Pop

I just opened a bottle of champagne on the bus to Cambridge!

She's called Sylvia and I offered some of the sweets I had. She then exploded with rapid conversation about her love of the theatre and how she used to go to the old theatre on Ashburnham Road. When she was a small girl a man from a rep company knocked on the door asking for accommodation and they ended up meeting all the girls in the company who they took on the river where they all fell in and her mother ended up having a houseful of actresses knickers hanging out to dry!!!

What a firecracker!


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Honey-crusted spectacles

Now I may be viewing this place through rose-tinted croissants but this bakery on Wendover Drive is no ordinary bread & bun joint.
Reco-ed by local gourmets and foodie folks, Tim & Greta, I stumbled out of my house-sitting pad for a 10:30 breakfast.


I chose a few things from the cooked breakfast menu and sat outside in the sun. Mushrooms; generous, cooked to perfection, bacon; crispy but not burnt, hash browns; standard but good, sausage; average but no complaints. They could do with visiting Lingers Butchers but all in all a good breakfast with medium-strong coffee.
The Honey Crust Bakery is a full on Italian deli too and sells a modest range of cakes including the Bedfordshire speciality - chocolate toothpaste.

I shall return

One of two

First short, 'Between Heaven & Earth' was a German film based in Ivory Coast about two men trying to escape poverty by stowing away in the freezing hold of an aeroplane to Germany.


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Pictures new

Moved into a fab house this morning for a fortnight's cat-sitting. The place is dripping with creativity.


Spent the afternoon having a long overdue heart to heart with Lainey, reading, journaling, listening to music and starting to write a song together. Even wrote a quick prelude on the piano. A prelude to someone with musical talent I shall call it!

Now I'm at a shoeing of two films as part of the Bedford Film Festival.


A couple of world cinema things that sound sufficiently pretentious to catch my eye ;)

'Searching for Sugarman' & 'Between Heaven and Earth'







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30 years of jumping

In rivers.

I remember jumping in the brook and swimming alongside the water rats as a kid and I'm happy to say I never grew out of it.

Today I was back in again, more conscious of Weil's disease, drowning in the reeds and getting caught up in currents but no less gung-ho.


Bacon and egg butties, home-made hummus with crudités and nectarines. Not too shabby.

Annoyingly forgot to take my waterproof case for the phone so I could take pictures in the water...

Next time



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This is why...

...Elaine is a rock star;

I am sitting in her garden in one of her sun dresses drinking fresh coffee. I have been ordered not to move until breakfast is served. Last night I slept in her bed while she insisted on sleeping on the floor, watched a movie she paid to download and ate one of my favourite meals ever - pasta pesto with Eton Mess for dessert. My other favourite dinner is on the menu for later this weekend - bangers & mash.


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Discovery

Bircher (pronounced birker) muesli has just come into my line of view in the last 36 hours but I am already a convert. The inspired recipe of Swiss Dr Bircher.

I had a pot of it at EAT, the lunch place a bit like prêt à manger. It had mango sauce on top and was bloomin' lush. I looked up a recipe straight away and made it once I arrived at my folks.

If you don't know what it is, think of cold porridge with loads of really good yoghurt, fruit and seeds mixed in. It's like that but tastes 100 times better than it sounds.

And of course there's a great Anne story to go with it! Anne's father was operated on by Dr Bircher himself in Switzerland. He had to be brought down a mountain on a sledge (not even a skiing accident, just a bizarre set of circumstances designed to make for good reading) in order for Muesli-man to save his life.

So go ahead and soak yourself some oats in milk and honey overnight then stir in as many crazy nuts, seeds, fruit and yoghurt and think of the doc.


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Space/time continuum

In which I discover that a place can be both 2 hours away and 8.5 hours away at the same time.

Actually it's too dull to recall how my first bus arrived 45 minutes late making me miss my connection resulting in me having to wait an extra two hours to return in time for my bus that then ran an hour late making what would be a two hour car journey, an eight and a half hour marathon on public transport. No-one wants to hear that.

So instead, here's a picture of gorillas in Norwich;



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Animal Farm

As well as Monty the lurcher (permanent), Maggie the Italian Greyhound (leaving tonight after a week), Milly the spaniel (regular guest), other little shaggy labradoodle who came for a week & Foxy the Greyhound (arriving this evening for a week) two cats arrived to temporarily join the ranks today.




These two beauties were found dumped outside the Cats Protection charity shop this morning. The black and white one is a very soft long-haired kitten that I have named Malone. Thankfully we have someone coming this evening to see them and probably/hopefully take them.




Kirsty said it all earlier; "It's turning into more of an animal sanctuary than a home. Just how I like it"


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Feet

I used to stand, walk & run for hours when I worked for Waterstones and now I'm wiped after four hours!

I never planned on returning to retail after five and a half years of getting one day off for Christmas but last week I asked about the temporary work advertised in the window at Accessorize. Three weeks, part time. Perfect! Minimum wage? Not bothered!

So I've done 8 hours in the last 2 days. Pretty much got the hang of the till and certain replen lines.

Keeps me out of trouble eh?


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One day

A lone house on the side of a mountain with a sign outside. Neighbourhood Watch.

Loud chirping of young birds coming from a dry stone wall. Look in to see great tit chicks who hissed at us when got too close.

Took a picture of a very expensive shirt I liked. Jo says if it fits she'll buy it for me as a going away present. It fits!






Saw 4 Irish wolfhounds together in the same place



Accidentally came across a good collection of Irish literary artefacts such as first editions and original letters from the greats such as Beckett, Joyce, Swift, Synge & Wilde


Drove through miles of heather-covered mountains. Saw waterfalls, horses in fields of buttercups & monastic ruins



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NI

I'm here in Arrrland visiting my mate Johanne, who I stayed with in the desert last year. I've come to see what she's up to now she's back home.



I've been to a couple of English classes for refugees & asylum seekers; one chaotic, one well-organised. I've met many people with...names. Most of which I can't remember. I've been to churches, halls, houses, beaches, cliffs, government buildings, cafés, universities, parks, gardens and I'm now sat in bed writing this from sheltered accommodation!


I've been happily surprised at how much I've done that wasn't 'work'.
I've seen the Giant's Causeway,


had coffee in Queen's SU, walked through the botanical gardens


and spent a wonderful evening with a couple and 4 dogs living in a designer house by the beach.


My travel-bug-itch has been satisfied as I've been able to cover quite a lot of Ireland in our wanderings.


I've loved what I've seen of Belfast and I know there's tons I've not seen yet. I haven't been to the Titanic expo or visited the honesty café.


I've not been into the UL (though I did see a Dolorean outside it) and I've not met Seamus Heaney (though I met someone who has)


My visit has been more about the little people (insert your own Irish stereotype joke here) who are making a difference to the city;

Someone visiting an Arabic speaker's landlord to report a damp problem

People serving free hot drinks, juice and ice lollies from the street to passers by.

People taking non-residents out for dinner to help them learn English and feel comfortable in an alien culture.

People sitting and listening to those separated from children and partners by conflict.




Oh, you want to know why I've ended up in sheltered accommodation? It's got to be the cheapest place to stay in Dublin and if you know a certain 86 year old you get to stay in the guest room!

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Macari's

Just found a day old gelateria in Armargh so stopped for raspberry, pistachio and an americano.

Service a little clunky but staff tripping over themselves to help.

Having established first off that I could pay by card at the shop next door, I tucked in.

When I came to settle up I was told the shop was now shut. It must have been a first for them as I was led out the back, through the kitchen, out the back, into the closed shop on my own with the waiter and paid there before retracing my steps through the kitchen!

They may need to tweak that (!) but I think they'll do well. Keen to please and friendly. If there's a next time I'm trying the Ferrero Rocher...


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Arrrland

So far this week I have;

Taught English to Somalis
Sung with Liberians
Had tea with a Moroccan
Chatted to a Zambian
Greeted a Sudanese
Exchanged emails with a French Caribbean




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Rant

Just watched the highlights for Time for Change on the box. Lots of female artists celebrating those campaigning for women's rights. And only one performer wasn't wearing an undisputedly, highly sexualised outfit. The opening sentence of the programme immediately after the concert confirmed all my misgivings. The documentary about Beyoncé introduced her as the hottest singer...blah blah blah, frankly. The first adjective was used by a man to sum up her sex appeal. YAWN. It's so tired it should be tested for M.E.

I reckon I can unequivocally state that both the apostle Paul and Germaine Greer would agree with me when I suggest that if you want to be taken seriously as someone fighting for the rights of women, dancing on a stage, wearing leather shorts with your butt hanging out, is not the best approach.


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Holiday times

Considering we chose Harlech based on the fact that there was a song about it and the cottage looked nice online, we have truly struck gold with this place.




We didn't realise how close it was to Italiante village & setting of The Prisoner, Portmeirion.


We didn't realise we would haphazardly come across an open garden, 2 acres in size and full of waterfalls, ponds, ducks and winding pathways.



We didn't anticipate coming across a nature trail, deeply wooded and thick with bluebells.




We didn't expect 6 mile hikes in fabulous sunshine with breathtaking views.



We couldn't have anticipated finding dozens of common heart-shaped urchins washed up on the beach


We didn't think it was possible to get this close to sheep and be able to touch lambs over a dry-stone wall



We expected some rain, watching lots of films, drinking wine, eating chocolate, staying in bed late, reading, drawing and painting.


We got all that too!

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Portmeirion; place of prisoners and pottery

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Women of Harlech

With mixed feelings, I have finished my course in Wales. It has been an incredible experience. What I knew before I have learnt again by viewing it through the lens of someone who will soon be practicing in another culture.



My mate, Sarah, and I are now enjoying a break in North Wales for a week.


Starting our second full day here, we have already watched a couple of films (the haunting 'A Beautiful Mind' & the comic mob film 'Analyze this'), seen the beach and decided to do as little as possible.


The cottage we have rented is beautiful. A fantastically well designed layout for such a small space. Tasteful, new, clean and stylish.


We found a geo cache yesterday by a huge metal sculpture of the Welsh dragon.


The beach is huge and empty with beautiful dunes.


Not much in the way of bird life but very scenic


It made us both think of the Sahara :)


Climbing up the dunes, Sarah literally 'filled her boots' - with sand.


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Belly laughing

What a fun day out to The Mumbles and Swansea. Sarah and I went to meet a couple of her friends and after we'd met, we drove out to Mumbles, checking out the view from a couple of spots and wandering along the coastal path until it was too cold to go any further.
We then headed into Verdi's for an excellent lunch. We walked along the bay and found a geo-cache then turned back towards the car and called via Joe's ice-cream parlour




This is a caramel sundae with welsh cake flavoured ice-cream!
Met a colourful group of gentlemen on a stag do, dressed as wrestlers from the 80's! They were cheered on and beeped by traffic wherever they went!




We then drove back into the main part of Swansea and walked along the front without a strong sense of where we were




We walked by the marina which was pretty and somewhere I always enjoy being to see the boats and hear the wind rattling the spinnakers.




We headed into the main part of the city, finding lots of places we never knew existed from our limited experience of walking from the train station to our placements last year. Came across a rather quaint place that looked like an old fashioned tea shop at the front, turned into a pleasant antiquey pub then degenerated into a loutish bar at the end.
It was here that one of the guys starting telling us about a very random friend of his who has put together words and had them bound in what, ordinarily, would be called a book. He has called it his autobiography but as our mate told us, he's really boring! And he can't write. And there is no punctuation. And the spelling is abysmal. He said he could have brought copies for us! It was very funny hearing him say exactly how candidly he told his friend that no-one would want to hear his drivel about going out dancing with his mate Dave! He asked if we wanted to speak to the author as he had his number on his phone!
At some point through our coffee-drinking, our same friend announced, à propos nothing, that he has twice been bitten by a dwarf! Yes. That's two times! Of course we are laughing pretty hard already. The first time, apparently, he was in a club. I asked what on earth he had said to upset him. 'Nothing' our friend says defensively. 'I was just dancing round him and asked how you doing lil' fella?' Sometimes when I'm laughing so much I cough violently as I try to catch my breath. This was one such occasion.
We had a little more general social chatter about work and ambitions. Our same friend again comes out with a classic. 'My Dad's an inventor. He was on Tomorrow's World'. We ooh-ed appropriately and asked what he had invented. Seems he created a different type of feeding bottle based around a valve that you can find in a football. Sounded interesting and we asked how it had gone down. Boots had sold a couple of thousand and he made a bit of money. Not bad, we think, for a claim to fame. Then he delivers another knock-out revelation. 'Yeah', he says reflectively, 'babies started getting sick'. Now sick babies is no laughing matter but our friend's dead straight honesty just made us howl! Somehow it was just what we ought to have guessed would happen. He also had to give back all the money he'd made. Then he painfully re-enacted the frustration he had with not being able to pump up his football anymore and how he would kick it against the wall then go and pick it up to bring it back to kick again because there was no air in it!!
We then walked back over to the Marina for dinner. There was a fantastic Chinese place there with really authentic food. The menu was terrifying! Pig intestines, duck neck, frogs leg... We liked the idea of a Korean BBQ which is a portable affair where you cook your own food on a two tiered hot plate. Unfortunately it was £20 and I decided against it as it was the week before a holiday. I had a tofu & seafood dish that was quite soupy but delicious.




The guys opted for the hot pot which is an eat-all-you-can deal. You are given unlimited amounts of meat, seafood, noodles and vegetables to dip into two different sauces. One is mild, the other very spicy and they sit on a hot plate on your table.




They ate a phenomenal amount of food! I got to taste a few bits and pieces. It was excellent. One of the things that most impressed us was that we were the only three and a half non-Asians in there. It said a lot that the clientele, after us, was exclusively Chinese.
This is the No No Smoking sign which in itself is amusing. However, it was on a door that our table was butted against.




Half way through the meal one of the staff came over and awkwardly excused himself, leant behind us, opened the door, made us drag our table with boiling sauces on a hot plate away from the door while he rummaged inside for something. The whole thing was pretty funny but of course we'd been laughing all afternoon so it seemed even funnier than if it had been an isolated incident.
I'm definitely going back for the Korean BBQ some time. Those dwarf/invention/biography stories haven't finished being laughed about!
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Sitting

Dog-sitting the Velvet Streak for the evening. It reminds me of the week Sarah and I stayed here during linguistics week. I'm just lost without tasks H3 & H4!!



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