Lazy Sunday Post...

It seems to have been a while since I posted on a Sunday. Today is one of my lazy days. I was up earlyish and have already made a visit to Sainsburys which was a lot busy than I thought it would be Sunday morning!! But now I am home and ready to have a day in. I've decided to have a bit of a random post for that reason as I do not really feel like concentrating too much.

Trip to Sainsburys

Fun in the sun

Sunday lazing 

Social Stress

Central Park Sunshine 

A favourite song of mine at the moment

Is anyone else having a lazy one? Or are you up to something fun today?

54+19=

Just a quick post today as I am out early for a comedy show and then into town. I am a little skeptical of the comedy show. I am a pretty sarcastic person so I sometimes find comedy a bit dull. I like it when they take the mick out of real life and observations. None of that over the top shouting stuff...yawn!!! So I am hoping it's gonna be good. 

I just wanted to share a gem from one of my students today. I was working through a Maths test with her and she is one of my lower group. The question was 54 + 19= So I told her she could solve it in her head. She begin eagerly counting and then stopped, looked at me and said:

"Miss...I'm stuck now. I don't have 19 fingers..."

I can add 8....

Happy Friday!!

{Image via}

Driving...

I have to start by saying that I love driving. I will quite happily take people places and drive about. Traffic jam? Not to worry, music on and a sing along. Although if I need to get somewhere on time I lose patience very quickly!! I am one of those people you see driving along, singing away to themselves. 

Over at TGN, she has been keeping an eye on the cars around her for a very strange reason which you should check out. 

I have my own list of things which amuse/annoy me while driving:

Lorries

Not lorries in the normal sense, no, I find the lorries which don't have the load part attached to them hilarious. They look like they are toy cars which have been blown up to a giant size. I always get the thought that they will just tip over.

{Via}

 How do they not tip over?

Cyclists

There is a road near me which always seems to have cyclists on. It is known to me and Miss GG as the bike road (creative or what?!). We have been known to text one and other detailing how many bikes we've seen while driving on it before. I am always excited when I clock more that 5!!

 Beep beep!!

People walking along the road

I know they're going somewhere, I just don't know where?! This is particularly strange on motorways. Why would someone walk along the motorway? It's dangerous, busy and cars drive really fast along. Why? Get a bus...please?

{Via}

 Where are you going?

Sunday Drivers

If there is a speed limit stick to it or at least get close!! People who drive at 40mph in a 60mph zone just annoy the life out of me. They can cause just as much of a problem driving slow as they can driving over the limit.

{Via}

Might as well have Gary in front of me I'd drive faster...

Bully drivers

These are the opposite to Sunday drivers. They drive fast but never seem to over take. They believe that if they just drive as close to your backside as possible that you will speed up. Me being the stubborn person that I am, I like to slow down gradually not touching the break so they get more frustrated. I turn back to 'learner driver' if I have to go round a corner and slow down really far away. Serves them right! 

{Via}

 Go faster? No way...

Lane cutters/lack of indicators

Both inspire creative road rage in me. I can not stand people cutting in my lane! How did some people pass their test? Also, indicators...we have them for a reason and therefore they should be used. Don't let me sit at a roundabout when you aren't even going to drive past me!! Grrr!! Unfortunately I take after my dad when driving and have a short fuse. But seriously, just stay out of my lane and show me where you're going to!

{Via}

It's not a racing track...

Back on the er...pole

With all the knee problems that I'm having, I am getting extremely frustrated at my lack of being able to do anything. I don't exercise to stay slim, I do it because I enjoy it therefore not being able to do it since last October has been pretty rubbish. All I want to do is prance about. After numerous visits to Mr Knee Man (I don't know his real title but I have used more colourful words to describe him at various points) and a scan it appears that the damage is low level. What does this mean? Well I'm not that sure as Mr Knee Man can be rather vague. I have seemed to ascertain that I need to build up knee and quad muscle again and that more than likely somewhere in the future I can get back to running and high impact exercise. It seems like it can't be 'fixed' as such just worked around with some well developed muscle!!

So he has given me a list of exercises which are boring squats and leg extensions. I have decided (wrong or right I don't know) to go back to my pole dancing. This is because I reckon it's not too bad on the knee and you use a lot of core and upper body strength. I went to my first lesson in a year today and I absolutely loved being back. It's one of my most enjoyed exercise ever and I always say it's the best exercise I've done to tone up arms and stomach. You just have to not mind a couple of bruises while learning!!! It wasn't long into my lesson that I was attempting my upside down spins and didn't fair too badly... woo!!!

As it was my first time back in a while I decided on the beginners class. This led to my favourite quote of the day from my instructor:

"That girl over there just asked me if you're a professional."

This amused me due to the fact that I haven't done it in so long!! Clearly I'm still not so bad at it. However I'm not so sure whether I should be worried or flattered by this remark! The way I look at it, the weekly lesson along with all the exercises given by my doctor she set my knee up well.Now I have the fun of not being able to walk for pain after my first work out in 7 months.

I'm sure everyone has their one type of exercise that they love more than anything else?

I'm back...

It has been such a long time since blogging. I feel new to it all over again!! My trip was great and I arrived back home last Friday. I unfortunately had jet lag catch up with me so I took another couple of days off to get pulled around. I have to say I have coped better with jet lag this time than ever before....Is that a sign?! I had a stressful start to the holiday with the usual half term illness. I also decided to work on the fight over there. I got loads done but it wasn't fun writing. I will say that my holiday sparked my writing off again. I wrote loads (in fact I carried my notebook around just in case inspiration struck at any time) and have continued that since getting back. How much will make it to my blog? I don't know...it's just nice to be enjoying it!!

My holiday was a lot more relaxed than any other I've been on to NYC. Since I've done most of the main 'touristy' activities I was able to stroll and just take in the city more. Luck would have it that I got to take the city in, in glorious sunshine!!! I got to wear the daisy dukes Texa - wooo!!!!

I ventured to Williamsburg in Brooklyn, lounged in Central Park and wandered along Park Avenue. I was also lucky enough to visit the Met (first time) to view the Alexander McQueen exhibit. I have to say that it was some of the most amazingly beautiful yet dark work I've ever had the pleasure of viewing up close. The rooms were all themed and had noises and holograms everywhere, along with many quotes. The guy was talented and clearly loved the female form. He took pride in making woman look strong and powerful. Check out this link if you want a glimpse of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty.

 

It's getting harder to leave the city each time I go. I know that it could never be a place which I call 'home' but it would definitely be an adventure. The more time you spend in New York, the more you see past the lights and buildings and really see the people who live there. It struck me at one point that the majority of people walk around the city are alone. Whether they're going to work, school, hanging out etc.Even when walking with Miss Faux Fur it was hard to stay together. It was like some magical force field pulling us apart. Friends I met said they have maybe 2 close friends and everyone else is just 'someone they know'. If you know this before going there long term it's fine but I couldn't imagine someone turning up with no knowledge.It's a city which can toughen you up, burn you out but can introduce you to so many unusual and interesting people. Some of whom you feel like you could have a real friendship with, others you need to feel wary of them.

This sounds like I'm being negative towards my (and Rebecca's) favourite city. I'm not. I'm just seeing it in reality. It's like the final scene of The Wizard of Oz- the curtain is lifting and the lies are being exposed. I feel like I have a closer bond with the city now, I've found out a secret which not many people know. It is and always will be a city full of so many memories and hopefully at some point an adventure which will toughen me up and give me things to tell my grandkids about in the future.

I ♥ New York City....still....