Well what can I say .. I have been mega busy to do anything remotely social.
So the changes being I now work in Mental Health / Forensics in junior management and am enjoying it. However, as with everywhere you have politics. I was based in Palmers Green and now tout my wares in Harold Wood with a funny manager *no comment other than he is certainly not Salvation Army material.
These days I get to the gym when I can, but at least I still get there. I need do some serious work for travels in June. Mats Åke wants to visit friends in Sweden for midsummers - so herring ahoy!
In my last job I managed to use the network to track down some drug induced boi who I used to work with. So have met up with him again and hopefully will meet often .. kinda cool to chat / drink with .. blast from the past.
Mats Åke and I were in Sweden for the weekend. We flew out on Friday courtesy of the scary RyanAir. They have changed the times of the flight, but the flygbussen have not changed the timetable. We arrived around 9.30 and the bus arrived at 12.30 lunctime.
We spent the weekend in Norrköping with Mats Åke’s Momma Inga, and spent time with his sister and brother in law. we also met up with our Hungarian friend Ferenc who lives in Linköping. We then had waffles outdoors under the hot hot hot cloudless sky.
On Sunday we visited Christina and Håkan in Söderköping with their daughters and had a great meal and the company was good. We watched some old films, including some of Johannes as a baby - too sweet.
Ah well, yesterday evening when I got back from my medical I had arranged to visit the Fitness First gym in Kingsbury. Well I ain’t getting younger and following the car crash in 2007 I can not really use my bike and the weight keeps going on, but Mats Åke is also a feeder.
The gym seemed ok with a good mix of punters. There is a weights corner, but no muscle mary’s, just toned lads. I was back there this morning at 6.30 and their were a few people about.
I intend to go at least 4 days a week, planning for Mon / Fri 6.30 in the morning, and Wed/Thu 10 in the morning.
Well Mats Åke and I were out in town on Saturday. We were at Back 2 Basics for our lunch. Mats Åke’s friend kept suggesting we meet, but it being the case that it was US who were to leave lunch and go looking for them. Fuck that for an idea.
We then went to the Cider House on Riding House Street, and oh my - I sat with Old Rosie again. The warm, cloudy, perfect cider just made me merry - all 7.3% of her.
Cormac showed up and then a party/large group sat behind us. This little munchkin of a hetero man was having a party/drinking session as he was leaving for Thailand to be with his lady. Naturally, he was merry and kept telling us about her, and having ex-Thai friends I gave him the ABC of making sure his bride to be was not a lady boi. By the end of the evening he wanted to give me a kiss - so either I look like his bitch, or he is open to suggestion
We then went to the Kings Arms - life is pretty blank after that - who I mocked, what I did - a total blank.
Well what can I say .. I am not a millionaire, but still:
Congratulations, you’re a winner! Game: Dream Number Prize: £500.00 Date: 04/02/09 Description / Ticket Type: This prize has already been paid to your National Lottery Account.
Dearest One, I know this mail will come to you as a surprise since we have not had previous correspondence, please bear with me. I will really like to have a good relationship with you, and I have a special reason why I decided to contact you. I am Miss Motali Diallo from Cote d Ivoire, the only daughter of Late Mr.Smith Diallo.Last year 2008, the Rebels in my Country Struck our township and killed my parents and my only brother in one of their attacks. My late Father,Smith Diallo being the government opposition leader. Before his death he had a domicilary account with a bank in C?te d’Ivoire, up to the tune of 5.5m (Five Million Five Hundred Thousand dollars) . Please I need your assistance getting this money tranferred to you for investment and to be my guardian in investment. I shall forward to you with the necessary documents on confirmation of your acceptance to assist me for the transfer of the money to your account.As you will help me to travel and to complete my studies in your country. I am willing to offer you 20% of the total sum as compensation of your effort.
I am waiting for your call,My number is +22548706463
WOW, talk about recovery time! Yesterday Mats Åke and I went into town to meet friends. I am kind of in recovery mode from the perils of cider consumption.
We hooked up with Mat and Cormac at the Kings Arms on Poland Street. Then later Brenton and his husband Lubor arrived. It was actually nice even though I detest the Kings Arms and all that is Soho, but it was made special by meeting Brenton and Lubor out for the first time. We usually have meals in each others houses.
Later with the aid of Cider and the like we became hunter / gatherers in search of food. I cock teased all with some Greek, then decided on Pizza and ended up in some Greek place - The Pad i think it was.
The Pad of Covent Garden Restaurant. 6 Maiden Lane, London, WC2E 7NA
Oh trust me, avoid it like the plague. As I was leaving I was telling a family to leave and not queue, not realising it was the waiter We waited 40 minutes for our starters and people seated after us were already on their main course. The waitress pulled a minging face when approached about the delay and then ignored our request for refreshments and bread. The service was horrendous, the food for it’s cost was medioka?sp. The disaster ended with the bill and Cormac complaining, having the service charge and 2 starters removed from the bill from £90+ to £80. I was glad to be in the lads room when this happened, how fucking embarassing!
We then went to the Retro bar where I met my old friend Kopparberg, a sweet little number from Sweden. At some point some black guy started touching me above the waist and I was confused .. he was cute but .. he was uninvited!
Dearest One, I know this mail will come to you as a surprise since we have not had previous correspondence, please bear with me. I will really like to have a good relationship with you, and I have a special reason why I decided to contact you. I am Miss Motali Diallo from Cote d Ivoire, the only daughter of Late Mr.Smith Diallo.Last year 2008, the Rebels in my Country Struck our township and killed my parents and my only brother in one of their attacks. My late Father,Smith Diallo being the government opposition leader. Before his death he had a domicilary account with a bank in Cфte d’Ivoire, up to the tune of 5.5m (Five Million Five Hundred Thousand dollars) . Please I need your assistance getting this money tranferred to you for investment and to be my guardian in investment. I shall forward to you with the necessary documents on confirmation of your acceptance to assist me for the transfer of the money to your account.As you will help me to travel and to complete my studies in your country. I am willing to offer you 20% of the total sum as compensation of your effort. I am waiting for your call,My number is +22560096705 Your Sincerely Motali
Well yesterday was the 10th Anniversary of my late partner Barrie’s death.
They say that it is harder to lose a partner because unlike losing a relative, that person chose you especially to be with
I woke up and felt horrible, kind of lost / disoriented. However, it soon passed as I was working at an Equinox Day Centre via AJP. I tend to not work on this day, but it did me good and the Day Centre was busy and I was kept occupied.
I took my time in going home, allowing myself sometime for personal thoughts and reflection. It’s hard trying to remember and show my respect to Barrie, whilst not force feeding my grief down my partners throat .. the pain never eases .. ask anyone.
So the drama of the 10 year anniversary was low key and padded by working.
Well - last week would have been my late partners 38th Birthday, and next week is the 10th Anniversary of his death.
Those who know me well know the details, but in short Barrie was driving along the A18 to home and the tractor in front of him had no working rear lights and when the tractor stopped to turn into the farm - well you can imagine.
Barrie was a Trading Standards officer with North East Lincolnshire Council in Grimsby, and he volunteered his spare time as a DJ at Scunthorpe General Hospital. Apart from the memories, the only trace of his life are pictures I have, and a PDF on North Lincs Council website for a keyword string.
Well even though I am here, alive and well and happy in a relationship, it does not stop me thinking of Barrie daily. I remember what we had, his aftershave, the final words we shared and worst of all going to the Hospital. I am in a happy content relationship with Mats Åke but my mind does wonder what if .. what if it never happened?
Well 10-years later I still feel the pain as if it was moments ago, and well the eyes get wet.
I know people hate Celine Dion with a passion, but Fly was played by me at his service and did give me some comfort. I still tell myself today that it is better to die young and in love, as opposed to be old and lonely. If you can, focus on the lyrics - then think.
I was back out interviewing yesterday courtesy of AJP. This time it was with St. Christopher’s Fellowship for a Housing Officer re-structured role.
The place was easy to find down in Ladbroke Grove. A bit scary leaving it, a shitload of ambulances dashing to a Sheltered Housing complex around the corner.
The interview was good and I liked what I saw. The Manager, or Area Manager was nice and personable - once again a rare commodity in employment these days.
I was at an interview last Friday with A2 Dominion Housing, which used to be Acton Housing Association. The interview was in Hayes over there between Uxbridge/Heathrow.
Alas, it was not to be. However, the Manager and Worker were very nice and it is a shame, you rarely find such people to work with/for these days.
Well Mats Åke and I were out in town on Saturday. We were at Back 2 Basics for our lunch. Mats Åke’s friend kept suggesting we meet, but it being the case that it was US who were to leave lunch and go looking for them. Fuck that for an idea.