Between black and white
I didn't realise that I had the day off from work. Hiked back up to Ikea again, this time armed with the measurements. Earlier I had visited Wilkinson's and thought that the prices of the venetian blinds were too high...I was right. I got one for about a fiver less.
What's this bad rep that Jamaican women seem to be getting in so many quarters, especially from African men? I have heard lots of comments about Jamaican women from African men, almost to a person exactly the same. I don't understand why the stereotype, but it says a lot to me about the type of people they have associated with. Recently I've noticed many black women (of Caribbean descent) with Turkish or Greek guys. They've grown up together, pretty much side-by-side in the same neighbourhoods, and I've found that some of these guys have a very strong preference (from a few conversations I've had) for black women. It's actually quite interesting to talk to them and get a bit of insight. The approach of white men, on the whole, tends to be very different from many black men I've encountered.
Often it's been the norm to see black men and white women. Last stat I read said that 48% of black men and 34% of black women were in relationships with the opposite sex outside of their race. In summer you see the "rainbow coalition" of relationships that you don't in winter - not because you don't notice, you just don't see them. Must be something to do with the sun...
Suddenly last summer
...seems so tame by comparison to the excellent quantities of sun we've been getting so far this year!
Maybe that weirdo guy was right; people wear less and show more flesh (oh the trauma!) when the sun's out. I was out and about on Friday, was hoping to pop into Shell's place, but I got back absolutely shattered. And this drinking water thing...well, doesn't feel too bad, but I feel like jumping up like I did when I was little just to hear it swishing around. Unfortunately I am older and there's a lot more to bounce around, so maybe it wasn't a good idea.
I have to make an appointment to see the doctor. Normally I collect ailments and then present them all at once. This time around I'm debating which doctor I should see. Dr Bennett suggested seeing Dr V about my skin thing because she's the "expert" in the practice. On the other hand, I saw Dr Bennett about my other ailment and I feel that I'd be starting from scratch with Dr V, so I don't know what she will suggest or prescribe. Then I've got this darn annoying wart on my neck that keeps rubbing against my collars and is quite annoying. Once, I rubbed it off - I only realised this when I put my hand there and there was a slightly bleeding spot! Now it's back again but I could try the cotton-knot thing wot someone told me about once....
Been busying trying to sort out the flat awaiting visitor No. 1 - in fact, all of my spare time seems to be consumed by the task. No matter how much I seem to have done, there still seems to be just as much to do. Plus I have to buy other stuff, namely a new blind for the kitchen and curtains.
On Friday I went into Ikea to look at curtains and blinds. The curtains were beyond my budget but it seems that most of them were very long as well - too long. There were some great roller and venetian blinds but in my great wisdom I had forgotten the measurements of the kitchen window...oh well.
Use it up, wear it out
Dr Gillian lied! That's all I know.
There's no way anyone can convince me that water is a "natural appetite suppressant". No amount of water at lunch time made me not feel hungry - I caved in and made me a sandwich when I couldn't concentrate anymore. I drank over a litre of water today (which is a rarity on any day), and all it did for me is send me to the loo repeatedly and made me crave something with sugar in to drink. In fact, I'm convinced that tonight, most of my night will be spent visiting the "place of convenience" to get rid of all of this water I can hear swishing around inside of me.
But I've also been industrious; so much so that I've been up and down the ladder so often I'm convinced I'm getting all of my aerobic exercise today by virtue of installing the roller blind at work and finally my curtain rod at home. All thanks to finally digging out the cordless drill...aaaah. Now I know roughly what the measurements of my curtains are - whatever the width, divide it in two for curtains.
Still, I've finally got them up. No. 2, sort out the spare room. Yesterday I bought another box and a round bin-type thing for my ironing, piled it all in (it overflowed) and ironed them all. That bin thing was brought specifically for my clean laundry, because it's usually all over my chairs, and I can't afford to have that with company around can I?
Feelings
Today is that special time of year again when I get a wealth of fantastic quotes:
For example...
"White belts, Ballerina shoes and Rumpelstilskin shoes are in fashion. It's a sure sign that Armaggedon is nigh" - Lemon
That made my day.
It never occurred to me that the place where I was staying in Selly Oak wasn't that far from the Cadbury's factory. Might try to take a stroll there one day - someone said it's past the hospital, and you can smell chocolate in the air, so you can follow your nose and voila! You're there(lol). Now I don't want to think that the smell of the hospital will kill the smell of chocolate...lol.
Fortunately we got to the station in time to catch the late 1:30 train which arrived 20 minutes later. Beats getting the 2pm train and got in just after 3pm. Got home, was supposed to go out again but cancelled. Took a trip up to Herne Hill for my roti. After talking to Lemon it seems that the people who used to run the place are no longer there - and I can tell. At least it got me out of the house. Church was an option, but I couldn't take for anyone embarrassing me today of all days, so I passed on it. Will go tomorrow.
Ended the day talking to Dan. He has a financial talk to attend this evening, albeit reluctantly. Too funny.
Woke up in Birmingham, to bed in London. It's been a great day.
