It’s just one of those days

I am having a yuck(y) day. Why? Nothing special, just one of those days we women have to endure once in a while. What’s makes it yuck? A lot actually, so here is the short list:

Hormones!!

I drop everything I pick up, so I stopped picking up things for today

I feel like crying, but there is nothing to cry about

I felt a desperate need to clean something, but there is nothing to clean. So I ended up cleaning something that was already clean…..how useless is that)

I wanted to be on my own, but that feels alone

I can’t think straight, so this is probably the worst blog post in my short history of blogging

I was working on my Sunday blog post, but I fear it’s going to be absolute rubbish.

I feel bloated like a pufferfish. I might even be as lethal as one today ;)

I am cold and it’s probably around 27º C outside (so, why aren’t you outside then? Hmm….good point!:))

Sounds kind of familiar to some of you I guess. So, enough of the moaning, time to (carefully) make some tea, get my book and stay in my chair for a couple hours soaking up the sun.

Oh and there is some good (old) news too. (hmm... question : Old news isn't news anymore so what would be the proper word to use here?) We are not alone ladies! And I always thought males and females we were sooooo different :)

---

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. This feeling will end.
2. There is always tomorrow.
3. All things will return to a state of “normal”.

Push the button!

I am a great admirer of the TV series LOST. Are you one of those people too, then here is something that might interest you. Ever wondered what it must feel like to watch the counter and to enter the code? Well, here is your chance to give the “good” people in the hatch a bit of a rest. Go here, keep an eye on the clock and enter the code at the appropriate time.

Attention please: The code may only be entered during the last four minutes of the countdown :)

---

Reasons to be cheerful:

1. I found this new weird and wonderful plant for my garden -->

2. Did you ever notice how amazingly blue the sky can be on a nice summer’s day

3. In half an hour or so, I am going for a nice evening stroll. Afterwards I’m going to meet a few friends at the beach. Actually it’s not a real beach; it’s just a stretch of sand near the river :)

Have a nice evening :)

I am not worried

This weekend (Sunday to be precise) I’m going to the much dreaded (high school) reunion. No, I am kidding, I’m not dreading it at all. It’s just a meeting with a couple of strangers I knew once…. a long, long time ago. I’ve had scarier meetings these last few months :)

So the last few weeks I’ve been on a diet, purified my skin, had a facelift, a boob job and worked out more then usual. No….I’m kidding again. I’ve done none of the above. I just don’t see the need. Oh, I need to be the same weight? Well I am! Maybe that helps too :) Am I kidding again? Nope, not this time!

But seriously, I’m not worried about it at all. A few months ago one of my friends had to go to her reunion and she was totally stressed out about the whole thing. Weeks in advance she was worrying about her appearance, her clothes and her accomplishments in life. This morning she called me. She wanted to know if I was nervous, had decided on my outfit yet, had made an appointment with the beautician? Huh? I could only reply with: Why bother! People can love me or hate me, I am who I am! And maybe I’m not the same person I was years ago, but I believe that’s a good thing, it means I’ve grown!

A few weeks ago someone left this powerful comment on my 43T page and it has really strengthened my believes: “There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout: This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me… or leave me. Accept me – or walk away! Do not try to make me feel like less of a person, just because I don’t fit your idea of who I should be and don’t try to change me to fit your mould. If I need to change, I alone will make that decision.” Stacey Charter.

Need I say more ……..

---

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. Today, finally, a new supermarket opened its doors in my neighbourhood. Hooray! I received a free apple-pie, just because I visited on opening day :)
2. I was able to assist an elderly man with his grocery shopping. He was totally confused by the large assortment of detergents and fabric softeners.
3. I was on the receiving end of some flirtatious smiles from a cute (much younger) guy :)

Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight.

This morning I woke up with a song in my head. That’s not so strange, that has happened before. Usually it a song I’ve been listening to over and over again. At the moment I could easily wake up with "Mas que nada" by Sergio Mendes Feat. Black Eyed Peas.

Cartoon Tuesday: Love and Marriage?! (6)

Homeless blog

What do you really know about the homeless? A lot of us might think that the world of the homeless is a bit shady and some of us might even think it’s scary. Of course, they don’t travel the easy road in life, but they are not any more dangerous than the average homeowner. Maybe we are just scared because we know so little about them. In The Netherlands the homeless sell a special magazine which is filled with their news, thoughts and humour. Just this weekend I found out that you can learn a lot about being homeless on the internet too. In one of the weekly newsletters I receive, I came across the interesting story of the American homeless blogger Kevin Barbieux. After an article on Wired and a mention on Digg.com his site had thousands of visitors. He has been blogging for years now (since 2002) and he blogs about his life (and that of others) and comment on the publics perceptions. Oh, and there are videos too. Interested? Check it out!

"There is more to homeless people than being homeless" - Kevin Barbieux

---

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. The Dutch football Team was send home yesterday. Hooray!
2. No more World Cup talk, no more orange stuff.
3. I received a funny and sunny postcard from someone I haven’t seen in quite a while. Such a great and wonderful surprise :)

Mind, body and soul sessions.

Let go of clutter

Buddhists believe that attachment to material things obstructs happiness and it is this attachment that blinds us, causes suffering, wanting, getting, more wanting, more getting. Does this mean we have to live without material things? No of course not, but we can be more sensible and get rid of the things we don’t need. Clutter is depressing, discouraging, slows us down, and robs us of space which could be used for more useful things. Chucking out stuff we don't need gives us peace of mind. Finally, we can stop worrying about things that don't matter. A good de-cluttering session will free up some room for new things in your live, new ideas, new possessions, a new way of life, a change in your every day behaviour. Now I can almost hear you think, so…..I am only making room to fill the vacant space with new junk so I’ll have to de-clutter all over again? Yes and no! Of course new possessions and extra baggage will fill the vacant space when we aren’t looking, but that’s not all. Elusive things like hopes, lifestyle and feelings will fill the void too. De-cluttering is actually a life-long procedure and I believe that’s a good thing because this means you have to take stock from time to time.

Today, free up some time to attend to some of the things you have been putting off. Look around. What are you hanging on to? Which belongings no longer serve you? De-cluttering is a huge task, so today keep it simple. Start out with something you have been meaning to do for some time now. By doing a thing you have been putting off, you are de-cluttering your brain too. One thing less on your “to-do” list means a bit more breathing space in your head. You can’t enjoy life fully, if you have too much on your “to-do” list. You only will get annoyed by all the things you haven’t done yet. So today, sort through the junk drawer or your pile of junk on your countertop, pay your bills, iron that ever growing stack of clothes, sort out the mail, organize a kitchen cabinet or organize your clothes closet. Create order! Whatever you do, pick that one thing that will give you peace of mind, one less thing to worry about.

When you are done, sit down, stay still and soak up the feeling of relief. Enjoy the feeling and be proud of your accomplishment. Remember this feeling; it might come in handy when you tackle other projects in your home/life.

---

Reasons to be cheerful (this is a hard one today. I had big plans but the weather is going to be nasty):
1. Thunderstorms. Although they messed up my plans, I still love them.
2. There is no need to water the garden today…..nature will take care of that.
3. Sunny music. It makes every gloomy rainy day so much brighter.

What’s in a year?

365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months, 4 quarters
378 posts, 886 profile views, 4543 page loads, 1 new template, 1045 comments
I learned how to change my template,
How to include things like flickr and the weatherpixie
I still want to change my profile pic
I’ve thought about quitting this blog 3 times
During this year 15 new people entered my life and they are more then welcome
I had two time-outs
I started this blog in English and Dutch, but now it’s all English
I posted 10 videos and even more cartoons
I laughed, I cried, I sighed, I sniggered
I suffered from writers block
I linked to games because I sometimes don’t have the time to write or becaus I am just too lazy to write
I’ve been annoyed, I’ve been mad
I’ve been happy and sad
I’ve learned a lot about myself and others
I’ve read many interesting comments and views

And I am still here.
Thank you all for being part of my life and reading my blog. I’m amazed that this blog still exists after 365 days. I never thought I had that much to tell and I never ever thought that this would be such a pleasurable experience.

---

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. All the things I posted above
2. My herbs in my tiny herb garden are finally growing
3. Tonight I am treating myself to BBQ-ed salmon. Is time to eat yet? No!

Memories

Isn’t it strange how you can never forget things like for instance your first ever telephone number or birthdates of certain people? Like today, June 22, is Robert’s birthday. Robert was (and still is) kind of dear and special to me.

The first time I met him I was only 13 (a very troubled teen) and I, or should I say we as a family, had just moved to a brand-new neighbourhood in another city. The neighbourhood was so new it wasn't even a neighbourhood yet. I didn’t like the new place at first; it was kind of boring because we were one of the first families to move in so there weren’t any other kids to hang out with. But then Robert came by, he actually did came by...... he was our paperboy. Every night he delivered our evening paper. I don’t really remember why or how but at some point we started talking and later I accompanied him on his paper round. At the time he was (and he hopefully still is) two years older than me and in my opinion a man (read: boy) of the world. He was wise, he had travelled a lot, he was smart, had the cutest eyes ever and an amazing smile. I was shy, I had never left the country and I was curious. Not the best grounds to become friends but pretty soon we were having very long chats. At first he told me all I needed to know about the city we had moved to and later on our talks got more personal. We talked about family life, school, friends and so much more. We had fun and just enjoyed each others company. His paper round became a lot more interesting and my life wasn’t sooooo boring anymore. And he changed me! I wasn’t so shy and troubled anymore, I got interested in new things, I even started to like the city we had moved to. But good things never last! A year (or two, can’t remember that) later he finished his pre-university education and he was moving to another city to attend university. At the end of his last paper round we hugged, said our goodbyes and kissed……..and that was THE END.

No, not really! Two years later I saw him again. He still was an interesting guy, same sparkling eyes, and same amazing smile. It was like we never said goodbye. We had a long chat, promised to stay in touch but we never did. A shame really, it would have been nice if I could wish him a happy birthday today, but I haven’t seen him in a very long time. But still, Robert H…….e, should you ever read this, you are not forgotten!! Thanks for being there when I really needed a friend and for changing my life for the better.

Happy birthday special guy! You probably fulfilled all the dreams you once had and I hope you are really happy now, xoxo!

---

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. I survived another job interview. Well, it was more of an assessment this time. I don’t think I stand a chance because I am not the catwalk model in a power suit they are looking for. I am not quite sure what to think of that. I think I don’t want to be a model in a power suit. So maybe this is not a bad thing.
2. Walk on the beach. I love the sea breeze and the sound of the waves.
3. I finally answered an email which really annoyed me. I feel much better now :)

How can something so simple become so hard to do?

Since the beginning of this year I’ve been thinking about changing my hairstyle. And did I change it……NO!!! Almost 6 months later I’m still wearing the same “wig”. Okay, it changed colour a couple of times but that’s all. So what’s the problem then? Well, when you have short hair like me, you have to let your hair grow so the hairstylists can figure out what they can do with it. You have to let your hair grow, so they can cut it all off again. Sounds crazy doesn’t it? But it’s the truth……unfortunately!

A couple of times these last few months I tried to let my hair grow, but I just can’t do it. Strange?!?! When you think about it, it’s not like I need to do something complicated. I just need to let it grow all by it’s self, in peace. And it grows all by itself, like it supposed to, but I can’t stand the image I see in the mirror. When it has grown 2 centimetres my old hairdo has vanished and I look like a homeless person and that is not a brilliant look since I have these job interviews to go to. So yesterday, I had it cut again……. in the same old, same old style. Booooooring! *Yawn*. I’m probably stuck with this hairdo until I get a job or till the day I die ;) But enough with the “drama”……..

---

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. Summer is here. Well not exatly.... it's raining, but it is officialy summer. Woohoo!
"Summertime.......And the living is easy"
2. I had a nice long walk in the rain. Sometimes, like today, I love that!
3. I received my free tickets.

Cartoon Tuesday: Love and Marriage?! (5)

---

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. I won free tickets for Concert at Sea (a small music festival near the sea).
2. I had a freshly baked croissant with strawberries for breakfast.
3. All the garden plants I bought Friday are still alive and kicking. The snails probably don't like them. Hooray!!

Mind, body and soul sessions.

I am going to try something new and I will call it “Mind, body and soul sessions”. Every Sunday (when I have the time that is) I will post something that will help you find and/or create a more balanced you. Most of these things I’ve discovered over the years on the internet, in books and magazines and they have worked for me, but this doesn’t mean that they will work for you too. Sorry, there is no guarantee!

Maybe this is not your cup of tea, but that’s just fine, skip the Sunday posts :)

What’s it about? Well we all know there is a connection between our mind, body and soul. When we are sad, we cry; when something good or funny happens, we smile; when we exhaust ourselves we also exhaust our mind and our soul. In hectic times it gets pretty easy to ignore our needs. Why sleep 7 or 8 hours when your body can also function on much less; why eat healthy when there is junk food just a phone call away; why exercise when your body seems to function well enough without it ? The answers are simple, because you and your body need it! So join me on this journey, get on the train and enjoy the ride.

Everybody needs a safe haven
All of us need a place to unwind, spend some time alone, chill out and reflect. Being alone helps us to find inner peace, encourages thought and gives us time to revitalize so we can resurface with the energy to handle any problem that lies ahead. So here is the first step on your journey: Find or create a safe haven. Spend some time exploring your neighbourhood or your home and look for a recuperative place where you can be alone with yourself and your thoughts. Be creative; a park bench can be your place, the bathtub or shower can be too, that sunny spot in your living room/garden or how about a quiet place near water. It doesn’t have to be a grand place, it’s just has to be comfortable and free of distractions. That means no phone, no (or nearly no people), no computer and no TV. You are looking for a place that will recharge your batteries and not a place that will drain them.

I actually have several places and my favourite place is the shower. The reason for this is more practical than anything else. No matter where you go there most likely will be a shower :) My second place is that sunny corner in my bedroom and I have a little quiet place by the river which is deserted most of the time.

Once you found your place, spend 10 minutes there and do absolutely nothing. Just sit there quietly, notice what it feels like to be still. What do you hear, what do smell? Enjoy your time alone, try to relax and let go of your problems and hectic activities. They will still be there when you leave your newly discovered sanctuary. Forget about them for a moment. Now that you have found a secluded area for yourself you know you always have a place to go to when your batteries need recharging. No matter where you are, you’ll know that you have a tranquil place waiting for you.

“Seek a sanctuary,
Respect it, as it is holy,
Walk into it with a bare mind, bare feet and plain clothing,
Nurture your body, mind and spirit,
Leave it with a pure heart until you find your way to it again.”
Master Jin Kwon

---

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. Trying new things.
2. The smell of coffee in the morning
3. Invitations to Birthday parties.

Fun, game and fourteen Dutch guys

What do these words have in common?
Absolutely nothing, they are just all part of today’s blogpost :)
Oh…. Well I guess they have something in common now ;)

So, here is a bit of fun in the shape of a ninja cow


Next up: The game! Go and meet Roly Poly the hedgehog! A funny and adorable little creature :)

So all that is left now are the fourteen guys. Well, here they are!!
One of the Dutch magazines tried to figure out who the most popular (and yummy) Dutch celebrity was. Celebrity is a big word, because I don’t even know them all. By now all the votes are counted and I know who has made it to the cover. Curious as ever, I wondered if the choice of non-Dutch folks would be different because a) you don’t know these guys and b) you would only be judging on looks. So, help me out people, take part in my little poll.









Who would you vote for?

---

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. The sun is shining
2. I bought some beautiful garden plants for almost nothing
3. I finally removed (with a saw, clippers and axe) the shrubs that were a real eyesore. Hurrah….the garden looks so much better now!

LOST – seems to be the word of the day.

Sometimes one word keeps popping up so many times during the day that it seems to be the word of that day and today that word is LOST. (I am not talking about the TV series here).

It all started bright and early this morning. I was reading the paper online and found out that the Dutch folks have LOST another great entertainer/comedian called Bert Klunder (age 49). He died yesterday after having a massive brain haemorrhage. I was kind of shocked by this news. For years I’ve been trying to see one of his live shows and every time something came up so I couldn’t go. This year however I was able to get some tickets and I was over the moon. Unfortunately this feeling did not last very long. A few weeks before the show, Bert had his first brain haemorrhage, so the show was cancelled and last weekend he had another one and died. The world has LOST a great comedian today!

LOST turned up again just an hour later. One of my friends called to tell me that she had LOST one kilo. She has been on the Weight Watcher program just a few days and is over the moon (hmmm…. There is moon again. Maybe that’s a better word of the day….. nope! I’ll just change that) soooo happy she calls me every day to tell me about her progress. To be honest, I don’t like Weight Watchers all that much. Sure it’s a great program if you want to change your eating habits, but I don’t like the weigh-in system. A few years ago I went to support another friend who had started Weight Watcher and they were literally bullying a lady who hadn’t LOST any weight. That is so wrong!!

Later today I was searching the net for some tutorials. I took me a while (and I got LOST a couple of times....a.k.a. distracted) but I finally found what I was looking for. Woo hoo! To make sure I would not lose them again, I bookmarked them. At the time I thought it was a smart move, now I am not so sure anymore because I’ve LOST them. Can’t find them anywhere :(

Jus a few moments ago I was filling in an online form. Things weren’t going to plan so I hit the cancel button and got “are you sure? After you press OK all information will be LOST!” *sigh* I am so glad it isn’t Friday! Why? Because if it was Friday, LOST would be on telly tonight :)

Well, so much is LOST today, there must be something FOUND too? Yup, I found a new item to include in my blogposts and here it is…..

Reasons to be cheerful:
1. I am going to another job interview next Thursday
2. The temperature has dropped considerably
3. My neighbours went on holiday yesterday, so I can enjoy some peace and quiet :)
Not that they are that loud I never hear them, but they do have 3 small grandchildren who have reached the stage of toddler puberty (as they call it here) so they are very recalcitrant, cry a lot, and scream NO all day, every day (yeah, they come to “visit” their grandparents everyday!

44 Fun things you can do with your iPod

(besides listening to music with those white earbuds)

Masses of people never leave home without their iPod. Justly or not, fact is that this little music player has started a revolution. The gadgets for this little white box spring up like weeds and are sold by the truckload.

Nike is now working on new workout gear with a handy iPod pocket for runners. Not good enough for you? They are also talking about a wireless sport kit and Apple is thinking about building a sensor in the iPod which will change the tempo of the music based on the pace of the listener's activity. More on this subject here.

Back to the "44 fun things you can do with your iPod". This site offers all sorts of interesting ideas like reading the Bible, ordering pizza, making free phone calls and of course podcasting.

Check it out!

Cartoon Tuesday: Love and Marriage?! (4)

Would it be kindness or plain rude?

The last few days the temperature has been going up, and up, and even higher. At one point they were even talking about a heat wave, but that ship has sailed. Wednesday the temperatures will drop to 21 ºC/69 ºF and that’s just fine by me. Don’t get me wrong, I like lovely sunny summer temperatures and I do believe there are a lot of things you can do to stay comfortable. You can try to stay out of the sun and if you have to go out, you can wear light clothes, sunglasses, a hat or a cap and that ever important water bottle. If you get too hot, you can place a wet (cold) cloth in your neck or rinse you wrist under a running tap. Putting your feet in water, helps too. At home you can keep your curtains closed and windows almost closed. Open them when the sun has gone. And drink, drink, drink. Sound like a fun advice but I am not talking about alcoholic beverages here……yeah, it’s a bit of a downer, I know :) But what am I talking about……. you know all this :)

Like I said I don’t have a problem with hot weather, I do however have a problem with SWEAT a.k.a perspiration! And I don’t mean sweat in general, because sweat is a part of life and “fresh” sweat does not reek, but I mean that old (maybe very old) nauseating sweat. You know the kind of sweat you smell on the person next to you in the bus while you have your nose in their armpit because there is no other place to put your face, or the kind you smell on the person behind you in a queue, or on that person on a bike in front of you when you are waiting for the traffic light to turn green. Don’t these people know about the great invention we call deodorant? Did they miss all those deodorant ads? Don’t get me wrong, people are free to do as they please. In my opinion they are free to shave armpits, legs, backs, chests and pubic areas or they can just let it all grow. They can shower two times a day or two times a month……whatever, I don’t care as long as I don’t have to smell them.

After encountering 6 people last Saturday who smelled really, really (and again really) bad I came up with a plan. Deodorant should be distributed freely on hot days! At first I thought it was a great plan. Maybe there are people who haven’t heard of deodorant! Maybe others will start using it in abundance (so we don't have to smell the non users)! Nothing wrong with that, now is there? At least they won’t be smelling up the place anymore. On the other hand, people might be offended and I don’t want to offend or hurt people's feelings. Hmm… I have to think about this some more, I am still not sure if it’s great plan or not.

So what do you think: Would it be kindness if we supplied those (reeking) people with free deodorant or would it be plain rude?

Happiness …… Keep that goodness coming!

What really has the power to make you feel good? Some adverts show us how we can improve our mood if we smoke, drink alcohol or eat certain foods. No substance can bring you true happiness. Happiness comes in the chances we get every day. I know it’s not an easy concept to embrace, but it can be done. Here are some helpful tips :)

Give your brain a natural high by watching some funny movies every week.

Remember all the times you survived your own life and what strengths you used to do it.

Want to feel playful? Have fun as often as possible!

Did you know there is an inner sitcom in you? Try to find it so you can laugh at yourself more often.

Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Be true to yourself so you won’t feel guilty all the time. There is enough guilt going around already.

Don’t criticize yourself but ask "what's the point?" Can you change it? You can’t change things like “I am too short/too old/too wrinkly/too tall” so move on….

Don’t wait to have fun. Maybe you want to finish everything else first but you could run out of time. Go out, have fun! Life is not about chores!!

Fill the air with bubbles of joy, become more enthusiastic.

If you think the worst and get the worst, then you suffer twice. You don’t want that now do you? So think the best and maybe you get the worst…...no problem, at least you only have to suffer once :)

Wake up and be aware…..that’s the only way to be fully alive. Otherwise you’re only sleepwalking.

Find the bless in every mess. You will create resilience.

So keep your eyes open and grab hold of happiness with both hands…..embrace!!
Have a great Sunday :) Enjoy!!

It’s a beautiful day……don’t let it get away :)

I won’t because I am going to enjoy it. Today it’s just lovely outside, but it’s going to get HOT! The weather people are talking about a heat wave! So, no long blog post today! Instead, for your entertainment, two videos. I hope you’ll enjoy them (and the weather).

Be careful with your web cam…. You never know what people are going to see :)



Changing a tyre can be life-threatening

How Well Do You Know Me?

My blogger friend Phil tagged me so let’s do this one.
How well do you know me? For instance, did you know…

About the four jobs I've have had:
1. Gift wrapper (Christmas season)
2. Waitress at the beach
3. Graphic designer
4. Management assistant

The four movies I would watch over and over:
I found this a tough one, my answers could be different tomorrow
1. Everything with Johnny Depp in it
2. Lord of the Rings
3. Shrek
4. Team America

Four places I have lived, strike that..... I only lived in 3:
1. Spijkenisse
2. Rotterdam
3. Utrecht

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Grey’s Anatomy
2. Lost
3. Gilmore girls
4. Six feet under

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Norway
4. Greece

Four of my favourite foods:
1. Ice Cream
2. Salmon
3. Salads
4. Italian (I can’t pick a dish; I just like most of Italian food)

Four things I would rather be doing right now:
1. I would like to be on holiday
2. Walking on a beach
3. Having a massage
4. Reading a book in the sunny garden

Four things I always carry with me:
1. Money
2. Keys
3. Cell phone
4. Blistex Lip stuff

Four Friends that I'm tagging:
I usually don’t tag but this time I will.

1. Zoom!
2. DoGGa
3. Wanderingthinker
4. Snowqueen

If you don't want play, it's okay :)

Cartoon Tuesday: Love and Marriage?! (3)

I hate the world today!!

Well, that’s not true, but I have your attention now :) No, I don’t hate the world today, or any other day for that matter because I really really dislike the word hate and all that it stands for, but I just as easily could have.

For the first time in two weeks the day started out quite nice. (I am talking about the weather here). The temperature was nice, the sun was shining and even the wind turned into a soft breeze. Wow!
This usually means that the lovely weather deprived (I sometimes believe we are secretly part of the United Kingdom…..) Dutch folk change into very agreeable people. Well not today! Today, all the hot and bothered, ill-tempered, grumpy and annoying people came out (of the asylum they are usually kept at on lovely days). I had my fair share of people who jumped the queue, pushed and shoved, growled (they actually did, I am not kidding), got annoyed because an elderly lady didn’t understand the new system in the library and were swearing because it was sooooo hot today (it’s only 17º C/62º F….Hot? That’s not HOT!). And to top it all off, this afternoon my hay fever kicked in. I was sitting in the sun, reading my book, enjoying a nice cup of green tea and then BAM!……. Runny nose, itchy tearing eyes and a splitting headache! :( Up until now I had no symptoms (duh!). The weather has been horrendous most of the time and I was secretly hoping I would skip the whole hay fever experience this year (I have it since 2004), but as it turns out, it is back! So it’s back on the antihistamine tomorrow.

But hey, let’s not get too depressed about this whole day, there were some pretty nice things too. Like that new family of swans (Mum, Dad and five little ones) I saw, the lovely flowering plant in my garden (a gift from nature), the granny with the priceless smile because I said thank you to her after she helped me with something. And there was that little girl on the back of her Dad’s bike. Big smile on her face, arms wrapped around her fathers waist, her feet in the pannier bags and giggling all the way. Who could be depressed, or hate the world, after all of that.

Game time!

I came across this very annoying little game called Squares2. Give it a try and get annoyed ;)

Use your big black square to collect the smaller black squares for points (by touching them). Touching a red square ends the game. Black circles are powerups and red circles are powerdowns.