Amethysts, and Emeralds and Sapphires, Oh My!

My mum got a bit of money through as part of her pension payment and she decided to buy my granny a nice new ring, as she's always really good to all of us.

So today we all (my brother, too) went in to peruse the gems on offer in the Argyle Arcade!  Let me say right now, that if I ever get married I'll definitely half to go halfers on my ring cause I only really like the Art-Deco style platinum rocks that go for about £7000.  An investment though, eh!

Anyway, my granny narrowed it down to three rings, one a lovely pale sapphire-and-diamond banded number, and the other two both bright amethysts.  We're going to go back tomorrow and get it, to let her sleep on it.  I know it's kind of a weird thing to say but her hand really suits the amethyst!  I guess it must be her colouring.

Then we went for lunch in Sloane's - three portions of the epic Mac 'n' Cheese, please! - and then for a quick coffee.  Very nice day out, en famille.

My dad got the bus into town to meet us at the end.  For those of you don't know my dad, it might be hard to convey how big a deal this is - my dad drives everywhere and has used public transport maybe once in the last 25 years.  But he now has his free bus pass for over-60s (but don't tell him I told you) so today, for the first time, he got the bus into town with it.  All on his own, and he made it!  It was quite sweet, he was all quietly chuffed with himself when he arrived, telling us all about what you do with the card and how they scan it for you.  I don't think he'll be making a habit of it, but I was quite proud of him for giving it a go!

Not long til I go down to London now, I'm getting quite excited!  I've talked KH into coming to see the Tracy Emin exhibition that's on, which I think should be really interesting!  There's also a pub I'm dying to go to for lunch, Inglots Cosmetics which I want to go to in Westfields Shopping Centre and a feminist film screening about women being abused within the porn industry. (Cheery.)

All this in... 2 and a quarter days!  I arrive in London at 6pm on Saturday and I catch the overnight bus home (Greyhound, not Megabus, don't worry!) at 10pm Monday night, arriving back in Glasgow at 6am.  So it'll be action packed and I'm sure I won't get all of it done - the most important thing, of course, is the Kate Rusby gig on Sunday afternoon which is the whole reason I'm going - but I'll give it a good go!

We're having feminist film night chez moi on the Friday night, so I'll have to make sure I'm packed and ready to go as these civilised film discussion groups often descend into wine-fueled drunkenness resulting in serious hangovers.  I plan to drink a glass of water between each glass of wine but you know what Robert Burns said:

"The best laid plans of mice and feminists/

go oft awry!"

Granny-Films

My mum's going away next week and seeing as she usually spends a lot of time with my granny, I'm going to have to make sure my granny's OK for the week, cause I wouldn't want her getting bored or lonely, and she doesn't really get out as much as she used to.

So, I've been making up a list of films that I could watch with her - she loved The King's Speech when we went to see it in the cinema, but there's not really all that many granny-friendly films on the market at the mo' - basically it's a big NO to all things sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.

With the help of some twitter peeps, and a free trial at LoveFilm, I've come up with a few that I think she'd enjoy:

• Amelia
• Chocolat
• The Queen
• Pride & Prejudice

I also have my fairly large Audrey Hepburn selection to pick from, so it'll be OK.  I think a nice cup of tea, maybe a cake, maybe a glass of wine and a nice film, and my and my granny will do just fine.  She's actually really good fun, although she is getting a lot more forgetful and a bit frail these days. 

But the more she does, the more energy she has and her memory seems better - on the other hand when she's nothing to do and no-one to hang out with she seems worse.  That's why it's so good for her to get away to Tenerife: a combination of sunshine, 3 meals every day, a bit of exercise and having to make conversation with all her pals in the cafes, pubs, and restaurants there really make a difference, and she feels better and there's a noticeable difference in her energy levels and memory.

Getting her do things a bit different like go to the cinema, or even somewhere new for lunch helps, I think... So, Project Granny-Film is all systems go!

I love my granny!

Getting pissed with my granny.

Grecian, pearl headband
River Island

Went out for breakfast after my mum's doctor appointment this morning, and then ran into town to see River Island's collection of turbans (as seen in this week's Grazia!).  Unfortunately, the only turban they had wasn't very nice.  It was leopard print, but I didn't like the material and it was a wee bit baggy, so I didn't get it.  I did buy a  lovely pearl Grecian head-band though, and I can't wait to wear it somewhere!

When I came home my Granny had come in and was wanting to go out somewhere for dinner, so I convinced them (my mum and my granny) to go to Bella Italia in the town, and then we went across the road to Ad lib for a cocktail!  Good times were had all round.  I think we were all a bit steaming by the time we left!  But we had a really good night, so I'm glad I got home in time to go! 

No word about working tomorrow, but it's just as well cause I'm meeting HM to go knitting in the Tramway at 2pm. Hopefully I'll be working at the weekend, to get a bit more money!

Have more fashiony stuff to blog, but think I'll leave it til I'm slightly more sober.  Anyway, Masterchef is on...

End-of-Night Chat

Just been to see Black Swan, with Hannah and a couple of her pals.  I thought it was really amazing, though I did hide behind my scarf at several points.  The girl sitting across the aisle from me kept doing really comedy jumps, but some parts were a bit squeamish, I must admit.  Loved the dancing, and the makeup, and Natalie Portman. After years of not knowing if I loved or loathed her, I am happy to say I am finally convinced by her, once and for all. 

I had a well-expensive glass of wine in the cinema bar (should have known better) and a random bag of Revels, which I've just realised I love!  Does anyone remember when they were called Strollers, back in the day, and they came in a Cadbury-blue packet?

I had high hopes for 2011 being a much happier year than 2010 but so far one of my friends has lost a job and a boyfriend in the same week, and I just read on my other friend's blog that her Grandad has passed away. 

I really don't know how I'll cope when my granny dies, even though just it really seems that she'll live forever.  Makes me appreciate the time I have with her, and the chances I have to go on holiday with her and go for lunches with her when I'm not working.  Sometimes she'll tell you the same story you've heard a hundred times before, but lots of other times she tells other stories and I learn a little bit more about her that I never knew before.  I never met my dad's parents, and my mum's dad died when I was only wee, so my granny is the only one I've really gotten to know and I'm really glad to still have her around.

Enough heavy stuff for one post, I think.  I just need to finish packing and then I have a Body Balance class to go to tomorrow, and then meet ED for lunch/brunch/cocktails I think. 

I think I'll stick my electric blanket on now so it's toasty for getting in to bed, and toss whatever else I need into my case, rather than try to do it tomorrow.  I have that Katy Perry song stuck in my head and I'm really hoping it won't keep buzzing round my brain when I'm trying to get to sleep, it'll seriously drive me mad.  

Baby, you're a fiiiiiiiiiiiiire-work!

Oh yeah, for anyone who's interested, I jsut signed up for an awesome yoga deal, at the Merchant City Yoga company.  You get 10 lessons for £20 which works out as a saving of 75%.  As far as I know, once you've paid you can take the 10 classes any time over the next year.  Click here if you want to sign up or read more!

Turban thief

Just got a voicemail from the lovely KM, who informed me that she'd just been into Topshop and seen my new turban on sale there for £12!  So, it looks like someone really did just accidentally leave their's in that Moroccan shop and the shopkeeper was an immoral bastard for making a quick profit on it!  Can't say I'm too bothered, to be honest - I'm actually more chuffed that I got it so cheap!  Does that make me a bad person?  I don't care.  The only other thing I've got like that is a white scarf I got in Granada, years ago when I was doing my Erasmus year.  I was in a cyber cafe and it was lying on the table next to mine.  I was there for over 2 hours an no-one came back to get it, so I took it.  Still have it, and still like it!

Went out for lunch with granny again today, we just went to the pub near my house, so I had a tasty bean burger and onion rings.  Tasty but smelly; much like the celebrated oysters!  I'm about half packed for Tenerife now so I reckon I'll just do the rest this evening.  Have to wash some undercrackers etc but other than that I'm ready to go.

Oh yeah, my trews from la Redoute arrived and they're very nice.  Quite silky, which I wasn't expecting (I thought they'd be cotton), but very comfy.  So I'll wear them on the plane with my granny's (now mine) leopard print gillet and my gold sequined ballet flats. Comfort personified! 

My gold shoes were also high on the bargin scale - when I was in Switzerland visiting JB we went down to Nice for the day, but we had a stand-by ticket for the plane (JB works for Swiss Air), and apparently they're quite strict about the dress code when they're letting you on the plane.  I was wearing flip-flops which are a no-no, so I jumped into a shoe shop in the airport (the day-trip to nice was a surprise, that's why I wasn't prepared) and got these lovely pale gold sequined shoes for about £15 francs. 

I can't remember what that works out as in pounds, but regardless, 15 francs is almost nothing in Switzerland.  To put it into perspective, a bottle of hair spray could easily be 6-7 francs, and I didn't see any other pairs of shoes at less than 30!  Anyway, they're uber comfy and lovely, and I've worn them almost to death.  These are the kind of shoes to get resoled in a cobblers, rather than admit defeat and ever throw them away!

The Turban of Joy

I'm wearing it today and it's everything I wanted it to be!  I love it so much I might never take it off.  It's light-weight, a great fit and if I didn't know better I'd almost think it gave me magic powers.  Or was that just the wine I had at lunch?

Anyway, here are a few pics for you all to admire in awe and excitement.  Taken in the bathroom de Smeaton; admittedly not the most glamorous setting but enough for blogging purposes.

 

         

        I am totally loving it. 

So my granny popped in and wanted to go out for lunch, so we went to a place called the Battlefield Rest, round from my house.  I know it sounds like we're always going out for lunch but the thing is that my granny don't really eat when she's in the house on her own, so we either take sandwiches round or she comes round for a cup of tea and then asks if we'll go for something to eat.  So, it's good to know that she eats at least one good meal most days.  I had spaghetti with mussells and it was very tasty.

Last night when I couldn't sleep I made a list of things to take to Tenerife so I think I'll pack tomorrow.  I have orchestra tonight, which, to be honest I can't really be arsed with, but I'll probably go anyway.

Also, had to go to the jobcentre this morning, so I went, I waited, I sat down, signed a piece of paper and literally about 1 minute later I was on my way out.  Oh well.  Everytime I go in I think they're going to give me a hard time, ask why I don't have a job yet or say I can't have been trying hard enough.  In reality, no-one gives a toss, they ask the cursory question about what I've been doing to look for a job, get my signature and send me on my way.  And, if you dare to ask a question, they look a bit put out and reply without really answering and that's that.

I'm sleepy, could do with a wee siesta!  Think I'll leave this now and hop off and read Grazia.  It's good that it's out every Tuesday, cause I buy it on my way home from the jobcentre, to cheer myself up!

Happy Day

This morning I went for lunch with my granny again, and we 'popped in' to this shop near my house, round in Cathcart on the way.  It's a place called Cuckoo and it sells fancy clothes for older people.  I mean, some of it's nice but it's definitely aimed at people my mum's age more than people my age.  Well, my mum and granny go in all the time and so they're quite good friends with the owner and the people who work there.  We ended up there for about 2 hours or something, my mum was trying on loads of stuff (everything was half price in the sale) and my granny was trying stuff on, and I was sitting on a big couch passing judgement on everything they tried. 

After a while the woman brought us over a wee table, stuck a white table cloth on it, lighted a candle and then poured three glasses of rose wine!  Talk about service. 

 In the end my mum bought a lovely wee top (that I picked out, Oh yes, I know my stuff) and my granny picked out a top and then another top (again, my suggestion. I should do this for a living.)

I found this amazing feather headpiece, that is beyond cool. It's black, so when it's on you can't totally tell where my hair begins and the feathers start. I think I'll wear it to MM's cocktail birthday party if it goes ahead (and now that I have this to wear, I will most definitely be campaigning for it!) and then I might wear it again to my cousin's wedding in June.  Good times. Good glamour-tastic times.

After that we went for lunch, and I had a tasty big plate of pork ribs and BBQ sauce, plus - natch - red wine.  Now that's what I call a good day out with the fam.  Only problem is, if I keep eating - and drinking - like this, I'll end up the size of a house!  You can cut out all the carbs you want, but the red wine is just as bloody bad!  Tasty though, there's no denying it.

Woooo, I just got a text from KM saying that she's having a flat-warming party on Saturday to celebrate her awesome new pad.  Very excited about this.  In fact it's so exciting, it might even be worthy of my feather hair-band!