I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

"Wow, I don't know what was in that drink, but I sure got a good buzz off of it!"

Okay, that was lame, but I'm blinking hot and have a headache

"PWWWAAAT!"

"Divorce lawyer? I don't need no stinking divorce lawyer!"

Whoa! I actually was forced to abandon the living room, a while ago. That's because of a giant wasp...well, not as giant as the one Donna had after her, in Dr Who--but, pretty damn big--about the size of my thumb, and no lie or exaggeration that is, too!

My late mum never got stung, not ever. I...wasn't so lucky. If it had a stinger in its tail, then chances are, that stinger was meant for moi. I remember when we bought the caravan. First day we moved in, I was stung by a wasp that had taken up residence in MUM'S closet. No wasps in my closet, which was 70 feet away (the caravan was 70 feet long and 14 feet wide), oh no--it had to fly out of mum's wardrobe, past her standing right there, straight through her doorway, and right at me! And, let me tell you people...it HURT!

Well, still hot here. A few storms around, but so far no rain--everything's been going around us.

NOTE: IT'S HOT AND AND CANNOT SPELL WHEN ITS HOT...HELL, I CAN BARELY TYPE!

One of the most gratifying things I've ever had the privledge of participating in, as a volunteer, was Special Olympics. (As an off-shoot of my time as a handicapped riding programme volunteer.) These young people and adults are some of the most courageous, joyful and amazing human beings that I have ever know. I mean that.

Growing up, I noticed that a lot of people used to be uncomfortable and even afraid, around the "mentally retarded," which I always found to be utterly ridiculous. There is nothing so delightful, than getting a warm hug from some kid, just because he or she managed to run a brush across a horse, or completed a circle around a traffic cone on horseback for the first time, or leaned over and dropped a ball in a bucket. It's truly wonderful!

Today, the volunteer runners and cyclists bearing the Special Olympics torch went by my place, and I just had to stand out on the balcony and clap them on. And, the smiles they beamed up at me made me feel good about myself again, just for a moment, anyway.

I ask you now, if you have it in your area, to please consider supporting Special Olympics.

My heavens, but it's hot! The heat index says it feels like 98 F out there, and I blinking believe it!

My internet went down--apparently a problem with my signal. Back on again, but I have to have a man in--well, that's one way for an old maid to get a man into her apartment, ha-ha.

We're under a tornado watch, in my part of the world, and the chicken littles are all aflutter, worried about it. For once, I'm not. I used to be--mainly because I lived in a caravan, in a very open spot. One time we had hurricane force winds, one night, and I came outside the next day to find all the vinyl skirting ripped off the bottom of my trailer...three sections were never found. Another time during a winter blizzard with gale force winds, a tree branch broke off and went through the roof of the caravan--right above my bed, leaving a jagged branch protruding less than 20 inches over my pillow! Fortunately, the high winds had kept me awake, and I'd shifted to the living room sofa, for the night. So yeah, tornado watches and violent storms did tend to make me just a wee bit nervous, when I lived in the caravan.

But, the chances of a tornado hitting the city of Glens Falls are pretty astronomical. I'd have a better chance of being chosen to be a supermodel, winning the lottery, or being on Doctor Who, than of my ever getting flattened by a tornado. So, why get all worried about it? Still, that was the number one bit of office gossip, today, our big tornado watch. Whoo-hoo, big excitement in Glens Falls, ey?

Here's my DT Teaser for Tuesday

"Oh, come on, they're gorgeous, just one little feel, that's all..."

Someone just e-mailed me a DW spoiler for the 2008 Xmas special involving Donna and...someone else. I didn't realize when I read the e-mail (it is nearly 2am) what it was really about...so now I've accidentally happened onto a Christmas spoiler, when I hate spoilers!

I have no idea how accurate the info is--fortunately. But, still, come on. Oh sure, I'd gone to plays in the early to mid 2000's, (still can't wrap my head around saying that--feels weird, somehow), plays that I'd previously read before. But, it's the plays I'd never read or seen before, that I often most enjoy--it's the surprise, isn't it? The joy of experiencing something entirely new to me---that's why I don't care for spoilers.

I don't mind the rumours, the speculations...I do my share of speculating, sometimes right (love that) sometimes way wrong. It's part of the fun. But...I never tried to peak at my Christmas presents in the closet--well, except for one year when I desperately wanted a BB rifle--yes, just like Ralphie in The Christmas Story (think I got the Marx Fort Apache play set, instead, which I liked just as well, as it turned out).

I don't peak at Doctor Who. I WANT to be surprised. Of course, the Sun and Cardiff area fans, don't always make that easy, with their photos and on-set tid-bits, do they?

Sorry David Tennant fans--don't mean that title the way it might seem...

It's just that...Arggh! Another fan-girl posting a comment on an old blog (like over a year ago) post, one of my first "Tennant Teasers" as one of my blog friends calls these things. It's a post where I suggest...I don't know, it WAS over a year ago...it was something about David Tennant becoming a women's panty-hose spokesman.

Anyway, for some reason, the fan-girls are still finding that post, dunno' why.

Every once in a while a fan-girl leaves a message for DT on my blog. Why? I dunno'. I'm an American, I dunno' nothin' about nothin'.

Anyway, this time the fan-girl left "David" her IM address or e-mail address or, whatever.

Okay, last time, READ THIS:

MR. DAVID TENNANT DOES NOT READ THIS BLOG. He does not know that it--or I, even exist! And even on the wildly improbable chance that he did know about "I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks." he wouldn't care! I've been pounded by reality far too long. I no longer have dreams, day dreams or fantasies (well, there is this one...but no way am I going to blog about it). I certainly cannot believe that some big celebrity living over 3000 miles away, that probably has nothing in common with me whatsoever, is going to read my blog. That's just...ludicrous!

Love the comments, but please, please please...stop leaving message for David tennant on my blog, ey? Thanks. Nancy G.

I try not to read too many reviews of my Dr Who fan-fiction stories. Sometimes people can get just a bit snarky--especially when you miss a spelling or grammar error, no matter how small. But, my work is being posted to a fan-fic site, and this woman has been kindly reviewing each chapter...apparently it's her first time Reading a Who-fic story, and she says: *applauds* Great Doctor Who fanfic! This is the first one I've ever read and I'm glad it was such a great experience!

Is that a nice comment or what? My word, that's the loveliest thing ANYONE has ever said about something I've written. Okay, I admit it, I'm just a teensy bit chuffed, right now. Don't worry though, I'm sure I'll be back to believing my fan-fic is rubbish, and being my old angst-ridden, grumpy, insecure self, tomorrow.

Read the reviews here: http://moviefanficchains.com/Doctor%20Who/Individual%20Fanfic/Rain%20of%20Terror%20Reviews.htm

Too hot to sleep, so chillin' again to an eclectic mix of songs and artists on the internet, tonight:

TITLE/ARTIST

State of Grace/Phillip Wesley
Freedom/Jim Brickman
Nothing Left to Say/Jim Brickman
Letter from America/The Proclaimers
From Blown Speakers/The New Pornogrphers
Joy to the World/Three Dog Night (my #1 fav song, that year--meh, it was the 70's.)
Celebrate/Three Dog Night
Ruby/ The Kaiser Chiefs
Rock and Roll Soul/Grand Funk Railroad
The Day that Jack Jumped the Jail/Deacon Blue
Failure/The La's
I'm Eighteen/Alice Cooper
Hard to Leave/The Meadows
American Girl/Cary Judd
Ventura Highway/America
I Saw Her Again Last Night/The Mamas and the Papas
Season Suite: Summer/John Denver (Probably my fav JD song of all time)
Bitter Green/Gordon Lightfoot
Loch Lomond (live)/ Runrig
Let's Go/The Feelies
As I Look into the Fire/ Heartsfield
You Can't Stop the Music/ The Kinks
Lola/The Kinks (Meh, good, but like the original cover better)
Slow/ Kylie Minouge
I Ran So Far Away/ A Flock of Seagulls
Give Me Some Lovin'/The Spencer Davis Group
September Girls/ Big Star
Sunday Strut (Live)/ Ramsey Lewis
The In Crowd/Ramsey Lewis
Still Small Voice/ Paul Jackson Jr
The Right Thing to Do/ Carlie Simon

America/Neil Diamond

"I'm a serious fan, see? And you WILL sign a contract for Series 5 of Doctor Who, see? Or you'll be playing Hamlet under water in cement boots, got that?"

So, I read where it's been confirmed that David Tennant is going to be the West End's biggest Ham...erm, I mean, he is going to be playing Hamlet in London, come December.

Whew! I was so wiped out by the heat, after getting home from work, that after I made lunch, I had a cold shower and a bit of a lie down. It's not quite as bad as it was predicted to be--thankfully...and I am giving great thanks, the humidity is way down. This of course, makes the heat much more bearable. The humidity--even when it's not so hot, can just drain the very soul from you and suck you dry.

Just took a shower at 6pm, here it is nearly half-past nine and I....well, let's be blunt, I'm soaking wet and I reek. Not a pleasant experience, being able to smell yourself. Time for another cold shower, soon, I think. It's 85 F, out there on my balcony, and 89 F in here in my front room. Not a sign or rain, either, but for one tiny little storm to our east about 40 miles or so, across the state border in Manchester, Vermont. Supposed to storm tomorrow, though how bad I've no idea, but there's a cold front coming in, bringing (thank God) slightly cooler air for the rest of the week.

Right now it's still boiling though, now that the lovely breeze has gone. I'm looking out my front window at the maple tree out there, and hardly a leaf it stirring. Pity that, because I will say the breeze has been perfect, these last two days...nice and cool, almost like what you'd have coming off of a lake.

Gosh, don't I miss small town living? I've lived in five towns and/or villages, before moving to Glens Falls, and with only one exception, before I moved to this city, I'd always lived in a place that had a public beach within walking distance. You know, you don't realize how fortunate you are, 'till you've lost something, do you? Actually this city does have a public beach on the Hudson river, but it's way on the other side of town, and would take me--with my limp that I have now, at least two hours to walk there---not something one wants to do, on a blistering hot day, walk down steaming pavements for a couple of hours, just for a wee bit of a swim, is it? Well, I don't fancy it, let me tell you. I'll wait 'till the weekend when the little red trolley-buses for the tourists are running from Glens Falls to Lake George village. They've the three beaches there, to choose from.

I'm working on some more bits for Chapter 3 of my latest Dr Who story, "Dark Holiday," which I'll probably post to my wordpress blog, later sometime around midnight or so. It's slow going, as it's hard to feel terribly creative in this heat. Still a bit bleh from the stomach bug last week, and that doesn't help, I suppose. The story's rubbish, but it's something to do. With dyspraxia, I can't paint or draw, and even handiwork is difficult, but I can fiddle about with words, and...it's free, no supplies to buy. Just me and my keyboard.

Got a bit of good news to report. Just got a cheque from Social Security...seems they underpaid me again, and sent me a cheque for $57. If you've been reading my blog, you'll know that this is very excellent timing, what with me missing four days pay in this Friday's pay check, for being out sick last week, and having to pay another $85 next week for the rest of my June Natl. Grid bill, (pay half when I cash my disability check, and the other half from my part-time weekly salary later in the month). Still means a tight budget until the last Friday of June, but gosh, it does help. To me, it's almost literally like manna from heaven.

The three cats are all hung over. They don't like the heat. Flame has decided out of the blue--since this morning, that she likes sitting behind the paperbacks on the second shelf of my tall bookcase (my collection of westerns) and proceeds to sit all cozy behind them, staring at me over the tops of the pages. Well, she's got good taste, she seems to prefer sitting behind the Louis L'amour's, ha-ha. (One of the best western story tellers, of all time.)

Back to selling memberships, this week. A lady on the phone sort of left me nonplussed for a second, when she up and asked me how I liked my job. Erm...okay. Of course, because all calls are recorded, I could hardly give her a completely truthful answer.

And so, I danced around the question a bit.

A girl at work took a road trip cross-country last week, took the seven hour flight from Albany, NY out to California, then drove back home with her friends. I asked how it went, and she enjoyed it, as anyone would, I suppose, especially at her young age. But, she had a bad last night on the road, as she got a call that her dad had had a major heart attack. She was stuck in Ohio, and had to wait 7 hours before finally getting together with family.

Her story brought back some really bad memories for me, of my Egypt trip. I have--halfway--gotten past it, but my Egypt trip is just so full of angst and bad memories, that I never fully gotten over it. I try not to re-hash old hurts or bad memories too much, but sometimes something happens to make you re-live a bad experience, and that happened to me today..and so I won't fuss over old wounds half the night, I am going to openly talk about it (well, only one particular part, there's more, but it's not that important) now, get it off my mind, once and for all (I hope).

I was deathly ill. I'd had a bad experience with my elderly roomate--which I won't get into, other than to say she made Victor Meldrew seem like sweet lovable old fellow, and someone I deeply admired and thought of as a friend, totally unexpectedly, dressed me down in public (long story) and made me feel like poo, for basically months afterwards...I mean, I cried for two days.

But, when we disembarked from our three day Nile cruise in Luxor, then, all hell broke loose for me. I went on a tour of the Valley of the Kings--but that afternoon, tried to ring up my mum--the phone rang off the hook. She didn't drive, by then, mind you. And, our caravan was a good mile from town, and she was partly in a wheelchair. Hoping against hope that a friend or the carer I'd hired ( whom, apparently, took my cash and never turned up to care for my mum--and mum never told me until after my return) had taken mum to the store or something. I also tried contacting my dad--also no answer. In Aswan, before the cruise, I'd rented some internet time, and checked the news back home. Not good, I'm afraid. It was--I kid you not, 40 degrees below zero, F.--which is, for some reason, the same temperature in Celsius. We were living in my caravan, at the time, where the PVC water pipes--despite being wrapped in heat tapes and insulation, are still only a couple of feet above the frozen bare earth, with only the vinyl skirting around the trailer, between it and the outdoors.

To say that I was very anxious, both about my parents, and about coming home to burst pipes and no water, would be a gross understatement.

I passed up seeing some Queen's tomb or temple (I forget now, which one) stayed at our hotel, all that day, partly because I was almost too ill, by that time, to stand, and partly to try and get hold of someone.

Out of desperation, I rang up the hospital here in Glens Falls, to see if mum was in there--she was. Finally, I got hold of her, only to find that not only was she in hospital, but that my dad had had a bad turn, and was not likely to make it. Mum really resisted telling me that, but I finally pried the truth out of her.

So, I went the rest of the trip, sick as a dog, with the knowlege that my cats were home mostly without food and water, my pipes were probably burst (they were, and it cost over $1000 to fix them), my mum was quite ill, and my dad was dying. He did die, two days after I got home--but I never got to see him, because I was simply too ill---would have checked myself into hospital, but simply didn't have the energy to drive anywhere--plus I had to be home for the plumber. I literally could barely get out of my bed for about three days after my return.

So, when people say, "You went to Egypt? That must have been your dream trip!" Erm--yes and no.

True, I saw and did some fantastic things in Egypt, but also have some very dark memories, casting a long and hurtful shadow over my joy.