Cream is concerned that I may incur the wrath of muslim leaders by suggesting that an agreed day for Eid would be nice!
I'll ask Mr Rushdie for his opinion on this one.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Pick a date, any date
We all know the classic three card trick .. you are shown three playing cards and your task is merely to pick one card. How hard can it be? The magician shuffles the cards, you watch his every move, he lays the cards down flat and asks you to pick the queen out. You are encouraged by whispers of "the middle one" and you reach out to touch the card with a smile on your face, anticipating that feeling of pride as the royal figure is turned over ... only to be replaced by complete confusion as you stare at the uncovered six of spades!
Well that happened to me! I was told that Eid al Adha would be this Friday. For their own safety, those responsible shall remain nameless. So I secure the day off work, knowing that I shall be able to organise my day, go to the mosque with Mum and Dad in the morning and then spend the evening joyfully with the whole family. Only one problem ... I have now been told that Eid is on Thursday!
Now this is my plea to the muslim community, I know we need to unite, to show solidarity with our muslim brothers and sisters around the world ... Together we can solve poverty, violence and man's inhumanity to man ... but how about we start with a slightly smaller aim ... I understand the complications of lunar calendars and the fact that a date isn't just picked out of a hat in advance ... but can we please celebrate Eid on the same day!!!
I have found a solution to the three card trick ... next Eid I am picking all three cards!!
Well that happened to me! I was told that Eid al Adha would be this Friday. For their own safety, those responsible shall remain nameless. So I secure the day off work, knowing that I shall be able to organise my day, go to the mosque with Mum and Dad in the morning and then spend the evening joyfully with the whole family. Only one problem ... I have now been told that Eid is on Thursday!
Now this is my plea to the muslim community, I know we need to unite, to show solidarity with our muslim brothers and sisters around the world ... Together we can solve poverty, violence and man's inhumanity to man ... but how about we start with a slightly smaller aim ... I understand the complications of lunar calendars and the fact that a date isn't just picked out of a hat in advance ... but can we please celebrate Eid on the same day!!!
I have found a solution to the three card trick ... next Eid I am picking all three cards!!
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Torvill & Dean on ice
Went out last night to celebrate my mate Miami's birthday at one of the many outdoor ice rinks that have popped up around Central London over the winter period. Spent the first ten minutes clinging desperately to the edge, whilst Cream skated around like a professional! The rink was full of first-timers and although staff were there to help out and were always in attendance at the most painful looking of falls, I was glad nonetheless, when five minutes later they called all skaters in to re-surface the ice ... until I was told that the ice would be even more slippery once re-surfaced, that is!
Eventually I braved the ice and as I got much more confident, joined hands with Cream in a performance that Torvill and Dean would have been proud of. Unfortunately I tried to emulate their spectacular finish (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it) and ended up sliding across the ice flat on my face. I know it must have been pretty impressive as when I eventually looked up, a very concerned member of staff was staring back at me. Once it was established that I was still alive Cream, Miami and the rest of the rink were in hysterics. Beyond that and one moment on my arse, I spent the rest of the evening looking almost elegant!
Afterwards we retired to Maroush Gardens just off Edgware Road ... great atmosphere and delicious food. Somehow the waiters found out it was Miami's birthday and he spent several minutes desperately trying to hide after the waiters made him a baklava birthday cake. The whole restaurant erupted into applause and Happy Birthday was sung in a couple of languages. Absolutely great evening!
Although my arse and face saved me from any major injuries, my body is a little sore this morning as my stomach slowly returns to its normal size!
Eventually I braved the ice and as I got much more confident, joined hands with Cream in a performance that Torvill and Dean would have been proud of. Unfortunately I tried to emulate their spectacular finish (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it) and ended up sliding across the ice flat on my face. I know it must have been pretty impressive as when I eventually looked up, a very concerned member of staff was staring back at me. Once it was established that I was still alive Cream, Miami and the rest of the rink were in hysterics. Beyond that and one moment on my arse, I spent the rest of the evening looking almost elegant!
Afterwards we retired to Maroush Gardens just off Edgware Road ... great atmosphere and delicious food. Somehow the waiters found out it was Miami's birthday and he spent several minutes desperately trying to hide after the waiters made him a baklava birthday cake. The whole restaurant erupted into applause and Happy Birthday was sung in a couple of languages. Absolutely great evening!
Although my arse and face saved me from any major injuries, my body is a little sore this morning as my stomach slowly returns to its normal size!
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Logic Problems
Well let me put you out of your misery ... no-one managed to guess all three right ... even though Vertigo spent yesterday evening trying to convince Dejanari that she had made at least one of the statements. The answers and explanations are as follows:
"But I don't need a coat, I've got a carpet now!"
Cream and I went shopping for a coat for his birthday ... after several hours of shopping we bought nothing except a large rug for the front room and Cream promptly announced the shopping trip was over!
"She was in hospital because her river has got water in it."
Mum explaining my Aunties liver problems.
"Well if he's gonna kill two birds with one stone, he better be paying for the funerals."
Dad's comment on hearing of someone's time saving solution.
I can also add the following comment heard only yesterday during Dad's birthday dinner.
"I hate it when someone pulls my plastic off!"
Goliath with his new videophone and precious screen protection film. Well .. I sincerely hope that was what he was referring to!!
"But I don't need a coat, I've got a carpet now!"
Cream and I went shopping for a coat for his birthday ... after several hours of shopping we bought nothing except a large rug for the front room and Cream promptly announced the shopping trip was over!
"She was in hospital because her river has got water in it."
Mum explaining my Aunties liver problems.
"Well if he's gonna kill two birds with one stone, he better be paying for the funerals."
Dad's comment on hearing of someone's time saving solution.
I can also add the following comment heard only yesterday during Dad's birthday dinner.
"I hate it when someone pulls my plastic off!"
Goliath with his new videophone and precious screen protection film. Well .. I sincerely hope that was what he was referring to!!
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
The Alternator
After passionately defending my car against accusations raised against it yesterday by Cream, the bloody accelerator pedal broke on the way home tonight.
Thankfully I had paid my AA membership and rung them from my mobile to tell them that the car had broken down in a dark wooded area on a bend in the road. The call centre told me someone would be there in an hour and a half ... after narrating the story of the Blair Witch project to him, he assured me, as a lone female in the middle of nowhere and with cars hurtling towards both myself and my stationary car, that I would be prioritised!
And they were true to their word ... The AA man was there within 5 minutes! Good start ... "Let's move your car out of dangers way" ... very good ... "Just the throttle cable broken, I can fix that with a temporary cable" ... great ... "Should get you home in no time" ... excellent!
Cream turns up at this point looking guilty and sheepishly apologises to the car for any previous unfounded remarks. A couple of kids pass by and joke "Should have gone with the RAC!" Now I wonder ... had they met this AA man before or did they have a premonition?
The AA man detaches and discards the old broken cable, attaches a length of new cable and cuts it to size, placing the offcut to one side with his tools ... Starts the engine ... acceleration pedal now seems to work perfectly ... engine purrs beautifully ... SPARKS START FLYING OUT OF THE ENGINE!! The AA man stares at the firework display in awe and says reassuringly "Ooohh ... I never seen a car do that before!"
Bless him ... he managed to get us home and spent the next hour trying to yank out the offcut of cable that had found it's way into the alternator ... Luckily it would not budge from its new home ... I say luckily as I feared what damage had already been done ... and in the end he conceded defeat, pulled out the complete alternator and drove off yelling "I'll be back" Arnie style. I can't complain too much as he did return an hour later and replaced it with a brand new one! Free of charge!
So remember this ... if you call a car a useless pile of metal and rust .. it will act like one ... if you call an AA man ... who knows what can happen!!
Thankfully I had paid my AA membership and rung them from my mobile to tell them that the car had broken down in a dark wooded area on a bend in the road. The call centre told me someone would be there in an hour and a half ... after narrating the story of the Blair Witch project to him, he assured me, as a lone female in the middle of nowhere and with cars hurtling towards both myself and my stationary car, that I would be prioritised!
And they were true to their word ... The AA man was there within 5 minutes! Good start ... "Let's move your car out of dangers way" ... very good ... "Just the throttle cable broken, I can fix that with a temporary cable" ... great ... "Should get you home in no time" ... excellent!
Cream turns up at this point looking guilty and sheepishly apologises to the car for any previous unfounded remarks. A couple of kids pass by and joke "Should have gone with the RAC!" Now I wonder ... had they met this AA man before or did they have a premonition?
The AA man detaches and discards the old broken cable, attaches a length of new cable and cuts it to size, placing the offcut to one side with his tools ... Starts the engine ... acceleration pedal now seems to work perfectly ... engine purrs beautifully ... SPARKS START FLYING OUT OF THE ENGINE!! The AA man stares at the firework display in awe and says reassuringly "Ooohh ... I never seen a car do that before!"
Bless him ... he managed to get us home and spent the next hour trying to yank out the offcut of cable that had found it's way into the alternator ... Luckily it would not budge from its new home ... I say luckily as I feared what damage had already been done ... and in the end he conceded defeat, pulled out the complete alternator and drove off yelling "I'll be back" Arnie style. I can't complain too much as he did return an hour later and replaced it with a brand new one! Free of charge!
So remember this ... if you call a car a useless pile of metal and rust .. it will act like one ... if you call an AA man ... who knows what can happen!!
You what???
Just to prove what a strange lot my relations are ... here are actual snippets from conversations I have had with the family recently ... They're not particularly unusual but give you a true impression of just how blessed I am ...
"But I don't need a coat, I've got a carpet now!"
"She was in hospital because her river has got water in it."
"Well if he's gonna kill two birds with one stone, he better be paying for the funerals."
I shall leave it to you to figure out who said what ...
"But I don't need a coat, I've got a carpet now!"
"She was in hospital because her river has got water in it."
"Well if he's gonna kill two birds with one stone, he better be paying for the funerals."
I shall leave it to you to figure out who said what ...
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Cheer up! It might never happen.
I've been told that the blog is getting a little too depressing ... Even Sky has moved the report from SE Asia further down the programme ... Life goes on I suppose.
Saturday, January 01, 2005
New Year Resolutions
Our lives have been touched forever by the souls of those who lost their lives and those searching for them and helping in SE Asia. The pictures and video clips shown to us daily on the news bring home the grim reality of just how fragile we really are ... the greatest gift we received this year was humility ... under layers of complacency, our own mortality was unwrapped.
Tonight 150,000 people in central London held a two minute silence for those in SE Asia ... a huge crowd of people ... the UN speculate that the final numbers of those who died in this show of mother natures power may equal those numbers ...
We have been brought together by shock, showing solidarity with our fellow man, proving that together we can make a vast difference. One that can have an even greater impact on the world than the tsunami which swept through it.
You never know what tomorrow may bring or what the future holds for you ... you never know if you or your loved ones will be here tomorrow ... so I have resolved not to waste a single precious moment.
May I take this opportunity to wish every single one of you a very happy New Year ... I hope it brings all of us peace and hope ...
Tonight 150,000 people in central London held a two minute silence for those in SE Asia ... a huge crowd of people ... the UN speculate that the final numbers of those who died in this show of mother natures power may equal those numbers ...
We have been brought together by shock, showing solidarity with our fellow man, proving that together we can make a vast difference. One that can have an even greater impact on the world than the tsunami which swept through it.
You never know what tomorrow may bring or what the future holds for you ... you never know if you or your loved ones will be here tomorrow ... so I have resolved not to waste a single precious moment.
May I take this opportunity to wish every single one of you a very happy New Year ... I hope it brings all of us peace and hope ...
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