Stranger Danger

On Saturday i went out with a friend to see the sights of London. After deciding that we would not go to London Dungeons (although it is really fun- I've been 3 times recently), i thought it would be nice, awkward but nice, to give the 2:4:1 vouchers i had to some family in the queue.

I did know that it would be hard, but never predicted that it would be so very awkward that i felt like i had been caught doing something very wrong by a teacher and went so red the traffic near by should have stopped.

So i found my first 'needy' family- a dad and son who said they had no discount voucher and welcomed the one from me. They saved £20. i like to think that they had a slap up meal afterwards in celebration (but not one that cost more than £20!)

Next family, yes they could use one. Bit of confusion, but yes. They saved £20.

Then the scary London Dungeon lady came over and said, 'you're not selling them are you?' in a voice that very much meant, you are in trouble for selling them. I professed very quickly and profusely that 'no i wasn't', and then in desperation declared that she should ask the people themselves. Why is it unbelievable to think that someone might give away their 2:4:1 Tesco's vouchers that would expire next week, if they were passing by the attraction. Well, the scary lady, probably scared away by my unbelievable degree of flustering went away and i continued (1 voucher to go).

However....... NO ONE else would touch the voucher, everyone said they were sorted and didn't need a voucher. They did, but the lady scared them off and i looked like some weird despero who had been caught trying to rip them off. In the end i got so embarrassed and desperate that i had to give up and walk off with the voucher burried deep in my pocket.

I think you need a healthy degree of scepticism and suspicion of nice deals for nothing, but if they had of taken that dangerous little piece of paper they could have read it for themselves and decided whether to use it or not. At least it would have replicated the nice gesture i was so desperately trying to make.

I am still embarrassed now. I feel like i tried to hug the world, and it just ran away screaming; with everyone else watching.

The Island of Bed

My favourite moment of the day is the moments of darkness after i have got into bed at night. No matter what happened that day, no matter the tiredness, the rain, the overpowering work load or the stressful encounters with irate people, i always know i will end it all lying in my soft island paradise, in the dark, chatting with Xss.

Its almost like a perpetual sleepover; giggling, sharing stories and evaluating the day. In the dark you have to focus a lot more on people's voices, and you can hear every movement, its almost a more linear way to communicate. But always a time to feel safe, relaxed and calm in the knowledge that since its now sleep time, the next hassle must be at least 7 hours off.

I cant recommend this enough. The nicest way to end a day, and probably the reason why people say the route to a happy, long marriage is going to bed at the same time.

Whats F&*$ You in Portuguese?

Xss and I returned to our Portuguese class last night, having only attended the introductory session and then missed two due to America. I have to admit to being a little jet lagged and perhaps (read definitely) felt my emotions overtly but i really felt that she discriminated against us for being married. haha.

When we told the lady taking attendance the first week we would be missing some sessions she noted on her paper, 'the marrieds will not be attending for 2 weeks'. So last night she took the register calling everyone by name, apart from us. For when she got to us she asked ' LE & Xss'? like we were one!

In addition to this with ALL the handouts she came over and said oh, sorry i haven't enough, can you two share. However, these packs contained material we needed to use in the lesson and sheets we were supposed to fill in for homework. Thanks.

Well after having caught up with my sleep i realise that perhaps this is not because she is bitter and twisted because she is not married and thinks young married couples are naive and stupid, but purely circumstance. BUT I'll be watching.

Back in the Rain

America was brilliant. As i excitedly drove to my house along those vaguely familiar roads (it is 9 years since i lived there), i can remember so exactly the date i arrived in Minnesota a few weeks after my 18th birthday never having been on a plane before. The love and excitement remains and i ran down the drive and into Tim's arms as he stood to greet me from his usual garage chair retreat.

Xss and I enjoyed driving down the Mississippi to St. Louis with our ultimate destination unknown. We settled for spending a few days in the Ozarks, and visiting several small towns on the way back, each with their own $2 museum as a tribute to something random and bizarre.

This is the place where the first 'Pony Express' left from, however the idea never really took off as telegrams were invented!

Below is a nice corn field we decided that we liked a lot better than any of the great cities. I think this is Nebraska somewhere. We had stopped for a Dairy Queen ice-cream, surprise surprise.

It was so great to see all my family, but also to be 'lost' in the middle of a huge safe country with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Every single stress of life removed.

I'd love to see all of the states, and if i had nothing else to do i;d love to do a Steinbeck (my favourite author) and spend a long time just going for a wander through them.