LIFE, EARTHQUAKE AND MADONNA (AND FOOD)

As another day comes to a close, I realise what a comfortable and insular world I live in - comfortable inasmuch as I have a roof over my head, food for the table and a warm bed to sleep in at night - everything else is a bonus.

Today has been a really hectic day a work, lots of tooing and froing and even a bit of froing and tooing - if you know what I mean, heh, heh. The year 11s are desperately trying to finish assorted types of coursework, the year 12s are preparing their personal statements for their UCAS applications (entry to University), the year 10s are running around like headless chickens (they never know what they are doing) and the year 13s are running around like loonies (they know what they are doing, but they don’t care)!!

There is just over a week before I go on my trip to New York and I am sooo looking forward to this. I will be travelling with a few friends from work, a total of six of us. We will be arriving at JFK airport at around 11am - upon our arrival (after dropping off our luggage) we will be going directly to the Guggenheim, which should kill a few hours as we can’t check in to our apartments until 3pm - I am sure we will find plenty to keep us amused. I have already been asked by several kids at school for different things: Some Big Apple key rings, some peanut stuff by a company called Reese , some Hershey kisses and some chocolate fudge brownies, with a picture of a girl on the packaging?? I don’t think I am going to have enough room to carry all this, but I will try my best.

NEW YORK HERE I COME, WOO HOO!!!

I just read Wil’s blog tonight ‘ Paradise Driver’, I hadn’t read it for a few days and didn’t realise that there had been an earthquake in the Islands of Hawaii – I know it wasn’t a major quake, but it was enough to knock out electricity supplies in a lot of places, which in turn has a knock on effect to others services such as the water supply. I hope everything sorts itself out, without too much hardship for all the people that live there – our love and best wishes go out to any affected by this

In London on the news tonight – Madonna adopting a baby in Malawi – why??

That baby has a family, who love him, but cannot afford to keep him. If Madonna wants to help this child, why doesn’t she sponsor him, pay for his upkeep and his education – why do celebrities think that by taking a child from its home they are necessarily giving them a better life – and by whose standards should these actions be judged.

Madonna, ‘Get your big fat purse out and sponsor several families’!!

Until all the richest people in the world realise that they can make a difference, by spending not very much of their not always hard earned cash – the poorest will always remain just that.

I am going to visit Kew Gardens on Wednesday, with my sister (Palmers Green) and my Dad – it’s really a visit for my Dad as he thought that he would already be having dialysis by now, but at the last hospital appointment he had, he was told that his (creatine??) levels were up and this meant that he still had several more dialysis free months – he wept with relief. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us and we will enjoy our little outing to a very beautiful part of London.

Just to finish on a foodie note – I was very fortunate last Saturday to be taken to a wonderful Restaurant near Regent’s Park, it is called 'Oslo Court’, so named because it is in a block of luxury apartments. The owner is Spanish from Galicia as are most of the waiters. The food is scrumptious and generously supplied - the sweet trolley is to die for. My friend, who was celebrating her birthday had booked it in August. It is such a popular place and there is a real mixture of clientele - some well heeled clients and us more ordinary bods. The lovely thing about it is the friendly and efficient service, I would definitely go again - the prices are reasonable too. For a three course meal, plus loads of extras (not including drinks) it came to £26. 50 per head (Lunchtime menu).

I had:

Melba Toast and mixed crudites, anchovy olives and garlic mayonnaise

Starter of a huge plate of calamari with tartare sauce

Main course of Beef Wellington (perfectly cooked), served with green beans, carrots, petit pois, battered courgettes and sauteed potatoes.

Dessert (so much choice) I had a lemon meringue pie, which I have to say was nigh on orgasmic!!

Coffee and two large plates of mixed sweets, including Turkish delight, Marzipan fruits, Mint creams, fondant hearts, mini Florentines and little red foiled fondant hearts.

We few, we happy few.

Jo xx