Someone gave me the keys to the Kingdom of the Grown-Ups!!!
Maybe I pre-empted this slightly by purchasing a shiny new kitchen appliance the other day… That’s quite an adult thing to do, right?? Okay, so it’s only a hand-blender, and the most basic hand-blender it’s possible to get but still. I was telling a friend about my new purchase and it turns out that her and her boyfriend also bought a hand-blender the other day. Only their one is multi-speed and comes with various attachments. It would appear that my hand-blender is the equivalent of the £5 vibrator one can acquire from the ‘naughty vend’ machines found in the toilets of certain drinking establishments, whereas theirs is the classic rampant rabbit (but not one of the new and improved fancy ones like The Thruster for example). In fact, my hand-blender cost LESS than a naughty vend vibrator. Me? Jealous? Never!
However, back on track, eh-hem. I still think that buying kitchen appliances that go beyond the very basic and necessary is a grown-up activity. Especially seeing as it was a consequence of my new found enjoyment of cooking. I’ve started to compile a cookbook of recipes found online. So far my firm favourite is an AMAZING aubergine bake. You can find the recipe here. It’s very easy but absolutely delicious!
But this is not my key to the Kingdom of the Grown-Ups. Oh no. It’s far more than that. I’m amazingly excited and scared and happy and WOW!!!!
And yes, this entire post has been about saying that one simple thing: Good things are happening that make for a happy Flip. Yay! =)
The Great Drinking Experiment
As previously mentioned in The Case of the Missing Hangover I have been concerned recently that I have lost my hangover. An experiment was therefore planned for tonight, Friday, where I would do everything possible to ensure I would wake up in the morning with a hangover. A ‘Please Drink Irresponsibly’ mission. This plan has been scrapped as it is now unnecessary. Last night I accidently started the experiment a night early. I met friends in town, and got slightly more drunk than I intended. By which I mean after the pub kicked us out at closing time, which may have been midnight or 1am (my memory is slightly hazy), we ended up back at my flat drinking cherry beer, watching Black Books, cooking hash browns and smoking joints until 3am or 4am. Whoopsie! But, and this is where the experiment deviated from the plan, I drank much water (and even a cup of tea!) before finally heading to bed in an attempt to be a not-really-hungover fully-functioning employee come the morning.
It is now the morning. And the result of the experiment? I refound my hangover! My internal organs are working! Whoop whoop! And the water worked as well. I’m a slightly tired, slightly headachy employee with a slightly delicate stomach who may deteriorate as the day goes on, but I am fully functioning with a minimal hangover, yet enough of a hangover to soothe my troubled mind. Yay! =)
The Hidden Village of Forvie
On Sunday I went on a 12 mile walk to see Forvie. It use to be a village but the sands reclaimed it leaving only the remains of a church and a fishing Bothy behind. The legend is that the nine day sand storm that finally buried the vilage was brought on by a curse from three women put to sea in a leaking boat over a disputed inheritance. There’s more info here. My favourite part was a magical tree lying on the beach…
…and mountains of sand that rivalled those in the Dr Who Easter special, Planet of the Dead.
New home high above the city!!
I did it!! I moved!! Woooo!! With more than a little help from my friends. I moved on Saturday and Thursday night I hadn’t finished packing and was working all day Friday. Okay I thought, I’ll just stay up all Friday night until it’s done. I should have known better. My old flatmate, who has since moved to Edinburgh, came up for the weekend and suggested a drink after I finished work. I was feeling very stressed at this point in time. Of course I said yes. Then proceeded to down several doubles in quite quick succession. And ended up a little bit drunk. Went back to the flat to start the mammoth task of packing. And entered panic mode. I ended up going to a friends place, drinking with them and staying the night there before they gave me a lift back in the morning. And then they stayed and helped. Overall I had six people helping me carry stuff, load cars, and pack up what I had left to pack. I’m incredibly lucky to have such amazing people in my life. I specifically asked one person to help, the others put themselves forward. I just feel so honoured to have these people in my life. The friend that I stayed the night with is part of my “dyke family”. Actually, she’s even more than that. She’s my own personal Samaritan. (I shall refer to her as Jo* after the email helpline for the actual Samaritans, jo@samaitans.org.) Just by existing Jo gives me confidence that everything is gonna be okay in the end. And when it’s 1am on a school night and I start doubting this, normally when drunk, I can phone her. And she’s there. She’ll talk me down and make things feel do-able again. She’s been there when it really matters and I can’t even begin to say how appreciative of this I am. Which is how I ended up at her house on Friday night. And that is where I thought it would end. But no. She insisted on helping me move. After we stayed up talking, drinking, smoking til 3am and I had to be at my old flat at 10am.
Urgh, this is turning really soppy, I’m just very glad that I have these people in my life. I appreciate everyone but I underestimated Jo and I feel very bad about that and also lucky to have her in my life.
And I have a new flat with amazing views and sunshine!! =) Even if I did manage to accidentally donate the book I was reading to a charity shop by mistake. It’s in their window display. I’m hoping it doesn’t get sold and I can buy it back on a day off…
*not her actual name. What a surprise.
Curiouser and curiouser…
My new obsession:
I love it with it’s mildly alcoholic content, ginger extract and overall yumminess. Sold at Ki:lau, one of my favourite places in Aberdeen. It’s a strange week if I don’t go there at least once…! =)
I think I have a wall fetish…?
This morning I got a text. It was from a friend. This is what it said:
We’re going to china. we’re going to china. we’re going to china!
r we going to china? can we go to china please?
Guess what I agreed to last night in the pub?! I going to try and go to China!! I’m trying to be more open to new experiences and possibilities. And I’ve started to impulsively say “YES!” to things. Which is why I’m going to Berlin on the last day of my current lease. D’oh! Not the most thought out plan but my friend put up a facebook status asking for ideas of places to go on holiday. I suggested Berlin. Not being serious. Less than 24 hours later it was booked! Fantastisch!
Berlin, China, I think I have a thing about famous walls… I might have to go on a daytrip to Hadrian’s Wall soon!
Spring is here!
I’m now sure of it: spring has arrived in Aberdeen! Why am I sure of this? Because my wee friend has returned! He lives on the same street as me and he sits on the wall outside the tenements drinking nettle tea, eating sprouted lentils and smoking rollies. He’s ace. He invited me in for nettle tea once, it made me happy. But in winter he hibernates and I hadn’t seen him in months… But now twice in a row I’ve seen him outside on my way to work! Today he gave me some alfafa which is surprisingly tasty for a natural diuretic.
However I have noticed that he is now under the impression that my name is Jake… Which is cool. I’m not sure what his name is. I think it’s Pete*. But he has a Tibetan prayer name too. And after Dunfermline knocked Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup on Wednesday he told me he was born in Dunfermline. Unfortunately “they” forged his birth certificate so it doesn’t reflect this. As it says Peter on his birth certificate I figure that this may also not be an accurate record.
I’ll miss him when I move. He’s one of my favourite things about where I live now.
*name changed to add to general confusion surrounding the issue
