Davies Hoose

Aberdeen-The Silver City?

2008-09-07T11:27:00.007Z

We recently went to Aberdeen. By recently I mean in July. I have been very delayed in writing my blogs.

Here is Andy in Aberdeen striking his usual pose.

This is the former college that will soon become government offices. The pic does not really do it justice. It is one of the most gothic buildings I have ever seen. Very pointy.

This is the main street in the town centre. When the sun is out the town really shines.

However, because all of the buildings are made of granite, when the sun is not out, it is quite colourless. One does not realise how colourful Glasgow actually is until one goes to Aberdeen. In Glasgow you have red and blond sandstone to offset the grey of granite (and pebbledash in some parts of town).

We had some great meals during our trip and took a tour around the city (a cold one as we did not have on proper jackets as it was July).

I do have to say that the trip up and back was nice (we took the train to save on petrol). I would recommend going there, albeit just for a day or two. However, you may emerge from the area feeling as if you have been visiting Pleasantville.

I hope to have more blogs posted soon. I have collected some pics from various places and shows and not bothered to blog about them.

The good news is that just when I thought no one cared or noticed, I had three people ask me in the course of a week when I would start doing them again. At least I know that some people want to read them. :)

Big Ole Dragoon

2008-06-22T09:37:00.008Z

What's that o'er on tha greenhill??? Holy Cow!!! It's a Dragoon!

Be quiet and sneak up on it slowly. (Click to make it larger).

It's seen us...run!

This stone dragon is on the hills at the beach at Irvine and was the inspiration for a story called DarkIsle. It is made up of the remains of an old railway bridge. If you are in or near Irvine, this part of the shoreline is a great place to walk. Just be wary of the sand dunes some of them try to eat you alive. Or is it something else under the sand???

Coming Soon: other activities that we have done over the past 6 months and never wrote a blog about.

Pics from Daytona

2008-05-25T17:17:00.009Z

Hello All !

We recently went back to Florida for a visit. Unfortunately, I became quite ill and spent most of the time in bed! However, we did get to see family for a couple of days so it was well worth the trip.

We went to Daytona / Holly Hill on the way back as usual. Here are a couple of pics that we took:
It was a perfect day to go to the pier and have a nice lunch outside. We even had lunch on a boat, though I do have to admit that the boat was not floating at the time.

This is the view at the end of the pier. It is a rock barrier to calm the seas so that boats can come into the bay safely. Does that sound like a good reason? I just made that up, though it is probably true.

There is a nice lighthouse near the pier and restaurant. This photo looks like a postcard, but really Andy took the pic.

Yes, we will be doing more trips around Scotland this summer and we will try to attend at least a couple of comedy shows at the Edinburgh Festival. So, I will have material for the blog.

I'm sorry about not having any postings for a while. We have been on a bit of budget and have been staying close to home.

I am sure most of you would be bored with 'here are the reruns that I'm watching on the telly' blogs. LOL.

Cheers, K and A

My Scarf!!

2007-12-10T21:39:00.000Z

My first present of the season!

Read all about its creation and see the pictures!!!

http://ssssshhhhhhdonttellkimie.blogspot.com/

Cheers, Kimberly

NANOWRIMO

2007-11-04T13:34:00.000Z

Hello, it is that time of year again.

Two things happen in November. First, it is normally the month we take our long holiday to the U.S.A. Second, it is the NANOWRIMO month. It is the month where I try to write a novel of 50,000 words or more. Honestly, it is not just me but thousands of people around the globe.

I did not finish last year. I did not even come close.

However, I have a laptop this year and am not preparing to put new floors into my parent's house. Yes, there is a list of chores waiting for us in Florida, but I am hoping it is much shorter this year.

It is only a couple of days into November, why don't you join me in trying to get to the 50,000 word mark? It is about quantity, not quality for this challenge. Come on, give it a try...please?

The Scottish folks are in a 'word war' with the English folks to generate a bit of healthy incentive to keep writing on a daily basis. Help me in 'winning'. If everyone around here typed as fast as they talked...no problems.

Here's the link. It's open to everyone worldwide. http://www.nanowrimo.org/

You may not see as many postings (or any) once we are away to the U.S. I will try to do a couple of small postings to this and my other pages before I go. I still have Halloween footage that has not yet posted!

Cheers, K

Crazy Cat Lady

2007-10-28T13:15:00.000Z

For the first time in a long time, I actually put some effort into my Halloween costume. Click on any of the pictures to make them larger...if you dare!

Isn't it great? Oh wait, that is the original CCL.

It was a lot of work. Andy was my hair and makeup artist.

Believe it or not, that mess is actually my hair and not a wig. I was so worried that I would not be yellow enough. No worries there.

By the way, getting off Halloween makeup is a really great exfoliation method. My skin is super smooth this morning.

My goal next year is to attempt to get Andy to leave the house. I mean not just on Halloween. He needs to leave the house. Seriously.

Next Issue: More yearbook entries..if anyone actually gives me permission to use theirs. By the Way, does anyone have a yearbook where I have written an entry. That would be funny. I will even supply photos of me with cheesy 80's hair or even the dreaded series of cheerleading pictures. Herkie jump!!!!

That's Huckleberry Finn , Stupid!!

2007-10-27T11:32:00.000Z

Here is my Rush Concert review finally. Of the 9 times that I have gone to Rush concerts, I have only been unhappy with one of them and I blame the terrible sound quality of whichever Jacksonville stadium they were in that year. So, it is no surprise that I loved it.

I brought with me Andy, who has only seen them once and knows about 3 songs, and Robert who has never been to a concert and knows none of the songs. Thankfully, the show was so good that they both really enjoyed it.

Also, thankfully, they played no less than 9 new songs instead of going too far down nostalgia lane. I am one of those weird people that enjoy seeing new material and like the classics to be kept under control. It makes me feel less old.

The one down side to the concert is that the SECC is not really that big of a place, so the video screens were banished to the stage area, which kind of defeats the purpose which I imagine is to allow us poor people on the higher seats to see what is going on down on the stage, as well as demonstrate video and animation clips. The fun part is that not the same clips were on all of the screens, so we could only see the left hand side one and most of the middle one.

There was a clip of the South Park kids trying to play Tom Sawyer to introduce the song. I have no idea if this is part of a real episode or not because our South Park episodes are really old repeats. Carmen, as usual gets all the words wrong: ' That Tom's Sawyer's a mean mean guy, he floated down a river on a raft with a black guy! I'm Geddy Lee and I can sing whatever lyrics I want!'

There were also some lovely Reefer Madness clips during 'Passage to Bangkok' as I think like most old time rock songs, it is about drugs. Bob and Doug Mackenzie made a short appearance as well. Those Canadians have to stick together.

Oh and yes the music was fantastic. Rush is a love or hate thing with most rock fans. I have always said that it is a shame that many people can't get past the high frequency singing because there are few people on the face of the earth than can play their instruments as well as these three guys. The drum set is obnoxiously large, but never wasted and Alex still tends to hold several guitars at once, but they do only have 3 people to make a sound that 5 would find difficult to achieve. It is also a shame that rock radio has done what it normally does with groups, even long lasting ones, they play the same 3 to 4 songs over and over, rather than giving any other material a chance. For a band that has released 20 studio albums and 5 live ones, it simply is not fair.

To me a concert is not just about the music, but about the crowd as well. Glasgow crowds are different from Florida crowds. They sit and listen and only cheer between songs. To an outsider one thinks that they are being unenthusiastic. I think maybe it is just a keen interest in the music. I have always been annoyed by people in the upper stands that stand up so then everyone behind them has to stand up. I have always wanted to slap 'whooopers' or people who whoop and cheer in the middle of a song right next to you. I am glad to be rid of them.

There were lots of dads there and also embarrassed kids. I mean if your dad was wearing a faded tight old Rush Tshirt and doing air guitar, well you may be embarrassed too. Now, I was pretty far back and did not see what was going on up front very much. I did see that there were some signs being held up in the crowd, which I would have been upset about it I were behind the people. However, according to various Internet blogs (oh so reliable right???) most of them were jokes and it is rumoured that the crew gave some of them out. Some of the signs spotted:

My Grampa Says Your Cool

Can I roll your bones? (they have a song called 'Roll the Bones')

I was conceived while my dad was at a Rush concert (I don't think the mom was)

My mom thinks you're hot!!

Freebird!

I though ZZ Top had beards

I give the concert a big double thumbs up and not just because it is one of the few place on earth where there is no line for the Women's Toilets. After all, there were only about 10 of us there.

Next Time: I will try to fit in a yearbook post or two before I leave. And stay tuned to see the real live crazy cat lady.

New Bathroom

2007-10-20T15:24:00.001Z

We finally have our new bathroom completed. As with most home improvement projects, it took longer than we anticipated.

Here are the before shots. It looks nicer in pictures than it did up close.

The tub was not sealed very well, the shower was just a mixer from the taps (that never had an even temperature for long), and you had to be very careful where you pointed the water because the door was not very long and the worst sealed part was at the taps, so you could not leave it on the holder and stand under it without causing a flood under the tub (and sometimes into the shop below us).

It didn't make bath time very fun.

Here are the during shots.

We had to move out of the house twice during construction. Andy and I both became extremely ill and we are half convinced it was something in the plumbing or inside the wall.

The good news is that the plumbing was replaced, the wall and floor both sealed so whatever demon it was, is now banished.

Here are some after shots.

One is from inside the shower as that gave the best view of the other wall.

The new shower is wonderful and even has a misty steam option. The challenge now is to force ourselves to get out before too much water and energy is wasted.

Kitty loves the shower as well because he is a freak water cat. I have posted a picture on his blog as well.

Next Blog: Late Rush Concert Below

Short Train Blog

2007-10-18T20:52:00.001Z

As you know, we took a train trip to Disneyland Paris. Now, I thought that there were more pictures. Alas, I was wrong and there are not. I think that there is video footage, but that has yet to be downloaded. Hopefully, it will be someday and be posted to my You Tube account or MySpace page.

Here are the few pictures that I found.

Andy eating something whilst sitting on his top bunk. The straps are to keep him from falling out during the night. I think I need to install some of these at my mom's house.

Look , a sink. Why did I take this picture? What's the significance?? I .....don't........know.

In the morning, we got out and saw that Doctor Who was there with his own personal Virgin Train car. Oh, that does not sound right.

Here are two people I don't know, but it is a good picture of the compartment. Caption: 'When you said I could be on top, I had totally something else in mind.'

Next Issue: We can wash again! The bathroom is complete.

Disneyland Paris

2007-10-13T15:56:00.001Z

I know that it has been far too long since I've posted anything. I would like to blame it on the delay on getting any pictures developed. However, it is just general laziness.

As you may know, we went to Disneyland Paris in September. I really enjoyed this trip, mostly because I did not have to get on a plane or drive.

We took the Scotrail Sleeper down to London (pictures to follow in future post). We then got a direct Eurostar to Disney. We did not stay in the resort as it is was a bit too pricey, but we were just down the road and had a free bus, so it worked out okay.

The first thing that strikes you as you enter Disneyland (which for you Florida folks is like the size of the Magic Kingdom) is that the castle is very pink. Also, you are allowed inside of it, which I don't think you can do at MK anymore. I think at one point it was a restaurant, but maybe I am dreaming that part.

This is what Andy looks like on every holiday. This was very near Pirates of the Caribbean. Pirates here is a bit of a trickster. Although it looks like the original ones, it has the waterfall in a different place and then has an extra one just for good measure. It is fun that the ride is in French of course.

Phanton Manor was awesome and we went several times. It is mostly the same as the Haunted Mansion, except in French (more parts used to be in English and they changed it at some point) and there is a weird wild west thing going on at the end. The music is better than the last time I was at the Haunted Mansion which was several years ago, so maybe that has been changed by now as well.

We ran into our pal Mike at MGM Studios.

Look, a rare picture of Kimberly. I can't resist a cheap laugh.

I do have more pics on the way, especially of our journey. Please stay tuned and I will try not to be so lazy.

Yearbook Messages Issue 1

2007-08-26T17:50:00.000Z

For those of you not in the U.S., there we have a tradition of Year Book. Basically it has everyone's picture and also the pictures of people in clubs and then other events that happened during the year. At the end of the school year, most of us bought one and then we all signed each others and put on messages. I recently dug out some of my yearbooks and was both amused and touched by some of the letters.

So, I have decided to 'publish' some of them. I am still waiting for permission from several people to put theirs in a public forum. However, for the people I can't find , I am just going to put them out there.

This first one made me giggle.

*************************************

Dearest Kim,

You are a real sweetheart. I'm really glad we got to meet. It's been great. Don't forget those wonderful convos we had. I certainly won't. You said something about watching my hickies grow. Well, as far as I'm concerned, maybe sometime you can watch them grow and do a study on it (hint hint). I am still wondering what you are going to do about our baby. I'm two months and you haven't decided what you are doing yet. :) Remember in Some Kind of Wonderful when you were sitting next to me (& Tonya) and she kissed that guy and I said 'I love an aggressive woman' ??? Well, that still goes :). Take care and stay out of trouble.

Love Always,

Your Slut Puppy,

Donny Evans

733-0012

*****************************

I have no idea who this guy is at all.

Next Issue: More Yearbook.

Edinburgh Fringe Weekend

2007-08-20T14:48:00.000Z

We went to two events in Edinburgh this weekend.

Check out the cow. For some reason, it took us several minutes to figure out that the bits on top are udders.

We actually stayed near North Berwick as it was way too expensive to stay anywhere near the city centre. We have been there before and it was just as lovely this time.

First, on Saturday we went to see Toby Hadoke in a one-man show called 'Moths Ate my Doctor Who Scarf'. We had seen this before, but it was still enjoyable as parts of it have grown and changed. The sappy parts did not make me cry this time..almost did...but didn't.

Second, we went on Sunday to see Henry Rollins in yet another spoken word show, which for the most part is comedy. It was unfortunately short due to the back-to-back bookings for the hall. However, it was good as always. This time it was about his travels and his quest to meet actual people living in the so-called 'Axis of Evil', a.k.a. the Middle East.

The funniest part of the evening for me was before the show. Those that know me very well know that I have an unfortunate habit of not paying attention, which has resulted in my going into the Men's room (toilets for you Brits) no less than about 100 times in my life. Well, I did it again last night. Except this time, I noticed the door and the fact that there were blokes in there about half way in. That is not really the funny part. The funny part is that I ran out of there mortified as usual......straight into Henry Rollins, who was standing outside the men's room door. I say straight in, but I did not actually touch him, just startled him as I was running out of the men's room without looking where I was going. But, I could not save the situation from complete dorkiness...oh no....I had to give him a look of total fright (or so I imagined) and then run into what I thought was the ladies' room (it was).

Now, I thought for sure that he would be gone into the stage area or in the Men's room when I came out. No such luck. He was then standing between the stage door and the Ladies'. I found this out because instead of taking the door right into the lobby, I took a wrong turn and tried to go into the stage door, where he once again looked me directly in the face as if I was a mad woman. Oh, but I was slick this time. Instead of running (or nearly running into him) I did an about face and plunged into the lobby. No, 'about face' would not be the right phrase. I did a complete 360 on one foot in an attempt to find the lobby door, then I ran and semi-fell into the lobby, not before nearly collapsing in a fit of nervous giggles that would be too embarrassing for a two year old to withstand.

Thankfully, he did not mention it no less than 5 minutes later when he came on stage. Though he did a whole bit about getting lost in Edinburgh (which I always do all the time). Perhaps I was an inspiration? You should note that although he is about 3 feet tall, he is still scary.

Next Issue: 'I can't use my Irish Euros in Italy and you have ruined my holiday' and other stupid complaints I've heard in my new job.

Summer Movie Review

2007-08-08T22:24:00.000Z

Hi folks! We have seen some movies this summer, but I have yet to review any of them.

First, we saw the latest Harry Potter. Though I have now read several of the books, I have yet to read this one. The fun part is that I have read the two books after this one, so my view is a bit strange. They did a very good job of getting the key story elements in that may be important to future movies. It could use more Snape. But, then every Harry Potter book and movie could use more Snape. Rating: Snapilicious. Acrio Half-Blood Prince!

Second, we saw Transformers. I would not really want to say 'robots in disguise', nor even 'crap in disguise'...because it was not in disguise. The special effects aside, well, there is actually nothing left once those are aside. Here's the plot: robot planet loses power source cube, it crashes on earth and then good and evil robots fight over it. I had a hard time even watching what was going on during the fight scenes until my husband pointed out that the colorful robots are the good ones. I should have walked out when I saw that the movie was co-produced by Hasbro ( a toy company). Rating: Craptacular.

Next, (actually it was before Harry Potter, but just go with it), we saw Shrek III. I enjoyed it, but it really should have gone straight to DVD like the rest of the Disney animation sequels. It tied things up nicely, but it was lacking the referential humour that made the first two so enjoyable. The soundtrack was not as good either. Rating: 2.5 flying donkey dragon babies.

Last night we saw The Simpsons movie. Whoo Hoo! Actually, I would say half Whoo hoo. I liked it and I knew I would because one of the pickiest people I know who is a Simpsons fan liked it. He is a bit like Mikie with Life Cereal. If he likes something, one should give it a watch, because it is probably good. Anyway, I either had a dud audience with me, or I was the only person to get half the jokes. At least they have cleared up where Springfield is located (har har). I always enjoy the songs that pop up from time to time and half expected there to be at least one song in the movie. (Spider Pig does not count). The real question is: is Doctor Nick really dead???? They never brought back Bleeding Gums , so I am guessing he really is dead. Though, they kill people all the time in the Halloween episodes and that does not count either. Rating: 3.5 Whoo Hoos.

Here is a bonus book review for the last Harry Potter book. I shall not give anything away. I just want to say that 'I knew it! I was right!!!! I picked the true hero Waaaay back. so there.'

No idea what is in the next blog. But, as a reminder, I change the song and video on the myspace page at least once per week. www.myspace.com/hellokimie

Cheers, Kimberly

My other Space

2007-08-07T18:01:00.000Z

I have broken down and created a My Space account.

You can find it at http://www.myspace.com/hellokimie

Don't expect anything amazing as I don't have the time nor inclination to do anything advanced with it.

You should pop in from time to time as I will be changing my song and video clip a couple of times per week, depending on my mood.

My blog will continue to be here and Manny will also be keeping his blogspot page.

Long Overdue Dunoon Photos

2007-07-30T20:05:00.000Z

Here are some scenes from when we visited Dunoon earlier in the month for Andy's Birthday. Please click on any pictures that you wish to enlarge..

This is a tall ship that was in the harbour and on its way to go up the Clyde River.

This is Toward Castle near Dunoon. There is also a Castle Toward in the area, but it is in ruin and you can't really get to it. I guess that is a good thing as it would confuse the tourists.

This is the ferry that we took to and from Dunoon. It was a short ferry ride, but probably saved us over 3 hours of driving.

Silly You Tube spot of the week. Don't watch it if you are offended by wizard juice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B77MxjIWixk

Cheers, K and A

Birthday Trip

2007-06-23T14:57:00.000Z

For my birthday last weekend, we drove up to the West Highlands to Mallaig. I ate lots of seafood and Andy had a chance to try out his new camera. However, due to a delay with a connecting cable, we don't have that footage yet. So, I will provide some stock pictures instead. Click on any of these to enlarge if you wish a closer look.

We took a steam train journey and passed over the viaduct that is in the Harry Potter movies. It was not the Hogwarts Express, but the same type of train. However, we did not splash out on the first class tickets, so we did not have a private carriage like Master Potter.

On our way back, we stayed at a place near the Strontian Hills. It was owned by a known psychic named Zoraya. We did not know that until we got there. No, she did not do any readings for us! However, her breakfast was fantastic.

We are hoping with this new camera that we will be able to make some short films for my You Tube account. I found a posting on there just now that gives an idea of what most of the driving was like. Just imagine it with a VW Polo instead. Just click or paste in your browser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8aTNoy7jQk

Cheers, K & A

One Man Star Wars Show

2007-06-11T17:11:00.000Z

Last night Andy and I went to see a One-Man Star Wars Trilogy. I was a bit apprehensive about this because I thought that maybe I was not nerd enough to get the jokes.

However, as you may know, I am far more the nerd than I care to admit. I laughed right along with the rest of the crowd.

The impressions of Luke, C3PO, and Jabba are worth the journey to go and see Mr. Ross. However, if you are not into Star Wars, or are too into it and can't have a sense of humour about the whole thing, then this show is not for you. He is going to be at the Edinburgh fringe for you locals if you are interested.

He also does a one-man Lord of the Rings, which I would definitely go to see if/when he gets permission to proceed with it. Yeah, I am a big-time nerd. I think it is just better to admit it by my age and get on with my (so-called) life.

In a blog not so far away: We are going on a road trip for my Birthday. I say its my Birthday, but we are going on a scenic train journey, which sounds more like a birthday present for Andy. Well, at any rate, will try to get some nice pics for you.

In a blog far far away: In August we are going to see Henry Rollins (spoken word) and also a repeat viewing of a comedian that focuses on Doctor Who (Moths ate my Doctor Who Scarf).

All I have to do is mention Star Trek in this blog entry and I have completed my nerd nirvana circle of life. Oh, wait, I just did...I better refrain from quoting Monty Python before blogger.com bans me for my extreme dorkiness.com.

Lisa Simpson Grows up?

2007-06-10T11:19:00.000Z

If you have not seen this, it is the proposed logo for the Olympics to be held in London. I am really glad that other people also saw what I did at first glance. It means that I am not so sick after all. Look at it for a while and see if you can see it as well.

It is also a fun game to rearrange the pieces into other things. Try to make K9 looking at two ducks.

NEXT ISSUE: One man Star Wars show!

Jones or Brown?

2007-05-11T23:38:00.000Z

As you may know, we just had an election here. I can not vote here, so I do escape the political debate for the most part. I don't try to forecast winners, but I did predict that there would be a close race and I was right about that.

I did not hold out much hope that it would be more than a two party race. I know that there are other parties that can influence by coalition and that they exist. They don't hold too much amusement for me, except the name for the Liberal Democrats (is there any other kind??).

I did find out that there is a Wikka party and a Jacobite party. No 'silly' parties or anyone that I saw dressed as a clown. I always enjoy those. But, like I said, I am not able to vote, so I am a mere spectator. My vote for the Judean's people's front would be wasted at any rate (or is that the People's front of Judea).

It is most likely that Gordon Brown will be the next prime minister. I don't really have an opinion on that just yet. The only thought I have about him is that he was very likely seperated at birth from Terry Jones. Am I the only one on earth that can see this?? Let's take a quiz. I will put up a picture and you can guess. Okay! Let's play Jones or Brown!

Is he stumbling and laughing or merely talking in a rush? Is he stating the new budget or giving us the 'man on the street' opinion?

'You see Bob, if I was being intimate with the invisible man and he was standing here in front of me, this is the method I could use...'

Peek a boo! Don't I look as if I am in pain?

Is this my face or my stage makeup? I can't really remember.

Independence? Har har! or I'm trying not to giggle during this take.

He's not the Prime Minister! He's a very naughty boy!!

Next Issue: Socks with sandals. A comfortable way to get warmth and ventalation or a crime against humanity?

My GPS Is Trying to Kill Me

2007-04-30T18:16:00.000Z

My GPS has a major attitude problem and is possibly homicidal. Here is an sample of a typical 'conversation' between GPS lady voice and I:

GPS: Turn left in 300 yards.

Me: Okay

GPS: Turn left in 200 yards.

Me: Okay, I got it.

GPS: Turn left in 100 yards.

Me: I got it, left.

GPS: Turn left.

Me: Wait, the road is closed off.

GPS: Turn left!

Me: I can't.

GPS: TURN LEFT!!! (display flashing obnoxiously)

Me: Sorry, I have to drive straight. You will just have to reposition yourself.

GPS: Turn left at the very next opportunity.

Me: It's a motorway now. I can't turn anywhere.

GPS: Follow along the road for some time.

Me: Well, duh.

GPS: ^beep beep static beep^ (translation: you are so dead. wait till later when we are alone and in the countryside).

Later that night whilst driving pals home....I put in new coordinates , but first we have to find our way out of the Glasgow one way system.

GPS: Turn around at the first opportunity.

Me: Dead end street, got it.

GPS: Follow along the road.

Me: It's a gated park , dude.

GPS: ^silence^

Me: So, which way.

GPS: ^beep beep^ (translation: don't rush me)

GPS: Turn right. Then turn left.

Me: Again: gated park.

GPS: Turn Left.

Me: Nope.

GPS. Turn Left!

Me: I said no, you stupid women.

GPS. iamgoingtokillyou ^beep^

Me: What??

GPS: Turn right, then turn right.

Me: Okay.

GPS: Turn turn right.

Me: Good. What is with the stutter?

GPS: Matrix is reset.

Me: Huh??

GPS: Turn right at the next opportunity.

Me: Um, I think that is a circle. I am going to keep on driving.

After a long time, we find the motorway and everything is fine until it tells us to go the opposite direction after the motorway.

Me: Just turn the thing off.

Pal: No, I want to see what it says. (followed by giggling and constant mimicing of the device..all in good fun).

I drop off said pals and program GPS to take me from their town to mine. I really don't know where I am at this point and the motorway actually goes in the wrong direction. I go ahead and follow GPS directions for a while, despite being in the dark countryside on B road that I have never been on before. Until it asks me to turn down a really dark semi-paved road with no sign on it.

GPS: Turn left 300 yards. hehehe

Me: But, where does it go?

GPS: Turn left 200 yards. You know you want to.

Me: No, I don't. I think it is out of the way.

GPS: Turn left 100 yards. Because I said so.

Me: I'm unsure.

GPS: Turn left. I have a surprise for you.

Me: I don't think that is a good idea. I don't see any signs. What road is this?

GPS: Turn Left!

Me: Sorry, no can do.

GPS: Turn left at the first opportunity.

Me: Looks like no turns for a while, sorry.

GPS: ^sigh^ follow the road ahead for 4 miles.

Me: Sure, but I'm on to you.

2 miles later....

GPS: Turn right at the next junction.

Me: But, you said 4 miles. It hasn't been that long.

GPS: I know a better way. Turn right.

Me: Um, its a lake.

GPS: Nah, you're just tired. Turn right.

Me: No, the moonlight is shining off the water.

GPS: Its just a puddle really. A deep puddle, with a gate and some grass around it, but really turn right. I would not steer you wrong. he he he.

I continue forward on the road.

GPS. Damn! Follow the road ahead for 3 miles then turn a sharp left.

By the time I get to the 3 mile point, I am on a cliff, a steep cliff with no road leading up to it. You guessed it. I did not turn there either.

Eventually this road led to a road that I did know and I got home safely.

I think GPS will just have to settle on causing fights between Andy and I. It has not grown smart enought to kill me....yet. (Cue mechanical laughter...and fade).

The New King of Scotland...at least for one minute.

2007-04-15T11:16:00.001Z

Although I have been here for over 3 years, I had not visited Stirling until quite recently. We took the 'A' road option rather than the highway for the drive over and enjoyed the scenery with two of our friends. Please click on any of the below photos to enlarge them.

Throughout the grounds there are many structures with unicorns on them. I am unsure why. This was a refurbished statue within the castle area.

One view from the castle partially shows a graveyard. It sounds grusome but the view is actually quite lovely.

Here is the entrance to the castle. I guess I should have put this first!

Please rise for the new King of Scotland: Andrew Davies! Wait, isn't that a Welsh name? Nope, I am sorry sir, you do not qualify.

All of the castle and its grounds were wonderful. I think I was most impressed with the great hall. The picture does not do it justice as it is higher than you can imagine for this type of structure.

Next Issue: The wee lambs are born! We shall try to get some pics of them before they get too big to be cute.

European Vacation

2007-04-09T16:43:00.000Z

IT'S BIG BEN KIDS!! No, actually, it is not as we went out of the U.K. this time. Click on any of these photos to enlarge.

This is one of the views from our hotel in Austria. There was not as much snow as we would have liked, but the views were still stunning.

This was taken on a rail trip up into the Alps. We finally saw some snow by this point.

Actually, there was a lot of snow! As you can see, it was almost pure white by the time we got to the top of this particular mountain. The structure on the left is a buried house and you can just see the roof.

We did get to spend some time in Germany, though it was definitely not enough time. Check out the painting on this building. We saw several examples of this in Lindau.

Out of all the views, I saw this one the most. I was convinced that after this trip, Andy would no longer be able to put down his arm. This was taken in a town where we had dinner one night. We thought it was France, because we were traveling to France. It was actually Germany, so no wonder the waitress looked at me funny when I tried to speak to her in French. It was also one of the very few things I can almost say in French (Omelette du fromage...please forgive spelling as I never said I could spell in French) !

Next Issue: A local castle and the new king of Scotland?

British Motoring Society Part 2

2007-02-26T21:12:00.000Z

We still have not established if these are funny on purpose. I choose to think that they are not in an effort to make them funnier for myself. You be the judge.

It's Christine!!! Oh yes, this encourages one to drive. Very helpful.

It is good to have someone 'behind' you when you are learning to drive. However, I don't think the other person is meant to be RIGHT behind you in quite this way.

I just don't think it would be very motivational. Well, maybe it would. It depends what you are into.

I think this guy actually lives in Johnstone, except only he can see the turtle.

Yeh, if the traffic wardens looked like this I don't think they would really need the stop signs. It gives a whole new dimension to the name of 'lollypop lady'.

The real question here is: are you on the drugs when you see this or are they??? Can you imagine giving this as a reason that you failed your test? 'I was doing great! But, then all of a sudden two clowns and the cowardly lion came by on a bicycle built for three. I would have been okay with that part. It was when the lion started juggling that I got nervous. Apparantly, there was a two-clowns-and-a-cowardly-lion-juggling-on-a-bicycle-built-for-three lane and I failed to spot the markings for it on the road....'

NEXT ISSUE: Andy and I are going on a short European tour for about a week. If we don't get some interesting photos out of that, you can shoot us. I do have more BSM photos, but they are only funny with the subtitles that I have yet to invent.

The Late Year in Review

2007-01-19T21:07:00.000Z

I know that I have been away for a while. I have been deeply involved in a relationship with several box sets that I received for Christmas. However, my lovely co-workers keep asking about my next edition, so I am forced to take a break away from the Dinnerladies and write something.

I find that I don't have much to review. At first, this was distressing. However, after giving it much thought (okay, only about two days of thought), I have come to the conclusion that this is a good thing. Most of us reach a certain age and begin to wish for a peaceful life. I know that this has been part of my game plan for quite some time. The one difficult thing about living a relatively peaceful life, is that there is not much to report. It sounds boring to the listening party to hear that nothing is really new, nothing exciting is going on, no huge dilemmas are afoot. However, for the person that wants a peaceful existence, it is quite lovely. So, if you ask me what is going on and I reply, 'Not much', it is my way of saying that I am happy.

I would like to give a quick shout out to the millions of babies my friends and family seem to have created this year: Quin, Oliver, Lina, Amy, and Rebecca.

So, I put the question to you: what was the the most surreal moment this year? It can be either in the news or something personal.

For me, it was when Hoff hit the UK top 10 with his single 'Jump in my Car'.

If you have not seen the video, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjYvvT1CaXU.

I did not know if I should laugh or cry....

Next Issue: More BSM fun driving photos.

The Return of Davies!

2006-12-18T20:31:00.000Z

As most of you know, we were away for several weeks....and then have been home for several weeks. However, we now have some photos developed and have something to put on the blog. Sorry it took so long. Click on any of the below to enlarge.

We had a great time whilst away. Here is a boring postcard tour of some of the events.

There were a lot of houses with the Christmas lights up, some of them quite over the top. We clicked an entire roll of film just driving through a couple of streets near to my parent's house.

My pal Karl brought us to a hockey game and we even saw a fight. Quote of the night: 'I've had more violent games of pencil break!!!'.

Andrew is pointing to the sign of his favourite diner. I wonder why he likes it so much?????

We got a rental car with total bling factor. It would have been nice if we actually wanted bling. Here is a hint if you are reserving a car in the U.S.A.: No one actually has economy cars and they always upgrade you for free because of it.

Here is Andy at my beast fiend's house with poor ole Dilly. This was the house of many cats. They have about 30 I think. I am happy to report that my medications seemed to work so I was not very ill.

Pogo was NOT happy to see us go and expressed her feeling with a turned back (not pictured). Here is she enjoying the nice weather with us on the front porch.

I have decided to dedicate a picture blog to Manny, though he will still appear here. I will advise when it is completed.

Many of you may know that I am a Kimie-come-lately in regard to anything. I tend to find out or wait around for 2 to 3 years (or more) before deciding to check out movies, T.V., music, etc. Once I figure out I like something, I obsessively watch/listen to it and every aspect of everything related to it. So, I decided during my holiday that I now like House M.D. and have to catch up on 2 years of shows and publicity/interviews. In the midst of doing this, I came by a spoof that made me laugh. It is a surprise that it made me laugh because I don't like MAD T.V. and rarely think it is funny.

Anyway here is a copy of the YT link. It it is slow loading , so maybe start it and then come back and watch it so it does not skip. It is not really the dialog I laughed at...its the ever increasingly larger bottles of pills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcQsD0HU0SY

NEXT ISSUE: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Campbeltown and my Novel

2006-11-07T21:33:00.000Z

We recently went on a weekend break to Campbeltown. We decided to drive there rather than take any ferries across. It is on a peninsula, so one has to drive North, West, and then South again to get there.

This was the view from our bedroom window.

We stopped at the beach, which was lovely. There was a small trickle of a freshwater stream that ran all the way down the beach into the ocean. We tried to take pics of the surfers there, but they did not come out clearly.

Here is a picture of Andy 'fixing' a chessboard. He can't stand to see chess pieces that are not in the proper order on a board. Isn't he cute (and obsessive)?

I am writing a novel.....in a month. November is novel writing month and I am one of thousands of mad people that are trying to write a novel by the end of the November. It is more of a Novella (as it only has to be 50,000 words), but Novel is so much more impressive, don't you think? Considering I will be gone for nearly 3 weeks of the month, I probably won't make it, but I shall try. If you want to take a try at it, the link is http://www.nanowrimo.org/. It can be total rubbish if you like, the point is to try to encourage writing at all age levels.

I have started to post mini-movies on youtube, not because it is trendy, but because I want to! I actually did not create the two I have posted, but I am in the process of creating one and learning how to use movie maker programs, etc. Well, it keeps the mind busy anyhow.

Just go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xk50cjqzKE and watch one of my postings. If you then click on my name, my other postings will come up, along with my selection of favorites. Just remember, Kimberly has a silly and light side to her. Please take time to watch the Hasselhoff video and decide for yourself if he means to be funny or not.

NEXT ISSUE: TBA as we are going on a long trip! I still have driving instruction photos that I have yet to post and comment on!

Glitter and Funny Driving Guides

2006-10-25T18:35:00.000Z

Kimberly silly act of the week:
I often get ready in the near darkness when I work an early shift so as not to wake my husband. This usually goes fine as I keep the items I need in a certain drawer. However, recently I put some items in that drawer that are normally kept elsewhere.

One morning I was rushing about and putting on my face lotion in the semi-darkness as usual. For some reason it felt a bit rough, but I just thought maybe my fall/winter dry skin had finally kicked in.

When I finished with my face, I realised that the tube felt funny, not feeling like the right size. I took a closer look and found that I had been spreading liquid glitter all over my face and neck. The tubes are nearly the same size.

Yes, I had a nice second face wash that day. To put a positive spin on it, I think the glitter scrub exfoliated my skin. I may have to invent a new facial product.

___________________________
This week I was looking at some guides to driving by The British School of Motoring. I can not tell if the pictures are meant to be funny or not. Click on any of these to make them larger.

You sure that's the clutch????

He is so dazzled that he has turned into a cast member of Revenge of the Nerds. Perhaps he was driving to a meeting of Lambda Lambda Lambda.

Why are these folks dancing like they are at a rave? They make it seem in this picture that pedestrians even look when they cross the road, which they don't, even when they are not at a zebra crossing.

Eddie!!!! A greaser from the freezer...a bat out of hell.....but not a very attentive driver apparently. So many lines just popped into my head. Knowing that many who read this won't get them, post your favourite in the comments section. Cmon RHPS fans , ya know you want to!!!

Links of the week: Just some things that made me laugh.
The Roast of Willaim Shatner. http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/roast_shatner/index.jhtml

If you want the longer and uncensored versions, most of them are on youtube.com just type in 'shatner roast' into the search box.

Article that caught my eye. I like the last line of it, like duh...
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=22931&in_page_id=2

Next Issue: more BSM pics...and Wallace meets Frank!

It is Written in Stone, or metal, or something

2006-10-17T14:48:00.000Z

If you go to Epcot, check out our etching. Our pals Linda and John found it during their recent visit. Don't you think Andy looks a bit like a criminal here? That is nothing, you should see his passport photo.

This is the photo we took of the new bridge in Glasgow a week or so ago. It is often called the squinty bridge because from certain angles it is hard to see unless you squint your eyes a bit. The bridge is at an angle, the arch is at an angle, and the river is at yet another angle, so it has a strange visual effect.

The sun was setting as we crossed it, but I think the pic came out nice all the same. The bridge itself was actually a lot shorter than I thought it would be, but then again I am used to crossing the Erskine Bridge and the river is much wider over there.

The weather at night has gotten a lot colder of late. Kitty decided to put on his official Flagler College sweater and hang out for a while. Actually, his mean mother put this on him. I have to admit that this is first time I have ever put clothes on a cat that did not try to get out of them right away. He just chilled out and did not seem to mind. Do you think we should get him a halloween costume?

They DO make Trogdor baby clothes now. What costume do you think kitty should wear? Leave any suggestions in the comments section!

I have decided to include link suggestions in my blog instead of sending endless Emails to my pals everytime I see something funny or interesting. I lie. I may still do that as well. However, here are my suggestions for this issue:

In relation to the above Trogdor comment, please see: http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail58.html and/or http://www.homestarrunner.com/trogday.html play the game it is retrotastic.

Video of the week, my old pal Al is back with his Nerd tribute 'White and Nerdy'. Pay attention to the words as they may describe soneone you know (or YOU). I don't know which is funnier, the words or the fact that Donny Osmond is getting his freak on in the background. You can also see Seth Green for about 2 seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ycw_y7H7Cw&mode=related&search=

Next Issue: Countdown to our trip...T minus 4 weeks and counting....

Tats, Lofts, and DJ Kitty

2006-10-09T17:25:00.000Z

I know that it has been a short while since I posted. I have been collecting photos and planning to post, but have yet to do it! I have been occupied with watching my new box set of Prison Break. In typical Kimberly fashion, I decided to first watch it during the last two episodes. Of course by then it was too late to see the whole thing and I had to wait until it came out on DVD. Yes, I could have gotten it off of the Internet, but then I would not have a pretty box, would I?

I know that the tats are fake. I still can't resist a smart guy with a full set of sleeves, even if he is a fictional character. Nearly naked and swimming? Even better (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocjYDO_45CQ). Yikes, I have become a supreme perv in my old age. I say this as if I did not spend my childhood pasting Tiger Beat photos to my wall.

Kitty planned a Prison Break of his own; however, he was unable to get the final door open. Little does he know: this is an entrance to our loft and not roof access.

DJ Kitty gets ready for his next set. What songs should kitty play?

Finally, the crazy cat look is captured on film. This is the expression that he gets right before he does something very insane or stupid.

Bridge photos will be on the very next post. I did not want too many pics on one posting.

Be seeing you, K

P.S. : As always, you can click on any picture to enlarge.

Is That your Flow Meter....

2006-09-21T20:47:00.000Z

Is that your peak flow meter, or are you just glad to see me???
I recently had to start measuring my breathing flow to see if my new medication is having any effect. I nearly choked from laughter as I saw the package for the device.

However, it was not nearly as funny as the picture inside. If I saw someone using her peak flow meter and she looked like this, I think I would leave the room to give them some alone time. She just looks so pleased to be touching the thing. Funny...creepy...but funny.

I managed to take more months out of our calendar from the office. I can see the reason that these two may look approachable. Though it is more in a 'yes, you can approach us and carry our bags for us as we are upper middle class twits' kind of approachable.

Do you think that this girl is just way too into this guy to be in an advert for a calendar? Maybe he just offered to buy her a house. I could not figure out why this one was empowerment, until I figured out that they are looking at properties in a window. We empower him to get in debt buying an overpriced house I suppose? :)

Next Issue: Trishy Pat, don't look now, but its the skwinty bridge! We will bring our review of Glasgow's new bridge, hopefully with some nice photos.

(click to enlarge any of the above photos by the way)

Rare Unseen Footage of Kimberly and Andy

2006-09-15T20:39:00.000Z

I normally do not like to have my picture taken. However, my pal Pete took some camera shots and several of you have been begging for a recent picture. Enjoy it, as these are few and far between.

A rare intoxicated Andy moment.

It looks like I am saying something naughty to him, but really it was just a kiss.

So, there you have it. Happy???????

There were a couple of classic Kimie moments this week. Over the weekend I was doing some household chores (laundry, cleaning, etc). I was rushing about and I went into the kitchen. All of a sudden I felt a large surge of heat. I was standing between the oven and the sink. I thought at first that I had left the hob or the oven on. However, all the controls were off. Then, I was in a panic thinking there was a fire somewhere or something was wrong with the hot water supply. It was then I looked down and realised that I was holding the iron. I had just unplugged it and was bringing it into the kitchen to place on the covered hob to cool. I just had forgetten this between the lounge (where I was ironing) and the kitchen.

Later in the week, I had a day off from work. I left the house and attempted to go to my car to go to Glasgow. I could not find it in the normal parking place (we don't have a private drive). It was not on the street next to us, nor in the car park. I was of course in a panic, trying to figure out if it had been stolen. My keys were in my hand and I glanced down at them. My car key was gone. Someone had taken my car key and stolen my car! It was then I remembered why my car key was gone. The reason I was leaving the house to go to Glasgow.....was to pick up my car. It was being serviced.

Next Issue: My Peak Flow Meter

One Good Reason to Eat Beef

2006-09-08T16:51:00.000Z

Yes, I think he probably is the great taste of......oh wait, they mean the burger don't they?

Well, you put a good looking guy in a kilt and I hardly am going to be looking at his food!!

This is a picture that is on our desk calendar at work. I am not sure why this is an example of empowerment. Is he stealing information from her computer? Is he reading her emails? Or is it really his computer and maybe he is looking at her chest. Interesting how they cut her head out of the picture.

The headline for this picture was 'Star Trek...now Blakey's Seven'. Extra nerd points will go to anyone than gets the multiple references. They have named a bus after Patrick Stewart. Article in Sept. 8 Metro or you can see part of it at http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/article.html?in_article_id=19484&in_page_id=7. The print version has a picture of him at the wheel.

'Driver, do you require me to give you exact change?'
'Make it so!!'

Tonight we went out to dinner. While I was ordering dinner, I was sure I was having a flashback as a giant bear passed behind me, leading a conga line. No one in the restaurant seemed to notice or care. However, since I have never taken any drugs, I was pretty sure it happened. I asked the man at the till if a bear just went by leading a conga line and he looked up and said 'Aye'. No explanation was given beyond that. Well, at least I had not imagined it.

NEXT ISSUE: Anyone out there got a spare lung?

Self Serve Manny

2006-08-30T21:20:00.000Z

Mr. Fatty MacBanjostrings decided that we don't feed him enough so he decided on Sunday night that he would just help himself. The scary part is that there were no teeth marks on the bag, which means he made a near perfect L-shaped slice with his claws.

We now are keeping his food in a plastic container. It would not surprise me to find out that he has grown an extra thumb in order to open that as well.

To compensate, our little menace decided to help with some DIY by inspecting the ceiling .......

...and then help us create a 'distressed' look to the banister. Notice his expert sanding method.

We have been putting a lot of auctions on eBay on our continuing mission to downsize our many collections of nerd items. If you have any interests in Sci Fi, music , or entertainment, please let us know because we may have the magazine just for you! It will save us on the 15 pence per listing.

We had an eventful holiday weekend. On Saturday we went to a restaurant in Glasgow called the Mussel Inn. We actually had scallops, but they were wonderful. We also got to see our pals K & J who we do not get to see very often.

Sunday we went to the Edinburgh comedy festival and saw a Mr. Toby do a routine about Doctor Who. It was very funny and in a super cool place that was very much like a cave.

On Monday we had a picnic supper at Muirshiel (as pictured above), which is a park about 20 minutes from here. The midges in the area decided that WE were the picnic, so we ended up eating our supper in the car. However, the view and the drive were lovely all the same.

That is all for now!

Next Issue: Still waiting for suggestions!!!!

Flying Monkey

2006-08-17T19:38:00.000Z

As most of you know, we added to our family a new kitty this year named Louis. We decided for many reasons that this would be his doctor and insurance name only. After getting suggestions for names (and they were all awesome), we settled on T.W. Mangrove, or Manny for short.

Like all of my cats, he will have about a dozen names as he develops his character over the passing years. So far he has gained the names of Menace, Mister!, My Little Mann, Banjo Strings (a comment on his whiskers) and now .....Monkey.

Please see below pictures for an explanation of WHY he is called Monkey.

We are not sure what is up there that he is trying to catch.

A sane person would just use the stairs.

Nope...nothing up here either.

We have not taken a clear picture of this, but he will stay there until we acknowledge that we see him, then he gets down. He normally looks at us and mews until we say something. Very much like a little kid doing a 'look at me' on the playground.

Losing his change purse was supposed to calm him down...so far, that just is not true.

Oh, and you can make these pics bigger by clicking on them if you want.

NEXT ISSUE: TBA....we are taking suggestions...what do you want to see???? and don't say pictures of us because we don't show up on film.

More Purty Pics of Inveraray

2006-08-15T20:55:00.000Z

Please click on any of the below pictures to make them larger!

This is the front of the Castle. People actually still live here for at least part of the year. One does have to have a summer home, doesn't one?

This is the entrance to the tourist part of the castle.

This is the left side view.

This is a partial right side view.

This is a right side view including the side entrance.

...and waiting right inside the entrance is.....

The Spanish Inquisition!!!!!!!

Bet you didn't expect that???????

The Spanish Inquisition was not there handing out comfy chairs. However, there was a very large group of Italian tourists

NEXT ISSUE: Monkey!!!!!

Cough Cough Hack....Me Back ??

2006-07-27T21:26:00.000Z

Yes, I am back after over a month of illness. It has not quite gone away! I was hit in June with a nasty respiratory infection. Unfortunately it was viral in nature, which means there is little one can due but rest and treat the symptoms. I spent many weeks not working, and as lovely as that sounds to most, I found that I missed my co-workers and hated being stuck in the house. I finally am back to work, but still get some horrible stares from my fellow employees of NAG (that is National Australia Group...my husband has fun with this and says that I must have found the right profession if I work for NAG as I am so good at it).

Those that do not know me well do not know how terrible my cough can be and they THINK my work cough is terrible, but it is severely muted! I find myself holding back and then running into the toilet (bathroom to you Americans..I hope you know that I am not actually IN the toilet) and then letting loose Time Bandits-Ogre Style. "Now I can really cough!!!!!" (Or is his wife just going to start calling for Benson?)

A couple of things have been happening. Firstly, our Manny has given up his changepurse (AKA fuzzy dice, family jewels, etc). Has he calmed down at all? Well, NO!!! Here he is in his favorite window. I think he likes it because it is long and the perfect size for a cat.

We went to Inveraray for a day for Andrew's Birthday. I spent most of the time in bed as I was worn out and ill. However, Andy got some nice pictures. My Florida pals are probably snickering as Inverrary in South Florida is a completely different place, mainly where old people live. It was an interesting drive as we had to go North, then West, and then South again as this place is on a peninsula. I have never driven down there and the ride was lovely.

My next post will have my boring post card tour of Andy's pics!!!!! Stay tuned!!!!!

Many Miles Away....

2006-06-19T15:18:00.000Z

Many miles away there's a shadow on the door of a cottage on the shore of a dark Scottish lake....

Well, it is not so many miles away, the shadow was me, and it really was not dark, because it is summer. However, I have been looking for a reason since 1983 to use that lyric and this is as close as I may ever get.

This weekend, Andy took me to a B&B on Loch Lomond for a quick birthday getaway. We have been there many times before; however, I have never shown pictures to anyone. This time won't be an exception as we did not take the pictures. The professionals are so much better at it, as you can see from the lovely advert above.

We were in the cabin that is furthest in the picture. It had lovely doors that looked upon the loch.

It was wonderfully decorated. I normally don't care about such things, but I thought I would include a picture anyway.

They also have a place for small planes to land so one can watch them take off , as well as arrive. Now you definitely know I did not take these pictures. I would never be able to produce anything like that and if I did, my finger would probably be over the lens.

We even met some of the local folk, though they are friendlier than they look.

Next Week: Don't tell the director I said so, but are you safe Miss Gradenko?

The Coolest Place in the Hoose

2006-06-09T15:53:00.000Z

Manny finds a new way to cool off:

'Hey, what's that??'

'Wow, fresh cold water...'

'This is fantastic!!'

'It is really hot today. I think I will just sit here for a while. I know that I am not supposed to like sitting in water, but today I will make an exception.'

In case you are wondering about my name change, my new humans have decided to call me T.W. Mangrove, or Manny for short.

Actually, most of the time I am called by the name of Kitty and sometimes 'Mister' or 'OI!' if I am doing something naughty.

Next Issue: Have you noticed that I actually never write about this blurb in the next issue at all?

The Return of Soapy Chicken Water

2006-05-31T13:03:00.000Z

Hello, my name is Louis. I am the new cat in the house. I have been here just a couple of days.

My owner (pictured to the left) had too many cats, so Andrew and Kimberly decided to adopt me. They drove all the way to Edinburgh to get me. Oh, I cried and howled for an hour in the car! When we got to my new home, I was fine and soon had all my new toys out and all over the floor.

I run every time I see a camera, but I let Andrew take a picture of me with my new friend, orange spider. Although spidie is on a stick, I drag him by the legs all around the house.

I am only 1 years old and have lots of energy. I have been crying for the other cats in the house to come out, but they don't. There is a handsome black and white cat in the bedroom that likes to mimic me, but he won't come out of the wardrobe door.

I am told that I am a lot like someone called Stuffins as I also like to jump in the sink and attempt to drink soapy chicken water when pans are soaking.

My new mother does not like my name. Can you help her name me? Please post ideas by clicking comments link below.

Next Issue: Why does treadmill time move slower than normal time??

Spring Comes in a Roaring Thunder

2006-05-24T22:51:00.000Z

Yes, spring does come to us in Johnstone in a roaring thunder, at least that is what it sounds like on a Sunday morning.

On Sunday we are sleeping in (not that I need a Sunday to do that) and in the midst of a dream I hear a too-familiar 'tap tap tap tap'. Though still asleep, I know that in a moment I will hear the thunderous sound of several drums lines from the fools that are marching down my street. They love to tap their way through town and then just as they reach our windows, BAM, time to strike up the band! Of course, we look out the window and a spontaneous and unannounced parade seems to be going down the street.

Now normally there is a marching band. However, this time it was a bit different. I look out the window and the band is on an open flatbed truck playing away. Due to being a total dork with the digital camera, I did not manage to get a shot of them before they were off down the road. So, now we joke about the infamous 'rolling band' and wonder when they will return. Though there was also a line of marching drums so I guess this gig was more of a combination.

It is a good thing I saw the rolling band first and not this large and scary clown...EEK!

I can't decide if these horses were dressed for the event, or just still had their slave hoods on from the night before.

I do appreciate a parade once in a while, just not every weekend and I know that will be the case quite soon.

'NO SIR, I didn't like it!!'

Next Issue: Why does no one want to give me a cat?

Tiptoe Through the Tulips With Me!!

2006-05-17T21:02:00.000Z

We finally have some photos from our Belgium trip! My favorite 'Country Singer' would probably say that she would rather rip out her own arm hairs than look at someone's holiday photos. I am sure that many of you would agree. Therefore,I will reserve that treat for anyone who comes within 100 feet of my hoose. Please click on any image below to enlarge it if you wish.

Though it sounds glamorous to go to Belgium to some, keep in mind that this was actually a coach trip. The ride from Scotland to Dover is an all day adventure. Once we got there, we got on a ferry to France and then drove a bit back up to Ostende, where our hotel was booked.

I was not impressed with Sea France. The food was all British and it was not the nicest of ferries in comparison to those I have been on in the past. I can proudly say that I did not get completely ill.

The hotel is called the Ledo 2000. I am convinced this is because one has to go through 2000 doors to go down the stairs. These are spiral except closed in so one has to go through two doors on every floor to get all the way down to the lobby.

The next day we went to Bruges, which has lovely buildings and canals and of course Waffles!!!

On day 3, we visit the tulip gardens up North, which is actually in the Netherlands. I entertained (and annoyed) Andy by singing in a high pitched Tiny Tim voice for part of the day. I was in a bit of pain as I had fell the night before, though sadly I was completely sober. Gravity has it in for me in Europe as well.
Pictures do not do the tulip fields justice. I have to say that these were some of the most varied and bright flowers I have ever seen in my life. There was also a nice maze to get lost in. Too many people in it to properly run through it and pretend I had an axe (The Shining style), so just walked around in it instead.

The next day we took a train (a very fast one that made my head ache a bit) to Brussels. This is a place that one really needs to spend several days in. We did not get a chance to see all of the sites and hope to return one day...

The following day it was time to pack up and head back to the U.K. and the wonderful white cliffs of Dover. The ferry home was a P&O and it was quite nice. The ride back for me was a series of naps, only interrupted by coach changes. I managed not to snore too loudly, at least that is what Andy tells me!
If you would like to see more photos, please Email me or let me know with comments and I will oblige.

Next Issue: New kitty update. The return of RK? Stay tuned to find out.

Billy Bragg Concert Review

2006-05-11T16:44:00.000Z

Billy Bragg 'Hope not Hate Tour' at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh: May 9, 2006

This was the first time I have gone to see Billy live, despite wanting to for many years. I can admit that I have never actively sought to do so. Normally, he plays at festivals or at rallies, where I am not very comfortable (or can't be bothered to be outside for that long).

However, when I found out he was playing an inside venue, I could not resist going.

The big-nosed Bard from Barking could not have been in better form. I was expecting a certain amount of politics, so it was not a surprise that it was present. What did surprise me was how amusing and endearing he can actually be. He told a very funny story about having a recurring nightmare of David Cameron giving him a rhubarb and proclaiming on national television that he was a Bragg fan. (Cameron, the leader of the conservative party, recently gave the nation a little shock when he stated his favorite album was 'The Queen is Dead' by the Smiths. Smiths fans everywhere gave a little shudder...)

His main focus was on his earlier work to reflect his box set release. I don't mind as I love the earlier stuff most of all. Joining him was former Faces keyboard player Ian McLagen. No drums as usual (Sorry, Dave). It sounds unusual to have an electric guitar with no drums or base, but it seems to work with Billy's songs.

Although it was strange to see him with gray hair, he looked much the same as his photos, quite lovely in a dorky English way. He and this microphone really need to get a room, don't you think?

He also revealed a new persona that he calls 'Johnny Clash', something he had to develop as his voice no longer wants to hit a high register and he has had to bring many songs down several keys.

I would definitely recommend going to see him, even if you don't agree with some of his beliefs as the musical and anecdotal portions are well worth it. Andy went to the concert knowing only one song (and not liking folk or punk very much in general) and he still really enjoyed himself.

Next Issue: Well, you play a pretty good fiddle boy, but give the devil his due.....I found a really good band that has a fiddle AND a banjo....

NEDS vs. CHAVS..Sunday Sunday Sunday!!!!!!

2006-05-08T16:10:00.000Z

What is the main difference between these two groups of people? There are not many. One could say that a NED is more likely to get fried haggis from the chippy. .

When I think of the word 'NED', this guy springs to mind.

You would think a NED is a super religious guy that says 'hidittily neighboroonies!!'. Alas, he is not.

Here it refers to someone more like this guy.

There are debatable theories as to where these names originate. For example, NED is supposed to stand for non-educated delinquent. I find this funny as it is not the proper way to describe someone. Should it not be 'uneducated'? Though not as catchy to say 'UED'. Sounds like some sort of pervy medical device.

Another theory is that this term is a throw back reference to the term Teddy Boy. However, it strikes me that it would then be TED, rather than NED.

There are a lot of points I would like to make as far as this stereotype is concerned.

First, I know a good dozen people in public housing that are nothing like this guy.

Second, one is not a 'counsel house victim' as you can not really be the victim of a house, unless it is a haunted house. Third, there are plenty of people walking around like this that live in private homes.

Example of NED slang (edited):

rite yeez aw go oan aboot neds as in wir scum yeez ir aw just feart ay us coz we wid kick yer precious in ! neds are fuken minted mate lacoste trakees cost aboot 150 pound stone island jaekts n tht cost aboot 300 poun upwards so dont start yer shite aye ther aw scum of the earth wen uz ir aw jst precious tht say stuff like this or the internet dont get wide ya precious EFTAAAH GON FUR WINE

Next Issue: Billy Bragg concert review.

Am I still a Nerd if I don't know what a TARDIS is?

2006-05-04T15:54:00.000Z

Am I still a Nerd if I don't know what a TARDIS is?

Yes, but you loose 1000 Nerd tally points. I bet you will make up for it in other ways (aka high math scores or buying comic books)!

A couple of you asked about this comment in my profile, so I will explain for the non-Sci Fi peeps

.

Technically, it stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. Rather than attempt to understand the technology behind it, it is easier to say that it is blue box that Dr. Who flies around in through time and space.

It is larger on the inside than on the outside. (Yeh, I know, but just suspend your disbelief and enjoy the concept)

and currently has this handsome lad inside of it :)

Next Issue: Chavs and NEDS

Our Home and a Wee Castle

2006-05-03T20:23:00.000Z

This is the front of our building right in the centre of lovely downtown Johnstone. There is only downtown. It is not big enough to have an uptown.

It is a bit of a TARDIS and there is a LOT more room inside than you would expect.

A bit backwards as one has to climb up and then inside climb back down to get to the lower level, as displayed here by our own darling Amber (RIP).

Johnstone has its own castle, though it is too small to visit.

The area of Johnstone Castle is absolutely Chavtastic

and everyone there is named NED.

Thank you for joining us for our first blog message. Stay tuned for more thrills and excitement!