Exploring The Infinite Abyss

Job Insecurity!?!

2007-02-04T06:48:00.000-08:00

So, things are getting awkward at the library. On the one hand, we have quite a few people who have had letters threatening their jobs and livelihoods, on the other hand we have people who are off the hook (for the moment) and are feeling huge relief (again, just for the moment). Makes for interesting times, gut-wrenching, really...And who knows what the future holds for us - when will the people up on high realize that the library is a vital resource for the community? Or that we do so much more than just stamp books in and out for the people?

The Firefly/Serenity Test

2007-01-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

Your results:
You are Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)

Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)		85%
Malcolm Reynolds (Captain)		80%
Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic)		70%
Wash (Ship Pilot)		65%
Inara Serra (Companion)		60%
Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic)		60%
River (Stowaway)		50%
Derrial Book (Shepherd)		45%
Jayne Cobb (Mercenary)		25%
Alliance		10%
A Reaver (Cannibal)		5%

Dependable and trustworthy.
You love your significant other and
you are a tough cookie when in a conflict.

Turner Art Prize...

2007-01-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a couple of weeks now that we have been back in good old Blighty, and I am starting to feel it - my beige tan is not so glowing (or maybe I have just got used to it?) and the weather definitely wants me to know that I am not in sunny SA! In fact, we have had so much rain that they have lifted the hosepipe ban that has been in place for the past two years! Not that it is much use in winter, I mean, what are we going to do? Turn our cars into ice sculptures, freeze our herb planters? Hey, I think I just got an idea for the next Turner Art Prize.....

Christmas time in sunny South Africa

2006-12-24T11:38:00.000-08:00

Well, it is Christmas eve, and we have been sitting out on the verandah with our glasses of wine, after having a huge dinner. Even though it is raining tonight, it is still about 20C and very balmy. Tomorrow, we have to go to my sister's house and do it all over again - oh dear, another hard day in Africa!

We had lots of fun on the cruise and were sad for it to end. When we got off the boat, both CH and myself had sailor legs and a very dizzy head, which only went after three days and some meds from a friendly pharmacist. Still, it was worth it!

I just want to wish all my friends and colleagues a very merry Christmas and a happy new year! Hope the party went well and fun was had by all! Merry Merry Christmas!!!!!

Travel By Storm...the saga continues....

2006-12-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

So, we got to stay in a luxury hotel for a night, had a fantastic breakfast, and then ...we had to vacate the room by 1pm, so we hung around a cold airport for approximately 8 hours, which did not help CH, who had a cold and has now ended up with a chest infection. We eventually boarded our plane and arrived in Johannesburg, where the super-efficiency (not!!) caused us to miss our connecting flight, so we had to go on standby for the next plane going to Durban. Then, the airplane couldn't take off as there was a problem with one of the runways, so we had to queue to take off. Someone joked that they had stolen the runway, which was kind of funny when you know the crime stats for SA! We arrived in Durban around 1 o'clock, about 26 hours late, but still, we are here now.

Apart from CH's cold turning bad, we have had a good time. We are now on the cruise ship MSC Melody, and we have had a ball! Good food and good entertainment all round. CH has eventually gone to the ship's doctor, so he has antibiotics and is on the mend. Today, we stopped out at sea, off the coast of Mozambique, and we were taken across to Mozambique Island on a gemini rubber dinghy - what fun! They did a beach barbeque for lunch, but before that they took us over to Inhaca island - whew! talk about the fragrant aroma of Africa! They are busy building a hotel and do all sorts of water-sports, and they had some cool things to buy. But the weather was unbearably hot, so we ended up going back to the other island where we swam in the balmy waters (you could see littlr fish swimming around your legs - it was beautiful! We went back to the ship, had an afternoon sleep and then played bingo and CH won quite a bit of money. There was Karaoke as well which everyone was really festive about. Unfortunately, I woke up with an unsettled stomach this morning, and started a temp so I think it will be an early night for me.

To all my friends, I am missing you stacks. It costs me £2 to send a text, but only 40p to receive them, so don't be shy!!!

Tornado Alley!??

2006-12-08T01:56:00.000-08:00

So, we don't live in America, where all the tornadoes are, and one decides to hit London on the day we decide to fly to South Africa...perfect timing, right?

Our flight was delayed for an hour and a half, which had a strange effect on CH because he disappeared off and came back bearing gifts of expensive perfume and a teddy bear for moi! Tornadoes Rock!!!

We eventually got onto our plane, and the pilot gave us a running commentary on which planes would wait, and which ones wouldn't. Needless to say, ours didn't! Gloom and worry all around us, with reluctant congrats to those who could connect dragged out of we polite British folks.

We needn't have worried - hotel rooms and meals were laid on for us, and all our flights were rebooked for us before we even landed at Frankfort airport. Very Impressive!!! And thank goodness for a British passport! We just sailed through all the formalities, while we watched people with other passports having to go to some office and sort out visas, as the hotel was outside the airport zone, and thus on German soil. Bearing in mind that this was close to midnight and many of these people had small children with them. I think the airport staff were amazingly calm and patient and very professional with them, and very helpful too! I would definitely recommend Lufthanza and the Sheriton hotel if you have to get stranded!!

The hotel room is fantastic, the food is great and it is wonderful to be waited on by people who can't do enough to make your stay as pleasurable as they can. They even have internet access at reasonable prices, hence the blogging to while away the time.

So, our flight leaves tonight at 8.45, as long as there is no other tornado or vicious snowstorm to come along and extend our stay at the Sheriton, and we should arrive in Durban at 11.30 or so.

Stay posted for the next installment of "Travel By Storm" ....thr saga continues...

Warmer Climes...

2006-12-04T15:06:00.000-08:00

Well, it is only three more days until CH and I fly off to warmer weather for a well - deserved (I think!) holiday, and I am finally starting to get excited! It is really hard to keep my mind on work when all I can think about is what to pack, what I still need to buy, etc and of course, I am going to miss all my friends...

It has been a bit of an up and down end to the year, what with knee surgery (thanks to all my fantastic friends for all their support! I think they could set up in business - Acme - Invalid Entertainment and Support Team - they kept me well supplied with dvds, popcorn and crochet patterns?! and good company. They certainly made it easier for me to be house-bound). And, of course, the new car, christened Pierre by CH, which arrived the day after surgery so that I could only drool at the window. It was good incentive for me to hobble around the snooker table to the window at least once every ten minutes or so. It was a great moment when I was finally given the okay from the medical whosits to be able to drive! And I haven't looked back, except to check the rear view mirror every now and then!

Oh dear, my brain is back on the holiday once more... it's going to be good to just relax and chill out for a while, although the demands of family who haven't seen you for a year can get taxing. Luckily we can escape for a long weekend on a cruise which CH's mum kindly paid for. Unfortunately, she dislocated her hip so she can't join us for the cruise - a mixed blessing, on the one hand, I really like her and love her company, on the other hand we get to go on a romantic cruise all alone on the warm Indian Ocean....and it falls on our anniversary too! What's a girl to feel?

I can't wait!!!!!

That Car!!!

2006-10-27T13:04:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update -WE GOT THE CAR!!!!!
So you see, there is justice out there after all! Thanks to all my friends who were willing to wreak bodily havoc on 'the enemy'!

So, buying a second-hand car is easy, right?!?

2006-10-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been promising to tell this ludicrous story of my endeavours to buy a second-hand car, so here goes...
It all started one day as I was waiting at the bus-stop for yet another bus that did not arrive...this was it, I decided - Time To Buy A Car! Easy, you might think, just go down to a car dealer or two, pick the one you like and pay the cash! Wrong!!! Having trawled all the local dealers, and a few not so local ones, I came to the conclusion that they were vastly over-priced for what they were. Still, I kept on looking...and looking...and looking, but to no avail. Then the Cashmere Hobo came home one evening and said that his work were selling off a few of their fleet cars. Brilliant! The cars were listed up on the notice board, together with the asking prices. We discussed the cars and settled on a Renault Megane, and asked to see it... and this is where it all went pear-shaped. The car is a beauty, a lot of car for the money, so we put our money down on the table, as per the listed price. Great!.... NOT!!! The Cashmere Hobo gets an e-mail, thanking him for his cheque, but suddenly, there is a lot of interest in the car and so they think they might have to auction it off and sell it to the highest bidder.
This has caused a huge furore at his work-place, with people taking sides and talking nepotism, etc. and still the car sits there in the car-park and I am still catching a bus, when it decides to come along, and we all wait with bated breath to see what the next move is...As far as we are concerned, CH paid his money AT THE ASKING PRICE!!! so the car should be ours. Right?

We shall see....

Confusion Reigns

2006-10-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

I am not quite sure how this happened, but I now have a blog! All I wanted to do was post a message on a friend's blog and look where I am now. I might have to think about this unexpected move - all of a sudden the world is my oyster and anyone can read whatever drivel springs to mind. Oh well, enough of that for now. Speak to you later, maybe??