Good cartoon Q, but you will in fact find it is pronounced 'aooooooooolaaaaaaa'

Went to the hell-hole that is Croydon this morning to collect my tickets. The laaydeez there dress in an unusual way in tight & shiny fabrics and there is much orange flesh on display. I know how Captan Kirk & the one in the red top felt now whenever they beamed to a strange & inhospitable planet. I'm not even going to mention braaaaaahn babies.

I turned up at the appointed time & place & announced myself cheerily into the intercom. I was met some minutes later by a nervous, acne-ridden youth who wrote down my details on a pad whilst shifting uncomfortably. I should add at this point that I had spoken to them twice on the phone as as instructed prior to my arrival so that 'my tickets could be brought straight out to me as soon as I arrived'

Some 20 minutes passed & just at the point where I had my princess speech ready a totally different youth appeared with an envelope.

I don't know who was more relieved him or me when he approached a middle-aged man with not much hair sittiing opposite me & announced proudly 'tickets for Miss Briggs' I would have thought with just 1 male & 1 female in the waiting room he could have sussed it out. Maybe I expect too much. I told Einstein his delay had made me nervous. His reply 'Not as nervous as me - I haven't been able to find these for 20 minutes cos the girl what did em is off today' 'Where did they turn up?' I asked. 'On er desk' replied Sherlock.

Now I am back home with packing to do & still some official letters to send.

So why did I get another cat-nip mouse, this one goes by the moniker of 'Glitter-mouse' , out for the cats t
o play with ?

Unfortunately to add to my distress there is also golf from the Belfry on tv. I must be strong & go & pack (after checking another NZ website first of course)
Di, Ang & I have arranged a girly Sunday lunch at a restaurant called Red Peppers in Esher. Wendy can't make it as she is entertaining the outlaws, however I thought I would invite Cocky as she was unable to make the BBQ due to prior commitments ie. Badminton. The last time I saw her I told her I was due to travel on Monday so I texted her today to pass on my flight details for Thursday & to invite her for lunch. The phone rang & when I answered, her first shouted words (adopt strong Northern Irish accent) were 'Aren't you ever going ???????' Linda is also the one who cheerily informed me that 'Everyone will forget you a month after you've gone'

Apparently she does a lot of voluntary work for the Samaritans. Their call rate plummets on the days she works.

When I was waiting for my tickets in the reception this morning I got chatting to a lovely old chap who was selling biscuits for the Guide Dogs for the Blind. He asked where I was going & I was very surprised to hear a growed-up voice replying 'Christchurch in New Zealand' I looked around to see who was mad enough to travel 1/2 way around the world on a whim - then realised it was me !

As he left he wished me safe trip & hoped I enjoyed my year. Even in Croydon there are people to keep you on the straight & narrow.

Definitely going to pack now - with Radio 4 for company.

Q - thanks for the Osama fotie on Blog, didn't even know until Weeny told me ! :-)

Tonight is the first night, since I found out I got the job in NZ that I have been able to sit & relax & watch tv without feeling guilty about not doing something more productive. Since 6pm I have been packing the contents of my bedroom into plastic boxes (what else ?) and lugging them up into a very hot loft. I now just have my bedding & the basics for the next few days. I am horrified at the amount of stuff I was proposing to take with me & will have to have a serious re-think about what constitutes a necessity.
The problem with neddies is that all the stuff you need to ride them is so bulky.

The basics are :
Riding hat
Knee length boots (for shows)
Short everyday riding boots
Half chaps (the zip up things which go from foot to ankle to protect your jods & assist with grip)
Body protector (for jumping & cross-country)
Full-length waxed jacket (cos I like to look like Clint in 'Unforgiven' to keep the locals on their toes)
Wellies (green, naturally)
That's not including jodphurs (at least 7 pairs) tops (long-sleeved & short-sleeved) some fleeces & a lightweight coat.
There's me thinking I would be able to take a dozen or so hardback neddy books. I may just have room for the Little Book of Calm
I have achieved loads today & next door on the table as well as all my lovely cards are :
My passport (complete with Visa)
Tickets
Notebook with things still to do (you would be proud of me Ange, Ange is list woman)
Squidgy things for putting in your ears for equalising cabin pressure for those of us with delicate lugs

The only downer today was my Mum. She told me last week that she was off Thu & Fri. Then speaking in that code that Mum's do she said she didn't mind if I didn't get up to see her before leaving. This calmed me down because I was panicking about having so little time to get things organised. I then told her I would not have time to get up to Yorkshire, whereupon she said 'Please come'

So now I feel lousy because the only days I can see her now are Tue/Wed next week & she is working. Sigh.

She then went onto say it was probably a good thing as the goodbye would be very hard. Having done far too many of those recently I tend to agree. I haven't told her yet but plan on paying for her to join me out there for a break if I can manage it. Who knows, my bike accident claim might even be settled in the next year & I could use that money ?

Off to bed now as I am zorsted.
One day closer, tick tock.
Cx