What's making me happy: I've done bugger all, all weekend. Woke up yesterday morning at 8:30, went back to sleep. Got up at 10 and made a coffee and went back to bed to read. Fell asleep, got up at lunchtime. Walked the dog, read and watched youtube vids for most of the day:) Rounded off with Doctor Who and then Black Sheep on dvd.

This morning: up at about 10am with no tasks ahead, or places to be: just dog walking (no hardship when unhurried and with pleasant weather), reading, playing about in the intarwebz and watching tv:) Glorious.

If I fancy, I may make a start on Honeyman's Child Workers in England, 1780-1820 in preparation for the research i need to do this Summer.....but only if I fancy. probably will actually, I borrowed the book months ago but haven't been able to read it as had to focus reading around assignments and exams.

The point is I am winging it and in no way feeling guilty about 1001 different things I should be doing with my time. Is there anything nicer than legitimate, earned idleness?

Yes, I do have the feeling you very much deserve a break Dana!!! Keep those pajama's on today if you can!!
:p

I'm excited because I got "Beirut" tickets! Yea!! Finally going to see the show after long last! They've been in Europe and finally came back! Tomorrow night after work will be awesome!

Here's what they sound like......This kid is about 21 now? Made this album in his basement when he was 19, I think...

Dana I didn't see the one with the statues, but I have seen clips. Crikey me, the clips were terrifying enough - I'm shuddering thinking about them.
I loved this week's episode - even if Steve had been played by someone else!

Hope you had a chilled out day.

I am happy because I blagged off a shift last week. I felt awful afterwards and considered the fact that I might have lost the job (I sort of deserved to as well). As it was, nothing was said, I faced it out and was back to being a great employee. I hate it when I give in to my lazy side - I will try to remember this next time.

Oops - to clarify I am happy I still have a good and that I have got over the first shift back.

Is it because I'm not English that this makes no sense to me?

Yes, it was more than usually incoherent.

Thanks SG, I was afraid my brain was leaking, or something.

My freshly washed and waxed vee-hicle. It's pretty.... It's sooo pretty...

oh, and also White Men Can't Jump clips...



HARD. GOD. DAMN. WORK!

I'm thinking about swapping cars again. (yeah I know, I have issues)

Im going from a Rexton, back to a Commodore...very similar to what I had, but this is the 270kw, V8 version.

The Suzuki Kizashi doesnt get released here until end of 2009.

The Rexton is gorgeous, full leather, heated seats, rain sensing wipers...etc...etc....but I miss my *dog* and I went for a drive in the V8 the other day.

Im torn

Holden. V8. nice...

5 days 'til Baltimore!

April and I finally got our wedding pictures back...6 months after the event. The maid of honor's sister is a professional photographer, and the maid of honor paid for her sister's services as her gift to us. Her sister is a flake and slow as a turtle. Anyhoo...here's April and I with our parents:

Oh lovely, lovely!
All so very beautiful.
They were worth the wait.

I'm happy because I got a call from the cat rescue place I contacted before the weekend. They are sending someone local to interview me and check out the house on Thursday at 13.00 - I'm taking a lunchbreak for once! I've already passed the phone interview, just the face to face and the chat to decide which, if any, cat they currently have would best suit me/ my position/ the Diz cat.

The downsides are
1) I have to blitz the place tomorrow! Going to see Derren Brown Weds night (another thing that's making me happy!) so tomorrow is the only time to do it
2) I can't afford to adopt til next payday - approx 3 weeks time. They charge a rehoming fee of £50 to cover their costs - they're a registered charity and non-profit making with a no-kill policy, so have to support some cats for life. Also there are things I have to buy - a cat pen for slow introduction, Feliway, a new litter tray etc.

I'm not replacing Dyl. I couldn't - I adored him. I still hope he walks through the catflap.

But I have to think of Diz, who currently has cat-depression. Diagnosed by me, as all he does it cry, eat, sleep. He doesn't play, go out, frisk about, climb on things, try to get in my shopping bag, follow me to work, bat my tweezers off the night table, want to go out of the skylight etc etc etc.

I'm happy to be moving on. And excited about a new cat addition. One cat is at least one too few imo.

We've finished moving. Pretty much everything is unpacked and in its new place.

My back is aching. My feet hurt. I'm weary to the bone, but I'm happy as a pig in poo. :)

Now we just have to get the other house sold.

Firefox 3 release candidate 1 is excellent!

Ali I know the feeling. It's worth bottling - glad it's over for you.

UT - I have no idea. But I'm pleased for you anyway.

Thanks matey. :) I'm feeling a bit better today. At least it doesn't hurt to walk now. lol

UT, I've been using SeaMonkey (1.1.9), but I don't really know the difference between SeaMonkey and Firefox. Any idea?

Some of the guts are the same. SeaMonkey is a bundle of different software, Firefox was developed just to be a browser standalone. Which is what most people want.

It's Derren Brown day!
Yes I am off to see the renowned mentalist and professional beard wearer tonight. It's being filmed, and we have good seats, so I am wearing my new dress.

Really looking forward to it - have been since I booked the tickets.
Just wish I'd done more cleaning and less surfing last night - I'm gonna have to get up mega early tomorrow morning to sort this place out for the cat interview Thursday...

Just got back from having Spencer's portfolio evaluated - so school is officially OVER for the summer!!! Woohoo!!! :devil:

Riding the energy wave from the Obama rally last night!

Despite having been mildly irritated (see mildly irritating thread) by having to trundle over to my ward to attend a consultation event whilst supposedly on holiday....it turned out to be very pleasant. Beautiful sunshine, a chance to sashay about in my favourite long linen skirt and some khaki pumps (uk def. of pumps. bit like tennis shoes) and bumped into a couple of constituents I haven't seen in a few weeks. Was nice to catch up and Jill had some really nice photos with her of the community farm which used to be on the site (about twenty years ago). Having spent about half an hour there I headed off into town to take my election returns (expenses) into the office and that put me in town on a lovely sunny day an hour before shops shut and in no rush :)

I need some new boots, I need some new jeans.....I wanted Dr Who books. So, am now home with new Dr Who books, sunlight streaming in through the window, a smoke in one hand, a Budwaar in the other and nothing to do this evening and all day tomorrow but chill :)

Just back from seeing Derren.
It was amazing!

I was picked as one of the people in the Oracle section of the show and interviewed on camera after, so if they use tonight's filming I will be on tv around about Christmas. Yay me!

Even with that aside, it was a wonderful night. We had such good seats (4 rows back and on the aisle) and could see every detail. What he does, he does so well - so slick. He's quite smug, but I find that attractive in a man! Very yummy. Gay, but yummy.

Even though I knew some of what was coming up he still made me gasp with astonishment. I have no idea how he does most of it, and I don't want to. I just enjoyed the spectacle.

Oh and as the Oracle he told me I should get another cat. That's that sorted then!

Sundae, if Derren says you should get a cat, then you'd better get a cat. He knows.....stuff.

Monkey Faced Spawn of Satan - aka Diz - woke me at 07.00.
Cheers babba, my only day off.

But he's asleep in his bedski now, I am surfing the net and fully intend to go back to sleep - languorously, luxuriantly - in about 5 minutes.

Night night people.

I just scored 4 tickets to Dave Mathews Band.

That ought to get you laid. DM is a great aphrodisiac for chicas.

Yea, I took my son last year for his senior gift, this year I am taking momma. :D

We offered a guy a place to stay until he could find his own digs. That was the end of February. He is leaving today. Today! Ain't nobody happier than sweetwater right now.:D

I went dog shopping at the shelter today! Yea!! I think I want a herding dog. As it will be more likely to stay on the property because they feel responsible for it. It's really hard to not walk out with 4 dogs. But I was a good potential owner and know I am not ready as I don't even have dog food yet. I think I know which little critter is going to go with me! Hope it won't be too long!

Downside: My husband wanted me to ask the shelter if I could leave with a dog to see how it reacts to someone elses dog on the property, and an open door to take it back immediately. Immediate arguement right at the shelter. My husband seems to be railing against the idea of a dog, and it is manifesting in many ways. He doesn't like animals as much as I do. I think it isn't healthy for me to not have a pet (dog person). I guess this is the beginning of the dogfight. (darned humans)

If we get a dog we aren't taking it back for any reason. Which is the reason you would train it and choose wisely in the first place. I don't know how many ways to spell that out for him. It's just cruel to choose a dog and give it home, then decide it isn't the one for you. To me you should make a choice and stick with it. Be responsible. My door has never served as a rotating door for pets and never will. I don't just get rid of dogs. Hell I lived with a dog as a kid that was a bighter. We still loved the dog. It was just a crazy dalmatian and no one ever for an instant, thought of taking it to the pound. It was like the other members of the family.

As soon as you decide on the dog, it's family. That's how I see it. I guess I'm naive about how the rest of the world works and how disposable things can be if you let people get away with it.

I'm still happy! I think I found a good doggy! She's a sweet little thing! What a sweetheart!

Cicero, our neighbors on both sides each have two Australian Shepards.

One set lives in a yard that is well fenced, but they bark and dig all day. I can't enjoy being in my own yard because every time I go outside they continuously bark at me. This has become more of an issue since I've been working mostly from home.

The second set frequently escapes. They like to chase cars and will stand in front of the car as if herding it. They also harass anyone walking, running or biking in the neighborhood, nipping and barking, one on each side. I almost smashed one with a large rock when it came running at me in my own yard. It veered away at the last second.

I don't think I would own a herding dog unless I was home most of the day to keep them in check.

I have a herding breed (well, actually more accurately a droving breed). Pilau loves gate watching and if allowed to sit out all day he would, and he'd bark at passers by. But he won't just bark and bark. There'll be an odd bout of barking followed by sitting peacefully.

Any breed can be a barker.

Cic I have exactly the same attitude to dogs as you. Only one time did we ever get rid of a dog and then it was by giving him to a friend. A rescue dog, he was lovely, but our westie woudn't take to him and my eczema got really bad around that time and we thought (wrongly) it was connected to Nelson. Now, as a grownup, even if the dog was making me ill I'd find a way to live with it :P

There were a couple of dogs in there I could tell could be trusted to exhibit perfect behavior all the time. My husband didn't pick one of those either. Proving that it is a matter of which doggy you fall in love with. We talk all practicalities but most of that is bullshit. blah blah blah....We are going to get a quirky dog and then train it. I mean, c'mon, dogs are usually like their owners. We are quirky people bound to have a quirky dog. There are older dogs on this property that will be a good example to a younger dog of the traits it needs to fit in with this little pack. I think it will do fine. The other dogs that live here are perfect. Hopefully the new dog will fit in and take things by example.
:)
I'm getting a mixed breed probably. There's just no telling the bad habits it will try and pick up.....They say this breed does this...and this breed does that...but they are kind of like people. No telling until you have to live with it. It probably won't leave the toilet seat up, I bet.

This is terrible dog ownership.

Personally I think if you don't have a secure yard, your dog should never be out unattended. Our dog could clear our garden fence, and although she was not inclined to, one of us always watched her. Okay, sometimes from the window, sometimes because we were playing in the garden, but she was always within call. She had a lot of exercise every day (miles of walks between me & my Dad) so the garden was just another room to her.

I don't know what the laws are in the US, but in the UK if a dog bites a person they can be put down by court order. I've said before that I'm not a dog person, but I do respect animals. However if a strange dog "nipped" me I would seriously consider contacting the police. At the very least have a conversation with the owners. Not out of malice, but because the next nip could be a child, which could flail about, scream, excite the dog and lead to serious injury.

I have two air conditioners running, and I am finally cool.

Herding breeds tend to consider themselves co-workers of their owners, but they hope the owner will take the lead. They crave jobs. Barking is a way of releasing energy when they are kept as yard ornaments and not given the opportunity to use their wonderful brains. In general herding breeds don't make good watch dogs (as opposed to alarm dogs) because they are protective of their owner over any property. Actually most dogs desire interesting tasks and opportunities to practice their talents, and won't bark their fool heads off if given the exercise they need. Herding breeds are my group of choice, but I can't provide for their exercise needs now so I don't have one now. I miss my German shepherds' incomparable intelligence and companionship.

I wholeheartedly agree. For some reason, a lot of people around where I live don't get this concept. They let their dogs run around our yard where our children play. I find it disturbing and rude.

I've just won the Lottery!
Only £55, but that's more than I've ever one.

Funny thing is, no-one won the Jackpot, and I'd been daydreaming about buying a house round the corner. I almost chucked my ticket back in the drawer without checking further. I wouldn't have binned it - I'm not that happy-go-lucky.

4 numbers!
Wohoooo!

Yay, SG!

I has kittenz :D and summer is here :D and I just placed my biggest ever scrip order which is going to boost the profits a ton for another record-breaking year :D

happy happy. too much to do, but I can deal... *continues happy dance*

Recent positive feedback on photographs I've made.

:) * 100

Justified V.

I'm happy tonight because I'm going to be good and get an early(ish) night.
And because the Diz cat came out of his heated bed to sleep on my foot. Not the foot of the bed, my actual foot - I'm sat on top of the covers with my knees drawn up.

It's sad in a way, because I know he's missing the comfort of another cat. But I hope that will be resolved when I get him a companion and they get used to eachother. Just happy because at least I am a comforting alternative. Although I'm getting up to pee like a racist soon before going to sleep.

I feel very calm tonight.
I like myself and my life.
Which is an immeasurable pleasure.

Yes, justified V!

Yeah, lotsa good ones V, keep 'em coming.

Dozing this morning in the heady minutes before the alarm.
Diz came and lay cheek to cheek with me.
That's what Dylan used to do.

Lovely start to the day.
(makes up for the 07.08 start of Diz crying, wanting strokes and then trying to play Kamikaze Death Cat with my outstretched arm)

Oh I'm so glad Dyz is coming around again. I'm sure he still misses Dylan, but at least he's back to doing playful cat stuff:)

Making me happy today is....I went to get my results for the year (posted on a noticeboard in the History foyer) and not only did I not fuck this semester up as I had anticipated (what with fighting an election and dealing with a near constant political firefight in my own party, as well as doing the job of councillor alongside) but I won the KPMG prize:) The KPMG prize is awarded to the student with the best performance in the second year for History BA or Int. Hist and Politics BA. That means I was the highest performing second year student out of all the History and International Hist and Politics degree students at our university. I am over the fucking moon! I have a grade point average of 7.33 which is a strong 1st Class. If I can keep this up (or even improve?) in my third year I am going to get a very good degree:)

I am on my last 48 hour shift for the month and do not have to come back to this job til 5 July.

Cruise in 9 days, DMB concert on 4 July. I hope I can make it.

Dana that's amazing!
Give your brains more credit girl - they are obviously first class as I always suspected.

I'm very impressed.

I second Sundae's post! WTG girl!

SG, glad Diz is feeling better.

Thanks gals :)

I must admit, I pretty much bounced out of uni thinking "Fuck me, I'm good!" lol:P

Ride that feeling for a long time, you deserve it.

Good to hear all the good news from peeps recently!

As for me, I'm back in Philly...what's up, youse guys? :)

If I only I was around when you were thinking that... then I could be shot down by a horny commie.

good job, oh studious one. ;)

Good Job Dana !!
Hard work Pays Off !!!

WTG Dana!

*preens* well, ta muchly :P

@ lookout: what makes you think you'd be shot down? :P

I'm getting a new cat on Sunday!
A vocal and friendly little ginger female (neutered) who loves other cats and people.

I just have to go and collect her from Canning Town.
And that's the other thing that's making me happy - the weekend work on the Jubille Line has now been completed. I won't have a ridiculous journey home this weekend.

Yey, new kitteh. That is reason to be happy. *smiles* Yey for the Jubilee Line too!

We've just started our third week of the new regimen with the kids and things are going swimmingly, so I'm very pleased.

I'm also looking forward to having a couple of weeks with them during their winter break which is coming up next week. :)

Had a great day celebrating my parents 50th anniversary with family and friends. Got to see lots of people I haven't seen in years.

Ali I'm pleased to hear that all is well. I'm sure it's not ideal, but your boys will certainly look back on it positively.
And Tree - my parents just celebrated their 40th. I'm running out of life to ever imagine doing the same, but it makes me proud of them. 50 must be even more so.

What's making me happy?
My new cat!
I wish I was there today. I'll go home at lunchtime and spent some quality time.

Also, spending the weekend with Mum & Dad.
They have less money now they are retired and I have more now I am working.
I felt more like an adult this weekend than I have done in years.

Although Dad still insisted on driving me to the Underground station rather than the local one (much longer journey for him but less changes for me and it saves me £6) and wouldn't let me pay for my share of the fish & chips we picked up on the way in. Dads.

And when I got home yesterday I had an hour before I had to set off to collect Hely.
So instead of sitting down & watching tv, or reading, I decided HM was right about the house and I'd use my time well. I managed to clean the kitchen and bathroom as well as putting out the recycling, changing my bed linen and putting a wash on.

Which was good, as he brought a friend home from work. And then they went out to the pub and he brought back at least 3 more. At 01.00. Hmmmmm. I wasn't best pleased (this is becoming a habit) especially as there was one washed up on the sofa this morning as I'm trotting downstairs just in my pants. Quick reverse!

Still, I kept my cool and will let it go. Here's hoping he'll be lovely to Hely today to make up for bringing a crowd of strangers into the house she's trying to get used to. Meh - my perception, not hers - she was under my bed at that point! He loves cats - he will be treating her well. In fact my worry should be that she bonds with him today and I don't see her again for a few weeks.

My picture just arrived!
Much quicker than I expected.

It's truly beautiful, thank you Case.
I'll post this pic over in the Commission thread too, to finish it off.
Oops, no - the last photo will have to be once I've redone my room and the painting is in situ. That may be a while yet though.