Month: September 2005

Here I am, at the beginning of October, planning a mountain hike in Wales. WTF?! Have I taken leave of my senses??? I think the euphoria of emerging from the 50-mile BIGFoot extravaganza relatively unscathed allowed me to be a trifle susceptible to Pete’s daft plans – oh dear oh dear. Pray for me!

But Snowdon isn’t the limit of his insane machinations – oh no. Chatting with him this evening, he came up with the genius idea of tackling our next project early next year: Ben Nevis! The loon! I’ve heard the horror stories – it ain’t a family day out!!! Well, maybe I’ll have a headache that particular weekend. Or something.

Maybe after all my hypno studies, I’ll have myself a good old-fashioned brain haemorrhage – the end is nigh, and I still don’t feel anywhere near up to diploma standard. What a shocker – last practical assessment is the second weekend of October, then the final written exam is the first weekend of November. Ouch.

Well, there’s still the trip to Ireland for my baby sis’s 18th birthday hurrah, and I can buy her her first legal pint. Note I said “legal” – I remember her nicking my mate John’s beer when she was like 10 or so… Not going on the bike this time, for three reasons: (a) money, (b) time and (c) weather. But good old Ryanair comes up with the goods on a regular basis, with deals like a return flight for a Mars bar and a packet of crisps – enjoy it while you can, people, cos once the Green lobby gets a hold, air travel won’t be cheap any more…

Further to my last on my American chum Steffie, she’s safely ensconced in halls of residence in Paddington, getting down to the serious business of being a student and doing some major bargain hunting. For a girl who really doesn’t like bargains, that’s gotta hurt, he he! 😀

Sod all else to report – I’m gloomily observing the evenings shortening at a hellish pace, and contemplating the prospect of another dark, dank, miserable winter in London. If only I could bugger off to the sun for six months, I’d be much happier!

It’s been a mad few weeks, and no mistake – top mate Ben has been making the most of his last few weeks in Blighty before jetting off back to Oz (b’stard!), and I’ve been making the most of them with him! With the net result that we’re both a bit shook – but sadly, he’s gone now, back to the sun, the sea, the girlfriend, the BMW convertible… I do hate him sometimes! 🙂

Enough of such frivolity – time to be getting serious and doing work- and study-related things, I fear. Perhaps I fear too much, cos it doesn’t feel like I’m getting that much done – argh! Anxiety rears its ugly head again; time for another pint.

Well, it’s been a fairly mundane life apart from the galactic-scale alcohol abuse with Ben. Although the bugger has planted the idea of visiting Australia back in my brain – visiting, and maybe even moving, at some distant point. I’ve been saying that for years, though. And I’m not even sure they’d have me!

“G’day mate – what can I do yer for?”
“Can I come in, please?”
“Skills?”
“I can doss better than just about anybody.”
“Nah mate – got loads of dossers here already. And you don’t look like you can hold your beer, either…”

Enough. Getting some work done on the bike, and it’s gradually getting better and better as we speak. I’m really loving it since they fitted a smaller rear sprocket, raising the gearing – it’s smooooooooth on motorways, and bloody illegal in town. This weekend, a new pair of front brake discs are to be fitted. Then it’s a pair of Hayabusa front callipers, a GSX-R750 gearbox to get that 6th cog, a double bubble screen… I know, I can’t leave anything alone! But I do love it.

Heading off to the homeland in October to celebrate the brother’s and the youngest sister’s birthdays – she’s coming of age, lads! So it’ll be off down the pub for her first legal pint, where she’ll probably drink me under the table. Ahhh yes, I remember when I could drink for me country….

On another note, I’m joining my mucker/colleague/boss Pete for a ramble up Snowdon at the beginning of October. A burnt offering to the rain gods would be highly appropriate at this point – I really don’t fancy a soaking. But I’m pretty sure it’ll be loadsa fun, whatever happens. So long as we don’t get anything like the floods of last weekend – John & Gwyneth’s house almost became an island at one point!

My mate Steffie is coming over from NY next week, to spend the best part of a year at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, to you) studying… well, whatever it is you study there. Great – more piss-ups. I love them, really, but I’m sure my liver doesn’t…

Right – that’s it. I’m going to watch a DVD. Or something…