It got to the point where there was only so much bitching about the heating that could be done! So instead of writing about other stuff, I just shut up.
Luckily during the worst of it we were taken in (in a kindly way, rather than in a slave labour/ sold to pirates way) by RF and Wheeler. Thank god for friends. We, in turn, showed them a great restaurant just 20min from their house ... this seemed like a fair exchange.
Fitted in (since I last blogged):
5 miles in 43.41 - rocked the socks of my old time.
5K in the gym
5 miles - 45.05
5k in the gym
5K - Outside in the sodding snow and a gale. Hideous the higher I went, luckily Black dog looooved it.
5K in the gym. 26.43
So I've not really been slacking or progressing in the running stakes; more just making sure that I maintain a decent level of fitness. And I've got a plan worked out for the next half in April - so watch the miles start to tick up. (As I bitch about the cold more and more.)
My nearest and dearest friends also came and celebrated my birthday (31) in a very cold house, in a very cold month, in a very cold year - when we had no heating. So they were brave souls (and god are they great; these are the same friends who have had dinner at midnight as we had no water and no electric one year!). The all survived without frostbite and with good humour. A lot of radiators helped. And blankets. And a fire. And keeping everyone in one large room as much as possible.
After a night out at East Haugh pub we headed home and made a relatively early night of it. Friday can see people a bit knackered after a busy week, and we knew we had to get up early the next day.
When we went CURLING. I know! When told MaYa said, "how terribly ethnic" and she might be right. I think the Scots are mighty fond of 'sports' where you can have a pint, and stop to have a fag, and not really ever get out of breath. Brilliant.
We had almost 2h with an instructor (Claire - brilliant) and just had a great time. I had felt quite apprehensive about waking up in a cold house and then going to stand in a cold place for hours at a time but it worked really well. I'd recommend it to anyone. We did eventually split into 2 teams and have 2 'ends' - it was a pathetic tie. 1-1.
A lovely walk, and lunch (obviously) eventually took us all back home where roaring fires and heaters made it quite nice really. We did all sorts of art activities and just chilled out. All through this TheO was damn ill. She had a cold of epic proportions and was just about managing to stay upright. She even held it all together long enough to put together the epic feast of deli good, fantastic bread, a huge salmon she cooked, and the lobster Teech brought. It was fantastic. We all dined like queens. (Okay, and kings.) Shame TheO had lost the ability to taste all food. :-(
We all parted ways the next day - and managed to entice RF to the gym with tails of hot tubs. So I even fitted in a work out on my birthday. Finally that evening we headed off to see Stephen K Amos in Perth. It was v funny, but - as is always the sodding case, we had seen a lot of the show earlier in the year.
A few lovely lunches catching up with friends we've not seen in a while also made the end of January really great. Being sociable stops you from being quite so introspective and gives me the interaction I desperately need (but am, for reasons I don't understand, incapable of organising myself!).
After a particularly long spell without heating we began to get a little bit hardier, and a lot more worn down. It really took a toll on our collective mood, so it was beyond wonderful when it was finally fixed. However, we have taken further action and 2 sets of stove engineers are now about to furnish us with quotes. Our living room really, really needs more than the small fire can provide. So lets see if they can get us a bit warmer for the rest of the year (whilst simultaneously using a bit less heating).
That was a great welcome to February. A great welcome to 2010 really. People eager to turn up and provide you with a quote. So far we've only had to make one enquiry each, no chasing, no further phone calls, no rubbish. Lets hope they keep it up.
February started with far more promise. We not only discovered a great wee place for lunch in Crieff (Delivino) but TheO, with her incredible style managed to surprise me with a further birthday outing. She took me to Andrew Fairlie. (Her blog does cover this in detail.) This was just brilliant. The best service I've seen anywhere. And some of the best food. A tiny bit lacking in 'show' but not in ability or quality.
This fantastic night also enabled me to get dolled up. Something I do occasionally enjoy. I even put (clear) polish on my nails; but I used it as an opportunity to try out my birthday present from HH. I've been desperate to have some heated rollers for aaaages. My hair is quite flat and doesn't really do much unless I put the effort in. Heated rollers seemed like such an easy way to get a big effect.
OMG do these things work. On dry hair, with a 5min heat up and left in for about 15min I got brilliant curls.
Honestly - these were great curls. And this is a rubbish picture, taken just as I was running out the house; I'm quite happy at this point, but am appearing FURIOUS in this picture! (I'm also wearing the necklace I got as a bday present from TheO... who spoils me, and I don't deserve it.)
So, what with the excellent food, brilliant company, big hair, and too much booze - it was a damn fine night.
I now feel much more like tackling 2010 head on. And it might even be a bit great.
Luckily during the worst of it we were taken in (in a kindly way, rather than in a slave labour/ sold to pirates way) by RF and Wheeler. Thank god for friends. We, in turn, showed them a great restaurant just 20min from their house ... this seemed like a fair exchange.
Fitted in (since I last blogged):
5 miles in 43.41 - rocked the socks of my old time.
5K in the gym
5 miles - 45.05
5k in the gym
5K - Outside in the sodding snow and a gale. Hideous the higher I went, luckily Black dog looooved it.
5K in the gym. 26.43
So I've not really been slacking or progressing in the running stakes; more just making sure that I maintain a decent level of fitness. And I've got a plan worked out for the next half in April - so watch the miles start to tick up. (As I bitch about the cold more and more.)
My nearest and dearest friends also came and celebrated my birthday (31) in a very cold house, in a very cold month, in a very cold year - when we had no heating. So they were brave souls (and god are they great; these are the same friends who have had dinner at midnight as we had no water and no electric one year!). The all survived without frostbite and with good humour. A lot of radiators helped. And blankets. And a fire. And keeping everyone in one large room as much as possible.
After a night out at East Haugh pub we headed home and made a relatively early night of it. Friday can see people a bit knackered after a busy week, and we knew we had to get up early the next day.
When we went CURLING. I know! When told MaYa said, "how terribly ethnic" and she might be right. I think the Scots are mighty fond of 'sports' where you can have a pint, and stop to have a fag, and not really ever get out of breath. Brilliant.
We had almost 2h with an instructor (Claire - brilliant) and just had a great time. I had felt quite apprehensive about waking up in a cold house and then going to stand in a cold place for hours at a time but it worked really well. I'd recommend it to anyone. We did eventually split into 2 teams and have 2 'ends' - it was a pathetic tie. 1-1.
A lovely walk, and lunch (obviously) eventually took us all back home where roaring fires and heaters made it quite nice really. We did all sorts of art activities and just chilled out. All through this TheO was damn ill. She had a cold of epic proportions and was just about managing to stay upright. She even held it all together long enough to put together the epic feast of deli good, fantastic bread, a huge salmon she cooked, and the lobster Teech brought. It was fantastic. We all dined like queens. (Okay, and kings.) Shame TheO had lost the ability to taste all food. :-(
We all parted ways the next day - and managed to entice RF to the gym with tails of hot tubs. So I even fitted in a work out on my birthday. Finally that evening we headed off to see Stephen K Amos in Perth. It was v funny, but - as is always the sodding case, we had seen a lot of the show earlier in the year.
A few lovely lunches catching up with friends we've not seen in a while also made the end of January really great. Being sociable stops you from being quite so introspective and gives me the interaction I desperately need (but am, for reasons I don't understand, incapable of organising myself!).
After a particularly long spell without heating we began to get a little bit hardier, and a lot more worn down. It really took a toll on our collective mood, so it was beyond wonderful when it was finally fixed. However, we have taken further action and 2 sets of stove engineers are now about to furnish us with quotes. Our living room really, really needs more than the small fire can provide. So lets see if they can get us a bit warmer for the rest of the year (whilst simultaneously using a bit less heating).
That was a great welcome to February. A great welcome to 2010 really. People eager to turn up and provide you with a quote. So far we've only had to make one enquiry each, no chasing, no further phone calls, no rubbish. Lets hope they keep it up.
February started with far more promise. We not only discovered a great wee place for lunch in Crieff (Delivino) but TheO, with her incredible style managed to surprise me with a further birthday outing. She took me to Andrew Fairlie. (Her blog does cover this in detail.) This was just brilliant. The best service I've seen anywhere. And some of the best food. A tiny bit lacking in 'show' but not in ability or quality.
This fantastic night also enabled me to get dolled up. Something I do occasionally enjoy. I even put (clear) polish on my nails; but I used it as an opportunity to try out my birthday present from HH. I've been desperate to have some heated rollers for aaaages. My hair is quite flat and doesn't really do much unless I put the effort in. Heated rollers seemed like such an easy way to get a big effect.
OMG do these things work. On dry hair, with a 5min heat up and left in for about 15min I got brilliant curls.
Honestly - these were great curls. And this is a rubbish picture, taken just as I was running out the house; I'm quite happy at this point, but am appearing FURIOUS in this picture! (I'm also wearing the necklace I got as a bday present from TheO... who spoils me, and I don't deserve it.)
So, what with the excellent food, brilliant company, big hair, and too much booze - it was a damn fine night.
I now feel much more like tackling 2010 head on. And it might even be a bit great.
3 comments:
The curls look amazing! What kind of rollers where they again? Also having flat hair I might just need to invest in some myself (particularly if they were easy and hassle free to use)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BaByliss-3035U-Thermo-Ceramic-Rollers/dp/B000XUPKVG/ref=pd_sim_d_2
These are they.
Pros:
Heat up dead quick
Easy to use, don't pull the hair - very soft and velvety.
Nice curls, plenty of curlers (I could do my whole head, if I wanted)
Cons:
Nowhere to store the clips or pins (not even a wee bag).But really, I can solve this with a old wash bag)
Curls didn't last that long (4h) BUT I only had them in dry hair for 20min... I think I could make them easily last all day if I'd left them in longer and used some spray.
I think it does take practice to use curlers and if you've ever put some in before it's definitely easier after a few goes. I think it's quite quick and once done I can choose outfit, do makeup, remember to shave legs etc etc.
HH did the research on these before she gave them to me, and I think she did a great job!
some great running there SAM and some very cool curls even if they are taken in angst.....Alaistair...
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