*is NOT DEAD. newsatevelen
Ah, ha, I have survived! Triumph, yes.
The last few weeks have been stupidly, hideously busy, and the next few weeks perhaps even more so - but the end is in sight! Last weekend monanotlisa came for a visit, and we had a fabulous time visiting the Moctezuma exhibit, viewing the 'Ice Worlds' show at the National Maritime Museum, afternoon tea at the Wolseley, etc etc. Sadly athena25 has not been well, and I send my poor lamb lots of love - but she is back this weekend, woohoo! Also, Halloween party, oh yes. *beams* I stayed up late last night sewing costume... or, well, costume-like thing, at any rate. It won't be quite up to the 'scary clown' costume the woman next to me at the John Lewis haberdashery section was painstakingly assembling, but it should do for hostess duties tomorrow evening.
I even got recipes etc all printed out. Now I just need to buy decorations and provisions for the Day of Cooking tomorrow, and I am all set. I hope that someone else is a dab hand with the mulled wine, as we all remember what happened the last time I tried to mull anything... we still haven't been able to get all the stains out, woe.
Then, next week - first week of Level 2 Arabic, oh my. My brain cannot cope with more stuff. But I have been studying like mad to get myself back up to speed, so hopefully I won't embarrass myself too much. Then athena25's birthday dinner (or pre-birthday dinner, as it turns out, as for the actual birthday dinner I am on a plane), packing at some point, presenting quarterly report to Director at work, then I am on a plane to the Congo, woohoo! Am a bit nervous that I am apparently not staying in a (nice, secure) hotel, but in an apartment (am similarly assured it is nice and secure), and so will have to hunt and gather for things like food. This will be complicated by me not being allowed to set food outside the door on my own... which should make things interesting! Any suggestions on things to do in Kinshasa gratefully received. I already have my 'to do' list:
1. WORK WORK WORK biscuit WORK
2. locate post office, send postcards home.
3. go to the ZOO! (and avoid getting mugged, notorious place, very sad, but OTOH, ZOO!!)
And - I'm so looking forward to Yuletide I could burst. Whatever else I may manage in a given year, this has become a firm tradition with me. :)
So: I'm not back yet, but I will be soon! Send me glitter pens in the meantime.
(p.s. anyone else vaguely watching Defying Gravity on the Beeb with one eye? It may be that I'm not paying enough attention, but... I don't get it....)
The last few weeks have been stupidly, hideously busy, and the next few weeks perhaps even more so - but the end is in sight! Last weekend monanotlisa came for a visit, and we had a fabulous time visiting the Moctezuma exhibit, viewing the 'Ice Worlds' show at the National Maritime Museum, afternoon tea at the Wolseley, etc etc. Sadly athena25 has not been well, and I send my poor lamb lots of love - but she is back this weekend, woohoo! Also, Halloween party, oh yes. *beams* I stayed up late last night sewing costume... or, well, costume-like thing, at any rate. It won't be quite up to the 'scary clown' costume the woman next to me at the John Lewis haberdashery section was painstakingly assembling, but it should do for hostess duties tomorrow evening.
I even got recipes etc all printed out. Now I just need to buy decorations and provisions for the Day of Cooking tomorrow, and I am all set. I hope that someone else is a dab hand with the mulled wine, as we all remember what happened the last time I tried to mull anything... we still haven't been able to get all the stains out, woe.
Then, next week - first week of Level 2 Arabic, oh my. My brain cannot cope with more stuff. But I have been studying like mad to get myself back up to speed, so hopefully I won't embarrass myself too much. Then athena25's birthday dinner (or pre-birthday dinner, as it turns out, as for the actual birthday dinner I am on a plane), packing at some point, presenting quarterly report to Director at work, then I am on a plane to the Congo, woohoo! Am a bit nervous that I am apparently not staying in a (nice, secure) hotel, but in an apartment (am similarly assured it is nice and secure), and so will have to hunt and gather for things like food. This will be complicated by me not being allowed to set food outside the door on my own... which should make things interesting! Any suggestions on things to do in Kinshasa gratefully received. I already have my 'to do' list:
1. WORK WORK WORK biscuit WORK
2. locate post office, send postcards home.
3. go to the ZOO! (and avoid getting mugged, notorious place, very sad, but OTOH, ZOO!!)
And - I'm so looking forward to Yuletide I could burst. Whatever else I may manage in a given year, this has become a firm tradition with me. :)
So: I'm not back yet, but I will be soon! Send me glitter pens in the meantime.
(p.s. anyone else vaguely watching Defying Gravity on the Beeb with one eye? It may be that I'm not paying enough attention, but... I don't get it....)