Posted 9:00 AM by Lodger
Back from my run. Could only handle 25 minutes at a fairly steady jog. Got a cramp at that point and had to walk back. Oh well. It's a process. My stanima will improve with time. Also planning on going to yoga twice a week with Winnie, and working out with JV on Thursdays at the school gym. Couldn't work out this past thursday due to year 8 parent's evening. Four down, just the year sevens to go! Parent's evenings, that is.

Now just hanging out. Contemplating my plans for the evening. Kind of want to go out. Kind of feel like I should stay in and do some stuff (Important stuff. Work stuff. Getting on top of things stuff). But it's Saturday and I have a hard time being responsible on Saturdays. That's what the odd Sunday is for.

Argh. Now I'm feeling a bit melancholy. Or maybe just blah. Lazy? I don't know. I just know the mood in this room just dropped off considerably and I'm the only one in here. Hmmmm. Weird. Could be some type of post exercise shock. Think I need to eat.

The time in Canterbury by myself was quite good. Reminded me I need to continue doing things just for me. Looking forward to the yoga. I think I may be verging on a self inprovement kick. This entry is taking on quite a free flowing, random thoughts kind of vibe. Reflective of the previously mentioned mood possibly.

Wearing my new Stax T-shirt today. Very cool. Very red. I've always prefered Stax to Motown... especially the early stuff. Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Aretha. Never liked the Supremes very much, or any of those girl groups on Motown. Stevie Wonder kicks ass though. Don't want to be dissin' Stevie.

I feel like I should sign off because I don't have anything really interesting to say, but I'm kind of enjoying this. I'm not really sure where it will go. Although thinking conciously about it might ruin the randomness of the whole thing. Not that I'm coming up with anything profound, or even that interesting.

Damn. Now I'm blocked.

Named my mobile yesterday. Out with teachers last night and they saw my phone on the table and took the piss out of me because it said 'My Style' on the screen. That's the setting where you can set all your ring tones, etc, based your own personal preferences. Except you can also set the name to anything you want as long as it is ten characters or less. They thought 'My Style' was both hilarious and a bit geeky. They had a point. So in turn they each named my phone until it got to Nick, a fellow teacher, who christened my phone, or I guess it's owner, as 'Easy Lover.'

Please email me at rickpartridge72@hotmail.com if you would like to name my mobile for a few days, a week maybe. Easy Lover is already a bit tired. Remember - ten characters at most.

Think I'm going to eat an apple, and then some pasta. Oh, and drink some water too. Yeah. That's what I'm going to do.

Bye.

Posted 4:43 AM by Lodger
Found a decent greasy spoon breakfast place in Addiscombe, near where Winnie and Scott live. I had the full breakfast this morning and feel absolutely saturated with carbs and grease. As I walked out of the place the world seemed to be covered in a greasy film... it dripped from the buildings.

Fried bread sounds like a good idea. I've had it before and enjoyed it, but today it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Finished the bubble and squeak. Finished the bacon and sausage. Finished the mushrooms. Had a few tomatoes. Could only eat one egg and about a quarter of the fried bread. Winnie had the same as me and cleared her plate. The girl can eat. Scott had the 'healthy' option: an omelette, chips and bacon with a can of Pepsi.

Anyway, I'm determined to go on a run today to burn it all off. It's warmed up a bit today, although it might rain. Snowed a bit yesterday. Teased us, but was only a light sprinkle.


MY TRIP:

I hesitate to write about this. It's a tad embarrassing and reflective of a part of my personality many close friends and family know all to well - I can be a bit scatterbrained, unorganised, forgetful.

We were supposed to go on a road trip to Arras in Northern France for a few days over half term. Matthew, Rachel, Emma and I. We got to Dover, stayed the night, and then the following morning, as we reached the ferry terminal and the others pulled out their passports, I felt the 'Oh shit' feeling in the pit of my stomach. I had left my passport in Croydon. Woo-hoo! Good one.

My excuse makes sense, at least in my little universe. Growing up in Canada, unless you're going on a plane, you generally don't need a passport. A road trip didn't trigger 'pack the passport' in my mind. Yes, it is another country. I know. But what can I say? I'm sure the chances of it happening again are slim as anyone who travels with me in future is likely to be sure they ask, 'Did you pack your passport?' Hopefully, anyway.

So they left me at the side of the road in Dover and I had a bit of time to reflect. Decided, as one should in such a situation, to make the best of it. Went to Dover castle. Checked out the underground war tunnels. They were very cool. I'm beginning to develop an interest in World War II themed museums.

After Dover castle and the cliffs, realised there really isn't much else to see or do in Dover, so I headed to Canterbury by bus around 3 that afternoon. Got in to Canterbury for supper time, booked myself into a hostel for two nights and headed out on the town. Met some locals at a pub near the hostel, found out they were heading to another pub for live jazz later. I was already planning to check it out and ended up hanging with them for the evening... got a free lift in Sylvester's Jag (a little later, I had to gently break the news to him that residents of Campbell River, BC do at times venture out of their front doors without rifles... he had a very Grizzly Adams conception of the area).

Turns out my new friends were friends with the landlord of the pub. He started buying me drinks and the evening took off from there. It was good.

The next day I checked out the Cathedral. It was breathtaking. So much history. I really love the English churches and cathedrals. They have a very mystical, natural air about them. They are very grand, but also places of simple humility. And the organ music was wonderful.

Only two minutes left. Gotta sign off now. Will finish this off later.

Bye.

Posted 5:14 AM by Lodger
I shit you not. We really were not that drunk last night. Just giddy with halfterm freedom. They always seem to come just in time. Half terms, that is. Actually, to be honest, and they'll be the first to proudly admit it, Winnie and Holly seem drunk a lot of the time anyway. High on life, I suppose. Craziness.

Had dinner and drinks yesterday with Fariba and her friend Sardegh (I can't say his name properly, a tough second syllable in Arabic). He is an artist visiting other artist friends at an opening in London. Not sure where. He's currently showing his work in a gallery in New York. Didn't get too much of a chance to talk about such things. Talked more about relationships, life in general, travel, and shoes. He bought some really cool shoes yesterday. Artists are probably the last people you want to talk about art with anyway.

I'm about to embark on a three day trip to France... planning to visit Vimy Ridge and some vineyards. Should be cool. Travelling in Matthew and Rachel's new Mini. They tend to be attracted to funky cars. I enjoy being a passenger in funky cars. A fine match, then.

That's about all the time I have. Gotta head to the bus station.

Au revoir,

Richard.

Posted 4:17 PM by Lodger
The only guest bloggers ever were Manami and Sheilagh back in the day... first weeks in Croydon. Anyway, at JV and Verona's place. The invitation is out there. Let's see who has the stones.

Hello all. Win the Pooh here, DOTDOTDOT, Bos is dot, dot, dotting... Why do men dot, dot, dot... For effect, I think... See???!!!! Roast chicken is assailing my nose buds... He (Jv) is feeding us at 12 midnight... ROCK ON AUSTRALIA!!! Ok Bos - calm it!!

Are we drunk you ask?? No, not really. The half term has come to an end, finally, and we are celebrating. On Valentine's day at that!! It's not a day for lovas, it's a day for spending it with family... Home away from home!

Why all the fuss about the day? Should it not be everyday, or at least once a week? It's a day for the Hallmarks and Clintons I think, though I DID get swallowed up in the wave myself - hypocrite?? Rick says that I'm allowed since I have been recently engaged! Schmeee!!!!

Mr t here. I wrote a little song for win. Here goes. Her name is Winnie and she likes golfing but not on Tuesday 'cause that's her free day. I've got another one sounds like this: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh little Winnie ya better stop messin' around. The implication is that my fieoncee is cheating on me...is she? Any news would be most helpful. Send any illicit photos et al to 12a everton road. With regards to my spelling I have a sneaking suspicion I've never been properly diagnosed with dyslexia. How do I find out? Mind you I'm an English teacher. So I suppose I really ought to rectify this.

Window here...

I'm back... addicted to blogging deal... Hmmm, what to say... it think that the deep thoughts will come later, in the absence of people. I think that the chicken is ready now - it smells cooked to me! So, back to this whole Valentine's day thing. What's the fuss? Why do they insist on selling those horrible red devil things? Are they meant to be cute? Enticing? Saucy? How can a red plush toy want me to get in ONNNNNNNN?! Hmm, alcohol may help...

Jv's boy is training to become like his dad, going for the breasts!

Rick is flashing his treasure (snail in Australia) trail now... Whose the mystery guest on his mobile?? It's your birthday!! "Happy Birthday...to...you" (Marilyn style. Rick is very sorry to have not called you earlier but he loves you!!! Oh, it's you Steph!!! He loves you!!!! It's a mobile phone now..

JV here... via interpreter (Rick on the keyboard)... planning on starting the next child... tonight! (Verona's eyes get saucer like. What the fuck?) All's well. Once again wonderful being in the company of friends. Scotch is allowing the talking to be done, and the cooking at this point. Verona wants pineapple now. 'Push pineapple shake the tree, to the left to the right, shake with the hula melody'

Holly and JV just broke into song. A pineapple song unknown to Canadians, but apparently popular with the South Africans and Aussies.

Holly now considering herself to be the Venus... Goddess on the mountain top... etc.

Any other guest bloggers? (Rick here again by the way in case anyone is confused).

Holly here... Holly hates dot dot dot. Get yourself some balls and get it sorted! Food looks good. Woman is very focused. Nutty woman going off her tree again. Someone introduce the sanity pills! (Winnie says... Holly would not take them anyway). To be or not to be, that is the question. Have to be nutty makes life good. Let's break into dance!!!

JV says shut the fucking computer down... dinner is ready!!!!

Holly says, 'Food now, food now! Bye bye!!'

Dinner 2. 12:30 AM. Ciao ciao!

Posted 11:02 AM by Lodger
A quick update...

Life continues here. Coursework to mark. Parent's evening Wednesday (yuck!) Workload was getting me down last week a bit. Went out for noodles and beer with Winnie and Emma thursday night, which sorted me out. Sometimes you just have to leave it behind and have some fun.

Friday after work Winnie, Holly, a year ten boy named Henry and I kicked around an Aussie rules football on the school's muddy sports field. Then some Canadian football afterwards... didn't know it, but Winnie kicks ass at football. She played for her university team during her undergrad. She throws a bullet spiral and, unfortunately for me, she's a pretty competent tackler. She took me down on a little play Henry and I were running against the two girls. Henry, by the way, was possibly born in the wrong country... never played the game and could throw the old pigskin like he'd been doing it all his life.

Weekend has come to an end, but it has served it's purpose. I've successfully allowed myself to enjoy the time I've had without thinijg about work. Yesterday I went to Ikea with Paul and Carrie... what a zoo! It seemed at one point Paul's head might explode with frustration. The place was packed. A well timed coffee break kept us all sane and then we finished up with our purchases. I am now the proud owner of some organiser boxes, some vanilla scented candles and a new plant (my first ever!) named Carl. Paul and Carrie also purchased a couple of plants... a cactus named Spiny Norman and a grass plant named Russ. The ironing board was christened Speckled Jim. You had to be there. The misunderstood comic genius of Paul and Rick does not translate well to blog entry.

Anyway, I was recruited to help get all of their stuff back to their new flat in Balham and then we had a curry and some beer and wine. Emma came over and was subjected to much discussion of the 'which White Stripes album is their strongest and why' variety... music geek type stuff. In other words, a good time was had by all.

Last bit of news before being booted out of this place:

I'm going to Calais for a few days for half term break next week. Matthew and Rachel are driving down and picking Emma and I up... we're making a trip to Vimey Ridge which should be really cool... also some French countryside day trips are planned. Best of all: it's dirt cheap.

Gotta go.

Go Canucks.