Grumpy New Year!

It's true, ever since the millenium new years cocks up all over the country I havent celebrated the New Year with anything other than watching Jools Holland with a decent bottle of wine. I just cant see the point of getting far too drunk on over priced booze, no chance of a taxi home, 2 million people squezzed into a 500 capacity bar, not being able to shuffle to the loo and when you do get there there's always someone crying about just being chucked or being sick!!

Apart from that it's pouring down with rain, gale force winds and weather warnings all over the country - call that fun battling out in this weather - er no!

Taking the dogs out at the moment is tantemount to murderous torture. My calves, hamstrings and achiles all hurt due to trying to trudge through mud in wellies. I sometimes feel like I'm moonwalking - one step forward, two steps back and it's more slippery than ice sometimes - Oh, and not to mention the state of my garden - a quagmire! Then the house is a constant cleaning effort with two very wet dogs coming back from the walk - Grumpy? Yes, very - I hate this kind of winter weather, there is NOTHING to like about it!

So here I am raising a grumpy glass to a better 2007. I honestly feel a little more positive this year about 'the Company'. I am sure in my heart of heart that the Indian invasion bubble has burst (or is seriously deflating) and that their days are numbered - and if it doesnt here goes yet another qualified, knowledgable IT professional - I wont be going down this route again (how about a postman, dog walking company - anything's got to be better than being treated like the proverbial piece of sh*t!) watch this blog space!

Happy New Year and may you have a healthy and Prosperous 2007.

from

Louise, Other Half, Bailey, Harvey, Daisy, Marigold and Souffle

Plain Truth......

This will be my third book by Judi Picoult and as usual, I am now bored with her writing. Unlike my partner Alan who can read every single book by his favourite author (Terry Pratchett) and never tires of their style, I can only do a maximum of three with each author.

I enjoyed Plain Truth and especially liked the insight into the Plain (or Amish) people but I struggled with finishing it and it took me far longer than the others I've read by JP one of which I read on a flight home from Las Vegas (The Pact - the best!).

Plain Truth is about an unmarried 18 year old Plain girl who is accussed of killing her new born baby. It's heart wrenching at times and wait for the final twist on one of the last pages - a good book but I think I just got tired of her writing so not up there with Her Sisters Keeper and best of all The Pact.

Boxing Day and not a heavyweight fight in sight ;)

My first true day of relaxation. No having to deliver pressies, no wrapping, writing or sending - no cooking for the 5000 - total relaxation and not even any cooking to do - God knows there are enough leftovers from yesterday to keep me snacking for weeks!

It was cool but not wet, muddy or freezing so I started tidying up the garden and socialising with my hens so that they slowly get to know me. Today saw a corner turned as they now both eat corn out of my hand! Marigold if the most foreward but Souffle likes Bailey - I now know why - she's after his twinkly gold name tag!!! I should have called her Bling, Bling!

A really lovely day and it actually felt at long last that I am on holiday!

Oh, I Wish it could be Christmas Every Day!

I have to come clean and say that I'm not always the biggest fan of Christmas not being that religeous and not having any children but I do enjoy giving presents (as well as sometimes receiving them ;))

This year as I previously blogged I had an Eglu - a very urban and trendy chicken house with two young hens. They have only been with me for a few days but I can already see that they are developing characters of their own and becoming very tame - even pecking Bailey through the weldmesh! It has so far been a wonderful present, I love the fact that it keeps me outside for longer than usual, keeps my mind of 'The Company' and gives me something very new to learn about.

Anyway, my parents came along for Christmas day which was really nice. Christmas dinner was acceptable I think and all in all a good Christmas day.

As well as my Eglu I received a pair of Heelys - OK, OK, I know the average age of a Heely is 9 but I have small feet, they had my size so I asked Alan if I could have a pair - I just need to keep any injuries occurring from Heelying secret from bosses, friends, relations etc as I will never live it down!

I had loads of Accesorize jewellery, the Simon Schama book on art (see previous Blog to see my newly acquired boring interest of art!) an incredible book about setters than I'd never seen before and a barrel waver to give my hair lovely curls - and it works!

The dogs and cat all had their Christmas dinner and appreciated it (Bailey also loves walnuts!!) they are now completely dead to the world - too much turkey no doubt!

I have now had too much to drink over the day, too much to eat, I'm tired from the cooking so it's time to turn in and reflect on one of my better Christmas days!

it's a hens life!

So, my hens have lasted 24 hours - and it hasnt been without stress. I have worried about them all night because of the extremely cold weather and I have worried all day about foxes.

In the brochure it mentions that the man of the house should urinate around the eglu to ward off the attention of hungry foxes but due to the extreme cold of the weather this week Alan declined. Instead this was left to super stud Bailey (he does have about 36 kids you know!) who readily obliged!

(this is Lady Marigold - Mdme Souffle is a little more shy)

There is no sign of foxes having been near the Eglu (mud all round would show up footprints) and the hens are certainly not showing signs of trauma - they are even ignoring the dogs sniffing against the weldmesh! Daisy on the other hand has a black eye tonight so I wonder if she just got too near the run - hmmm.......there again knowing her she probably fell out of a tree!

I just cant wait until the Christmas break so that I can really get to know my two lovely hens. There again I just cant wait for my Christmas break - period! I have never in the ten years I have been at 'The Company' known the atmosphere and morale been this low.

Christmas Comes Early for Louise!

Well, what can I say! I took today as annual leave on Alan's instructions. He said that he thought I should be here when my Christmas present arrived! I didnt understand why - until my present arrived at 10am. The present came in the shape of an Eglu (www.omlet.co.uk) a new and funky way to keep chicken in your garden - very cool. I have been looking at these since it first appeared in the back pages of Sunday newspapers and have wanted an Eglu since then.


(this is Lady Marigold on the left and Madame Souffle with her head in the food tray - as usual!)

Welcome to Billingham Marigold and Souffle my pair of Rhode Island Reds! I have never owned any kind of fowl before and never handled a hen and it was a complete surprise, my girls are soft, gentle, calm and very sweet - and incredibly warm to touch! They are only about six weeks old and have obviously been handled since birth - I was so ready to be pecked and clucked at but not at all they were so calm!

I hope this is the beginning of a long and happy relationship - with the possible advantage of delicious eggs evey day when they start laying. The only down side that I can see is that I have more to worry about and with the nights being so cold at the moment I will worry about my new pets all night, I just know I will.


I cant wait till summer when I can spend all day in the garden with my dogs, cat and now hens!

Cooking up a Storm!

I've probably not mentioned on my blog my other passion - apart from dogs and cats - and that is cooking! Despite virtually losing all my sense of smell (and consequntly my taste) after a bad case of bronchitis a few years ago, I still enjoy cooking and trying out new recipes on my poor partner Alan (although he only rarely complains!) Here is my recipe for a cheats chicken curry which is Alans favourite:

Serves 4

Heat the over to about 180 degrees - not sure what this is in other ovens.

Cut 4 chicken breasts or 8 thighs (or how about a mixture of both?) into one inch pieces.

Put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of Aromatic Balti Spice (Schwartz) into a bowl and blend the chicken with a small chopped onion into the bowl.

Take the onion and the chicken out of the bowl and place in an overproof lasagne dish and put in the over for about 20 minutes.

When the chicken has started taking on a colour, add a can of coconut milk ( I actually use low fat coconut milk which is readily available from Sainsburys) and about two tablespoons of Pataks Tikka Masala curry paste and stir together.

Stir every few minutes, until it's piping and well cooked. Sprinkle chopped corriander on the top of this when cooked. (it takes about 15 mins for the first bit and 20-25 for the second part but just keep an eye on it - I dont do precise cooking stuff ;))

Serve with homemade pilau rice (recipe published later) and enjoy! I've yet to find anyone who has not been impressed with this and no-one has guessed how easy it is! :)

Will it ever stop raining!

Had the day off to use up holiday and to have a break after the long day on Saturday. We planned to go out or do something with the day but Alan has man flu so we just about managed to get to the pub (White Hart at Pribright) for something to eat.

On the way we went to have a look at what has been my local for more years than I care to mention, The White Hart (Wood Street this time). This pub has seen many changes over the years from sawdust and spitoon local to almost nighclub status in the village. The last owners all but drove the local clientelle away with lousy food and a very nepotistic workforce and visitors. I knew this would come to an end, I knew this couldnt last in this day of high running costs and people voting with their feet - after all you cant pay the wages and bills with just a few mates turning up every evening can you? Well, it has changed and how! Although it wasnt open the builder let us have a look round and my God - this has got to be the best transformation! I just hope it doesnt lose that 'local' feeling and become pretentious - its a village pub after all! We'll go and try it out when it's open next week.

I love Paris in the Springtime - but sadly it was winter!

So begins an incredibly long day at 5am to start my day in Paris. This is my second day trip to Paris using the Eurostar and sadly the last time we can go straight from Waterloo to Paris - next year I believe it's from St Pancras all thanks to Englands now well renowned scrimpishness with money and shoddy workmanship - basically the line from Waterloo is too slow due to the age and wear and tear of the railway lines - and to think we invented the railway!! What an embarassment!

Anyway, onto France, the railway is smooth and very fast and although it's all the same colour as Ashford (green) you can so tell you are in another country! Dutch barns, water towers, farms that look quite different from ours - welcome to France and I have to say that on my short visits to the mountains and to Paris I have well and truly fallen in love with the country - still not sure about the natives but there again I have met quite a few nice, friendly, polite frogs in the last few visits.

We got into Paris Nord at about 09.00am (or was that 9.00am French time!!) and headed towards the market areas. I wanted to go to a proper market - their produce is so much more organic and not uniform shape and you can find fruit and veg that you wouldnt even see in supermarkets over here (eg lychees on stalks). We bought some superb parma ham but wernt too sure about bringing veg back to this country but still had a good look around.

We then headed towards the Louvre and in doing so walked up the Rue de Rivoli weirdly enough this was the last place that Diana and Dodi ate together - I didnt know that at the time but saw it on TV a few days later. I wanted to go to the Louvre after reading the da Vinci Code and watching Simon Schama's art programme every week and thinking myself now an art buff :) - we saw an amazing collection of art and even had lunch in the Louvre cafe but what I wanted to see were paintings by Louis David after the most intriguing episode of the Arts programme. He was a propagandist, he was an antagonist - he has so intrigued me! I sadly only saw a few of his paintings (we couldnt walk any further - each wing is 1/4 of a mile!) but enough to know what the magic is all about - he was an amazing painter.

We also saw the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo - both iconic and famous - brillliant!





We then walked up the Champ d'lysees and looked in all the shops and took in the Christmas atmosphere in this romatic City. A big surprise was this poster of the new Citroen DS - I didnt even know there was to be one. If you read my first blog you will see that they are my favourite car and have been of great interest thanks to my fathers fascination in them and the fact that we had a few as children. I will wait to see what the new DS has to offer by ways of querkiness and downright weird design - I hope Citroen have stuck to that well known eccentricity that we all loved in the 60's and 70's.

We then returned to the station to have a sandwich and a few drinks before catching the Eurostar and then train back home to Guildford.

I returned home to two very relaxed, chilled out dogs (and cat) thanks to my neighbour, Muff who looked after my little darlings all day and who without I wouldnt have been able to relax and enjoy my trip to Paris.

The Maine Coon Cat

At this time of boring, dark, damp days (my god I wish I was a bear and could hibernate) with not a lot to report in the Blog let me introduce you to the Maine Coon Cat.

I am not a cat person. Dogs are my first love but I became interested in the Maine Coon in the late seventies when they were first introduced to the UK and promised myself that if I ever decided to own a cat this would be the breed I could live with. Alan loves cats so we struck a bargain - yes Alan you can have a cat but it must be a Maine Coon.

So, after much discussion about owning a cat we contacted Anita Aukett, one of the breed pioneers in the UK and were invited to her house to look at and meet the Cooney! We entered Anitas house being greeted by two Cooney boys who were honestly the size of Springer Spaniel dogs - we were blown away. Anita then brought out a gorgeous red tabby male kitten - he was adorable but not what I had in mind for my first MC. Then we were shown a tiny silver tabby female who was orignally destined for Egypt but the prospective owner had wasted so much time that she was offered to us, she was so young we wernt even allowed to touch her for fear of infection - it was love at first sight - a silver tabby is what I had dreamed of and I can tell you she have lived up to every expectation - a true companion.

The Maine Coon is the largest domestic, pure bred cat in existence. They are thought to have descended from the Norwegian Forest Cat and were taken to the East Coast of America by 19th century explorers. They are semi-long haired, usually tabby and have distinctive tufts on the tip of their ears and a very bushy tail used to keep them warm in the cold Maine winters. I could wax lirical for ages about the many attributes of this wonderful breed but here are a few points that make them a little different from your everyday moggy and other pure breeds of cat. Cooneys are very dog like, they will walk with you, help you with the gardening and steal food - just like dogs! Daisy has been known to come with me and the dogs on a two mile walk - it looks like a film from Walt Disney, two large dogs with a silver cat trotting along with them. They also have a very wide vocabulary, they dont just meow - they have a distinctive chirrup when they are happy and can talk to you when they are hungry (which is usually most of the time) - they also purr like trains!

Maine Coons are very large and although can be considered friendly to those they know are a little aloof with strangers. They are incredibly playful and will remain so for most of their life. One other breed trait that we certainly find to be true with Daisy is that she will sit next to you, not on you (possibly due to the fact that most laps arent large enough to accomodate a Cooney but also maybe because they are warm enough anyway with thier double coat so dont need the warmth of your lap!) Lastly, I dont know if this is normal for all Maine Coons but Daisy is incredibly tolerent and laid back, nothing phases her , she never growls or spits or gets upset about two large dogs bumping into her!


...and the other question most people ask? How does she get on with your large, boistrerous dogs - well, lets just say that she's in charge, what she says goes and Harvey and Bailey just go along with it - cats huh! I'm not a cat person but my God I'm a Maine Coon person! They are cool...for cats!



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Am I in the Christmas Spirit? Well, it is only the 1st Dec!

Due to the vulnerability of our positions/job/careers at 'The Company' we wernt too sure if a departmental Christmas 'do' would be on the cards. So Rod, in all his madness decided to arrange one (good luck I thought- or is he after Corrine's old job :)). Anyway, we all trapse off to a very 80's wine bar in Farnham called Borelli's. As is traditional with all 'Company' Christmas meals it was pouring down! I havent been to Farnham for an evening in a long time - put it this way, I moved away from the area over 15 years ago and boy has it changed. I think I may have to re-discover Farnham - a lovely, old fashioned town.



The food was late and a bit weird (turkey with chilli sauce on soggy stuffing) but who cares, it was the company that counted. This could be the last time this group of people are together at this time of year. What a shame, what a load of friends, what a great bunch!

I hope these pictures sum up the atmosphere and the fun we had on this very soggy, typically British office evening!

Very Wet Saturday!

What a night! It poured down all night, the wind must have been near gale force and the power kept dropping all evening and then all night. We were woken up countless times by appliances trying to re-boot themselves - not to mention the bloody ansa-phone going off all night! Consequently we didnt realise what the time was an overslept - it was nearly 11am before we actually got out of bed!! I took the dogs out and we got soaked - mind you with all that water it wouldnt matter if it was raining or not - Harvey is a true skuba diver and any hint of water and he belly flops straight into it! Despite this winter being incredibly mild and late (there are still roses in bloom in my garden) the silt season is truly here - by this I mean that all I do in the house every day is sweep up dust left from the dogs walks! The only saving grace is my patio that I put down earlier this year - its a life save and I reckon has cut the silt down by about half! All that hard work paid off!

Alan did some over-time, so we met up afterwards with Shahida and Rod at the White Hart in Pirbright. This pub has taken on a total transformation and the food is fab. I had corned beef has which I havent eaten since I worked at the stud over 20 years ago! It was good to see Shahida again and Rod is beaming as he has a girlfriend (at last!) Good lunch - and it even stopped raining for a while.

Then went onto the aquarium and bought some Dwarf Gourami's my favourite along with angel fish.

Black Friday!

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving in the US, is historically one of the busiest retail shopping days of the year. Many consider it the "official" beginning to the American Holiday Season. Most retailers will open very early and usually provide massive discounts on their products. How and why have I never been to the US on this weekend!!!

And another reason for it being black was the death of Russian dissidant Alexander Litvinenko. Incredibly intriguing, real James Bond, James le Carre stuff - almost makes you want to join MI5 - especially as they were advertising for spies last week.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving day.

I was morbidly tired all day and I have no idea why, I didnt drink the previous night, I went to bed incredibly early and felt appalling all day. It must be the bad feeling and stress at work. This is the first Thursday in a long while there hasnt been a leaving do - thank God!

Life's full of weird coincidences!

The strangest thing happened to me today. I was walking at lunchtime along the usual path where I very rarely see anyone and this lady came towards me without a dog (which is even more unusual) as she approaches she points at my boys and says 'Gordon Setters, my mother breeds those' . It turns out that her mother is Yvonne Hunt who breeds the Gaidheal Gordons Setters and even more of a coincidence is that my Harvey is the very lines of Boyers and Yennadons that Yvonne uses. I was amazed to discover that she is now 88 and still drives herself around to all the shows. It just goes to show how these active, lively dogs keep you forever young!

I still cant get over such a coincidence. Yvonne lives in Gloucester so for her daughter to live a few hundred yards away from me almost freaky - there are barely more than 4000 Gordons in this country at any one time so the chances of meeting someone whose mother not only breeds them but someone I know is quite incredible.

Grim Monday?

These days every Monday I seem to get to work and feel like crap all day. It's gotta be this bloody place - the stress, the injustice, the insecurity - once upon a time loyal employees were respected and treated well - these days an office chiar is treated better than skilled IT staff all for the sake of the greedy british share holder.

Alan took Shahida's futon over to storage so we met up after for a quick drink down the White Hart at Pirbright (our White Hart is currently being re-furbed) and what a transformation this pub has had! The food looks superb, the decor is cosy and warm and the staff are attentive - a long way from when the Vintage Inn took it over and called it the Moorhen! It's just further proof of people power - the villagers boycotted it when they changed the name and campaigned for its orignal 16th century name to be restored.

'once upon a time this sofa was all mine' Bailey

Just a Perfect Day!

Yet again I was on my own as Alan earns more overtime for me to spend ;)

It was yet another beautiful winters day. I just love this winter sunshine as do the Setters - they enjoy this far more than the summer.

We set out on another long walk round the woods at the bottom of my garden. Bailey is getting even better. I've ordered him a magnetic collar and put him on glucosamine - I'm not really into giving drugs for life, I'd rather try homeopathic or organic cures before using drugs which are after all just poison.


We had another wonderful walk, no-one to bother us, peace and at one with nature. I practised my gundog training with Harvey and beam with pride when he gets 'down' from a distance. His only problem is that he's so pleased with himself that he wriggles toward me after I've told him he's a good boy - he's so willing to please.

A lot of fireworks tonight and for the first time in her life poor old Daisy was actually scared - I think she was near the neighbours house when a fe went off - she's hiding in the downstairs loo now, poor old thing but knowing her its only temporary - she may look precious but she's really a tough old bird!

There's nothing better than a Gordon Setter...

....well, at least when they are well trained, biddable and well socialised! There is possibly nothing worse than a badly behaved Gordon Setter - they are a liability! Which is why this special breed needs special people to be owned by them!

Anway, enough of the preaching - they are after all my passion - here is today's blog:

Bailey (before his accident) in the bluebell grove

For the first time since Bailey's accident, we (by that I mean me and my two Gordon Setter's Bailey and Harvey) went out for a decent walk. Bailey still has a pronounced nod but it didnt seem to worry him - he was truly back to his normal cheeky little boy self (despite being nearly nine with a greying muzzle). Two weeks ago I wasnt even sure he'd make it through the night let alone acompany me on long walks again. It felt good to see him back to normal. He's a wonderful dog.

Harvey the Terrible (doesnt he look the guilty party?)

The weather was gorgeous, frosty in the morning but sunny all day. I can handle winter days like this, its the grey, wet days that get me down. We walked all the way over to Tangley Manor, over the hill towards Frog Grove Lane - it was beautiful. With all the tension, stress and anger that's going on at work this was pure tranquility - the only noise was the occasional bird twittering after being flushed out by Harvey. Here are my two wonderful companions on the top of the hill, showing how well trained they are - the little darlings (or were they just posing for the camera ;) !

"If you take a dog which is starving and feed him and make him prosperous, that dog will not bite you. This is the primary difference between a dog and a man."

- Mark Twain

Roll Out the Barrell!!

So onto the next party. Today's event was arranged by friend and colleague David Loveder - a tour around the Surrey Hills Brewery in Shere/Albury.

It was freezing cold and this tiny farm outbuilding doesnt exactly look like a brewery from the outside, I half expected the door to open to a herd of cattle!! We needn't have worried. It certainly is only a tiny, cold building but the tour was incredibly interesting and the beer was superb! I totally admire anyone who says goodbye to the rat race in favour of something they feel passionate about and boy does Ross Hunter the owner of this business elude passion - he lives beer! How can he call it a job/business? It may make money but its more like a full time hobby - the lucky sod!

I liked the Ranmore Ale, pale but very hoppy and very moreish! The Shere Drop bitter is their best seller but to be honest not my favourite - maybe its just the favourite because people think that a real ale has to be a bitter - I dont know but it wasnt my favourite. My favourite however, which is no surprise because I love dark and spicey winter ales - was the Albury Ruby - superb and an ale named after the village I was born in - superb!

I should just point out that I was the only woman on this trip which is a shame because more and more women are getting the taste for real decent ale. It's no longer the ****** of the middle aged men with beer bellies and beards - reall ale is serious business here (and they are even taking it up in the US now with Microbreweries srtarting up all over the place - of only they'd learn not to serve it so cold) and becoming more and more fashionable amongst the young and old, male and female as we all get fed up with cold, fizzy, weak yellow water!

We then went onto the White Horse in Shere. A wonderful pub but by the time the food showed up I was completely knackered. I am sooo looking forward to a night in watching crap TV and vegging out tommorow!

http://www.surreyhills.co.uk/9089.html

Cos You Had a Bad Day!

A very emotional day (I was tempted to put sad but that's only for the people who are left at BOC like me). People I have worked with and partied with for ten years left or were made redundant today. This is all due to this new fad of off-shoring to India - a fad that mark my word wont last, it's just a fad.

Amongst people who left today were Simon Webley who I've known for all of the ten years I've been at BOC. I remember his son Alex being born, I remember when he got married in his lunch break because he needed a green card to the US LOL!! Lee Dixon - friend (and sometimes foe :)) for ten years, I've know him both as boy and man an I wish him every success in what he chooses to do outside 'The Company' and I hope we have parted as mates. Then last but by no means least and the person I will miss the most - Shahida Sharif. We may have only worked together for about a year but my God I'm going to miss her. People knew we were gossiping and giggling on CHAT (just like the TV advert) they probably hated it but we had such a laugh - I'm going to miss you gal! Always sorting out people's problems as well as their fashion! The Trinny and Susannah of 'The Company' sadly been pulled from the programme listings!

I know things will get better and things have a habit of working out for the best but that's not how it feels today. All the good boys are leaving, a lot of good times behind us and my God there have been some wonderful times at BOC. I was in personal termoil in '96 when I was offered a six month contract, I was near to a breakdown, shattered, emotionally drained with a messy divorce and no real friends but with the support and friendship I found at BOC I put my life back on track - this is why I feel such sadness. Four leaving speeches in one day and this is only the start - more talent walking out that door than most IT departments have in a lifetime - such a waste!

....but it's all so nice to come home

The flight was good. I think the captain was on some kind of mission to get home early! Despite going through quite a bit of turbulence the seatbelt lights didnt come on once! I tried despearately to sleep but couldnt so I read my book - the most amazing The Pact by Jodi Pocoult - what a deep and thought provoking book that is.

This is a picture of one of the Virgin cabin staff dressed as Elvis - hilairous!


Arrived in the UK at about 11am, totally fatigued. Now I've got the bloody jet lag to contend with for the next week or so as well as going back to the miserable place that is BOC!

My dogs hardly recognised me - I think they have been spoilt by the house sitter just a little too much. Unfortunately Bailey has some kind of injury after a high speed collision with Harvey. He seems OK, just a little lame but I knew there was something wrong with him as soon as I entered the door. The cat on the other hand was actually quite glad to see me although I suspect that maybe just because she wants more food!

There really is no such place like 161.100.....sorry, geek joke!

It's so nice to go travelling......

So it's the last day and a long, long day (or two days really) travelling home. The sun is out in Vegas, it will be sad to leave this lovely weather but it will also be nice to see my Furbies again. Work on the other hand I dread going back to, all the friends and colleague's that are leaving this month, back to the proposturous ideas and plans that are going ahead without any proper thought or research - all the sycophants! How depressing is that and I havent even got as far as thinking about the weather!



We got up at about 9am, had breakfast (the last time I'll have buttermilk pancakes for a while) and then went back to pack - it took two hours we had collected so much over the last two weeks!

So its now off to McCarren Airport (again) for that long wait and then the long trip home.

So what do I miss about America? The politeness (everyone says 'good morning' or 'hello') the weather - oh that gorgeous wearther! The shopping!! The way the Americans seem to treat their pets as one of the family. I will also miss the Californian Pizza Kitchen's spicy sausage pasta and the sweet orange juice. The way they love the relatively young small history they do have instead of like us just bulldozing it to put flats up in its place.

What will I not miss about America? the publlic toilets or restrooms - why oh why do the partitions have to have so much of a gap between the wall and the door that an anorexic could squeeze through it? I dont want to see women sqautting when I walk in the loo!! Not even the Americans can explain why this is the case. The toilets! OK, I know you can see a theme here - I dont know what is different from theirs but I think Alan says they use a suction flush rather than ours using water weight(?) I dont know but they are horrid - you see everything floating around in this pond that is the loo - bloody awful. The food! Although some of the food is very good there is always far too much of it and everything is loaded with sugar or corn syrup - even things like cole slaw and mayonnaise! After two weeks of overload and over sweet I crave a Sunday roast or just vegetables but most of all CURRY!

TV - what appalling TV they have out there. You'd think being way before us in having hundreds of TV stations that there would be some quality - but no, its appalling! Not to mention the repeats!! And then the adverts - every other advert is for a fast food or restaurant chain - Marie Callender, Olive Garden, Pizza Hut, Carls Jnr - you can see why they are so fat! They even have Barry Scott over there - 'I'm Barry Scott and I'm now Global' - idiot! I also wont miss waking up on Sunday morning to the sound of Alan putting on the TV to listen (and laugh) at the TV evangelists telling us that Darwin was a mad man suffering from some kind of delusion!

But most of all I wont miss that brown, hot water they call coffee - or cooooorfee!!! YUK!!! Free refils?? You couldnt get a wake up call from their coffee if you drank a gallon of the damn stuff. If I go to Starbies I always ask for an extra shot and the look I get from the Barista is like I've asked him to take his clothes off!

It's Sunday and the last full day of our holiday and the plan is to meet up with my friends Nik and Lee (who although British, now live in Phoenix). I have now known them for ten years and I think we've met them out here about four or five times now.

We decided to stay beside the pool for the morning as it was our last day but oh boy had the storm cooled down the water in the pool - brrrr! When the sun passed over the pool we decided to walk down the Strip for a while and discovered the Sin City Brewery in the soon to be transformed Alladin Casino. The owner was into real beer, had travelled the world to discover beer and horrah it didnt taste like the usual American beer it was the best pint we'd had all holiday if only they didnt make it so bloomin cold!!

the phone then rang and it was Lee and Nik to arrange the evening.



So we met up in the hotel, had a couple of beers and then as Lee needed an emormous burger we headed off to one of our favourite haunts the Harvey Davidson Cafe. Had a good meal and then tottered back to the Flamingo for a few more drinks. It was lovely to see them again and as usual I always miss them when we the evening's over.

Tommorow it's off to good old Blighty!

Hoover Dam

The plan for today was to get up and drive to Death Valley but due to the storm last night there was a land slide and many floods and the US 95 (the main road out of Vegas) was closed. Sunbathing was out of the question as it was still pretty grey so we decided to head out to the Hoover Dam which Alan being a frustrated engineer has always wanted to inspect closer than the drive past we'd done in 1999.

On the way though we discovered Boulder (I was starving so dropped into a BK for a cheeky cheeseburger - or was it a whooper :)) What a lovely green, quiet place this is. Some of the houses that overlook Lake Mead are spectacular. This is the city that grew up because of the Hoover Dam. Its where all the workers came in the middle of the depression looking for work. It was then a tented, it's now a quiet, small city that overlooks the tranquil Lake Mead.


They are in the middle of creating a by-pass for the dam as the road being the main route from Phoenix to Vegas has now become antiquated and inadequate for the amount of traffic it now has to support from these two growing cities. The plan is to build a bridge across the actual gorge!! That's engineering!

We did the trip down to the generators and around inside the dam which was quite claustrophobic but incredibly interesting and to think this was built in 1932 is amazing, what foresight, what engineering, what a pioneer spirit - you dont see that in the UK anymore but it's still abundent in the still very young and ever growing US.

Friday the 13th? (OK so that's a film not a song)

Welcome to Friday the 13th's Blog!

Went to the pool pretty early but within about two hours it was raining - yes, raining in the desert!! So headed out to one of the malls as we thought there was an Old Navy and an American Eagle but there wasnt - need to check out the internet again to find out where these are. As the evening came in so the sky got darker and darker and as you are in the middle of a valley here you can see all around and it was obvious a storm was coming. So we head back to the hotel and something I have never heard or experienced before. On the TV, blotting out all the TV naration was a severe weather warning telling us that a big storm was heading our way and to keep away from windows and unplug non-essential electrical gear - amazing. Anyway, the storm is coming, with this large full room size window we can see over towards Henderson easily and my God is this a storm!!

We'll have to see how this evening pans out but Californian Pizza Kitchen was going to be our choice for tonight and it's only over the road at Mirage but if it rains heavily we may have to stay in the Flamingo. Then off to one of the tables to find a number thirteen, after all it's Friday the 13th and I was born on the the 26th (double 13) so it's gotta be worth a flutter.

Coming back to the hotel we sat up and watched the storm. I have never seen anything like it. Watching an amazing storm right the way across the Valley, lighting up the mountains - something I didnt expect to see in the desert - and the rain - boy did it rain!

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

We spent the morning round the pool again which was bloody lovely. Then headed out to the Red Rock area to find the PetsMart and Costco stores. I bought this really cool ihome gadget which means that the radio/CD under the kitchen cabinet can be upgraded to an iPod player as well - how cool is that? Costco is really weird, its just like being in the one in Reading it's so similar - apart from the prices of course!

Then onto Costco to buy my beloved furbies so treats so that they'll speak to me when I get home - I cant wait to see them again.

We then decided to eat in the Stardust - in particular the Tony Roma's in this casino. The Stardust was built/opened in 1958 and on the 31st of October this year will be closed forever - a bit of history gone, so we made this pilgrimage to the casino as it wont be there next year - and the ribs were as good as ever. It seems a real shame but you could tell that it's on it way out, the staff (not Tony Romas) we rude and unattentive (and could hardly speak English) and the whole casino was completely full of freaks and weirdos - well even more that usual!

We then had a look in the Wynn and although it's obviously a lot more classy than most casino's on the strip at the end of the day it's still a casino/hotel on the seedy strip of Las Vegas - I dont believe class is something that can be created here - it's tacky and that's why we love it!

Went back to gamble a bit (its a long walk back from the Stardust) and played Reel 'em In as usual. Had a bad run but was more fascinated by this prostitute. It was so obvious, she was pretending to play a slot whilst continually talking and taking calls on her mobile. After about half an hour this middle aged, grey, non-descript male walks in, goes straight up to her and takes her arm and the thrash out details (and I presume prices) in a corner of the casino - amazing people watching!

It's a Wonderful, Wonderful Life.....

Woke up pretty early (for holiday) so went down to the pool at about 11am. Took breakfast with us from the little shop just inside the door and started my third book of this holiday, Mary, Mary. It's true pool reading stuff - not too cerebrally challenging like the last one (The Kite Runner). It was a lot warmer today, the type of weather that I just look up to the sun and think 'hmmm...this is a true moment of happiness'.

Did a bit of shopping in the late afternoon and Alan has finally justified the purchase of an Apple Mac laptop!! I cant believe it - how many PC's does one geek need?
For the evening we went to P F Changs as we knew there would be no overfacing like last night and also that even if you do eat too much at a chinese, you will feel OK in a couple of hours time - and we did - it was delicious

Tried a bit of gambling at a few near casino's but came back to the Flam as the serving girls are always around and attentive, the slots are pretty good and it's a pretty friendly casino to be in! We still havent won our fortune though!

At last! That well earned day beside the pool in the hot sun! I have to say that the Flamingo has been a really pleasant surprise to me/us. The pool is lovely, warm and relaxing. The cafe just inside the doors has wonderful breakfast and lunch snacks as well as decent coffee (a rare thing in the US - they call brown water coffee!!) BUT, there is one thing I certainly wont miss about this hotel - the bloody awful, 80's, mostly British music that is piped round the pool and hotel 24/7. If I hear Sade, UB40, Kim Wilde, Level 42, Elton John or Rod Stewart track again I will throw a wobbler! Thank God for iPod!

For the evening's entertainment we went to Maggacio's in the Fashion Show Mall. I've wanted to eat here since first seeing it last year. It has that rare commodity of outside eating (although I have to say this is becoming more popular as Vegas changes). Anyway, the inside is garbed out like a forties lounge bar with piano player and crooner and for the most part full of beautiful people. On the balcony (where we ate) it's opposite the Wynn and depite the noise from the strip is very nice and feels pretty relaxed. I had the sausage spaghetti which was gorgeous and Alan had the strangest looking lasagne that was hardly any bechamel but mostly cheese - and enough for an English family of four!! We couldnt even leave a dent in these meals (despite me only ordering half size meal) and consequnetly felt over-full, uncomfortable and tired all evening - what a shame, the food is very good but the portion sizes and the richness is just too much.

We then gambled a bit on the slots while feeling VERY bloated!

Viva Las Vegas!

Well, here we are again. Just five hours from San Diego and here we are once again in the middle of the desert in the maddest place on the planet! We are staying at the Flamingo this year for a change of scene - I am not disappointed. The room is nice, the pool, restaurants are very accessible (not always the case with some of the larger, newer casino's) and you literally walk out onto the strip - right slap bang in the middle.

We were however a pair of lightweights - after a couple hours of pathetic gambling we had a few final drinks and didnt even make it to 11pm - yawn!!

Alan's back is a little better so we decided to go to Bilbao Park. We've been here once before but not had the time to really look around, but as usual for this marvelous city just as we were parking we realised there was an Native American 'pow wow' going on opposite the car park- how could we resist? I bought a couple of really nice navajo pieces of jewellery and watched some 'authentic' Native American dancing - although I'd seriously question the lineage of some of these 'Indians'!!

Anyway, Bilbao Park was as beautiful as ever. There was also an organ recital being played on the Spreckels Organ (the largest outside organ in the world) and spookily enough the player was a very English lady!! We then wandered around for a few hours, had a Guiness outside the Globe Theatre as well as visiting the international village - which always brings a smile to my face - Alan had a cup of tea in the English house! It was Spanish Day so there was flamenco dancing and a large paella made which you could buy some of - it was really good, very authentic!

For our final evening in SD we at last had dinner at the renowned Anthony's Grotto just across from the hotel. It's reputation for fresh fish is well known and we wernt disappointed. I had Swordfish (which is local) and Alan had his favourite, crab cakes. The service was good, the food was wonderful and for such a well known eatery the bill was also very reasonable.

When we woke up on, looking from our room across from the harbour, there were two cruiser ships in as well as another navy vessel (it's fleet week this month - yeah, go figure we didnt understand either but this means there have been quite a lot of sailors in San Diego all week). So the day starts off well enough, we decide to walk to Starbies as the deli below our hotel was full of people off the cruise liners - all so far so good - but on the way to Starbies Alan cough's and pulls a muscle in his back!! So he hobbled up to Horton Plaza, to the drug store then we had to decide what to do. The plan had been to go to Mission Valley to get some new glasses for Alan but were not that sure he'd make it. We did, and he stumbled round the place looking like a cripple. Had lunch in CPK and then back to the hotel. Against his better judgement and drugged up, we then had a look round the famous Gaslamp district of SD - its a bit seedy but feels very old and has more than a snippin of San Francisco to the feel of the place.
We then went to see the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier which now retired has been donated to the museums in San Diego and has a great collection of planes and helicopters as well as all areas of the ship being accessible - I've never been on an aircraft carrier before, it was an amazing experience as well as a great vantage point for pictures of the bay.

Fat Bottomed Girl, you make the rockin world go round

I have reminded Alan on many occassions that if I ever come up with any more bright ideas he is to slap me and put me in a cupboard until the idea seems like a lost memory. Sadly he didnt take my advice this time and we decided to hire bikes for the day. We have been cycling a lot at home in the hope it would prepare us for this trip...hmmmmm.....

We cycled to Mission Beach (have these people any idea how lucky they are to live here!!) then onto Mission Bay (a lot quieter and probably a lot more expensive)this doesnt sound a whole lot but Alan has just worked this out on Google Earth and it is a staggering 28.5 miles - my buttocks are numb!!!I will defo be walking like John Wayne tommorow!! It's also worth mentioning we are both a little pink - local lobsters? Pah, we are the imported, British Lobsters!

I almost dropped the bike back in the shop, warned Alan not to take my up on any more of my bright ideas then walked to Seaport Village for something to eat and a well earned beer.

So a short blog for today but my God was that an effort - and I never in a million years thought I'd ever cycle on the right hand side of the road in America - a true experience - hard work at times but well worth it. Off to the E&C now for a well earned glass of merlot - what a shame those Delegates have gone home :)

I can hear music......

OK, so you've probably noticed by now that my titles to each post have a music theme. This leads me nicely onto today - the day I've waited for - OK, so I'm sad, it comes of living with a geek for so long!! Anyway, the reason for my cheer and jubilation is that I bought my iPod Nano today :). I also bought the sport kit and running shoes that allow you to jog and the iPod tells you the distance, calories or time by interupting your music and since discovering running in the gym last year this is a godsend - the trainers are even pretty cool!

This was supposed to be a chill out day but we spent far more time in Fashion Valley Mall than expected (buying iPods, Gordon Setter socks(yes, I found some) and trainers). We then decided as it was getting late to have lunch in one of our favourite diner chains the Californian Pizza Kitchen - they make the BEST pasta!

We then came back to the hotel, I downloaded some music onto said iPod and sat on the balcony in the beautiful sunshine which belies the fact it's October (I've been here far earlier and its been cool and damp). I finished my book, the Shadow of the Wind (an unforgetable masterpiece of a book) then took a quick trip to Wal-Mart to buy a new suitcase after the sad demise of one of out old ones thanks to baggage handlers last year.

We then ended the evening with a few beers in the E&C watching a conference delegate who thought he was Mr Smooth making a complete ass of himself in front of this woman delegate - great people watching!

I'll have a pint of Courage Best!

So we now leave Anaheim and I really wont miss that bed! My back is killing me. The hotel is fine, clean and well located but the pool is freezing and the bed is uncomfortable and small! What I will really miss though is Suzette, the bartender in the Pickford Pub who is everything you would look for in an American bar.

So onto San Diego and into a much more confortable hotel - the Holiday Inn on the Bay. We have a bay view room and you can watch people sailing in the harbour as well as having a good view of all the maritime museums that are lined up along the bay. This is our third visit here but I sometimes feel I know the place like home. It's a lot easier to navigate than most American cities and although I believe its the second largest city in the US it certainly doesnt feel like it. The other difference you notice immediately here is the lack of fatties! In fact all you ever see are people from young to old jogging, power walking and cycling around the bay.

After the journey down here we headed off to Horton Mall for a quick look round and a burger (well, it has to be done) and then watched the sun go down on San Diego. We then headed off to the Elephant and Castle pub (which strives to be a British pub but that we frequent simply because it's attached to our hotel) for a well earned beer and curry!

Surfin USA

Since coming to America for ten years I always seem to discover something or somewhere that makes me realise why I make this long trip over to the US every year. This year it was Laguna with it's surrounding beaches. This place is truly beautiful. Surrounded by the affluent Laguna Hills this place was a gem of a find. It's about 30 miles south from Anaheim on the Pacific Coast Highway and our plan for the day was to explore some more of the West Coasts famous beaches. We started at Huntingdon (which we've visited before) which claims to be Surf City (although I hear that they are currently in dispute with another beach in Califonia who also aspire to this name) and had a coffee and danish there. From here we set off on the Pacific Coast Highway on a voyage of discovery :)! After passing many wonderful beaches we decided to take a look at the Crystal Cove State Park which we'd seen advertised on the info. channel in the hotel. After the noise and crowds of the previous day in Disneyland this was a very well anticipated place of contrast. We walked about four miles along this quiet, clean, uncrowded beach to the actual cove. There are many birds here (including the Anna Hummingbird which is beautiful) and many rockpools containing mussels, anenomes, barnacles and other crustaceans.

We walked all the way to the Crystal Cove itself which has the most amazing kind of ghost town of old fishing shacks. This was the most relaxing couple of hours.

Then onto Laguna itself - what a town!! There has to be a lot of money here. The cars, the houses, the shops!! We saw a Shelby and Roush Mustang within about twenty minutes and Porsche's here are two a penny (it's considered a status symbol here to have a European import especially German cars).

We managed to find a BJ''s Restaurant on the main road overlooking the ocean. The food was incredible for a Pizza and Grill chain. I have honestly never tasted such amazing meat sauce with pasta. Alan was made up because they had decent beer but as with all beers in the US its far too cold but the Porter was very good. We waddled away an hour later trying to do more walking but gave up and staggerd back to the car - we did about ten miles again today. Then in the car off to Dana Point and the Marina which is also beautiful but by then we were completely beached out - headed back to Anaheim for a well earned beer!!!

One final thing I must mention about Laguna is this sweet shop we found called the Candy Shack on Broadway. To take a child in there would be akin to child abuse. The air smelt of sugar, there are barrel upon barrel full of different flavours of salt water taffy and the rest of the shop is a tribute to true english sweets and chocolate bars - everything from Fishermans Friends to Double Decker bars - YUM!! Only a picture can truly portray how amazing this shop is.

When you wish Upon a Star............

Well, you cant go to Anaheim without visiting the original Disney theme park Disneyland. Most people think that the Disneyworld in Florida is the original but it's not, Disneland in Anaheim, California transformed what was a vast area of fruit farming into the first Walt Disnet theme park - 51 years ago.

It was incredibly warm and for October, incredibly crowded - I've been here in September when there have been half the visitors. While talking to people in the bar this evening we realise that the reason for the high entrance is that it's Yom Kippur so a lot of Jewish people are celebrating.

We walked about ten miles, ate pizza and drank coke, went on our favourite rides and generally had a good time - I just prefer it when it's not so crowded.

'Take me Down to the Ball Game'

We went to see the final baseball game of the season between our team the Anaheim Angels (please dont correct me by telling me they are the Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles or whatever the ridiculous new name is - they ARE the Anaheim Angels!) and the Oakland A's.

It was Angels veteran, Tim Salmons last game and he needed only one more home run to make his total up to 300! Sadly it wasnt to be but we all gave him a very loud send off!


A very exctiting game though, there was only one point in it right up until the 10th innings!! Unfortunately it wasnt the Angels that won so for the second time of coming all this way to see our team, the Oakland Athletics won!!!

Brilliant day though, great atmosphere and great game!





I have been a fan of the Angels since 1996 and this is my collection so far of caps!

California here I come!

Well, here I am again in Anaheim, Califronia staying in the Raddison Maingate - the same hotel that I stayed in on my first stay in the US ten years ago.

One thing I have to point out though. I always see someone famous in the airport before I go on my hols. This year it was Minnie Driver. Alan was playing with his PSP or some other console and thought I was going crazy when I pointed out that I'd just seen Minnie Driver walk past us and go into Dixons. When she returned he realised I was right! She is amazingly tall - and thin but certainly didnt stand out as a Hollywood star in fact she blended into the crowd rather well but we Brits do usually leave people alone a bit like the time I spotted George Lucas literally three feet away from us at the Goodwood Festival of Speed - no-one was interested they were simply looking at the cars ;)


We picked up our hire car today. It's a Buick Rainier - a very nice SUV.

Today has been a true shopping day. After getting up at 7am we had breakfast in the IHOP ( a well deserved thoroughly Amercian breakfast) we headed off to Target to buy essentials like shampoo and conditiner - we always travel out light. We then went to Costco which we have a members card in the UK. I bought my Christmas present - a wonderful credit card size digital camera. It was weird, it was like visiting Costco in the UK - set out exactly the same.

We then spent a couple of hours in the Block which is an outside shopping mall with great eats places. We did our unsual shop in American Eagle, Old Navy and Hollister to do our annual wardrobe re-stock!

Then back to the bar for a few drinks and a meal. Then to bed, I'm knackered!

Gundog Training at Druids Lodge

** ALL PHOTOS ON THIS BLOG ARE BY bleimages.com**

Today goes down as one of those that you will remember forever. I took my youngster Harvey gundog training at the Druids Farm in Wiltshire. I believe this it considered one of if not the best shooting lodge in the UK.

I had to get up early, it was raining so hard that my village was completely under water and I couldnt do more than about 30 mph for the first eight miles. I nearly turned round and went back to bed! Thank God I didnt. I had the most fantastic time. I was in heaven. A whole day spent with people I like, in the country away from all the rat race, with my dog and doing something that we both love. Even the weather was perfect for a late September day.

This is the first time that Harvey has actually had any formal training (although since day one I have been applying my limited skills to his ever present instinct) but he didnt let me down. I was and still am beaming with pride. We even won the prize for dog and handler who had the best working rapport.

I am totally exhausted now, as is Harvey - who enjoyed it so much, It's so nice doing something you totally enjoy.

Today is the first Blog of the rest of my life - welcome to Louise's (Hotlipz) Blog!

I am the one on the right - the hairy, black and tan one is my beloved Bailey otherwise known as Hernwood Dream Mirage of Kilnrae JW 1RCC. He is a Gordon Setter and they are my complete and absolute passion. Since discovering this breed seventeen years ago I have fallen head over heels in love with them. I cannot imagine life without a Gordon. I currently have two. Bailey and young Harvey (Bailey's grandson) otherwise known as Kilnrae French Toast of Billingham.

The Austin Healey in the background sadly is not mine. I love cars both old and new and have a soft spot for the old Citroen DS's. Instead though I have to do practical and drive a 4x4 ( I know, I know, enemy of the state etc) but I really do travel all over the country with two large dogs (and their comfort can mean the difference between winning and losing) and have to navigate large, wet, fields of mud at dog shows - plus I live up an unmade road so thats my excuse :)

"I talk to him when I'm lonesome like,
and I'm sure he understands.
When he looks at me so attentively,
and gently licks my hands;
Then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes,
but I never say naught thereat,
For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes,
but never a friend like that!"

- W. Dayton Wedgefarth