radar 10 July 2008
So, as you all probably now know, the radar failed in Dublin airport yesterday and that has spooked me quite a lot. Not so much that I was allowed fly during the crisis (well, you know what I mean -someone else flew the plane I was in) because I reckon an adult took a view and thought they could manage to drag a plane across the Irish sea at least without too much of a mishap |(you can practically see it with the naked eye all the way) – it’s that the magic FAILED. We rely so much now on things that most of us don’t understand (which is probably stupid) that we are really putting our faith, essentially, in magic. Recently, for example, my email went a bit nutty and I realised I don’t remember how I got started with it – I must have gotten an email address and all that but it was an AGE ago and it’s forgotten. Maybe, once upon a time, I understood/got bet into me at school how electricity works but I don’t recall it now. The magic broke yesterday…that’s not good. I tip into right old very late middle age tomorrow – that’s another broken thing right there – I’m not happy about it at all, at all. I need the magic. I WANT the magic, dammit.
made it 9 July 2008
Made it! And do you know – I have had worse delays between those airports – though it was frustrating in the extreme being stuck on the plane because we kept expecting the news to get worse rather than better, though it didn’t get too horribly awful as things turned out – who knew?
Felt sorry for the outgoing passengers in Dublin when we arrived, though, as all the announcements seemed to be ‘we announce the cancellation of your flight, please go get re-routed or your fare refunded’ – hope their weren’t too many people trying to get off on annual leave – holidays are STRESSFUL at the start and that’s all you don’t need.
on board 9 July 2008
Well, this is a real doozie – I am emailing this from an airplane. I am on a packed plane sitting by the stand at heathrow – packed because a previous flight to Dublin was canceled (no explanation) and all of those passengers were bounced onto our flight. Steadily things got put off and off and we eventually boarded, to be told when strapped in that the radar is down in Dublin and we might not push back till 5 pm or so. It’s such a mess it almost sounds like a lie. Passengers now going nuts with boredom, frustration and the threat of deep vein thrombosis.
Ooh we seem to be attempting a push back – I will report from the other side…if we make that landfall this day.
I have a 6.30 doc’s appointment in the middle of Dublin’s town – wonder how my chances of making that rate??
recycling 8 July 2008
I’m getting despondent about recycling. I can’t seem to stop it as it is now a habit and I think that, of itself, is a good thing. A lot of the stuff that got chucked from the house recently went either to the recycling centre or charity shops. But I can’t help feeling that I am doing it wrongly and, though my conscience is vaguely assuaged by the action of delivering stuff to the ‘bring’ centre, I think I may be just shifting rubbish from place to place. For instance, When i am in London I see plastic packets that say they can be recycled where facilities exist for that. A leaflet that came to the door there warning not to put any old plastics into the main bins that take cardboard, glass bottles and plastic bottles – just put plastic bottles, not plastic packaging, it’s quite clear. In Dublin, we are encouraged to lump it all together in the local recycling centre but I know it’s not all recyclable. It’s confusing. I worry that I am contaminating those things that can be recycled by mixing them inappropriately with things that cannot. Recycling needs to be explained properly, even if it means it doesn’t look so impressive. I want to know the truth and only then can we take it further. And I don’t want to be making matters worse through ignorance.
sleep 7 July 2008
I seem to have a splendid sleeping sickness at the moment . Splendid, because sleeping is my favourite activity, bar none, and also because I am not filming anything I can roll over and go back to sleep of a morning. Wonderful. Usually I sleep a lot if I am ill – my body just signs off and that’s that. Right now, not sure why I am as I am, but I am enjoying it, that’s for sure. And for those of you who say ‘but you’ll sleep when you’re dead’ I must counter with ‘NO, then I’ll be DEAD…not asleep…” Also, one of the great pleasures of a marathon sleep is the waking up (far as I know, that’s not a feature of being dead…) Off now, early, to the cot for more.
50 7 July 2008
And last night I was at a 50th birthday (and another friend’s 50th coming up next weekend). There’s a lot of it about. It’s also why I neglected my blog yesterday. Between the excitement of Wimbledon (what a match) and the top doo – oh, and drinking quite a lot of beer, yes, that too – I sort of got sidetracked, as you do. The birthday girl rightly pointed out that time passes, the years get clocked up and there’s nothing you can do about it except get on with life and have as good a time as possible. Too right. I am facing a birthday myself at the end of the week and intend to ignore it as much as possible, barring some (many?) festive glasses of fizz sitting on some packing cases in the house that is a building site. Ah, the glamour. I won’t be 50 but I’m edging in that direction. Oh well, onwards and sidewards, but hopefully not downwards.
70 5 July 2008
I was at a 70th birthday tonight. Makes a change from going to friends’ kid’s 21sts, which have to be the most depressing cos you wonder when you got so OLD (note the random set of apostropheeees just there, by the by).
Anyhow, I thought I was going to a 50th wedding anniversary and had spent the day thinking how great, and randomly adamant, it is to stay married for that long.
Turns out I didn’t have to do that cos it was a birthday doo…still stand by the wonder that 2 people can stand being together for that long and celebrate it…
Sinead O’Conor was one of the family members and she sang an amazing version of My Lagan Love, acapella.
Good times.
70 5 July 2008
I was at a 70th birthday tonight. Makes a change from going to friends’ kid’s 21sts, which have to be the most depressing cos you wonder when you got so OLD (note the random set of apostropheeees just there, by the by).
Anyhow, I thought I was going to a 50th wedding anniversary and had spent the day thinking how great, and randomly adamant, it is to stay married for that long.
Turns out I didn’t have to do that cos it was a birthday doo…still stand by the wonder that 2 people can stand being together for that long and celebrate it…
Sinead O’Conor was one of the family members and she sang an amazing version of My Lagan Love, acapella.
Good times.
customised 4 July 2008
I have always been against the customisation of anything – be it a ring tone or a number plate – vanity, I ritually accuse. I also usually stop people from showing pictures of their kids/dogs/goldfish on phones and so on- well, only if I haven’t asked, then I am happy to coo. BUT I have been trying to get a good photo of the G cat on my phone as the ‘wallpaper’. That wagon is photogenic, and no mistake, but in any of the shots I have taken she ain’t like I see her. I had a photo of her on my knee taken by the camera in the phone from my perspective on the ‘dash’, as twere, until tonight and she looked totally unlike herself. For one thing, she looks so thin – damn her, how is she doing that? The camera is supposed to add POUNDS. In all the photos I have taken she is supermodel slim. I have a new one up now but all of the symbols for the rubbish things my phone supposedly does are distracting from her pretty face. I did take one of herself and Rich touching noses but he looks so pale and human beside her we both thought it best not to choose that one – well, he doesn’t know that yet, but he will…soon…
She pretty.
Neck not too bad, thanks.
Yep, writing happening.
neck 3 July 2008
I had an email from a regular wondering if I might actually NEED the stress to get by – er, no – I am definitely not a stress junkie and could certainly do without it, thanks very much. Anyhow I had plenty to take my mind off all that today as I did my neck in – so we have upped the ante now and are dealing in actual physical pain…nice…
It happened in the most innocuous way. I was slumped against a large and very comfy cushion on the bed this morning, dealing with the early emails, and very bent over the laptop as a result, and when I got off the bed the neck was ‘gone’ along with the top bit of the back, too.
I’ll be honest, I have terrible posture and sit at a range of unsuitable tables on unsuitable chairs to write, so there is always a niggle there.
I have been inclined to take great delight in blaming the nuns for my bad posture over the years saying that I used to bend to hide the fact that I’d grown a chest during my teenage years, but I rather suspect I am just a bit of a lazy-backed slouch.
I have attached a heat pad and know how to make a roll from a towel to support my head, courtesy of a friend who has a bad neck (a LOT worse than mine) – she says my muscles are spasming hence the discomfort. On top of that I am hoping that my usual miracle worker SLEEP will deal with the rest. All tips gratefully accepted.
I have been stuck to CRIMINAL JUSTICE all week on the BBC – isn’t it just fantastic?!