Tag Archives: General Rambling

Moving; Dino steals packing tape; other things

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Well, it’s now Thursday as I wished. And, to be honest, I’m glad that yesterday is over even if everything is not perfectly sorted.

However, I do not have internet access right now. It is a post all on its own, so I will save it until later.

Yesterday was the whole range of emotions. I woke at four. Dozed until 5.45. Got to bed just after midnight. I am quite tired, as I’m sure you can imagine.

I went round to the flat the night before and had absolute panic as it was SO SMALL! So much so that I could not imagine how everything would fit in. This is part of the reason I was awake at four. I was going through different scenarios – would I have to get them to take some of it away; would I be able to sleep on the bed or would that be impossible – the place being stacked floor to ceiling with boxes.

The removal company arrived. I was, by this time going completely insane with worry, panic and about every other emotion you could imagine.

Dino, I found when I was packing some days earlier, really liked the sound of the packing tape being pulled out. You know, it makes that kind of screech (for want of a word that isn’t in my head) and it must be a particular pitch that he liked or, at least, found fascinating. First, as I was stretching the tape out to put over a box, he would be there, right in my face. A couple of times, if I put it on the floor or chair or something low enough for him to reach, I would turn round and find that it was suddenly gone and would then be trying to find Dino to retrieve it.

The removal men did quite a bit of packing, including putting protective packaging around pieces of furniture. Obviously, they were not, immediately, aware of Dino’s fascination. Until, after a very short while, Dino found that they were much more fun as they kept putting down a roll of tape within his reach, usually, on the floor. And so it became a game for him of trying to get hold of a roll of tape.

The men found this very funny and endearing. I spent nearly all my time, when not explaining something to the men, checking to see where Dino was and retrieving the roll of tape from him to give back to them.

And once, I actually saw him doing it – he was watching the man who was pulling out the tape; like any good thief, as the man put the tape down, he edges round a little so that he wasn’t going for the tape directly, then he almost crept forward, until he was there by the roll; snatching it quickly he then high-tailed it as fast as he could out of the room and to his bed! I watched him do this and couldn’t help but laugh. He’s not really a stupid dog, after all!

I did ask the removal men, several times, if they wanted me to shut him away but they seemed quite in love with him. They thought the stealing of the rolls of tape was quite funny too. Dino had many strokes and compliments during the morning. I left them (the dogs) in the old flat whilst moving into the new one as it was/is much smaller and I wouldn’t be able to shut them away anywhere. One of the men seemed quite disappointed that he wasn’t with me! Anyway, they do not seemed stressed at all.

By the afternoon I felt quite a lot better. Not only did all the stuff fit in (and I was able to sleep in my bed) but I now know it will be fantastic when everything is sorted. And, although there are lots of boxes, not as many as I thought. In fact, as they were finishing, I couldn’t believe it was all the stuff and asked them! To which they replied that it was! They also liked the new flat. Later A&F came round (last night) (I needed A to help with the internet connection) and they both said it was lovely but I think F really liked it as she said it was exactly the sort of place that she liked.

One problem, or, rather, potential problem, is that, the only door that actually closes shut is the one to the bathroom! Lets’ see how that goes but I may have to do something very fast to keep the boys separate whilst I am not in the house! I’ll let you know.

Flaky friends.

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I feel better – from time to time. I wish it were Thursday.

In the meantime, flaky friends aren’t helping. Some just made general offers of help (so I can’t blame them really) and others specifically arranged appointments and told me not to worry ‘cos they would be there.

But they’re not.

Incredible! So now I’m certainly on my own (oh, yes, with a load of people who are the actual movers).

But that’s tomorrow.

I did receive some good news at work, so that’s something. And the weather is still good and it should stay like this for tomorrow, which will be very good. At least my stuff won’t get wet!

It’s not all great, you know?

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I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. The last few posts have been quite upbeat. The reality, though, in my head, is quite different.

I am, to be frank, scared shitless. I move on Wednesday. The movers are booked. The gas and Electric and Telephone have all been sorted (although we are in Italy so it doesn’t actually mean that it will all happen without any hitches). But none of this matters.

V has been extraordinarily nice recently. And yet, as I write, he has nowhere to move to and has made no alternative plans. And, in spite of the niceness, I am pretty sure the lies continue. I’m not sure he will actually really believe this is happening until I move out. It should have been him moving first.

I am waiting for something – but I have no idea what. Something that he is going to say or do, at the last moment. Now, with everything arranged, it does not and cannot change anything. And, perhaps, that is what scares me so much. There is a finality to it all.

I remain polite and try to be friendly. I succeed most of the time. The Final Question was asked and agreed to but it became harder to achieve – but not because I didn’t try. However, it almost seem irrelevant now.

This weekend will be packing, for certain. There are many things where it has not been decided who has what. This must be resolved – and this weekend.

I am also very sad. It hit me, again, whilst I was away. For the first time since I can remember, I had no one to phone/text. Little things, I know but, overriding all that was that no one was waiting for me to come home. It will only be the dogs that keep me sane.

I am very excited.

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I am. I am almost unable to control myself with excitement. OK, maybe that’s just a little over the top.

The point is that I quite like the look of my blog. I adapted a theme, I like the colours, etc. [This was the old theme – not the current one you are looking at.]

I have upgraded WordPress (although not to the latest version) and it’s running OK. The big problem is that the theme (the way it looks) does not permit all the fabulous features of the newer versions. So, some things I see on others blogs but cannot have because I cannot have widgets.

To be honest, one day I will get around to modifying the theme to allow for widgets but, until that day happens, I have to look at others’ widgets and gasp in awe and amazement at how simply super they look.

And then there’s tags. I’m not sure when they came on the scene and they sort of passed me by for some time. Then I found a plugin (an addition in WordPress) and found that I could just place it into the page code rather than only have it as a widget! Whoa, yeah!

So now, on the side, a bit further down I have, what’s known as, a TAG CLOUD! Not only is it a tag cloud but it REVOLVES!!!!

Oh, happy day!

[p.s. now I DON’T have it :-D]

My own private jet….and airport…..and security……. aka the joys of travelling these days.

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My_own_private_jet_and_airport_and_security_aka_the_joys_of_travelling_these_days

I remember, 10 or 15 years ago, travelling, for me, was still exciting and pleasurable. There was the thrill of the flight as I really love flying; the fun of having an expense account and being able to eat and drink, more or less, as I wanted; the prestige of being one of those ‘business travellers’ that you see or hear about.

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The weekend and other things

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The_weekend_and_other_things

This weekend was spent, mostly, working. My other job that is. To be honest the whole thing should have taken about 2 hours. It took most of Saturday because my websites’ hosters had to do things – but, obviously, only after I’d tried to fix it myself!

And still I can’t make it do what the customer really wants but on this one, other than a fiddly work-around, which really isn’t practical, it looks like there is no way to do it. Damn.

And then there were the accounts to do as Year End has just finished. I found that, in spite of thinking I had been keeping it pretty much up-to-date, I hadn’t. So it took me a little while. Damn again.

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Rude? Embarrassing? Both?

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There have been some great, well-respected leaders in the world.  Clinton, whatever the Americans thought of him and, in spite of his infamous non-sex episode, was well respected.  Bush, unfortunately, was seen as a bit of an ass.  I can’t speak for British leaders as I am British and, therefore, have a biased view, although, from what I can tell and from conversations I have had here, Margaret Thatcher was also well-respected (in spite of the damage she did to the country).

When we are in meetings, it is quite common for the meeting to be interrupted by a phone call to someone, whether it be personal or work, people here answer it as if, whatever they are doing, is completely unimportant and the phone call is a matter of life and death.

If you visit someone at their desk and a call comes to their desk phone, even in the middle of their conversation with you, the phone call will take precedence.

At first, it was frustrating but now, I guess I am used to it.  It is, therefore, no surprise to pick this up from the BBC site.

And, whereas it is no surprise, I cannot believe that an Italian, at the highest level can be so bloody rude.  It doesn’t matter what the call was about.  It would have been easy, as the car stopped, to say he would call back in five minutes and, once inside, out of the glare of the cameras, he could have continued the conversation.  The only good reason for continuing it and keeping Merkel waiting was if his wife was about to give birth or someone was dying.

And for me, if a British leader did that I would be embarrassed for Britons and my country as a whole.

And the whole incident comes almost straight after acting like a hooligan at a football match, shouting Obama’s name at a reception held by the Queen.

Hmm.  I thank goodness I am not Italian for I would certainly, after the phone call thing, be hanging my head in shame.  I don’t care who you are, you don’t keep a head of state waiting and, certainly, head of state or not, a lady.

Love and Affection.

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I don’t know why. As you have seen from the last couple of posts, as I am writing, some song or other comes into my head and I have to have it in the post. To be honest, given the current situation with You Tube in the UK, I’m not sure that my UK readers can listen/watch them.

However, I realised that my very favourite song of all time had never been posted by me and I thought it was time to right that wrong.

It also was (is) for me, the perfect song for ‘us’.

So, here it is. Enjoy.