Am I A control freak? - I dunno, yeah, probably.

I've been pondering the question of "Am I A Control Freak" for a couple of days.

I'm not sure it's true.

What is true is that I cannot be doing with people who create unnecessary drama out of a straightforward situation - loads of people thrive on doing that. They must be bored, but for heavens sake, get a hobby, buy a dog, don't get your kicks by making other people's lives a misery. Life is genuinely hard enough. Strive to make it simple.

And that is where the potential control freakery comes in - I accept that nothing in life is certain, it is going to throw me a curve ball. Therefore I try to be ready for the shit life is going to throw at me. So that, when the next pile of shit it arrives it will find me clean, sober, reasonably fit, wearing prisitine knickers and knowing where all the invoices are to fill in next year's tax return. I enjoy the illusion that this level of preparation gives me a fighting chance.

Scruffy, Sad Loser

Am I alone in this or is anyone else devleoping a bit of a crush on Rhys Ifans, Sienna Millers recently dumped ex? There has been a lot of drivel in the press on the lines of "she's hot and he's not!" and whilst he may not exactly be pretty, he's pretty sexy, in that long loose limbed don't give a shit sort of way.

So Rhys if you are thinking of a change from equisite 26 year old blondes to *ehem* "older" curly haired redheads, then, walk this way...................................(as this is strictly in my dreams the TB need never know!)

Lying to the Dentist

Do you think that everyone lies to the dentist?

I know I do. Today was the 6 monthly check up and polish, and so of course my consumption of cups of coffee with sugar in any 24 hour period was duly trimmed back from 6 to 2. And my flossing history was similarly upgraded from a truthful "most days when I remember" to a frankly fraudulent "morning and evening your honour, without fail". Still I haven't done too much damage, still got my own teeth, albeit with fillings, and no nasty gum disease. Goody good.

So who else do we routinely lie to?

Traffic wardens; obviously "I was just going to get another ticket to put more time on !"

Husbands; "Of course this isn't a new dress, I've had it ages" (but frankly they ask for that, if their powers of observation are that feeble!)

But no one else really, not Doctors or Accountants - but is that because they can plainly see the truth of the situation for themselves? Hmmmmm

Father's Day Catering

Well, we thought the TB deserved a bit of spoiling for father's day, so went full on with the catering;

Tea in bed with the Sunday Times followed by the full English breakfast - sausage (Newmarket natch) bacon, tomato, egg, beans and toast (home made bread)

Followed by a nice walk with the dog before lunch

Baguette (home made bread) with home baked ham and mustard

A short nap, a swim and then for dinner

Roast Lamb, new potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, mint sauce (with mint out of the garden)
Lemon meringue pie (made by me from scratch) and cream
Coffee

And he seemed pretty pleased with it all ! (Smugness rules OK!)

Occasional Restaurant Review - Indigo at One Aldwych

How perfect was this meal?

I ordered lime and soda from the bar while I waited for my guest ( lady guest, client it was work - honestly your mind!) and got fresh lime juice with a small dash of sugar syrup and club soda. Beautiful - so beautiful in fact that I will be squeezing fresh limes to have at home. The restaurant is upstairs overlooking the lobby bar so great for nosy people. And the eavesdropping is fabulous - I do know for example that the woman at the next table had just told her husband that she was never going to share a bed with him ever again. If she talks that loudly at night I bet he was quite relieved.

Anyway food - The most fabulous baked bream with new potatoes which had been slightly crushed and mixed with crab meat and green beans. That was it with a glass of rose and it was just fabulous. I may have been ruined for the foreseeable future. Or at least until I save up enough money to go to Indigo again.

Jordon's Glamour

Well Jordan (Katie Price) competed in a preliminary unaffiliated dressage competition at Hickstead last week - and because I am a nosy git I looked up her score - and she got 153 which to be fair to her is pretty good for a first time out. The same score in fact which I got for the same test in an unaffliated dressage back in October.

So, apart from being 15 years older than her and not having £60,000 kicking around to spend on a couple of top flight horses and the kit...I'm have the same chance of competing in the 2012 Olympic dressage as Jordan......................i.e. none!!!

Social Pirana! (yes I know it's Pariah but face it no one wants to hang out with a Pirana!)

Honest, I'm becoming a fucking hermit, I mean really. I have not been out socially for MONTHS.

This is a bit of a toxic combination of the TB's naturally antisocial nature, his habitat of choice being a shed. Although to be fair if you can actually get him to a party, two beers in he turns into the life and soul, and everyone is throwing me evil glances for keeping him locked away in a dungeon. Because that is the reason he gives them for not having been out for months. When the truth is he has been in our sitting room, drinking whisky and saying in a whinny voice "but I'm reaallly tired and I reaallly don't want to go out...."

And lack of funds ...or fear of insufficient funds to pay the tax man. Having had a bit of work recently this fear is now resolving and we are going to a ball in a couple of weeks - which could even be fun...........I'll need a new frock, and shoes................that could be even more fun!

Des Billets

Finally we are agreed. Due to lodger and lack of funds we aren't going to holiday in the summer break -apart from weekends and the coast and stuff.

Instead we are just going to go feral in our home county, swim and catch cray fish in the river, jump on our trampoline,have picnics at the beach , go for bike rides and play with the ponies. The TB even has a yen for a spot of sea fishing out of Aldeborough.

We are also going to go to see Crowded House in the forest, and go to Latitude and I have clearence from the Financial Director (the TB) to book the tickets today - way cool!

Occasional Gastropub Review

The Beehive, Horringer, Suffolk

I had wanted to go here for ages. We went for lunch today, and I came home gutted and consumed with guilt for making the TB spend his money taking me there!
It really isn't a good sign when you struggle to find something you want to eat on the extensive blackboard menu, but I did.
I finally settled on:

Bruschetta with goats cheese, honey and walnuts - which was actually very nice
Veal schnitzel with new potatoes - which didn't actually taste of anything
and
Swiss chocolate ice cream - OK but boring.

So a resounding 5 out of ten. All a bit too pretentious and not yummy enough - when there is nothing you would kill for on the desert menu it's probably a sign to think better of it and go home.

Although really it probably is a sign. Our S, has taken up triathlons. This is not a kind thing to do to your slightly older, slightly fatter but still taller same sex relative. And for me at the minute stamina is a real issue, to the point where it is preventing me doing this I want to do (NOT THAT!) just jumping longer show jumping courses and working on bigger cases. So I looked up a beginners triathlon training regime. JC on a bike! Well OK me on a bike. I think I should have a go, I don't run so we will ignore that bit. Otherwise it prescribes, two swims, one bike ride and two sessions in the gym. I can only ride the horse once this week so it might even be do-able.
I can feel my brain slipping into "but if I only do one swim, one bike ride and one gym session that will still be good" - it will be good but it will be the sipperly slope to nothing again.

I'll let you know how it goes. For now I have to finish the ironing. Oh and to assist the ironing I've rented the DVD's of Weeds - how did I miss it for so long! Shoot me I am a cultural disaster!
On the upside I get to watch it all now.

And so far I love Greek, - got to finish the ironing before episode 2 at 8 on BBC 3.

Laters babes!