Snack

I'm waiting for big H to come home from a fishing trip in, ahem, Kawasaki, which he left the house at 4.45 this morning for. Here is lunch: So he may have a cash of fish for supper. So I had soe guacamole tortilla chips and salsa as a snack. And some 'fair trade' praline chocolate. And some red wine. Bike construction was not an out and out success. Sadly I can't work out how to attach the handle bars, although everything else is fine and it is a groovy little jitensha for sure.

There's nothing on telly and I just watched the Office Part 2 today while I was pottering around. I have watched my British comedy DVDs so many times over and over that I feel like a bit of a nutter. Should I pop on 24 season 4 or wait for the boy to get back? Or should I watch Peter Kay again? I bet you cannot wait to here what I have for lunch tomorrow...

RESULT!

For those of you who have been waiting with baited breath, holding out for that day when I could finally and successfully upload more than one image at a time to my posts I DID IT! Ah today is a good day indeed, so now I'm going to make my lunch (more about that later...) construct my new bike (such is the enormity of my newly honed technical skill) and then head out to Shinjuku to make big prints of my favorite pictures and Harajuku to add to the lovely original 1950s design cups my friend got me for my birthday! Oh I so badly rule!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

DSC02573
Originally uploaded by Louise Shenton.

To Louise and Ian on the birth of their son, Dylan Joe.

A Morning in Chinatown

I had to Blog this because it is just so pink and so funny and so great. And I need to get my head into a thesaurus because my English vocabulary is rubbish these days.

More food/bevarage news. I said in my previous post that I am enjoying loose leaf tea at the moment. Well here's an interesting and hilarious fact. I make it in a cafetiere! Yes that's right a coffee press. Ahahahahahaha. So creative and inventive - where there's a problem, I see only opportunity - piff paff poff to all ye folk who pour scorn on my cafetiere misuse. It actually works very well. And loose leaf tea DOES taste better and it reminds me of my Nan and Grandad (God rest them) who always drank loose leaf tea and had this kind of very 1950s dispenser on the wall with a button that dispensed just the right amount of tea for one person. It was shaped like a spaceship - Gawd I really want that dispenser, I wonder if my Aunty has it tucked away somewhere in the bowels of the house - are you reading this Anty Gill?
My other Grandma (God rest her) had an entire shelf of a roomy cupboard entirely devoted to sugar and a chest freezer (1.5 metres by 1/2 metre) FULL and I do mean FULL of meat. She was an incredible hoarder incredible. My Mum once persuaded her that they should clean out the freezer together after some years of nagging. Finally in about 1986 Gran conceded and they got to work. Mum found a whole half a lamb in the bottom of the freezer - best before 1977. I think my Nan took the possibility of nuclear holocaust very very seriously. And remembered rationing very very clearly. It's worth noting here, that my Grandma was with full set of marbles until very shortly before she died aged 85. She wasn't mad, just slightly eccentric, with a sweet tooth and a penchant for meat based dinner.

COMING SOON - LUNCHES OF OLD, LUNCH AT GRAN'S HOUSE - BRACE YOUR ARTERIES (even ther most committed vegetarian may get cholesterol by proxy following these stories)

Breakfast

Breakfast
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Today I had an aloe yoghurt and a cup of tea. Good old fashioned loose leafe English breakfast tea, my latest indulgence.
I had to get rid of the gigantic natto rice pic. It was fine for a while but then it just got too much.
As for lunch, we have just had a huge cash of cheese from the wholesalers (husband has contacts in cheese) so I feel a cheese-based lunch is on order along with tomato (I love a bit of tomato) grapes maybe some apple - mmmm a waldorf salad again - Ok so here it is, Waldorf salad, big slice of Camenbert, a wedge if you like, tomato, sunflower seed and caper salad drizzled with avocado oil, a cup of tea, a glass of sparkling water. If I think of any more details I will be sure to Blog them. I will probably take pictures, maybe a series (shit, now I know how to get the buggers up, but they are gigantic-must work on that even further) so you know - if you CARE what I had for lunch...watch this space.
Do you care what I had for lunch?

AND I STILL JUST CAN'T COP ON HOW TO GET THE BLOODY PICTURES UP PROPERLY - TRYING THOUGH

Naughty School Blogger

I'm at work in one of my jobs. I have my high school teacher hat on today. I have finished today's combination of exchange rates, telephone numbers and the Red Hot Chili Peppers so now the future of Japan knows how to convert Yen to Dollars, that you can pronounce zero 'oh' and zero zero 'double zero' and that once Antony Kiedis nearly died of a heroin overdose under a bridge in LA.
I had school lunch today - a bento lunch Japanese style. I often have these when I can read enough of the kanji to ensure that I am not ordering a meal entirely of meat. The odd pork ball is OK but a deep fried pork cutlet the size of a small country might be a bit disappointing as it would end up in the bin, or in my partner teacher who always skanks my meaty leftovers.

But today it was a feast of fish. I eat more rice now that I ever did before. I eat it every day, often twice a day. It is really good for you. Anyway my lunch was saba (grilled makarel) green beans, crab and mayo, rice, miso soup, veggie tempura and pickles - a good, well balances hearty meal for about 2 and a half quid. ACE.
Now, I recently read that a very popular Blogger In the US has just released a book 100 things not to Blog about or something and it is titled 'Nobody cares what you had for lunch'. WEEEELLLL I consider this an affront. An affront to my civil liberties, to my rite as a citizen of the free world, to freedom of speech, to all my sisters have fought for over the years to allow me, a woman to use a computer, Blog and open my mind to the world. As such I intend to include in every post what I had for lunch, an in cases where it is before or quite long after lunch time, I will be Blogging what I might have for lunch maybe even the snacks I have had, or the contents of my fridge and the possible combinations of those contents that I might make into lunch or into dinner or a snack. Here are some things I have recently had for lunch or a snack. This is sounding like Blog Pulitzer fodder already...

Privelege

Kakoiiiiiii
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Just been out with Frangipani for a quick drink and to pick up my print for winning the 1000th commenter prize! Little by little I am reconnecting with the people of my network and, with the aid of my Ipod am slowly realizing it is my privelege to be in this city. My privelege and my honor. So many things going on, so many layers, so many people so many networks just waiting to be plugged into. Energy waiting to be tapped, layers to be unfurled. So many different people leading interconnected lives. So many and such a vast and sprawling place. Towns in villages in villages in communities all touching each other and so many people around the globe. It is my honor and my privelege to be here. Connected to people the globe over, the people who travel into and out of my life and remain ever present in memories, emails, snail mails, phone calls and photos. It is my honor and my privelege to be here.

Honeymoon - Croatia

Vis Island, Croatia
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

It's been a rainy day in Tokyo, but it's cool and it means I had the perfect excuse not to go out. I have been a housewife and also spent way too much time playing with the computer - I spend endless hours just gazing at nothing in particular on the PC. It is fun though.
So today I uploaded loads of pics from our holiday in Croatia. It was lovely looking over the pictures again and I would recommend Croatia as a holiday destination to anyone. The Art Hotel in Split is really nice, new and clean and what it lacks in character, it more than makes up for in the rooms and service. There are many many tips I would give to people such as - if you are going to use the ferries to make plans double double check the times as the timetables are ambiguous and the weather dictates an awful lot as we found to our cost.
We planned a trip to the Blue Cave, on Bisevo - a small islland off Vis. This was our reason for going to this area of Croatia. But due to misreading of brochures, (ie the catamaran that would have speeded us there on a beautiful day and brought us all the way back to the place we were staying in an all incusive trip starting at 8am and returning at 7pm giving a fully organised day - only went once a week - the day we missed it also due to...) missetting of watches (mainland Europe is one hour ahead of UK) we didn't get to go to this beatiful and special place. The next day we travelled to Vis to se if we could take a ferry out there and do it independently but no - that day was quite windy and they don't travel out there on windy days as it's dangerous. Vis itself is quite lovely but I certainly wouldn't have chosen to go and see it over the other islands. That was a huge disappointment to me as I had organised every detail of the trip to Uk and Europe for the family and us over the Internet from Japan. Then we didn't even manage to do the one thing we came for becasue of rank mismanagement. It still makes me feel a bit sad now to be honest (substitute Fu#$in furious for sad there if you feel like it...) but Blogs are not the places for complaining about rubbish husbands, so I am certainly not going to broadcast any such feelings of disappointment or incompetence or anger in the face of my own selfless brilliance on my Blog - definitely not. I'll leave that to all the bitch-naggy wives out there. Me - I'll be like, never mind, we are lucky to be in such a lovely place anyway. It doesn't matter that we can't visit that highly recommended and beautiful site of World Class Beauty. Reading leaflets is hard, tricky as is setting one's watch.
Hvar Island is beautiful and the town of Hvar is great - I wish we could have stayed the night there because there are lovely little 'hole in the Wall' bars and cafes and the restaurants were top quality. As was the wine. I would defo spend more time there if I went again. And maybe rent transport because there are loads of lovely wee beaches everywhere.

My husband's nuts

My husband's nuts
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

There are so many reasons why I love my husband. And it is my intention to be constantly aware of these things.
Here is one of them. He collects and washes and dries, then plants the seeds of the things we eat. So far we have had succes with two avocado plants. Here is another avocado nut, lychee and I think tamarind nuts. We don't expect a harvest but it is fun watching things grow on the balcony. We had been watching two caterpillars grow on our tangerine tree (it bore fruit last year, but none this year, so we thought we'd let the butterflies have their day) They were growing so mcuh then one day, they were gone. I hope they sloped of to become cocoons, but they weren't all that big, so I think a bird got them. Shame I was enjoying that. But it reminds me that even in this concrete jungle - nature is all around...OH GOD how tragic was that - i'm just about to get naked on the balcony and do a nature dance to the Goddess of the City who ensures all things natural persist in this harsh terrain! - Nah I'm going to make a cup of tea and some dinner (lunch) then Blog something less hippy.

A fitting tribute to my hair!

Hat Scrabble
Originally uploaded by handytom.

Itchy feet for a new head

Recently I have been having this craving to cut all my hair off again. I did this last in 1999 for the total eclipse of the sun and the festival we went to in Devon, England. My hair is curly and unruly and when very very short (not quite a skinhead) gives incredible bedheads. I do not look cute at all. Why am I craving this? I think I keep seeing pictures of girls with cute noses and impeccable taste who have those lush pixy cuts and think 'that looks great and fun - I want me a bit of that'. When really I look like a big ole ginger nose on legs, rather severe and not at all pretty with a short back and sides. But it's a look, not an attempt at looking lovely. I love my hair, it's pretty and now really long again, but I get bored of it and it was about this time ten years ago, at the same length, that I started slowly getting it cut further and further back until I went out and out for the crop. The time before that was a spikey style in about 1984. Spikey all over - about 2inches. Think Toya circa 'It's a Mystery'. Not a pretty sight on a shiny teenager. Or anybody. Post 'Like the woman on the loreal freestyle bottle' and pre solid flick.
I remember once, I went to Toni and Guy in Birmingham and had my hair cut by a stylist who stank of pot and was visibly stoned. This was just before I went to India and I wanted a close crop then. He told me I would look too 'BUTCH'.
I know it would be a seriously bad move, but I really really want to shear my barnet just now. I must think 'butch not Kylie, butch not Kylie'

New pictures!

DSC_0323
Originally uploaded by mairwenb.

If you have the chance, either go to my Flickr account (click icon on the right) or visit my friend Mairwen's Flickr account http://www.flickr.com/photos/mairwenbalston/
Because she has just uploaded some lovely lovely pictures of our wedding in Wallasey and also because she recently got a new camera, which is ACE and she is ACE too!
Ok now I prepare for my day. My migraine subsided thank the lord.

MIGRAINE

we seem to always choose insanity
Originally uploaded by jackfrancis.

I just started with my first migraine for years. I used to get them quite often, but that as when my lifestyle included too many naughty things and not enough sleep. I don't know what I can put it down to today although I did have 2 cups of strong, fresh coffee on an empty stomach and then settle down in front of the PC to tap away.
My migraines look like this picture. First my field of vision is disturbed in the top right by a pulsating fractal much like the top bit of the spiral. Anything in this part of my field of vision is obscured. In this case it was the top but of the Hotmail page. SHIT! This is the precurser for a firework display of pulsating fractals that grow and end up like the picture and it crosses my field of vision so that my entire field of vision is disrupted and I can't see properly. Then when that's over someone puts my head in a vice , while simultaneosuly boxing their way out of my head fromthe inside. The pain is intense, throbbing and would require me to lie in a darkened room drinking water and trying to relax/sleep it off. That was until I discovered Migraleve! Oh joyous pink tablet who opens my constricted vessels. I carry them with me at all times in my purse, because without them I would be useless because I also become confused, get my words mixed up and am in such dire pain that I cannot function. So I have just drunk a few glasses of water, downed a couple of pinkies, had a bowl of muesli and will continue to drink water, employ the Alexander technique to my crumpled body and avoid the bright sunlight of today. Dark glasses to put the washing on - cool. (My waching machine is on the balcony)

Magical Sky Harajuku

Magical Sky Harajuku
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Maybe it did...

Magical Sky Harajuku

Magical Sky Harajuku
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

See what I mean - like a portal to another world opened...

My first Birthday card from my new in-laws

My first Birthday card
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

It was my birthday on Monday. 35. No problems with that. I feel fine! This is the card I got form my in-laws, I love it!
The plan was to have a gathering in the park like last year, but there was a typhoon so we cancelled and opted for lunch and a lazy afternoon at EXRealm where we had our wedding party - I highly recommend that place, it is great. Nice food, great service, good music and very relaxed atmosphere. We met with Carla and Gareth and Lewis and April came over too and wiled away the afternoon chatting and making (sniff sniff) sayonara arrangements for Carla and Gareth. And of course cuddling Lewis-kun who is getting mroe and more animated every time I see him - just adorable.
The bonus of the typhoon was the amazing sunset. The whole of the air bathed us in this kind of creamy, lilac light. it is incredibe because everything feels different in his light (to me). I feel like I am in some ethereal other place or the middle of a novel. It is magical. The sky was alternately on fire adn gold and blue and purple and lilac - so other worldly. I felt like I was floating and that anything was possible. To feel this you have to be in the city. In nature, it seems not less beautiful yet more natural. In the city, it takes on an unearthly feeling. Like a total eclipse. Or a storm that turns day to night. For a moment anything seems possible. And to have that feeling, for even the fraction of a second, opens a small channel in a person. That can happen a lot in Tokyo. Maybe that is what J-ster misses? Those moments of infinite possibility that Tokyo can unwittingly send you into once in a while.

Teen Hair and Such

There are some serendipitous moments, days or weeks in life. This week I was reading the hilarious accounts of Ms Anna Dilemna's hairstyles thru the years at http://annadilemna.typepad.com/
Now i have just had a coupla beers with some boy chums from one of my jobs and settled down to watch 'Bugsy Malone' (4 quid at Asda and one of the best films ever - so natsukashi I am teary eyed) and it got me athinkin...

Last year I went on a quest and it produced some pretty interesting results. I have to take a break now, to upload some pictures, but I can tell you it involved a medieval theatre group, being in the newspaper, Busgy Malone, the Wizard of Oz and The Revelations...

"Oops up Side Your Head I said ah..."

"Oops up Side Your Head I said ah..."
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Anyone remember this ridiculous dance? Many a school disco was packed with lines and lines of smelly shiny teenagers with plastic jewellry, pastel cottons and blue mascara hoping to get wedged in front of the boy/girl they fancied at the time. Funnily enough before the wedding party me and my Mum were laughing about how this song should not be played at teh wedding then lo and behold it came on and we were off - a bit of a poor showing admittedly - the four in the background are looking like - what the f.....

I tried, but I failed...

Just for the record - I didn't make it to the pool today because I am a hostage in my own house. A hostage of my inability to GET THE F$#% OUT OF MY APARTMENT! And a hostage of MY AMAZING ABILITY TO LET THINGS PILE UP THEN HAVE TO SORT THEM OUT WHEN I COULD BE SWIMMING! Aah that's better - off to talk English to Japanese businessmen now. I did use the pushy pulley exercise machine in the kitchen that I got from a flea market for 300yen (a quid 50). I started on about 20 back and forths, did 50 with ease today - tummy getting stronger, still surrounded by rubber ring-like roll of fat. Mmmmm hungry - what shall I have to eat?

Tokyo, England

flip flops in the rain
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Welcome to Tokyo, where it rains - ALL THE TIME! It's good for the plants on the baclony though. The caterpillars are getting bigger, but I think they may be dying because of the rain.
I made a pledge that I was going to do exercise (not just a few sit ups at home, but where you go somewhere to do it) twice a week when I got back. My plan was hot yoga and swimming. I rebonded with swimming while I was away. Anyway, I have managed swimming twice thus far and have been back 2 weeks. Not too bad actually as I usually fail all together in these matter. I will go swimming today as way on the way to work.
I have been exhausted. Unaturally so. Yesterday I was so tired I fell asleep at my desk in the teacher's room at school. I hate doing that, but the tiredness was palpable, I could feel tiredness coursing through my veins. So depressing. I think maybe I am fighting off a cold. The weather is jumping around a bit at the moment and that is conducive to getting ill. I also tend to go to bed late and then get up very early on school days. On a day like today, though, when I have to go to work late, I tend to lie in until 10 or 11, which I guess does my body clock no good at all. I just don't feel very healthy in Tokyo at the moment.
Which brings me to my next point. I'm a bit fed up. My life is happy, we are in our honeymoon period, so I am loving (and milking) that. But my usual enthusiasm for this marvellous city is waining somewhat. My jobs are not stimulating me and try as I might to be positive or even neutral, i am pretty comfortable with the voice that is saying 'make a change'.
I miss Europe and Blighty. UK had a much more positive feeling about it this time. Besides the weather, it felt pretty good. Europe and access to it is just such a bonus. Thois could be post-holiday blues, but is feels a bit different. But we will get down, work hard and get on with our lives. It's not rubbish, just...well you know when there's an itch to scratch, right?
Last night I went to the Pink Cow in Shibuya for a meeting of entrepreneurs. It was all about mind mapping and SWOT analysis, methods of brainstorming that are familiar to me through my job as a business trainer. There were some really interesting people there though and I chatted with people who had started up their own businesses. I would love a little B&B somewhere, with a bar and cafe and outdoor seating and karaoke rom and good food, great wines and great atmosphere and great service and a lack of mediocrity. I would love that. It's a thought...it's dream...

A Tribute to Geoff Campbell

To my dear friend Geoff who was tragically and publicly taken away from us 5 years ago today. He was my friend, my badminton partner, my drinking partner, smoking partner, advisor, advisee, infuriator, carer, big brother, big muppet, housemate, colleague and friend. He is one of the people who had a profound impact on my life and showed just how deeply friendship runs, how precious platonic love is and how loyal people can be to one another. He had a similar effect on most people who knew him. He could often be found sticking up for me when I was expressing my opinions rather zealously and we once had an argument because I didn't shave my legs. I still have your email address in my computer, I still have the last email you sent me on August 18th 2001. I miss you and there isn't a week goes by when I don't think about you.

Today is too hot too humid too exhausting

Fun fair
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

This picture is from my home town, New Brighton, Near the beach. It is one of those very rundown British seaside towns which has had its day, but retains that faded glory and vaguely seaside towny feeling. In that it is near the sea. And has an old funfair. And loads of closed down clubs and pubs and B&Bs.
Tokyo is a sweat pit right now. Today was exhausting after a fitful and sweat addled sleep and wakig up feeling like I had a hangover. I was lucky that my late private student cancelled so I was home early and hubby made a lovely dinner - comfort food. Natto and egg over rice with a side of okra (in season just now) with octopus, wasabi, bonito flakes and soy sauce. He really looked after me. I should go to bed now - I am still feeling headachey and heavy, but have been enjoying uploading a zillion photos to Flickr. Check out the ones of Sasuke but prepare for unparallelled cuteness...

Saturday 9th September

Kudanshita Graffiti
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

I went to see an exhibition of the work of an artist I really like called 'Mai Miyake'. It was in Kudanshita and I took few photos on the way. The exhibition was small and I was there for a good 10 mintues before I bought a book, some stationery and then went to Shibbers. Today (9th) is the birthday of my good friends Jasmine and Tom! Happy Birthday! Anyway the exhibition was a good way to get me out of my routine and to have a wander round bits of Tokyo I wouldn't usually go to. So I took a few pictures. Tokyo always has something odd happening and yesterday was no exception.

The Moat around the Palace

Then a Family rowed into the picture
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

In Kudanshita. It was so green - they must have had an algal bloom! Looked good though.

Cats

Cats
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

In Kudanshita

Caterpillar

Caterpillar
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Hairy caterpillar - loads of the buggers out at the moment. I watched a giant butterfly lay eggs on a plant on our balcony - they have hatched now and are little caterpillars. I am not going to kill them because the butterfly was very beautiful and I'd like to see more of them next year, it was the size of a sparrow. Well not the body, that was like a work and it had no beak. Obviously.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

In Kudanshita there were lodas of caterpillars in the Sakura trees - I almost walked into these, they were about at my eye level.

'Tarako Tarako'

'Tarako Tarako'
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

I saw a giant Tarako walking through Shibuya and it was really really hot out - it is hot today as well.

V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Promotion in Shibuya

SMAP!

SMAP!
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

I saw loads of ladies going to see SMAP the pop group at the International Stadium. I was on the bus on my way home.

The 2nd least cool T shirt in the World

The 2nd least cool T shirt in the World
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Then I cam home and Kei was wearing the 2nd least cool t shirt in the world - the 1st is also in his posession and someday I hope to Blog it - you know those t-shirts that have a 3d alien bursting out of the chest.....?

Ms T and Max (pre birth)

Difficult to get to the cappucino
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

This was the morning after my wild pregnancy themed hen party! Ju was making cappucino and it was so funny watching her do everything with outstreched arms that I took a picture - now this is the most viewed picture on my Flickr account - over 500 views. I hope it is people who ifnd it fun and endearing and not some pregnancy fetish dudes. If you are worried about any pics on the account I can make them available to friends and family only! Congrats to the Toft family - can't wait to meet little Max!

Misc

Last night we recreated a dish that we had in Croatia that we really enjoyed. It was an octopus salad and we did a good job. This is it:

Octopus sliced
Salad onion (we used red onion) sliced thinly
Olive Oil
Lemon juice
vinegar
Capers
Fresh chopped garlic
We also added a bit of res and yello pepper for color, although it wasn't necessary.
Allow to stand for a while in the fridge.

It was really good. Last night we had it with rice and chickpea, cucumber, tomato, miso and sesame oil salad and an omlette made from egg whites and eggs (left over from using the yolks for natto tamago don) I don't really use octopus much but I will more because it is readily available, cheap and tasty.
I was also reminded that my hubby is a really good chopper. He can slice garlic really thin and very finely and very very quickly. I think he worked in a restaurant at some point and learned his craft there. He is also really really good at folding clothes. He can fit about twice as many t shirts in a draw as I can. Incredible.
Jet lag report - I don't feel like crap, but I am having difficulty sleeping before 3am. I just kind of lie there awake. I am not sleeping in late and this morning was back to 6.15 starts so that shoudl sort it out once and for all.

The families meet

Family Fun
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Finally our families meet and here we are on the day of our wedding celebrations. As you can see we occupy very different ends of the gene pool! I love these pictures, they came out really well. Me and my Mum look like midges next to my Dad and brother. My brother really in remarkably tall and broad with it. And handsome (are you reading Matt?).

Ice Ice Baby

Ice Ice Baby
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

This little fella was the star of the wedding night. When the Vanilla Ice classic 'Ice Ice Baby' came on he was on the dance floor like a shot - it's a family favorite.
There was quite a trembler the other day - I thought things were going to fall over, but they didn't luckily. Anyway I mailed April to see if she had felt it and she mailed back to say that Sas had engaged in his first act of vandalism. He had stuffed toilet paper down the plug hole and filled the sink and it had flooded into the hallway! He came in and said 'Uh oh Mummy I need a wee wee' ! How funny is that? Of cause it'S not naughty, just curiosity and experimenting.
I asked if he also written his name in marker on the wall and 'Mandy is a slag' or something, but he hadn't gone that far yet. See what hapens when you take your child to Liverpool for the weekend.

Celebrity Spots in UK

In the UK I spotted a few celebs. One was Kelly Brooke curvy champion of lad mags and the future Mrs Billy Zane. At the airport I saw Lemmy from Motorhead and he hasn't changed ever ever ever since Hawkwind. He has always looked like a gnarled old mad man. He had just got off the plane and was smoking a snowt and drinking a bottle of Corona. That is in my top 5 of spots.
But the best spot of all was when we nipped into the Hilton in Paddington to check out the restaurant and Kei for a laugh pointed at an older lady with a wisp of ginger hair and said 'that's you'. But no it wasn't me, it was her royal highness Queen Vivienne of Westwood. Looking fantastic. I love her. She actually reminds me a bit of my Grandma, god rest her, but I really really admire Vivienne Westwood and it was such a pleasure to have been in her royal presence. I didn't ask for an autograph.

UPGRADE - OOOH YEAH

Did I mention we got an upgrade on our flight home? One upgrade. Not to first or Biz class, but to the next up from economy. You get 2 seats where usually there are 3 and more leg room and a Daily Mail (this was admittedly disappointing and I nearly asked to go back to economy).
The funny thing was that we were arguing in the queue about seating arrangements as Kei likes the aisle seat and I like the window seat and we would have had to have someone between us to satisfy both our whims. Anyhow, we did Rock Paper scissors and Kei won and I whinged a bit because I didn't want to sit in the middle and when we got to the desk, the woman said you have an aisle and a window seat next each other - how is it so madamy? You have had a bit of an upgrade. Yata ne. The journey flew by (badum) although the entertainment system is rubbish on BA compared with Virgin, the attendant we had was lovely, the food good and we could spread out a bit more. More to come about the holiday and wedding, although the order will be random. I just upgraded my Flickr account so now I can store loads more...

Daddy...

Yes son

What does regret mean?

Well son, a funny thing about regret is, it's better to regret something you HAVE done than to regret something you haven't done. And if you see your Mommy this weekend, be sure in telling her SATAN SATAN SATAN SATAN