Another Year Disappears.......

Unbelievable...

I've been suffering from a heavy cold for much of the weekend hence why I didn't really feel like elaborating on Friday night. Uninspiring sales in Leeds and walking around in the rain not to mention Leeds losing 3-1 to Stoke yesterday did nothing to lift my gloomy demeanour. Lemsips, Little Britain and snippets of Sense and Sensibility were a little comforting but I am more than a little distracted by the shining beacon (hopefully) of the January transfer window..in the vain hope of Smudger moving to another club and the possibility of being able to watch more football from the stands in 2007 rather than via Sky TV at home.
I haven't done much apart from washing cat dishes, photographing the shy cats, calling on Nana and the Simmons. Stuart came round for a late dinner of home made stew and dumplings. Dad has been a rat arse all day as he woke up later than anyone else in the house but true to form he put the blame for everything at our doors rather than his own, taking potshots at random e.g lecturing me about being on the PC when he'd been in bed far longer than I'd been on there and had basically spent the best part of the morning in bed or being a nuisance. He bit Mums head off and was annoying to Stuart. If he lost a bit of weight I'm sure the anger would tone down a notch or two.
However, the one positive thing he did do was he decided to buy a PS2 today as its been a nuisance for Stuart trying to unplug all his wires and stuff from his PS2 and bring it to ours to play the Buzzer game. We got the silver PS2 console and two games, one for Stu and the other was FIFA 06 for myself. So the latter half of the afternoon/evening has been spent trying not to get blown up screetching 'oh i knew that one' or 'i meant that colour I got mixed up' or 'what the heck was that' etc etc.. its strangely addictive. I don't think we've got many plans for New Year. Stuart's not bothered and is staying at home, Dads still grumpy and suffering from man flu (lol) Mums not interested and I'm not 100% so it'll be slobby TV and playing a few more rounds of Buzz. God we're such a radical far out family heh heh heh...

Here are just a few comments on the highs and lows of 2006

Highlight of the Year

Going to London to see the Sound of Music & Christmas. Lesley Garret and Connie made it a truly magical pre Christmas weekend but Christmas with the family was great, from drawing dodgy looking gentalia to bitchfests over the dreaded oven it was one to cherish and remember for years to come.

Lowlight of the Year

Don't go there........funerals (two in one year, both very emotional - all too often its those that are left behind that have the deepest scars than those who are freed from their suffering)...football (the relegation trap door is looming)...heres hoping 2007 is more positive!

Defining Moment of the Year

The funerals and Stuart moving out. Lifechanging for differing reasons,one has made the house a calmer place the other has seen me grow as a person and take stock of things I took for granted in the past,

TV Programme of the Year

Dr Who/Torchwood. Great stuff. Theres something about Catfish Owen Harper. Ugly git, but very watchable as a character. And Captain Jack. Poor PC Cooper, shes not very PC drugging her boyfriend with an amnesia pill after telling him she cheated...Boo hiss Catherine Tate only did a cameo hurrah the good Doctor is even more watchable and gripping than before. David Tennant's quite fun and cool too..

Film of the Year

Casino Royale (Finally James Bond has gone all 21st century on us and even though James Bond now looks more like Gordon Ramsay than a suave Novelli type the 'licence to kill' label definitely befits the latest incarnation! Shaken AND stirred baby!!!)

Actor of the Year

David Tennant/John Barrowman (not just because theyre quite attractive..actually..but also because they credibly kick (alien) arse!!!)

Actress of the Year

Billie Piper. And I never thought I'd ever write that. I never thought she was anything more than an irritating chipmunk-a-like with an ordinary voice as a singer never mind a decent actres....


Band of The Year

Scissor Sisters. Awesome in concert, great second album and a shed load of fun!

Performance of the Year

Close fight between Scissor Sisters in concert, Robbie Williams in concert hmmm I'd declare it a tie. Robbie is mad. Scissor Sisters are even better live than on CD. I'd recommend scrambling for a ticket for either. Mind blowing stuff.

Record of the Year

I don't feel like dancing by the Scissor Sisters/Lovelight Robbie Williams. I play both of those records to death!! Definite floor-fillers.

Sports Personality of the Year

Alan Smith. Purely for bravery. Everyone wrote him off the moment he broke his leg but hes fighting back in true gritty Yorkshire style.

Sports Loser of the Year

English sport in general.........the cricket, the football, the rugby...oh dear...2006 has been one to forget! Oh and I should add Leeds United into the fray - disgraceful!

Personality of the Year

I'd have to go with a non-celeb for this. I'm plumping for my Auntie Alison. Shes been through tough times none more so than this year with her daughter, my cousin, passing away aged just 16. But through it all she's kept her chin up,got herself a job off her own back and came to stay at Christmas and was really jolly throughout, she made it a great Christmas for us.

Happy 2007 Everyone!

Films and A Disgruntled Fan

I'm getting a cold, its been wet and dreary today but I enjoyed Mrs Henderson Presents which I watched with Alex and Mum this evening. I also set the record straight with Mum about Leeds - about the crooks who pretend to care about our club, Matty Jones' new lease of life as a journalist/TV reporter, the cover ups, the lies, the Press smearing the players when people like Danny Mills, Smithy etc still genuinely care and want to come back, the hopelessness - the ground being sold on again, youth blossoming then their Leeds career cut short as theyre cruelly sold on at the precise moment we fans needed hope and a little faith in a fading flower.. its been an intriguing day. Oh and Will Young is very good. Naked and clothed. And as an actor. If you havent seen it, do! its good... Alex came round for the evening, we watched the end of Come Dine With Me (a rough diamond, snobby stereotypical gay guy and a bossy snobby woman in a cook off for several thousand pounds, quite intriguing) and then enjoyed Mrs Henderson Presents about a widowed lady who proved that living for the moment and taking a few risks here and there can teach you alot about life and make you take stock. She took on a theatre which produced nude revues and it almost got shut again because of the mad OTT performances produced by Bob Hoskins character and her meddling in her lead lady's affairs by setting her up with a young army boy who had a wife (which neither knew about) he went to war and the girl ended up pregnant walked out on them but as she literally did so she was killed by the onrushing air raids. She tried too hard to please people or help others so that they wouldn't be lonely widowers or waste opportunities in life. As he did in giving the stranger he picked up in the rain and making her a star. In otherwords, you never know whats around the corner, take a few chances, why make a fuss of a bit of frivolity and nudity? Why fuss about money, whos name is on the billboard or a few grey hairs sprouted trying to rescue an ailing but beloved project? She didn't see eye to eye with her theatre manager but grew to admire his attitude as he did hers, both iron willed with their own demons to battle.
The most poignant moment was when the police were going to shut it down in the name of decency etc and she stepped up and told the tale of her 21 year old son who was killed. They found a naughty postcard of a naked girl "but he will never see one. Why should we hide this away? We should give the young men pleasure so that no one else will ever end up like him missing an experience such as this" In otherwords nakedness is just natural and they were being playful with it - the elaborate sets, costumes, outrageously camp statuettesque poses, it was really light hearted but had a serious message about always seeing the bright side of every tragic moment in life and not dwelling too much on political correctness. Very enjoyable film.
Even though I was going down with a heavy cold, a feel good film. continental Thorntons alcoholic truffles and good company made it a heartwarming evening rather than a chilly "eurrrgh I've got the lurgy I'm feeling sorry for oneself" evening..

Christmas Cheer and Ponderings on Next Year

Since my last (rather brief - if it was a pair of knickers it would've been a g-string!) entry I have been buoyed by another article being published on sportingo, more coverage in the local press, a heart warming, emotional but wholly satisfying Christmas.

The last few weeks have seen Mum and I doing the 'feeding the five thousand' act (mince pies, Christmas cake, one crust mediterranean pie, Christmas dinner etc etc Delia and Gordon would have been proud of us!) its a miracle that my arms and fingers haven't dropped off with all the kneading dough, festive tomfoolery at the panto it was great - oh yes it was! (Mum's only complaint was the baddie getting his kicks from playing two highly comical characters rather than wriggling his snake hips) writing Christmas cards, wrapping presents and rubbing in more often than a smug Tom and Katie Cruise in yet another smarmy Hello shoot... saucy charades, shredded nerves with the oven dying a slower death than a dodgy Russian Spy in a cocktail bar, buzzing til the brain is fuzzing on Who Wants to be A Millionaire and a singing quiz 'Buzz' game Joe got us for Christmas, Euro Trash style drawing competitions (don't ask!) late night revelations - sex, booze, drugs, whos going to get hitched whos going to get ditched he said she said what a load of cobblers oooooh Betty those kind of conversations... Nana eating less than a starved mouse and throwing up every now and again like a frightening version of the character off Little Britain - thankfully she did it in a bowl not over some poor unsuspecting so and so passing by(!) Auntie Sandra's blink and you'll miss it appearance at Christmas dinner with her schoolmarmish approach to family Christmas but kindly meant underneath it all...Leeds failing to spread Christmas cheer with the trap door opening ever wider...its been a fun rollercoaster.


Its been like something off the Royle family rolled into Eastenders - plenty of drama - Stuarts neighbours having a domestic involving a piece of Stuarts fence and resulting in him taking temporary charge of their dog, despite not having exchanged one word with them since he moved..Dad and Sandra's increasing intolerance of a very frail and childish Nana, Auntie Alison's troubles with an indifferent workaholic husband, a lesbian daughter with confidence issues, a demanding young son with more personality problems than she'd like to share with anyone or admit to him having and an eldest son feeling left out in the cold and angry with the world.

It makes you extremely grateful for your own fortunate situation - I am actually looking forward to 2007. I feel 2006 has made me a stronger, more tolerant human being, reaching out to family and friends more readily and doing more for charity by buying alternative gifts and continuing to write and make cards for people I care about to make them feel wanted and appreciated. I can't perform miracles but if baking a few mince pies, joining in daft games and giving time to people at a special but sometimes sad time of year then I will continue to do my best in helping others - people might say whats in it for me? Well at the risk of sounding like a sugary sweet ad off American kids TV, just seeing the delight in people's faces and sharing in moments of happier times is all thats required to make it worthwhile. Of course.....I'd like someone to help me find the courage to snare Mr Right and point me a few extra miles down the long road to a successful career but you can't ask for the Earth if you've only got a blade of grass or two to bargain with.

For the last few days I've just been catching up with TV, helping to tidy up, making thankyou and birthday cards, went to the beauticians yesterday which was a nice chill out time, attempting to bring two traumatised cats out of their shells, preparing for Grandad and Grandma's arrival next week ahead of Stuart's 21st on the 6th, I feel a change is in the offing, big things are expected in the coming year and I hope to be riding on the crest of that big wave of opportunity. I hope all who are reading this have had a happy and peaceful Christmas, all the best for the New Year

As we said in our girly chats, Mum, Auntie Alison and my cousin Bridie and I, we've had the funerals, now when's there going to be a wedding?? We need a big happy bash...
Until next time..

I have confidence in me...?

I have been wrapping presents, shopping for the last of my xmas presents, planning the xmas food, its been quite jolly and festive but something is missing. I can't quite bring myself to believe that I've found Mr Right. My friends, most of my family, acquaintances etc all insist I have but the trouble is I don't know if I'm Mr Right's Mrs Right.
I'm just in a strange space today. I'm looking forward to Christmas and I enjoyed picking and wrapping the presents but I'm just not sure what to expect with my cousins coming off the back off a topsy turvy year and I'm feeling a bit guilty fantasising about Mr Right and stuff its all a bit weird. Hopefully things will be okay..its always the things you're uncertain of or dreading in some way turn out to be the best moments...

Bah Humbug!

Got fed up of blogger playing up as much as Ronaldo around the box.......! Hence why I've been away for ages
Thought the footy fans amongst you would appreciate this well timed rant from my published spot on sportingo.com


What will save the good ship Leeds United from the iceberg of relegation?
Sadly Gus Poyet and Dennis Wise haven't been able to to convert the battered and bruised team into something sturdier. At the very least, Leeds should be capable of plodding to mid-table.
My dad's reaction to our loss at Ipswich: "Oh well, at least we're consistent in only losing 1-0." We're obviously still not trying hard enough and are sinking faster than quicksand. In the real world, if you or I consistently failed we'd be sacked - how long can we keep trotting out excuses for the sorry state of the team?
Excuses such as not enough fans are turning up, there is not enough money to spend and and the well-baked management and players needing time. It's all old hat, surely? And we are running out of time to sort this sodden sad souffle of a scenario.
Leeds' sad decline could be compared to a cheating partner - your pride is hurt, the heart is shattered and the brain doesn't connect so the easiest thing is to brush it off and hope it doesn't happen again. I love Leeds United, my dad loves Leeds United, but the bumpy roller coaster of travelling to games back and forth had to end for our own sanity. I've just got a nasty taste of deja vu in my mouth. How much longer could we bear the pain? I hardly recognise them any more. Where is the Yorkshire grit? It shouldn't just be seen on the roads when the ice appears but in the hearts and minds of players paid to entertain, dig deep and put pride back into 'pride of Yorkshire', a phrase that once befitted our beloved club.
The cruellest thing is that it is not the perpetrators of this betrayal who are really suffering, but the innocent party. Fans grin and bear the brunt of the humiliation, spending hard-earned cash on tickets, parking, programmes and memorabilia while the fat cats at the club purr off into the night in their nice cars. Is that right?
It is going to take a lot more than wheeling and dealing to save us from the soccer scrapheap. Naff coloured paper hats on Christmas Day? Nope.....I think we need tin hats to survive this not-so-jolly season. Come on Leeds. Get tough, get rough, or get stuffed.


So what has the Smudger Stalker (joking) been up to? Purchasing a Guess watch in Harrods, watching Chelski and visiting the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition (Cultured chav??) and witnessing the madness that is Henry attempting to slip out of Tommy Hilfiger's despite a game of chinese whispers between paps, locals and ourselves turning into a full on circus show - come on, two great big blacked out shiny Mercedes near most of the swanky shops aren't going to go unnoticed are they? Its as likely as Smudger being able to learn the Queen's diction in a few days - not very!)

Attempted to make a decent day of Papa's birthday with Dads cousins staying for the weekend we did a very Petty-esque thing - food, chilling, wine, food, chilling more wine etc etc whisky, chocolates...its not even Xmas yet God knows how much I put on this weekend (and hes smirking at me right now boom boom) I appeased Granny Giles (sorry Nana) by singing and playing the piano whilst the guys got the tree from Mums friend Louise & visited Californias (desperate times call for desperate measures - she's not eating much food at the moment and the weekend was no exception but bizarrely enough always has room for pudding - the sweet tooth is a dead giveaway that shes either a) playing up for sympathy or b) even when knee deep in self pity she drags herself out of her black hole of negativity and succumbs to the good ol' sugar!) Shes so pampered yet so ungrateful half the time. Sorry to say it but its true. She amazingly perked up from her morbid state of wallowing in misery about Papa after a few carols and by the time the gang came back she was almost bearable. As Mum said, perhaps it was knowing that I don't normally sing or play for people I prefer to do it when everyone is out because I'm a hairy chicken - in otherwords, she was happily silently milking it that she'd witnessed something pretty rare. Funny ol' bird... lol


What else... went to a Christmas party with Adult Ed gang - chatted about everything from dyspraxia to dating - we're a diverse lot! (I'm going to do a training course in February - City and Guilds Volunteering two day course ) Oh hammering my poor Dad's credit card along with Mum last weekend - he did say he'd make up for helping my brother to buy a house(!!) Sound of Music was awesome - those of you who are going or planning on seeing it sometime next year or earlier, I hope you get to see Lesley Garret. Its worth the £3 ice creams and whatever ridiculous price it was for the tickets and programme just to have the spine tingling spectacular pleasure of hearing her voice. Wonderful. And I'm not just saying that because shes from 'oop North! Some were commenting on the fact that she still spoke with her accent when speaking as the Mother Abbess but who cares. A minor detail. If Jennifer Ellison ooh I'm from Liverpoooooool la! was good enough for Chicago and Phantom....heh heh... Connie is very good very vibrant, some might say she overacted at times but Maria is meant to be a bit naughty a bit too enthusiastic. In some ways if I really thought about it, Connie is a better Maria than Julie Andrews screen version, theres more conviction in what she says, does and sings, shes a young girl, finding her feet yet totally lovely and bubbly. Julie Andrew's version isn't really, when all said and done, someone you'd expect to be schiving off to the mountains and singing off the top of her voice like a bolshy shameless girl full of mischief. The sets were good, Von Trap was confident, strong but still very likeable in the end, the kids were cute and played their parts charmingly it was a very enjoyable performance. Dad wondered whether it was a little outdated now, the Sound of Music, but I really enjoyed it, the new songs worked well, 'Climb Every Mountain' about following your dreams and the universal message of hope and reaching out for what you believe in still rings true today. The music and the feel good factor really summed up my weekend and how despite a topsy turvy year, things are going to turn out alright in the end, that love, hope and following your dreams will see you through no matter what. The hotel was like a student box to box situation and we were on level 8 (yeah and remember I don't like lifts) but despite that it was really magical. I'm so lucky to have been to London three times this year and each time had lots of good memories to take home and remember for a long time. I felt really quite emotional leaving, in a way. I was ready to go home and face the challenge of Christmas but it also reignited my desires to write, to fall in love and make the most of my life, the three most burning ambitions in my heart.

This week so far has been as busy as ever, putting marzipan on the Christmas cake, wrapping presents, taking part in the Christmas Concert - I had very very bad nerves and felt like my legs were going to snap off as I mustered up the courage to stand on a stool as I sang. but Mum and Dad enjoyed it and I got into it. I felt a weird weariness sweeping over me, I've been pretty busy planning, partying, spending, sorting, cooking, singing, I'd been to the RSPCA dinner the previous night the food would've made Ramsay read the riot act but the company was cosy and cheering we choked about everything from Leeds being threatened with the dreaded drop, moggies, mad relations, Christmas cooking, spending, Strictly Come Dancing, gossiping...all good stuff!!! Catching up with the TV stuff very slowly but surely I can see myself waking up and finding my head has been replaced with a TV set at this rate(!) its been a crazy time but largely enjoyable.