Head first into Winter

For those of you who live in the southern hemisphere or on the equator, you won't quite appreciate just how cold things in the north can get and for those of us in the north, we are still waiting for the cold to really hit us. We have now been told by the weather channel that the ARCTIC WIND will start to set in. All I hear is, "it is going to be bloody cold".

It dawned on me over the weekend that I have not updated my blog for so long that my last entry probably made mention of last winter...either that or we just had a crappy summer. I am going to opt for the latter. I apologise but in my defense, I have not exactly been inundated by all your emails either, so let's call it even.

Watson is now fully grown and has calmed down dramatically. He still has a tendency to push the odd temper button with me but he knows just what to do to get the attention from his daddy. I had to put him on a diet as his daily routine goes something like this: Wake daddy up (with incessant purring and jumping all over him), run down for food, wait for dad to leave, run upstairs and go to sleep. Wake up, go down to greet dad when he gets home and then eat dinner and stay awake late into the night being a little tyrant (a lovable one) and then crawl back into bed with dad at about 1am. He is now on a diet and doing well.

I am now a permanent staff member of The Private Health Partnership. I am also the Manager of the Personal Lines team - both for new business and retention. This is a wonderful way to see the year out.

Home is going well and we have two fantastic new additions - a tumble drier and a dishwasher. For those of you who don't possess a dishwasher (I refer to you from this point on as plebs); Dear Plebs, GET ONE!!! This is probably the best addition to a kitchen you could have. We also don't know how we have survived without a tumble drier - it has changed the way I live.

Christmas is right around the corner - please keep in touch and know that my warm thoughts (in this cold climate) are with you and your families through the festive season. To those of you who are travelling abroad - I am jealous but wish you a safe and enjoyable trip. For those of you driving near or far - don't drink and drive. My gift to you all this year is LAUGHTER...a lot of it...you can have as much of it as you need and it is in endless supply...all you need to do is find it in the places I have hidden it. EVERYWHERE.

The day before tomorrow

I guess you are wondering where the hell I have been. There may also be that nagging feeling that "Charl is terribly inconsistent" and you would be right. I seem to live my life from fire to fire. More accurately, I am a fully fledged fire fighter.

For those of you who have read How to make friends and influence people you may remember the one chapter suggesting that you don't criticise, condemn or complain - so I will, in true ME fashion, try to stick to it...but before I do...hahaha. Just kidding, I have a little more willpower and dedication than that however, my patience has been pushed to the limits this month. In explaining this, you may also see why I haven't been that good with keeping in touch.

On my birthday I spent the day in York. When I got home, I couldn't find my credit card anywhere, so I did the usual...PANIC!!!!! After running around the house, tugging at my, by this stage, white hair I contacted the bank and put a stop on the card. I then had to cancel my camping trip to the Lake District. So, the disappointment started to mount. Anyway, I took the knock on the chin and decided to make the best of the situation. The Friday that I was supposed to leave for the camping trip I ended up going to a work BBQ. While sitting and chatting to my colleagues I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out...you guessed it...my credit card. My banking woes don't end there. The Monday following that, I started getting letters from my various service providers (water, electricity, gas, council tax...you name it) to say that my bank has cancelled my direct debit and I need to make alternate arrangements. This is as a result of bad service that I received and completed a telephone survey and indicated that, "I INTEND leaving HSBC". They made the decision for me and closed my account. Anyway, this meant I had to activate my Barclays account, move all my direct debits over and have my salary moved too. If any of you have followed this course of action, you will know the amount of work involved in this. It also meant that many of my service providers wanted to change my payment terms and as a show of good faith, some wanted the annual payment as opposed to the usual monthly one.

Anyway, that is enough of the harp playing section. I have nearly completed my Management Development Programme. It has been extremely welcome and useful. It has pointed out areas for improvement and places where I can manage better and has also suggested ways to tackle those hard to reach areas...hahahaha. Doesn't that sound like I am trying to sell you all some Toilet Duck. Needless to say, I feel far more confident in my job, my staff seem more reciprocal in their approach. In two months, I will be made permanent and a few days later I will be flying to Singapore to visit my mum as they have moved there from Jakarta. There is an element of relief about the move as Singapore is more of a first world country.

Watson is nearly fully grown now, still causing all kinds of havoc, still a little terrorist but the light of my life. He is there when I get home in the afternoons. He is very talkative too. He wakes me up in the morning but at least he gives me till 7am on the weekends - lucky me. I had him neutered at the beginning of July - so the poor boy is a boy no more. He doesn't seem to notice and still walks around like a mini John Wayne. He is much smaller than the neighbourhood cats and is often bullied (poor thing). I allow him the freedom of going out when I am home. He just loves to investigate and he is always in a neighbours yard or sitting around the corner sniffing some bush, weed, leaf or wind blown paper.

Well, let me publish this. I bet you are as bored as hell now. Just to let you know that I do think of each of you and although I am the world's worst at communicating, I haven't forgotten you. I love hearing from you and promise to email back if you email me. Oh, my email has changed. I now have an email for life. It works like a router and doesn't matter how many times I change service providers (ie. yahoo.gmail, hotmail etc.) this email address remains the same...charl.uys@bigfoot.com

Got to dash - be back in a flash.

Am I busy?...incredibly...

Where do you start to explain just how busy you are? There are quite a few irons in the fire at the moment with a ton of plans.

June is nearly at an end and I did another walk around Howarth's Bronte Village. The Bronte sisters are well known writers. Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights and died at the age of 30 and Charlotte's books have become set reading material in the secondary schools across Britain.

In July, I am going camping in the Lake District which is one of the UK's most beautiful places. I am also going to see one of my favourite jass performers, Clare Teal, at the Harrogate Music Festival. I have nearly got one camp a month until November. I am camping in The Pennines in August at a Big Summer Camp. September will be a quiet month as Carla is going to visit her family and friends in SA, so I will be home looking after the brat! I do have plans to go and see the stage performance of The Witches of Eastwick with Marti Pellows (the lead singer of Wet Wet Wet). In October I have plans to go to Singapore and then Thailand. I went to Koh Samui last time and am still grappling with the idea of going back there for a few days or going to Cambodia or Vietnam. When I get back I have a camping weekend for Halloween. November will see Winter in full swing, so instead of a camping weekend, I will be going on a Hostel Weekend which is pretty much the same but you don't camp and it is indoors.

December is Christmas month and I have about a week off between Christmas and New Year. Hopefully, if all plans go...well...to plan...I want to do a trip to Europe for Christmas. That is subject to a trip to London to get a Schengen visa sorted out.

As you can see, I have a lot planned. I am also considering trading my car in. It is now going to be three years old and I think it would be good to exchange it for another 2 year old one. That will have to wait until I can get to the place I bought it.

There is a Credit Crunch, fuel prices are through the roof, knife crime is up and yet, through it all...I am still happy to be here. I miss so many people and hope that this blog does justice to closing the gap - even if only by a little.

I get back and then have

Passing time

Here I sit on a Saturday afternoon/evening after just having seen the new Indiana Jones movie. It was great but going to the cinema has really made me realise that I am so out of touch with movies I am more like an ethipian seeing a rice grain on a beach of rice. Anyhow, I will have to see what time allows and whether I can go and see Mamma Mia (the film), Sex and the City, Batman, Iron Man and the list goes on.

Tomorrow is my routine of Sunday Yoga. That and Body Pump, Pilates, circuit and Ab Crunch classes seem to be helping me reach my goal of looking more like a toned swimmer than a stick. I have also gone to DefCon 5 where the pale skin is concerned and taken action. There is nothing like the sun kissed look and I am looking mightily fine and sun kissed at the moment. Nothing like some instant tan to get things going. With summer here and walking and hiking taking me outdoors, I am hoping to replace the fake stuff for the true blue stuff.

For those of you who have wanted to put money into my account but didn't have my old banking details...well done!!! I have changed my bank from HSBC to Barclays as HSBC decided to give me a run around and treat me like some common customer. They were obviously not informed who I am!!! (not that they can pronounce it if they are told anyway). Anyway, I have taken my business and handed it over to Barclays who were more than happy to bring my business into their fold and treat me like the number one Ace I am.

Our sunshine is lasting from about 5am to 10pm in the evening - so long days and short nights. In my case I get to see sunrise every morning because I have a little terror who wants me up when the sun peeps over the roof tops. He has been taking some flying lessons but doesn't seem to be learning from them. And that is all I have to say about that.

Finally something to say

After such a long time of no news, I have finally found the time and inclination to write about the goings on here in the UK.

Firstly, Watson Watch is over. He has arrived and has laid claim to the house. He is probably the most beautiful kitten ever. He has a very BIG personality. He is cheeky as ever and is a very independent little soul. He is also very playful and rough - my hands look like I shoved them into a wood chipper. My chest has traction claw marks where he jumps over me to get to anywhere but my lap. Also, he has the personality of a dog - he plays fetch. I throw his mice and he fetches them, brings them back, drops them on my lap and waits for me to throw them again. So, he is exactly what I wanted. His full name is Watson Jinnomni. His parents are George and Cadenza (Deni) Jinnomni.

Work is going well. As usual the people management side is a trial. I am taking over for someone during their maternity leave with a very high chance that I will permanently take on the Manager role. This means that the staff feel it necessary to test my abilities, try my patience and bend the rules to see my reaction - needless to say...I love it. To say it plainly, they have been prodding the lion for four weeks and finally got a rise out of me...I am sure they will think twice before trying my patience again.

Today, I went to buy some hiking boots, a walking pole and some gaiters. I can now proceed on more hikes and walks with the big boys. You know what they say, "If you want to run with the pack...don't p*** with the puppies." So I can now limp behind the pack because I need to get some more experience and get my physical fitness up.

I do Body Pump twice a week, Box Fit on Fridays and Yoga on Sunday morning. With the gym right next to work I can go at lunchtime.

Other than that...life goes on and the normal trials continue. The great thing is that about two weeks ago, I suddenly felt at home. I feel like I have a small circle of friends, a great job, healthy lifestyle and a lovely home life - what more can I ask for...

Time for a new beginning

I am all for working like a trojan and moving directly from one job into the next but for the last four days I have managed to clear my head and (as they say) got my house in order - literally and figuratively.

Nothing like sorting out all those little jobs that you have been putting off for goodness knows when. For me, it was the jacket in the closet (in a plastic bag) that had something messed on it that I have been promising to take to the dry cleaners and a few other things that can wait but that need to be done.

All I can say is that my excitement is building for Monday. A new job, closer to home in an environment that is organised and structured. That will be a far cry from where I have been working.

I love spontaneity and impulse but as long as it is at the right time - scheduled and planned. hahahaha. Okay, so I like things done in a specific way...we can't all be free-spirited.

Dancing through life...

With one day left working at AHC and then four days off...I have been wondering what to do with myself. I have banking that needs to be done, hair that looks like I dropped out of the Jackson Five (the BIG hair years), books that need reading, a guitar that needs playing, filing that needs to be done and the Internet calling.

I have added a few tracks for you to listen to. I am absolutely in love with Down in Mexico as it is such a good feel song.

I want to add an ad that is currently playing on tellie. I think it is brilliant. If you get a chance to watch it...do.

I start my new job on 7 April and have a ton of reading to do before then. I received the contract and encyclopedia britanica version of the rules and guidelines...so I am not short of anything to read or do.

For the times they are a changin'...

When the house-hunt began a few months ago, I thought it would help to be closer to work. It would make life simpler and my commute would not be so long and the cost of commuting would be less. So when I found a house that was twice as far away from work as the apartment in Leeds, everyone thought I was shooting myself in the foot - including myself. That was until someone mentioned the train and bicycle. I was all for it. I am quite a fatalist in some cases because I believe that things happen for a reason, at the right time and without too much effort. If you have to force a situation, it isn't meant to be (in some cases).

When I was viewing the house in Bingley and mentioned to the letting agent that I love it, he mentioned the long commute from Bingley to Wakefield. I made a very flippant comment that maybe I would just get another job closer to home. Well, can you believe it - I went and found a job, closer to home (10 minute drive) and within the private health insurance industry. The more I think of it, the more I am pleased with this move to Bingley.

Sometimes life takes some strange twists and turns and if you just let it take you where it wants you to go, you could be pleasantly surprised to find where you end up.

A day of reckoning...

Somtimes we allow people to get the better of us. They seem to catch you when your defences are down and once they have a foothold into your psyche they just keep chiselling away at your self confidence. I realised I was falling victim to this and decided that today is the day of reckoning...

I will not let that 22 year old prissy little office tart impose her will on me. So, by just making the decision and recognising what she is doing, I have taken that first step. Now all I need to do is find a nail to stick in her tire, glue to stick her hands to her keyboard and maybe top it off with a little stripper in her shampoo (so that we can see just how fake her blonde hair really is).

Now that would have been the old me. Instead, I will be going for public humilliation. Okay, so I do need to work on my skills a bit but at least I can laugh about it now, even though it may be psychotic laughter)...

Here is to being just a little mad, not taking ourselves too seriously and entering the padded cell once in a while. It prevents us from spinning into that rut. So, visualise doing all the things you want but then take a step back and compare yourself to Glen Close (in Fatal Attraction) and laugh at how crazy you can be.

Laughter is good medicine...so take a healthy dose if crazy and then top it off with a double dose of belly laughter...and mail me in the morning.

To be missed

Today I heard about the loss of a friend of mine. I don’t think it matters whether or not you speak daily or haven’t spoken in ages, whether your last words were spoken in anger or whether you never fought – the loss of someone you call or called your friend affect each person closely.

Death doesn’t affect me physically. I don’t cry and I don’t think you would find me amongst a group of mourners. However, my mind takes me to the last time I saw or spoke to the person and then on a journey of our time together – good over bad times. Anthea was a spirited person and she loved life and those are two things I will remember her for.

As a child you hear about death and see it happen to ‘old’ people. As a child you know that you are safe from it and so are your friends, or so you believe because as a child you are taught that the natural order of things is that you are born, you grow up, you grow old and only then do you die. But when do you become ‘old’ enough to die and when is ‘old enough to die’. The answer is…when it is.

Love whole-heartedly. Live passionately. Regret – never.

A little the worse for wear

Why do we accumulate worldly posessions when others feel they have the right to damage them?

This was the questions I asked myself when the removal company finally left last Friday night at 8pm. They arrived late, send a van instead of a truck and one person short and performed such a shoddy job on the move that it feels as though there was a method in their rampaige. The valuable items - the ones I care for - were damaged, scratched, bumped or simply broken. Other items were unharmed.

The removal company are of the impression that they handled everything with care and that the move was a success. Can you imagine what havoc they would have reaked if they had disliked me. I guess I am grateful for small mercies and that I am only a little the worse for wear.

See the Kitten Watch update? Watson is growing like a bean shoot and according to the breeder, he is an absolute menace. What can you expect from a little boy who is learning to be the lion inside?

The new house is wonderful and as soons as everything is in its place, I will post some pictures for you to see. For now though, I must be on my way.

The night the earth moved...

The news may, or may not have made mention of the fact that there was an earthquake in the UK. It was the largest earthquake the UK has felt in 25 years and measured 5.2 on the Richter Scale. The epicentre was about 120 miles south of where we live but I still woke up with the apartment shaking. It is a very humbling feeling when you realise that you are seven floors up, in an apartment where the walls are made of cardboard and the building standards are not what they were 20 years ago. Anyway, it was over before it began and I rolled over and went back to sleep - what else can you do?

Thanks to all of you who called, emailed and sent texts to make sure I was okay - that was probably more humbling than the earthquake itself as those totalled a whopping zero. Never mind - better luck next time.

This is moving weekend and I will be in communicado for the next week. I am sure you will manage to be out of contact for that long...especially considering that an earthquake shook my apartment and it didn't phase you. If you are feeling guilty - don't worry, you are not alone. Join a whole bunch of other people that probably feel the same - a guilt trip works wonders to get people to make contact.

Moving on...

As many of you will know, the time has come to move out of the apartment in Leeds. The tenancy agreement was only for six months and I never really wanted to live in an apartment as it feels like you are cooped in a box. With the UK seeing in excess of six months of winter annually, an apartment does tend to feel cramped. Anyway, the move will be taking place next Friday, 29 Feb. The new abode is a 3-4 bedroom terraced house with a cellar that is plumbed for the washing machine. Having a laundry room will be a change from having the laundry spread out across ones home. Currently the washing machine is in the kitchen (which is open plan onto the lounge) and when the spin cycle starts the television is drowned out. When it comes time to hang the clothes up, they are in the crossroads between the bedrooms and bathroom. So, there will be many perkes to living in a house.

For those who know, I am on kitten watch. I have decided to call him Watson. He will arrive in the house mid-April. He is a Singapura and his breed makes him an incredibly loveable, playful and intelligent cat that remains quite small throughout its life. Singapuras originate from Singapore and were originally called "the drain cat". I have included a picture of him. He was born on the 17th January. So as you can imagine he is still tiny. His name (Watson) is because of his sleuth-like behaviour traits and that made me think of Sherlock Holmes' sidekick Watson.

Thank you to those of you who have emailed me and kept me up to speed on what is happening in your lives. I do appreciate it. This blog is the easiest way for me to keep you all updated on what is happening in mine but if you want an email, email me and I will respond.

Old memories die hard...

I was just on one of my favourite websites and found an old favourite of mine...Helen Reddy. I decided that I would create a link on my blog to jog your memory. I just love old music - it reminds me of a time when the house was never silent and without music. It reminds me of BBQ's in the park, big sunglasses, baggy t-shirts and tight jeans.

Moving on from then...I am moving house at the end of February. Instead of the apartment, it is time to move to a house, with space and room for a new addition to the household. I will be welcoming a kitten into the house in April. It is a Singapura boy.

I have also decided to amend my form of transport to work...I am going to be cycling to the train station, hopping onto the train and then cycling from the station to work. I will be working about 27 miles from home and will be cycling 2 miles of that. I think that is a good start. In the UK that is a VERY big thing. I am reducing my carbon footprint and becoming healthier.

The health thing is really becoming more of a factor the older I get. I gave up smoking last year. I then made a resolution to give up alcohol altogether but decided to just cut back...which isn't that much considering that I drink so little anyway. I walk a lot, play squash weekly and now I will be cycling too.

Please email me and let me know what you are up to? I don't want to feel as though this is a one way conversation - monologues are a great pastime of mine but this is getting ridiculous - the white van with the guys in white coats will be along shortly if this carries on.

Right! I must dash but as you know...I'll be back in a flash.

A brand new year...out of the box

The new year saw me make my most outrageous resolution to date...no more alcohol. To date I have maintained it. So, in the space of one year I have given up smoking and now drinking. Let's hope going "cold turkey" doesn't send me hangin over the edge. I know there are many of you, who are used to seeing me with a sundowner in hand, who are asking whether I have lost the plot altogether. The more I look at myself, the more I realise that with life expectancy on the rise, I need to ensure that those years are healthy, happy years filled with memorable memories.

I have been reading quite avidly over the last few weeks and was quite ambitious by setting my sites on reading six books in two weeks. Although I didn't manage it, I did manage three. I am now reading a book by a man called Brian Tracy, called Goals. I have big plans for this year and this book is going to help me.

The property search is still on. I am looking for an additional bedroom, a garden in the shape of a house and in an area that is easily accessible. Actually, the main cities need to be accessible by both train and bus. The new place must allow for pets because I am on a waiting list for a kitten. The breed is a Singapura and yesterday was D-Day. I am still awaiting the birth but as you all know, it depends on how many kittens were born, where I am on the list etc. I am not above a good, old fashioned bribe but considering that it is a pedigree and already expensive, I thought I would allow fate to take its course. I have named her(hopefully)/him(if I must) Tjin-Tjin (pr: Chin-Chin).

So as you can see, the news is productive. I am positive and ready to get this year underway for the purpose of making those dreams come true. I hope you feel the same and that those dreams come true.