This morning I accidentally fell asleep again after 'waking up' with my alarm, contemplating what to do with it, before putting two-and-two together and switching it off instead of snoozing. I managed a brief window of lucidity - where I would actually have arisen - but then it passed. I next opened my eyes around 7:00, far more civilised than 6:30, and with a little lazy guilt for not having gone swimming, hefalump-fairy'd downstairs to make the most necessary thing every morning requires: good, strong filter coffee. I like to let mine stew for a while - to get all the goodness out of it and it was while I was doing this and contemplating (well as much as you can before caffeine in the morning) life in the shower, wondering what I would write on my blog today, that I thought I'd talk about the weather. Coffee from my favourite mug :) It's that famous British topic, spoken about anywhere else in the world as a boring conversation filler, but here in Britain it...

Source: Daily Telegraph, Wednesday 30 March What a pleasant pheasant... hope the eagle got his dates right! Lucky

Goes by the name of Princess Tiara, about 5 cm tall and last seen in a Lois Vitton handbag...? (un)Lucky

While looking through another blog the other day I noticed that it had more than one page... and I wanted to have more than one page too! So this evening, instead of catching up on some very needed sleep I've been tinkering about, and have come up with this:  Out and about in SW . It's going to be a review of the places I've been to and things I've seen or done, in South West London. So click on the link above or on the tab above if you're keen to have a look. I'm thinking that it will cover restaurants, shops, markets and more and include experiences - for those days when you just can't think of anything! Lucky

It's been a long weekend, but here are some moments to remember... How soft is your bread? I'll just have a little more of that  A heart-felt moment Has anyone seen PLW? Girls and their Guinness Just splashing around under a waterfall With all the viciousness of a Leopard-Cat Three little old ladies I taught I taw a leprechaun?     Them Viking Irish Girls! Why, that ginger hair really brings out the colour of your eyes! Lucky

The morning began with a little breakfast for the swans of the Malahide Eestuary... Nothing too big, just a loaf to share between them (whole wheat with seeds, obviously!) Some were a little friendlier than others, others displayed their penchant for violence, but at the end of the day it was all about love! Our next port of call was Malahide Castle , which was in the Talbot family since the twelfth century, and played host to the likes of Oliver Cromwell during the 10 years of Protestant reign, before being returned to the hands of the Catholic Talbots. But sadly none of the last Talbot children ever married and reproduced, so when the last remaining member died two years ago the family line came to an end. After that we were off to Dublin, and in particular, the Guinness Factory Storehouse !  If I'm honest before today I did not like Guinness. However, after sitting in the Gravity Bar, enjoying the sun on my back and arms, taking uncivilised sips (I found that the ...

Last night, seemingly out of nowhere PLW, Gangsta and I flew out to Dublin. One could almost call it a spur of the moment thing, but not really, it's been planned for a little while. So while we're here, in between tasting whiskey, sipping on Guinness and falling in love with inappropriate Irishmen, I'll send you some pictures and maybe a few words :) Lucky

Yesterday, as the evening temperature was settling in at around 15 degrees, I went for my first run of the spring. It was just a short one, through the park that runs alongside the river near my house, but it was wonderful to be outdoors again. And not to have to wear gloves and thermals! It was great to breathe in fresh air and all the fabulous smells from the budding and bursting plants and trees - coming to life again after a long, cold winter. It wasn't so great to breathe-in / eye-in / nose-in great flying balls of midges. That I could have done without. But without them, I guess it wouldn't be spring, guess I'll just be learning to dodge them in the future! Lucky

[ I guess I'd better apologise to all Russians / people who aren't spies - nobody loves putting on your accent and fooling 'the locals' more than I do... ] Lunch today was at a small Italian - after a request for moules - yes you'd be in the same boat as I if you thought we should actually be going to a French restaurant, but I'm rambling. Off we went and for a while were the only guests. Not because it's a bad restaurant, although my first impression, garnered from a disapproving glance from the waitress as the two of us jammed a wheelchair solidly in the door, but rather - I think - a sign of the economic times (and maybe not many people many people lunch indoors on a 15 degree C and sunny Tuesday?) As the first customers "through"  the door we had our pick of the tables - we chose a window one - to avail ourselves with both the amusement of people watching when the conversation went a  little dry and to pretend to take companionship in the s...

Watering the garden in the morning, cup of coffee in hand and admiring the plants that are flourishing under your care! Freshly watered dafs in my garden: anticipating a whopping 16 degrees today! Even if it's the plants that you bought just before they flowered and snuck them in 'whole' while nobody was looking so that the garden - mostly planted with seeds that haven't sprouted yet - doesn't look completely bare :) Lucky

Its a decision we've all had to make at some point... Someone from junior school who you never really liked (and may or may not have claimed your prize winning piece of art as his own)has found you on Facebook - and now wants you to be their friend! It's probably only because they're nosy or want to increase their friend count. This one is a simple decision: decline! Then there is the acquaintance who moves in similar circles... You don't get on and aren't quite sure why they want to be your friend - are they making an effort and should you make that effort too, or are they 'friending' you to find out more about what you're up to so that they can pretend to everyone else that you do get on (although it's blatantly obvious, especially in confined spaces...)So do you friend and then delete immediately / friend and delete a few days/weeks later / ignore the request / decline straight out? It's a tough one - whats your decision? Lucky

Directions aren't really my strong point. I'm the only person I know who managed to drive all the way to Windsor using only road signs, but then couldn't find the castle when I was there. I found Lego-Land a few times, but no castle. So yesterday Ameba and I decided to spend the day in Richmond Park - well, if I'm honest, the afternoon after we'd been through the huge Asda off the A3 to get supplies, and sorted out our differences with TomTom - finding a gate that was actually open was a slight issue for us and almost another Windsor repeat. But it was all worth it, because we spent the afternoon lolling about on blankets, reading books, taking photo's, nibbling on half of Asda and napping in the soporific sun. When we left it was with glowing faces and lungs full of fresh air.  We lugged so much stuff to our picnic spot: we didn't have a handy ruler that we could place next to our pile, so here is a pile of Ameba next to our pile of stuff! Isn't ...

Every girl has a pair. The ones that you won't be walking any great distances in - and I'm talking taxi's only here - maybe slightly higher than 'practical' and definitely more killer than everyday... They come out for select occasions: your outfit is often planned around them. They don't have to be expensive (but it helps). They're the shoes that make you feel faa-boo-lis! From the moment you put them on and totter out to the taxi you know you're going to have a good night. You'll turn a few heads, sparkle and shine a little more than normal and never have an empty glass. Effervescence in heels really! Lucky

Last night I went to see my first musical in London. I was a little apprehensive - it being a musical and all - but thought why not! But oh my god, oh my god you guys there is totally a reason it's won so many awards! It was absolutely hysterical and so good I'll definitely go and see it again. So do yourself a favour and go and watch Legally Blonde ! Lucky

In the dining room of an Irish old-age-home one of the residents - seemingly out of nowhere - pipes up: "FBI: Full Blooded Irish" Lucky

May you all have the luck of the Irish today! I hope you're planning on wearing a little green and celebrating St Paddy's day in style (well, more style than me - I'm off to see Legally Blonde!) St Patrick Did you know that St. Patrick's Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Montserrat (thanks Wikipedia). St Patrick was born in Roman Britain in the 4th century into a wealthy Romano-British family and at the age of sixteen was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave. He fled from captivity and returned to Britain where he joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and studied to become a priest.  In 432 he went back to Ireland, this time as a bishop, to Christianise the Irish. According to Irish folklore Patrick used a shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish people. Patrick died on 17 March 461 and is seen as the principal champion of Irish Christianity. Green...

It's twenty past ten and I've just climbed onto my bed. The bed I spent that little bit of extra time making this morning. The bed I've walked past several times this evening, while I procrastinate and clean out my hanging cupboard under a cascade of tumbling shoe boxes, trying to maximise all hours of the day.  I have finally given-in to the fluffed feather pillows and cloud-like soft duvet, along with the blissful, pungent scent of the white freesia's. Bear and Humphrey lie with their noses slightly out of joint from where I've whipped a pillow away from them - to comfortingly tuck behind my head! As I lie still my body is slowly beginning to release the tensions of the day. My eye-lids are heavy and drooping with exhaustion, while my legs are thankful for their horizontal resting position.  Any minute now I'm going to roll over, snuggle further into the abyss of this bed and allow my mind to wander into the land of dreams... Good night world. Lucky

As any horse racing fan will know, this week (for the next four days) is the Cheltenham Festival . Today (Tuesday 15th) is Centenary Day where the main race is the Stan James Champion Hurdle. Tomorrow (16th) is Ladies Day, main race: Sportingbet.com Entertainers Queen Mother Champion Chase. On Thursday, St Patricks Day - and I have it on good authority that the whole of Ireland will be there - the main race is the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. And on Friday (18th) it's Gold Cup Day, with the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, the biggest day of jump racing. Last year 217 000 people attended - this year 220 000 are expected. "Drying weather could deliver more good than good to soft ground for the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday, but forecast rain on Friday morning has opened up the possibility of underfoot conditions changing in the hours leading up to Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup... A final cycle of old course irrigation on Monday maintained the track used for the ...

I was just paging through today's Telegraph when I came across the results of a survey conducted on behalf of National Butchers Week: "an alarming 17% of adults think pigs can fly. Or rather, their knowledge of butchery is so poor that they believe pork wings exist as a cut of meat... Nearly two in ten thought tofu ribs were a cut of meat, and a leg of liver was something you could buy. As many of 23% thought a chicken chop or a lamb drumstick was a product they could pick up in a supermarket or butchers shop."  I guess, in that case, however the chefs thinks best... Lucky

Sometimes we have the words - at other times it's better to let others speak.  Where The Streets Have No Names  is written by a friend who is in Tokyo at the moment, and while the constant images of devastation in the media keep us up-dated, she is putting this all into very moving words... Lucky

So last night while Iron Man was braaiing and Ameba was amazing us all with her cupcakes, PLW was (amongst other things) taking a few photos... Iron Man's wicked tong skills (rumour has it that he can juggle 3 pairs of tongs, take a sip of his beer and turn a steak - all at the same time!) That wouldn't be your temporary crown would it?  And it wouldn't be in your hand because of a Ghost-Pop? The common 'when-your-sleeves-are-too-short-and-you-want-to-take-a-photo' position  'Scuse me, I think your dog is down here... PLW and Lucky: loving a little cream-soda crown moment Playing at Mexicans-in-the-middle... How many Mexicans can you fit on a sofa? That would be 5 Time for a Williams schnapps...  Lets just say it's special in it's own way! Always keen to show us her party-trick, failing to grab a bottle of beer PLW uses a coke bottle - good decision... Failing to check that the lid was on properly - bad decision! We whip our hair back and  fo...