local news - is it really neccessary?

Today I opened the Tamworth Herald and flicked through. One story spoke of the police and how they are keeping the canalside in town "yob free."

Alongside the article is a picture of two police officers looking rather pleased with themselves. Unfortunately in the background on the opposite side of the canal you can just make out an image of a "yob" giving them the finger...


Midlands Today (our regional news programme) is also in the line of fire - how unneccessary is this programme? Today we had story about how we shouldn't feed the ducks bread (including an interview with a man saying to feed them corn) and then a poem written by a man who was made redundant...

Victory for the common commuter!

Hurrah!

I got onto my train this morning - dripping wet I may add - and took a seat near the door. As the train pulled away from Tamworth a teenage boy pulled out his phone and began to play what I can only describe as "Chipmunk Trance" music at full volume.

Needless to say everyone in the carriage was mortified, and too afraid to approach the young whippersnapper.

About ten minutes into the journey however, a business man in his twenties got up and declared "I've had enough!" and proceeded to tell off the lad, who looked quite embarassed.

I could feel my sanity increasing once more...

Idle thoughts from an idle mind

Well, so far I have spent my day off at uni.. unfortunately not even my own one.

Work achieved: very little (ie. none)

Strange occurance yesterday - whilst walking to the train station I walked past 3 boys going to school. After they walked past one said to the other "that was Kate"

Am very freaked out - how do boys of about 14 from a random school know me? hmm..

Holidays are comin' Holidays are comin'...

Maybe I have gone back in time..

Today we were "told off" at uni - apparently we can now only eat between the hours of 1 and 2.

How odd?!


On a lighter note - Christmas has come to Birmingham!

Now, those of you who know me will understand (or at least come to understand soon) just how much I adore Christmas, but the 2nd of October? Surely that is too soon? Should I have started writing cards or buying presents? I have not even seen any fireworks go off yet! I'm so confused/happy/distressed...

Hmmm..

My train was delayed due to a medical emergancy (although hard to say what medical matter could affect a train..) meaning I didn't arrive home til after 7 (grr)

Upon taking my trainers off I noticed that my socks were stuck fast to both wounds on my heels..

So here is my question:

Is it better to do the old 'whip the table cloth off' routine and just go through the pain in one quick motion? Or am I better to just slowwwwwly tease my sock from my foot?

Any views welcome...

The hidden perils of shoes..

Oh I hate my shoes..

I was walking up Corporation St. on my way to uni. My feet felt raw. Evil Clarks shoes turned on me in spectacular fashion leaving me crippled and limping up the road taking out my pain on unsuspecting beggars.

Then it appeared in front of me and I knew what it was all about.

I entered the shop and staggered up the metal staircase. The foreign woman upstairs with the good hair gave me the small black box and I thanked her. (even though she pointed out that I was buying something from the mens section)

Oh it felt so good to put on new trainers...

(brownie points to those who know my whereabouts just from the description above - I'm guessing BG knows what shop I was in - they gave me a coupon for 20% off my next purchase *dribble*)

Imust admit, I rather enjoy being back on my daily commute..

Childrens toys appear to be very misleading nowadays..

I was watching the TV earlier when an advert informed me that "children like to bounce up and down - and so do zebras"

hmm.. interesting image..

The case of the missing website..

Email from my Dad.

"Hi Kate, thanks for the email, unfortunately I can't find my website so I can't give you any comments yet. Here are some pictures..."


I am curious - how does one "lose" a website?

I am issuing a test! If you cannot view this website please let me know! (it is still under construction and may appear distorted! do not worry - it is being dealt with by James!)

www.ajm-pembrokeshire.co.uk

Apologies for random spellings in previous post

I am sorry all you spelling freaks out there - I am very tired having had 10 hour day after 4 months off - as a result I am typo-ing everywhere.

Pls ignore

Brain Ache

Oh dear god!

First day of the last year.. I feel like my brain has exploded. We were in for an hour before the first project began resulting in me having to present to the group exactly what my proposal for this new project was. We used to get a week for that - this year we have 2 hours!

Still, it was nice to see everyone again.

This year I am glad to say that I have no crazy foreign tutors. I have gone from last year (the year of Cyril - ie. NO tutor) to 3 tutors! Hurrah!

Unfortunatelt we don't enrol til Wednesday meaning I will have to wait for my loan *grr*

Anyways, back to my brainwave of a project! If anyone else happens to be applying for the same competition for the RSA then please look away now ;)

"The Value of Water"

Odd topic but there you go. Basically we have to produce an exhibition stand which represents, somehow, the Value of Water.

My stand would float accross the Midlands on behalf of British Waterways promoting the regeneration and possibilities of using the canals of Britain - of which there are over 1500 miles - as a means of transportation, thus cutting down on congestion and therefore pollution.

Watch this space.. RSA award winner.. I like the sound of that! :P

How very odd?!

I was sat at my beautiful desk tapping away on my laptop (crazily trying to remember how to use autocad ready for start of semester tomorrow) when I looked up and saw this big hawk-type thing looking at me and squarking.

How weird

Man walking past my window holding a bird of prey whilst walking his dog..

Very cool though...

Those who know me understand the madness

me: We have our fish now

mum: What did you get?

me: A goldfish and a lionhead goldfish

mum: What are they called?

me: Howard and Mr Fish

mum: That's an odd name... Howard.....


And there resolves my argument with James that Mr Fish is an adequate name for a goldfish

Announcing the arrival of Howard and Mr Fish

Today we brought home two little fish - Howard (James's) and Mr Fish (mine) - I would like to point out that the object to the left is not in fact a dead fish but a biro...

(what is going on with the crazy weather?!? Our garden and driveway has flooded again and sewage is squirting up like a whales blowhole in the field in front?! Bloody global warming...)


Major point no. 2

I have done the unthinkable..








I have had a fringe cut in again! dum dum durrrr!


(although as you can tell by picture it is taking some getting used to.. have already started parting it in a manic fashion)

Major point no. 3

Have had an awful week.. I went out with James's sister Amy on Saturday and have felt like crap ever since (must add a note of thanks to James here who stayed up with me whilst inebriated and ill and made everything better)

Major point no. 4

Hurrah! I no longer have Crazy Tutor Woman next year! Hurrah!

Major point no. 5

For those following the growth of my Parents extention - we have the floor joists for the first floor in place. Also, builders managed to build the house the wrong size and shape but it has all been resolved now!

Back from the void..

Wow this has been a long week!

Since saturday my internet connection has been down, and after 6 days, 3 hours of phonecalls to BT, 2 complaints and half a phone line we discovered that James had plugged the cable into the wrong socket...

Will fill in the 6 day void tomorrow, am knackered

It confuses me when half of the waxwork models turn out to be people..

Today was our Holiday Day Trip!

Location: Warwick Castle

Today we managed to navigate our way to Warwick and find the entrance to a very large castle.. James then proceeded to embarass himself by pressing lots of buttons on the chip and pin and realising his card wasn't even in. He then knocked the keypad off its stand putting the card in..

Day of fun, we wandered around the castle taking in the sights of battlements and armour, trying on various helmets (see image of James below)

Highlight of day -

Strange exhibition of archery by a man (who reminded me of Brian Connely) reinacting a battle single handedly..

A trebuchet firing a blazing boulder

Also, the peacocks (they had baby peacocks!)

Where is a bloody ark when you need one?

Came home from Wales in nightmare rain journey, unpacked car and ran into house. Within 5 minutes we had become marooned in the house!





Luckily after half an hour it had subsided enough to allow us access to the car so we could go for the MOT test..



The Journey Home

We made the decision this morning to take the "scenic" route home. Unfortunately this ended up being a view of a cloud enveloping us for 4 hours..

Memories

This morning I woke up at 6:15am to my Dad turning on kids tv at volume 30. It seems a crazy thing to miss but I do, it kinda sums up my memories of living at home..

On that note - a couple of pictures from my trip to sunny Wales..

Homecoming

At last...

My parents will be home in little under 2 hours. The dogs are still alive, the cat has not ran away and I still retain most of my sanity.

I must apologise for not writing, James had his Macbook delivered and has since been hogging the power source and internet. (I must add that I am creating a voodoo van of UPS, evil people have lost the package containing my iPod nano! Lost it!) According to their internet tracking system it is still due to arrive on the 5th.. I must discover the power of time travel which they must posess.. Anyway, enough of the bitterness!

Round up of Yesterday
We went to Porth Clais yesterday, very pretty (although not alot there really) there were some big lime kiln ruins and a harbour wall which I sat on for a bit until James started having panic attacks that I would fall off.
Have tried to add a picture but the "done" button wont load and therefore it wont add!

Building update - Builders missing and presumed drunk

Have not seen builders since thursday. House is still as it was last post although a man appeared today and tidied up (it seems most people are scared of my Dad and his wrath!) Apparently they will be coming back thursday to build up to the roof (I'm presuming that it will take more than one day to do so.. but they were very speedy!)

Anyway, got to go, I have lots of mopping and hoovering to do in antiipation of their return!

Bit of a dilemma..

Oh I am so crap at saying No to people (although not in that sluttish way you were thinking)

Just agreed to go into town with one of Mum and Dad's friends tomorrow at 10am.

I'm perfectly OK with that part.

Slight problem occurs when my Dad has paid the boy next door pity money in order to take me out during this week. (I highly doubt anyone can top that one for embarassing parents) As it is in fact Friday tomorrow, and he has not come over yet, it kinda suggests that maybe he was going to come over tomorrow - and I will have to look like a fool and say:

"thats OK, I went with a random lady who phoned me instead! just keep my Dad's money - I have purchased all that I require from Tesco!"

(bear in mind that the first time I met him I was wearing my Dad's bright yellow road worker jacket, a black summer hat and was digging a trench in his driveway)

Oh well... I only see him about three times a year! who gives a damn eh?

At least James gets here tomorrow - hurrah! With a lovely car that we can drive anywhere without the need for charity..

Surreal..

I awoke today to the image of a man applying moisturiser to a rhino..

Fortunately it's not that type of place here and I had just forgot to turn off the TV last night..

Still odd though


(as I type this a cockerel is wandering around the driveway - it's not even one of ours?!)

Not quite visible from space - but it's a start!

Hurrah!

After letting out the chickens and giving the dogs a walk at 7 this morning I climbed back into bed to fester in my illness..

Half 8 the builders arrived and by the time I had got ready and had a wash etc. they were well underway. As you can see from the picture they have done the blockwork up to about 6 courses (nearly as tall as me) and just visible are the windows! Yay!

I can't wait til Mum comes home and sees this! She thought it would never happen with all of our evil planning issues. By the time she gets back I reckon they will have the first floor in.. This is already more than they said they would have done by next Tuesday..

Although, random builders strike again - they have vanished?? Their van has gone but all of their tools are lying around our garden.. hmm...

Anyway! I am going to go and walk around in my new bit of house!