#Blog Flash 2013 Day 19 City

I've written many pieces on London so not to want to bore you (again) with how fabulous the city is, I have decided to write about another city . . . . 

Any reason to go to London and I am there. I love the thrill of the city; the noise, crowds, smells and tempo. There is one city I haven’t had the pleasure of but it is on the top of my list to go to; New York. When we see pics of it on TV, I’m instantly filled with excitement and an urge to go, where as my husband sees a concrete jungle of chaos and his worst nightmare. Needless to say, when I eventually get to experience this wonderful city, I will be going without him.  J  

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For more blog flash please visit http://terriglong.com/blog/

#12 Days of Christmas Blog hop

Day 2 Love
The First Gift of Christmas

      Ruth remembered the day well. She never believed in love at first sight, thought it was made up for people who confused lust with love in the regret of the morning after. But a shopping trip to New York changed all that. She met Nick. Their hands touched as they both reached for the same scarf, both pulled away sharply until they looked into each other’s eyes. There wasn’t an uncomfortable feeling, no embarrassment. They smiled, decided to go for a coffee and forgot about the scarf.
      Ten years later, Ruth carefully wrapped a cashmere scarf for her husband Nick as he was getting ready for work.
“I wish you didn’t have to wear that” Ruth huffed, not hiding her annoyance as Nick pulled on his uniform. It added pounds to him; hiding his lean frame in the ill fitting suit.
“You say that every time.” He kissed her. She stroked his soft clean shaven face, nuzzled herself into his neck.
“I have something for you.” From under the pillow, Ruth pulled out a golden package and handed it over.
“Aren’t I supposed to give the first gift of Christmas?”
“And aren’t you supposed to be fat with a real white beard?”
“True.” He opened the package and his face broke into a grin. “Just what I wanted.” The scarf wrapped beautifully around his neck before it was completely covered up by the false beard. “How do I look?” Her handsome, trim Nick was no longer recognisable under all the red and white but the twinkle in his eyes was still there just as it was ten years ago when they first met. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
       Ruth didn’t mind sharing her husband for one night with the rest of the world, after all it was Christmas.

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Thanks to Inky fingers herself, Ruth and Jar of Fireflies for hosting. xxxx

Best Friends

  

I love my job! Unless you’re a movie star or Paris Hilton, where else can you get so much time off from work other than working in education; six weeks off now and hopefully the sun will join us. But I am sad. The first few days of the holiday always make me sad. It may be the calming down after so much fun; it may be the end of an era what with people/children moving on. It could be that I have nothing to look forward to as no holiday booked this summer. (Well I do have plans but the no holiday thing depresses me if I think about it too much especially when everyone else is buggering off). But the real reason is that my lovely friend- The Mad American- is off home for the summer.

I will miss her! But she never fails to keep me informed of what is going on . . . .

1.     I always get a text about her ‘companion’ on the plane. I can just imagine her sitting there with that empty seat next to her, watching as people get on and walk towards her, then heaving a huge sigh of relief as they walk on by. I can also imagine her screaming silently inside as the seat is filled, wishing that person had walked on by! And she has eight hours to go! She doesn’t sit with her Hubby for that long at home! This time, however, she is sitting with her kids but I’m sure there will be someone that catches her eye and I will get a text despite the fact her mobile should be switched off at that time!

2.     With Facebook, The Mad American can keep in touch! Yay! But it is not as easy as that. Her parents do not have access to the internet. So as she takes her bright pink laptop with her, she stands on her parents drive, waving her laptop around until she gets the signal. There is someone out there who has not secured their signal! And it would be rude not to take advantage of that. I wonder what the neighbours think that this strange woman is sitting on the drive rather than in the house or the garden by the pool! Obviously, The Mad American visits plenty of family and friends with internet so she gets to use it in the comfort of their home and rarely needs to stand on the drive and then it’s only in an emergency. . . . Is that ok honey? Don’t want to get you in trouble!  

3.    The internet (whose ever it is) has meant that The Mad American has been able to get in touch when she needs. And the distance between us is nothing as I’ve been there for her when needed over the years and hopefully been a huge help in her hour of need. xxxx

4.    There is never a simple journey for The Mad American. There have been delays. There has been lost luggage! There has been surprise ‘lets-keep-this-trip-secret-so-I-can-surprise’ despite her advertising the fact on Facebook and telling the whole world. And there is always the luggage weigh in which is always way over what it should be and that’s just going out! Never mind coming back with cases full of goodies for people. Which brings me on to . . .

5.    She is the most generous person I know. She goes around asking everyone and anyone ‘would you like me to bring you something back?’ She is a shopaholic. She loves to spend! Her cases on the return home are full of purple skittles, Peanut Butter M&Ms, Twinkies, T shirts, jewellery, watches, cereals and other bits that you can only get in America! Obama should give her recognition for her single handed efforts in restoring the economy with her spending!

6.    And finally, today is the last day I will get to see her for six weeks. We are meeting for a last gossip, giggle and hugs. It has become a bit of a ritual now; the goodbye/happy holiday drinkies after work are not enough and we need our little time.

In the mean time, I have Hubby’s birthday, a wedding anniversary to remind my Hubby of, lay ins, books to read, flash fiction to write, a sun lounger needing my attention, days out, a trip to Suffolk and catching up with friends. I do love the summer holidays really but just wish for once I could spend it with the Mad American . . . Maybe next year I’ll be the one sitting next to her on the plane and her squeals of delight will break the sound barrier.

Safe journey!

Love, Me. xx

The Final Countdown!!!!!

There are times when you have a fab idea for a blog post and the words just flow which is fantastic. There are, however, times when you do not have an idea but you know you want to write as you’re in the mood to share and this is one of those times. It’s not that I do not have an idea. It’s just I have already written two blog posts on the subject so I thought about what else is happening in my world. And it just so happens that it is coming up to the summer holidays which means winding down at work and indeed is the final countdown to summer (if the sun can join us, that would be awesome).

So here is the Final Countdown to the glorious six weeks off . . . . . .

1.     We had our end of term works do last night and it was a pub quiz which was awesome. Now loyal and regular blog followers will know that the pub quiz is a mixed bag for my team because we were sad at coming second from last and not getting the booby prize but gobsmacked at coming third and second because we’re usually so dire. Well last night we had high expectations as last year, we actually won! We argued, debated, over though, laughed, drank, ate and argued some more. We had the advantage of having The Mad American on our team so when we asked about the biggest state in America, she said Texas which I said too. But I’m not American. Someone else had their wits about them and said Alaska which actually was right. There were some other dumb arse questions about America and we got them all wrong! In fact, if we didn’t over think most questions, we would have probably won as we were second by only three points! The drink didn’t help either!

2.    Change! A part of life but I hate it. And every summer, we have this huge change of kids leaving, moving class, new peeps to work with and tying up loose ends. It’s a funny few days filled with parties, gifts and tears during the leaver’s assembly.

3.    Preparing to cook up a storm. There is a whole new world to the end of the summer term. The generosity of the gifts from the kids is amazing. And the shops have cottoned on; filled with Best teacher/Teaching Assistant for at least a month now. Being a baker, I like to be creative this time of year and give a treat handmade by me. It says so much more. Especially when Hubby sees the state of the kitchen. Which brings me to . . .

4.       Hubby! He is not happy at No 1 Son being around for six weeks and worse, me being around demanding the usual day’s out, pub lunches and togetherness! He likes his ‘me time’ of which is going to be nonexistent. Obviously No 1 Son will be doing his own thing and will come home when hungry or skint or both! So Hubby, on your days off its ‘Hasta la vista, baby’ to the Xbox 360!  

5.       The sun! And I don’t mean the Murdoch rag. I’m talking about the biggest star in the sky and its shyness so far this summer. Generally by now, I’ve been wilting in the heat, even melting. This time I’ve been getting soaked nearly every day either walking to work or walking home and don’t even get me started on the stress involved in trying to dry the washing out on the line! Usually by August, the rain comes and makes for a rather miserable summer. However, seeing as we have that already, I am hoping that the sun will come to the great summer party of six weeks off and I am counting down the days and counting on that jet stream to bugger off! And do you know why we have the jet stream hanging over us? America has a heatwave which is causing it. So for us to have our summer, America needs to lose there's so the jet stream does bugger off. Sorry Mad American. The garden needs my sun lounger and I need to finish reading Wicked and try to cope with the 50 Shades drivel; in the sun!!

6.       My lovely friend will be leaving me again. Every summer, The Mad American goes home to New York State and every summer, I see her before she goes, get really sad and become a Facebook-a-phobe because she has better things to do.  She’s counting down the days to glorious American sunshine and I’m slowly counting down the days until she goes. L However, she does bring back peanut butter M&M’s which are awesome. I so should have been born American although Hubby said if I was, I’d be the size of Alaska- which is the biggest state my Mad American friend, not Texas. (See above pics).

7.       The 30 day #BlogFlash for August 2012! I said YES!!! 100 words each day on a different prompt! Will I do it? You’ll have to keep your eyes peeled to find out . .

And that is it, I think. My little countdown to lazy summer days, busy family fun and becoming ‘Ladies what Lunch’ as we get together for relaxing summer gossip over a Spritzer and a Pimms.

Happy summer all and let’s give a big shout out to that beautiful, much needed summer accessory; the sun!  

Love Me xxxx

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