Journal Entries
Secret obsession
Posted Jul 24, 2006
This is probably a sign of mental debility of sorts, but we all need our little insanities.
I confess that I just love watching "Pimp my Ride" on MTV. The programmes we are shown in Germany are probably a couple of years out of date, but at least they're not dubbed (just very badly subtitled, but you don't have to look at them). And the people are so thrilled with their jazzed up cars at the end of the programme it always cheers me up.
The UK version (I hope it's a sendup) has me hooting with laughter and 
rolling on the floor. It all sounds so over-the-top with English accents.
Who cares if the designs are tacky, the colours are gross and the ideas are corny - the people doing up the cars (both US and UK) enjoy themselves and get a great kick out of making other people happy. Simple recipe.
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Latest reply: Jul 24, 2006
No escape
Posted Jul 1, 2006
...from the football. 
Last night all the kids were out screaming in the street and waving flags - all cars and other vehicles were hooting madly. Fireworks were going off everywhere.
My husband watched the match. I slept, but afterwards, we went into town for a concert (not so much a concert, but it takes a lot of explaining.) as it's the summer festival on at the moment.
The town was blocked, so we parked a little way out and walked in to the concert. This had been postponed, of course, because the match had had to go into extra time. The match was over, but the concert was part of a programme going on all evening and everything had been postponed.
So we used the 3/4 hour to go and get a quick pizza - my husband hadn't eaten all day. (Another long story involved there)
After the Germany-Argentina match, Italy were playing the Ukraine. The Italian restaurant had the telly on, of course, and flags up, all the waiters had red/green/white-painted faces. The TV was on very loud because of all the cars hooting outside. A Spanish girl came in (in red and yellow, of course) It was nice, everyone mixing, regardless of the colours painted on their faces.
Then the Italian match was over. They beat the Ukrainians. So now Germany play Italy next week. Hmm, I hope it will still be the same friendly atmosphere in the pizzerias. I don't care who wins. And I didn't paint my face.
Although even I am searching for a fluttering England flag screen saver that I can install at work - to annoy my colleagues, not because I'm interested in football. Better still, perhaps there's a Wimbledon screen saver ..... 
now THAT's an idea!
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Latest reply: Jul 1, 2006
A funeral today
Posted Jun 13, 2006
I'm going to a funeral today. It's not anyone close, but it's always sad when it's someone so young. The boy was 24. His mother is a colleague of my husband's and, way back then, we lived in the same village. When the boy who has now died was small, a month younger than my oldest, they used to play together, go to each others' birthday parties.
When they were about five, we moved away, and the other boy was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. I never saw him again, although I met his mother at the occasional school function, of course, at the school where she and my husband teach.
Until a couple of weeks ago, we bumped into them at an archaeology exhibition. He looked fine, except for being in a wheelchair. He was, to all intents and purposes, immobile - I couldn't shake his hand or anything. But he was at university and getting on fine; he was a keen chess player. Our son remembers him from playground days, and we often said they should get together for a game of chess some time (when they were sort of 13/14).
And last Friday he died. Because I have the week off work, I can afford the time to go to the funeral. It's not that I am upset - for the last 20 years we've known he would have a short life, and, as I say, I hadn't seen him for 20 years. My husband and I will go to pay our respects and show support for the parents.
His parents gave him a very full life, going on exotic holidays and taking him everywhere; showing him as much of the world as possible - often being the first to go places with a wheelchair. She has had to get up several times a night for all these years to turn him over regularly. Heaven knows what else was involved - washing, feeding, dressing. She's very petite and he was quite a sturdy lad.
She is always smiling, is a very religious person (she's a religion teacher - among her many brothers and uncles are priests; it's in the family).
I am wondering what it was like for the younger brother, and what it'll be like for him now. Well, I should find out this afternoon.
Off to find something to wear now. In murder stories on TV and in films it's always pouring with rain at funerals. Every funeral I've ever been to it's been unbearably hot, like today.
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Latest reply: Jun 13, 2006
I don't really akshly
Posted May 28, 2006
.. want to go.
For my fiftieth birthday (November 2004) I was given a ticket by a group of really good friends to go to the Elton John concert in Mannheim in December 2005. Well, on that date, Sir E was ill, and the alternative date given was 31 May 2006. That's next Wednesday.
It was such a lovely thought on my friends' part and it will be a great evening - most of them are going, too.
But I've been listening to the Peach Tree Road album which the tour is promoting and I find it rather monotonous and although the old EJ songs are still great, I wouldn't have spent money on going to see him myself. I saw a gig he did (also in Mannheim) some time in the early 80s, and nearly went to see him in Cambridge in 1976. I certainly remember Ray Cooper jumping about the stage banging on least three juggernauts' full of percussion. Those were the days!
Oh well, It'll be a good night out with a great crowd, and I'll probably enjoy myself once I get there. Perhaps he'll do loads of old stuff to sing along with. Shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
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Latest reply: May 28, 2006
Bloomin' mouse!
Posted May 7, 2006
I've just unsubscribed from another conversation by mistake. And, as usual, I have no idea which one. I should have clicked on "Go back one page", shouldn't I?
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Latest reply: May 7, 2006
You can call me TC
Researcher U154942
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