Yes, I know it has been quite a while since I last posted on here. In truth I have been especially busy, which is great news for a girl who usually finds the X factor to be the highlight of her week. But really, I have had a spectacularly busy fortnight.

I'll start with my new hobby... I have joined women's rugby - No, I don't know how to play, but I have every intention of learning! Last year I lived with Jenny, who is now elected president for women's rugby. She nagged me all year just to attend one training session "you'll love it!", she'd say, to which my response would be "I really don't think I will, Jen". The irony is, I met my friend Marie-Claire in september, she is captain for the rugby team. Clever Marie-Claire (MC to us) was a little more thoughtful in her approach, she bought me a couple of double vodkas and THEN decided to ask me. Of course, feeling a little tipsy and braver than ever I told MC I'd join up. So here I am, a new member of women's rugby, I really can't believe it myself - I think my mother has concerns!

I have also been bonding. May sound a little odd to you, but I have a great group of new found friends in the form of work colleagues. Over the past few weeks we've been planning for a night out in Scarborough - ooh I'm so excited, I've never been before! I've been told not to expect much more than a great giggle. I must say, it is really nice to have found so many great friends.

Speaking of my friends, a group of us trotted down to Wearmouth Bar last night for the pub quiz. Last sunday I was working there and our staff team came second (brilliant achievement)! This week we really outdid ourselves - we came first! I was quite excited by the prospect of a prize... what would it be? Shopping vouchers? Ipods for all? cds? Even free food?! No...... we won two pitchers of Diesel, yuk. For those of you who are unacquainted with diesel, as was I until I came to Sunderland, it is snakebite and black. Needless to say I didn't have a pint.

My Goodness! November, who'd believe it?! Well, I have started my Christmas shopping. I'm also counting down to the first door on my advent calendar. I love Christmas and I'm extremely excited. However, I am a little concerned with the number of Christmas trees I've seen in front-room-windows recently. Usually, I get all excited in november, but by the end of december I'm fed up because I've heard enough Slade, Jingle Bells, Wham and eaten enough mince pies to last me a lifetime. This year, as I said earlier I'm keeping busy, in fact I have so much more to look forward to, as well as my trip to Scarborough next Saturday, I'm going to see Basement Jaxx in Newcastle. I will be reporting on that soon. My mum is coming up to visit and we're going to finish off my Christmas shopping.

In short, I'm not moaning this week - In fact I can't stop smiling, and I expect you are all relieved to hear that!!

Oh, and I found this website... If you are feeling sad for any reason try this - it certainly cheered me up!!!! Here are my results:

http://www.myheritage.com

It Never Rains But It Pours

Hi guys, I have some bad news - I'm not very happy!
You know sometimes you wake up and get the feeling that the day ahead won't be worth getting out of bed for..? Well, I dragged myself out of my cosy bed at about 10 o'clock this morning. For the past two days the boiler hasn't been working, we've had no hot water and of course no heating, making it difficult to get up in the morning. I had a shower (thank goodness that's still working!) and got ready for my french lecture. Typically I was running late and had to drive in, I was still 5 minutes late but I suppose that's excusable. However, there were NO parking spaces to be found anywhere in the car park nor on the surrounding streets. I decided to take my chances and park on double yellow lines. I wasn't obstructing a garage door, a delivery area, a turning point, or parked on a corner. In fact, I couldn't understand why this area had been painted with the dreaded yellow lines at all. I ran up into my french lesson and thought nothing else of it.

Two hours later...

Instead of returning straight to my car, I went in to Wearmouth Bar (where I work) to see if the rotas had been put up for next week. They hadn't. So I returned to my little J-reg Ford Fiesta to find, you guessed it, a big fat custard-coloured envelope stuck on my windscreen. I tore it off in anger, and drove home. Once home I opened the letter. Having not ever been in trouble with the law, I was a little suprised to find that the envelope contained a bill for £60!!!!!! I do think that's a little steep. If I pay within 14 days the nice people at NCP will five me a 50% discount. Still, that is no consolation for a student, who was in fact attending a lesson and had nowhere else to park! I was late today, and wouldn't usually have driven to the city campus (it's only a 10 minute walk), but for those who live further afield, it wouldn't suprise me if parking tickets were a weekly nightmare!

Now I understand why people hate traffic wardens so much.


On top of all of this, my car decided it wasn't going to start after waiting outside the doctors for my housemate.

Someone somewhere must have it in for me!