The Boy’s in India for 10 days at the moment doing training stuff for work.  Although we’ve emailed a couple of times, nothing replaces the sound of a voice, so I was happily surprised when he rang me just now.  I’m a bit galled that he seems to be staying in the lap of luxury (private beach-side hut with outside shower - why am I not there!), but none the less, it was great to talk.

A 10 minute chat with my best Boyzer has set me up for the weekend with a smile, now! Huzzah!

When I popped out at lunch I heard a debate on the Jeremy Vine show, sparked by a woman who’d left 12 million dollars to a dog, and then a further few billion to animal charities, in her will.

Some irate listeners were calling this a ‘wicked’ thing to do, as there were so many starving children in the world, and there was this mad woman giving a pup riches beyond its wildest dreams (not sure cash would be a canine dream).

Oof well, it made me cross to hear. I’m not an animal lover, but that wad is that woman’s - to do with what she liked, surely!? You can’t expect people to be forced to give their inheritance to stave off poverty and hunger - that’s the job of governments isn’t it?

The news that Imperial College withdrew its offer to a potentially brilliant medical student because he was convicted of burglary years ago whilst in his teens, is something I find really depressing. This stuffy institution says it wants to uphold the ‘trust’ of this profession but I find the decision completely short sighted and a sad reflection on what we are saying about who gets a second chance in life, and who doesn’t.

Majid Ahmed freely admits he made a mistake and has done more than most teenagers to put things right. He’s volunteered with charities, changed schools and has worked hard to become one of the brightest pupils from that school. The conviction was for burglary in 2005 - a very personal and upsetting crime for the victim, no doubt - but, it’s now spent, which I think should mean that it now can’t be held against him.

In past jobs I’ve worked with offenders in prisons and ex-offenders on community projects and have had very frank talks with them about their past, their crimes and their hopes for the future. One guy had been an armed robber using guns, and he talked to me about how it actually felt to pull a trigger. It was chilling, but honest - and it was powerful - the talks he gave to kids about gang culture really opened their eyes and, we hoped, put some of them off that path in life. The armed robber went on to get a degree whilst in prison, and on his release he was going to University to do a PhD in Philosophy. I didn’t come away from the prison thinking he was innately evil or couldn’t be trusted. He was someone who had taken a wrong turn and made a bad choice in life. He’d learnt from it.

Ahmed’s crime was nowhere near as violent as many of the prisoners I worked with, but like many I came into contact with, he’s been honest and learnt from this one bad choice. His isolation makes me worry about what we’re doing, as a society.

People seem to talk about giving others a second chance to improve themselves, reform and contribute to society - and then we deny them the opportunity when they are willing to do this. What’s that saying about us? “Sorry, but you might be a yobbo - you’re not coming in”. Imperial’s attitude is antiquated and discriminatory. I wouldn’t have any problems if I came across Ahmed as a doctor - he seems bright and honest about himself. Can those powers that be really assume that he’s going to duff up patients and nick stuff off wards? How can they be sure that someone with a squeaky clean past won’t turn out to be a mass murderer? The fact is, they can’t.

Rather than preserving trust in the medical profession, I think Imperial have just gone to prove that the profession is a ‘closed shop’. If your face doesn’t fit, you’re not in.

Hmmmm. I always knew this weekend would be tricky, but my detox diet has been completely submerged by a tide of beer, pastry, cakes and gin.  Whoops.

First off, it was my turn to do the Boy’s cricket tea for Saturday’s game. Now, I am competitive in everything I do - including baking.  So, Friday night was spent at the oven producing fresh pasties, two cakes (which didn’t rise to my expectations, quite literally) and the piece de resistance - a home made gala pie.  I knew that the one way I could smash every other WAG’s cricket tea effort out of the water would be to produce this pork and egg combo.  I think I did well - check it out:

And here’s the inside:

I’m not generally a fan of recipes involving lard, but this one worked for me.  After a bit of stress about the pastry holding up, it all turned out pretty damn well. I reckon I have this year’s cricket tea top marks in the bag. Result!

As you’d expect, my detox was compromised by the need to taste test some of the cricket tea - any cook work their salt does this, for sure.  So that was Friday gone.
Saturday was no better, in fact it was a lot worse - owing to a hen bash.  A rugby girl’s hen do is bound to be messy, so I was psyched up for beer drinking.  A light soup at lunch was a good option, I thought - until I then started drinking and realised there wasn’t enough stodge in my belly to compensate for the beers.  I carried on regardless and found myself, three beers and three gins later, on the waltzer at the fair next door to the rugby club.  Really, not a good move.  Didn’t mix well. Bad times.

After a big trough, I decided to plough on through - which meant eating lots of burgers and crisps.  The second wind came along and I partied on until the early hours.  Again, not a good option diet wise in terms of beer and burgers, but needs must.  An almighty hangover yesterday meant I had to keep eating grease (it’s the only thing that works for me) - so it was crisps, egg butties and peanut butter on toast all day.  So, detox is definitely shot to bits, it’s fair to say.

This morning I was full of good intention, starting with high-fibre cereal.  I packed up loads of fresh fruit and a healthy prawn sandwich for lunch.  But, I’ve just sat at my desk and realised I’ve left my lush packed lunch on the front door step (the handy place to put stuff on your way out the door) - boo it.  I’m not back till late tonight so will find a whiffy fish sarnie growing ever more rancid on my return.  Oh well.  I will have to try and seek out some healthy stuff from the canteen…but I’m not holding out much hope.

Well, yesterday I did well at the cricket, even if I do say so myself. Packed up herring with green chilli (no mackerel or snapper available at Mozza’s), along with raw veg crudite, hummus (sp?), fresh fruit salad and for the boy - some crisps.

We smugly ate it whilst Somerset got bowled out in great fashion by Northants and my only lapse was a half of lager. Hardly devilish for a cricket spectator! We only got a few overs of the second innings, owing to rain - my excitement that I might get back in time to watch Gok’s new show was then rained on by the Boy, who insisted on watching the footie. “You said yourself, it’s rubbish TV” he gloated, whilst turning up the volume on the footie game. “Yeah, but it’s GOOD rubbish.” I replied, before huffing off to do jobs instead.

After that sidetrack, here’s Day Five of detox-a-rama:

brekkie - not much time, so grabbed slice rye bread with peanut butter on the way to the physio. 50mins of pain ensued with my physio claiming he wanted to ‘test’ my knee. Particularly testing was the sprint drills on a trampette, followed by backwards cycling on a weighted bike. I was one sweaty beast at the end - even had sweat on my elbows (elbows?!)

lunch - bean and veg soup again, for ease. Plus crudite and hummus, and fresh fruit (apricot, nectarine, apple)

dinner - beef tomatoes, stuffed with coriander and chickpea stuff. Prob some fresh fruit and yogurt for afters.

So, how am I feeling after five days? Well, I’d say OK, and probably less bloated owing to lack of wheat stuffs - but also feeling completely knackered (prob more to do with my social life, rather than the detox). The fact I’m not doing it to the letter, with the recommended exercises, probably counts against me. However, I’m going to keep going for a bit to give it a fair crack.

Having said that, I’ve a hen do at the weekend for one of the rugby girls - I can’t see brown rice and carrot juice featuring in that evening! Mmmmmm. Beeeeeeeer.

Hmmm. Slid a bit since the last post on this. But here goes, anyway:

Day Three

Brekkie - boiled egg, slice rye bread

Snack - one teeeency weency macaroon biccy in work meeting.

Lunch - Work lunch out at Pizza Express. Yikes.  Chose the chicken and roast veg salad, but did eat the dough sticks. Oops.  And had a glass of red wine.  Oops. (but red wine=good, so I’m not counting it)

Dinner - steamed chicken, brown rice + fruit and yoghurt

Day Four

brekkie - forgot to pack up my rice cakes and marmite, so after a trip to the gym I settled on honey, natural yoghurt and a sprinkle of museli from the canteen, with a fresh apricot.

lunch - baked sweet potato with hummus, plus a nectarine and green salad

dinner - green chilli grilled sardines/red snapper/mackerel (depends what’s in the shops) with salad. Going to watch 20/20 tonight so will try to avoid beer….

After a splurge weekend in terms of calories (including ‘empty’ ones from Irn Bru WKD - what was I thinking?), I’m trying the BodyDoctor’s menu plans for a week or so.  I’m not doing the prescriptive exercise he recommends, owing to gammy knee, but I am being a gym regular.  As far as eating’s concerned, I think I have a short food attention span and I tend to get bored with rice cakes - I fancied something different to counting points too, so I reckoned this was as good a blitz as any…

Anyhoo, assuming I remember to, I’ll provide an insight into my eating habits for the week.

Here’s Day One:

Brekkie - berry and yoghurt smoothie (drank on the way to work, coming from the gym, totally lush)

Lunch - 2 egg omlette with salad, fruit (melon, cherries, apricot, apple)

Dinner - Black Bean Balti with brown rice: very nice and very filling, I didn’t need any dessert, huzzah!

Day Two - currently in progress:

brekkie - warm fruit kebabs with lemon and honey glaze (apricot, straws, banana, kiwi) - made earlier and cooled down and packed up to eat at my desk, owing to another early morning gym visit.  They were yum. But cold.

lunch - bean and veg soup (butter beans, fine green beans and some sweet potato in there as well as usual suspects of carrots, onions etc), plus some fruit (melon, strawberries, fresh apricot)

dinner tonight - chicken provencale (thighs and legs) with brown rice and some fruit and yoghurt.

You’ll know from this post, and this post, that I’ve been trying on Wedding Dresses for a while, with varying degrees of hilarity and disgust.

Anyhoo, Saturday was decision day, as I took along a gang to look at my shortlist, with the aim of ordering one (no point hanging about, eh?).  In the gang was younger sis (+ BM), Best Mate (also a BM), Mother and adopted Grandma Joan - all honest, supportive and raring to go.

The five of us got on with the job well. In the first shop, where I tried a close contender on, Best Friend was very useful in taking pics on her phone to compare later and Ma was good in helping me rule it out (she’d seen the hot fave dress before).

Then we popped to Heart of the Shires, where a relative has a gorgeous hairdressers, also selling accessories.  They have got some really nice, high end, bespoke stuff available and will basically get stuff made how I want it. I like that!  The BMs tried on some fab fascinators, including a pearl/crystal wire one which we were keen on, then it was my turn.  As I sat to try on a tiara, all the women gathered round cooing, pampering and preening. I decided, I could get used to this.  It was great to hear advice from the experts about how it might look, and one of the tiaras I tried was absolutely beautiful. I was keen - but the dress has to come first!

After lunch it was on to our final destination, Shop for Brides in Daventry, and basically I’d already decided I wanted the dress I tried there.  When Ma and I went before, we were so so keen on it - I was hoping it would be just as good again. The shop lady was absolutely lovely - really down to earth and helpful. She was on hand throughout and a welcome change from some of the snottier wedding dress shop people I’ve come across.

The girls all made the right sounds when I emerged with the get up on, and lots of preening, adjusting the train and playing with the fabric went on.  I walked around, sat down, swished round and my mind was made up. This was the frock for me.  I just didn’t want to take it off!  The lovely lady showed my Ma how to do up the back and adjust stuff and the BMs were fab in getting me a veil on and providing feedback.  Everyone was keen, I was keen, and decided this was IT.  After about 30 mins swanning round after that I thought I had best take it off at last before they think I am a psycho, so off it came and it was group hugs all round.

I felt very lucky to have my girls there with me on Saturday - it’s a massive decision and I can’t believe I don’t get to see the frock again until next YEAR!  I’m SO excited now I have that bit done.  In a wedding daze, I spent the rest of the day trying not to spill any beans to H2B, whilst being ultra excited - in my fervour I was efficient enough to order invite samples and start checking some websites for shoe options…bring it on!!

Random one here.  Today I’ve seen the following things, which I think are good:

1. A man who was going round the street this morning picking up newspaper that had blown out of his recycling box.

2. A man driving a van, whilst smoking a really old-style pipe

3. Someone wearing a cravat

4. Plurk - I think it’s good, but I’m scared of yet another new social networking thingy

5. Our office fish, looking slightly plump but lovely

6. The spits of rain - my garden SO needs it - bring it on…

That’s all for now!

Just spotted this on MediaMonkey, that the Knight Rider car is for sale. At 27k, it’s well out of my range but just imagine - someone is going to be owning a car that the Hoff sat in! What a legendary series - I loved Knight Rider, particularly the ‘turbo boost’ function that K.I.T.T had, and the fact that the Hoff’s chest hair was on full display. 

K.I.T.T. is fabulous, but other cars closer to my heart/house/wallet are the two ‘fun’ vehicles we own.  We are a four-car, two-person household. Sounds v unenvironmentally friendly, non?  Well, here’s some slight justification - 2 cars are workhorse, commuter cars, purely for going to and from work and going on boring trips.  The others are our fun time cars. 

The first is ‘Audrey’ - a 1977 green MG midget with a soft top. She’s a labour of love, we got her in a bit of a state and she hadn’t been driven for 5 years.  We worked SO hard on the old girl and I did my best to spray paint new panels, whilst the boy did the techy stuff. Unfortunately Audrey looks like the paint job was done by the army, but otherwise she rocks.

Anyhoo, after wangling an MOT last summer, our first trip was to Devon. She made it there, she didn’t make it back. Thank goodness for the RACman!  During the winter she was in the garage and the Boy re-built the engine from scratch. Last night she emerged, and whizzed round the block - huzzah!  Now I need good weather, a headscarf and my 50’s sunglasses.

  The other ‘car’ anyway, if you’d call it that, is our Bedford CF camper van.  Not a cute wee VW special, this guy is a monster. ‘Trevor’ as I call him is humongous, and only just fits on our driveway.  The imposing white beast is in good nick generally, particularly the interior, but doesn’t yet move.  Last night the boy managed to get him going a wee bit, but we’ve yet to test him out properly.  My job is making curtains and cushions, and generally funking Trevor up a bit.  Here he is:

Both cars I love and to top it, we’re planning on using them in the wedding next year - Audrey will transport the H2B and best man to the wedding, then us as Mr and Mrs to the reception.  I have to do a massive clean so I don’t get oil on the frock, and a proper paint job on both wouldn’t go amiss.  Then, the plan is we’ll camper van round Ireland in Trevor.  If the beast doesn’t move, we might end up spending our honeymoon in a layby on the way to Wales.  Nice!

Unreliable, slightly manky as these 2 cars are, I’d have em over KITT any day.
  

Tags: KnightRider, KITT, Camper van, honeymoon, MG, Midget