Cranes

I walk past these two beauties every day on the way to work. Sometimes they're resting, other times working hard.

The streetlight never turns off.

This is the tastiest wine I've had in ages.

In shops now!

"Look how blue the sky is...

...it's beautiful."

Work night out with new job

This was a messy occasion. I left early-ish - midnight - but I had a brilliant time. A small team is socially easier than the massive crowd at the last place.

Challenge 3

Chibi Totoro, London, originally uploaded by Tōsuto desu!.

Kate has set the next challenge. It's a big one, but it's a little hard to explain. Cryptic clues...

I just found out my sister is pregnant...

...through Facebook.

Freebies

Things sent to my new work, to try to persuade us to buy advertising. This may be the start of a continuing series. Drumsticks!

Lazy Sunday

The summer gales took on a surreal quality through my bedroom window. The violence with which the leaves shook in the sunlight seemed otherworldly to me, soaked in endorphins, in the shallow-breathed calm of my bed. Twelve hours within two feet of Liz, a dream, an overload, a calm gale. A storm inside.

Elizabeth

I first met Elizabeth on Miriam's Birthday at the start of May in Fuel. At Thom's house on Friday night, we met again. We kissed in the garden, and went home together.

We spent the night making love, the morning talking and making love, and the evening messing around on the internet. And making love. In blissful aftershocks of orgasm, our conversation felt natural, thrilling, captivating. Liz is intelligent, confident, articulate, and sexy as fuck.

How exciting.

Perfect mug

Thanks Tracy!

Words I have looked up in the dictionary recently

mucilage

spelunking

acromegaly

engender

hypothecation

sanctimonious

overcoat

lifespan

sebum

animadverse

fictive

cunning

sly

deceitful

deceptive

Len NTS7

Trains and Bookshops

I swing back and forth with Miss Waterstone's. Having been nonplussed by our last half-meeting - when I'd picked up the book that she recommended, only to be served by someone else - I didn't much care whether I did or didn't bump into her as I went to collect some presents for my family. Again, I was served at the till adjacent to hers. This time though, I noticed her checking out the books that I was buying. A Keith Richards biography, unofficial, for my dad, and Black Swan Green for my mum. She noticed I'd noticed her noticing, and she blushed. Back on? We'll see.

At Piccadilly, waiting for the train home, I met Rachael. She's a Rock and Pop Writer (verbatim from her business card) who lives in Sheffield, studied in Manchester, and works between the two cities as a freelancer. She's good-looking, intelligent, and she likes cool music. She writes words down in her notebook that she wants to look up and use. We had a wonderful chat all the way to Sheffield, and then she gave me her business card on the platform at Sheffield. I hope I see her again.

As I waited for my change at Leicester, I noticed a cute girl in a patterned top. She sat in my carriage. I got on with reading my book. At Wellingborough, as I was waiting to get off the train, she stood next to me by the door. As we both got off on the southbound platform, I wondered what she was listening to on her walkman. I had 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' by the Smiths. She walked up the stairs ahead of me, and I noticed she had a sticker on her back, a barcode or something. I jogged ahead, and tapped her on the shoulder. "You've got a sticker on your back," I said, showing her the sticker that I'd removed. "I'd hate for you to look silly," I said, and smiled. She blushed, smiled, and walked off. I stopped in my tracks and watched her walk down the stairs. I realised that I could have concealed the sticker on my hand, and then tapped her on the shoulder, and fed her the same line, and she'd have never doubted my authenticity. I felt like Wayne in Wayne's World 2, when he says that something we learn early on might be important later in the plot of the movie, like the movement of the glass-carrying men. I wonder if the sticker trick will come up later in my life.

Salmon and pride

Pip came round for tea for what felt like the first time in absolutely ages - I think it was soup season last time she ate here. I made orange crusted baked salmon with new potatoes and courgettes, with a strawberry crumble for pudding. We opened Pepe's nice fizzy white wine, and had a good old chat. Afterwards we went to the Red Lion and then to Fuel and carried on talking. I'd told Pip about the parents' stories project earlier in the evening, so when Jos came over to say hello, she said that she knew how his parents had met. It was funny. Pete met us for a pint later on, and was dead sweet - he nagged Pip about not being in the studio enough, and then proudly showed me his phone pictures of the photos of Pip as a kid as we all walked home. He's very into her, I'd say. Very into her.

The Yiddish Policemen's Union

I'm reading The Yiddish Policemen's Union. Today on BoingBoing.net, there was an item about the audiobook. Spooky, huh?

EDIT: I've posted the link to the article now, as I blog retrospectively. I'd have hated to read this during reading the book. Great book though! (18-06-08)

11 on 11

At the gorgeous Platt Fields MCFC training facility, for the first time in ten years, I played 11 on 11 football. How apt that it was on the 11th. If only I'd waited another year before playing.

How did your parents meet?

After chatting with Kate on Saturday night, and realising that I knew the story of Pip's parents' first meeting but didn't know my own, I decided to find out how other people's parents met. Jos was in Fuel, and he shared his tale. I'd like to collate and publish a small booklet of the tales I collect.

Balsam bashing

What a gorgeous day today was! Elaine collected me from the middle of Timperley after an ill-advised attempt to walk from home to the Malt Shovels in Altrincham before 9.30am. Staying out late the previous evening with Kate, Duncan and Gethin meant that I woke later than I should have, and that I was not as energetic as I ought to have been.

Balsam bashing means pulling up Himalayan Balsam, an easy enough task given the shallow roots and celery-like form of the plant. The relative ease of the task, and the large size of the group, meant that we were able to clear a large area during the day, which was very satisfying.



Afterwards, we went back to Elaine's lovely house in Altrincham for a barbecue in the sunshine. We played Jenga (again!), and talked about fun.

NTS6

Zonked

Work had exhausted me by the time Friday came around, so I decided to take it easy, pick up a book and a bottle of wine, and have a night in to myself. Paul was out with work, so the house was mine.

I went into Waterstone's after work to pick up Timbuktu by Paul Auster and The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon. Miss Waterstone's was working, alongsdie three other tellers. I got to the front of the queue just as Miss W appeared to be finishing her transaction. How exciting! As I was about to step forward, a fourth till opened. "Who's next please?" Grrr! Not me.

I'm not sure why, but Miss W didn't look quite as dashing as she had before. Perhaps it was because she didn't have her glasses on.

Big Hands

Pip's boyfriend Pete and I met formally for the first time this evening. I was nervous before - he'd suggested back in April that Pip and I spend too much time together - because I thought he really hated me. What a stupid thought, in hindsight. We didn't really talk much until the cab ride home. The cab ride, however, was really relaxed, and conversation flowed easily, naturally and pleasantly. Nothing to worry about really! Right now I think he's a ok guy, and I'm sure that as I get to know him better I'll be able to get a proper impression of him that confirms that.

Robbie stayed over. I hope he's ok.

Premium item, budget range

Colin

Thom took me to Colin's house to help him with his garden. We talked about the 100 Years War, about Hitler, about gardening.

I'm really proud of Thom for his kindness. He met Colin by offering to carry a book home for him from Oxfam. Colin is elderly, and wanted the book to be put aside for him as he couldn't carry it without a trolley. Whilst delivering the book, Thom offered to help him with his garden. I was happy to get involved at Thom's request.

I wish I was as kind. Perhaps I can be.

Semi Platonic

Questionable Content is an ace webcomic.

Semi-platonic. That's how I'd characterise a couple of my relationships, actually.

NTS5