I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

Well, it's humid and cloudy and pouring down rain--hey, just like England. Who needs a plane ticket and wads of cash. I can just walk home with my eyes closed--well except at the crosswalks, and pretend I'm walking the banks of the Thames.

So, I watched the Doctor's Daughter while laid up, last night. I'm left wondering if there's to be a spin-off in our future? Something, perhaps, to fill the gap while Mr. Tennant deprives us fans this summer, of Who gossip and rumour, while he is away treading the boards, being a great Dane, the dirty dog.

Going to be a quiet evening at home, I suppose, only this night I'll have the internet to make the time go faster.

I went out last night, walked around the corner and down the street a short way to Antonio's restaurant, for dinner...nothing posh, mind. But wasn't up to cooking. Well, got there and found only two customers in the whole place: me, and an elderly couple finishing their meal. One waitress, that seemed to be doing everything but waiting, if you know what I mean. Threw a menu at me, and disappeared--I mean that almost literally...vanished into thin air--as did the boys behind the front counter, when they wait on take-out customers. After ten minutes, I threw in the towel and left, without ever getting to place my order. Don't want to know what the lot of them were doing.

Wow, it's really coming down, out there. Not a good kind of rain, either. What we want is a good, gentle soaking. This is a raging downpour. It'll just wash off and not get to do much good, unless it settles in and slows down for a few hours. We've a borderline drought, here, after a long snowy, wet winter. Weather's certainly getting odd.

Well, back to work. See you tonight all.

"No, Russel, there's nothing wrong with the script. I stopped the take because there is a spot on my screwdriver. You haven't been doing something naughty with it, have you?"

Well, I finally got back online, after a bit of a wait, last night, though I didn't spend all that much time on it. I went to bed fairly early, but as I posted before, didn't quite manage to sleep.

The stomach's better, thankfully. Suspect a bit of food poisoning. Had a cheap steak Thursday night, and thought it tasted a bit off, but supposed it was just my imagination, as my sense of taste isn't quite what it used to be. I've noticed that since I had that dental abcess that put me in hospital back in January, that I can't taste things quite as well as I used to. Don't know if it's related, or if it's something else

The cats are fed and so am I. I was too tired to cook, so I had a tun-fish sandwich already made in the fridge, and a tin of microwavable soup, so I had lunch for breakfast. Probably the only one on the planet who will have lunch for breakfast, and breakfast for dinner. But, my schedule sometimes is so wonky, that I don't think my stomach knows the difference, any longer.

Flame just hissed at her brother, Charlie. She does that. She'll hiss at him one day, lick him on the head lovlingly another day--kids, what ya' gonna' do with 'em? Charlie came over to me, mewling, feeling sorry for himself and looking for some sympathy, giving me those big, sorrowful eyes of his. Mind you, half the time she's right to hiss and bat at him, as he does like to provoke and tease Flame.

Flame's a smart little biscuit. With the boys, I'll wiggle my fingers under the quilt (counterpane) and they'll attack, thinking it great fun to get at whatever's under there. Not Flame. She'll simply try to lift up the quilt, and then give me a look like, "Yeah. That's nice. You're wiggling your fingers under the blanket, how rubbish is that? Now quit messing about with the boys, and throw me my toy mouse, mum."

The cats are demanding, yes. But, they also give, and give and give. What too many non-animal people will never realize, is that 80 percent of the time, if you love a cat or dog, that pet will love you back, unconditionally, 110%. Of course, some pets won't. They're just like people, personality-wise. Some animals--like some people, are just...there. Hard to describe, but trust me, some have character, and some...just exist.

I guess it would be foolish to expect everyone to be receptive to animals. And, in fact, some pet owners (and some parents with their kids as well, sadly) see their pets as nothing more than living knick-knacks. Bric-a-brac with fur. A walking, breathing status symbol.

Other people just aren't made for pets, for whatever reason....a fussy, controlling neat-freak, a person who doesn't like commitments, or someone who is constantly on the move. Perhaps a busy person with no time for anything else but his or her own wants/needs, or someone whose lifestyle wouldn't suit pet ownership. Then, sometimes, a person might not comfortable with loving and/or caring about animals, someone who's never been blessed to spend time with animals--or perhaps someone who is either afraid of, or uncomfortable with cats, dogs, whatever. And, that's fine.

But I bless my pets. They love me, they make me laugh. Sometimes they make me angry, or sad, as well. But, they are always happy to have me around--as I am to have them.

Well, off to work.

"Awww--bugger! I wanted to wear the gold dress. Pantyhose looks horrible under a kilt."

OMG! I don't believe this!!!

I haven't slept a wink all night--I was exhausted at 7pm, you can imagine how I feel, now, at 4am in the morning. It's only one smigen lighter than pitch-black out there, but hey, the birds are up and singing their little hearts out.

I have to be in my chair at work in exactly six hours. Geez---it's going to be one very, very, very long day. I'm just going to have to go into denial. Hope they put me on an easy programme, tomorrow, because if I have to sell or get peldges...dear heaven, I'm going to bomb. Oh, I'll still work the script with all I got, but...man. It's not going to be pleasant.

I've tried and tried to sleep--really, I'm incredibly tired...and still sick as the proverbial dog. Wish those birds wouldn't sound quite so cheerful.

I'm trying to look on the bright side---next week is my last Saturday work-day, for a while...after next week, I'm strictly a Monday through Friday person. I'm thinking that I may be in this other department (the one where you are supposed to get a dollar more and hour when you work there), for a while more, yet. I go back to my old department for a week, than back to this new one, again. Well, it's not a new department---just that when they're short-handed, they sometimes stick me and a few other reps from my regular department in there. It's a bit easier (less pressure) work, getting leads, as opposed to straight out selling, collections and pledge drives.

Anyway, I'm about to give it another go. I've re-set my alarm to allow me an extra 45 minutes sleep--means I'll be running around like a loon, with only 35 minutes to shower, change, do myself up, feed the cats and bolt down breakfast, before I walk to work...but, supppose I'll manage--heck, I used to get ready for the high school bus, back in the late 70's, in less than half that time.

With the loss of my internet service, I took up writing fan fiction as my main past-time.

My most recent fiction--totally naf tho' they are, (trust me, the BBC will never be ringing me up to write any scripts or books), I did enjoy writing them.

http://www.davidtennantsdoctor.wordpress.com

SAMPLE CHAPTER OF MY MOST RECENT STORY (completed this past weekend):

DOCTOR WHO: RAIN OF TERROR

CHAPTER ONE

Little Mary Perkins kept her face plastered to the window of the lounge. In the background, the television burbled out the drone of voices from some morning talk programme. Through the doorway, Mary could hear her mum clattering dishes in the kitchen. She turned and cast the briefest of glances in that direction. Her mum had promised her that they’d go for a walk to the park, after she’d done the washing up. Sighing, Mary turned back to the window and watched as a trickle of rain ran down the pane of glass. Another chased after it, as if they were racing each other to get to the bottom.

The child sighed again, impatiently stamping one of her blue wellies on the carpet. “Mary, stop that at once!” Her mum shouted. “Making a fuss won’t get you outside any sooner.” She added in a softer tone, “You could always help me with the dishes, sweetheart. That would be much more productive than sulking the morning away, in there.”

The little girl didn’t reply. She looked at the photo of her dad on the fireplace mantle. He’d left home last month, without even saying goodbye to her. She remembered overhearing her mum telling one of the neighbours that he’d said that he didn’t want to deal with family responsibilities, any longer. Mary sometimes wondered whether her mum and dad would still be together, if they would have been happier, if she hadn’t ever been born. After a long silence, her mother asked, “Is it still raining, dear?” But again, her daughter didn’t answer. Finishing up in the kitchen, Mary’s mum never heard the sound of the front door, opening and closing.

Mary had gone back to watching the rain and thinking of her dad, when suddenly a yellow balloon came down from the sky and landed in the little front garden. Well, at least it looked like a balloon. Not bothering to put on her anorak, she went outside to investigate. She walked over to the object, which was lying on the grass. On second look, it seemed less like a balloon and more like a bouncy ball. Like the one she used to bounce in front of her parent’s garage, causing the old lady next door yell at her for making so much noise.

Mary picked the bouncy ball up and hugged it to her chest. It was somewhat soft and translucent, and rather heavy. Just then, it began to slowly pulse with an inner glow, and Mary stiffened. Her head cocked, as if she was listening to someone’s voice. Yet, there was only the sound of the rain, dripping from the eaves and falling on the pavement.

Several minutes passed, but Mary didn’t even seem to notice coldness of the rain, as it plastered her hair, ran down her face and soaked her jumper and jeans. Abruptly, she nodded and said woodenly, “I understand.” With the ball grasped against her diminutive frame, she purposefully walked a short ways down the street, and around the corner. Seconds later, Mary’s mother opened the front door and called out for her daughter. There was no answer.

The Tardis was heading backwards through the time vortex. Inside, the Doctor was leisurely monitoring the controls, grinning with the delight of yet another journey with one of his human friends. In this case, they were headed into the Earth’s not-so-distant past.

On a whim, he’d allowed his latest human companion, Donna, to choose their next destination. The Doctor waited with mild impatience, as she tried to decide. “I have well over a million years to choose from, Doctor. Give me a chance to think about it, yeah?” She’d retorted. The Doctor recommended such events as the signing of the Magna Carta, the opening of the first World’s Fair, or even better, going back to ancient Egypt, to view the building of the Great Pyramid. “You might be in for a few surprises, there.” He said suggestively. Donna shook her head. “Construction? That’s a bit boring, isn’t it?” She replied. “I’m thinking something much more exciting. Like one of those haute couture fashion shows, in nineteen-fifties Paris.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, looking at Donna askance. “A fashion show!” He exclaimed, “All the wonders of Earth’s past, and you want to look at clothing?” Donna nodded, indicating the fifties-style casual attire she’d picked out from the Tardis wardrobe. “What do you think I changed into these togs for?” She said, “A stroll through some drafty, smelly medieval castle? I’m not havin’ that again!” The Doctor suddenly looked a tad contrite. “Erm–yeah, sorry about that. But look on the bright side, those few minutes on the rack did wonders for your back.”

Donna shot him a look that was less than amused, muttering, “I knew I shoulda’ stayed home, that time.” The Doctor gave a deep sigh, looking down at his scruffy white trainers. Then he shrugged good-naturedly. “Oh, alright, Donna, I’ll take you to the…fashion show.” He said, pronouncing those last two words as if they left a sour taste in his mouth. “After all, I did say anywhere you want.” Under his breath he added, “Times like this, I almost miss having Mickey on board.” Donna gave him a look. “What was that?” “Oh, uh–I just was saying that it’s lucky I’m not easily bored.” He said innocently. “Right, then,” the Doctor smiled, “Oleg Casini, here we come.” He confidently flicked a switch, banged something with the hammer, and then the Tardis’ central column lit up and slowly began to rise and fall. The Doctor’s face glowed with delight, as he stood staring lovingly at the machinery, groaning and shuddering into time and space.

The Tardis hadn’t been in flight for more than five minutes, when suddenly, something blew. It sent a shower of sparks cascading around the Doctor. He backed up, coughing and waving away the smoke. “Now what?” Donna shouted. The Doctor frantically waded in, fingers stabbing at the controls with lightning swiftness. He looked mildly disconcerted as two parts of the console broke off. For a moment, he simply stood there, staring at the pieces lying in the palm of his hand. “Whoops.” He said, mildly disconcerted, “Oh dear, that’s not a good sign, is it?”

Just then, the ship gave a sharp lurch, nearly throwing him into Donna’s arms. “Sorry.” He mumbled, as he sprang towards the console again. The Doctor caused the metal decking to thunder, as he ran around the console in a frenzied state, trying to bring his ship back under control. “What in the blazes is going on?” Donna shouted. “The dimensional stabilizers have failed!” He called out through the smoke, “Something is interfering with the Tardis’ navigational equipment.”

His face a mask of worry, the Doctor spat out, “The stabilization adaptor has short-circuited, the antediluvian torque arrestor is completely off-line, and,–oh no. Look at that. The helmlick regulator has been fried until it’s extra-crispy!” He shook his head and gave a frustrated sigh, “Can’t blame that on Harry, this time.” The Doctor muttered. “Who?” Donna asked. “Old friend of mine, it’s not important.” He said dismissively, glancing at the monitor. Shaking his head even more, he stepped back suddenly and stared at the still-moving central column, for once completely at a loss for words.

The Doctor looked at Donna, seemingly flummoxed. Scrunching up his face, he ran his fingers through his hair, muttering, “It can’t be! It just can’t be!” “What? What is it, Doctor?” Donna asked anxiously. He just shook his head, speechless for a moment. When he finally found the words, he said, “I don’t know how or why Donna, but we’ve been hijacked! We’re being pulled back to your own time period.”

Yeeee-ha! After being forced to abandon my home service during my long and difficult rough patch, I'm back online, folks.

Had a glitch with my computer--a hiccup in the internet service, but, it's sorted, everything's good, and ready to go.

Did'ya miss me?

Now I can bore you everyday with my blather...and pick on David Tennant, as well. What can I say? I can't have caffine, salt, sugar, fats, starches, or carbs. I don't drink, smoke, do drugs or have sex. Picking on Mr. Tennant's 'bout the only "sin" I have left to me now, ha-ha. :p

I can't go on holiday, and have no mates to hang with. Gotta' do something to pass the time.

Well, it's been an couple of firsts I've had, of late. First off, there was that half-hour coach trip down to good ol' posh Saratoga, Sunday. My first day away from the tiny chav Glens Falls, very literally since November of 07.

On top of that, today a co-worker asked me if I'd like to go out to lunch with her, to that new Chinese buffet place, over across the Cooper's Cave Bridge. It has--again, very literally, been almost two years since I've had someone else besides the cats, eat with me--no, not kidding, I'm dead-serious. I gotta' tell ya', I don't mind so much, having to go places by myself all the time, don't really mind being alone at home every day--you really do get used to it. But eating alone, day after day, year in and year out...that's a real drag, trust me on this.

I do sometimes get so I'm starved for conversation. Very probably, I make a moron out of myself, when I do speak.

I did have a nice chat with a total stranger, this afternoon--that's what I love about the Adirondacks, you can sit any chat with anybody, without them thinking it the least bit odd or unusual. I was sat at the taxi stand, next to this yuppie/trendy health-nut type of woman-a very nice lady, mind. But, she kept going on and on, fussing at me about her suddenly high cholesterol rating--how she's so health-conscious and all that palaver. You know, I wish that's all I had to worry about.

Anyway, bitterness aside--sorry, I am getting a bit more tetchy these days, don't like it, but, that's just the way it is---anyway, back when I could eat anything I wanted and weighed over 17 stone (as opposed to my approx. 15 stone, now)--but still walked to get places all the time...anyway, there I was, my pizza and McDonald's eating self, and back then (mid-late 1990's) my colesterol was lower than my skinny, fit doctor's! Go figure that one out!!! Now that I've lost weight and am more nutrition aware, my colesterol is up. Sheesh!

Had a rubbish morning. My loo broke. Can't get a man in until next week, sometimes--supposedly. This is the same landlord who was the last on the street this spring to mow his lawn, and whom hasn't changed the hallway lightbulbs (this would be our hallway that has no windows) in about six months. So...not exactly holding my breath, but...we'll see. He may surprise me.

So, until it's fixed, in order to flush, I have to stick my whole hand down into the tank (God, that water's cold!) and pulled the chain manually. I do lead a fun life, don't I? It's disgusting, but not the worst thing I've ever had to do---I'd say changing my late mum's nappies and washing her off after she'd done a really messy poo, would take the number one spot. Of course, I never let mum know how I felt, that would have been just plain wrong.

Well, I have a long shift, tomorrow. Have to be up early, and it's the wee hours of the morning here. Spent the day slogging through work and shopping with a stomach bug, and feel like rubbish, but have Sunday off, and work nights, next week, so hopefully I'll catch up on my rest in a day or two.

Little Flame is sitting on the dresser, beside my chair, behind the computer monitor, waving her paw at me, bending it so it's in front of the screen. She's got the brains of the outfit--the boys are just passed out on the carpet. Flamey is very particular--she expects me to go to bed by a certain hour, and if I don't, she gets quite put out about it--used to nag mum too, when she was a kitten, when mum stayed up past her usual bed-time, or fell asleep on the sofa, instead of going to her bed.

Well, I'm off to bed, I guess. Working is going to be hell, tomorrow. But, Sunday I can sleep to my heart's content--if the kids upstairs don't throw any more wild parties, that is.

Have a great morning, all. Cheers, Nancy G.

And...I will be back online on a regular basis, in about 4 hours from now--providing Time-Warner doesn't mess things up, again.

Another lovely spring day, here. I was told by some guy in Chicago this morning (I have to make up my day off for the national holiday on Monday, but working today, on my usual scheduled day off), anyway, he says their expecting tornados. Well, that's, I think, almost a thousand miles from here, so no worries for me. The nearest a tornado ever got from Glens Falls, NY, was a good 30 miles away. We've had a couple of minor earthquakes, though...which would probably worry me more, as my building is falling apart (literally--there's a 1 inch wide jagged gap in the brick wall adjacent to my balcony).

Had a not so fun morning, dealing with a broken loo, just minutes before leaving for work...made me late, but got it sorted--sort of. Well, I can flush it, but it definitely needs a plumber or someone. I'm not exactly an FYI person. More like a "DOH" person, ha-ha.

Well, back to work, then out for the week's shopping, after. Can't go anywhere this weekend, as I'm a bit ill (nothing serious as far as I know), but that's okay. The apartment wants a good scrubdown and tidying, anyway. And, the cats'll be happy to have me around.

See you all tonight. Cheers, Nancy G.

Just a quick blub before shift change, and I have to turn over my seat to someone else.

Another lovely day. I'm off home soon--it's just past two in the afternoon, and I'm blinking famished, because I couldn't eat my breakfast this morning (darned ol' wonky stomach).

I was just over the moon, last night. That's because I got a couple more Dr Who episodes in the mail---what a lovely surprise!!!

Of course, they're brilliant.

I hear that the current head writer--the great Russell T., is leaving Who next year, and Steven Moffatt (sorry if I've mis-spelled that at all) will be taking over--lovely, I think he's fantastic.

And of course, I'm getting my internet back at half-past four in the afternoon (EST) on Friday---hoo-ray!!!!

I can live without tele for years, without radio or newspapers for a time as well, I suppose. But gosh, these last five months without the internet have been hard. I've felt so terribly isolated (not to mention bored, at times).

One of the first internet projects I will do, is post some random blog entries that I wrote at home, but was unable to post. And, I will be setting up a new blog somewhere (because unlike all the other blog sites, blog.co.uk only allows for one single blog, unless you pay to go pro--which would be impossible for me, of course)....so, it's a blog hunt, this weekend.

I'm setting up the new blog for the second round of my Dr Who fan fiction stories. Not that I expect to get much traffic, of course. But, if my computer crashes (even forbid) I will at least not lose the work forever.

I can't save stuff to CD, because, 1. I haven't a clue how to, and 2. A classmate tried it once, back in '04, and my computer wouldn't let her.
In fact, if I want to save a 3 1/2 inch floppy disk, I have to click on 5 1/4 floppy, in order to get my computer to save it, because according to my computer, there's no such thing as a 3 1/2 inch floppy disk--got hit with a bug years ago, and it's not been the same, since. Floppy disks are rubbish, so I save the stuff to the internet, when I can.

Anyway, not much to say, have I? Sorry. But, maybe that's not a bad thing, in light of all the erm--bad things, that have happened.

After Saturday, I go back to night shift for a week, so I can get some doctor's appointments under my belt, without having to fuss about missing work or being late, then it's back to day shift the week after that.

I'm thinking of doing something this weekend, again--nothing like last Sunday, that was pretty much a one-shot deal. I'm not that well off, financially, that I can afford to go out on the town every week...or even every month, for that matter.

Still, nice weather and all that, has left me toying with the idea of buying a license and a pole and some tackle, and taking up fishing again--here in the city I can go down on the banks of the Hudson River, or Crandall Pond, which is at the park about a quarter mile up the street from me. Or, come the end of June when they start running more regularly, take the trolley-bus for some fishing on Lake George.

The cats made me laugh last night...well, Flamey did. I sometimes play music of course, and have been playing CD's around the apartment (I now have a sum total of 7 CD's). Flame hangs out with me and sort of listens. She loves Kylie, but seemed to have a bit of a negative reaction to The New Pornographer's Electric Verson, last night. Basically, she stared at the speakers, made a face, and ran away. Everyone's a critic.

Quick hello,

Going through a bit of a rough patch, health-wise, but financially I'm on much better footing than I was two months ago. So, it kind of evens out, I suppose.

Lovely cool sunny May day, here in this little city in the Adriondack mountains. Not a cloud in the sky--tho' we need the rain. Tourists went home on Monday, so all is back to normal now, in my neck o' the woods, as they say.

I'm working of course--made a bad error which may or may not get me into hot water---a hyper yuppie lady, one of my co-workers, literally got her face into mine, badgering me with questions about a campaign she wasn't even on, while I was typing some important notes, and I totally lost concentration and messed up--and, now I'm likely in for some hot water...and, rightly so, I suppose.

Well, gotta' go. Have a better day then me, I hope, ha-ha.

CATHERINE: "David, you're stopping the scene to ring up someone?"

DAVID: "Yeah, I'm phoning my agent. There's not enough snogging in this scene, and I have a 1000 pounds per kiss bounus clause in my contract."

This has gotta' be quick, as I only have four minutes left on break.

I didn't get to Lake George--long story, well...long wait for the local bus, really. Wound up taking the coach to the posh city of Saratoga Springs. My recession incentive tax rebate cheque came, and, after putting 70 percent of it aside to pay past-due bills, and another 10 percent into the emergecy fund, I took the rest and had my first day out in over a year and a half. Really lovely day, weatherwise, and I bought a few things, a New Pornogpraphers Electric Verson CD on sale, and a Dr Who book, and a cheap tourist Tee Shirt. Had a hamburger in my favourite diner--passed up all the very posh street cafs, pubs and ethnic resturants for the only place left in that city, where you can still sit down and order a hamburger and crisps for under $4.

So, the internet will be turned back on...whenever Time-Warner decides to get around to it, of course.

Watched the Memorial Day parade from my balcony again, this year--much better than last year, far more bands...the high school and junior high school's marching band, the Air National Guard's band, and the Elks Club band, plus the Adirondack Pipes and Drums and the Galloway Galic Pipe Band..there was even a lovely 19th centurty style coronet band, dressed in authentic Civil War gear. Very nice.

Break's over, gotta' go now. See you on Tuesday. Cheers, Nancy G.

Sorry for my absence--holiday weekend and all that blather. Will update that later.

Good news: I should be back online at home, sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Didn't get to Lake George Sunday, but opted for the city of Saratoga Springs, some 15 miles distant, with it's posh cafes and quaint boutiques and victorian-style park...and a big Borders book sellers.

So, I don't drink, smoke, do drugs, date, have sex, party, go on holiday, hang with mates or have a proper hobby/sport to indulge in.

Now I can't have salt, caffine, sweets, carbs or starches. So....what's the point????

Wrote this at 2am last night, in about 5 min, and can safely say that it's likely the worst Dr Who story ever written. Nancy G.

The Doctor ran down the streets of Cardiff, towards his Tardis, chased by a big slimy monster and one hundred screaming fan-girls. Fishing out his Tardis key, the Doctor fumbled to get the Tardis door open, but it wouldn't budge!

Meanwhile, inside the Tardis, the Doctor's latest companion was totally engrossed in listening to the latest Kylie Cd, while busily dusting the console. She didn't notice that she'd accidentally triggered the dead-lock switch.

Outside, the Doctor fingered his sonic screwdriver, and put it on it's monster repellant setting, chasing the nasty beastie away. Yet, the hoarde of screaming fan girls kept coming on.

The only way for the Doctor to save himself, was to do a strip-tease in front of the Tardis. Loudly singing "The Stripper" theme, the Doctor did a bump and grind routine, gyrating his thin, ribby body. Slowly he removed each article of his clothing.

The Doctor threw each piece of his attire at the screaming fan-girls to appease them. When he finally got down to his red ladies' Doctor Who underpants, officially licensed by the BBC--the one's with David Tennant's face on the crotch--the bug-eyed fan girls were frozen to the spot. "Do you really think it's ten inches?" One of them whispered.

Then, with a final bump and a florish, the Doctor's pants came off. One by one, some of the fan-girls fainted. The rest of them lay on the floor, convulsing with gales of laughter. The Doctor made good use of this diversion; Grabbing a discarded newspaper, he held it in front of his meat and two veg, making a quick getaway down the Torchwood lift. When he got to the bottom, Captain Jack was terribly excited to see the Doctor, and gave him a very special salute.

The End.

So, walking home from work, yesterday afternoon, minding my own buisness. When up strides my in-bred city hillbilly neighbour's sister--the one that was sharing a bed with him. Well, she's moved her bed into his lounge/kitchen, and apparently, now her drug-dealing son, recently relessed from jail, has also moved into the tiny apartment, and is sharing her brother's bed. Lovely.

Anyway, she strides up to me, all teary-eyed, and says, "Oh, I'm so glad I ran into you." This is nearly a literal statement, as the woman tends to put her face about 1 inch from yours, when she talks, which isn't fun, as she's a heavy smoker--bleh.

So, seems brother dear had an agreement to make weekly payments to National Grid (don't get me started about the chav-bast*ards that run National Grid), and they shut his power off.

So, I get the pleading, sobbing request for them to use one of my outlets to plug a light in, so they can see, until they can get the power turned back on, in a few days.

Well, I am not completely a soft touch, but I wouldn't want someone to be in the dark (apparently they'd never heard of candles or kerosene lamps). Anyway, I run my utility lead from my bathroom outlet, out into the hall--then, as she's thanking me, sister says, "Oh, I'm so happy. Now I can watch American Idol." Huh?

She had told me it was for a lamp....I guess they use the telly as a lamp? Ah well, guess there's a sucker born every minute, ey? Gosh, am I living in a sit-com world, or what?

A stormy Wednesday, but not too bad...tho' my phone at work's being a bit cranky.

Spent the morning at the health centre, getting poked and prodded because my BS levels suddenly went through the roof. Got tested and lectured and my test results gone over--some good news, some not so good. The brain scan is fine, btw. I have to restrict my diet even further--bummer. I already don't smoke or drink, now I can't enjoy eating, either-- and having even more meds being thrown at me. Did get a new blood sugar testing monitor, though, for free. And, a nice one, too.

Good news, as well, on the expenses front: Got a new perscription plan. My ID card came by post, yesterday. Now instead of 10 or 20 or 50 dollars for meds, I flip the pharmacy my card, and my cost is under $2 for some of the meds. Very cool. Nancy G. is smiling, today.

Of, course, the downside to today's visit, is that I didn't have enough cash to pay my co-pay on the spot, so now I have to have them bill me, for which they charge and extra 10 dollars on to your bill.

Well, back to the old grind. Hope you all are having a grand day. Cheers, Nancy G.

DONNA: "I wear the trousers in the Tardis now."

DONNA: "I'd rather they didn't know that, thanks."

Well, I'm off to home shortly, to my tuna sandwich and clam chowder..and three cats bugging me for a bite. You see, they've decided that they're bored with their current choice of wet food.

Health centre called, said I may need to go for another MRI of my brain--think it's just a shadow, they reassured me, let's hope so, ey?

Well, someone needs my station, so I can't write any more today. Hope you all have a lovely day. Cheers. Nancy G.

I was reading the local paper the other day, the articles about the earthquake in China and the typhoon in Mylasia.

It struck me that in the last two weeks, over 150,000 men, women and children suddenly had their lives taken from them.

And how many countless more, have had their everyday, normal existence, totally shattered? How many will never lead the same life, ever again?

What really struck me tho', was under a photography of a long line of hungry women and children, waiting for a handful of rice and some water to drink, was an advert for a local restaurant, touting their all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast.

Tens of thousands of people die, millions more never get back the things that made them who they are, the comforts you and I take for granted---yet, our lives go on, same as always. We order our pancakes, pour on the syrup, read the newspaper and shake our heads, "Tsk-tsk, what a shame."

CORRECTION:

A Mr. Smith very kindly took the time to correct me on where the cyclone took place. I can't afford to get regular newspapers as a rule, and have no tele or internet, so it's hard for me to keep abreast of what's going on in the outside world, except when co-worker's lend me their papers or discuss stuff. I only saw the one article a few days ago, and my mind got a bit confused as to the facts. Sorry, and no offense intended.

Blog UK was having a case of the hiccups, yesterday, and wasn't allowing me to write anything.

Seems to be back, today.

Cool day, yesterday. Snowed for about 5 minutes, last night. At this time of year, after over five months, this winter, of seeing the white stuff, even five minutes of snow, was five minutes too much.

Well, have to start telemarketing. See you all later, have a grand Tuesday.

Well, I'm off work in about 45 minutes, so I'll wish you, my friends, a good Sunday.

I was tired last night, to be sure, but no naps for me, because of noisy neighbours. So, I wrote a chapter in my Dr Who story, with the working title of "Rain of Terror." I'm enjoying it. The Doctor/Donna combination is really fun to write, because unlike his teenage companions, I can truly relate to the adult companion, Donna--so it's naturally easier to write her character, than Rose or Martha.

Got another PM going on about the sexual attraction some girl has for Mr. Tennant. I don't know. I don't see him like that. He's just...a guy. I really don't even think of him as a celebrity...famous, yes, but...really, he just reminds me of a shoe salesman or some guy I'd share a ride in the lift, with. Well, until he starts acting, of course. Gosh, he thrills me to my toes, when he does his stuff. He's got one heck of a presence--even his professional voice is really right on the mark.

But, I don't know why I keep getting these PM's from fan-girls..I find it rather strange. Am I writing something on here, that's being mis-interpereted? Haven't a clue.

Anyway, feeling a bit iffy, suddenly, had a dizzy spell in the ladies. Guess I'll have to book on home at 3, make sure I have lunch right away. Have to go to Target in the mall, to get a phone card tonght. I'd go tomorrow, but then I'd have to spend 12 dollars on a cab, whereas the bus runs to the mall on Saturdays (no bus on Sundays here until the holiday season in two weeks' time). Anyhow, have a lovely weekend all, and I'll try to do the same. Cheers. Nancy G.

"Nose pickings? I thought you said this was a jelly baby, Donna! Umm--tasty."

As some of you know, it's been a rough two-plus years.

Essentially, my life stopped. Stopped cold. Less than five years ago, the world was, maybe not my oyster, but at least my clam, ha-ha.

After crapping out of college at 19, and going for two decades of struggling with temping, dead-end office jobs and low-wage hard labour, life on the dole, and a couple of flirtations with genuine poverty--even a month of being literally homeless, at the tender age of 39, I finally realized (albeit a bit naively) that the only one keeping me back, was me.

So, it's a long story, but yeah, I enrolled in the local 2-year college to get my associate's degree--and perhaps go on to a second school for my 4-year BA.

And, in my early 40's, everything suddenly came up roses. I was doing things I'd dreamed of, but never realized that i could actually do (not always well, mind, but i threw myself into it, anyway).

I went out of the country for the fist time, acted for the first time, got my first straight A's ever and became a Phi Theta Kappa (hounour society), won an academic award and a small scholarship, bought my first home (a caravan), my first new car...felt like I could take on the world, I did.

Then, late in 2005, for various reasons--most of them not anything I had much, if any, control over-- it all unraveled. And, eventually, little by little, over the last couple of years, I lost just about everything--including most of my immediate family. There was nothing left, except for three of my seven cats, and about a quarter of my possessions.

By the autumn of 'o6, I was totally alone and overwhelmed and ready to just throw in the towel. Then, I found that I did have friends--lovely friends, who've stayed by me through the horrors and the brief bouts of good news, and the few blessed times when nothing bad was happening/about to happen.

Never met these friends, perhaps never will. But, they keep me honest, they give me an obligation, I suppose to return the favour by not giving up--which sometimes I so desperately want to do. Sometimes, the pain, the hardship, dealing with that on your own, can get so bad, you just want it to stop, to go away and give you some peace.

It's hard to care about yourself, when you no longer have anyone there in your life, whom cares about you. So, these friends who've come into my life in the last year and a half or so, have made a difference for me, let me tell you.

Still, last year I reached the point where I could no longer be in denial: I'd lost more than family, pets and possessions. I'd lost my confidence, my faith, my hope and my dreams. My beliefs were shattered to their very foundations. I'd forever lost my ties to the past, and my chances for a better future. I'd landed in the life I'd tried 30 years to avoid...and I was stuck there, forever.

My life came to a shattering halt, and the more it got harder to supprort myself on the most minimal level, to keep the barest of human basics (needs), the more I questioned whether my life was worth anything, the smaller I felt myself shrinking, down and down, until I felt somedays, like I was becoming totally invisible.

So, my unstable life halted yes, but now that I've a small measure of stability back, I can see that I need to move forward--not into a better future, I really have given up on that...I've given up the notion that I will lead a "normal" life.

No, I am moving forward in baby steps--just trying to take care of myself, a little bit at a time, maybe address some health and other issues, over the course of the next year, that have long been neglected.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to put my life back together. That remains to be seen, but...I'm finally in a place where I can start...sort of.