Totallytheatre.com – two top boys! September 30, 2008

Very proud of my theatre-luvvie brother this week as he’s launched his website totallytheatre.com after months and months of hard work.  All his previous experience on Price Drop TV has come to fruition as his video clips look really quite good (glad he’s ditched the purple suits though).  I’m not sure what it is about my older siblings and risky work changes, but there seems to be a pattern emerging.  First my older sis changes career from BBC to outward bound instructing to wine merchant, and now my bro has swapped singing, dancing and acting for the virtual world.

Here’s hoping that totallytheatre.com is a great success. It looks fantastic, with lots of whizzy embedded video, and a whole host of interviews and behind the scenes stuff – there doesn’t seem to be anything out there competing with it either.

On another note, yesterday I watched the Bruce Parry BBC2 Amazon programme.  I totally love this guy!! He is so genuine and completely respectful of the cultures he is going into.  His enthusiasm is so infectious to the point that people really adopt him into their world – last night the loggers in the Amazon were talking about  setting him up with their sisters and he revisited a tribe he met two years ago, coming across his namesake, a toddler named “Bruce”.  Bless!

Back to rugby, with a bang! err, and a graze. and a bruise September 29, 2008

Yesterday our rugby team played the British Army ladies trial team and flipping heck it was hard work!  Not only was the sun beating down on us and the ground subsequently like concrete, we were facing people who get paid to stay fit – after 70mins this was a combo that I was not liking!

However, it was ace to play a hard game of rugby and come out the other end unscathed – a big test for my knee.  I managed to score a couple of tries and make some decent tackles (although I missed a couple, thanks to top handing off from their centre).  In a wierd way, I enjoyed getting stuck in and bashed about.  Although the slam dunk tackle that was followed by a swift bosh to my head and neck was not so fun!

The result of this ace game is I’m feeling it big time today.  Sinking into the post-match bath yesterday my grazed arms and knees were stinging away and today my ribcage is very very sore.  Could it be that I’ve unintentionally carried out my rib-cage shrinkage plan of breaking my own ribs?  My bruised bicep is tender as hell and I’m convinced some of my colleagues think I’m a battered wife (they should see my other half – no chance!).

All told, it was an excellent game against a flipping hardcore side.  We managed to win, which was exhilirating, but more important show that we’re ready to wage war on our league opponents this year.  We’re facing Old Leams ladies on Sunday and I know all of us are just champing at the bit to get stuck in.

Bring it on!

Olney RFC: exciting times… September 26, 2008

Last night I was at the open meeting that Olney Rugby Club held, to offer information on the Doff’s Field project. The club is purchasing a plot of land out the back and will transform this once neglected agricultural field into top class rugby playing facilities.
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There were lots of positive noises from everyone at the meeting last night – I think we all realised that this is a momentous moment in the rugby club’s history and it’s going to give us absolutely top drawer pitches, as well as lots of space for the kiddy stuff.

The challenge now is for the club to raise the £100,000 needed to complete the purchase – by August next year. It’s a big ask, and every member of the club is going to have to pull their finger out to help raise the cash.

I’m already limbering up for a sponsored bike ride to Rugby and back…(via some pubs, I hope!)

London Underground: Heaven on earth September 23, 2008

Yesterday I was in London for a work event and as I was waiting for a circle line tube (important that, as you can get phone reception in the station), someone’s mobile started going off.

The shrill melody of Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” shrieked out across the platform, coming from all places, from the pocket of a male pensioner. A male pensioner! How good is that!!  He looked tres embarrassed as he whipped out the phone and switched it off but the cred damage was done already.

I actually laughed out loud at this, which did nothing to reinforce the image I like to project of a go-getting career girl with nice shoes.  It wasn’t just the fact that an old man had Belinda as his ring tone – it was the song of the weekend on our last rugby tour so I was having comedy flashbacks of people dressed as flamingos and minibus mishaps

The down side of some chuckles out loud is more apparent in London than anywhere else.  Smirking and giggling to one’s self in the Underground for no obvious reason is tantamount to wearing a sign saying “I am a freak, steer clear”…

Is arm-o-suction an actual thing? September 16, 2008

Cos, if it is, I might like it please…

 

I’ve just been looking back at some pics of me and specifically my 30th, where i wore a strapless dress to my partay.  And, Oh My God, the size of my arms!! I have to cut a WEDDING cake next year and clearly my arms look twice the size of a normal persons…this is not boding well for The Big Day where I simply have to look My Most Beautiful….ever…

 

It’s not paranoia, or that I’m an obese bingo-winged lady, or that I have some kind of body dysmorphia.  This is a fact – I got Big Arms, dude!

 

Cos I’m sporty and play rugger, I have quite good upper body strength, so my arms aren’t flabby – they are just…well…big.  I also tend to ‘bulk’ whenever I do free weights.  My shoulders and arms just are inclined to put on muscle mass rather than tone down.  I’ve tried big weights, smaller weights, no weights – i still have big oofing biceps.  I’m not Madonna, mind, just yet…

 

My belief in my big-armed-ness is compounded by the fact that one of my mateys, on seeing a pic of me waving once, noted “You’ve got man’s arms!!”.  Luckily I was drunk at the time and we collapsed in hysterics for a while.

 

The other fact that backs up my big bicep belief, is when out on the town and quite drunkard, my other half sometimes asks me to tense my arms to show off my muscley physique.  In the early days before my realisation that I had manly muscles, I would gladly arm-wrestle and bulge the biceps with the best of them, to the shock/impressed faces of my mates. 

 

These days I’m much more coy, realising that actually I’d prefer some nice lady arms which are slim and lush and not difficult to get one hand round.  To me, this is soooo much more elegant.  Short of operating to cut a half length off each bicep, I’m not sure what the solution is.  Possibly, like my posts on my ribs, pilates could hold the key.

Biscuit of the week takes the biscuit September 12, 2008

My colleague’s just had a choccy biccy thrown at her which got me wondering what this week’s Biscuit Of The Week is on Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down.  I was appalled to see that the Club Milk, which I referred to in this post, has been up there as the Biscuit of the Week since mid-August.

Now come on, there’s a whole world of biscuits out there – get updating the site, gang!  I had a lovely hob-nob earlier this week and that’s always a winner with me…especially when dunked in a strong hot cuppa tea.  Having a brew now – wish I had a biscuit.

Things that are annoying me today September 11, 2008

As you can tell from the title, this post will be a bit of a rant. I feel I’m being quite negative lately, sorry about that as I’m usually a sunny optimistic person, but sometimes you gotta let off steam, ain’t cha!  Most of these are petty and silly but then it’s those kinds of things that wind me up…so here goes.

1. People who don’t pay their tea money then keep drinking stuff I’ve paid for.

2. People who I leave a message for who don’t call me back.

3. Nicky Campbell on Five Live breakfast.  He just annoys me full stop.

4. Slackers. I can’t say any more on that.

5. I’ve got to Five and run out.  That actually makes me feel better as I thought I’d have a list as long as my arm.  Aaah, and now some lush Oasis tune has come on to Last.fm.  I guess today is getting better and better…

And to continue the upbeat vibe I’m ending on, tonight I’ve got lovely book/wine club with my buddies – we have been reading R.J.Ellory’s A Quiet Belief in Angels which has been totally excellent. I recommend!

How to survive a massive to do list September 10, 2008

OK, I get stressed at the thought of my to-do list more than I get anxious at actually doing the list.  Last night was a case in point – I had fooooking loads on that had to be done that night.  It’s always compounded by a really busy week where I’m out each night and busy every lunchtime, making everything completely time sensitive and mostly, urgent.

Here’s how my evening went:

- calm start to the evening with lovely Pilates (last night’s session involved the foam roller contraption.  Wierd, but surprisingly good)

- rush home – get in and put dinner on.  Can’t bear ready meals so last night it was lamb with roasted tomatoes, low fat chips, broad beans and carrots.  Give The Boy instructions to watch the dinner.

- multi task whilst dinner is cooking by printing off flat inventory for new tenant moving in today.  Take wash out and hang up.  Put new wash on.  Pack rugby kit for tomorrow’s training.  Speak to The Boy before he heads off to the pub quiz.

- eat dinner and go to rental flat.  Check new carpet’s ok – drive to carpet fitters to pay and collect spare keys.  Drive to mate’s house to drop off spare keys for tenant to collect tomorrow.

- Go back to flat and paint wall whilst chatting to older sis on the phone.  Hoover flat, reconstruct bed, put furniture back and put curtains up.  Finish cleaning and polishing.

- Go to Tesco (it’s now 11pm) cos there’s no time tomorrow or Thursday (I’m out both evenings) and the work girls are over on Friday. Buy stuff for Friday dinner plus a new hoover for the flat.

- Go back to flat to put in new hoover and last few bits.

- Get home and unpack shopping (it’s now 12.15am).  Down a pint of squash and find The Boy asleep on sofa.  Quick chat to check he won the quiz, then it’s up the wooden hill.  Phew!

And the morning after survival recommendation:

- wake up feeling like crap.  Big mug of tea, plus echinacea and multi vitamin tablets to ward off potential side effects of being run down.

A bracing return to rugby September 8, 2008

Yesterday was our first run out of the rugby season and it was also my first game back since a horrid knee injury in October last year. (Boo to knees, by the way – they don’t look pretty, they aren’t well designed, they are tweaked easily.  Me no like.)

I’ve been rehabbing like a maniac to try and get the knee back up to fitness and to avoid an operation (which is really icky for my injury, don’t cha know), and finally I got the chance to step back on the beloved pitches of Olney yesterday.  Unfortunately our opposition could only bring 10 players – but after a bit of lending and muddling through, we were on.

Honestly? I was crapping myself with nerves at this first game back.  I had three lucky trips to the toilet that morning (work that out yourself, people) and had carbo loaded so much that I’m sure Michael Phelps would have been proud of me.  The game started ok, although I knew in my mind that I being a bit of a wimp and was holding back.

I find irritation with oneself is good motivation to change so after an internal conversation involving the mantra “do it, fucking do it!” (hat tip to Robyn for that one) I was re-charged.  The next time I got the ball I ignored everyone else outside me shouting for it (hmmm. They had lots of space.  I was facing a wall of defence. Tunnel vision perhaps?) and boshed it.  I managed to get through a few tacklers and over the line for one of the sweetest tries I’ve ever scored.  The game got better as my confidence grew and faith in the knee meant I could forget about it.  I’m also keen to forget about my attempts at conversions (one out of three)!

I have better hair than Peter Richards

The second half brought me another try as I managed to slip through a gap and find myself with the best part of half a pitch, empty, in front of me.  At full fitness, this is a dream scenario.  On return from injury?  Nightmare.  “Sodding hell” I thought – I’ve got to bloody run now.  Try line beckoning, I was off, and managed it. Hoopla!

Today, I’m feeling good. I even went for a lunchtime run.  But I think the fearfulness will be back in 2 weeks as we have our first league game, and then the following week face the British Army rugby triallists.  Now those will be a test – if I come through those intact, I reckon I’m fixed for the season (touching wood, crossing fingers – crossing arms, legs and eyes as well).

Booty pain from boot camp September 5, 2008

Last night I went to ‘boot camp’ at a local leisure centre with some buddies from work.  We’d already tried another ‘body pump’ session a few weeks ago but I barely broke a sweat so wanted something a bit more hard core.

Hard core?  This was like Billy Blanks on drugs! (I love Billy Blanks’ Tae Bo exercise vid, especially when he talks to me through the screen saying “I can see you working!” whilst I’m sitting down drinking water).  My Cher Fitness (yes, I actually have done this – although not in the rancid outfits!) and Cindy Crawford videos were no preparation for this.  It was basically a circuits session but possibly the hardest one I’ve ever been to – which Rob will vouch for too.  As Rob says, us two are competitive types and being next to a group of lads fired up my legs for most of the session at least and I vainly tried my darndest to keep up with them, if not beat them.  I also got done for yawning, with 5 press ups as a punishment! Ooooof.

The good news is that this must have meant that I burnt about 40million calories as I sweated out pints and pints and pints.  The bad news is that as a result I had a beetroot-face, arms like jelly, a smelly t-shirt and enough sweat in my hair to make it look like I hadn’t washed it for a month.  Skankville!

To make matters worse I then had to go straight to the rugby club as I was on voluntary bar duty that night.  I managed to cool off a wee bit in the car but felt the effects long into the night as my right butt cheek gradually became achy and numb.  Doing bum stretches behind the bar whilst trying to serve lager and keep some semblance of dignity is not easy!

Well, all said, it was still an ace of base session and I reckon we’ll be going back.  Although next time I will not yawn, I will wear a vest instead of a thick t-shirt, and I will bring a 2 litre water bottle!