Crewe

Am feeling fairly refreshed after a week off, during which many of you will know that I attempted a full thickness skin graft on my thumb using a cheese grater, whilst cooking for Mr C for the first time Ever. I am now based in beautiful Cheshire, amongst rolling fields and winding country lanes. Which would all be utterly fabulous, if it wasn't for the dreadful problems I had with my room.

Upon arriving in Crewe, at the customary hour of midnight, I was greeted by my new flatmate, Tim. As in male. Obviously, being a modest Muslim female, I was a bit dismayed, (as, you may imagine, was Pops). However, there was nothing much to be done - the night was young, but not that young, so I put up and shut up. The flat was nice by the way, newly fitted everything and clean to boot. The next morning, I attempted to create a kerfuffle in the Accommodation Office, only to be told that the manager was away all week. Desperate measures were called for, and I was forced to move into Student Nurse accommodation where there was a spare room in a flat with two girls (with the gallant aid of Mr C, who carried the majority of my 12 bags). Leighton Hospital does not believe in equality of the classes, so student nurses have to pay for their accommodation (ours is free), and its also old and dingy with dangerous appliances. I was informed that it would be wiser not to use the back hob on the cooker as 'it'll take your eyebrows off'. And 'don't use the bedside lamp as they have been known to electrocute people'. This was on Thursday. On Monday, I returned to find a man with tasteful whiskers had moved in as well, thus defeating the whole purpose of the move. So I decided a nice new mixed flat was better than an old unpleasant mixed one, so its back to square one.

Otherwise, Crewe is nice enough, despite the rich perfume of manure in the air. More adventures soon.

How do I make a poll?

Rosie and I are planning to break free of the shackles of civilisation and university and go on a life-affirming trip in the summer..embracing the University of Life, as it were. We have been debating where to go - we have two weeks (Mr C will not donate more of his time with me to this worthy cause), limited funds (I would say £500-1000, but a grand is pushing it after Egypt - more on that later), and we want an adventure. This does not necessarily mean trailing through the Amazon forest or breaking bread with nomads in deserts, but something which calls to our need to prove we are independent beings, able to fend for ourselves and not quite the feckless idiots our parents/siblings/friends/husband thinks we are.

So what is it to be? I wanted to do a poll, but not quite sure how to set one up - Fudge can you help? Otherwise, the choices are as follows, with one or other of us keen on each, but not always both (notes in brackets):

Spain, Portugal & Morocco (I've been to Morocco, and Rosie wants to go somewhere neither of us has been, and Mr C wants me to go to Spain with him, though this is a spurious objection)
Eastern Europe (i.e. Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and the like - Mr C not keen as he thinks its 'dangerous')
Northern Europe (i.e. Paris, Versailles, Vienna, Geneva, Rome, Venice, inter-railing it most likely)
Turkey
America (mainly New York)
Far East

What do you think? My personal favourites are Spain etc and Northern Europe as I like the idea of being a backpacking wanderer..however anywhere with my Rosie sounds good to me.

On being a tortoise

You wouldn't think that being a married student with a very kind mother-in-law and doting husband who live 200 miles away would be hard work. Beg to differ, little lady (assuming that's what you are). For the past nine months, I have been a veritable nomad, moreso in the last two months since I have traded in my parents' home for a silver suitcase whose handle falls off at any given opportunity. Public transport is bad enough when you have a bus to catch, but when its a train and a tube and a train and a bus and a bus, things start to get nightmareish. And it doesn't help to look like a homeless bag lady when walking in between all the stations. When Mr C makes his rare excursions up North, he somehow manages to do it looking as cool as some cucumbers (as Anatole would say) with only a small satchel and a pair of PJs. Not fair.

Have had an overdose of TV this weekend, what with 4 episodes of Everwood (which has the most HORRENDOUS theme music btw but is addictive - damn you Jug) and The Grudge which scared me rigid. I used to love horror films as a teen but no longer have a taste for them - does that mean i'm ageing?

Will post some photos as soon as I figure out the programme..times have moved on without me in the blogging world.

Ramadan Mubarak everyone - and can I just mention that you should all get on to www.sunnipath.com and sign up for a course because they are excellent! Like being in the presence of scholars only you don't have to wear hijab :) Mr C and I have started one on Arabic grammar - well its one way to spend a Sunday afternoon.