Londinium (take 2) to Haggis

I ache everywhere. Actually everywhere. I have unexplained bruises almost everywhere too. And a cut on the top of my foot. Have had a pretty fun packed week or so, and just want to curl up and recover. But have plans for the next 4 nights, so it will have to wait. I'm really looking forward to Friday night in. But know I will be persuaded to go out on Friday as Linden says I must. She has good reasons though. After that I do have an empty house for a week, so that'll help.

Anyway, so I know you all want to know what I've been doing, so here goes...

Thursday 19th
Didn't manage to find Kiki or Liz for lunch. They were rubbish and didn't have their phones. So hopefully that will be rearranged... Thursday night was for drinking. Probably.
Friday 20th
Went to London. The train there was pleasant enough. Found Ross and Bex at the station - they were on the same train, but sat in 1st class! How rude. Arrived at Del's about 10, after being very scared as I was lost and in a wood. But it was the right way. However, the cunning plan of letting myself into his house did not work, as the keys the posted from The Pile of Working Keys were not Working Keys at all. More like Not Working Keys. So I sat on the doorstep for half an hour. Then was rescued by a stranger (Del's housemate, John) and went to the pub with Del, Del's other housemate (who's name annoyingly escapes me), Chris (who I didn't play darts with) and some other people including a very drunk but very cute Scottish man. Went back to Del's and ate pasta. Slept on the sofa cause Del snores too much for me to cope with.
Saturday 21st
Got up and acquired a hair cut. Or did I acquire less hair? Failed to buy an outfit, but did buy a skirt which I didn't wear as it didn't go with my shoes. I went away with only 2 pairs of shoes. Scandal. Then we headed to Roz's flat, got ready then headed to Farringdon for the Old Soak's Christmas Do. This occurs in January as December is officially too busy. It was a really good do! I like seeing all the ex-MUGSS people. They are all lovely. I don't remember everything (wine followed by vodka), but seem to have made some friends on the tube home (have photos).
Sunday 22nd
Got up fairly late. We met people for lunch in London. My train back was at 5, so had a few hours to kill. Lounged around. Saw Dobby from PGP, which was nice. She trumped my toilet story!! Pah. I'd forgotten that. I was excited about my trip to the toilet as I had a great story* for when I got back to the table, but then Dobby got locked in the toilet and my story seemed rubbish. Train back was all fine and dandy. I was very impressed with my not getting lost ability. I asked which way the station was. No-one knew, but Rob pointed and that's the way I went. I got distracted by shiny things in shops and books, but still got there in about 30 mins (the guesses were 45 and I allowed an hour) without a map or anything. Go me. And the plane people** only took 30 minutes less than me. So ner. I rock.
Monday 23rd
Can't remember what I did. Possibly nothing.
Tuesday 24th
I went to choir! Rodney came to work with me and we went straight to choir with kebab. I was naughty and giggled and was called a child at choir. Hurrah! Then I did orchestra. I was very bored and tired by then. Grump. I'm actually quite fed up of orchestra, but feel mean telling anyone why.
Wednesday 25th
Burn's Night! I went to my parents straight from work. Arrived about the same time as my mum did from Costco. I then took over in the kitchen (as much as I could) and we made a feast of haggis neeps and tatties followed by some apple concoction. It was really nice to be there. As not everyone knows about other people's family I shall list. We had my mum and dad, both sisters, 2 cousins and 1 auntie. Sarah, Lucy and Helen live in Stockport, so it's not far. We don't manage to see them that often though. I'm trying to make it more often. We all had to do a poem/song/something random as my dad decided. There was lots of laughing and the instigation of the "dumb stupid" balance. Genius.
Thursday 26th
I had the day off, so set my alarm for 6.30am. Yes. 1 1/2 hours earlier than if I was working. But it was good! I got the train to the airport where I found Melissa. We then went straight back to my house for a nap before going to the pub. What a good day!! We went to Sinclair's and ate dinner with Charlotte, Dan, Anna and Kathryn. Andy turned up too, then we went to Rain Bar to find Paula and Patrick and attempt the quiz. The Goonie based team did beat us though.
Friday 27th
Had this day off too, so we went to some museums. It was fun! We went to the Costume Museum in Platt Fields Park and then the Hat Museum in Stockport. Very cultured! Of course we thought of many ways of improving it. And had random fun in a teepee cave thing and the kids corner with some cogs. Then we went to meet people after work for the do I'd arranged. Lots of people came! No-one from my department though. Grump. But lots of fun people from recruitment and agenda for change and medical staffing. Stayed there for a few then went for curry. I wasn't drinking as it was Friday. They didn't understand. But I was still fun. Hurrah!
Saturday 28th
Fat club. Did quite well. I've been doing nothing or rubbish for ages, so I needed it. Should have a magic 7 and a 10%, but Jo had neither, so I got a sticker with a star with a moustache and glasses. We (me, Paula and Liz) then went for coffee. It was needed. Mark came after his haircut for coffee too, then Melissa arrived after Paula and Liz had gone. Me and Melissa then didn't go climbing - we went tattoo shopping and I bought a corset type top, which I then wore at the night time to go meet Shaun, Andrew and Liz. We met at the Paramount and went on to Fab. It was ace! I like Shaun and Andrew. Never met Liz before but she seemed really lovely! I got drunk. Have little memory.
Sunday 29th
Big big big hangover. And 11*** people to feed for dinner. Ouch. Eventually me and Melissa cycled to Asda and acquired food and cycled back. Ouch. Then cooked. All seemed to go ok, despite being incompetent. We had haggis as no-one could come to my parents on Wednesday. There was a bought haggis, a bought vegetarian haggis, a homemade vegetarian haggis, neepes, tatties and carrots. Mmmm. Then we sat around and watched music videos.
Monday 30th
Today! I had leftover haggis for lunch.

Other things I want to blog:

• Me and Melissa share a brain. Half each. We are strangely the same. We get hungry at the same rate. We get bored at the same rate. We have hangovers at the same rate. But we have completely different taste, in a similar fashion. If that makes sense.
• Charlotte didn't get her job. Grump grump grump. That means she won't be in Edinburgh with me.
• One of my favourite quotes from Melissa this weekend was "Are all of your friends in love with you?!?". I don't think she really meant all. But it cheered me up.
• I wore socks that are too tight yesterday. I wore them in bed too. They have left marks. Ouch. I also cut my knee on my desk. I'm so broken.

So that's the catch up. Tonight we are off to see Belle and Sebastian at the Ritz. Tomorrow we are getting tattoos and then I have orchestra. Wednesday is the ceilidh at Jabez Clegg. Thursday is MUGSS. Friday is out with Linden. But I am tired now.




*The toilets were downstairs, and I looked up and could see the road and a man walked over my head! Whilst I was on the loo! Can you imagine such a thing?!?
**There was a race. Sarah, Cattac, Kate S and Mark were flying back as it was quicker. Their plane was delayed and I was on time, so although they beat me, as expected, it was only by half an hour. And they got a taxi from the airport and I got the bus form the train station.
***Me, Melissa, Housemate Dan, Charlotte, Dan, Adrian, Pete, Linden, Mahinda, Rosy and Housemate Adam.