Save me from myself

Illness does odd things to one's mental stability me thinks. Although I am now feeling much better, I have spent the last week in some odd over sentimental state of being. Yesterday I told an editor who I have worked with for the past couple of years that I was "proud" of his accomplishments. He works at a lads mag, nuf said. Earlier this week I called my friend in the US who I usually spend xmas with just to tell her I love her. Erm, luckily she wasn't home. It's not right I tell you. The headaches, the chills, the fever; those I can handle. The squishy, sappy, touchy feely BS on the other hand, THAT is enough to make me nauseous.

In other news, the days are narrowing for our trip to the family's for xmas. I have stayed away from writing about this, because quite frankly I am absolutely terrified. CB and I are going to his parents for a week for Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I am very excited about spending Christmas with CB and am over the moon that his family is welcoming me with open arms. None of that, however, can diminish the fear that has washed over me at the prospect of spending a week with someone else's family. My aunt gasped when I told her and then aptly said, "does he realise you haven't even spent a week with your own family since you were about 10?" Yep, that's the vote of confidence I got. Not to brag, but I am great with parents, that's a fact. CB has assured me to the best of his ability that all will be fine and that his family will adore me. A week just seems like a lot of time for them to uncover the less then perfect aspects of GirlFriday. The aspects that their son adores because he is brainwashed by the mist of love. Well, the mist of love or the mental stupor that comes with being ill.

BLEEEEHHHH

Well, that about sums it up, glad I got that off my chest. After months of touching wood that I hadn't gotten ill given my insane travel schedule, work commitments, social commitments and well, living in a dirty germy big city in winter. It happened. I still believe I could have avoided it if I wasn't in love. Damn love. Since Oct, CB has been staying at mine more then he stays at his (when I am in London) but last week he went back to his and looked after his flatmate who was poorly. I hasten to use the word Flu as I think it's used too liberally to describe general illness, but he was sick with fever, body aches, the works. I knew in my head that I should tell CB to stay home for a few days instead of coming back to mine, but I couldn't do it. Even after knowing him for a year and a half, I still miss him the minute he walks out the door. So I rolled the dice and well, I got sick. I fought it for a day, drank some whisky and said I was just "trying to get sick" but insisted I wouldn't. Then I went to a Chrimbo party on Friday night. Sat I was out for the count, except I couldn't tell if it was illness or hangover. I flaked out on CB et al who were going to the Rugby Sat night and instead curled up and watched the Strictly Semi-Finals and X Factor Finale. Klassy. Sunday I was feeling better and CB was feeling awful. So I baked and cooked while looking after the boy. I made Christmas goodies, soup, and even Sunday roast. Then I sat down. I'll skip the sordid details, but let's just say I showered about an hour ago for the first time since Monday morning. There are dishes in my sink that have been there since Sunday night and I am keeping the pharmaceutical company in business who makes Lemsip. I am a big eater, food is my thing. I think I can count on one hand the number of meals I have had since Sunday. The number of tablets I have taken, tissues I have gone through, vitamins I have swallowed....that is another story. I am not a good sick person. I am a good busy person, I am a good too busy person, I am not a good do nothing person. Whatever this lurgy is, you feel fine until you do anything remotely resembling something. It hurts to think. I get dizzy when I stand up or walk even the distance of my shoebox sized flat. My skin feels like I have a sunburn and it's about 2 degrees outside. Woo Hoo. Like I said before people, Rock and Roll. We leave next Tuesday for a week away with Mum and Dad CB. I CANNOT be sick for my first English Christmas. I simply can't.

Socially Inept Vasectomy Guy

My friends and I found this book yonks ago, Are You My Boyfriend? It's absolutely hilarious and provided (if I'm honest on a few nights after too much wine, it still does) hours of entertainment for the girls and I. I distinctly remember sitting round at mine with 2 buck chuck, a roaring fire and giggling until we had a side ache. The book profiles all the different types of men we have (or will at some point date). For instance: He's Not My Father Guy. It's Not You It's Me Boy. Mr Ladylover Man. Living For Tonight Dude. There is a sketch and then a lengthy description of suggested man, leaving only the question, Are YOU My Boyfriend?

Last night I received a note from a friend who is hot on the dating circuit. She got the following email on Match*

Match.com Message: cooking school invite‏

Sent: Tue 12/09/08 3:02 PM
From: Casanova

To: Large group of Match women who may be Desperate, but not Broody
Date received: December 9, 2008
Subject: cooking school invite

Hello

I am sending out this e-mail to any interested match.com gal's. Please review my profile first.
I am looking for " co - cook partner " to take in a Saturday night cooking classes or two with me.

Note: classes are at the seafood center in Some City USA 6:00pm - 9:00pm

If you are interested in seafood cooking school, we may have something in common. No offence intended, but if you are 35 with no kids - but definitely want 2 kids your clock is ticking. Fyi - I have had a vasectomy. Please let me know, so I can wish you good luck, and remove you from my circle. Other wise interested people please e-mail me so we can make plans and get on the calendar.

Thanks Casanova

I think we need to add a character to the AYMBF book: Socially Inept Vasectomy Guy.

*Names and places have been changed to protect the dating challenged and the innocent

My Exciting Weekend

Let's be clear, I needed a break. I needed to be looked after this weekend. Between travelling and some personal drama, Girl Friday was in need of some R&R. And that is precisely what I got. I tell you what, I am pretty sure CB is a 70 year old trapped in the body of someone born in the 80's. I dig it.

Friday night we went to my new local, the pub isn't new, but me claiming it as my local is. We sat by a very lovely and well decorated Christmas tree (I know this because I was sternly told not to hang my coat on the coat hooks next to the Christmas tree "in case" I knocked an ornament off. The barmaid, don't you know, spent all day decorating the tree) and I had my first mulled wine of the season. MMMMM. Friday morning on my way to a meeting I had my first Christmas Latte, Friday apparently was my December day of first. After said tipple, we got some sushi, a movie and much wine on the way home. There is a wine shop down the street from me that offers 3 for 2 on almost every bottle and they have some decent ones at that. So logic goes, you pick up a bottle or 2 and say, well why not one more, it's free. Then if you find another, the pattern begins to repeat itself. We left with a half case. Per usual I digress. We were in bed by about 11 I think and the highlight of our evening was Gavin and Stacey and the extra noodles in my Dynamite Miso (sans the polonium).

Sat, we were up at the crack, cos that's what happens when you go to bed before midnight. My toilet decided to stop flushing, which was fun. Especially with a boy in the house. I am not sure what it is about men, but they do something to toilets that's just not right. I fixed the toilet until a plumber could come on Monday and we headed to Starbucks. After which we headed off to the NHM to see the Wildlife Photography of the Year exhibit. This remains, year on year, one of my favourite exhibits. We skipped the ice skating as there were too many people. Sat night (wait for this, it's thrilling, you might need to sit down) we came home and the big decision of the evening was whether to watch the film we rented the night before or watch X Factor. I made a lovely dinner and we watched the film. Again, in bed by about 11:30.

Sunday morning I made a nice breakfast and cleaned the flat and we lazed about with the papers for most of the day. Late afternoon I made the grave mistake of asking if we could go get the Christmas tree. We did, but I learned a lesson. No one moves CB from his papers and Sunday afternoon laze without consequence. I decorated the tree, CB made a lovely stew and we watched Love Actually, which has become one of my December traditions.

Rock and Roll life people, Rock and Roll. It's tough being me, there is a lot of action.

We saw Warsaw

There is an exhibit on at the V&A right now, Cold War Modern Design. Irish Blondie and I drove by on Saturday during my whirlwind 72 hours in London and I commented outloud that I wanted to go. Blondie laughed and said, I would imagine there is a lot of steel, white and right angles.

I arrived in a very warm Warsaw this evening greeted by a very clean, efficient and sterile airport. A lot of steel, white and right angles. I don't think I need to go to the V&A exhibit now. I'm not complaining mind you, not in the least. It was a welcome change from the my usual landscapes. A clean airport and a nice cab driver and no middle class guilt (well not yet at least). Cracking evening as evenings go for me these days. I have 2 packed days of business meetings ahead of me, so I don't reckon I will get to see much, but I will give it a go.

Over and out.