The secret life of me...

1. Do you believe in Life On Other Planets?

In a simplistic way, probability dictates that there most likely is life on other planets. Actually, I think I probably do believe that there is, although perhaps in a form that we wouldn't recognise.

2. If you met an ET, how would you feel?

I think I'd be very excited

3. Do you believe that Mankind belongs among the stars?

I'm pretty sure that I do

4. Do you think we will colonise another planet in your lifetime?

Unlikely, I think - all the ones that are close are pretty boring...

5. Would you be prepared to accept the challenge of being a colonist on another planet, with all the possible hardships involved?

No - I'm happy to let someone else do that for me!

I assume everyone has seen this...

Am bad blogger right now (though possibly better person for it ) and am certain this isn't going to help!

1. When showering, do you start the water and then get in, or get in then start the water?
I get in first - otherwise it makes a mess (I know this, because LBF does it the other way round...)

2. Do you read the labels on your shampoo bottle?
Sometimes - if I'm bored - the Lush ones have pictures of the people who made them

3. Do you moan in the shower like the people on the Herbal Essences commercial?
Don't think so... I sometimes squeal if is too hot/cold though.

4. Have you ever showered with someone of the opposite sex?
Yes.

5. Have you ever been forced to shower with one of your siblings?
Almost certainly - I don't remember though.

6. Have you ever brushed your teeth in the shower?
Yes - is perfectly valid time-saving device

7. Have you ever dropped your soap on your foot?
Sometimes the shampoo-type bottles - big ouch

8. How old do you look?
Dunno - probably about 29?

9. How old do you act?
Not very

10. What's the last song you sang?
Was rehearsing Menotti's 'The Medium' last night - does that count?

11. Have you recently become a member of anything?
Renewed my Hackney Empire membership... Ooh - and am thinking about joining work theatre company.

12. What are your plans for the weekend?
Wedding on Sat and wine tasting/buying on Sun.

13. Do you kiss with your eyes open or closed?
Depends - both at appropriate times.

14. Whats the sexiest thing about Condoleeza Rice?
I guess the influence. Not much else!

15. Does anything on your body itch right now?
Not exactly, but my head feels horrible as I didn't wash hair last night (due to lateness and lack of hot water)

16. Who's the sexiest famous woman alive?
Maybe Angelina?

17. Who's the sexiest famous man alive?
Dunno really...

18. Does every family have a crazy uncle?
Not sure mine does, so perhaps not.

19. Have you ever smuggled something into your home country?
Accidently brought ribena from Scotland in my hand luggage the other day. Was bit disappointed that the scanners didn't pick it up.

20. Does playing the guitar make a girl/guy more attractive?
More attractive than what? Not necessarily...

21. Do you live in a city with a good sports team?
Yep.

22. Have you ever finished off the popcorn and ate the junk from the bottom of the bag?
Of course - that's the best bit

23. Have you ever had sex in a tent?
Yes

24. What about in a boat?
Also yes

25. Have you ever dated a Goth?
Don't think so.

26. Can you fix your own car?
That rather depends what's wrong with it - I could certainly change bulbs and fuses and things, and probably even wheels and tyres, but (unless I have hidden talents) I probably wouldn't know what to do with enginicious things.

27. Are you a beach person or a snowy mountain person?
I'm not big on lying around on beaches, but I do love to swim, build castles, sail etc, so I guess beach.
Though I LOVE snow also.

28. If money were not a problem, where would you like to live?
In Suffolk, by the river.
Or perhaps in Edinburgh.

29. Soft bed or firm?
Firm (though not too hard).

30. Last thing received in the mail?
Ooh - this is exciting! A lovely chocolate making kit

Is what I am on today...

In fact, I don't have to go back to The Work until Wednesday

In half an hour or so, we will be heading off to the wild Highlands to visit LBF's parents and have some Highlander-type fun for a few days.
It may also be the land of little or no interwebs, so there are likely to be few updates prior to my return.

For me, it will (hopefully) e a bit like a holiday, but LBF isn't that keen to go - it is a bit of a trek - we have to go on trains, buses, planes and cars to get there...
Hopefully, though, seeing waterfalls, hills, lochs and lovely flooooooffy highland cows will help dispel the travel/family-induced grumpiness a bit (or will, at the very least, make me annoyingly cheerful enough not to care)

Hope everyone else has a nice weekend!

Let me know if you want an Highland-based souvenirs

... and I'm back at work...

Am absolutely knackered today.
Deliberately didn't go to bed toooooooo late last night (people came round for food, wine and lemon tart, but was in bed soon after midnight), so should have been fine, but, sadly, the people in the next door flat seemed to be moving out today... They started at about 5.45am and it was extremely noisy.
Worse for them, of course, as the lift was broken and they had to carry an entire van full of stuff down three floors worth of stairs, but their wellbeing was far from being my primary concern as I buried my head under the pillow this morning (all to no avail - was AWAKE).

Still managed to be late for work though.
Also - in excitement of getting dressed and leaving and stuff, managed to leave behind my bottles of delicious sparkling water and my lunch-strawberries... Most distressing.

In other news, I have eaten way too much chocolate and generally everything this weekend and am feeling the effects today.
Therefore, I shall, henceforth, be re-giving up the everything that I previously gave up for Lent until further notice.
I may allow myself small, manageable amounts of chocolate on Sundays, but that will be it!

Am off to have my no-lunch now.

Hope everyone is having a good day!

Here is the fantastic egg my parents gave me:

And here is the chocolate cake I made for LBF's brother's birthday (which is today) - they're coming round for dinner in an hour or so - will hand over then, but hopefully they'll take it away and eat it another day!

It's pretty extreme - it has about 700g chocolate, 9 eggs and not much else - it's like a sandwich cake with chocolate mousse in the middle and chocolate fudgy icing on top...

Tonight we're having dips and things, Easter lamb (and roasted, steamed and mashed stuffs) and lemon tart with many tasty wines and possibly rum based cocktails

Hope everyone's had a great weekend - can't believe it's work time again tomorrow!

Babka - courtesy of the very splendid Mr Lepard in the Guardian

...before getting On With My Bank Holiday (though I've not quite decided exactly what that should entail yet...)

The Easter Friday Five!

1. How many Easter Eggs have you got already?
My parents gave me a wrapped box last night that feels like it might well be an Easter egg (v eggciting - will open on Sun) and a workmate has given me the most beautiful little pink painted egg (from Waitrose, I think) which claims to be praline inside a real proper egg shell (in addition to some rather delightful chocolate chickens)...

2. Will you go to church over the Easter period?
Probably not - my parents are away and I'm unlikely to go without them. I think that the church I grew up in has changed a bit - the minister has recently left for pastures new and I suspect that there will be less of my old friends there to see...

3. When you think of Easter what is your first thought?
Well - there's the whole resurrection thing, no ?
Closely followed by chicks, bunnies, chocolate and roast lamb. Not necessarily in that order
Also - much like Christmas - I love it as an excuse to give people silly presents I distributed a great number of secret Malteaster bunnies and Kinder eggs at work yesterday and have sent tasty Easter cakes to my grandparents. I also got this for my parents (I saw it in a magazine and was irresistibly drawn to it) and have got some cool (and, as yet, undisclosed) treats for LBF.

4. What is your favourite chocolate? White, milk, dark?
Depends a bit on circumstance - probably dark mostly - more chocolatey

5. Did you give anything up for Lent??
A whole raft of things (see earlier post) including chocolate and stuff...
It's actually giving me some fairly significant Chocolate Fear - I'm not sure how well I'm going to deal with the impending chocolatiness of Sunday - it strikes me that it might be best just to extend the giving up period....

Off to start my life now Any suggestions?

We have to go to a wedding...

It's in Tunbridge Wells.
The RAC website says that it will take 49 minutes to get there, but I'm afraid it might be much more...
Am vaguely planning to leave at 12ish to be there for 1.30 or 2 - does that seem reasonable?

I'm a bit unsure about the whole wedding thing, too...
To be honest, the thought of it fills me with slight dread.

I really hate civil wedding ceremonies - all the ones I've been to have been utterly grim - they are all waffle and padding and still only last about 12 minutes...
And the reception bit may or may not be fun.

Am trying not to be too pessimistic though - it might be great - there should be quite a lot of people I know there, some of whom I haven't seen for a pretty long time and LBF is coming too (and will look totally hot in his kilt ).

In other news - I have eaten too much garlic mash and am full.
Am also thinking (quite hard) about having a shower.

1. How many candles do you have burning at any given time??

Lots 'n' lots...
Not that often, but when I do it, i like to do it properly

2. Do you love to get given Easter eggs??

Off course - it's lovely to be given things

3. Wine or vodka??

Mostly wine, please

4. Do you say dinner, tea or supper when talking about your evening meal?

Tea usually (I grew up having breakfast, dinner and tea...) but when we go out, we usually go out for dinner...

5. What is your favourite sandwich??

I don't eat very many sandwiches these days - not quite sure why... My all-time favourite sandwich (I think) was a brie and bacon ciabatta (or occasionally baguette) with mayonnaise and mustard from a tiny place called Olympic Sandwich in Edinburgh... When I was an impecunious student, I used to get one once a week after m Monday lectures.
Try as I might, I've never really managed to recreate the might of that sandwich... I think it was the mustard - I don't know exactly was, but it was utterly delicious (and, LBF tells me, probably the reason that I'm such a chubster now!)