Thursday, January 13, 2005
Saga Of A Dicky Tummy
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUGGS! (43 today!!)
I didn’t sleep well last night and woke with a dodgy stomach. I’m sure it was the beer. I know what Kronenbourg is meant to taste like – and that wasn’t it.
The weather at least, seems to have spring boarded forward to a bitter cold spring after the winter splendour it threw at the country over the last few days. I like the chill factor – without the wind in my face anyway, it’s nice.
I thought it was about time I sent my wife some flowers. Every time she has started a new job I have duly embarrassed her with a bunch of flowers sent to her office, but with the job she is currently in she asked me not to, due to the nature of her position and stuff like that. So I bided my time and I finally realised four months is long enough. So I ordered a dozen red roses down and waited for the phone to ring.
Before anyone asks they weren’t an apology – just an expression of my undying love! (bleuch!)
The phone rang at about 3pm. She was most happy and promised me great rewards on my triumphant return to our abode tonight. I knew what I hoped that meant, but when she said “You can watch Eastenders with me,” I knew I had been had.
I dug out half a dozen potential publications for pitching articles to: 1 technical writing, 3 fiction, 1 lifestyle, 1 music. I’ll need to check out their websites before I go any further, but at first glance he music site looks a good gig – non-paying but could be fun.
Various concerned people contacted me about this article in yesterday’s news:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4167629.stm
Basically, a bloke in Waterstone’s in Edinburgh was sacked for writing a Blog about how bad his employers were, referring to the company as “Bastardstone's" and his manager as "Evil Boss".
As regular readers will know, I am not happy with my current employers but most of this dis-satisfaction is caused by me deciding this is not what I want and also because the company is shedding staff like the proverbial moult off a dog’s back. I want to further a career in writing and the low staff motivation is company-wide, not just me.
Also, people reading this Blog will not know who the company I work for is (unless I have told them), as I always refer to them as The Company. Further, my boss is not evil though he does have a tendency to wear grey neck-tight suits, stick his right pinkie in his mouth and laugh hysterically.
My job, unfortunately, is safe.
The dicky tummy continued well into the day and the offer of a “quiet pint” with Dave, Tom became an option after work. Tom is buying a flat in Leith and it was decided he should make his decision based on the quality of the bars Leith has to offer. And so we obliged as we are kind chaps, and volunteered to show him the various hostelry’s Leith has to offer.
So I went home and grabbed some food and a shower and walked down to the pub. The clear sky was still overhead and all the stars were visible as I walked through Leith Links. Right above the school, the Starry Plough shone – love those stars!
This is where my pal Devon may post a wee comment, and I invite her to confirm if she has been to any of these bars frequented me and my drinking colleagues this evening...
I went to meet them in the Carriers Quarters but they had already moved on to the Port O’ Leith Bar (famous for its Port O' Leith Port!), so we had a couple of pints in there and moved to Nobles Bar next door - an old haunt of my Father in Laws. This is where I found out one of the guys became a Dad a couple of weeks ago – and so a round of Zambuca’s was bought much to my disgust.
I am not a good shot-drinker. I used to be, until one night I had an encounter with a particularly vicious Tequila slammer. I won’t go into it, suffice to say I lost my edge in that particular war and so it is a miracle I kept the damn thing down, but I did.
Then it was into the pricey Lighthouse Bar on The Shore and then Bar Sirius – both devoid of life causing much consternation with Zander and his mate, who need ladies around them to distract them from spending their entire time on their mobile phones. What did they do before mobiles were invented one wonders. So much for conversation.
A bit of bartering with a taxi driver saw us shipped in two loads to the Pivot Bar on Calton Road, famous for being full of east European types. I didn’t last much longer; tiredness and drunkenness taking over. When Dave started dancing on his own on the dance floor, I knew it was time to go. I left with Dave and caught a cab home, leaving Zander, Tom and the others in Pivot.
Click to enlarge
I got home and found two marvellous surprises; a single rose lying on my pillow and half a quiche (Lorraine), cooked by Gail earlier and left out for me to snack on when I got in.
Click to enlarge
A good wee night out, but I just know I am going to regret it in the morning.
I didn’t sleep well last night and woke with a dodgy stomach. I’m sure it was the beer. I know what Kronenbourg is meant to taste like – and that wasn’t it.
The weather at least, seems to have spring boarded forward to a bitter cold spring after the winter splendour it threw at the country over the last few days. I like the chill factor – without the wind in my face anyway, it’s nice.
I thought it was about time I sent my wife some flowers. Every time she has started a new job I have duly embarrassed her with a bunch of flowers sent to her office, but with the job she is currently in she asked me not to, due to the nature of her position and stuff like that. So I bided my time and I finally realised four months is long enough. So I ordered a dozen red roses down and waited for the phone to ring.
Before anyone asks they weren’t an apology – just an expression of my undying love! (bleuch!)
The phone rang at about 3pm. She was most happy and promised me great rewards on my triumphant return to our abode tonight. I knew what I hoped that meant, but when she said “You can watch Eastenders with me,” I knew I had been had.
I dug out half a dozen potential publications for pitching articles to: 1 technical writing, 3 fiction, 1 lifestyle, 1 music. I’ll need to check out their websites before I go any further, but at first glance he music site looks a good gig – non-paying but could be fun.
Various concerned people contacted me about this article in yesterday’s news:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4167629.stm
Basically, a bloke in Waterstone’s in Edinburgh was sacked for writing a Blog about how bad his employers were, referring to the company as “Bastardstone's" and his manager as "Evil Boss".
As regular readers will know, I am not happy with my current employers but most of this dis-satisfaction is caused by me deciding this is not what I want and also because the company is shedding staff like the proverbial moult off a dog’s back. I want to further a career in writing and the low staff motivation is company-wide, not just me.
Also, people reading this Blog will not know who the company I work for is (unless I have told them), as I always refer to them as The Company. Further, my boss is not evil though he does have a tendency to wear grey neck-tight suits, stick his right pinkie in his mouth and laugh hysterically.
My job, unfortunately, is safe.
The dicky tummy continued well into the day and the offer of a “quiet pint” with Dave, Tom became an option after work. Tom is buying a flat in Leith and it was decided he should make his decision based on the quality of the bars Leith has to offer. And so we obliged as we are kind chaps, and volunteered to show him the various hostelry’s Leith has to offer.
So I went home and grabbed some food and a shower and walked down to the pub. The clear sky was still overhead and all the stars were visible as I walked through Leith Links. Right above the school, the Starry Plough shone – love those stars!
This is where my pal Devon may post a wee comment, and I invite her to confirm if she has been to any of these bars frequented me and my drinking colleagues this evening...
I went to meet them in the Carriers Quarters but they had already moved on to the Port O’ Leith Bar (famous for its Port O' Leith Port!), so we had a couple of pints in there and moved to Nobles Bar next door - an old haunt of my Father in Laws. This is where I found out one of the guys became a Dad a couple of weeks ago – and so a round of Zambuca’s was bought much to my disgust.
I am not a good shot-drinker. I used to be, until one night I had an encounter with a particularly vicious Tequila slammer. I won’t go into it, suffice to say I lost my edge in that particular war and so it is a miracle I kept the damn thing down, but I did.
Then it was into the pricey Lighthouse Bar on The Shore and then Bar Sirius – both devoid of life causing much consternation with Zander and his mate, who need ladies around them to distract them from spending their entire time on their mobile phones. What did they do before mobiles were invented one wonders. So much for conversation.
A bit of bartering with a taxi driver saw us shipped in two loads to the Pivot Bar on Calton Road, famous for being full of east European types. I didn’t last much longer; tiredness and drunkenness taking over. When Dave started dancing on his own on the dance floor, I knew it was time to go. I left with Dave and caught a cab home, leaving Zander, Tom and the others in Pivot.
Click to enlarge
I got home and found two marvellous surprises; a single rose lying on my pillow and half a quiche (Lorraine), cooked by Gail earlier and left out for me to snack on when I got in.
Click to enlarge
A good wee night out, but I just know I am going to regret it in the morning.
Colin 11:27 pm
1 Comments:
Colin, that is so sweet that you sent your wife flowers. Mine says it's like taking a wad of bills and tossing it in the street (LOL), but that's okay because he makes up for it other ways. :)
