Overheard on a bus last week

Little girl: Mummy, you know my grandpa? Well he died so that means I can't see him.
Mother: That's right.
Little girl: Can anyone see him?
Mother: No, I'm afraid not.
Little girl: Oh... That's sad... I don't want Ferdinand to come to my birthday party, I only want girls. And ice cream. And when are we going to Cornwall on a train?

Deep breaths

A pretty intense day coming up. The archaeological fund I sit on the committee for is having a meeting to discuss its future, with some pretty controversial proposals under consideration. I've been swotting up on each committee member's position, as well as defining my own. I'm the youngest board member by more than ten years, and I really have to know my stuff to be taken seriously.

But just to make sure I don't take myself too seriously, Thom has climbed into the loft, and is currently deaf to all pleas to come out. It's hard to get too worked up about the Charities Commission and assets when you're trying to fish a cat out of a small hatch.

Wish me luck.

Happiness

Things that have made me smile so far this week:

Being able to have lunch outside on the lawn (along with my first ice cream of the year! Cornetto for full-on nostalgia)
An end in sight to the cause of conflict between a good friend and I
Kissing The Boy

And the best news of all: Thomas is coming back! He'll be back on 31st March, and I can't wait, I've really missed him.

Zzzzzz...

Quite an emotionally draining week, taking in conflict with two dear friends and culminating in no fewer than four nightmares last night (it was like having every single emotional fear and issue played out for me in glorious Technicolor). Which is a cruddy excuse for not having compiled a post of my birthday weekend, but there it is.

Highlights from this week:

Pancake breakfast with flatmates

My flatmate getting on to the MSc course she wanted, and being there to congratulate her

My friend Helen landing her dream job in Bristol

Sitting on my bedroom floor drinking wine with The Boy last night, feeling like teenagers at a party (do teenagers drink wine? I think I did. And Archer's, but the less said about that, the better)

Finding what's likely to become my go-to summer dress (please let us have a summer!)

Have a lovely weekend, and don't forget to call your mums on Sunday!

Weekend!

waterloo book market, originally uploaded by rupertsanfordscutt.

It's been a quiet week, resulting in an "and erm... that's it!" after only a few minutes on the phone to my mother. I'm still very glad of the weekend, however. Sadly, I won't be seeing as much of The Boy as in previous weekends, but I'll happily amuse myself.

Plans include:
Bike riding (and mastering which way my gears go - whoever thought of making the gears go in opposite directions for each hand?)
Mooching for yet more books - have only bought two this week.
... And drinks for my birthday (which is on Monday)!

I should also cook something this weekend, I fear I'm getting rusty. As fun as pate on toast is, it doesn't compare to homemade lasagne. Not after a whole week of it for lunch anyway.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Things that make me giggle

Lindt bunnies, originally uploaded by Paperbacks and Plates.

On Monday, the oh-so-lovely Melanie asked for things that make her readers giggle. Here's mine.

It's so childish, but every single time I shout "WHAT?!?!" a giggle bubbles up through my chest and I end up clapping my hands together in delight. Simple things...

Things I love, things I don't

Things I love this morning:

Waking up in The Boy's arms, after sleeping alone for a few nights
Sunshine
Feeling virtuous for working on my day off
Tea and luxury fruit bread at Starbucks for breakfast

Things I don't love this morning:

Being asked if I want butter OR jam on said fruit bread. Dear lord, woman, it's clearly both! And whilst we're on the subject, honey is not jam. No sir
Reading that Starbucks still considers the price it pays for Fairtrade coffee an "additional reward" for coffee growing communities. Funny, I call it "a living wage"
The queue for the British Library. Fast-moving, necessary, but still uber-lame

The great pom-pom massacre (or, "why cats and crafts don't mix")

In a rare free moment (true, I could have been studying, but oh well), I was gripped by an urge to make something frivolous and festive. Somehow I have reached the age of 25 without ever having made a pom-pom. I decided to rectify this.

Thom, however, had other ideas about what to do with wool and cardboard (his two favourite things):

The great pom-pom massacre, originally uploaded by Paperbacks and Plates.