Things that make me smile about this new country I live in… (a continuing series)

That they have a speaking clock… basically dial 123 and you will hear the time spoken to you. A few other countries have it as well… I think it’s for people who need to sync with an accurate timepiece if they are in the field or something… I must admit, I find it utterly endearing. It appeals to my inner geek.

hydrotherapy for cooper

cooper has been diagnosed with early onset osteoarthritis.

low point: finding out we couldn't go rambling for days with him, or go on bike rides with him trotting alongside like we had hoped. we basically have to decrease the activity we do with him, to save his joints/"wrists" from degenerating faster. : (

poor thing. he doesn't understand why we don't go to the beach anymore... or go walking everyday. but he's on chontrotin therapy... and is taking supplements, which he loves because he thinks the capsules are treats. and is taking cod liver oil. ugh. that smell brings back horrible memories...

but on a small upside, we have found a hydrotherapy place close to us that's specifically for dogs. it basically works on the idea that he's still getting exercised (a short swim is equivalent to miles of walking daw) while having no impact on his joints. bonus: we can swim with him in a heated pool as well! another bonus: he gets shampoo-ed and dried so we come home with a v clean dog.

introducing cooper

we got cooper from dalmatian rescue. you know i've always loved dalmatians, and was heartbroken when pepper died. cooper is 2 years old, he came to us overweight and it was our job to get his weight down and get him fit and active. photo above is cooper in the woods. he loves autumn puddles!

he is also the soppiest spotty thing i've known. they do think they're big lapdogs don't they?



he loves the sea, will chase after his frisbee into the waves. but is very scared when it gets out of his depth!

he also loves the beach. especially when he's got his best mate baxter to play with!

: )

Things that make you happy when you’re far from home: # 456 and 457.

# 456 - Discovering that Philippine Carabao Dried Mangos are being sold not just at your local Pinoy store, but at Waitrose. Yes, Waitrose. Well done Waitrose!!

# 457 - Hoarding dozens of cans of Gina mango juice that you found in a Chinese Supermarket.

This field that I am in.

My work can be mind numbing. Not that any other work doesn’t have this potential. I remember sitting for days in front of a microscope counting unicellular marine algae. An experience that was so dull, I could literally hear my brain dropping down several gears.

Yesterday, I was filing. Yes, filing. Welcome to my world. Photocopy, update on tracker, put tiny sticker label on the back, paper-clip together (AstraZeneca doesn’t like staples), file. I did this for 5 hours solid.

I try to put it off as long as possible, of all the tasks I do for my work, this is the one I dislike the most.

Time to raid the stationary cupboard for post-its. : )

Winter wonderland, jasmine flower tea, whiskers on kittens and brown-paper packages in the post

Yesterday was snow-y day in London. I woke up early with PJ to check it out. It was beautiful. The palest blue light reflected off the snow gave everything such an ethereal glow. There was silence and stillness while the snow kept falling in gentle swirls…

Which we ruined seconds later by madly running into the garden with Cooper and starting a game of catch-the-snowball. : )

Driving to work was a nightmare. It was my first experience driving in those conditions. The phrase my dive instructor uses to describe how the rate you should ascend from a deep dive came to mind… as slow as you can slow.

Snow covered sidewalks do not mix with heels. That’s for sure! I walked back home for lunch, thinking, I’d better walk, save myself the stress of trying to parallel park on icy streets. Big mistake. What normally takes me 5 minutes, took me 15. Couldn’t even look up to admire all the scenery because had my eyes solidly focused on the ground.

Fortunately, streets were clear on the way into Hammersmith. Picked PJ up in record time. Got a parking ticket for not having enough change. Note to self: always bring change. Walked around Carnaby street/Soho looking for somewhere to eat before the show. PJ kept mumbling something about going to McDo. I ignored him. Which I’m glad I did, because we ended up eating at PingPong and having some dimsum. Was nothing spectacular, but it was hot food, fast service and we had plenty of yummy dipping sauces. The best bit? Jasmine flower tea, which unfolded as it steeped.

Initial disappointment at not seeing Connie Fisher (plus a few others), but this was soon forgotten when she started singing the opening scene. She looked a bit too young, but performed fantastically well. The show was a bit long in the first part, I started feeling woozy through the second act, the theatre was very warm! Some new songs, didn’t work for me. But the final scene was very very clever. I’m no expert, but overall, I thought it was beautifully sung and well acted by all. Especially loved the kids, who could steal the show! Looking forward to Evita in April!

Got home earlier than expected, and we were met at the door by some brown-paper packages (not tied up in string though a la “Favourite Things”) and Cooper. Life is good. I am very thankful.

back to blogging

i set up a pre-wedding blog. www.bugandtitch.blogspot.com

that's where i was for a while. then went silent for too long...

it's 2007. and the last post i had here was pre-wedding. a LOT has happened. i'm sure you can relate moo. so plenty of changes and i'm living a completely different lifestyle now. so much so that the old me would find it hard not to be shocked!!

i can cook now. (shock of all shocks) well, when i say cooking, i mean i've moved up to the next level from re-heating and using mixes. i'm now at the point where i can put everything together and follow a recipe... to the letter. if it says boil for 13.52 minutes, that's how long it'll stay boiling &%Mn it! ;)

i clean the house. meaning i use our trusty dyson and vacuum all of downstairs and upstairs. mop floors to remove grubby paw prints. sheesh. i still don't clean bathrooms though. i refuse.

i stick to a budget. me??!? yes. there's a budget, and we stick to that level of spending. (well, most of the time anyway)

will write more soon. i just wanted to get things started again. it found it strange reading through posts i had blogged before. to read where i was, and see where i am now. and that's one reason why i'm back to blogging again. so i have something to look back on later...