Week III, Family Favourites

Monday - All Stoked up

meeting after meeting after meeting.  Out of 4 meetings i managed to have the correct paperwork for 1, which is an improvement on my usual strike rate. At one point I pulled out from my bag what I thought was supposed to be an intricate project plan, but what turned out to be a “Guess the sporting stadium” quiz throwout from a week or so past. Never mind if I have one talent (and I don’t) its an ability to wing it. Last meeting finished at 7.30 pm, my brain checked out half an hour earlier.

Nice surprise in bed (ooo errrr etc) when checking facebook I found that my uncle and co Union activist had added me as a friend, and from that I was able to link to my 2 maternal cousins Joanne and Alison. The last time I’d seen Jo was at my wedding a dozen years ago. The last time I’d seen Alison well … more to come.

Tuesday - Pottering about

First thing I was on zoo keeping duties for Vicky, who was camping it up with a friend. I saw to the rabbit and cats. Not sure the  cats appreciated the lettuce but Duncan the Wabbit seemed to enjoy chowing down on tuna chunks, hmmmmm maybe I’m not cut out for zoo work ? After a good afternoon’s Trade Unionising, the day was rounded off with a marathon first phone call to Alison, during which I may have said “this is amazing” about 14 times, and “this is freeky” about 12.

Wednesday - Live from Meakins its the quiz of the week

Took a leave day due to having a meeting free day, plus I felt a touch loussey (ie like a louse who feels lousy). I did have one work commitment first thing though which was a conference call (ooo get me !). It all went to plan. I dialled the number, entered the identification code, gave my name followed by hash, and waited for the chair of the call to join…and waited …and waited ..and waited while I ate porridge …and waited…and gave up

The quiz at night saw Simon, Wendy and I as the increasingly inaccurate 3nonBlondes quiz team take on our 3 rivals to a quiz delivered by our occasionally drunk (ie every occasion i have seen him) team member Michael. Michael as a quizmaster? Well imagine Oliver Reed crossed with a Hugh Laurie, presenting University Challenge complete with Pinteresque pauses between questions. I wasn’t sure that at one point he hadn’t nodded off between questions

Thursday - Day of Daze

Felt really poorly and muzzy headed, so for the first time in over a year I phoned in sick for work. The decision was helped by a couple of days with easily avoidable commitments. I may have watched a few too many episodes of House, but I narrowed my differential diagnosis West Nile Fever, Lupus, or maybe just a minor sniffle. I did check out the flu pandemic line but other than a bit of a temperature it seemed I didn't have Swine flu even though I have a pig’s appetite.

Friday - Sofa Sofa

Second day off work with unknown virus that main symptom seemed to be feeling sorry for myself. I was now back on my Slimming World diet and a Green Day meant carbs ahoy. Time for my just invented hot pasta curry treatment. Works much better than antibiotics. Instead of Penicillin think Penne-chilli (this could be my greatest joke ever). My pasta curry worked well and afterwards I had a moral boosting chat with my Doncaster based, shredder mending, star gazing, geekette friend Joanne, over the phone during her lunch hour.

Recipe for Penne Jalfrezi

1 bag Coop Penne Rigate
1 Jar of low fat Jalfrezi sauce. (or any proprietary curry sauce except for Korma which is eeeuuugghhh)
Shove Pasta in pan of boiling water and sauce in microwave, then watch episode of Friends until one  is hot and the other al dente
serve in a big bowl and garnish with fork

For other serving suggestion see the back of this blog

On my twitter  account the message popped up that i am being followed by Hollands Pies! Such genius marketing to find such their perfect target. If I followed them in return I had the chance to win free pies for a year. Not since The Blue Cat had tortured Dougal with sugar lumps has temptation been so heroically resisted

Saturday - Wolverhampton

After Dancing through Wolves I arrived at my cousin Alison’s flat. Not a remarkable fact by itself, except that I hadn’t seen Alison since 1990 and since then unbeknownst to each other our lives had been on separate remarkable but spookily parallel courses to finally collide on this Saturday. We nattered, reminisced, laughed, gasped, giggled, gabbled and blathered away for 6 hours only punctuated by tea and loo breaks. I am still staggered now 24 hour later by the turn of events, and how 2 people can be so alike after such a long time. 19 years passed by in a heartbeat. An extraordinary story to be told at a later date. Next I’m looking forward to seeing other cousin Jo, her daughter Nina and my Auntie Francis and Uncle David, hopefully in 2 weeks time.

Sunday – Sleepery

Was supposed to visit mum and dad but the emotion of yesterday on top of an irresponsible early rise just to watch the Grand Prix left me superlethargic. When I do tired I do it with enthusiasm.

In the evening cruising the ether, I had another blast from the past shock. For some reason (not vanity at all !!!) I clicked on the web page from the Stoke Evening Sentinel newspaper article on myself from last January. Just on the off chance someone had added a comment. Well I couldn’t believe it. I lovely comment, dated July from my high school friend Darren Roberts. I am now going to have to devote all my efforts (ok all efforts after work) to tracking down an email or contact for  him. I would love to talk to him again after over 20 years. My life seems to be turning into one long computer based episode of Surprise Surprise. Down Cilla !