My Weekly Summer Update

So, what exciting things have happened this week?

Monday 4 August - Discovered a few more interesting websites and computer applications. Played around with those, did some writing, generally inside, tidying up etc.

Tuesday 5 August - More computer stuff, practiced animating cartoons on the internet, went to the shops. Up really late surfing around on the internet. Mostly stumbling around using the StumbleUpon button, which you click and it takes you anywhere on the internet! Very addictive. Also updated most of the phone numbers etc on H's new mobile phone. Which means he can't phone anyone, because whenever someone changed their number, he added it as a new person, whereas I'm putting them all in one place, then he doesn't know which one is the correct number! Oh dear.

Wednesday 6 August - More working from home and surfing. Had a lovely evening though. We walked to Canary Wharf again and went to the Cafe Rouge for a drink, and ended up sharing a plate of bread, pate and cheese. Delicious! And very continental, sitting by the Thames. Relaxing. Watched the world go by ... I had a citron presse, which comes with a very concentrated bitter lemon juice, a jug of water, and a decanter of sugared water, which you make to taste. Felt very adult-like and grown up! (Which I suppose I am, really, although the older I get the younger I feel, I think! Or at least the younger I act!) I think we managed to have an earlyish night this night ...

Thursday 7 August - Did some work, but too much stumbling around again. Think it was tonight we watched No Country for Old Men, a film set near the Mexico border, with a ruthless killer to uses an air gun pellet thing that is used for killing cattle to murder people and to blow out locks. Very dark, but fairly gripping. Then went back on the computer ...

Friday 8 August - Had a long lie in, but got up in time to watch the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony; stayed on the couch from 11:45am to 5:15pm or something like that ... It was fantastic, really eye catching. I loved the scroll effects, and the way the painting started with dancing, continued with children and was completed with the feet of the athletes. The ceramic typewriter with the dancing keys, the thousands of disciples of Confucius in long robes and paintbrush-like headgear, the swirling dove people, the giant globe, the long, almost infinite-like, procession of athletes, the military precision of the Chinese police as the received the Olympic flag, the little boy, survivor of the earthquake, walking alongside the tall Chinese basketball player, and finally the delivery and lighting of the huge Olympic torch, as the Chinese gymnast floated then ran through the air, running behind the unveiling scroll revealing scenes from Athens to Beijing ... And I haven't even mentioned the fireworks. Well. What a start. Having watched to the very end meant that we didn't go into town, as planned. However, in the evening H decided to head to the O2 with his work to write his proposal, and I decided to stay at home and tidy up. I stuck on some nice African music - couldn't find the kwassa kwassa though - and that perked me up, and within the hour the studio had gone from being messy, dirty and a hindrance to clear thought, to being tidy, clean and a pleasure to be in. Made me feel like dancing. But I had some work to do, and with a nice clean studio, I could finally get on with it, and managed to write about 3000 words or so and still was in bed by midnight. (I read until about 1am.) However, when H came home, he was very excited with some news, which kept us both up for a while!

Saturday 9 August - Got up bright and early (ish!) in order to go to the bank, the mobile phone shop, and the bookshop. When I was in the Orange store, the shop assistant went to get another assistant because it was very busy. It's a small shop. He opened the door, and said, "Come out now, what are you doing in here? You need to come and help with the customers now. That's not important - don't waste your time on that now," or something like that. The other person behind the door was not happy. "What are you talking to me like that for? You don't need to talk to me like that." "I'm talking to you like this because there are lots of customers. You need to come and help." The first man was quite rude, and the second man wasn't very happy about it. A bit embarrassing really. It was very busy. But the first man could probably have gone into the back room and spoken to the second man quietly. Anyway. Then I came home, put on the washing, and made lunch. Planned to have lunch, then go to the shops before heading back for an afternoon nap and working all evening, and felt really good because I'd been out for fresh air and was half way through my essay. Then a friend turned up just before lunch was ready. So I divided it between three rather than two, and we sat and talked for a long time. Around 3pm I suggested that I go for shopping, and see them when I get back, but the friend said he'd be going soon, so I decided to wait and go shopping after he left. He left around 7pm ... by which time H was hungry, and I was tired and a bit frustrated that I hadn't managed to get any work done, although it was nice to see him. We eventually decided to go to the Orange Tree for dinner, then I dropped off H and went shopping. Came home ready for sleep! Just before I went to bed H decided he wanted to get a video uploaded to YouTube. The video was on my computer, so I started editing it, but I have new iMovies software, and it's really complicated (when you are used to the old software), and seemed to take forever. Got it eventually, but another late night.

Sunday 10 August - Got up bright and early for church. A different priest was there, talking about the Africa Missionary Society. It was very interesting and informative - he was telling us about the history of Liberia. Came home, made lunch - liver and onions with mashed potatoes - and moved the washing into the sun. Then pottered on and off the computer for a while throughout the day. Suddenly realised just before starting this post that the rain was bucketing down - such a contrast to earlier - and all my clothes are soaked once again. They were practically dry before. Ah well, these things happen. Now I'm going to go and try and finish this essay so I can get on with my lesson plans!