Game Face.,
originally uploaded by ebeth.

Oh how I hate to ignore you.. No, really, I do.

There's so much to say yet nothing that I want to share with the world as these days it seems whatever nonsense I spout is often taken the wrong way or relatively harshly judged.

So uh, Hi.. it's me.

I took the day off yesterday and revelled in the chance to avoid responsibility for anything more important than scoring hot cinnamon and sugar donuts at the seaside. I should add that not only did I score three hot and delicious donuts at said seaside, I managed not to burn my fingers and only spent £2 in the pick n'mix section of the local sweet shop. Seriously, I consider these two things victories.

Hmm.. what else. If you're in the know and following along with my life adventure I can report that things are okay, no one's fallen off the planet yet due to lack of gravity. Life, you may or may not want to know, is pretty sweet with a few minor exceptions that are neither here nor there .. We all have frustrations and I'm no exception.

In nerd news.. iPhone 4G. A gyroscope, huh? Will this help me finally get past the level I'm stuck on in Angry Birds? Stupid, stupid game. It should be called Angry Elizabeth.. Why I started playing is beyond me.

More news as I have it...

Buns.,
originally uploaded by ebeth.

I like this picture.. mainly because the iced buns look like boobs. Yeah, I went there.

It's the Friday before a Bank Holiday Monday.. I'm super stoked about the upcoming weekend. Not that I have major plans that involve slowly driving a caravan across the UK, clogging up traffic while I cruise at 55mph .. I sort of wish I did. I think caravans are hot*.

I think my weekend will include a lot of laughing, geekery, some relaxing, some silly, maybe a few made up competitions and some pretty decent eating. I mean, there'll be a Sunday - and there's always bacon on Sundays.

I think I'm having Friday ADHD. There was something I wanted to write about and it seems to have completely escaped me. Oh well.

Did I mention that those buns look like boobs?

(*not really)

The view from here.,
originally uploaded by ebeth.

At the moment, I'm spending my time moving between here and there both literally and figuratively.

Time is standing still and flying past all at once and there isn't very much I can do to stop it. I should add that I'm not sure I'd want to, anyway.

This weekend I have a very difficult task ahead of me that will change one little life forever. It's not something I take lightly or head into without significant thought and care and frankly, it scares the hell out of me.

Who am I to change someone's life without their permission? Who gave me the right to make decisions for others? I know I'm the responsible adult making up half the decision making team - but seriously, how did that happen?

Most days, I feel like I'm about 12 .. but facing this weekend, I feel every day, week and month of my 38 years.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I told anyone that would listen to me that I had no expectations for her birth but that I just wanted to get through it with humour and grace. I suppose that's what I'm wishing for this weekend.

I'd like to tell my daughter that I'm getting divorced .. with humour and grace.

So yeah.. There are a few things afoot at the moment. I'm sure you'll ask me diretly if you want to know anything, right?

I mean.. gossip kills, people! Let's play safe out there, okay?

I'm currently sitting on a porch of a local restaurant listenting to a local cover band that plays only southern rock.

Friends, you can take the girl out of the south... But that girl might get a bit weepy when she hears the music of her people.

And yeah.. She's been drinking, but when you look over and see your very British child singing along to Sweet Home Alabama.. Well, that's concentrated awesome.

I know. I'll shush now.

Just Breathe

Redneck.

So taking a holiday for two and a half weeks is pretty much insane to begin with.. I think most people can handle about ten days of holiday before thoughts turn from 'Whee!' to 'Whoah!'

An additional eight days was sort of just asking for slightly more stress and even more boredom.

I think being an expat, I always feel like I have to maximize time with my family as I have it. That and having a child in a school with a three week Easter break.. Well, it just sort of added up to taking two and a half weeks. So, that was cool and I'd made peace with being away from Corporateland.

But a freaking Icelandic volcano shutting down European airspace?! Boy, I didn't see that coming..

I can't get home now for another week.. My flight has been rebooked for a week and a day later than originally planned and thats assuming that flights are able to happen again soon. Fuuuuck off, volcanic ash.

I've been amusing myself trying to hang out in weird, quirky local places. The picture over there was taken at 11pm at the convienence store, where i decided to try on various redneck hats and alphabetize all the different varieties of pork rinds. Who knew there were so many amazing flavours of fried pig flesh?

So I'm now contemplating how to spend the additional week here.. I'll admit I'm treading water in a pretty impressive stylee. My two week gym membership has run out, I've used up all my credit on my Starbucks card, I've already gone on a comedy underpants buying spree, I've hung out at the Apple Store more than once to creep wifi, I ran out of Maoam two days ago, I've played and almost enjoyed Pirate themed mini-golf... The absolutely mundane and stupid complaints go on and on. And yes, I realise I'm being a bit annoyingly tediously whingey. I know.. I know..

In other news.. I continue to adore my iPad. love it very, very much. It's not been out of my line of sight in the last two weeks.

I'm trying to avoid covering it in pork rind crumbs and droplets of cheap beer. Honest.

ps - there's no freaking way I'd eat pork rinds.. and the Miller High Life 40oz beer? Well, as much as I'd love to drink it out of a paper bag in a parking lot somewhere.. I'm really more of a $3 bottle of screw top wine girl.