j 'blog

I had my first client meeting today - seemed to go okay. Although I suspect that the client is one of those who wants an architect for the status of it. To be able to say "oh, yes my architect" - note the possessive... To take you out of your little box when required/wanted, rather than for any reason to do with, oh I don't know... expert opinion?

The architect as Pet Parrot...

I have been SO tired today. I will be extremely glad to move out of here on Sunday.

In the middle of last night, for some unknown reason, some very irritating persons were taking turns, as they roamed the streets, to sing songs from Oliver. They were coming back and forth for over an hour and a half! Which naturally, left the songs in my head all day! Oom-pah-pah, oom-pah-pah...

Then after they shut up and went away:
The lads in the other rooms on this floor, spent the next hour thumping up and down the stairs; rattling my door-handle (maybe they thought it was the loo?); calling out to each other; laughing and generally making alot of noise. Interspersed with one of them giggling and saying "SHOOSH" in a very loud whisper...

And, just in case you missed it all last night: they're putting on a repeat performance tonight...

I think that I'd rather have the donkeys on Isla del Sol...

Just got back from dinner with new flatmates, preparatory to moving in this weekend. Apart from any more social purpose, I needed to get a letter from R. who owns the flat and rents out the other three rooms, to give to the National Insurance 'hingamie tomorrow to proove my address, along with reciepts to prooev my current accomodation, proof of employment, all past dates of travel to and from the UK, both passports, and probably whether or not my hair is it's natural colour...

The appointment is way-the-hell down past the Gorbals on the otherside of the river, somewhere on Pollockshaws Road. That's a long road. How I am supposed to do this in my lunch hour is beyond me?!

Anyway, dinner was lovely, thankyou R., and conversation and company was great.

Work is going well. So far. Spent today learning how to detail lead roofing! More fun than that sounds actually - or am I just a geek?

BTW - for any who may be interested, a very interesting speech re. the dumbing down of culture:

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2007/june20/gradtrans-062007.html

In the absence of anything more erudite to say:

An exchange overhead at the pub, between two young men in kilts: "Well, just be thankful, there's nae Hen's Parties around..."

Slightly odd first day - ok, but odd. Well, really just the usual stuff I guess:
here's your contract,
heres your desk,
here's a project that you'll be working on,
oh and this person you're sitting next to is called...
And then I didn't see a director all day! Although, I did meet a couple of other people over the cups at afternoon tea.

It's all pretty quiet though: if I'm not careful it's going to give me the giggles! I feel like standing up on my desk and shouting out: "Come on, people! Liven Up!"

The project they've given me should be interesting - although I suspect they're playing up how much work has already been done on it, and down how much there is still to do. Not that thats a bad thing at all - I always prefer to be able to get right into a project rather than just tidy up the dregs. Just so long as they don't 'play down' how much time I have to do it! But it's all good: there should be some interesting bits of construction to learn (UK details being different to NZ), and lots of flash interior detailing!

There are apparently two other projects that they'd like me to do as well. So it all be busy busy busy from here I think.

I took myself out to dinner last night - to a pub down the road. I wondered about staying for another drink after finishing my dinner. But, for one thing, it is boring to drink by yourself and you drink too fast. For another, it's just that a woman on her own in a pub/bar will always look 'little girl lost'.

In truth, I probably would have stayed if there had been stools at the bar, but there was no such encouragement to loiter by the bar. Which is unfortunate as that makes it easier, as you can talk to the barstaff, and if/once you start talking to somebody else at the bar, it's less committed than at a table, so it's easier to disengage.

But honestly, a man at a bar alone, looks like he is killing time, while a woman at a bar alone either looks like she's been stood up and/or is desperate and will shag anything; and of course in many men's minds, 'desperate' appears to equate with 'clingy', 'mental' and 'wants to marry the first available male.' This means that nice guys don't approach because:
Scenario a (she's been stood up): they don't know what to say and don't want to upset her; and he'll be along soon anyway - won't he?
Scenario b (she's desperate): they're not interested in that sort of girl.
So the only ones who do approach are the ones who're looking for an easy lay.

And before you ask, no, other woman definatey do not ask her to join them. They are worse than wolves, they will cut her up and feed her to the wolves and watch in glee and rightousness.

Or, they just don't want to talk to her in-case she's bunny-boiler, angry and going to be banging on all night about what b*stards men are and how unhappy and lonely she is and spoil everyones good time.
How do I know? been there done that a hundred parties and a dozen schoolyards...

I have just been reading up on Travellers and Rominchal after reading a Guardian article about Rosaleen McDonagh, an Irish Traveller running for election to the Seanad Eireann. Which was interesting - in my ignorance (excused because I'm from NZ and I probably know more about Nuieans than most Brits do) I didn't realise that there were several distinct groups going by different names and with different languages. I thought that they were all just Rominay. I know it is only 4.30pm, and therefore a trifle lame to be holed up in my little room on my last day before starting work, but it is pouring down outside... I did go to the People's Palace this morning - very interesting exposay of the life of Glasgow, although at points it was more big wordy posters than exhibits, but I guess it depends on what you have available to show, and also what you're trying to say/do. But I did see a C19 'drunk cart' which amused me since C. kept coming across women who had to be 'carted to the police station' when researching her Masters Thesis. There is a wintergarden out the back which was very warm , and there were tree ferns and nikau palms growing in amoungst the tropical plants! The last 2 days have been very interesting for me, with respect to where I'll be living from next weekend, as I have been learning lots about the Tennament House - which is as ubiquitous and standardised as the Villa in NZ. So now I understand more about what I'll be living in. I thought I might ask who tends the garden out the front as it looked a bit overgrown and doing that might be something nice to do, if it is okay with residents/owners. But then what with all else I have planned, I might not have the time!

Thor is having a wee tantrum this evening - It is very impressive: the whole sky shakes with each hammer strike.

I was a busy bunny today.

I went to the Tenament House Museum - unfortunately it is only open in the afternoon, so I have had to leave that one for later. So then I trooped off to:

Provand's Lordship
The oldest house in Glasgow. Which was very interesting. Though like many other things (books exhibitions) it alludes to events and people that I probably should know more about, but don't, so I come away with some new knowledge but more questions than when I started! Which is a good thing. I realise that although I know a chunk of social and political English history - my Scottish history is rather meagre, so I shall have to do some serious research!

St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
Which was a interesting exposay of a wide variety of religions, from all over the world. I got a bit confused in the exhibition of Religious Life, at times, due to the way that all the religions were mixed up together under the different topics (death, birth, coming of age, worship, etc) which were each densely packed with bits from several different religions; and then densely packed all together as well! It was too 'jumbled' and busy for clear comparison, so I just came away with a feeling for the exhibition rather than greater knowledge of any of the religions represented. I think the method of presentation is admirable for it's intentions, and perhaps just needs a bit more space.

The Religious Art on display is beautiful and I laud the breadth and variety on display. There is a particularly splendid Shiva - Lord of the Dance; which unfortunately was damaged by vandalism a few years ago and is subsequently rather severly cordoned off. Why anyone would go to an exhibition of Religious Art (meant to educate, and to encourage tolerance) and then deliberately damage one of the exhibits is beyond me?!

The Cathedral - St Mungo's or The High Kirk Of Scotland
Utterly Beautiful. A splendid building with some lovely stained glass and I only wish that there had been a chior singing while I was there... I do not have words today to describe the Cathedral, except to say that I admired Blacader's Aisle, but no more nor no less than the rest of the Kirk, and to recommend it to all.

They appear to be in the process of cleaning the stonework, and I look forward to seeing it finished.

It is also one of the few big churchs/cathedrals with the Church Yard (at least partly) intact, with trees and gravestones all abounding. I did find the adjacent carpark to the Hospital a little odd: once part of the church yard, the graves that were not in the way of where they wanted to pave it for cars to park, have been left intact. So it becomes a carpark within a graveyard... hmmm...

St Mungo (or St Kentigern) by the way, for those who don't know, is the Patron Saint of Glasgow, having formed the first settlement by the Molendinar Burn. His four acclaimed miracles are duly represented on Glasgow's coat-of-arms.

The St Nicolas Garden
A recent arrival. Rather lovely, with the scent of roses and herbs.

I had a brief look for the remaining wall of the old Duke St Prison, as recorded by Jack House in "The Heart Of Glasgow" - but I suspect that I was not looking in the right place, so I did not see the bullet holes from an attempted escape of Sinn Feiners early last century. Perhaps I shall look again another day - it would appear to be one of Jack House's favourite things, so I feel obliged.

Today I went to GoMA - Gallery of Modern Art. There was some really interesting work, including a specific exhibition relating to Secteranism, as part of the Blind Faith programme: Histrionics by Roderick Buchanan. I found it a bit disjointed. The strongest part was a whole wall of punchy photos of Celtic and Rangers players on the day they each get their placement, showing the cultural diversity that now exists within these teams. I think what causes the disjointed nature is both: the range of media and style of work (I would not have thought that it was all by one artist - not that that is necessarily a criticism), and his, admitted, tentative approach to the subject:
With such inflammatory material I felt that I could only talk about the subject as an expert on "me" - this way I'd be on relatively safe ground.
[My emphasis.]
I feel he has stepped very carefully around a tense subject - he offers neither critique nor resolution, which leaves it all hanging in stasis a bit, a work in progress, perhaps.

Within the main galleries showing recent aquisitions of works by Glasgow artists, there was some really good work - and not all the same as seen in a hundred galleries around the world. Yes, we do all read the same magazines! I was particularly pleased (as a matter of personal taste - which is all this comes down to I guess anyway) to see quite a few works produced from a fine line / drawing basis. They have a delicacy that is missing in much modern art, and is best viewed from close up.

There were also quite a few photographic works, including a set of works entitled Weapons showing the various makeshift 'weapons' made by kids in the council projects. Set out like still lifes against a white backround, these simple non-contextual shots of weapons, ranged from slingshot to Molotov Cocktail. This precise, almost clinical, and quite beautiful, record leaves the viewer to make any judgement on a subject already widely discussed by media and academia. I found that the equal status given to the individual weapons, on the one hand normalises, and on the other (because of the other) makes the more violent 'toys' appear all the more alarming.

In short: I enjoyed my trip to the GoMA today.

Which Is more than can be said for my phone calls to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and National Insurance Thingame.

All I want is an IRD number and a tax code, or whatever you require in the UK, before I start work on Monday. They want to know the dates of my previous trips to the UK, including vacations which surely have nothing to do with my tax now?! The other bit that gets to me is that all these organisations want proof of address - in the form of 'acceptable' correspondance. The problem being, of course, that you can't get 'acceptable' correspondance without having proven your address with 'acceptable' correspondance - and around we go...

I spent today at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. I suspect their collection is better than they let on. I found it overly simplistic in presentation: I felt like I was in a giant education centre for kiddies, sometimes. Although, to be fair it is nowhere near as 'lowest-common-denominator' as Te Papa in Wellington, nor would I classify it as 'Museum As Themepark'.

The art work, though, was good, although having been to few around and about it was a little same-old. Having said that, I found the discussion panels useful and interesting talking not just about the period and impetuses, but also a bit about technique and such - though for someone who knows more art history than I do, it was probably very simplified. But I found it refreshing as it is very rare that art exhibitions give away any of the 'mysteries' of art. I was disappointed by the lack of modern work, especially after the promise offered by a bevy of disembodied oversized white heads with grotesque expressions of every emotion hanging amongst the chandeliers over one hall.

However, in the natural history section I did find this little gem (very apropos):
Excerpt from a song by Kenneth McKellar
The midges, the midges, I'm no gonna kid yiz,
The midges is really the limit,
With teeth like piranhas, they'll drive you bananas,
If you let them get under your semmit.

On the way to the museum, I passed, or rather was passed, continuously, by The Glasgow Taxi Fund Outing For Sick Children. There cannot have been a single taxi left anywhere else in the city. The drivers were all dressed up as clowns, batman, spiderman, cowboys, pantomime matrons... Horns blearing and popguns popping they hared off around the corner with a polis motorcycle escort. All the taxis had streamers and balloons attached - one even had children's drawings taped to the doors. Some had balloons flying high up in the air, others had them piled up under string netting, or tumbling down the back in a bushy tail. I wish I'd had my camera, a camera anyway, there is no way I can capture the colour and movement in a few meagre words. There were also a couple of buses, including a big double-decker with load speakers blaring out cheesy-bubble-pop, at a decibel level to challenge the cicadas, if there were any in Glasgow.

Having discovered www.brookmyre.co.uk I followed links to this article written by Christopher Brookmyre on Shocking Language:

http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,1889731,00.html

The thing that really gets to me about all the blether below this article (you’d probably need to at least skim read before reading my own wee rant) is that they all seem to completely miss the point. Perhaps they haven’t read any of Brookmyre’s books – but I just can’t imagine some crazed bampot whose ‘plans’ have all gone awry saying: “Fudge! It’s all messed up!”, nor some poor everyman faced with said bampot armed with sawn-off saying “oh gosh!”. Brookmyre is not writing about polite dining rooms and social soirées, it would be inaccurate, unrealistic, and inappropriate for his books to be free from (as he would say) swearies. It should not be a matter of “is all this bad-language going to lessen the vocabulary of our children?” – it is part of vocabulary of our children, and of ours.

I am all for aiming to extend that vocabulary, but for a writer aiming for a realistic portrayal of the present, it’s ridiculous to eliminate words in common usage, on the basis that they may be offensive to someone – not when that same someone is likely to overhear the same words at the park or in the supermarket. It is not just the poorly educated and bad-hearted who swear – I for one (although I do try not to) do it all the time, other than in professional circumstances that is.

I would, though, agree on the point (raised in the article) that it is daft to worry about swearwords when you’re quite happy to read about blood and gore, and, more specifically, grotesque violence. Perhaps it is that those who commit the violence are either ‘baddies’ - who get their comeuppance, or ‘goodies’ - who are dealing out rightousness. Whereas, everybody swears and nobody gets punished for it.

I find that satisfied fascination with punishment more repellent than anything else (except perhaps I.D.), and consider it more telling, and more of a blight on society, than a few swearwords – even the inelegant Australian phrase: “gives me the sh*ts” which I dislike purely for aesthetic reasons.

I remember a flatmate (from yonks ago) being extremely satisfied that a certain famous US criminal was due for execution. The vindictiveness seemed beside the point: it would not bring back the lives that he had taken – but she thought that "he should pay". It was probably one of the most distasteful conversations that I have ever had before bedtime.

The same girl of course would be loath to swear…

I have now had 5 interviews. I have currently been made 2 firm offers - which is relieving, although I'd like to wait and see if the others come back with anything.

Interview 1:
This sounded like a step-up from the position that I've had - or perhaps just a more formal acknowledgement of that position. I liked their philosophy and architectre and felt that I had a good rapport with the interviewer. Medium sized practice, they hold in house review sessions and 2 of the directors tutor at the local school.

Interview 2:
This could be a good oppurtunity to expand my 'managerial' skills. But I was not especially excited - infact I found their work dull and lacking any hint of architectural merit. I suspect it may be a bit like banging one's head against a wall. A small practice (in Glasgow) looking to expand.

Interview 3:
This would be a fantastic oppurtunity and a big challange. It could be very exciting even though the project base doesn't enthrall me. However, with due consideration, it is a very small (3 only) firm with a lot of responsibility and I do need to get to meet other people or my flatmates will either think that I don't exist or that they cannot detach me from their apron strings! I do think that they would be good to work with/for, but not sure it's the right position for me right now...

Interview 4:
This sounds like a goer: similar position to what I've been used to, wide range of work, pleasant people and environment. The office is not as centrally located as the others - only an issue come lunchtimes! but it's not far to the centre. Two of the directors are registration examiners which is no bad thing either. Larger medium sized practice.

Interview 5:
This sounds like a good job, although again I didn't think most of the architecture was up to much -although there is a possibility of making a mark, it's nice to be surrounded by others that give you that buzz... A bonus would be that they have technicians to do the grunt work like covering our lovely drawings with all those silly dimensions and stuff. Medium sized office and seemed like good people.

Offers so far, are from 2 & 5. I'll wait a while yet incase any of the others also make offer, but at least it looks like things are starting to fall into place!

So we had some sun today! It was warm too! almost felt like summer - so I decided to kid myself further and had an icecream - however, I confess to missing Kapati already, Ben'n'Jerry's just doesn't cut it...

I am in a new room at the Guest House, it is a tiny little attic room with views over the rooftops (a nice change from a view of the neighbouring wall which my last room had!)

This however, is only for two more weeks as I now have a flat with three very nice people - just 10minutes from Byres Road in the Westend. But no, this does not mean that I am going to start drinking Lion Red! The room is reasonable size in nice clean recently renovated flat, south facing which means it will get plenty of sun, and looks out over the garden. It is on the 3rd floor which means that there are 4 flights of stairs - but that's all good excercise.

I have only been in Glasgow one week and am already giving directions to locals?! How's that for adaptation?

I have also only been in Glasgow for one week and am already being eaten alive!
I have been to Rarotonga; Fiji; Bolivia; Argentina; Australia's Outback, Bush and Rainforest (2x); Bali; France; Spain; Italy and Austria; US; London (2x) and Bath; and all over NZ, yet have never before fallen victim to wee nasties. But Glasgow's Midges? Sheesh...

Out of my Moleskin Japanese Sketchbook you gave me last year (finally gotten around to using it - now that I am camera-less and cannot do my usual shutterbug routine!):

I think that it has gotten a little squashed in translation, but since I can't post photos as requested...

I went out to another prospective flat yesterday - walked from the Guest House (Renfrew Street - in the cente) to a council estate in Dennistoun. All very clean and neat and the place was really nice. But I just don't think I could do it: living in the shadow of those big blocks, when I know the whole sordid history (Lesson One in Architecture School: Don't EVER Do This...).
Besides, to be perfectly honest: something about the area reminds me of Avondale... That same depressed respectability...

So I have taken on 2 more weeks at the Guest House, because most of the places advertised are not available until 1 July.

I saw a fox yesterday - running down the High Street!
I didn't know that they were so small - I think that T-Rex could probably eat one!

I am having to watch myself very carefully: I have found myself walking down the street talking to myself - out loud - and getting very odd looks from people...
Nevermind - I should be employed shortly and then I will meet people and have people to talk to and not wind up talking to myself!
I am feeling something like the reverse of the Elvis Song: "A little more conversation, a little less action."

It's not that there isn't plenty to do and see - it's just that I don't have anyone to share it with. Well, at least not until I come back here to my room and log on - and honestly, that is so not the same thing!

Oh well, I always knew that the first bit was going to be hard...

On a brighter note:
my father pointed out to me that I started out life as a traveller:

OMG - this is so depressing:

The weather for next couple of days:
(now remember it is summer in Glasgow and winter in Auckland)

Glasgow
Today: Mostly Cloudy; High 14ºC / Low 11ºC
Sunday: Mostly Cloudy; High 18ºC / Low 6ºC

Auckland:
Today(Sunday): Mostly Cloudy; High 14ºC / Low 7ºC
Monday: Sunny; High 13ºC / Low 6ºC

heavy sigh...

I am feeling like I brought winter with me - except that last week (in Akld) I was wearing a t-shirt and sunnies - and today (in Glas) I am battening down against the wind in a whole series of layers!

argh...

head in a spin: wooeooeoo

I have had 4 job interviews this week, + flat-hunting but I'll come to that... The final interview was for the kind of job (level of resposibility etc) that I was expecting. The other three though: OMG! Especially the one this morning - it sounded like they pretty much want someone to run the Glasgow office! I think I could do it though - and I am looking for a challange, but really, I know nothing about the local industry - but they said that that didn't matter...

Oh I don't know - not much point worrying about it until the offers come through - if they do, the only one that has come back so far is the one I am least interested in...

So flat-hunting: bizarre thing to be doing in a city where locations are pretty meaningless to me so far. Although I have found the Arch Hill / Kingsland / Krd equivalent: Beyers Road / Hillhead in the Westend. Ha! so if I moved out there I would still be a Westie
Went to one flat last night - really liked it (although getting my Trunk up 4 flights of stairs could be a mission and a half!). But the room is not available until 1st July so I have to work out if I can afford to stay here that long... And I don't really know what I should be budgeting anyway - but I guess if it is too expensive I can always move out... Again though, all this is moot if they didn't like me...

ur- better ring my Agent...

I went to the Macintosh School of Architecture Graduate Show tonight:
The projects are all pretty similar to what is done in NZ - however: what I thought was final year was honours year / 4th year, so 2nd to last year... So I'd say it's all of a pretty high calibre, though some of it I suspected might not stand up so well under a crit - but that is always the case isn't it? Some beautiful drawings all round though. All in all, the style of work, the presentation and the style of drawings (mixed media, inc. CAD but lots of pencil) I think is very like the Auckland School.

I also went to the Fine Arts Graduate Show: there were some few paintings that caught my eye, but most I thought were trying a bit hard. Ditto the sculpture. But then it's hardly my area of expertise, so I dare say someone who knows more could have enlightened me - if I hadn't been more concerned with trying to find the Architecture exhibition... The prints and photographs however, had some really special work happening, and I'd have liked a closer, longer look if it hadn't been so packed!

One of the things that I like about the exhibitions was at points they'd become a little haphazard with sketch books and paintings stacked up on a table or spread out on the floor - it was very inviting and gave a real sense of industry.

I'm getting used to the whole "Full Scotish Breakfast" thing - though the potato scones (thought maybe they'd be like hash browns but no, sadly not) are a bit dodge... and I've worked out to ask for scrambled eggs instead of the fried egg...
It does keep you well fed though - that and a sandwich from Pret (I like Pret : - ooh: especially their Flower Power drink: still water infused with orange blossom and rhubarb! - offering a wee challange there to Pheoniix Apple and Feijoa!) in mid-afternoon is all I need all day...

There was actually something proper I wanted to say - but I cannot for the life of me remember what?

Nevermind - I will check that Fireplace website for K.B. instead...

Well, and so, Interview 1 went well - or at least it seemed to...

I now have a UK mobile number.

I have lined up 1 possibly 2 flat interviews.

I am getting fed-up with having no-body to talk to - I mean properly...
Went down Sauchiehall Street last night (I think I now have the pronunciation correct, I think...), but it was a bit rainy and a tuesday night so pretty quiet, and I didn't feel like going into some random bar and barging up to a group of complete strangers and saying "Hi - I'm new in town, can I be your friend?"

In fact things are much as expected: it is all pretty much the same-old. Even the weather is the same as what I left behind! Although it's supposed to be winter in Auckland and they're telling me it's a warm summer here!

in no especial order:

there are no drums nor pareos - but there are bagpipes and kilts (natch)

they like pink over here - alot!

nobody owns an iPod - or if they do they don't use it in public

there are lots of parks - but you're not allowed to sit in them

people are very friendly and helpful - which is good

i still suck at actually introducing myself to friendly strangers thereby taking it from pleasant passing interchange to potential friendship - something i am going to have to work on!

the weather is nothing like as bad as they say! (so far...)

the inner city is very accessible - large enough to be interesting small enough to get around on foot

overheard conversations are far more unintelligable than when the same person is speaking to me - they must feel sorry for me or something

there are very few people of hippy-persausion

it is no-where near as blond(e) (or red) as expected - but it is as pale (other than the extraordinary number of women with very bad fake tans that is)

people i pass on the street are surprisingly short - i thought that the scots were meant to be a tall people?! i am feeling really quite tall - and yet i know that i am not?

The flight was okay: better by far then expected. The plane was a new Boeing 777, so it was spacious and there was NO beige!

Auckland to Sydney: I sat next to a nice but shy young PI woman with her 3yr old neice - who was very good and quiet (phew...)
Then I left my book (2 chapters in no less!) on the plane. We had to go through security in Sydney as in transit. One group had their duty free taken off them at this point - and I got frisked for expolsives!
Sydney to Bangkok: A pair of teenage cousins travelling to Malta with their grandfather (who was in first class of course) via bangkok. They were very excited as have never travelled by plane before and asked me lots of questions about plans and travelling etc - made me feel quite the seasoned veteran
Bangkok to Dubai: I was stuck next to a smokey man with hiccups which were a bit of a worry!
Dubai to Glasgow: I guess no-one wants to go to Glasgow: the plane was almost empty so I had 3 seats to myself!

On arrival here it was warm and sunny and a little bit humid!

I went for a walk about yesterday and then came back intending to do this email stuff but went to sleep and didn't get up til the next morning when we all had to go to breakfast...
I feel much better after a 12hr sleep - but felt a little queasy after breakfast: I do not want to know what they did to that egg!

last night in Auckland / Tamaki Makarau for dunnamany...

I am finally all packed after much greatly appreciated help from whanau and friends:
Ma'n'Pa
C&D
Uncle P
C&P
E. from nextdoor
K.B.
and the girls of course!

So have new iPod and am on my weight limit - heading to Ariki for the night - and then to the Airport tomorrow and Monday: Glasgow!

So yesterday, I got stuck in the lift. For 1/2 an hour!

and then, later, there was a man collapsed on the street, and everyone kept walking past!? - so I pulled over and got out of the car. He was (he told me) mentally unwell, and had drunk too much. So I called an ambulance and waited with him. I told the attending, that he had said that he wanted assitance from Mental Health Services to get better, but they didn't give a damn - had already written him off as a drunk vagrant...

Then today!
(btw - for full context: this MACbook is an insurance replacement after some bastard broke in and stole my laptop in March)
I went to open the bathroom window, this morning, and went "why are there muddy footprints on the window cill?!"
All the bastard took was my camera - but STILL!

When Y. left the window was only ajar - when J. got home 5/10mins later! it was wide open. He was that fast...
Actually what is most creepy is that it looks like he has been coming in basically whenever he feels like it! I have previously noticed the window WIDE open - and thought that it was the wind blowing it wide - duh!

Yes, I can confidently say he was a he: Y. saw him loitering outside, when she left, and was concerned so checked that J. would be home soon... Really, beyond having the HUGEST dog - what more CAN you DO?!

So tonight - what do I find behind the icetrays on top of the fridge? (I know, really useful location...)
My square caketin that I bought in Chch last year, that I thought was lost when my car was written off (also in March!)

busy days...

Went around town today looking at tiles and lights and furniture and bathroom fittings and all kinds of stuff! with Ma, to make a few selections and generally get a feel for where eachother was headed. A few minor differences of opinions but we both absolutely agreed on the dining chair! I want - no really I do: Monroi very comfortable and very understated.

Picked up my portfolio today - looks good just need to trim and bind!

T. has set a date! which is all good and very exciting.
& so has F.B.! - also good and also exciting - although a very different event.

Have mucho packing to do over the next few days and so of course now is when everyone wants to come and see me! ah well, to be expected I guess - and it is certainly good to see everyone.

Although at this stage I don't have any boxes! will have to sort that out in the morning!

Last week was unfortunately a series if non-events to some degree:
Tuesday we were s'posd to do a movie - but the others forgot to get tickets. Altho that worked out for the best because we were actually able to talk - not something recommended in movies!
Wednesday C. and I were to go out but she had marking and reports to do - darn those kids! always so demanding...
J. double booked herself Thursday.
& M.C. had meeting when we were s'posd to have my work farewell lunch so it was just drinks and most everybody had to leave early because they had other places to be .

But Party here on Saturday night went off! it rocked - very good party with very good friends. Including Cook Island dancing (pics to come) and some late night Glaswegian Kisses (hee hee).
Tequila shots and benedictions. Champagne and whisky. The only wonder is that I was able to stand up on Sunday! actually my head was surprisingly good - better than Saturday morning after Friday night!

The girls have finally started advertising for a new flatmate - I hope they find one soon, as it will save them much hassle I am sure. They have also, very obligingly, offered to take care of T-Rex - until such time as they move on from our little cottage, at which stage I guess he'll go to Ma'n'Pa - A. as it turns out cannot infact take him, although she would love to...

Still have to:
make applications for additional CCCs
arrange travel insurance (whoops nearly forgot!)
brief engineer
do paint samples of mistints here in cottage as like very much!
darning
attach trim to skirt
pick up drycleaning
do washing!
find/buy straps for trunk
buy little containers for packing
PACK!!