An update

14 day detox - my energy level is chronically low so I decided to do something about my diet. I don't mean "dieting" although that would not go amiss. What I am doing for two weeks is not having wheat & gluten, no alcohol and no obvious sugar. I miss my bread. Gluten free bread is too awful and certainly doesn't lend itself to a nice ham sandwich. I have been doing it for five days and I think I feel better. I take a 30 min walk each day.

Courses - I have been going to a writing course on Tuesday evenings and I have given it up. It was so-o-o not working for me. I would come home exhausted and fed up so I withdrew yesterday. Just so I don't get lazy, I began a Photoshop course last night and it is great. Anything with a computer is the thing for me and I know I will be more than happy to do homework.
I'm wondering if courses are a bit like shopping for me; i.e. if I take a course, I can sit and listen to someone else talking about whatever it is instead of doing it myself. The shopping involves buying stuff for whatever new project takes my fancy instead of getting on with it!

Immigration - The forms are completed and with the solicitor who is handling the process. I decided to hire someone to do it with me so that it would be done right. I had an email from her yesterday asking me if I want to change my name before the application goes in or wait until it is done and change names in time for the new passport. I would like to change my name today but I don't want anything to hold up the citizenship process.

1970's tie dye dinner party

In order to cope with a very large (wide) dining table, I made a tie dye tablecloth from a sheet. Such a flashback to the 70's when that particular craft form was everywhere. I invited eight friends, three from my art group, three outliers and Rachel and Charlie. Alison and Sian decreed that I must have a 1970's menu so here it is:

Before- cheese and pineapple hedgehog
crisps and dip
Starter - prawn cocktail with MarieRose sauce
Main - chicken Kiev
chips
a selection of frozen veg
Pudding - Black Forest Gateau
apple crumble

To ease the blandness of the menu, I had good wine.


The tablecloth


The guests


After all this wonderfulness, can a macrame plant holder be far behind?

The boys, The park, The engine

Yes indeed, I had my weekend at the seaside with the family Williams.


It's a long way down. Did you mean for me to be here?




Child No.1 - I'm cool. I drink and swing
Child No.2 - This is the greatest thing since breast milk




I will always be faithful to Thomas, the engine, that is. The brother is a given.

Off to Brighton

I am going down to Brighton today to spend a couple of days with the boys and, of course, their Mummies. I will have my camera and will post pictures when I get back.

Another course

I decided it was time to get serious about doing some writing. It's all very well to say you do writing but the truth is that I never seem to get around to it. So, I started a writing course last evening and we've got the old phantasy thing going again. I told you about the art course. Well, I turn up at this place last night and realize that everyone else in the group is considerably younger than I and everything seems to revolve around Sci Fi. But, like the art group, I am going to stick with it to see what happens. Perhaps I can write a story in one course and illustrate it from the other!

My Monday evenings at BK continue. The meditation suits me and the discussion group is useful. I try to carry things I hear into daily life and sometimes I succeed.

I have been going along great with Flylady. My Zone this week is the kitchen.

Adam

We are in the middle of an Adam style sleepover. We started off yesterday afternoon with a trip to the cinema to see the new Planet of the Apes film. The first half was pretty good (not great) but it then turned scary so we left. I told Adam he could choose our dining venue and, god love him, he picked KFC. It's my favourite fast food so we made the five mile drive down to the A40 service area and indulged ourselves. We got Krispy Kreme doughnuts (only one each) to bring home and treated ourselves while watching Madagascar which was way better than PofA. We were in bed by 9:30 and now we are up waiting for Starbucks to open so we can indulge in a little more self indulgence.

A True Brit

Good news. I spoke to an immigration lawyer today and she tells me that my background, assets, family, and general and specific wonderfulness mean that I can apply to become naturalized and there should be no problem having it come through. I can get a British passport and, equally important, I can change my name. For those of you who don't already know, I will be Anne Richards when this happy day arrives.