Monday, August 21, 2006
General chatter
Many things have happened! None of them of great import, admittedly.
Scotland was wet, relatively midge free and very basic (cold water tap and compost toilet time). Also beautiful and home to golden eagles and seals. We had the sort of good time that you don't think you're having at the time but you remember as such afterwards. Son is opting out of the next rough camping trip.
I had a 48 hour eeg test which involved travelling though Birmingham for three days with numerous wires disappearing into my hair and a suspicious looking black box slung over my arm at the height of the security alerts. No-one gave me a second glance. Next time I shall learn a bit of Arabic to mutter into my mobile phone.
Results will probably be months away. And likely to be inconclusive, but at least they are trying.
I was instructed not to sleep one night as part of the test. In the absence of a party or a very addictive computer game this is harder than it seems. Son kindly stayed up with me till 3 am watching FotR (we had vague plans to watch them all but had forgotten just how long they are) I managed till 6:30 am then started seeing bizarre moving things out of the corner of my eye and decided to crash. It had the predictable result- high next day, low day after, jumpy as anything two days on. Back on a reasonably even keel again now.
Bought a kayak yesterday. The paddle alone was £125. But now I shall be able to pick blackberries from the inaccessable side of the canal. Planning to try it out this evening. Strictly it is Beloved's kayak and I will get one when we have saved up enough money again (I want a rather whizzier one- he's gone for stability and carrying ability) but I suspect I shall spend most time in it. It is orange!
The timing is deliberate- I found myself getting unduly stressed about forthcoming Party so this is a distraction technique. You would think that after 17 Parties it would run like clockwork, and in fact it will, but Brain is not entirely convinced. I have now managed to convince Brain that there is no point in buying food until Thurs evening and that People will be entirely satisfied (and in fact will probably prefer to be) without tons of home cooking (there is already a chilli in the freezer) so all is well at present.
As an experiment I am making no attempt to calculate numbers or arrivals and departures this year. People who can come, will come, People who can't won't. It will be a big houseful or a small houseful- as long as there are enough to make at least one foursome for games it really doesn't matter. All the food gets eaten regardless (except for the salads). I do wonder whether I ought to have sent out a reminder at some point; might do that this evening.
Have now watched TT again and set to have a go at RotK, possibly Tues night. Son rewatched the whole of TT with the director's commentary- surely an act of devotion or a sign that the summer holidays have gone on too long. We had a go at the Lego Star Destroyer last night (while watching along Came A Spider- we do appreciated Film4's new free service) after Kevin kindly mended the various trample damage that the partly made model had experienced, and Son reckons there is only 10 pages to go so it should be finally finished tonight. Where we are going to put it is a different matter.
Scotland was wet, relatively midge free and very basic (cold water tap and compost toilet time). Also beautiful and home to golden eagles and seals. We had the sort of good time that you don't think you're having at the time but you remember as such afterwards. Son is opting out of the next rough camping trip.
I had a 48 hour eeg test which involved travelling though Birmingham for three days with numerous wires disappearing into my hair and a suspicious looking black box slung over my arm at the height of the security alerts. No-one gave me a second glance. Next time I shall learn a bit of Arabic to mutter into my mobile phone.
Results will probably be months away. And likely to be inconclusive, but at least they are trying.
I was instructed not to sleep one night as part of the test. In the absence of a party or a very addictive computer game this is harder than it seems. Son kindly stayed up with me till 3 am watching FotR (we had vague plans to watch them all but had forgotten just how long they are) I managed till 6:30 am then started seeing bizarre moving things out of the corner of my eye and decided to crash. It had the predictable result- high next day, low day after, jumpy as anything two days on. Back on a reasonably even keel again now.
Bought a kayak yesterday. The paddle alone was £125. But now I shall be able to pick blackberries from the inaccessable side of the canal. Planning to try it out this evening. Strictly it is Beloved's kayak and I will get one when we have saved up enough money again (I want a rather whizzier one- he's gone for stability and carrying ability) but I suspect I shall spend most time in it. It is orange!
The timing is deliberate- I found myself getting unduly stressed about forthcoming Party so this is a distraction technique. You would think that after 17 Parties it would run like clockwork, and in fact it will, but Brain is not entirely convinced. I have now managed to convince Brain that there is no point in buying food until Thurs evening and that People will be entirely satisfied (and in fact will probably prefer to be) without tons of home cooking (there is already a chilli in the freezer) so all is well at present.
As an experiment I am making no attempt to calculate numbers or arrivals and departures this year. People who can come, will come, People who can't won't. It will be a big houseful or a small houseful- as long as there are enough to make at least one foursome for games it really doesn't matter. All the food gets eaten regardless (except for the salads). I do wonder whether I ought to have sent out a reminder at some point; might do that this evening.
Have now watched TT again and set to have a go at RotK, possibly Tues night. Son rewatched the whole of TT with the director's commentary- surely an act of devotion or a sign that the summer holidays have gone on too long. We had a go at the Lego Star Destroyer last night (while watching along Came A Spider- we do appreciated Film4's new free service) after Kevin kindly mended the various trample damage that the partly made model had experienced, and Son reckons there is only 10 pages to go so it should be finally finished tonight. Where we are going to put it is a different matter.
