Treesiepops’s blog

I'm getting extremely bad at writing this thing.  I think it's because I don't really feel like I've got much of interest to write.  My life's pretty dull and normal and not much exciting happens..

I have a new job!  It starts next week.  I'm kind of sad to be leaving the old place but so much has changed recently that I most definitely think it's time to go experience something new.  The new job is only a six month contract which scares me a little bit, but hopefully I'll get something positive out of it and it will all be good experience. 

I'm trying really hard not to spend too much money as well.  I think I'm doing ok, despite buying a £55 bag this month.  It just means I have to think about what I buy before I buy it (and writing everything down on a spreadsheet is both scary and good).  Also, my bank do this service now where they'll send me a text every monday with my current balance and the last 5 transactions on my account.  This means I'm not allowing myself to stick my head in the sand like I do so well.  I've been a bit slack about doing my spreadsheet this week, but I think I've just about guesstimately written everything down.

My mum returned from her four month stay in France and so I went home last weekend.  I had a lovely time and managed to fit in seeing the terror-kids, my best friend, an argument about sweet potatoes in the middle of a chav-filled supermarket with my mother, and some lovely walks around Dinton.  It was so ace to see my mum and the dogs, and it's strange how quickly it felt like they'd never left.  I thought the dogs would be a bit confused but they weren't at all..They got home at about 9pm, went mental for an hour, slept for about 12 hours and then it was like they'd never left. 

The terror-kids are lovely as always.  Only Grace is a terror really.  She's learned to walk and there's no stopping her now.  I'm actually slightly worried about how much she's going to terrorise my cousin, her husband and Alex when she can talk too.  When I was at their house, Alex was lying on the floor playing something and was obviously in Grace's way.  I'm sure a normal just-learned-to-walk child would sit down and whinge or something, but no, not Grace.. she actually tried to walk ON ALEX'S HEAD.  hm.

I haven't written for a long while, and I also haven't read for a long while, so I hope that none of you have made any earth-shattering announcements via blog only.

I had lunch with my aunt today.  She was in London getting her contact lenses sorted (don't ask why she has to come to London; there are no opticians in Reading clearly) and she always offers to buy me lunch when she's up here.  I took her to a local favourite (The Cumberland) where we saw OZ CLARKE and I had a loovely lamb tagine.  Anyway, this isn't the point. 

The point is that she started kind of slagging off my brother.  Not in a "your brother's a wanker" kind of way (she's my aunt, she wouldn't), but in a kind of "oh he's not looking after the house while your mother's in France" or "oh he's 28 going on 11".  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm my brother's biggest critic; we're like chalk and cheese (me being cheese because cheese is so tasty and good, but slightly bad for you).  I have no difficulty saying similar things about my brother to my mum, and I do often have "heated debates" with her about his apparent uselessness.

But, the moment my aunt started on about him I could feel my hackles raised. I really really had to bite my tongue and stop myself turning into a defensive teenager, saying something like "yeah well, you smell!"

It's strange how immediate families, no matter how much they pretend not to get on, invoke the strongest loyalties.

(p.s. my brother is 28 going on 11, and hasn't been looking after the house properly)

What are the 10 foods you must have in your refrigerator and/or your kitchen cabinet? 
Submitted by Carol.  

Well, there's the boring stuff and the less boring stuff... so can I list 10 of each?

Boring

tomato pureee

lazy garlic

lazy chilli

marigold vegetable bouillon (the reduced salt one dahling)

tins of chopped tomatoes

brown pasta

brown rice

couscous

saltandpepperandoliveoil

Less Boring

wholemeal pitta bread

beetroot

gherkins/cucumber spears

salt and vinegar snack a jacks

mushrooms

dark chocolate (of the posh variety.. bendicks or something, comes in 5 cute sized bits) ((I don't have any at the moment))

extra light salad cream (because SC is about the only sauce I get cravings for)

sparkling water (or at least bottled water even if it isn't sparkling)

tinned mackerel (or tinned tuna at least)

tinned chickpeas

jesus, both those lists are boring.

It's amazing how good it can feel when you take the higher moral ground and act maturely whilst at the same time basically making someone else feel as small as a bit of gravel.  It's like a little bit of power has shifted, not much, but just enough to tip the balance from making one feel shit to making one realise that the other person is the shit.

And this is why girls are better than boys, because it's all about the delivery of the blow and not the blow itself.

(yeah, sure it's a generalisation but do I look like I care?)

I'm having a lot of a *fucking shit week* but there are some things that I'm looking forward to in the near future that are making it all a bit better.  I thought I should list them to remind myself.  They're mostly music related, I need a new hobby:

- The New Forest - I'm going camping there this weekend and the weather looks to be glorious!  5 girls on a campsite in the New Forest.  I hope they're ready for us.

- Leamington Spa - I'm going with 3 of my friends to visit one of our friends who lives there now.  It should be a good weekend, although I'm not even 100% sure where Leamington Spa is..

- Reading Festival - I've been every year since I was 16 (I think, I might have missed a year..) and so it's kind of a part of my life.  I always always have a good time.  It's over the bank holiday weekend in August and I'm counting down the days.

- David Ford - I'm seeing him tonight and next Wednesday because he's playing two really small gigs in London at the Soho Revue Bar.  I'm utterly in love with the man.  His new album is also available to download on Monday (although not physically out until October which seems a little odd).  Anyway, I think I know all of the songs on it in a live capacity and I was a bit scared that recording them would ruin them but from the ones I've heard, and from preview clips of the others I can say I'm really really excited.

- Josh Ritter - So yes, he's a bit country.  Yes, he's a bit folksy.  Yes, he comes from Idaho (no udaho etc).  Enough with the scrunched up noses.  Josh Ritter is awesome.  Not only is he awesome he's also the smiliest man in the entire history of the world.  His new album is out (on import) on 21st August, but look go preview it here!

- Rilo Kiley - they have a new album out soon too, and the new single isn't much like the last RK albums, but I do like it.  I'm seeing them on 20th August or something, anyway. I would turn gay for Jenny Lewis.

I'd forgotten I even had this song on my MP3 player.  I love it more than anyone could ever actually think possible:

Funnily enough, this resides in the "various" folder, and is followed by another of my most favourite songs in the entire world:

I'm not really sure fans of The Used would appreciate someone putting them in the same journal entry as Busted..

So, I'll freely admit that when it comes to song lyrics sometimes I *do* hear the wrong words and it does take me a while to work out I've heard them wrong.

There's a new single by Kings of Leon called Fans.  I really like the song, but I have to say

WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY ACTUALLY SINGNG?!

Is it just me that can't understand about 80% of the words?!

Audio: Share the song that will get you dancing...every time! 
Submitted by foxsydee.

I'm an indie club kind of girl, although I haven't been to one in forever, so these are the kinds of songs that make me dance (and invoke really good memories of friends and having fun):

my friend Henri and I have our very own special dance to Hounds of Love.  If you've seen us do it, you're truly blessed..

Many a drunken dance has been had to this.. many a drunken tube/nightbus journey has involved singing some kind of rendition of this..if you've heard me doing this you're truly unlucky..

What's the longest boat ride you've ever been on?

when I was 15 or so I went on a school trip.  Now, you have to remember I went to a private school, so perhaps I got the opportunity to go on special school trips (although they cost money!).  This particular school trip was a cruise around the mediterranean which my gran paid for me to go on (I'm not money). 

Picture the scene - a massive cruise ship full of school kids - it was amazing! I'm pretty sure I had an amazing time although I have to say I can't remember much about being on the actual ship..

In all seriousness I was extremely lucky to go because I got to visit some places I'm sure it's probably not best to go to now, including Jerusalem and Bethlehem.  I also got to visit Istanbul, the Dead Sea, Cairo (and the Pyramids) and Crete..

I think that's the longest boat ride I've ever been on (albeit with land-stops in between), and I'm so pleased I went.

as an aside - Jerusalem is an amazingly beautiful city, and there's something deeply spiritual about the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (says a deeply unreligious person) - I guess it was something to do with so many people being there and believing in something.

I also remember tat sellers (think t shirts, anything) blessing said tat on the stone of anointing in the Church of The Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.