To be completed, as far as possible, by 7pm on Sunday, with the option of some help from P after 7pm until Sundown.

• Brownies Accounts
• Fill in bank form
• Interrailling Meeting
• New templates for tubs 
• (including finding the lids templates)
• Count up the tubs and only take the correct number plus a spare or so, not all 70
• Pack craft stuff for camp
• Locate spare blankets, locate badges, 
• locate sewing kit
• Laundry
• Sort girls' forms into alphabetical order
• Print timetables
• Print room signs
• Print sixes and points charts
• Print room allocations  Twice, as I cannot spell Beauxbatons with any degree of accuracy.
• Print fire drill
• Print House Rules
• Print Ice cream instructions
• Book Paris Hostel
• Sort out Receipts (not actually sure what this means on paper list, hoping inspiration will occur) Oh yes, print off receipts for stuff bought on ebay.
• Type up home contacts list and send to B (or scan at work) Going to scan at work
• Wash paint pallets.  Find out how to spell pallet?  Pallette?
• Write names onto sticky labels for Brownies for Friday/Saturday/Sunday (one per Brownie per day) or perhaps print that?
• Laminate stuff that needs laminating (room signs, ice cream instructions, ). 
• Pack Laminator and pouches. Buy more pouches if need be
• Count the night lights (7)
• Print menus
• Pack all paperwork apart from the last minute list, this is done
• Make badges for self and Captain. Find out how to spell Professor MacGonagall
• Buy glue (check PVA levels also if leaking)
• Buy E45 bath stuff
• Buy thank you gifts for parents, 12 leaders, 2 Japanese Girl Scouts
• Assemble thank you gifts
• Buy air mattress
• Produce provisional plan for tent pitching
• Make sure cheque book gets packed.
• Order Costa Rica Challenge Badges (again)
• Write cheque AP
• Establish how much I am actually owed and try not to faint Somewhere in the region of £200
• Hog Roast Saturday night (yay!)
• Try and locate sitting room floor Apart from the templates, this is visible.
• Work out how to get to Hog Roast
• Retrieve Brownie badges from church, work out who has been away before and which advanced badges need buying
• Buy 41 friends to animals badges, 15 PH, 1 PH Adv, 13 Camper, 3 Camper Adv (Monday) Ordered
• Buy overnight badges for the one-nighters (Monday) Ordered
• Find a container for the badges
• Collect picture from framers
• Buy new laminator, as Jo's has died.
• FIND SOMEONE EXTRA TO COME ON THE COACH FRIDAY NIGHT AS SOMEONE HAS HAD TO DROP OUT
• Do not require valium prescription.

I need a lie down. On the plus side, one load of laundry is already done...

xxx

It is 6.50pm. I need a bath. Then the templates, wrapping Dad's Father's Day present, and an evening with P ignoring Pack Holiday for a few hours.

Can't wait.  Need bath, though. Stat.

xxx

Ten minutes after I wrote that: I got told I had to reorganise the entire programme as we'd been double booked for climbing and abseiling. Less than 24 hours later, I got told that someone else may drop out, putting the whole event in jeopardy unless, essentially, Jo can come.

xxx

And the programme is now re-organised, and a substitute has been found. Wednesday night. All is, pretty much, sorted.

xxx

Really, truly, seriously, dim. So dim, that it seems that she is unable to realise that anyone might, just, fancy her and have fancied her for, oh, somewhere between six and thirteen years, without being bludgeoned round the head with a compliment about her eyes with reference to their presence in seminars shared thirteen years ago via email late one Monday night. Insert commas as required. I am too giggly to make sense. It seems that, oh, four of my friends (including Jo) had twigged this from various things I had said while I was being merrily oblivious. I do wonder, sometimes, what exactly goes on in my brain. Possibly a degree of "oh, but he never would fancy me" and therefore it couldn't possibly be true. I was sitting with E, K & H (no linking to the ones with blogs, as I'm trying to post via email and that is just one complication too far), drinking kir royale, on Tuesday evening, and it all came tumbling out. To the point where I started being giggly and mentioned the aforementioned gentleman's name, and E more-or-less finished my sentence for me, when I'd got as far as "P..." with "wants you". (at which point, I realise this post is sounding like an alphabet) He and I are going to go and see Terry Gilliam's production of Faust next week. I cannot wait. My inner nineteen year old is fundamentally overexcited, because, oh, the hopeless crush I had back then. Meanwhile, if you'll excuse me, there are databases requiring my attention. But I just had to share. Doubtless, this will jinx everything if there is anything jinxable. On the other hand, I like to think that, if things are supposed to happen, they will, regardless of whether I squee or no? 'zactly. xxx

ETA: According to my Mummy, at least 10 years "Oh, yes, P.  You know you wowed him in that suit of yours when you graduated.  He said that you looked amazing, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head."

Pass me the big foam cluebat, and a TARDIS.

Via SaintVi, who got it from Tukha.

Not the most brilliant quality: Audacity and I do not mix after gin. 

• Your name and username.
• Where you’re from.
• Pronounce the following words: Aunt, Roof, Route, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Pajamas, Caught, Naturally, Aluminium, GIF, Tumblr, Crackerjack, Doorknob, Envelope, GPOY.
• What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
• What is a bubbly carbonated drink called?
• What do you call gym shoes?
• What do you call your grandparents?
• What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
• What is the thing you change the TV channel with?
• Choose a book and read a passage from it.
• Do you think you have an accent?
• Be a wizard or a vampire?
• Do you know anyone on Tumblr Xanga in real life?
• End audio post by saying any THREE words you want

 xxx

Last week, Pim gave me a delightful knitting Wol, called Wol, which reminded me that I need to pay it forward... and I'm just getting myself organised with letters, parcel tape, small thingies and general post-officeness.  It wasn't that the handmades weren't ready, they were.  Just not me.

Also, I am apparently using this as displacement activity to avoid watching the 3rd series of Torchwood, which I had decided was a good use of a Wednesday off work.  I've run out of time to watch it all before morris practice now.  On the other hand, it might be a better idea to split it out over two days.  I'm full of trepidation.  I know half the spoilers.  I also know I'm going to cry.  When it was on the TV, it was the week Em died.  And, really?  Not so keen on revisiting that week.  On the other hand, she'd argue that I was being wet now, and that I should not avoid opportunities to watch Captain Jack being heroic.  He does it so nicely, after all.

Will photograph Wol when I remember. In the meantime, have a spot of Bohus Knitting.

We went to Danville, West Virginia, to the Duke MBA Rugby Tournament.  Me and 60-odd chaps.  Who are all lovely, but had blisters, sub-ungual suppurations to be drained, and the odd broken finger.

It went a little like this:

Wednesday night: get there.  Deal with various blisters on the bottom of feet: give opinion about playing rugby barefoot on the sand, not washing, and then wandering around barefoot with seeping wounds. Pick sand out of blisters. Deal with sub-ungual suppuration for the first time. Sleep appallingly until finally figuring out optimal pillow combination.  Sleep. Get up. Breakfast (why does fruit have to involve watermelon?  And what is it with the weak oatmeal which is only edible by pouring on sugar?).  Go to rugby practice. Send injured fingers to hospital.
Thursday night: have best sleep of last fortnight apart from the fact that someone tried to make a booty call at 3am. And then knocked on the room door at 3.10am. I asked if he was actively dying (as First Aider for the rugby team, I am there). No. Not dying. He was told to go forth and multiply. He apparently has no recollection of this, and no apology is forthcoming for two days.  Get up on Friday, repeat much of Thursday, but without the broken fingers (now in a splint) and with a trip to Danville from Chapel Hill. Finally get to go to Hillsborough Yarn Store, having driven past it for 3 years running.  Buy too much yarn in excitement. Have a lovely time sitting in the car bitching with the Daddy of the team (43 years old, and gay as they come).
Friday and Saturday night: nervous sleep owing to lots of rugby in the offing. Spend two days marching up and down next to rugby pitches, sticking people back together, getting up at 6am in order to be ready to stick people together and so forth.  Stop paying attention to first aid matters just as one of the women breaks her wrist. Hate broken wrists. Can't do much. The guys make a funeral pyre of their boots, and then take all their clothes off and leap over the top of it.  All 50 of them. Two policemen drive past in a golf cart and decide it really isn't worth the hassle of trying to arrest them all.
Nearly get arrested on Sunday evening owing to unfortunately being in same van as an Argentinian who doesn’t understand public urination laws. Fortunately he got off with a warning.  Why he needed to pee against the wheel of the minibus having already filled a Gatorade bottle (well, most of it went in the bottle...) I know not.  Go and have well deserved shower, shuck all the blood/sweat/spit/etc stained clothing and go out on the razzle.  Sing "You've lost that lovin' feelin'" at karaoke, get congratulated by total strangers, and have the experience of the entire club taking a knee before me.  Awwww. Make emotional speech.
Sunday night: 4 hours sleep, owing to raucous partying.  Get up. Acquire stuff for Brownies, then go to mall and have mani-pedi.  Admire feet.  Share a chocolate milkshake and head for the plane.
Monday night: fail to sleep on plane for more than about an hour. It’s a plane. There are wailing babies and a lavatory door which will only shut with a slam and, for some reason, dodgy electrics that keep turning the overhead lights on at random moments.
Tuesday: sleep all day. 7 hours blissful sleep, interrupted by the plumber FINALLY refunding the money from January’s heating/shower debacle, and delivering it by hand since the Royal Mail seem to be incapable of employing people who don’t steal....
Tuesday night: fail to sleep owing to spending all Tuesday asleep....

Since then, I've been playing with FIM at work, and having the most complicated emotional life.  Frankly, I need a holiday. The Welshman (newly single and rather sore about it) and I are considering climbing Ben Nevis in a week or so's time.  I pointed out that we seem to be vastly more successful climbing mountains if we're not actually dating each other at the time. Besides. He's growing a beard.

xxx

But, but, but... I feel utterly miserable.  I went to a wedding on 1st September. She's now 3 months pregnant.

The sciatica, improving since I went to the chiropractor, is achy again after I went for a run (but I was feeling fat. I needed a run).  I nearly burst into tears during the run: the chiropractor did something peculiar and revoltingly painful at the time to my gluteus maximus and minimus (and it's a little bruised), and oh, 3/4 of the way into 5 miles it was agonising.  Yes.  I know.  My fault for going running.

Pain never helps the mood.

Then there's the generalised knackeredness, the ridiculous quantity of things To Do today that I have not Done.

Moan. Whinge. Moan.

Move along. At some point, there will be completed knitting photos, as I polished off a hat and a dress last night - I'd been putting off the sewing up.  I'm wearing the dress now, to see how badly it bags at the butt.

Where's the gin?

xxx

And then, I failed to eat lunch (not to self, a skinny frappucino does not make lunch. Even if you do have whipped cream on it). I've sort of had supper (spelt pasta, gluten free cupcake), but forgot the salad. The white wine is definitely off. I need to do the following:

• Make K's birthday present
• Wrap H's birthday present
• Brownies accounts
• Iron stuff
• Tidy the sitting room and my bedroom.

At 9.45pm, with the list below achieved (look, I'm competitive, OK?), and knowing I need to go to my parents' tomorrow morning, what's the betting I just give up at the end of the computer based stuff, and go and whimper in bed?

• 5 mile run
• Hand deliver Brownie letter, post other letters
• Write cheques for letters
• Return the library books
• Have first lie-in for an age
• Merge letters for Brownies
• Print off addresses for Duke, locate passport, work out what time to leave.

Oh. No whimpering. Jo's boyfriend is coming round. At least I am dressed, have dry hair, makeup, no trashy magazines on the table and enough warning to find something non-trashy to listen to on the radio or watch on the TV. May put Grey's Anatomy on. Having watched it solidly recently, I'm pleased to report that I only had a ghastly nightmare about having my very own brain tumour on Thursday night, and did not repeat the performance last night.

xxx

So, having spent a whole week on a course, I got into work on Monday to find that I was going up to York to install a new DC. Fortunately my boss went with me because I have No Clue. I did all the dusty pulling cables out bit, and thought that I could do more useful stuff with my time. I also did a lot of knitting while waiting around for processes to run. Oh, and I learnt the dcpromo command. I doubt I shall ever have to do this in my career again. On the plus side, it was an overnight trip, so I got to hang out with my friends from uni in the pub after. Bless them, but there was a degree of desperation in their attempts to amuse themselves by being silly. It was as though the last 10 years had never happened. It was just somehow sadder to watch them push their way through a portal to the future, then the past. Sort of Goon show on Speed, and live, and hilariously funny, and so very sad as well. Frozen in time. Then I had a birthday, and a trip to the ballet, and many lovely presents. I'm now waiting for my parents to arrive so that we can go .... And we went to the zoo. I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, Dad or me. I'd wanted to go to see the baby gorilla, Tiny. He was terribly cute, and still very little. Much smaller than a human baby at the same age. Brown eyes to die for. There were also baby meerkats, monkeys and mole rats. All ridiculously cute. Then sleepy tigers and wide awake giraffes and three lions. Gloriously sunny weather too. A very satisfying trip out. I ought to get a season ticket and go more often. I'm vaguely watching a film, then I shall go to bed. Knackered. Must be all that fresh air. Xxx

Help the Girl Scouts of Japan directly.

British Red Cross

Japan Earthquake Relief Fund (set up by Japanese students in Britain)

In other news, yesterday I started a course about SQL design and optimisation.  And managed to turn up to the wrong training venue.  Fortunately it was the right training provider, and I had half an hour to get from Clerkenwell to Bank via bicycle.  They did try giving me just a mini-map of the area between Bank and Monument Tube, but I pointed out that it was very little help if I had No Clue how to get from Clerkenwell to Bank, so I directed them round TFL and they printed a route off for me.  The guy on reception had the most appalling halitosis: not a good move if you're the face of your company.

Mind you, given that I spent Sunday very, very hungover indeed: never been ill the morning after the night before in my life, it's quite impressive that I ended up at approximately the right place at approximately the right time.  It could have been Much Worse.  The Annual Rugby Club dinner on Saturday night had some of the roughest red wine that I've ever encountered, and my system didn't like it at all.... I feel rather sheepish.  At my great age, you'd think I'd realise that 3 glasses are quite enough if the wine is rough.  There were highlights.  The George-Clooney-Alike did a topless Haka, and. Well, actually that was the highlight.  He's dishy he is.  Definitely dishy. (can you say "Unrequited crush"?)

So Sunday was a write off, last night I failed to get through all my to-do list: and tonight I'm going to yoga.

xxx

So much devastation in Japan.  So much potential loss of life: and so many more lives saved, because Japan has always known that earthquakes will hit, and the Japanese have built to withstand as much as possible, and practice to be safe.

I hope my friends in Osaka are OK: I think their experience may well be more similar to my experiences of an earthquake.  The room shook for what seemed like an awfully long time, but can't have been more than 30 seconds.  Mum and I clung to each other in terror (Dad thought he'd kicked the table on the balcony), and that was that.  It was only 5.0 on the richter scale, the earthquake we experienced in Skiathos.  I woke up when we had an earthquake in the middle of the night in the UK a few years back - the bed was shaking from side to side, in a manner similar to a couchette on a train.  Nothing really fell over, my books stayed on their shelves (just as well, I would not have liked them landing on me in my bed!).  Still.  Not experiences that one invites or wishes to repeat.  I'm worried about The Merchant Seaman, on his ship: however, it was last tracked to the vicinity of Perth, so I like to believe that he won't really be affected.  Didn't do much for being able to work, tracking his ship down, checking where Osaka actually is on the map, locating the map, and so on.

I've got a map of the world spread out over the floor, so I can see how far the tsunami has gotten.  It'll hit Northern Australia in the next hour or so, I think.

Watching the movement of the tsunami waves, the debris they're carrying, is quite, quite scary.  Japan's all mountains.  Except where it isn't.  And where it isn't, it seems to be as flat as Norfolk.

How lucky I am to live where I do.  Fewer earthquakes.  I shall go and make a donation to, well, actually, I don't know whom.  Perhaps the Guide Friendship Fund, to help the Girl Scouts in the North East of Japan.  The Girl Scouts of Japan were so kind to me two years ago. DEC doesn't seem to have anything specific on its front page, nor does MSF.  Early days, yet: and Japan is a highly industrialised nation, and has many resources.  But, this is very, very big.

xxx

1.59.53, which I was so, so proud of, until the senior sleazebag at work announced he did it at age 50 in 1.57.58.

I refuse to be beaten by a guy with appalling teeth and a grease spot on his tie.  I don't care if he's got longer legs.

So I'm trying another one in September... not sponsored. Just for me.  Just to be faster.

And hoping my sub-ungual suppuration heals in the next week so I can start running again.  Competitive much?

xxx