The Experience of a LIfetime!

Everyone who's ever been to London will tell you that they've seen Big Ben - but I've not only seen Big Ben, I've stood right next to it as it chimed and climbed the 334 steps for the privilege because of course Big Ben is the the 14 ton bell that blasts out the hour from the Westminster Clock Tower although of course the tower is usually referred to as Big Ben.

This was an incredible experience, to be behind the clock face, to be beside the bells when they chime 3 o'clock - New Years Eve is never going to feel the same again.

Along with the Clock Tower tour was a tour of the Houses of Parliament which was also awesome - what an amazing heritage we have in England and the UK. We stood in the House of Commons and House of Lords, stood next to the Speakers Chair (Order!!), stood in the Queens Chamber where she gets ready to open parliament - amazing, I feel truly privileged to have toured this wealth of history.

This trip was all thanks to Alan's counsin Mike who found out that you have all this for FREE (yes free) if you wrote to your Member of Parliament and asked for an invitation - that's got to be one of the best freebie's I've ever had!

Three months on and still absolutely no sign of a job!

I have now been unemployed for three months and not a sign of a job. I've had no interview, no important phone call -nothing! I despair at the angencies! I dont know how they can keep afloat!

On the plus side my time at home has meant that I have a very well behaved, well balanced, well socialised Gordon Setter puppy but there is a limit to the kind of conversations you can have with a pack of Gordons!!!

Book Read: Too Close to Home - Linwood Barclay

As with the last book I read from this author, the journey is a fantastic page turner but the ending is to some extent a damp squib but even so it was a perfect book for these wonderful, unemployed late summer days spent reading in the garden!

It tells the tale of a family exterminated in one evening - it should have been their neighours who each have secrets that no-one else knows.

I'm a pilates virgin!

I did for the first time ever, pilates! It comes as part of my gym membership so thought in these times of thrift that I'd make the most of my membership!

It was dare I say 'easy' compared with many fitness regimes I've tried in the past but my god does it stretch and tone the muscles - really loved it and will be back next week BUT boy do I ache now!

Two Months with the Wrong Dog :)

It's really hard to believe that Brodie has been a part of my life for two months - it really does seem like he's been here forever. He is incredibly well behaved for a Gordon and continues to listen to commands, telling-offs and instructions as well as learning the 'rules' from Harvey. I know the terrible teens will kick in in the next year but at the moment he is dare I say a pleasure to live with - I am even allowed lay-ins!!

Book Read: A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

This is the second book by Mark Haddon the first of which was the well acclaimed Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - a real insight into autism and still remains the only book I have ever read in one sitting - by the pool in Florida.

A spot of bother is written in the same style, easily read prose, real page turners. Although this story about a retired man having a mid-life crisis is incredibly entertaining, very funny as well as very sad I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone who has a history of depression!

It's about a man in his 60's who discovers a lesion on his thigh that he is positive is cancer despite being told its eczema - this is exacerbated by finding his wife having sex in his bedroom with an old colleague and his daughter marrying the wrong man!! Very funny, very sad as well as being incredibly well observed as regards the family set up.

9-9-9 - but my luck didnt come in today!

In certain parts of Asia the number 9 is thought to be lucky. Today was 9th day of the 9th month 2009 so according to these superstitions should have been the luckiest day of my life - it wasnt. My lottery numbers didnt come up, no-one called me with that perfect job - not even after I'd rubbed my lucky cat, had two black cats walk in front of me earlier on this week and seen the end of a rainbow did my luck change! ;)