Today my mum and I went on an outing.

I safely deposited the lovely Nik at his new place of work and trip-trapped my way over to Bluewater.

We shopped like proper girls (arrived at ten, finished at 4, yes, 6 whole hours!) Invested in two delightful Monsoon dresses for an upcoming wedding, three pairs of equally delightful shoes, two handbags, two pairs of earrings, a set of bracelets, two pashminas and some hairclips. I have never spent so much money in one day, thanks to my dad for my birthday present, it almost covered it!

Having stopped for much required sustinance at around 4.15pm we decided to head home. I walked Mother to her car park only to find the car absent. Now, having lost a car before at Bluewater, we wandered up and down, up and down, up and down. No sign.

After talking to car park attendants and the concierge it became quickly apparent that some nasty idiot had in fact stolen her car.

I am incensed to be perfectly honest.

The police speculate that it being half-term it was kids on a joyride.

If any child I have ever taught did something so selfish, so thoughtless as to leave someone stranded in the middle of nowhere,let alone take someone else's property, I would be devastated.

As if poor Mother hasn't had enough to cope with lately. Now this?!

Posted by kary at 09:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Blank space.

No one likes that.

In the days passed there has been a few items of news:

1. Lovely Nik has a new job! For those who know, this is a most important development. Finally my angel gets to stick two fingers up to the 'doves' at Robinsons and travel into the village with me in the mornings! Lucky boy!
2. My lovely Nik has been shortlisted for an exhibition at a gallery in Canterbury that is invitation only. When I say he has, his art has.
3. My lovely Thierry has signed a new four year deal at Arsenal (hurrah!)
4. My lovely Robert has signed a two year one elsewhere (booo)
5. We lost the Champions League final because of some shocking, shocking refereeing

..and it is soon half term (hurrah again!)

Posted by kary at 06:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At The Horsebridge Gallery, 10 Horsebridge Road, Whitstable, Kent - 11th-20th May 9.30am - 5.00pm

Go see it :)

Posted by kary at 07:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We have a better class of graffiti artist in Herne Bay

...ours read Steinbeck.

Posted by kary at 07:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

...and so it is done. Highbury is gone but not forgotten.

Henry and his men provide us with a fitting tribute to the hallowed turf with a thrilling 4-2 win over Wigan. West Ham for once do us a favour and make light work of Spurs which sees us take the coveted fourth spot and entry to the Champions League next year (even if through qualification)

Much was read into Henry's reaction to the day which sadly overshadowed the fact that it is the last league game of another Highbury hero Dennis Bergkamp.

It was a day of excitment and sadness as well as humour, not least watching Wenger's reaction to the bizarre performance by Roger Daltrey and Jens Lehman talking of his having goosebubbles during the closing ceremony (a word I intend to use much more often!)

...and now a Champions League final to look forward to...

Still tense.

Posted by kary at 08:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today is a day of mixed emotion.

On the one hand, we see the final competitive football match at the beautiful Highbury. I feel very sad about this. It has been a part of my life and thinking for many years now. I can imagine how sad others are, those who spent afternoons of their childhood on the terraces for example. There is no feeling like that of arriving to the top of the steps and seeing unfold before you the green, velvet playing surface, of hearing the roars of the crowd as the players exit the narrow tunnel. It is an odd place, rising from amidst the North London Terraced houses, suddenly there, mostly unnoticed until you spot a gap and a bright red gate. I was touched to see the interview with Thierry Henry yesterday who said pretty much the same, with what appeared to be genuine sadness and regret. I think we forget sometimes that these places can hold the same emotions for players as for supporters, probably moreso.

Anyway.

It is with this sadness that we also think how important it is to move on. A fantastic new ground just a stones throw from Highbury, a young team, a new season on the horizon, the future is bright as they say.

Before that we need to focus our thoughts on the games of the day. Having successfully managed to poison half of the Tottenham team (you have to wonder on that) both games go ahead and in the balance lies the final Champions League spot for next year. It is unthinkable that we do not qualify to be honest. I can not imagine the first season at Ashburton Grove not featuring European football. We have two chances, finish fourth today (needing Spurs to lose or draw and us to win or draw) or come through as underdogs to beat Barca in the Champions League Final. Let's keep our fingers crossed for both eh?

Tense.

Posted by kary at 01:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In case you do not already know and I am sure that you do...

In the dark of the early hours of the morning there falls an historical event...

...at 01:02.03am on the 04.05.06 it will be the first time that the numbers on the time and date follows 01 02 03 04 05 06 in quite some time.

Forgive me but I like that sort of thing.

We will observe it. Even if Nik doesn't want to!

:)

Posted by kary at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pootling along the M2 on a failed shopping expedition to Bluewater today (failed as none of us managed to find anything to buy), I had a thought.

It continued from a thought I had a few days ago. This was how odd it is to have carpet in the car. Carpet is not easily cleaned would lino not make more sense? Wipe down clean!

Anyway, I began thinking about this once again and my train of thought came around to thinking how 'carpet' is a compound word, made of 'car' and 'pet' obviously. (You may conclude at this point that the drive along the M2 is not an overly interesting one and you would be correct in that conclusion).

So what would make a good car pet? Nothing that can fly - that could lead to all sorts of problems. Nothing with those knees - just because they are wrong. Something slow moving perhaps. Which brings to mind a sloth. Sloth would sit happily upside down on the parcel shelf snoozing the day away, would not need feeding all that often. Alas he would not however be all that much company and with their tendency to defecate in their sleep...not all that nice to keep in the car.

Nik suggested something like a ghecko. Merrily sticking to the window scaring the passing traffic wardens... I am not sure I would like their beady, little eyes on me as I reverse parked however.

Goldfish perhaps. Self contained, clean, calming. Could even alleviate road rage in many circumstances! A trifle messy when you brake suddenly and half of their haven sloshes over the dashboard though and we know how hot cars can get in the summer, unless you are a fan of poached fish whereby it could be an onboard snack?

So, we could not come to any agreement on what would make the best car-pet. Any ideas?

Posted by kary at 08:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)