Challenge Accepted?

Do my fieldwork for me

I'm interviewing the local butcher. My personal, very own butcher. He's beautifully cute. What question(s) would you like him to answer?

I know you want a Peter interview. It's prolly never going to happen. I'll try. Include your questions for Peter too.

Alive, alive OH!

And now I can breathe a bit. Have moved to new home and have unpacked the lion's share of the items we own. Am looking forward to getting rid of 80% when we leave for good. Really, we've too much. Have family round one here in town (village?) via France. Nice to have mom for a visit. 

And because I'm too busy to care more, here's a lovely set of pictures to tide you over until I feel like talking to you for real. Food, birthday, night out on the 'toon', and Scotland. Enjoy.

this makes...

...this. om nom nom nom.

I live here. Well, not here here, but near here. Okay, I live in a place where this is common.

Happy Birthday to the Kiddo! It was a successful party. I gave the moms each a cupcake. It was like, innovative and shit. To them, at least...like no one ever gives the mom cake. I remember the first birthday party here and that I didn't get cake. It upset me.

I got dolled up. Mom saw this picture and asked who my friend was.

Um, that's me, the "yummy mummy".

Giggity.

And this was tame. 

On the wall of the restaurant, which was inside the Victorian era train bridge. Yes, inside the bridge, bitches. So, already, had high hopes for the food in this place. The calzones were enormous and beautiful looking... 

...but I ordered this shit. Mexican risotto. Like I said, I had hopes of something good, given the menu's description of this dish. I'm ashamed to say I put half of this plate's contents into my face.

And then I realized that I didn't like it. So I stopped. Progress in baby steps, bitches.

After the meal, it was time for more immersion in the night life culture of Newcastle... #3 party town in Europe!

local lad

his friend

Angie, another local lad, and Kath. Ruth refused to be seen by my camera. Clever clogs, her.

We're brilliant.

 I just got back from Scotland too. Tomorrow, we head out for Peppa Pig World. Hey, I got a four-year old and I'm in England. It's not like Harry Potter World is anytime near in the future for me.

The Jimmie Hat. In retrospect, I should've bought it.

In the quiet car. Probably not the best location for us. That's mom on the right, friend from OK on the left. They brought the sunshine with them. 

Castle in Edinburgh

Princess Diana memorial tartan

Guest Post #3 for Narragansett #7

I'm over here today. Come see me at #7 while I move to #5.

Thank you for birthday comments and tweets. Love!

Best Birthdays Ever on Fun Video Friday

I watched this video and took something for the headache and therefore, am better. It's probably a tumor though. So. Another year. Another birthday. I'm 32 today. A factor of two. Two to the fifth to be precise. I slept in, got up at 9. And I still have no idea when I'm going to get to watch this movie in the theater. FML.

This birthday is an improvement on last year's when I knew absolutely no one outside of my husband, Kiddo, and the bartender at the pub. Pathetic.

But this year, I know people. I've been here long enough to get a group of women to go out for a night on the 'toon. Tomorrow night, I celebrate my 32nd with the 1st Inaugural Mid-Summer's Geordie Night on the 'Toon.

Today, I got an email from a friend with birthday greetings and it got me thinking about birthdays and specifically, mine. Then I immediately started categorizing what I thought were my best birthdays ever...

30th: It was a surprise birthday party. Honestly had no idea. Mom, The Man, and bestRealLifeFriendinNorman pulled it off.

25th: Spent it with close family and friends at Incredible Pizza Company, playing arcade and pier games, go-karts, miniature golf. It was like going backward in time.

21st: Derp. Of course, but what makes it great is that Mom bought dinner for all my friends that night as a surprise gesture. And then I got greatfaced drunk.

18th: First time I spent my birthday away from my family. I was at a competitive workshop for TV broadcasting. In retrospect, I might should've stuck with that field. I won two first place prizes. It was the first of many times I refused to listen to the universe. But it helped me realize that I like being on my own on my birthday if that's what I want to do...that I'm not required to be among family and friends on my birthday.

15th: Special birthday, the 'golden' birthday. Some call it the 'Champagne Birthday' or 'Star Birthday'. Had tons of family all together eating at The Spaghetti Warehouse. Sounds gross, but at the time, was one of the best restaurants in Bricktown. The cake was awesome.

10th: Mainly because moved out of single digit.

7th: Five words: WHITE WATER BAY AND SUNBURN!!! And then El Chico's!

4th: In the tiny kitchen, Mom, Dad, Grandpa and Grandma were all together. There are no pictures of this day that I've ever seen, but that's okay. I don't need one to remember where they were all standing because I can recall it clearly. Grandpa leaning against the sink, holding his plate and eating carefully. Like he always did. All the other adults standing in the kitchen or sitting in the living room, also tiny. I got the prettiest Barbie that day. I'd been outside playing and I remember the color of the paper plates we used for the cake. I remember wanting to drink my punch from one of my kitchen set's toy cup... and my mom let me!

And tomorrow is Kiddo's 4th birthday party. I wonder what she'll remember. I'll be sure to take a few pictures, just in case.

What's your favorite birthday memory?

Can I comment whore?

It's my birthday. I've a headache, Kiddo's got some weird coughing, sore throat, and runny nose combination and I haven't done one bit of packing. The big move's on Sunday-ish.

FML.

I do want your input.

Great news! I can finally leave the country if need be. Grandpa, you can die now. It's okay, I have my visa and passport back.

Inappropriate? Well, yes it was an inappropriately long amount of time they kept my passport for the visa renewal process. Took a train to Sheffield because Durham can't process family visa renewals. I KNOW, RIGHT? Lame. And you know what? The highlight of that day was eating at Pizza Hut, dim sum style. Meh.

In addition, what I need is your input is to help me figure out what should I call the man at the end of the vid? I mean, I named "Russian Hat Man" because of the hat, so what do I call this guy?



Also, the lovely ErinD of My Beautiful Disaster had me over at her place. She's been on vacation for a while and had some of us babysit her blog. The topic was "Travel Tales" or "How I spent the summer". Since I don't have any real vacation tales or rather, lack of a destination holiday complete with pictures, Erin asked me to write about moving here.

Srsly, let me know what we should call him since I'll be seeing him every Friday morning.

First time for everything

To every season...

So, I don't often sing, but when I do, I do it with pizzazz. It helps if you have a talented co-spotlighter. Towards the end of my patriotic tribute, Kiddo was yelling sternly at me to listen to her and stop singing. I had to know more...

...and it got so cheezwhizzy by the end.

Don't worry. It's not going to happen again anytime soon. Or maybe not. Could be a new vibe for Fun Video Friday... hmm. I'll have a think.

Today, I've got a guest post at Kristina's A Perfect Dose of Life. She's been moving from KS to CO and so asked a few people to keep her blog company. I was one of the lucky beggars chosen. I wrote a more in-depth analysis of Geordie Shore for her and I really did try to minimize the cursing. Peter the Bartender makes an appearance. She says that I "make her laugh *most* of the time". I guess the other *part* of the time, I've made her piss her pants and so she doesn't want to say anything to bring attention to that. I can be scary, sure, I guess. I make grown women forget their potty training. Champion.



I've news of my own. We're moving too! Next Monday, I pick up the keys to our new terrace house! Looking forward to dealing with the change of address stuffage and to having clean pants!

Jealousy in July

I'll admit, I'm a bit jealous of my fellow Amurricans right now. You're sporting your annual brand new T-shirt or tank top from Old Navy, about to pop the top on that can in your hand.

I didn't make it to Old Navy this year. However, there's a bit of lovely Amurrican paraphernalia that came my way this week. Thank you Lindsay. It's the little things that make me warm and fuzzy, like the Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops. You can't get them in the shops here for love nor money. 

Kiddo now knows just how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

And because I'm all patriotic and stuff... I have a little something for you. And as with most things that I begin, I end with a resounding harrumph. Forgive me, I have allergies right now and it's been fifteen years since I saw the inside of Ms Hulsey's choir room. GO PANTHERS! SENIORS '97!

Almost done... Fun Video Friday and Blog Herpes

Friday again... and it's a light one this time... it's 11:40 pm here and there's still some light outside. This must be how Canadians live.

via Stephanie at the Odd Duck... Steph...thanks. This was really nice.

Giving it to:

Rachel

Selena

RancherMom

Bouncin' Barb

A Bitch Called Mom- do you even read this?

Erin at My Beautiful Disaster

Aimee at Pleasantly Demented

The Minute Man's Wife

LeighAnn

Kari
Colie
Dwija

Adryon

...and anyone else I've forgotten to think about. Love you!

My favorite part of the post now:


You've probably seen Jay Pharaoh on SNL. Not me; he joined the cast after we moved. So...how is he?