am down in Stratford for a pre-Christmas/Hal birthday-a-thon. 4.5 hours direct to Birmingham. First three and a half hours flew by; train was quiet, I had 2 seats to myself, all was good. I was reflecting how the pre-Christmas weekend's actually quite a good one to travel in - the corporate travel is dying down, but most people aren't really travelling for leisure for another few days.

An hour out of Birmingham the train stopped, for an hour, as the track was pointing the wrong way. That's when 2 weegies, Rangers fans* who from what I can gather spend all their time travelling round the country to Orange marches and getting drunk, moved into the table in front.
Highlights included:

  • a rousing song of [drunk no 1]: "Kill all the Catholics and the Jews!" [drunk no 2] "Come on, Jimmy, the jews are no that bad" (yes he really was called Jimmy)

  • a delightful anecdote about how they should all go to Belfast for the next Orange march, as last time they were there the hotel messed up their mate's reservation so he kicked the crap out of a black guy**. He himself didn't intervene nothing cause it was 'nothing really to do with him' and quite funny.

When we finally restarted, they got off at the stop before mine, to run for a connection. Ten minutes later our train stopped again, for half an hour, as the police had to be called out for 2 guys on the train in front. I wonder who...

They were being nice to me, which was at first comforting and later verged on disturbing. When I was trying to sleep they tried to keep it down and spoke to others on the train about how they could just give me a cuddle, and drunk no 2 had to stop drunk no 1 from getting his coat out to put round me. They thought it was crying shame a woman was travelling by herself. I doubt they saw I was pregnant - if they had I suspect I'd have been treated to more nice-but-creepy.

Given the position I was in, I had to option but to be nice back. I told them my name (when asked) and gave polite banter. I batted off questions like 'Can you tell these cunts to fucking move?' with 'Oh, I don't think I have that kind of power'. I gave them my shortbread. Any other option: pointing out that most of my family was Catholic, that I considered myself a Celtic fan, that maybe beating up black guys for no reason was a wee bit unfair; or even just gathering up all my spread-out stuff and noisily and obviously moving carriages - was just too risky. Given they tried hard to get me to sit with them, they'd have only followed me.

Despite living in Scotland for 15 years, I'd been largely shielded from direct experience with sectarianism like this, but it really brought home to me why no drinking on certain trains, and recent moves to combat sectarianism in football, is a bloody good idea.
Ok, I think a lot of that was my need to let off steam. I started this as a FB status, but it sort of grew. I'm not really sure what my point is, other than 'omg that was terrrifying'.

* I mention this as it was hugely relevant to them. I know plenty of Rangers fans who are decent, reasonable, people and I don't meant to imply any tarring-with-the-same-brush here. Similarly: they were from Glasgow, but I prefer to think of incidents like the Clutha aftermath as my weegie yardstick.

**and a bizarre attempt at PC when drunk no 2 said 'a black guy?' and drunk no 1 corrected him said 'African', but drunk no 2 later referred to him as a 'Negro'. Goes to show that labels hurt, but not half as much as having the shit kicked out of you.
lizzie_and_ari: (Lizzie sketchy)
Hello,

this-week )

Sorry.

Bye!

Lxxxxxxxxxxx
lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
 Hello,

Things! )

'Sprobably it. I think this week will be just the right side of busy.

Happy Monday!

Lxxxxxxxxxxx
 
lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
I feel like I have done more things with this week than I would expect to do in a year.

Loooong )
Happy Monday!

Lxxxxx
lizzie_and_ari: (morags userpic)
Hi,

This was originally going to be called something like 'equilibrium'. But that was broken somewhat yesterday.

I'll keep this chronological, though. Skip to 4 if you like. Alternatively, skip 4 entirely. It's a bit bleak and personal and the whole thing is much cheerier without it.

many-things )

I hope you all have lives filled with love of all kinds, today and every day


xxxx


lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
 Hi all,

I have ten minutes; can I do this?

Read more... )

2. This is the beginning of my last crazy week; trying to fit more days into the week than exist. This means it's technically my last week out in Dalkeith. The only trouble is I strongly suspect they're going to ask me to stay on for a bit. I can't really afford to say no. Hmm.

3. Celebrated Christmas! February be damned!  John mostly missed out on Christmas, and instead had it dominated by Korean food. So we put all the decorations back up, got a really nice piece of turkey from the farmer's market, had crackers and Christmas music, and Hazel brought a Christmas pudding and a santa hat, and Gregor brought a LOT of alcohol. We had the most delicious mulled wine I've ever had (Red wine, mulled wine spices (Sainsbury's finest), port, spiced rum and polish honey vodka, sweetened with honey. Yum). It was really really fun and I highly recommend Christmas in February.

4. Rearranged the furniture

 - oh, ran out of time. Will try and finish this at lunchtime....

Did this because we were trying to move things around so that we could put our dining room table out with five people around it. We managed to do that quite comfortably actually and thus discovered a way to make the room much bigger! The sofa is on the corner/under the window and the table is now where the sofa used to be. This is all very dull, but has the following exciting outcomes:
  • The sofa is no longer in a direct draft
  • The mess of ugly wires from the corner is sneakily covered up.
  • There are now available surfaces to put a cup of tea when you sit on the sofa.
  • The table is accessible at all times, meaning we can actually eat dinner at the table, rather than on our laps. I've always been sad about our lack of a dining table and now the lack has gone!
I know this makes me really sad, but I don't care. It has revolutionised our lives

5. Made a courgette and lemon cake. For Fiona's birthday (at Hearts & Minds). Although I think I may need to make another one for Ariadne some time soon.

6. Am running my proofreading course at Leith Academy on Saturday. A wee bit terrified just now. Eek.

7. Cedric brought in a live mouse. He has never done this before. He didn't manage to kill it, despite batting it around and carrying it in his mouth a lot. He must be very gentle. Eventually Gregor caught it and took it back outside.

Sorry, not much excitement this week - tune in next week to see how the course went, and Lovesick, and getting in all my content for the MGICF.

Happy Monday!

Lizzie xxx
lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
Hello,

Wasn't sure if I'd have time this morning as I have been busy trying to look nice; I have a job interview at 11, though am into work first. I'm about ready though and I figured I'd feel calmer if I could do this before setting off (nearly wrote 'karma' there. I blame John Lennon, now on Six Music).

Also good for Jackie's Monday morning procrastination.
This_week )

Happy Monday!

Lxxx
lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
Last night's Scrabble game. We are so mature. Genuine game though. And the beautiful thing? We finished up exactly even - 280 points all.

Beautiful times.
 Scrabble
Heh heh. Jugs.
lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
 Hello kids!

Well, I'm starting writing this at 7:58, but may not finish it before I get get to work. However, I am up, dressed, and have had pancakes.

Things )
Have a good week lovelies,

Lizzie xxxx
lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
 Morning!

Awake! )

Happy Monday,

Lizzie xx

lizzie_and_ari: (Lizzie sketchy)
I was reading up on the Musicality test. It offered the cheering news that a very high percentage of people who think they have no musical ear or talent actually can do very well in certain areas.  Ooh then, I thought, I'll try it.  It might make me feel better.

Here are my results - as compared, for comedy purposes, to [info]marrog's  

Enthusiasm
Morag scored - 92%
I scored - 1%

Emotional Connection
Morag scored - 70%
I scored - 19%

Social Creativity
Morag scored- 98%
I scored - 0%

Musical Curiosity
Morag scored - 90%
I scored - 1%

Musical Perception
Morag scored - 99%
I scored - 0%


Oh.
lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
Oh it's early. I mean I know it's 10 o'clock now, but I've been up for THREE HOURS. There's actually no light at 7:30, did you know that? No light AT ALL. I swear it was darker then than when we went to bed. My mum told me I 'just need a new mindset' to be getting up at this hour. I actually 'whatevah'ed her. Fortunately she laughed.

things )

Ok, work beckons. Happy Monday y'all!

Lxxx
lizzie_and_ari: (Lizzie sketchy)
 Hello!

Happy brand spanking new year! I think it's going to be excellent.

to-begin... )
Fifty-two Happy Mondays to you all xxxxxxxxx
lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
 Helloooo!

all-the-bacon )

Happy Hogmanay everyone, see you in 2011!

Lizzie xxx
lizzie_and_ari: (Default)
Hey kids!

So, today I do not really feel like working. This may be partly evidenced by the fact that it's half eleven and I have just had my breakfast.

Tchuh! I hear you say! Who does feel like working? Well, me, normally. I'm easily distracted into working on the wrong thing and messing up my deadlines but I could quite happily be fiddling with worky stuff all day. Today, however, I feel like playing. I think I will write this (kind of work, and must be done today for the sake of my mental stability) and then maybe do some housework. Normally I like to be strict about working in working hours, but if I do the ironing I will feel muchly better and I can watch the Gilmore GIrls at the same time. Also I did do three hours work yesterday which should have been a Play Day and I have a meeting at three so will be working from thereonin so that's ok.

Read more... )
Ok so have a fabulous week everyone and remember where you're supposed to be and what you're supposed to be doing at all times.

Lxxxx

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