It pays to ask questions!

My folks are heading off to New York which coincides with the
annual Macy's Day Parade. This is a big year for Macy's as its their 80th year, for those of you unfamilar with this
phenomenon you can find more information here
http://www.macys.com/campaign/parade/pop/info.jsp

Anyhoo, my Dad was thinking that it would be a good idea to try and get
some seats arranged for watching the parade, so he made a couple of
calls. One thing that rocks about my Dad, if he has an idea he follows
through on it till there is action. So he spoke to some nice folks at
the Mayor's office and some even nicer folks at Macy's - the Vice
President of Marketing to be precise! She said that unfortunately they
didn't have any seating available to the public they only had a VIP
seating area that was closed off. She suggested that they get a couple
of deckchairs and do what most people do and line the street. My Dad
pointed out that coming from the UK it would be difficult to bring
deckchairs so she said leave it with me and I'll see what I can do. Low
and behold he had a call last night and two tickets for the VIP seating
area are winging their way to my folks - now thats a result. In this
country I think the majority of people would agree with me that that
level of customer service would just NEVER happen, but those nice folks
over the pond have a much better CS ethos and go above and beyond.
Just goes to show that it pays to make a couple of calls and ask those
all important questions! (I'm SERIOUSLY jealous!)

Happy Halloween

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients
1 kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into large chunks
2 large potatoes, quartered
1 litre boiling chicken stock
50 g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, finely sliced
250 ml milk
sea salt

Method
Put the pumpkin and potatoes in a large saucepan, add chicken stock or boiling water to cover, then simmer until tender, drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan, add the onions and fry until softened and lightly golden. Transfer to a blender or food processor, then add the pumpkin and potatoes. Blend, adding enough milk and cooking liquid to make a thick puree.

Transfer the puree to the saucepan and stir in enough stock to make a thick, creamy soup. Add salt to taste, reheat without boiling, then ladle into heated soup bowls. Top with sour cream, nutmeg and a few pumpkin crisps.

October

So its been a little while since I last blogged!! Lets see whats happened in that time.

Firstly I took a long overdue holiday, a week in Greece. It was just what was needed a week to totally switch off and forget about work and to simply relax. My favourite part of the holiday getting to swim in the gorgeous clear blue sea every day. My least favourite part - 2.5 days of torrential rain - I've never seen it continuously rain so hard in my life (and thats saying something having lived in rainy Scotland for 28 years).

My friends got married and my gorgeous boyfriend did a fabulous job as best man! I do love a wedding - I'm a sucker for all those kilts!

Now that I've been back for a few weeks the holiday almost seems as if it never happened! Since coming home its been work work work (all work and no play makes Jo a dull girl) I feel like I've put my life on hold until the end of this month when a project I've been working on comes to a close. So many times I've had to say to friends that I can't manage to meet up, and that I'll have to put it off until the start of November. The deadline for the first stage of the project is next Monday and I'm working all the hours that I can to get things finished on time. My boss, having worked on this project for 2 years, has chosen to take this week off, certainly not ideal timing!

On the home front I'm getting a new kitchen fitted. Because of work its been difficult to keep on track of things in the flat. I'm leaving early and coming home late which means I'm constantly leaving phone messages and notes for the workmen as I'm not able to be home when they are there. Tonight I came home to find I had no electric, only the lights work!! Hoping by the end of this week the kitchen will be in - all thats left to do after that is tile.

I feel like I've missed out on my favourite month of the year. I LOVE October, the crispy weather, the turning leaves, people beginning to get wrapped up, Halloween and the prospect of Bonfire Night and Christmas just around the corner. As the 31st is the last day of my secondment I'm going to make an extra big deal of this halloween, I'm going to find the biggest pumpkin I can and make lots of yummy things (in my new oven) like soup, risotto and maybe even pumpkin pie! I'm also going to rent lots of good old scary movies - bring on Jamie Lee Curtis and her kitchen knife!

Freaky???

I came across this on another blog - its kinda freaky!

http://www.pregnancystore.com/zaky.htm

Bo and Buses

The two seem to go hand in hand. Yesterday I had to take 4 busues and on all 4 journey's the smelly person sat next to me! WHY. I'm all about helping the environment by taking public transport but I think someone should suggest that they invest in air freshner.

I vote for 3 day weekends

I've had a great long weekend. Started with a Ceilidh organised by Marie Curie Cancer Care on George Street on Friday night. It was held in the masonic hall, like a mini version of the assembly rooms - ideal setting for a good dance. The band were a funky modern version of a ceilidh band you can check them out at www.thatscottishband.com. We won a haircut and whiskey in the tombolla - all good!

Saturday had a much needed mini lie in. Went to visit some family and then headed to Almondell Country Park for a wander about - its a hidden gem, less busy than Beecraigs. Went to see Harsh Times that night - so NOT worth it, film was dire!

Sunday we headed up to the Pentlands for some hill walking. We started off from the Flotterstone Inn. We were both out of puff on the way up (I am so unfit! - still it is quite a big hill!) then when we got to the top we were nearly blown off! I couldn't stop laughing as I couldn't keep upright. Coming down was hard work and there were more than a couple of spills : 0

Today has been a day of running errands and lazing about. We went for lunch to a pub in Leith, which was pretty disappointing. We have often been in there and thought how good the food smelled and looked. After waiting almost 45 minutes for our lunch to arrive we weren't so happy with what appeared. Both of our lunches were pretty tasteless, and I'm sure they were frozen meals heated up and churned out of the kitchen. Don't think we will be heading back there in a hurry.

Tomorrow I'm working from home : ) (so I still don't have that sinking back to work Sunday night feeling) If only every weekend was like this!

Health Warning!

Do not go and see Harsh Times - it can seriously damage your will to live!!

In between Stuff

In between my computer not working a few things have happened.

1) Our work had an away day - yipee a day out of the office. We were all bussed down to Peebles Cardrona for a day of activities and problem solving, all in the aim of bringing us together as a team (yeah right!)
In the morning we took part in a mini highland games. This consisted of:
Tossing the caber
Archery
Weight over distance
Shotput
Tug of War
My team, I was team leader and got to wear a sexy white cap! (team 4) was at an immediate disadvantage we were 2 members down and had no male members. This was most apparent in the tug of war which we lost at, apart from 2 times when men from other teams took pity on us and joined in! In the afternoon there were problem solving activities, abseiling, quad biking and laser clays. I loved abseiling again, the only thing that made it tricky was the torrential rain and my merrell shoes were not up to the job so I came down for the most part on my knees! After spending about 5 hours in the pouring rain we were all thoroughly soaked (although some won't agree I thought the rain added to the day) so we headed indoor to change, have tea and scones and a mini prize giving. Then it was back on the bus and up to Edinburgh.

2)I had a couple of days off work and headed down to stay with my cousin. This is always great as its lovely to see her and catch up (we get to watch lots of films, have girlie sessions with face packs and always manage to fit in a spot of shopping). Its also great as I get to catch up with my wee godson who is just the best thing since sliced bread (I may be biased!). He is fast growing up and will be 4 this week and is off to school (how grown up). My cousin owns a childrens boutique www.fuzzyduck.co.uk (shameless promotion!!) which is like alladins cave of all things related to children - its fab. Having a few days off work was a godsend as I've been doing a lot of overtime and the secondment that I'm working on has been pretty full on. Was very sad to have to say goodbye and come back home - but needs must and pennies have to be earned!!

La Clique

I had heard so many great things about this show that I was very excited to have tickets and after seeing Nonfit State Circus I had quite high expectations. La Clique is a well established Fringe favourite (you have to snap up your tickets early!).

The variety of acts keeps the night moving along at a fast pace, singing, acrobatics, drama and some sex. It's a weird a mix at times and if one act isn't to your liking, the next surely will, its a show with something for everyone.

Some of the favourites were "the rubber man" Captain Frodo, his main trick, to pass through two tennis racquets of ridiculously small diameter, there were several points where I had to look away as swinging dislocated limbs and body piercings were squashed through the racquets. His final act of balancing on a tall line of tin cans with his feet wrapped behind his neck was awesome (I wonder when was the day he decided to come up with that idea and see if he could pull it off!)

Ali McGregor, opera diva gave a haunting rendition of Radiohead's Creep (I don't think I will lisen to the original in the same way again). Los Hermanos Macana do a couple of fabby performances swinging their legs and bodies about with speeds you wouldn't think were possible without ending up in a crumpled mess on the floor. One of my top favourites was the Voluptuous Viktoria Lapidus whose smoozing and flaunting of her assets is complimented by her awesome skills with hula hoops that made most audience members want to rush out buy a hula hoop and try developing their own skills (or was that just me!) (who'd have thought hula hooping could be so sexy!).

The Caesar Twins (bless then they are only 5 foot so dinky) made a guest appearance striking stunning, athletic poses from drapes hung from the tent's roof; while Robert Choinka similar but sexed up routine brings to life anyone who's had a fantasy about a oiled, toned motor mechanic (we all remember that Levis advert, mmmmmm - tighty whities). Stranger fetishes are explored with freakish striptease act Bridge Markland, though this seems more voyeurism than art (this really is a fine line between excitement and being scared out of your wit - thankfully she only terrorised the front row audience members).

The show ended with an act that truly wowed me, Skating Willers. A big Elvis look alike (with far too much hair and fake tan) and a tiny blond (dressed in incredibly small sparkly hot pants) came out and began spinning on a tiny platform at speeds that were truly amazing. One poor girl was plucked from the front row and before she knew it was being spun round at crazy speeds by the two, when they let her down to go back to her seat she couldn't walk as her legs had gone - I think if it had been me I might have been sick everywhere!!

If it comes back next year - you HAVE to go!

Fixed

My internet connection has been down for the past week (and silly non technically minded blond (me) didn't know how to fix it) so I enlisted the help of oh powerful one - Mr Urminsky who kindly got me back on track and wireless - big yeah to David and Neyir!

Rich Hall 6/10

I went to see this show on my friends recommendation, and was expecting good things however it just proves how individual our humours can be -- after watching the show I was suprised that I didn't really rate it that highly. He opened the show by apologising for being American, and quickly launched into an anti bush rant (given the current climate this is pretty predictable material). For me he never really moved on from trading on the UK's hate-hate relationship with the States which became a little monotonous and I got a bit bored waiting for him to switch to another topic. He did move on close to the end, picking on audience members although I'm sure he promtly regretted picking "halkien" who turned out to be an obnoxious English Edinburgh Uni student (yes you know the kind I'm talking about) who would not shut up much to his girlfriend was embarassment (although having said that the audience was pretty subdued so there were not many heckles for Hall to jump on to). There was no finish to the show it just petered out with him fleeing the stage as he'd over run (the assembly room staff looked more than ready to move in). Overall the show had its moments but I don't think I will be rushing to buy tickets anytim soon!!

First Famous Person!

I've just clocked my first sighting of a famous person in the Festival - Josie Darby at the bus stop at the top of Leith Walk whilst travelling to work on the no 16 bus! (not quite as exciting as Gandalf but it will do)

Nonfit State Circus

This show is described as "a groundbreaking performance its a mutli-sensual feast of circus, music and film wher the action explodes above, around and between the audience" and it pretty much does what it says on the tin. If you haven't seen this show book your tickets now - its not to be missed. All of the action takes place in a spaceship style big tent and you are immeditately thrown in to the middle of the action, as you enter a doll like woman picks rose petals mouthing the words he loves me, he loves me not and above her is a man taking a bath on the top of a high scaffold. The crowd is moved around the tent by minders dressed in kilts and top hats so that you are a safe distance from people swinging from the walls and people falling from the ceiling. Sounds come at you from every angle, images flash on the walls of the tent. The performance constantly moves around from the ground to the sky. Its such a lot for your senses to take in, and there is always the element of suprise. Throughout the night we witnessed, many forms of people suspended from the ceiling by various ropes and props, my favourite being the swimming scene where several performers dressed in 50s style swimming costumes (you have to love those old lady style swimming caps!) drapped themselves in sheets and put on a synchronised swimming show mid air (while the audience played with beach balls below them), fire eaters, tight rope walking and acrobatics on a scale that I've never seen before. At one point letters fell from the sky, my letter said "The only way to rid yourself of temptation is to give in" I reckon that pretty much gives me a free licence : )! Its quite a surreal experience, feels very magical and if you ponder the bigger picture of "are we immortal" is very thought provoking. To find out more www.nofitstate.com

Festival 2006

Its official the Festival for 2006 has kicked off. In the past few months Edinburgh has seen a steady influx of foreign visitors. This is both good and bad. Its great that so many people want to come and enjoy our capital city, and the multicultural vibe is exciting. However, its not so great when you are trying to get to work or across town. The streets are packed with tourists who don't know where they are going, walk at a leisurely pace as they have no deadlines, randomly stop and take pointless photos (the Japanese - why would you take a photo of a scabby pigeon), and the buses are full of spanish kids with matching rucksacks!

Aside from this, Edinburgh really comes alive at this time of year. We have hundreds of performers of all different genres coming to exhibit their talents. Every available space becomes a venue which results in some shows taking place in peoples living rooms. We have famous big names and regular members of the public giving the entertainment world a go. The festival is a real eye opener, on my bus ride home I witnessed a bloodied Jesus carrying his cross through the streets, a sword swallower and a man dressed like the Tin Man from Wizard of Oz.

If you are lucky you can stumble across someone famous, a few years ago I bumped into Billy Connelly on Chamber Street, and met Sir Ian McClelland outside the Assembly Rooms - both times I was reduced to a bumbling idiot and was so awestruck that I couldn't manage a simple converstation! (still i did get to meet Gandalf in the flesh).

So far I am booked to see Nonfit State Circus (free tickets) Rich Hall and La Clique reviews to follow!

You can see a full list of shows at http://www.edfringe.com/

Moonwalk in the Capital

Welcome to Moonwalk city, isn't it impressive. This is where 8,000 women came together on the 24th June 2006 to speedwalk either a half marathon or a full marathon. On arrival we were treated to food, massages temporary tatoos and music to get us going from Salsa Celtica. The time to midnight soon passed and before we knew it we were lined up at the startline and champing at the bit to get off. We started off on our 26.2 miles. The route took us from the Meadows, through Holyrood Park, up the High Street, along Princess Street, down to Silverknowes then along Crammond to Portobello and Joppa, back into the city via the Cowgate and finishing up in the Meadows. It was quite surreal wandering through holyrood park in the dark (and I'm glad to say there were no dodgy characters lurking in bushes). One of the highlights was walking along crammond and portobello with the sun coming up which was really beautiful (and I think it will be the only time I am foolish enough to be down there at such an unwholesome hour to see such a site)! When we were walking through more public areas we were greated with lots of positive cheers and shouts of encouragement. All of the volunteers along the route were amazing especially in the latter stages when we were beginning to flag a bit. My lovely boyfriend came out to lend support, we had a little difficulty meeting up but a few phone calls and a mad dash in the car and we managed to touch base, he was also a star and kept a steady stream of encouraging texts coming throughout the night : ) Around 5 am we met Emma's sleepy boyfriend who had red bull and mars bars at the ready (much more appealing than the free water and fruit). We were all in quite a bit of pain by the time we came up to the Cowgate but knowing we were so close made the pain subside and the nearness of the finish line filled us we new energy and we practically ran the last part. We were so glad to get over the finish line and complete the event in a respectable 6 hours 45 minutes. I had wanted to put in a slightly better time but my I was in pain and I had to slow down, all I could do was look at my watch and see my target time slipping%2

I've finally given in!

I've succumed to the blogging virus. I've spent the best part of the year addicted to other peoples blogs, so its high time I got round to getting one myself - if only to share some photos and occasional wisdom. I will try to post something over the weekend!