Phew I made it! I hear that when you have a child, you forget the pain after a while and that allows you to go on and do it again. I think its the same for moving house.
Why oh why didnt I get one of those firms who pack, move and unpack you? While they’re at it they could also tell all the people that need telling – phone, gas, electricity etc etc etc. (what a carry on just trying to find the meters!) – I sense a business opp here though:) Its a good job I had a very dear friend to help me- thank you darling x
Anyway, its done, Ive moved!! I am firmly ensconced in my new London pad (actually its not new, its around 200 years old but its new to me and you know what I mean).
Im just starting to get to know the neighbourhood, and there are lots of the things that I need and they happen to be close by; and what joy to just stroll out of my front door and within a short walk find a whole road of decent places to eat. I think Im going to love it here :)
So, still some more unpacking to do (I am sure boxes breed and multiply in the back of the removals van). February bookings are filling up fast – thanks guys, that is a fabulous welcome – but I still have some time free at the beginning of Feb, would love to see you x
Thats it, I am finally packed, prepped and ready for the off. Ohh all this moving business is very tiring :) It used to be that you just told a couple of utility companies that you were moving, now its like a list of 100, what with loyalty cards, council tax, inland revenue, broadband and on and on, the list is endless and you always manage to forget someone. Anyway, all done now.
That just leaves me to thank everyone I have met whilst I was in Plymouth. It has been a genuine pleasure to have met so many lovely guys. All the best for 2010 and the invite in London still stands x
I am changing my phone number! Yes I am. Even though I took my number off my site, it is still listed on so many directories that I think I need a new one to ensure that only the lovely boys like you can get through to me.
New year, new number. I shall still be keeping my old number for about 4 months just in case you call. I wont be answering any numbers that I am not familiar with though. Have we had the pleasure darling? Please email me at rhiacharles@yahoo.co.uk and I will put you in my new phone and send you my new number within the next few days; and if we havent yet met, please email me if you would like to make date in London x
Or ‘charidee’ as Smiley and Nicey would say. You may have noticed that I have some charity links on my site, to the right under ‘Giving’. I had links like those on my site a couple of years ago until one delectable gent sent me an email. Ive just found again it whilst sorting out my emails.
Here’s what it said…
erm a little innappropiate don,t you think Lady..! as they don,t seem too have a link too your site…!
Regards
Nigel
This is very sad on three levels;
1.The ‘gent’ in question seems to think that because I do what I do, I am somehow not entitled to have charitable thoughts. I am not entitled to put worthy causes on my website. He seemed to think that any money coming via this site from generous, caring people would somehow be tarnished. Well, that is my understanding from that brief email. Please tell me if you read that differently.
2. It is sad because said ‘gent’ was actually on my website, browsing , carousing, whatever you want to call it. If he was of the persuasion that me and my ilk were distasteful, he would have moved on as soon as he hit the home page, wouldnt he? But no, he moseyed on down to read my blog too. Hypocrites are always a bit sad.
3. The saddest thing is that although I gave him more than a piece of my mind, I removed the charity links after a while. Yes I did and I am so ashamed of that now. The reason I did it was not because of him, but in case the charities concerned were embarassed. But I dont think they will be, why should they be, and if they are I am sure they will tell me. So the charity links are back on and I will probably add more as and when.
Look at these! A natural phenomenon (and you know you want to sing the muppets song right now, dont you? Oh go on then :)
Anyway, these things were found in Somerset (the snow things not the muppets), in a field. My first thought was. ‘Oh those naughty crop circle boys have got nothing to do again’ But apparently not, these things, they start off with nice thick layer of snow, with the top snow just on the point of melting either because of general temperature or sunshine on the surface.
The top snow layer becomes a bit sticky, and you then need a fairly strong wind. The sticky layer can be peeled off the colder and more powdery snow underneath by the wind forming a roll. In the first picture you can see some of the powdery stuff sticking to the lower outside surface of the roll. I suppose it is a natural version of making a snowman. (You can tell by now that I didnt write this, me not being a Meteorologist at all – aww shucks, it comes from the Daily Telegraph :)
Now, after being formed, the rolls eventually become too large and heavy for the wind to move, or are halted by rising ground or a tuft of vegetation.
They are often hollow because the weak inner layers which form first can easily be blown away, and the fragile formations can collapse in the slightest change of temperature or gust of wind.
Liz Bentley, of the Royal Meteorological Society, said despite their rarity in the UK, there is a chance of more snow rolls appearing over the next few days. (Whoo wooo!)
“These rolls are unusual here because we don’t tend to have major snow events like the one we’re experiencing now. They happen with the combination of lying snow and high wind speeds, mostly in North America and Northern Europe, and they can be as small as a tennis ball or they can be as large as two feet across – depending on how strong the wind is and how smooth the surface of the snow is,” she said.
“There are quite strong winds predicted this weekend as well as more snow, so if people keep a look out they might see a few more of these appearing around the country over the next few days.”
…I’m ready to go… Oh not quite but you know the song dont you? So my boxes arrived today. I ordered them online, no time to do it the old fashioned way, traipsing around local shops for their spare boxes, hardly any local shops left now anyway and supermarkets, well apparently they shred them right away. So the boxes arrived a day late because of the ’snow’. Its not a problem and I expected them to be late. But dont you think all this chaos is a tad ludicrous?
Here’s the thing. We happen to live in a cold country. We can all pretty much vouch for the fact it will be cold in December, January and February with a higher likelihood of snow than say, Florida. So, methinks, is it not unreasonable to expect out of all the billions they take off us in tax, the government, both local and central could possibly have enough grit for a few months?, on standby you understand, just in case, and maybe throw it around a few roads and possibly streets so that good folks can get to work? And all this malarky of schools closing etc etc. (Shakes head in that disapproving manner). I had a boss once, he was from Scotland. Lovely fella. He used to stand and laugh at the chaos when there was a snowflake in Plymouth. Suggestion; why dont the powers that be in Westminster pick up the phone and have a wee word with the powers that be in Scotland? You know, about how to deal with a bit of snow. After all they have been managing perfectly well for years and years. Honestly, what are we like?! (There is a tip here, how not to make a good first impression with your new neighbours, mine being in Westminster hehehe)
Ahhh thats my little post new years rant over and done with! :)
So back to the packing. I am not taking much. Well, I didnt think I was taking much until I started packing. Well , there’s my make-up (thats enough for an artic lorry just there – only kidding, only kidding!). Clothes, given lots away so not too much but it all adds up. Books. Ahh my books. I cant leave those behind can I? I dont have novels or somesuch, mainly text books, non-fiction, how to’s and how not to’s. They’re coming. And my kitchen bits and pieces. I intend to have some major dinner parties so I must have my equipment. And thats it really, the rest is being sold off, even my car. Oh my. I cant see a need for a car in London. I cant be doing with stressing about parking spaces and so she has to go, bless her heart. If I cant possibly live without one though, I shall buy a shiny new one, oh what extravagance!
So, My loves, I am fully booked now in Plymouth. Its been very sad to say goodbye to some lovely chaps I have known over the years but promises of popping in to see me in London have been given, so thats nice. If I didnt get the chance to say ‘bye to you, then big kiss instead X and in the voice of Mae West, ‘Come up and see me sometime!’ (Apparently she didnt actually say that but we dont care do we?)
I am almost fully booked for the rest of January in London but please do contact me as I may have a teeny window in the new diary, and of course there is always Frisky February and I know of an excellent way to keep warm! ;)
Oh dear, it doesnt happen often but we had snow, yes here in Devon!!
So a poor gent of mine couldnt get through the snow from the north-east for our date tomorrow and my other lovely, well we met today but could not make it to the Dartmoor restaurant that we had planned but we managed to get a special table in one of my favourite restaurants in Plymouth, so we didnt starve – hurray!
Oh we had a lovely lunch, lots of catchy up chat too. He brought us champagne and he said ‘It’s only Bollinger’ Am I that demanding? hehehe Thank you Mister, delicious it was :) x.
I am amazed when someone says ‘The last time I saw you was 3 months ago’ No! Is that a sign of age when months whizz past like that?, it seems like yesterday. Even more reason to make the most of them, the months and the years.
I know I keep saying it but, yes I think the whole month of January (and maybe February) next year, Miss Charles will be in a warm place, California possibly, oh to feel the warm sun, instead of the freezing cold, what bliss, oh yes .
I hope you are not snowed in tonight my darling, keep warm xxx
If you lived here, in Plymouth you will know the importance of pasties. You know, those pastry savoury treats filled with meat and potato that presumably come from Cornwall but secretly we had them in Devon too (Uh oh I am in trouble now hehehe) Anyway, you know them, right? You get them all over the place now. There is even a pasty shop in Paddington Station.
Well, here, in Plymouth there are two pasty shops of note, when I say note, I mean everyone knows them. They arent the best but I wont tell you the best here for fear of my lovely little shop getting overwhelmed with fervent pasty-seekers (email me and I will tell you ;)
To get you in the right frame of mind, I have to tell you a story. This is legend, this is. :) There was a firm of pasty makers in Plymouth, oh I dont know, lets say 100 years ago (probably more). The are called Dewdneys. Ahhh say all the fine folk of Plymouth, now we know what you are talking about, maid. Anyway, about 50 years ago, two of the descendents, Ron and Ivor (I am so not making this up) had a bust up and bought pasty shops at opposite sides of the city. You kind of knew they were related (the name gave it away of course – Ron Dewdney Pasties and Ivor Dewdney Pasties) but their pasties were different. One was flatter than the other, the pasties, not the men.
Anyway, this frosty amnesty went on for years, nay decades. But I have noticed recently, something that could result in a whole sorry mess of nasty-pastyness. Oh dear.
Now then, on a saturday, random saturdays. I cant tell you which ones as I am not a follower of football or of Plymouth Argyle Football team but I have noticed when I have been driving past the football ground that a pasty van appeared. Nothing untoward you understand, just an understated van to the side of the road and the footie fans looked very pleased to see it indeed. You viewed millions (ok a few dozen) munching their hot pastry delights in crisp white bags, steam billowing out, whilst trudging to the football ground. Lush. Ahh but then a few weeks later, I saw another van and it wasnt like the first. I took a second look. It was a Dewdneys but it was further down the road. It cant be true! It was the brother!!!!
Hahahaha, oh this is so funny. The brother must have got wind, comandeered a remarkably similar van and parked the bleeder down the road. Put a nifty sign on the side, pasted (pastied?) a smug look on his face which said ‘Anything you can do, I can do better (or the same)’.
Now, all goes well, everything slips into place while the two brothers keep a respectful distance, and go about their pasty selling businesses. I have visions of fist shaking and snarling but of course this is my ridiculously fertile imagination.
So, I have a little snort and a little giggle when I pass them. Until one day…
There is a pretender to the throne! Some upstart from Plymstock has got in on the act!! Another pasty van. Surely there is not enough room for three pasty vans! So I have visions of a gunfight (pasty fight) at the OK Corral. Pasty men at either end of Outland Road, pasty in holsters at the ready to the tune of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (just listen to the tune, it makes me cry laughing!)
Anyway, after I had gone off on one feisty pasty-wise fantasy, I forgot all about it…. until today that is. I just happened to be driving along Outland Road again and do you know what? There was carnage, pasty fillings all over the road, had to break several times just to avoid the crusts.
Ha, only kidding. They (the Bros) had only seen off the young pretender hadnt they? And claimed their rightful position as pasty kings albeit at either end of the road. The pretender must have been a pastifist. Brilliant. Oh I wish they would kiss and make up hahaha.
I know, I know, I promised some new pics back in November didnt I? Well, what with all the hecticness of dentists, arranging to move, travelling etc etc, I just never got the time. But now I am moving to London, well, its silly not to book some nice shiny new pics isnt it? Seeing as I can simply prance over to my photographer on a whim. I have emailed my gal in London and am awaiting a response regarding dates and locations. These are going to be a bit diffeent you see, nothing like I have had done before. No, I will not be subjecting you to what I had for breakfast in the form of a pic, ‘butchers window’ spring to mind - yuk- sorry if you are eating a meal right now, no really, sorry! :) - and anyway, not really my style.
I think you will like them, my new pics and I think I will enjoy having them done. She’s a great photographer and very professional. It can be very tedious, you know. Oh gawd, I sound like one of those daft supermodels dont I? Well, it can be tiring and get boring after a while, having your pic taken constantly for hours, constantly changing knickers and staying in an uncomfortable pose for ages. Oh moan, moan, moan. hehehe What Im saying is this lady who took my last London pics (astute readers may notice that there are two different styles to my gallery pics thats because two different photographers took them in two very different locations. One in London and the other in a trendy loft in New York). Well, shes just brilliant at making the time go quickly and enjoyable so I am looking forward to them, but not half as much as I am looking forward to revealing them to you.
Talking of updating things, I have something like 200 directories that I am listed on or in and I have to change them all in terms of my listing location in lieu of my move. Oh deep joy, you know what I will be doing for the next week or so dont you?
But I keep looking at google earth and my new place and imagining walks along the Thames (I wont be too far from it) and exploring unusual shops, and eating out a lot and oh well, you get the picture. (pardon the pun :)
I hope you had a wonderful new year. Mine was fab. Even though, I was in an unfamiliar town in an unfamiliar venue and knew only one person, it mattered not one jot. We had such fun and it just goes to show that its not where you are that counts, its who you are with, oh and what you make of a situation. So my poor tootsies were very sore by the end of the night, the band was too good! They played soul music all night – bliss!
So what about you then? What are your new year’s resolutions?; do you have any? perhaps you have one not to make any :) The problem with most of them is that they are negative. ie. lose weight, stop smoking, stop drinking – all deprivation-based goals. I learnt the hard way years ago to just phrase them differently and instead of feeling that you are losing something, you feel as though you are gaining. So instead of ’stop drinking’ it would be drink more good things, ie water. Try it.
Now, as you know, I have my lovely lists and usually a few days before the end of the year, I like to go through my list for the past year, did I get to do all the things I wanted to? (do I sound like a total anorak?, oh dear hahaha) It never happens that I do all of the things of my list (I write down too many), but I do most of them. Last year it was about travel, visiting certain restaurants and some entrepreneurial projects. This year, it is about connections and making time for friends, exploring London and doing some voluntary charity work.
I like new year. Its a time for reflection and a time to get excited about future plans. Hope yours are biggies, (your plans, naughty! ) Tell me about them sometime x
This here blog thing started as a way to express my saucy self. But do you know what? There's more to me than the saucy bits! So herewith you will find all sorts of thoughts, ideas, funny things (lots of them), deep and meaningfuls, occasionally - a mixture of everything really, just like life. I hope you like it here. I like it here. It's cosier if you are here too so stay a while.
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Phew I made it! I hear that when you have a child, you forget the pain after a while and that allows you to go on and do it again. I think its the same for moving house.
