Allergic to Tuesdays?!

I am off school again, and coincidentally it is once more on a Tuesday! I go all school year without a day off, then take two Tuesdays off in a row. I woke up Sunday morning feeling as though I had a cold coming on, and had a sore throat by the end of the day. Then, yesterday I started getting a blocked and runny nose, and my eyes started streaming. This morning I woke up feeling the same, and decided it made no sense to push myself to go into school, as I can't concentrate anyway - my head is pounding. So, another day in bed - so far I have watched Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Will & Grace, Jeremy Kyle, and now I'm watching This Morning. There's not a lot of choice on weekdays, and I don't feel up to reading or doing homework at the minute.

Thank-you to Molly and Jess for the kind messages on my blog from last Tuesday. I'm still feeling quite stressed - I have a feeling that I'm feeling so rough with this cold because I'm stressed, although there is a flu bug going around here at the minute - with schoolwork, but I'm trying to stress myself out less. My step-grandad had his scan, and it revealed the cancer hasn't spread, which is relieving: the cancer is localised, and although it will require a major operation to remove it, hopefully the fact that it hasn't spread so far is a good sign.

I finsihed sorting out a visit to an open day of Salford University two days ago, and the tickets arrived today: it's quite an early open day, but as the course there is my top choice at the minute (English Language with Linguistics) I've decided it's worth the money. I'm going up with my mum, as my dad and sister will be in Germany visiting my family, and I'm looking forward to it!

Wow, I managed a relatively short post - probably because my eyes are stremaing alot, and it's taken a while to write this much! - and I will update more soon. Right now, I'm going to close my eyes and hope to get some more sleep!

A tough week

The last few days have been quite stressful, and as I have a free five minutes, I thought I'd blog about them now. As you may have noticed, I'm blogging in the middle of a week day - I just couldn't face school today. I've not really just taken a day of before, without being quite ill, but after very little sleep, and waking up with stomach cramps and what felt like the beginnings of a migraine, I decided to have a day at home. I'd been stressed last night, and hadn't had a chance to finish all my homework due in today, so I thought I could catch up on my sleep and my homework today. I've spent the morning so far in bed, reading a book I have to read for school (Lies of Silence) and then had a bath; I'm about to start some history homework now.


On Friday I took part an a three legged race for Comic Relief, and ended up falling over, ripping my expensive jeans and hurting my knee. It's still hurting quite a bit, and keeps starting bleeding again - all in all, quite bad end to what was already a very long & dragging week!

Yesterday was not a great day: as seems to be quite normal for me, I didn't have a good nights sleep Sunday, and then yesterday was the anniversary of my Grandad's death. We were extremely close, and so yesterday was quite an emotionally difficult day - I still can't believe he's gone, or that it was a year ago he left us, and miss him every day. It's hard too because my mum finds it very difficult now he's gone, and so we were all quite upset yesterday. On top of that, I found out that my step-grandad's cancer has returned, and he has to have another scan on Thursday to see if it's spread: if not, they will remove the lymph nodes in an operation soon; if it has, then they have to consider chemo. It really wasn't a good day, and I was in a poor mood all day. When I realised that my teachers for my afternoon lessons weren't there, I was quite annoyed: I'd only had two lessons in the morning, and had I known earlier I could have gone home.

Last night I started to get quite stressed about my step-grandad, and then about school-work, and when I get stressed I tend to start feeling ill. Sure enough, I started getting a migraine and chest pains. I tried to get all my homework done, but gave up at ten and decided to try and sleep. I then ended up waking up about ten times throughout the night - and woke up exhausted this morning. I got up, and then decided I'd probably do better to have a day off.

Well, I'd best get going and do some homework - I have to go to the opticians in an hour or so, as my glasses have decided to be a pain, and the lenses have twisted slightly, making them very uncomfortable!

Keane Pictures!

The whole band, at the end of the show.

The lead singer holding the microphone + stand over the crowd so we could sing the lyrics for him!

The whole band near the front of the stage


'Perfect Symmetry' - during this song, the screen was split into two



The album art from 'Perfect Symmetry'

I want to see them again!

You can see how close we were, here's the lead singer Tom.

I just realised I never got round to putting up photos from the Keane concert I went to, so I thought I'd do it now - I'll never get round to it otherwise, and I'd quite like them up here =] They're in a bit of a backwards order, but they're there!

Hairpin bends and tiredness

It has been a very long week - and it's not even over yet! Unfortunately, this week has been one of those that just seems to drag, and today it feels as though I have been counting the minutes, waiting for my lessons to finish. I'm really not enjoying History, and it seems to drag terribly - I'm definitley considering giving it up at the end of the year. I don't really understand why I don't like it, as I absolutely loved History last year, and am finding it difficult deciding whether to give it up - but at the minute, it seems more sensible to do 3 A Levels next year, rather than four, so I can focus on the other three and hopefully have a little more free time when I'm at home, without stressing over homework!I'm not sleeping at the minute either, which doesn't help - my French teacher asked me in French today if I was tired, and then informed me that I looked it (which took me a moment to translate, given my tiredness!). I'm hoping to get an early night tonight (and actually sleep!) as I went with my mum last night to pick up my sister and her friend from a concert about 40minutes drive away, as she didn't want to go on her own, and we didn't get back til late. I should probably be getting homework done, but none of it's due tomorrow, and I'm so tired, so I'm going to have a night off. I don't think I can face any essays or notes tonight!

I had a driving lesson a couple of hours ago - not the easiest thing when you're tired! - and we went to a local village, doing lots of hair pin bends, which I was getting quite confident at by the end! I'm loving driving, and can't wait for my next lesson on Monday =] I decided to go shopping last week, which probably wasn't sensible as I am saving for America, but as I worked a day and did two babysitting jobs, and haven't been shopping in ages, I decided to go. I wisely steered myself away from Waterstones, as I know I would end up spending a fortune on books I don't actually have time to read, but I did treat myself to some new clothes, and ended up with a new phone, as mine is packing up. I've gone for a contract, something which I've avoided before, but as I seem to spend so much on my mobile, have decided is worth it. It's nice to not to have to think about how much money I'm spending, as it's feixed at £20 a month, which is less that I was spending on pay-as-you-go. And I get a nice new phone =]

As I'm not doing any homework, I'm going to write some more of my novel, which I've been forced to neglect recently as I have had so much homework, and have a nice early night. Hopefully no teachers will be commenting I look tired tomorrow! Hope anyone reading this has a nice weekend =]

Birthday Remembrance

Where does all the time go! March already, and more than a week since I last updated my blog! Still, I'm updating now - and it's been a busy week again. Today would have been my grandad's 66th birthday, but he died just under a year ago, and so all my family are thinking of him today. It was very hard losing my gran, as we were so close, but when my grandad died I was so much older, and so much more aware, that it was even harder. I honestly cannot believe that it'll be a year on the 16th since he died: it seems like just last week. Last Friday (the 27th - my birthday!) would have been my gran's 66th birthday too, and so this time of year is always a hard one for everyone, especially my mum (as they were both her parents). It's hard all the time, but so much harder when it's a momentous occasion that those who are gone have missed: I was feeling this the other day when I had my first driving lesson, and wishing that my grandparents could have been here to see me.

Anyway, onto happier topics, it was my birthday on Friday - and I had a great day. My friends were all really generous and thoughtful with gifts, which included series one of the Tudors, and two collages of photos of all our friends, with a couple of images of cute famous guys who I like thrown in for good measure :) My friend J made me a collage full of things that she felt were linked to me and here, which was really nice - and funny! It included references to the novel I'm writing, to things we had growing up (I've known her since I was two) and odd phrases that we both come out with. Then, straight after school I had my first driving lesson. I was extremely nervous, but once I was in the car I absolutely loved it! It was straight onto the road, and we did lots of looping round residential roads, practicing things like hill starts and gear changes. Then I was onto roads with more cars, and ended up doing 2 roundabouts! I really loved it, and i now have L plates and insurance sorted on my mum's car, so I'm practicing every chance I get! Then, in the evening, my mum, sister, dad and I went to see 'He's just not that into you'. I have to say I was a little disappointed with it: it was pleasant enough viewing, but not as good as I'd hoped. Still, we had a nice night. Unfortunately I had to cancel my night out on Saturday with my friends from work as two of them had come down with this sickness bug that seems to be going around (as have most of my other friends - fingers crossed I'm not next!) but I'm just postponing it for a couple of weeks.

If you've read my blog before, you'll be shocked at what I did Saturday night: got up to date with all my homework! :O I know, amazing. For once I didn't procrastinate, I just got it done - and it was nice to have a free day Sunday, which I spent reading and then helped my mum with the shopping at Tesco. I then bought 2 new books at Tesco, which is a mistake as I already have so many to read! (My current one is "A great and terrible beauty" by Libba Bray - it was a little slow starting, but I'm getting into it now!)

I then had my second driving lesson on Monday during my free periods, where we did more of the same, and I've been practicing in car parks and small roads with my mum too. I was driven home by one of my friends for the first time today, and it feels odd - for years we've all been reliant on our parents (the public transport down here is terrible!) and it's nice to have some freedom, although it feels weird knowing you're allowed to be driving!

Off to practice some driving now, then just a little homework to do tonight =] I will try and update soon, else otherwise I end up writing loads and loads when I finally get to update! I hope the sun comes back soon, I only got to see it for a day, and now the rain's back ... =[

A very busy week and 12.5 hours of work!

I haven't blogged the past week, as it's been an extremely packed half-term, so I'll try and fill you in on everything I've been doing! On Monday I worked from 10.30 - 4.30, and we were extremely busy: the dishwasher had broken down, which was a nightmare, and we ended up having to ask my sister to come in and do some washing up for a few hours, as the four of us couldn't get everything done: at one point I was making food, taking it out and attempting to clear tables, not easy when you have lots of orders waiting! Still, I much prefer it to be like that: Wednesday I was in from 10 - 3.30, and it was so quiet, time really dragged. I worked again Friday, which was another hectic day (yay!) and ended up doing 9 - 5, so I was pretty tired. Then, yesterday (Saturday) was vey busy again - and I did 8.30 - 4.30, and was exhausted when I got home: I really enjoy working, but I'm used to doing five days of sitting around at school, and only one physical day, so I tend to get tired by the end of it. However, that wasn't nthe end of my day: the night before, the lady I babysit for had rung me and asked me to do three more dates - one of which was the Saturday night! So, I got home by 5, and went to bed for a bit (re-read a bit of Twilight; yes, I've succumbed again!) and then went to sleep for a little bit. At 7.45, I was babysitting, and I stayed there 'til 12.15: all in all, twelve and half hours work in a day! I slept in until eleven today, to make up for it =]

Babysitting didn't go as well as last time: boh the kids were in bed by nine, but by quarter past on of them was downstairs, feeling ill. I went back upstairs with her, hoping that she would fall to sleep, but she didn't. I tried everything I could think of: offering her drinks, reading to her, sitting with her, but she just kept asking me to ring her parents. After forty minutes, I didn't have a choice, and she was getting quite anxious. I didn't want to spoil their evening, but I had to ring -as it happened, they had no signal. So, I left a message, and had to tell her that I'd rung but there was no answer. So, I sat in her room and, finally, after half an hour she fell asleep. I sat outside her bedroom til midnight anyway, just in case something was wrong, and filled her parents in when they got home at quarter past, so luckily everything turned out alright. I also managed to get some homework done, and re-read the entirity of Twilight...I'm so addicted, it's worrying!

So, onto the rest of my week - the non-work related stuff. Monday night I stayed at J's, and we had a really nice night - her little brother and sister and very sweet, and after they'd gone to bed we stayed up playing silly games like boggle, which ended up being very funny. In the end, we didn't go to sleep until around 4.30 - and for once, her brother and sister didn't wake us up the next morning! After a lie-in until around 10.30, we got up and had a lazy morning around the house - mostly playing with the kids, and we both worked a little on my novel (more update on it's progress in a bit!) Then we spent the afternoon on the beach - it was the first sunny day for a while! - where the wind actually wasn't too cold, and we went looking in rock pools and played with a bat and ball. If you've seen Twilight, then I'm sure you can imagine J trying to recreate the baseball scene: she was doing the bowling, I was humming the muse song 'Supermassive Black Hole' that accompanies the scene in the film, whilst twirling the bat. Lots of laughing ensued! Later, we all cpollapsed on the sofa, exhausted from a late night and a busy day. J went up to the shop to buy something for dinner, and I ended up watching CBeebies (Mr Maker, Grandpa in My Pocket and Chuggington!) with her two year old brother asleep on top of me. I couldn't be bothered to find the remote to turn it off!

I got back home at around eight-ish, and then had to go shopping - I had fifteen friends coming round to celebrate my birthday the next day (although my birthday's not until next Friday!) and had to go buy the food. Then, I went off to bed, for an early night! After work Wednesday, I tidied up, prepared the food with mum (Pizza, pasta and garlic bread!) and then my friends started to arrive. We had a really good night - lots of food, including chocolate profiteroles and a delicious birthday cake made by my friend D, and ended up watching two films between 6.30 and 11: Wild Child (very little in the way of a plot, but we all have a thing for the gorgeous Alex Pettyfer!) and the Holiday (such a sweet film!). Then, once everyone had gone, three of my friends stayed over, and we chatted and watched What Happens In Vegas (possibly the funniest film I've ever seen) until around 2am. They all had to go pretty early the next day, so I had a free day - I went back to bed for a bit, started on an essay, read a little of Twilight, and work on the novel - I'm only a couple of hundred words of 60,000 now!! It was nice to have free day, although I did get quite a bit done. Then I finished the essay Friday night.

So, now it's Sunday, and I'm in bed with my laptop, watching Hollyoaks and eating chocolate :P I will start on the mountain of homework in a little while, but for now I cannot face getting out of bed - and as it's my last dsay of freedom before school, I don't feel overly guilty :P Best be off, lots to do, and if you've made it through this essay of a blog post without falling asleep, congratulations! =p

P.S: If you're reading this and aren't following/commenting on my posts, maybe say hi =] I'm interested to know if anyone other than the two I know about are actually reading this!

Keane & Roses

Sorry it's been a few days, I always go to look at who has updated their blogs, think 'I must update mine!' and then get distracted reading everyone else's! But I'm updating now.

The Keane concert I mentioned was absolutely amazing: they are the best band I've seen live, and they're so good I've seen them twice! Whilst I love their albums, I have to say they are at least ten times better live - not something you often find - and their albums are actually a slight come-down once you've seen them live. I wasn't too sure about their latest album, Perfect Symmetry, the first couple of times I listened to it, but after listening to it repeatedly, and hearing it live, I'm as hooked as I am on the rest! If Keane come anywhere near you, I would thoroughly recommend going: their shows are so energetic, lively, atmospheric and so good!! We were only 2 people away from the stage, so we got a great view - and some great pictures, which I'll put on here as soon as my friends get round to uploading them onto the computer!

It's been a pretty busy week, hence why I haven't blogged, and Keane was just the start. On the same day (Monday) as Keane, weather warnings actually effected us, and we had torrential rain - so bad we thought we might not get to the concert. The town where I live was flooded all over the place, but luckily we got through before the worst hit, and were back after it had finished. Snow, we don't get, but rain is always plentiful! Then I had a hair appointment on Wednesday, and after 2 1/2 hours (:O) I am now technically blonde :) very happy with the result. Homework's been occupying the rest of my time, although I did get round to seeing a film called 'The Pursuit of Happyness' which a friend of mine lent me. Very good film, although I did cry a couple of times! Now, thankfully, it's half-term - although the teachers have gotten very homework-happy, and have piled on the work. I'm also working 4 days of the holiday, staying at a friends tomorrow night, and having loads of friends round on Wednesday night to celebrate my birthday (it's not til the 27th, but it's so much easier to organise things in the holidays!) so it's gonna be a busy one!

I babysat Friday night, from 8 until 12.30, which went really well - the kids were really good, and there were no problems. Hopefully it'll lead to more work! Then, yesterday my mum, dad, sister and I went to the crematorium to leave a rose for my gran. We've done this every year since she died on Valentine's Day, 2000. It's still an emotional day, despite it being 9 years, as she was such a huge part of our lives when me and my sister were younger. We left a rose, along with a little card each from my mum, my sister and I. Mine read 'Always in our hearts and thoughts'. I still can't believe she's gone - and that it will be the first anniversary of my grandad's death next month. That's the really difficult one at the minute - I honestly cannot believe it was a year ago. It doesn't feel that long. So, not the most cheery Valentine's day, but that's what it means to us. It feels good to be able to write this stuff, as I don't really tell anyone - it's not the sort of thing that's easy to discuss, and I think a lot of people would think I was strange for still commemorating my gran's death, 9 years later.

Anyway, a friend of my sister's stayed last night, and we had a 'games night' (they've been having themed nights for weeks: Australian night, chili night, Irish night, shark night...they're crazy!) and I joined in, we ended up having quite a laugh. Now, I'm still in my pajamas (despite it being nearly 2!) and am enjoying probably the only lazy day I'll get this week. Still, I need the money for my America Trip fund! My novel-writing has been put on hold for the last few days, the same as my blog writing, but I'm hoping to get another chapter finished today! J (the friend who's editing it) is bugging me for the next chapter!