We want your money!

So Boy No. 2 has had his taster day at the boys Senior School, and the best bit was lunch - apparently.   I then had to drag him back for the Year 7 Intake meeting in the evening - which to give them their due only lasted 55 minutes, a vast improvement on when I went with Boy No. 1 a few years ago. 

So first the good news................ we are no longer being held ransom in having to provide our little darlings with a Notebook at the very reasonable price of £350.   I would like to think that the school came to their senses and realised that boys would be getting mugged on the way to and from their premises which would make for bad press and that they can't actually make parents pay for the things. 

So instead we now have to provide the little darlings with their very own iPod touch or iPhone which only costs £152 - cue boys getting mugged on the way to and from the school premises once it gets out that every boy will carrying an iphone on them!!!    Luckily though, they don't have to have them til January - 'it will make a nice Christmas Present'.

The reason for having to have a iPod Touch or iPhone was as follows:  We want our boys to keep up with mobile technology.    Pfffft............. not one mention of how this technology will actually get used in lessons.

What made me really laugh was the bit about lockers.  A locker for the year will cost £6.  If you have difficulty in meeting the cost, please contact the school, in confidence, where we will be happy to try and work out a solution.   hahaha.  This option is not offered on the iPod!

Last Weekend

 had to forego watching the Mens Final (at home obviously) as we had a barbarcue to go to. 

OK keep up............


Mr Imo's dad is one of three brothers, he is the oldest.  The middle one has three children, Mr I's cousins, one is married and living in New Zealand, one lives in Australia and married an Australian and the other one was in Australia for his brothers wedding/holiday and got married out there himself as a surprise.  So the BBQ was to celebrate the two Aussie Weddings as all three cousins were back in the same place at the same time.  At the same time the youngest brother also has three boys (more cousins all grown up now) the middle grown up boy works as a sound engineer - currently on the iTunes festival in London.  Boy No. 1 is interested in doing this for a living, and will now be going up to see back stage at iTunes - yay.  This was the good bit of the BBQ, the following photos are the not so good bit....

Mother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law, Me

Two minutes after the above photo was taken

Sadly no one managed to take a video, or even a photo of the three of us getting folded up in the bench - it would have made a killing on Opps TV.  My dress is now in the wash!

The bench was only three weeks old - purchased as extra seating for the BBQ and it was self assembly.  Looking at it in bits, the bits that slot into the other bits looked pretty flimsy, so it's not our fault.

And Finally.....

As all three boys were reasonally smart I attempted to get a sensible photo once we were back home.  Here it is.....

The head in the background is one of my mothers efforts from Sculpture Classs - they used to practice using breeze blocks.  This one is called Albert, but I also have an Inga - aren't I a lucky girl!

My Trend Dilemma

I do realise that Converse trainers are universally popular.  However, for the last few years I have been the only one to sport these on my feet outside the schoolgates.  This season, however, everyone and their mothers (probably) are wearing them.  Which is fine, as mine look worn in (very worn in) and so flaunt their owner as not being one to follow a trend - I am the trend.

However, my Converse (both pairs) are dying and need to be replaced.  Suddenly I will be demoted to Trend Follower, not Trend Setter - this is not good.  I could train Boy No. 3 to walk out of school and find the car, so I don't have to get out which is fine on the days I drive, but what about when I walk - I will have to hide my feet.  Aghhhhhhhhhh*.



It's true - women can multi-task.  I followed a women down the road the other day, and she was waving a mobile around in one hand, (couldn't tell if she was trying to text or talk into the thing), moving a fag in and out of her mouth with the other, and driving across a roundabout.  Now that's talent, that is until the day she drops her fag, has a nasty burn, crashes the car and gets booked for using her mobile whilst driving.   Haha

Boy No. 2's phone had to go into hospital (the phone shop) as the battery decided to alarmingly expand, so much so that the back cover was broken off (see previous post for photo evidence).  Both bits were sent off by Vodaphone over 2 weeks ago now.  I am starting to get annoyed. 

1st shop assistant:  It will take 4 days for the replacement battery and back to be delivered.

I go back in after 5 days.

2nd shop assistant:  Oh no it will take up to a week.  I'll chase it up for you.

I go back in after a week and a half.

3rd shop assistant:  No.  It can take two weeks to get the replacements.  We'll phone you to stop you having to come in all the time.

It will be 3 weeks next Tuesday.   I'm going back in - wish me luck, I may no responsible for my actions.


*  Have since realised I have no spare money so my trend dilemma can go on the back burner for a couple of months.  phew.

I am a Trend Setter

It's Official

I have named myself as the chief trend setter in paving the way for white cars.  I saw 5 new cars in the space of 10 minutes today, all white and with 59 or 10 number plates.  However, I am now not unique as there is at least one other white Micra driving around Stortford - how dare they!

The Night Out - Robin Hood

First of all NBF* stood us up, we failed to go on a CACTUS** so had to go on an ORANGE*** instead, Empire then had no Minstrels so I had to go for the buttons, which melted during the course of the film, and Pinkele had a fight with the popcorn.  However, Russell Crowe was OK as Robin - albeit a bit on the beafy side and he seemed to mutter a lot (probably to cover up the lousy accent).  Cate Blanchett made a slightly off putting middle aged Maid Marion and the attraction between the two characters was not very believable.  Friar Tuck looked just like Nick Frost (goes off to Goggle) wrong - it was Mark Addy.

See there is a likeness - really

SO consensus on Robin Hood  - Imo thought it was good, would watch it again and her favourite character was King John (this is so wrong).

Result: Imo will watch and enjoy any rubbish so don't take any of her reviews to heart. 


Life in the House of Imo


So I've decided it's time to show a little insight in the house of Imo.  Looking around the house last weekend, Boy No. 1 had a giant space hopper in his room   (he's 14).  Boy No. 2's phone had exploded (only had it since Christmas) and Boy No. 3 was in a box  (he's 8, so this sort of behaviour is  acceptable).

The bed is mine!

 

The Vodaphone shop had never seen anything like it!

Danger - please do not feed

* NBF = new best friend a.k.a. Keith with the pathetic excuse that he was off on a photo shoot to Barcelona the next day.
** CACTUS = cheep as chips Tuesday at the local cinema
*** ORANGE = two for the price of one on Wednesday if you've got an orange phone.   Neither of us had, but it's the thought that counts.

Ruby Wax and lack of obsessions

Ruby Wax


So like BlackLOG   I have also been to see the same performance of Ruby Wax who was in Bishops Stortford for one night only.  I took Pinkele along with me - she provided the wine gums.  The evening got off to an exciting start when I got to speak to the major of Stortford whilst trying to park the car.  Poor Pinkele didn't recognise him, obviously she doesn't read the local paper each week, or attend the sort of local events at which our major is likely to turn up.  It is a local joke that he is in the paper most weeks, the record apparently being 6 photos in one issue!  Anyway he very kindly pointed me in the direction of alternative parking spaces - what a nice man.


So onto Ruby.  She was good.  Smaller then you would imagine, and wearing a slightly too tight top and jacket which she had to keep pulling down.  We particularly enjoyed the bit about what pilates can do for you, especially if you take five classes every day, and the school sports day with the mums who can only discuss their latest frocks.


Birthdays


My mum (or Ma as she likes to be referred to!) turned 80 this weekend.  cue:  big family (well bigish) meal at The Harpenden Hotel and then tea back at the house.  And thankfully my dad (or Pa as he likes to be called) was well enough to enjoy the day.  It was touch and go, first of all he's 89, and  secondly a few weeks ago as he landed up in hospital with dizzy spells and was stuck in there for four weeks.


My sister in law made the cake - she has a small cottage industry going.

Slightly wrong notes - but it's the happy birthday song

89 and still drinking

The Birthday Girl

Obsessions

Am happy to report I have no current obsessions, i.e. no jigsaw craze, DS game, re-decorating the house (although this obsession does need to be kicked in soon) series of books, gardening.   

Actually I'm not doing much at all at the moment apart from getting myself to work and back, and attempting to keep on top of the house stuff.   Failed this morning and had to send boy No. 1 to school with his old games kit as the current one was discovered in the washing machine late last night, unwashed!  Never mind, shorts are meant to be short!

Friends Reunited

I keep getting emails from this site, which I promptly delete without reading.  However, clicked on a link today and wasted a happy hour trying to remember friends surnames so I could have a nose and see if they are a. still alive and b. done anything interesting.   I will now probably forget to go on the site for another 4 years, but I did find out some interesting stuff.

And finally the weather.........

I have given up trying to understand weather.  Two weeks ago we had hail stones and now it's a heatwave.

Taken back in the Spring with no snow, hail, or rain, at Anglesey Abbey

My Computer Snores

It's Alive - Or Something's Trying To Get Out

Have just plugged the headphones in, in order to listen to the latest installment of a drama series on Radio 7,  to hear what can  only be described as snoring - or maybe heavy breathing.   This is amazing - my computer is alive.  On the other hand it could be a creature from another dimension that's got trapped whilst coming through the crack in the wall..........

Doctor Who

OK I am a massive DW fan, and Matt Smith is shaping up to be one of the best Doctors ever in my opinion.  I love the twitchy fingers thing going on, and showing a shouty angry side this week with River Song.

Pot Holes

For those of you still playing the pot hole game, there's a fantastic new level on the A120 going up the hill out of Standon/Puckeridge and also a few sneeky numbers in Beldam's Lane - enjoy!

Mothers Who Can't Park But Drive Big Cars

Was parked and quietly doing a soduko waiting for school to come out on Friday when this stupid women:-

a.  Turned up late

b.  Misjudged the size of space left behind me

c.  Couldn't be bothered to move further down the road (away from the school), park and walk, so

d.  Got out of her car and asked me to move forward a bit.  ( I pointed out to her that I would then be overhanging someone's drive) but I obliged because I am nice.

e.  Stupid women then backed her car in and bumped into Cedric

At this point I had an epithany as I discovered how protective I am of Cedric (he's my very first brand new car and still only a few months old) as I flung myself out and banged on stupid women's window, she said "thank you so much for moving" and I said "No........You've just hit my car".  I did manage not to shout this although I might have sounded slightly hysterical and my teeth were clenched.  She then said "I didn't feel anything" (duh)  Me: "Well have a look". 

Luckily for her sake there was no damage to Cedric, otherwise there would have been blood.

Stupid woman.

Finally...........

The computer's settled down into a breathing routine now, 3 deep breathes, 5 seconds pause, 3 deep breathes, etc. etc.   it's really quite creepy.

Lack of Musing

So what's been happening in the world of Midge.

In a nutshell: work, school production, kids, cleaning, gardening, washing the car, rugby, eating chocolate, theatre, musical, cinema.... all the usual stuff.


Theatre


After our first visit to Hampstead Theatre and being so impressed with the size, value of tickets, time to get there from Stortford, etc. we went back with Steve and Pam in tow to see the RSC's production of Dunsinane.  

http://www.rsc.org.uk/content/8770.aspx  

We were worried it would be a bit highbrow, but there was comedy, death (lots), good battle scenes and even snow. Some of the story was told from a young soldiers viewpoint which really brought across the fact that some of these soldiers would have only been in their early teens. This only had a short run, but hopefully it will be performed again before too long. Steve and Pam were so impressed they were back four nights later to see it again.

The bit where the English Army disguise themselves as a forest.

 Musical

Staff outing to see Sister Act. Enough said.


Actually it was a good night out.



Cinema

As my two blog followers will already know - we now have a 3D screen in The Empire. So over Easter I have experienced How To Train Your Dragon, and The Clash of The Titans, whilst wearing two pairs of glasses at once!

Ongoing Battle with Sky

Not long ago (about a year) we changed from Virgin TV to Sky, the idea was to have the whole package, TV, phone and broadband.  So far we have the TV, and very nice it is too.  There was only one instance with it didn't work, but the technical fault was a minor snowdrift on the dish - fixed by the use of a broom.

However, we are obviously difficult customers as we wanted to keep our phone number.  This is the phone number that moved with us from our previous house, and from BT to Virgin so we couldn't see a problem with moving it again from Virgin to Sky.  Problem  is Virgin didn't want to let Sky use the number.   But this is our number, we've had it for over 19 years.  Stamps foot.  Mr Imo has had to cope with all the phone calls over the past year trying to get this sorted out and finally we had a break through over Easter.  Sky had had words with Virgin about giving them the number and were sending out a BT man (they use BT apparently) to reconnect us to the BT line which was now Skyline.   The BT man came, he unscrewed some wires, said they were all too old, and he would have to put a new line in, meaning having to dig up the drive.  Our drive is only 18 months old, no way are they digging it up!  and we are already using one BT line for Mr Imo's work and a second line can't be stuck onto it due to the old wires!!!!!!!  Once the BT Man had gone we remembered that we had had two lines through BT before going onto Virgin.   Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  

Finally...........

Am at Pinkle's on Thursday and am going to recruit new blog followers, even if it kills me.

We've been to the Theatre Darling and the 2010 latest Craze

OK so I admit it, is has been more than a few weeks since the last blog and there really is no excuse for this, apart from the fact that we have been out and about.

The Theatre

We went to see Darker Shores at Hampstead Theatre.   The theatre's lovely, it only seats something like 150 so is small and intimate, and we were only four rows from the front so could even see the actor's pores.

This was a ghost story, although it wasn't really very scary, although a couple of the loud bangs did make me jump, but then just a balloon popping will make me jump so that's not saying much.  However, it was a good story, it did keep us guessing as to who the ghost was, and how all the characters were connected and the illuminations were very clever, i.e. a typewriter typing on it's own (well obviously it was the ghost but we couldn't see him at that point) and the body coming up under the blanket on the bed, whilst water cascaded down underneath, before the body sat up and walked off.  Very clever, obviously the actor had been pushed underneath from the back of the bed, there was a lift system, etc. etc.  Julian Rhind-Tutt was gorgeous, I know I have weird taste, although his Southern drawl left a bit to be desired, and did cause Mr Imo to do his own (admitedly quite good) impressions all the way home.

The bit when the audience laughed.... they weren't meant to!

Less than a week later and we went to Stratford Upon Avon, with the boys, to see Arabian Nights.  This was brilliant, it was aimed at kids, but it was brilliant.   The production was tied together by the girl telling stories to the king she had married, every night, for a thousand nights, in order to stop him chopping her head off.  Not the sort of person you really want to be married too.  One of the stories was told with the use of puppets, which was very clever, but was my least favourite part of the whole play.

The Bit with the Puppets

The Latest Craze for 2010

Anyone can take part in this craze, in fact, you have probably already been taking part for the last few weeks and haven't even noticed.

You will need the following:-

a car
the ability to drive your car
quick reflexes

The rules are very simple.  

1.  whilst out driving your car try to avoid pot holes at all costs.

Points are rewarded for the following:-

1.  Quick avoidance tactics, however points will be deducted if you hit something or someone.

2.  Knowing where all your local potholes reside, resulting in smooth avoidance maneavours.

3.  Advanced avoidance tactics.

FAQ's

What are the points -  it's up to you, just don't cheat

Are there secret levels to be opened - yes.  These can be found anywhere near a pothole which is massively deep and wide.

Is there an advanced level to be played - yes.  It is called driving around all the potholes that have been repaired by the local council, but are so badly done they have been turned into loads of little hillocks topped with flying bits of loose gravel.

What are Advance Avoidance Tactics - Anything that involves off road


Loyalty Schemes.

Why don't you get offered loyalty points for using the same brand, or product?  This occured to me whilst using a certain product which I have used once a month since my early teens.  I won't say what it is, but here's a clue, only the female of the species would have use for this, say no more.

So for just over 30 years I have used this particular brand, and what do I get for it.   Absolutely nothing, zilch.   pffffffffffft.  I could have made a fortune by now, or at least been allowed to collect points towards something useful like a bundle of hand towels, a handy kitchen roll dispenser, or even money off vochures towards purchasing the damn things for the following month! 

I really should get my act together and write a letter suggesting this to the company, but as it's taken me over 4 weeks to post up this blog, it's doubtful it will get done.

Maybe a petition on facebook, although I'm not on facebook.......

And finally

My aim this week is to find where the spellcheck function is, so I can post my blog with no errors.  Am hoping blackLOG will have the answer for this one!

And I know it's here somewhere as I have used it before, but now it's hiding.