Monday

Grans been taken into hospital cos she had a wee fall and she's saying her legs wont work. call me cynical ( which i rarely am ) but she moves house in two weeks and even the doctor says he thinks she just not feeling like she can cope with moving ( no wonder at 84 ) anyway, the council are rewiring all the houses so they are getting decanted. we've seen a councillor an they've arranged that once we move her she doesnt need to move back but its still all too much for her. Ferried mum around Lochee today trying to sort out grans stuff. rent office, opticians, cobblers for nameplate etc etc. terrible bitch that i am all i could think was what a waste of a bonnie day - the sun is splittin the pavements here right now an that doesnt happen often in dundee!! got finished by oneish then headed home to garden an tried to finish The Constant Gardener. im nearly there an havent enjoyed all of it but i hate giving up on a book. i always have that feeling that if i just stick with it it'll come good. anyway - this ones nearly done an im glad i made the effort. only lasted till half three an had to come in an hoover cos its so damn hot. tomorrow allegedly its gonna be 82 degrees here. how bloody good is that - well it would be if i didnt have to go spend the morning packing stuff in grans house getting ready for the move......

The Weekend

I guess this post will be all rambly and back to front cos I havent posted since thursday so when i start to think back itll come in fits and starts.

Friday
afternoon madam returned from Spain - shes gone from scottish blue/white to a kinda pale beige which she is calling " her tan" she had the best time ever and is now planning my next years holiday for me. yeh. thanks.
Friday night i went out in town with two of my oldest friends - as in mates since P1 not old in age ( altho that as well! ) ha. we decided to slum it a bit an try out all the pubs in town we'd never usually go to. We started in trades which is okay depending on what time you go. Its true that pubs have different customers depending on what time of night you go an also what night the week it is. we headed round to yuppies - hadnt been there before - it was full of hen nights. nightmare. all squealing an acting like theyd never been over the door before- no wonder men hate hen nights. then some bloke twatted his mate full force with a right hook and knocked a tooth out. scary. then we went to Starz which was abysmal and decided we should do the right thing and head up perth road. Tonic was buzzing and so was DCA - sat outside in beer garden so smelly mate could have smelly fag! then we headed over to Bar Rio - good atmosphere in there no matter when you go and hey - we know the doorman so no queueing! went on to London which we're far too old for and shouldnt have got in but we had a no bad night and spent saturday doing nothing to try and feel human again

Saturday
lazed about in garden and ignored the fact theres no food an desperately need to go to tesco. had our tea in garden when better half got in from work. threw some rice and peppers and smoked sausage an stuff into the wok- caalled it a stir fry and pretended a lot of effort had gone into it. im kinda lucky ive got one of those men in my life that is grateful for whatever you put down on the table just cos he's not had to be involved in cooking etc. makes life so easy. sat in garden with a few malibus for me and buds for him watching our cat chase her imagination round the garden. life is good right now.

Sunday
caught up on all the washing and cleaning - so exciting. then went for a run down carnoustie and monifieth. watched the tide come in and swirl itself round the huge dockies that make up the shoreline and walked along the dunes. brought some chips on the way home and ate them watching the ducks at the ferry. will post some pics of these places soon - just so you know what im on about.

Dundee Daily

Works been kinda okay this week.....sods law I guess. Youngest cherub returns from Benidorm tomorrow so thats the peace shattered I guess. Theres still loadsa food in cupboards, theres still loadsa toilet roll - which proves my theory that she either eats it or chucks it out the window for fun and the house is as tidy when I get in from work as when I leave. Never mind - its also been kinda too quiet. No doubt she wont shut up till at least sunday night.

The Cat saga began before I started this blog but to cut a long story short:-

24 jan - adopted cat from cats protection league - told to keep her in for 6 weeks till we find out if shes been spayed
21 feb - cat escapes while we run after her down main road wearing pjs
24 feb - we move house having left lost/please help ads everywhere
28th feb - we get phone call from woman whos been feeding cat looks like our description - go round and bring her home to new house
29th feb - vet advises us to keep her in for another 6 weeks till she gets used to new house and to see if she goes into heat - then mentions she could possibly be pregnant already and to watch out for signs????!!
late march - cat is getting alarmingly fat - vet confirms shes pregnant
30th april - five kittens born - all gorgeous have to admit and whole family in love with them
4th june ish - they all go into CPL until homes found for kittens as they are now ruining everything they can chew climb scratch in new house.
7th june - go on weeks holiday
15th june - come home and get phone call from CPL, someone has broken in and stolen one of the kittens. Go into state of panic incase they come back for our cat or any more kittys so go down and bring home the cat and four remaining kittens who proceed with their mission to wreck new house.
21st june - kittens are all homed. cat goes into vets so no more kitty litters. vet says bring her back in a week to check stitches etc.
28th june - complications. milk wont go, cat still looking for kittens and producing milk so teats are full and twisting round the stitches. anti biotic inj and tabs and bring her back in a week.
5th july - alls well that ends well. stiches out and yes - we can finally let her out - this cat is really stir crazy by now.
6th july - never saw cat so relaxed and happy
7th july - same
8th july - headless chick on my kitchen floor- put large bell on collar
9th july - dead chick in my back garden - attach disc to clang against bell
13th july - live chick being skited around my livingroom and cat picking it up and running away every time I try to rescue it. Me in tears cat having time of life.
First time cat owner so all suggetsions gratefully accepted.

and to think I got a cat cos theyre less bother than a dog......yeh....right

River Chavon

rambo collects the turistas
hotel by hotel
on the small bus
with broken air conditioning

once they are seated
row after row
behind the crazy driver
he tells them hello
my name is rambo - so you are very safe today
familia rambo, i take much care of you

he tells them how the day will unfold,
plane, bus, village
paddle steamer down the River chavon
where I made my films he grins
then speedboat to Saona

there is much excitment
laughter, chatter, he talks rapidly -
on autopilot
no longer seeing the beauty
or feeling the heat that catches
the breath of the familia Rambo

they pass broken down shanty towns
where skinny dogs and skinnier children
laugh and play in the dirt
the crazy driver hurls the bus
through busy town streets
where walnut skinned men sit
chatting in doorways on rickety chairs
drinking from bottles, shotguns resting
between their thighs,
they wave at the turistas - smile for the camera?

Altos de Chavon, dolls house
for giants, made on a whim
by papa after his princess' dream
waits patiently, lies- time after time
here I stand, 16th century village
built in 1976 - americano
demasiado dinero loco

Rambo meets his gathered familia
outside St Stanislaus
herds them down the 200 steps
to the River Chavon onboard the River Prince
he tells them - Familia Rambo
you look very tired - need much veetamins
as he passes round the sweet Dominican rum
Dominican veetamins he states
good for you

the speedboat stops alongside
the paddle steamer
turistas lurch shakily down
the current and the veetamins
testing their balance
more veetamins shouts Rambo
they slam across the waves
veetamins sloppin, right arm aloft
arriba, abaho, merengue

el Caribe hermoso beckons
starfish big as kale pots
tiny fish that dart and flick
through water bluey green
turistas splash and drink and smile
blister in the sun

back on the boat they shout and wave
to passing catamarans
holiday camaraderie
at Saona the heats been turned up a notch
the barbequed food, the rice, the peppers
wait patiently for them
they descend like ants, two by two
splashing into the salty sea

Rambo sneaks off
sleeps for an hour or three
cool beneath the palms
turistas - mad dogs all of them
drink, eat and soak up the mid day sunshine
Familia Rambo - lets go, the pirates wait
rambo herds them up- like a shepherd he counts heads
as they board the catamaran

they sail for two hours
more veetamins, more merengue
more sunshine, more more
as they clamber to the shore
small boys rush forward
dousing their feet with water
holding out their hands for pesos
or dollars, artists push forward
mire ven, mire ven
the canvas's brighter than the flowers
bold, demanding attention

on the bus back to Punta Cana
the crazy drivers
been replaced
by a crazy driver
with a toothless smile
who shouts to everyone who gets on
merengue?
on the plane the turistas sleep
or dream through the dirty glass windows
of home, where the hills and mountains
are green and lush and beautiful
beautiful like home.

SK. June 06

Dundee Daily.

Had my interview today with the student financial advisor. So bummed off about everything. Basically I cant afford to go to college. Not sure that I can go on being a TC advisor for another 22 years - an hey - whats to say the next government wont abolish them anyway and start something comepletely different? I need to seriously start looking for something else. Theres lots of things Id like to be doing but without any qualifications or relevant experience theyre all no goers. Back to the drawing board.

Dundee Yesterday

Do you ever have those days where you just can't be arsed. My better half has been moaning about the lack of socks since he came back from holiday and wondering if he's lost some. They're actually in one of the three clean washing baskets that are awaiting sorting/ironing etc. Clothes get washed asap round here but then they get sent to die through lack of interest/care in the utility room where the ironing board lives but never sees the light of day - or the iron for that matter. Now - socks dont need ironed but Im damned if i can be bothered rummaging round amongst it all to find any. Apparently someone asked him at work if he only had one T-shirt ( although he could be winding me up ) he has zillions but hey - they all need ironed. One day soon Ill be dealing with it. Anyway - today I couldnt be arsed an didnt actually get round to washing my face and brushing my teeth till almost bedtime. God I sound like a right minger.....hahahahaha...

Dundee last weekend.

Friday night was really quiet and peaceful round here. The youngest daughter has gone to Benidorm. Food is still in the fridge. No clothes are strewn all over the house. It feels strange but good. And no - I dont feel guilty for enjoying it regardless of what her granny thinks.

Saturday we travelled up to Inverness for a wedding. The road to Inverness from Dundee is a bloody joke. No wonder there are so many fatalities. And whats all this No Pylons about? Anyway, the wedding was at a place called Bunchrew House Hotel which was totally amazing, they have an in house ghost called Isobel and the hotel gardens are on the banks of the Moray Firth. Stunning views. If you ever go up that way book in for a stay. The bride was gorgeous by the way and everyone had a great night. Breakfast in bed and then a champagne farewell - you canny beat it.

On sunday we came home by Aviemore then went and had a wee nosy round Kenmore. No matter what people tell you - Scotland IS bloody beautiful. Dont let anyone say any different. We had a cream tea in the gardens of an old church come cafe and watched the jetskiers and the speedboats all having the time of their lives. Before driving back we tried to have a nosy round the castle in the middle of the golf course but its all closed off. Doesnt look very safe mind.

Pilgrimage

Passing Cockenzie
then Mussleburgh
then Berwick
then waiting

for the sea to part
for the sky to clear
for the wind to drop

The Priory
was as before
although
the har was thick
and hid
St Cuthberts Isle

the stairs still led
nowhere, somewhere
we couldnt see

the arch still crept
towards the sky
or heaven
if theres such a where
and

watched the clouds
creep past and prayed
for sun or warmth or
something never known
or felt, or touched

Inside St Marys
mitre, cross and sword
for battle in some far
forgotten place

then there
beneath the chancel arch
inscribed for Reed
"Contra vim mortis,
non est medicamen in hortis"

this journey to this shrine
this sacred place
the course of life on earth
the course of faith

SK. may 06 ©

There Now

There Now

I like to visit here now and then. have a wee nosy an see what you think.

Dundee Daily

On another note. Im so fed up with my job and the lack of satisfaction that I decided to finally to something about it.Ive got another 22 years or something before I can retire - jesus. I got in touch with Dundee college to find out about doing a classroom assistants course. Ive got a meeting with a student financial advisor on the 11th July to find out if I can afford to do it an if I can Im in there. If I remember the appointment that is.........

Dundee Daily

Up early today to shop for holiday clothes for my daughter. She's off to Benidorm with her mate and her mum and dad who also happens to be my mate. Ever so slightly worried about it as she's never been abroad before but she's into second year now so it's possibly okay to slacken the cord a wee bit! Spent more than I can afford on crap she'll never wear again but she's so excited its infectious.

Re the memory problem, last week I was running late for the vets and hurried so much I got half way down strathmartine road before I realised I never had the cat with me....yeh - really! anyway... today I left my switch card in those chip an pin machines twice. I read something in the papers lately about some disease that people never used to get till they were kinda old and alcoholics mainly but now its being found in more an more young people cos of binge drinking habits these days..... now im wondering about that, Im sure it began with F ( No jokes please....) canny be that anyway, for one Im not young an for two I hardly ever binge drink.... unless its saturday... or a wedding....or a girls night out..... or....whatever.......

Dundee Daily

I work in a call centre for a living.
The thing with my job - like any other call centre helpline - is that a lot of the time because you're "faceless " so to speak some of the general public feel its alright to treat you badly and says things they'd never dream of saying if they were sitting across a desk from you. Its sometimes hard not to take it personally - a lot of the insults are personal - haha - but you have to remember in a lot of situations people can be under severe pressure. Im not sure what the lifespan/workspan of a customer service helpline advisor is but Im sure it can't be long......

Dundee Daily

This weekend there's been the annual blues festival in Dundee. Basically loadsa bands come from all over an local bands are on as well and the pubs in town are buzzing - great if you love blues and great if you don't cos' theres lots going on and the pubs and clubs are chocca. we went in town saturday and managed not to catch a single band but the craic was good and we met up with some really interesting people including an art student who's just won a year in florence with some design thing she's done ( terrible but I cant remember the exact details its all a bacardi blur.)
the sun had shone all day for a change and the westport was hochin. people watching the bands at the doghouse were spilling over the street and the same outside the globe etc.
I keep passing pubs lately in the car an thinking oo! whats going on outside that pub but its just people having a fag..... so good to come home after a night out an not stink of smoke - although my best mate doesnt agree - she reckons she's getting drunk lately cos shes not smoking while we're out - yeh okay, an its the coke in my bacardi thats doing it for me.......

DundeeDaily

Hi there WWW.

This is just a small introduction although as I don't really expect anyone to be reading this I'm not sure why? Anyway - this is just somewhere for me to keep some kinda record of events. Lately I've discovered that my memory isn't what its meant to be and I'm hoping it might be useful - for what I've no idea - it's not like Im likely to be up in court an need an alibi or I'm having an affair and need to keep track of my movements but you just never know when you'll need to cast up some misdemeanor to your other half ( real or imagined ) an if thats the case I can check back here.......