The Hills of Dock Leaf

25 January 2010 @ 08:44 am

What is the absolute worst song ever written? For what amount of money would you consider listening to it over and over again for 24 hours?

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No question. It's '24 Hours from Tulsa' by the otherwise pretty blameless Gene Pitney. Sheesh, even typing the title makes my brain bleed. A song about spineless, cheating, pitiful excuses that no amount of money in this universe could make me listen to for 24 hours. Actually, I don't think I'd be physically capable of listening to it for that long, as even a couple of seconds into it makes me enraged to thrombosis levels...

Tags: writer's block

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24 October 2009 @ 10:33 am

Writer's Block: Take the pain away

If you could say anything you want to the person who has hurt you most in life, what would it be? Did you ever confront them? Why or why not?

Submitted By secret_berry49

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Easy! I would inform him, with perfect honesty and sincerity, that I had better and far more satisfying in every respect sex with a pretty much total stranger in one night than I did in eleven years with him.

I could still confront him with that, but I'm not going to because it's not worth my time. I've moved on with my life, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it, dear.

My word, that was fun!

Tags: confrontation, pain, writer's block

Mood:

bouncy

Listening to: Steeleye Span - Fighting For Strangers

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28 August 2009 @ 08:48 am

Happy Birthday!

*throws Howard and Vince shaped confetti* to the gorgeous, clever, funny and all round shiny superstar that is

justqueenie . Hope you have a good day today my darling - I also hope the package arrived intact! - and that you have a healthy and happy year ahead of you.

Loves ya, m-wah!

Mood:

sore

Listening to: Seagulls outside

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31 May 2009 @ 11:18 am

Happy Birthday!!

To the wonderful, marvellous, talented, funny and fabulous

brigantine1 ! Hope you have a lovely day, with jelly and ice cream and NO FIRES!

*smishes you with birthday smishes*

Mood:

cheerful

Listening to: Birdies cheeping

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28 March 2009 @ 07:15 pm

LoM Updates - 28.3.9 - Part 2

( Read more... )

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26 January 2009 @ 07:54 am

Writer's Block: Robotic

Who (or what) is your favorite fictional robot?

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Commander Data, although technically he's an android, not a robot...who cares? He's wonderful *g*

Tags: robots, writer's block

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10 June 2008 @ 03:03 pm

Mash Game: Predict Your Future at eSPIN-the-Bottle



		I will marry Graham the EV.
		After a wild honeymoon, We will settle down in Tallahasse in our fabulous Mansion.
		We will have 1 kid(s) together.
		Our family will zoom around in a Purple TVR Cerbera.
		I will spend my days as a Tunnel expert, and live happily ever after.

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06 December 2007 @ 08:34 pm

Well, I'm Alive....

and this is going to be a very quick post seeing as best buddy has just arrived, but it's to let you all know that I am back online, albeit carfeully as I don't really know what I'm doing with this laptop yet...and will be back in the land of LJ just as ever soon as I can. Boyola, I've missed you all. There must be so much that's happened that I've missed!!

I really have missed you all and I will be back with you soon. In the meantime, enjoy this brief musical interlude....

Laters!!

Mood:

cheerful

Listening to: None

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20 August 2007 @ 06:44 pm

Stand By Your Beds!

Bunny Alert! Bunny Alert! Now, personally, I blame this here picture from the wonderful, talented smut-fuelled people at Theban Band, but it would probably have happened anyway, given my fan-girl tendencies to squee over both David Tennant and John Barrowman...

( Delicious and Inspiring Picture )

It's also a pathetic gesture to

justqueenie who is having a rotten old time of it at the moment and who is bearing it all with the sort of staunch good humour that would have made Queen Victoria's bottom lip wobble ever so slightly with pride. Hang on in there, baby. I'm sorry it's not terribly chipper, by the way, which is why you haven't got it as a birthday fic...beta'd by the gorgeous bit of stuff that is

fawsley

( Lest We Forget )

OoO

I'm also grinning like a Cheshire Cat that got the whole damn dairy plus milkman plus pedigree herd of Jersey's becuase finally, there is some good stuff going on. Quite apart from the planned Weekend of Salisbury Smut with the afore-mentioned fawsley to look forward to at some point, possibly November time, dunno exactly, my brother has got a new job that he very much wanted and it's in the UK!! He's home, and so no longer likely to get shot at, other than in the usual happy-go-lucky way of Leicester, which is Very Good News. Also on the Happy Horizon of Me, is the impending visit to these shores (yes folks, for one week only!!) of the one, the only,

half_elf_lost! Cue wild, Muppet Show style cheering!

Mood:

Tired/Happy

Listening to: Heston Blumenthal filleting turbot

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26 July 2007 @ 04:58 pm

Just When You Thought...

...things were improving ever so slightly, more crap happens. This time, in a torrential rain storm (yes, that old favourite again...) on the M5, the car starts to play up. I nursed it home, only to be told by Hubster that the head gasket had gone. This is a terminal kind of problem if not fixed rapidly. £500.

I'll say that again, just in case you passed out from shock the first time...£500.

Holy
Mother
of
GOD

£500.

Needless to say, what with the 'hand to mouth, every penny budgeted for' kind of hedonistic lifestyle we lead, we were astonished to find that we didn't have a spare £500 lying around in the bathroom. We even checked behind the sofa cushions but nope, still not there. Uncanny.

So I had to beg from a generous Granny. Which is horrible. What's even more horrible is that I can't go and see Grandad on Saturday with Dad. Have I mentioned the whole thing is horrible and that I seem to have spent most of this afternoon in tears, blowing my nose after having been in tears, or about to burst into more tears? No? Well, I have. And two people have died from petrol fumes trying to pump out water at Tewkesbury Rugby Club, which is too fucking tragic for words. Father and son. There aren't words for this situation at the moment.

On a thankfully happier note, you can always rely on Errol the Gay for a truly priceless comedy moment.

( Cats have this sixth sense for the weather... )

I need a large glass of wine. Carry on thinking those happy thoughts, please?

Mood:

Why me?

Listening to: Def Leppard - Photograph

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25 July 2007 @ 07:53 pm

WOOT!

I had a shower this afternoon. First full-on wash (including my hair) for three days...It Felt SO GOOD. I love my work. They let me shower and I filled up all my water containers there, so haven't had to worry about the bowsers running out...it's also taken a bit of pressure off the local ones, which is good. I also managed to do some food shopping this afternoon as well. The menu in the Dock household for the foreseeable future is made up of things that don't create much washing up...work have said I can do whatever I need to for as long as I need to *loves WCT*.

AND, my house was on the national BBC news at 6pm! Small terraced house, big green shaggy hedge, empty water bowser :(

The emergency services and (although I never thought I'd say it) Severn Trent have been truly magnificent in some frekkin' awful conditions. You rock, lads.

Only thing is...it's supposed to piddle it down again tomorrow and then again over the weekend. Still, my upper lip is well and truly stiff (after a cry in the car this morning on the way to an appointment, but I personally put that down to PMT and a Loudon (sp?) Wainwright the 3rd song on the radio) so we can soldier on through, no probs. Incidentally, Rufus' dad is a much better singer than he is (sorry my entire f-list, but it had to be said...)

Off to make sandwiches for tomorrow, and the to bed to finish LoTR and sob my eyes out again. Odd how this re-read for the umpteenth zillionth time has made me weepy in places not usually a problem. I don't normally howl at the death of Theoden (in the book; I do in the film) but crikey, I did this time. Hubster just patted me fondly and handed me the tissue box. He's a good, good man.

Mood:

CLEAN!

Listening to: Glen Miller - Chatanooga Choo Choo

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24 July 2007 @ 06:00 am

SPLOSH! Update

Firstly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to

nienna_weeper and I hope she has a fantastic one. There will be, just as soon as I find my flippers and snorkel, a little something in the post...it may be delivered by porpoise at this rate, but it will be coming. Just ignore the fact it's going to be kind of late!

Otherwise, the situation is that we still have no water (apart from the zillions of additional litres in all those places where it shouldn't be) but we do still have power at the moment. This could change at any time, and we keep losing the phone/internet at sporadic times. It rained pretty much all day yesterday but is due to be warm and sunny today. Humph. Then, joy of joy, more rain for the rest of the week.

I currently have hair that would (to quote Victoria Wood), make 'seal-skin look dry and unmanageable' but have managed to have a rather Victorian style wash in about an inch of tepid water. I'll be brushing my teeth at work...I'm sure it's all good, situation wise, for my moral fibre, but it's playing merry hell with my raging PMT. I'm going to the in-laws for a bath tonight and I'm counting the minutes...

Hubster and I managed to get through five minutes of Fellowship yesterday afternoon (he got sent home early and I didn't make it to work at all) before falling dead asleep on the sofa for the next two and a bit hours. I think that's due a bit to stress. Oh, I must go and fill the bucket up from the water tank over the road before I go to work *ties mental knot in mental hankie*.

In other, non-Biblical event related news, we're all very happy that Zoe the cat doesn't have either feline lukemia or AIDS, or anything else that would appear to be sinister. Jeremy, her ancient partner in crime, actor-manager extrordinaire and all round Fine Old Gent, went through the great stage door in the sky a week or so ago, due to it being discovered that he had feline aids, so it's great news that the feisty little diva is all clear. Dad, needless to say, is delighted.

Right, I need to go and chivvy the animals along. They still haven't quite mastered marching up the gangplank in pairs and in time. Especially the millipedes...

Mood:

PMT...

Listening to: BBC Gloucestershire

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22 July 2007 @ 03:12 pm

SPLOSH!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6910638.stm

I'm getting a bit fed up with all of this now...took me FIVE hours to go 28 miles on Friday in order to get home, including the scariest thing I have ever had to do in a car, namely drive round what used to be a roundabout, but was doing a good impression of a washing machine on full spin cycle by the time I go to it....Couldn't stop (would have got washed away), definitely couldn't go back, so had to go forwards...car and me bigged each other up like you would not believe on the other side! The other side, BTW, was still so deep in water that it was nearly up to the wheel arch, but I felt so pleased to have driven through water so deep it was over the BONNET that I was a bit blase by that point...

Gloucestershire is pretty much totally under water. So is a lot of Worcestershire and Warwickshire, but Glozzer's been really badly hit. So. Much. WATER! I feel like Piglet...

Hubster was, needless to say, utterly heroic. He walked out to meet me in the car, armed with comfy footwear and chocolate, so I could at least get home, and got soaked in the process. Luckily, I managed to get home without having to wet myself, but it was a close run thing...Five hours in a car, totally surrounded by water does BAD things a to a girls' bladder...

We've just had to fill the bath up with cold water, as we're supposed to run out of clean water by late this afternoon. The water filtration plant has been flooded and evacuated...don't know what's going to be happening about work tomorrow, I need to call my students and find out what's going on with them.

Can I also say how much I love the Maclaren-Mercedes advert out at the moment, that shows Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso competing with each other to the tune of 'Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better', culminating in a rather nice sauna shot of the pair of them sweating, only to be outdone by Mikka Hakkanenn. Heaven knows, I never thought I'd see that man show any sense of humour, but there it is. It's up there with the Honda 'Hate Something, Change Something, Make Something Better' advert. Brilliant use of the supposed rivalry between the two drivers, spun like candyfloss. Oh, slashy too :)

The sun is currently shining, but could everyone send dry thoughts my way? Thanks, peeps xx

PS - ToTP2 Disco Special last night? Sheer genius. Hubster and me sat on the sofa, making all the right hand gestures to 'YMCA' is my best memory of this rather sodden weekend....

Mood:

worried

Listening to: Grand Prix wiffle

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15 July 2007 @ 10:16 pm

Why is it...?

That when you really know you need a decent nights sleep, you can't get your head down for love nor money? I'm tired, I know I am, I've been up in Cumbria for the weekend and had a hellish journey both up on Thursday after work and then back again this afternoon, with several bouts of not sleeping brilliantly in between. So, y'know, you'd think my bonce would have seen sense, 'specially as I'm back home again and I have to be back at work tomorrow at the usual bonkers time (although not quite as bonkers as

eremirhas to start *pets poor wifey*), but NO. It has to be wide awake and it wants to Play...

It's not helped by a somewhat dark Dr. Who bunny that's frolicking around in there, either...Or the bunny who Shall Remain Nameless that keeps nipping me and muttering stuff about Eomer, Faramir and a flagon of pear wine...

Ack.

BUT, excellent news! Whilst away I have...*takes deep breath*...FINISHED my first children's book. Yes, finished. Now I need to sort out how to patent this and then how I start to spam potential publishers. Very excited indeed, but a leetle nervous as I seem to be wobbling on the edge of a rather scary precipice, writing-wise.

The inside of the Dock Head is a bit confuddled at the moment, can you tell? The family situation isn't really helping, but there's not a lot I can do about that apart from stepping in every now and again to prevent my parents going totally round the twist.

Ack x Two.

Righty ho, starting to feel a bit snoozier now, so farewell and adieu dear LJ...

Mood:

confused

Listening to: Glen Miller - In The Mood

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08 July 2007 @ 03:57 pm

A Jolly Big Thank You...

( Birthday Ramblings and Pic-Spam )

Here endeth the pic-spam!

Mood:

loved

Listening to: Steeleye Span - The Brown Girl

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06 July 2007 @ 07:56 pm

Happy Birthday Half Elf Lost! *throws shared confetti*

Wooot! And possibly even a quick 'YAY!' when no-one's looking...birthday's are great, aren't they? And I know, I know, this is going up a day early to be actually a genuine birthday ficcie, but the bunny was nagging me. He's been so generous recently that I didn't have the heart to refuse...

( I Can Feel Your Heart Beat )

Mood:

bouncy

Listening to: Rogue Traders - Voodoo Child

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01 July 2007 @ 04:35 pm

Dr. Who Slash!

OK, I'm quite pleased with it, but let me know what you think. I blame David Tennant and John Barrowman for being the slashiest couple on TV at present time for the bunny that handed me this....

( One is One )

Mood:

creative

Listening to: Whitesnake - Straight For The Heart

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01 July 2007 @ 03:16 pm

Food Glorious Food

Oh, I love the stuff. OK, so it's a big part of my job, but I've been an anorak about it ever since I can remember. So, it's always nice to go out and eat Really Good Food. If it's in great and sexy company, so much the better. Last night, Hubster and I went to Corse Lawn (my very first place of full time employment, eek!) for dinner, as a late celebration for his birthday and an early celebration for mine. The dishes consumed were thus:

Starters: Hubster had Chargrilled Squid with a Butterbean and Chorizo Stew, and I had Wild Rabbit Terrine with Nettle Sauce and Marinated Fennel Salad.
Mains: Hubster had Ribeye Steak (rare to the point of mooing) with Bearnaise Sauce, Red Wine Jus and Horseradish Mash, and I had Chargrilled Calves Liver with Red Onion Compote, Chive Beurre Blanc and Champ. Accompanying vegetables were Roasted Beetroot, Almondine Potatoes and Sauteed Runner Beans.
Dessert: Hubster had Caramel Ice Cream with Buttscotch Sauce (I had half of this as he couldn't finish it; I have an unlimited capacity for pudding...) and I had a Honeycomb and Lavender Parfait with Poached Nectarine.

YUMMO!

A really nice evening *sighs happily*.

Am now off to work closely with the bunny that popped up in response to fawsley, brigantine1 and others nudging me in a not-so-subtle manner re Dr. Who slash....watch this space!

Mood:

happy

Listening to: British Superbikes

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27 June 2007 @ 08:25 pm

A Minute of Your Time?

Because I'd really like to waffle about something for a moment. I've already waffled at

fawsleyso she can doze off for a bit...

I've just bought some new books. In fact, to be exact, I've bought 6 new books. But they aren't new, they're first editions from 1909 and have been rescued from the clear out that the Hospitality Study Centre (library to thee and me) have recently had, in order to make room for new and, let's face it, rather more relevant stock. Each volume of my new books cost me the grand sum of 25p...

The purpose of this entry is rather just to go 'wow, man...' I mean, 1909? They're nearly a 100 years old, for crying out loud! They go by the wonderful collective title of 'The Modern Baker, Confectioner and Caterer' and tell you everything and anything that you might possibly want to know about those areas of hospitality. And here's another thing; it's all still relevant. OK, so you aren't likely to use calico or hessian tableclothes anymore, and your local taxidermist (for the supplying of glass eyes and tusks for stuffed boar's heads for gala buffets) may now be a Starbucks, but the basic principles of how you organise the gala buffet are the same. And that's incredibly fascinating. As is the fact that, in 1909, the Carpathian Mountains produced less than 500 bushels of flour for the British Empire per square mile. Who knew? These books have totally exquisite colour illustrated plates, black and white engravings and examples of how to complete the costings for the running of tea shops, bakeries etc. Not to mention the sheer wealth of detail in the book that covers the use of pastillage, sugar work and decorative icings. Astonishing. I particularly liked the entry about employing staff for functions, as follows:

'Dressed in neat black dresses, with white aprons and caps, waitresses give an air of lightness and brightness to a function that to the majority of people is more pleasing than the effect produced by waiter attendants, and waitresses are generally more obliging to guests, or at least have the appearance of being so, then the ordinary run of waiters who can be employed for odd jobs, and there is wanting also that hungry look that the latter aquire when the end of the luncheon is approaching and the expectation of tips is near.'

They're bound in green cloth, with a stylised Demeter on the front of each. Totally Deco, which is one of my favourite styles of anything. I've gone into total and utter nerd mode over these books and I don't care a jot!

Ok, you can go about your business now. Thanks for listening!

Mood:

geeky

Listening to: Paul Simon - April Come She Will

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21 June 2007 @ 07:51 pm

Again with the Updates?

OK, Granny News Flash: She came home from hospital yesterday morning and is being monitored with regular blood tests for how her system is doing with regards to the levels of Nasty Crap Residue that's in there. I spoke to Mum this evening, and Granny is eating and watching the news. So that's all alright then :)

Otherwise in the World of Dock, I'm coming out of a bout of nasty crappy viral infection that's had me off work for the last three days. I went in on Monday, which was a bit of a silly thing to do, and realised I probably wasn't the full ticket when I had to pull the car over on the way to (thankfully) the last appointment of the day and shut my eyes before the headache made me kill either myself or those around me. I shut my eyes and...fell asleep. Woke up in time for said appointment, but that kind of set the alarm bells off... I've been coughing LOTS so not sleeping properly and, until Hubster came over from dogsitting this afternoon to check I hadn't actually died, haven't left the house since Monday. I managed to wobble around ASDA with him and then came home, knackered. Needless to say, I'm not currently watching Sir Ian get his kit off at the RSC...a late night tonight would have killed me for sure, and the play doesn't end until 11.00pm. Still, best bud says she'll get a programme for me and wave at Himself as well. She's a star.

I'm debating whether to go into work tomorrow, or whether I should just have another day of sleeping. I think, when I slept solidly from 6.30am this morning (after feeding the cats) to 1.30pm (when Hubster came to check on me), that I need to take tomorrow off. I just don't feel up to the drive, for one thing. Not having a voice isn't helping matters... I'm trying not to feel guilty about students *sticks fingers in ears and croaks 'la la la' at the mention of students* but they'll just have to wait.

I hate having no immune system *kicks enceph.* but hopefully, the sleeping like a drugged dormouse thing is my body starting to recuperate.

Location: Home, alone.

Listening to: Errol practising his opera in the spare bedroom

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