Thurs 29 Oct

Sat listening to Chris Evans whilst tapping away, but he's distracting, I can't do both at the same time. I've decided to come clean with real names. For those of you who know me, it will come as no suprise that Cindy is Chloe and Ben is Rob. Miss Gulch, well she was the wicked witch in Wizard of Oz, make you're own mind up about that. and yes I work for the Halifax.

I went to visit my friend Chris last night, he lives round the corner from me, but it was the first time I'd been to his house, and the last as he's moving to Halifax next week. He's still working with us, but it wont be customer facing, just technology testing. Halifax is taking on the Lloyds counter system next February, he told me, so he's testing the system to make sure it will work. I wasn't impressed with what he told me, the Lloyds system is acknowledged as not being as good as ours, but instead of putting them onto our system, they need to rush the whole thing through and put ours onto theirs so that the European Monopolies Commission (i'm not sure I've got the right title there) can't break our new bank up. It's all political and not good news for the staff, who work at the coal face.

My other friend Chris, probably my best friend, is going on holiday with Caroline on Monday to the Dominican Republic. One week of fantastic weather, and beautiful beaches. I'm only slightly jealous. I've had plenty of holidays this year, and he deserves it.

We went to Austria this year, I know I'm beginning to become like Jackie and Andy. Same old place, over and over again. But at least we stop at different towns, not the same hotel every year. This years trip was a debacle. We took Chloe and her friend Lauren and my brother and his partner, Steve and Donna.

Chloe and Rob bickered, argued and were aggressive to each other, all the time, it ruined the holiday for all of us. Chloe sulked and cried. Rob shouted, swore and smacked her. We just sat back and watched the show. Poor Lauren was so embarrassed, and didn't know what to do with herself. She couldn't take Chloe's side because Chloe was in the wrong, but at the same time, she had to spend her time with her and not look like she was siding with the adults.

Definately my worst holiday ever. I hadn't wanted Chloe to come in the first place, financially we're not in a good position to pay for her and Lauren. I had just wanted Steve and Donna to come with us, but no I'm soft and relented.

I've let it go though, I'm not dwelling on it. But be assured, if there were any funny stories to tell I'd share them. I just don't remember anything funny happening.

We've booked the time off work for next year. All we have to do now is decide were in Austria to go.

I'm going now, not seen Chloe in days, so i've nothing to rant about, so this reads too boring and I need to keep you bought into this blog. I don't want you giving up on this.

I think I'll try and add some photo's

Day 3 part 3

Next time I need to come up with a better title than Day 3 etc. I'll choose a topic instead. Ben has just rung me from work, I'm doing liver, onions, gravy, mash and cabbage for tea, but I've still got washing up from Saturday night to do so I'm putting keyboard aside to do some work, well I will in a minute. Because he is the best cook in the world, or our house at least, he has to tell me how to cook everything, and the order for it, I'm sure that if we could have a video link from our kitchen to his work he would be sat at his desk, doing whatever he does, and instructing me on how to peel the potatoes, which size pan to use, if I've put enough salt in the water etc etc, zzzzz zzzzz zz, yes I fall asleep sometimes listening to him.

Goodnews, Cindy wasn't here last night or tonight, she's at her grandparents, who she loves dearly, but whom I hate with a vengeance.

Day 3 part 2

Now I can't make this blog into a vindictive attack on Cindy. So what else shall I talk about. I work in a sales and service office, I'm one of about 20 odd, but the numbers are dwindling. The belt is being tightened and staff are expected to work longer and harder with no replacements when people leave. So long as we still smile at our customers and make money for the office then that's alright.

Stress has reduced at work though, our previous boss, Miss Gulch, has moved to another county, using either her broomstick or her bicycle, probably the former. Laughter and fun is more the order of the day now, I do my work, but I'm less stressed and don't mind turning up every day. What a bonus that is. We're getting a new Miss Gulch soon, I know nothing about him, except he is a him.

In the meantime, all I can say is I work with a varied cast of characters, no doubt they'll get their mention at some point, and if they don't it's because they're boring. Today was boring, so no mentions for anyone

I have a pretty average family, divorces, bastardism (have I created a new word?) skeletons in various cupboards, same as everyone else really. I'll bring them all to life so that you get an idea of who they are and how we all gel together or not.

Day 3

Dreamt about Cindy last night. I have these dreams were I shout at her, or rant, or I try to hurt her. Some phsycological thoughts there if anyone wants to analyise this. Last night I was piercing her ears using 2 stones and a sewing needle, as the tools. Now that's David Attenborough's fault, he showed monkeys, on his Life programme, using a rock as an anvil and a smaller stone to crack open a nut so that they could get to the seeds inside. Davie A has a lot to answer for, poor Cindy. Later on (still in the dream) we were at a party and she had smoked a few cigs, so I had to show her up and tell everyone, and sprag on her. Just to prove I am better than her. Why would I do that?

Where does all this come from, do I have a huge amount of disdain for her? Yes! Or is it because I really am a nice person and would never do anything to hurt her, so this is my only way of venting my frustration towards her.

Day 2

Had a great time this weekend. I took the day off on Friday and ended up taking my Step-Daughter, Cindy, to the Orthodontist. It's been obvious in the 6 years that I have known her that she would need a brace, and finally now that she is 16, something is being done about it. She was told firstly that she needs to brush her teeth more (no suprises there then), and then she had an X-Ray which showed she still had a number of baby teeth, that hadn't got through and were stuck in her gums. An op is inevitable and eventually then they will look at a brace. So as a treat I took her out for lunch and then a walk around the shops.

Ben, my husband, and I, had invited my brother and his bird round for a meal on Sat night, so I had a look in Tesco for inspiration. A total waste of half an hour but free parking so nothing lost. Cindy was upset that she wasn't invited with her boyfriend Mark on Saturday night. But I'd bought her lunch already, did she really expect me to spend more money on her! I don't think so!

Instead I bought a large tin of Quality Streets, to share between us all on Saturday night, leaving a load left over for Cindy and Mark as and when.

Saturday was brilliant. I'll talk about that later, but after dessert, could I heck as like find my tin of choccies. No, bugger lugs Cindy had nicked into the house when I wasn't looking and took the whole tin. I was not impressed. Especially since the orthodontist said she needed to brush her teeth more. More !?!? She needs to start brushing her teeth full stop, I'm sure that would help.

For dinner on Saturday night we cooked between us a Middle Eastern style meal. Lamb Kofta's in wraps, beef meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce, home made flat bread with sesame seeds, lemon houmous and tomato houmous followed by rice pudding.

The only thing not home made was the wraps. It was really good, I made the flat bread which was tasteless, but I know what to do next time to enhance the flavour. Ben's spicy tomato sauce was out of this world.

Would have been nice if we could have cleansed our palates with Quality Streets though

Day 1

First attempt. I will do more later but first I just want to get started. I want to talk about my daily goings on, things that happen to me, my family and friends. Who knows, I may get bored of this, but I've got to give it a try and find my creative me. I can't see this being a daily blog, I think I'll do a few days then miss a week, but we'll see how addictive it becomes. I need to sort out my layout and other such things, so I can imagine I'll just be playing with this for the time being. Lets hope I don't forget my address for this.