Of biscuits & briefcases

Am having one of those sublime and ridiculous moments – oh OK weeks. After being in charge in an ‘everyone talks to me’ professional capacity, gadding about Central Europe last week, I have continued the role now I am home working with big blue chip global types to select an agency to manage some critical intelligence. And agreed 8 countries yes, 8 week timetable yes, all good, let’s get going – very much the professional woman in charge.
Yet today it’s all gone in a very, very different direction. Forget critical decisions & extra shot coffees in long, fluorescently lit rooms, no, today I have done 2 loads of washing, I have weeded, I have planted & I have just taken the first batch of 20 cat shaped shortbread out of the oven as I am baking for a coffee morning tomorrow! The cat is curled on the sofa next to me & the global business all feels a long way away. Actually, that’s rather nice!

sparrows do fart...

.... and foxes have the most incredible bloodthirsty bark & husbands snore & KC's purr & meow. All at 4am. Who needs alarms when there's that menagerie within earshot!!?? Yes I am off to work on a ridiculously early jet plane. Do know when I'll be back again - Saturday morning! No image this time as in the BA lounge mainlining caffeine & sugar (ie coffee & muffin). As there are various types of tranport involved in this trip (taxis & trains, both crossing borders) watch this space for gaffes. Arrividerci!

Hi Ho Hi Ho

It’s off to work I go. Yes after months of truly getting into the swing of all things housewife-y I am finally called back to the coal face. I will start my journey back to working hard at 4am on Tuesday when I have to catch the first flight out to a beautiful former communist (but now EU member state) central European country; then take the train from there on Thursday to another stunning former communist capital city! Oh and do lots of work & manage my clients & get to the answers! Once that is done I will then begin an enormous project as a pseudo client / consultant that will cover up to 8 countries and could go on for 3 months... this will either mean radio silence as I get my head down or daily reports of drama / hilarity / missed planes / comedy meetings/ the KC sulking & running away from the cat sitter – you name it I’ll experience it!

Jealous? Moi?

Oh dear. I am suffering a serious case of a deadly sin - envy. House envy to be specific. We knew that when we bought the “wreck” there would be much to do & we would have to just sit it out in chaos & old old things for a while as we both decided what to do & also gathered enough pennies to do it. But a number of invites to neighbours houses have turned me a peculiar and unpleasant shade of envy green. Behind fairly ordinary front doors lurk extraordinary interiors – cavernous ultra modern kitchens, all high gloss & marble, with breakfast bars & built in coffee machines, bi-fold doors that open onto landscaped gardens & swimming pools, cinema rooms, full gyms & pool tables, walk in dressing rooms (a la Sex & the City). People apparently moved out for months whilst their houses were semi demolished & then rebuilt beautifully. Stuff you imagine only lives in interiors magazines to make you sigh an “oh if that were possible how lovely” sigh is real in my street! So last week was spent with a copy of our floor plans, a bottle of tippex & my fevered imagination, followed by a flurry of "please quote" emails to carpet fitters, decorators & builders. And yes, the purchase of many lottery tickets to fund my envy dreams!

happy!

follow this link (or cut & paste as I can't work out how you embed the video! doh!) to see something just lovely. This totally made my day
Laughter really is the best medicine!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RP4abiHdQpc