My Garden ambitions have just got ambitious. After having dug up the lawn over the winter, and having nearly completed a path, it is now time for a pond.

Bill Oddy says that ponds are one of the best things you can do to encourage wildlife to your garden and I want frogs dammit, so we are having a pond.

Now all we need is a pond liner.

I will have frogs.  

Anybody else? January is a very long month. Tried to get some money out on Saturday and the cash machine started to laugh at me.

So I've just had my newly engaged friend Carolyn (and her lovely but very expensive ring) up fo the weekend and we have gadded about town quite a lot- thankfully unimpaired by my dimished fortune. So that's scary isn't it? People shouldn't get engaged at my age- it makes everyone else a think that they need to do the same, and, much as I love michael, I'm not quite ready for that yet! All a bit scary really. I mean I really like the whole idea of being a bit more settled and stuff, but then that's it isn't it? and you are settled for the next 60 years or so. (I don't intend on getting divorced). So give me a little while. But then there's the whole thing of when should you/ do you feel ready for that sort of thing?

I'm actually not that stressed about it in reality.. but it does make you think a bit.

So we had a really nice weekend and it was good to see the beast and now I'm quite knackered for the week ahead- woo woo!!

Quiz night tonight. Have to see if we can beat those clever people from the other team. Have requested a round on plants!    

I work in an office full of pathologically work aversed morons. Barry, the biggest offender, comes in at around 10 every day. Has about 6 tea breaks during the day (literally- no exaggeration there) and every time I go anywhere near his desk seems to be either playing games or is on ebay.  The problem with suffering from "an allergy to work" it seems, is the side-effect of having to spend the day complaining about things. On this occasion, me.

So, the other day I get called into the office by my boss, who informs me that someone (the woman in question being a miserable, sour, embittered divorcee, with quite a big chip on her shoulder) apparantly complained that I was "too loud on the phone" and then even asked the hallowed phrase, (which brings me much joy), "Is she theatrically trained?". I am thinking of making a sign to hang above my desk that says Smelsby: National Youth Theatre, 1996-1998. Apparantly my boss asked her whether she wanted to tell me herself, but no, surprise surprise, she didn't.

It is actually so pathetic it is funny (I've had a couple of weeks to mull it over so am now less embittered about the whole thing). I did consider various mature courses of action at first, including developing a loud cough that sounded like "Pathetic" and also having a little chat with her and asking her whether she found me too intimidating to talk to about her "issues". However I have now arrived at the conclusion that I shall ignore them all and remain aloof.

Am v mature and v clever.

note: Barry (co conspirator) came in this morning with a singing and dancing snowman which he proceeded to demonstrate in the middle of the office at full volume.. Bloody hypocrites!!

Have just spent the afternoon helping my dad to excavate my parents' kitchen floor. Not because they suspect the previous owners of the house of being murderers, but because they are having an extension. Good timing no? (Not actually their fault, the builders have rather called the shots with the whole operation, starting 3 months later than they should have).

Our house is quite interesting at the moment actually. My parents and little sister (ie: all the permanent residents of the house ) have vacated the property as it is so awful at the moment, and if anyone should want to spend any length of time in the house there is only a solitary occupiable room, contaning a large amount of furniture and "the family bed" (ie: the only habitable bed in the house)

I am only glad that I have another house to live in! Poor old smelsbys.

So, the time of year for pickling oneself has arrived, and I have begun in earnest. Not aided by the fact that we have 4 christmas do's at work (one for the teachers, one for the volunteers, one for the staff and one for my old office)- 2 down, two to go.

One of the great things about this job (versus the ones I had before) is that contact with schools means presents (again, mostly of the alcoholic variety), and I like presents. We had a group from a local school we work quite closely with come in laden with champagne yesterday. Well, you can't really complain can you?

Really not doing very much in the way of work at present. Have been mostly spending the time going ice skating/ to eat cake/ to the natural history museum/ shopping etc, instead of actually doing anything. I think I've realised why January is such a bleak month- you actually have to adjust to doing some work.

Ho hum.

Going to badminton tonight which = an alcohol free evening, woo woo!

There is a thai supermarket on the Richmond roundabout that is ALWAYS closed when I am sent there to buy banana leaves and other such rainforest items for our schools programme, even though it claims to be open 7 days a week from 10-7.

It is VERY infuriating. especially when it's as cold as it is today.

I have been absent for too long!

I think this is due to being generally quite busy and fulfilled at work. Sick and wrong no?

Had the morning off before going to the Dr about my nemia and spent it digging in my back garden. We have a nasty case of convulvulous which is requiring my digging up of the lawn. I quite like digging. At the drs some woman who spent a long time moaning and breahing heavily jumped tehe queue, which meant that I was some 45 mins late for my appointment. Was quite annoyed as had not managed to have any lunch due to over enthusiastic digging and this meant that I could have had some.

Oh well.

Going to the thai on turnham green terrace with my friend Jude tonight. If you haven't been there I urge you to GO! It looks a bit scabby on the outside (and the inside now I come to think of it) but the food is BRILL and they have an amazing picture, which I won't tell you about as that would ruin the surprise. You need to go there and see it!

xxxx