Somewhat Embarrassing...
I forgot my debit card this morning, as it was still in the purse I used on Saturday night (along with all my non-copper coinage), which I didn't realise until I got into town. I got to the cashpoint with the intention of drawing money out on the credit card, only to forget my PIN when I got there.
Okay, I thought, maybe if I use a chip&PIN machine, maybe my fingers will know better than my brain. So off I went to Pret. Whereupon I drew a complete blank once again and gave up after two failed attempts. I asked if I could sign for it (at this point realising I'd actually forgotten to sign the card) but they couldn't make the machine work in that way, so basically I got a free breakfast. The benefits of going there every morning do pay off (they've given me a free coffee of their own volition before now) and I promised to pay it back tomorrow...
Meh. I still can't remember it, so at this juncture I may just ring up for a new one and then change it to the same as my debit card. :P At one point it was only one digit different from the door code at work, but that was two codes ago and now I can only remember the first bloody number...
Oh, for anyone who may be wondering: I didn't go to the wedding. Having managed to obtain Rachel's number (she hadn't changed it, but you can never tell these days) it transpired she couldn't go and thus had no details, nor did she know if Crystal still had the same number. Crystal also hasn't been on Facebook to see my message, and I'm not in the habit of sending out random texts to potentially dead numbers. On Thursday I was intending to ring up Aisha again, but by that point I was running out of energy and didn't bother. So I didn't go.
Instead on Saturday, I went out to buy myself a new outfit anyway (new dress, wrap to go with it that I've been eyeing for a while from the Chinese shop, new jewellery to match the wrap). I also attempted to get some new dressy sandals (with a wedge heel) and came away with nothing because there's so much inconsistency with shoe sizes these days, even within the same brand - aside from that, I would have thought Clarks might know better. Also, designers will persist in giving all the nice, shiny / sparkly sandals bloody toe-posts, which I cannot wear. Either that or those gladiator-style sandals which are everywhere and which I also cannot wear because my ankles are stupid. I had the problem at Clarks that all the sandals with normal ankle straps were actually too big for my tiny feet, but gladiator sandals won't fit me either because my legs are still fat.
I did get some comfy flat sandals to take on holiday, though at this rate I'll be feeling too self-conscious to bother.
In the afternoon we had our personal trainer session at the gym, where we were doing mostly abdominal work, including sit ups with weights. I managed to do them with a 5kg weight and it transpired I was supposed to be using 2kg! (Paul had 6kg and couldn't sit up, so I feel STRONG now.) As a result of this Samson (our trainer) let me relax for a few minutes whilst Paul did weights. Normally if you ask for something to be easier, he'll make it easier but you'll have to do twice as many; obviously it works the other way, too. :P
After that we trawled Birmingham trying to find some gym gloves. JJB Sports only had L and XL sizes, JD Sports had none, and eventually we found some in Adidas. I am getting callouses on my palms and couldn't do the last exercise on Saturday because my hands were all sweaty and kept slipping...
In the evening we went out for Alex's birthday to Del Villagio, and then to Rainbow Casino. I seem to remember Del Villagio being much nicer the last time I was there; either that or I've been spoiled by my three trips to Jamie's Italian (which seems to have stolen all their customers as it was practically empty). The meal was nice enough, as was the wine, but there are far superior Italian chains in Birmingham these days - namely Piccolino and Strada - which are only slightly more expensive for much higher quality. Stupidly enough, it was the prices at Jamie's which put Alex off, and it would actually have cost the same in the end (it came to £30 a head, which is what we normally spend at Jamie's even with the waiting around!)
I think I'm just becoming a foodie, to be honest. Like, we had a range of breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and the bread clearly wasn't fresh or home-made, and the vinegar and oil both tasted cheap (the vinegar was too strong; the oil not strong enough). I had calamari to start and it was too heavily battered, and came with tartare sauce rather than garlic mayo. My main was nice (chicken and muchrooms with a creamy sauce, with a kick of chilli) but I could probably make it at home myself. This is what happens when you start eating at posh restaurants, I suppose; that and we're spoiled for choice in Kings Heath with independent restaurants using local ingredients and passionate chefs. :P
As for the casino, that was quite fun. It was the first time either Paul or I had been to a casino and since Alex signed us up as members we have some vouchers to use on our next few visits. I didn't do any gambling myself, just watched Paul, and he came away £50 better off overall. :) (The amount of money being thrown around in there was terrifying, though.)
We were supposed to start packing on Sunday but the gym had wiped me out, so instead I spent the day on the sofa. We are currently catsitting Richie's kitten, Stewette (don't ask), who spent most of Sunday on the sofa with me - which was a vast change from her behaviour since Wednesday (and again this morning) of running around like a lunatic every five minutes and attacking anything that moved. She has calmed down a bit since first arriving, but will doubtless be very confused tonight as Richie is staying over on Mondays for a bit... Anyway, we have her until the weekend now, and (allergies aside) it's quite nice having a cat around. :)
Actually, I think the PIN disaster this morning was because I didn't get much sleep last night; having spent all day asleep, Stewette went mental again in the evening and wouldn't settle. Paul went to sleep in the living room for a bit because she kept trying to get in the bedroom (we've let her in occasionally, but for the most part she isn't allowed in there), then came back in again a bit later on, but we could still hear occasional scratching at the door. Also, amusingly, she chose to sit on me when I was finally doing something (playing on the Wii), having sat next to me all day...
Anyway, I think that's about it...
Okay, I thought, maybe if I use a chip&PIN machine, maybe my fingers will know better than my brain. So off I went to Pret. Whereupon I drew a complete blank once again and gave up after two failed attempts. I asked if I could sign for it (at this point realising I'd actually forgotten to sign the card) but they couldn't make the machine work in that way, so basically I got a free breakfast. The benefits of going there every morning do pay off (they've given me a free coffee of their own volition before now) and I promised to pay it back tomorrow...
Meh. I still can't remember it, so at this juncture I may just ring up for a new one and then change it to the same as my debit card. :P At one point it was only one digit different from the door code at work, but that was two codes ago and now I can only remember the first bloody number...
Oh, for anyone who may be wondering: I didn't go to the wedding. Having managed to obtain Rachel's number (she hadn't changed it, but you can never tell these days) it transpired she couldn't go and thus had no details, nor did she know if Crystal still had the same number. Crystal also hasn't been on Facebook to see my message, and I'm not in the habit of sending out random texts to potentially dead numbers. On Thursday I was intending to ring up Aisha again, but by that point I was running out of energy and didn't bother. So I didn't go.
Instead on Saturday, I went out to buy myself a new outfit anyway (new dress, wrap to go with it that I've been eyeing for a while from the Chinese shop, new jewellery to match the wrap). I also attempted to get some new dressy sandals (with a wedge heel) and came away with nothing because there's so much inconsistency with shoe sizes these days, even within the same brand - aside from that, I would have thought Clarks might know better. Also, designers will persist in giving all the nice, shiny / sparkly sandals bloody toe-posts, which I cannot wear. Either that or those gladiator-style sandals which are everywhere and which I also cannot wear because my ankles are stupid. I had the problem at Clarks that all the sandals with normal ankle straps were actually too big for my tiny feet, but gladiator sandals won't fit me either because my legs are still fat.
I did get some comfy flat sandals to take on holiday, though at this rate I'll be feeling too self-conscious to bother.
In the afternoon we had our personal trainer session at the gym, where we were doing mostly abdominal work, including sit ups with weights. I managed to do them with a 5kg weight and it transpired I was supposed to be using 2kg! (Paul had 6kg and couldn't sit up, so I feel STRONG now.) As a result of this Samson (our trainer) let me relax for a few minutes whilst Paul did weights. Normally if you ask for something to be easier, he'll make it easier but you'll have to do twice as many; obviously it works the other way, too. :P
After that we trawled Birmingham trying to find some gym gloves. JJB Sports only had L and XL sizes, JD Sports had none, and eventually we found some in Adidas. I am getting callouses on my palms and couldn't do the last exercise on Saturday because my hands were all sweaty and kept slipping...
In the evening we went out for Alex's birthday to Del Villagio, and then to Rainbow Casino. I seem to remember Del Villagio being much nicer the last time I was there; either that or I've been spoiled by my three trips to Jamie's Italian (which seems to have stolen all their customers as it was practically empty). The meal was nice enough, as was the wine, but there are far superior Italian chains in Birmingham these days - namely Piccolino and Strada - which are only slightly more expensive for much higher quality. Stupidly enough, it was the prices at Jamie's which put Alex off, and it would actually have cost the same in the end (it came to £30 a head, which is what we normally spend at Jamie's even with the waiting around!)
I think I'm just becoming a foodie, to be honest. Like, we had a range of breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and the bread clearly wasn't fresh or home-made, and the vinegar and oil both tasted cheap (the vinegar was too strong; the oil not strong enough). I had calamari to start and it was too heavily battered, and came with tartare sauce rather than garlic mayo. My main was nice (chicken and muchrooms with a creamy sauce, with a kick of chilli) but I could probably make it at home myself. This is what happens when you start eating at posh restaurants, I suppose; that and we're spoiled for choice in Kings Heath with independent restaurants using local ingredients and passionate chefs. :P
As for the casino, that was quite fun. It was the first time either Paul or I had been to a casino and since Alex signed us up as members we have some vouchers to use on our next few visits. I didn't do any gambling myself, just watched Paul, and he came away £50 better off overall. :) (The amount of money being thrown around in there was terrifying, though.)
We were supposed to start packing on Sunday but the gym had wiped me out, so instead I spent the day on the sofa. We are currently catsitting Richie's kitten, Stewette (don't ask), who spent most of Sunday on the sofa with me - which was a vast change from her behaviour since Wednesday (and again this morning) of running around like a lunatic every five minutes and attacking anything that moved. She has calmed down a bit since first arriving, but will doubtless be very confused tonight as Richie is staying over on Mondays for a bit... Anyway, we have her until the weekend now, and (allergies aside) it's quite nice having a cat around. :)
Actually, I think the PIN disaster this morning was because I didn't get much sleep last night; having spent all day asleep, Stewette went mental again in the evening and wouldn't settle. Paul went to sleep in the living room for a bit because she kept trying to get in the bedroom (we've let her in occasionally, but for the most part she isn't allowed in there), then came back in again a bit later on, but we could still hear occasional scratching at the door. Also, amusingly, she chose to sit on me when I was finally doing something (playing on the Wii), having sat next to me all day...
Anyway, I think that's about it...