The Sackler Crossing, dinosaurs,The Electric and Nu!

Met Nu in London Thursday night, and had a few wines at a wine bar on the canal near the Hospital she works at St Mary's. Lovely to catch up, and as Chris would say , had a good gossip and "emotional Jacuzzi". She's had a hard time over the last year or so, what with family ill health and the like, but she attacks life with a gusto that if bottled could run Battersea power station!



Friday Night after a wander in Notting Hill, Nu took me to to the "Electric Cinema". We have been meaning to go for ages but just didn't get round to it!! The cinema is a cross between arthouse and mainstream and all the seats are leather armchairs, complete with footstools,and tables ( with winebuckets!!) Nu is having a quick bounce on one of the two beds in the cinema!!
Lovely time, pity we had to sit through Miami Vice...2/10

Saw the Dinosaur Exhibition at the Natural History Museum which was lovely! However I did forget that it was the childrens holidays! and my idea of fun was not standing nose to nipple with the familys of London with a toddler next to me shouting "dinosaur!!!dinosaur!!!! dinosaur!!!!dinosaur!!!dinosaur!!!!! dinosaur!!!! etc etc etc



Saturday morning we went to Kew Gardens, a favourite place to visit when I am over. It was a glorious day and I was thrilled to see the lake refilled since my last visit and the New Sackler Crossing built. Its a lovely bridge made up of hundreds of uprights of copper, and although "new" in appearance , fits in perfectly.
We spent a few hours having a good wander and loved reading the memorials on the hundreds of benches dotted around. Nu, wants at least three benches when she dies, one at Kew, one at the Beach at Crosby and one at St Mary's. Mine will be in Central Park!

The nicest memorial we agreed is the following

"If Tears could be a highway,
Or memories a lane
I'd walk right up to heaven
and bring you home again"

.........beat that!

Hummmmmm....!

am on night shift at the present moment and things for a change are quiet on Intensive care. Spoke to Kathryn today who mentioned that my blog spelling was awful! I am truly ashamed! Spelling is not my strong point, as I type as I speak. When I read wonderfully composed blogs such as those penned by the likes of Nigel, I realize that my effort looks rather teenage. But hey ho! I guess I prefer the more "relaxed" type of blog! or am I just lazy?

Looking forward in seeing Nuala on Thursday in London. Just a quick visit but we hope to have a few wines, big girly chats AND a trip to the dinosaur exhibition at the Natural History museum!!
let it never be said that I don't live life in the fast lane....... Next week I am planning to sort out the back garden, be all macho and design and sort out a path and a few tons of top soil. Robina and Sarah can then be moved from the front lawn, which is now deceidedly moth eaten, and at least allow me a proper front garden again!

The ARCHERS

Well I have been an Archers fan for several years and listen every evening if I can......certainly I try to listen uninterupted on a Sunday morning.

I love the history and normality of it all ( and tend not to participate in storylines like the Ed, Will, and Emma triangle)........some of the fun is recognizing storylines months before they actually arrive ( ie. Usha & The Rev) and (Ruth and Sam's unrequited love!!!)

My favourite characters are Jill ( a voice like chocolate),Clarrie ( you can't put a good farmer's wife down),Phil (In our day we did..................), Brian ( sooo bad tempered)and Nigel (twit) , but my all time favourite is that fag hag, with a laugh that can cut bread, Lilian!!!

It took a while to work out Caroline, from Janet ( the previous vicar),and from Shula, but got there in the end................

Characters which I dont like are Kirsty ( b o r i n g), Tom Archer ( whining git--sorry Nigel), Kate Aldridge (brat) and Elizabeth ( I could smack the pompous cow).

The writing can be transparant at times but little gems of brilliant and often moving scenes shine through ( when Phil Archer breaks down with a sick Elizabeth). It is the only soap I enjoy

AN UNHEALTHY OBSESSION?

Hummm , I guess you are wondering what this pile of old tripe is all about? Well I have realised that I am getting a tad obsessional about keeping the cottage tidy. It is a bone of contension between Chris and I as he subscribes to a somewhat more relaxed attitude about how the house is run and kept. That is all well and good, but it is me that does all the housekeeping!......... ok ok, I WANT to do it, ( probably a control freak thing), and to be honest I am at home more than he is , so I see the clutter and dirt more than he does, as well as the fact he commutes for at least a few hours a day, so I have the opportunity to actually do it.....even then I would appreciate that he actually tidies up after himself a little more, well at least puts things away!. I have got to the stage where I am wanting to do all the cooking as in good bloke style, he will use every plate, pan and utensil in the kitchen and leave it unwashed in a pile to be attacked my me later on in the evening!

Ok , I am obsesional, ( we have all seen the three jugs under the dresser in the top picture!!) and I am the only one stressed with all this. But living in a small cottage with three dogs (even gay owned dogs are mucky!) an elderly cat and a somewhat relaxed partner, means that someone has to keep on top of the battle with the dirt ( my god I do sound like Joan Crawford!!)
and I guess I have to realise I have to put up and shut up.........hummm I little help here though would be apprecited.

A nice man

09:30 RADIO 4
Sentimental Journey
29 July 2006
Arthur Smith accompanies Tony Benn on a trip back to the place where he was born, grew up and spent most of his political life - the 'Village of Westminster'

Heard this by accident and I really enjoyed it. Tony Benn came over as an old fashoned articulate, genuine, talented and charismatic communicator and gentleman. I could have listened to him all day.

The Bone Collector and knowing what you are talking about

We watched a film tonight called The Bone Collector , a ho-hum thriller from 1999, starring Denzel Wahington and Angeline Joline. He an ex-cop and C4 qudraplegic, and she a rookie cop with a tragic past, and both chasing a serial thriller!!!.Obviously there was more holes in the portrayal of a quadraplegic than your average slab of Swiss Cheese, but it did get me thinking of my time on The Princess Royal Spinal Injury Unit. (above)

As a nurse manager there I was an expert on Spinal Injury care, and I do miss being a practicing expert at something! I enjoy,Work on ITU can be interesting enough, but generally the patients come in, they die(more then I expected) or they get better and get farmed off quickly to the wards. Very few stay any length of time. In spines, admissions of many months were common, and as a good nurse you seem to know the patient and their significent others like the back of you hand. The care and philisophy of the unit was/is very psychologically based and I miss that part of the job. The truth is that I am just not suited to, or indeed like ITU work! Sure I know I excell at aspects of the job , ie support of relatives, or withdrawl of care to a dying patient, but generally the protocols and structured "physical" nature of ITU leaves me a bit cold.

In September I start on a full time Psychology course , and although aspects of it ( ie research!) will I am sure, bore me , my pragmatic and psychologically biased "upbringing" on Spines has given me a head start to develop in an area which I am more suited in....

sweat peas

Well very little to report today, just been mooching around the flower show ( second day), helping Ned to design an arch to go over the new garden gate, andtrying to get those garden jobs done, mind you we have had the first rain today in a month so I cannot be too hard on the weather. Picked some sweet peas from the garden, thought they looked lovely.

The Prestatyn Flower Show

Prestatyn Flower Show

Janet got third with this floral display,Ann got several seconds and thirds for her floral art

The setting is kinda "old English







My Aunt Margaret checking out the cut flowers. Uncle Bert has won the floral art a couple of times. His most famous creation was a snake made out of a pair of ladies tights !!!



Kathryn


Kathryn got third in the knitted toy catagory!!! apparantly her coconut cake was sorely missed (she won last year) When I went round I heard one lady say that black bears were not PC!!!

The pot plant display in the main tent (above)




I was robbed........My chocolate cake (middle centre) was wonderfull. Smallish but subtle and tasty, with lashings of cream and classy chocolate swirls (Cadbury's no less) topping. Did I get placed? did I buggery!!

The winner ( with red card) was decorated with large plastic figures!!
sigh.........how Jeremy Kyle!

My victoria sponge (not shown) was rather lack lustre