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/1111/2002 Archived Entry: "This weekend"

I actually had something which vaguely reminded me of a social life this weekend. It was very strange. But rather nice. I really must do it more often.
On Saturday, we went to Camden (Which absolutely has to be said Caaaaamden). The market wasn't as horrid as we thought it was going to be. We think everyone was at the Lord Mayor's Parade. Which worked for us. We had nice food - tartiflette - this recipe isn't quite right, but it's the only one I could find quickly using Google that was in English - and crepes. Some enterprising person was also selling mulled apple juice as well as mulled wine. And it was bloody lovely. I also bought Candy some jewellery! Which she wanted! It's a gorgeous sterling silver Celtic design ring and it's really, really nice. I bought it for our 12th Anniversary, which is this Thursday (So you have plenty of time now to rush out and buy us pressies and cards and things!). And, even better, she's worn it ever since - okay, yesterday - and hasn't had an allergic reaction to it. Hoorah!
On Saturday night, Candy and I went to see our friends Geoff and Emma (whom we met through Quentin and Marian) who live in the Quaker Friends House in Egham. Which is out to the west of London. Getting there was a pain. Arsenal were playing at home (against Newcastle, apparently. Although I don't know who won. I've just found out - 1-0 to Arse apparently - thank you Rob.) and we got to the Tube station just as they were letting out. So, of course, they cancelled several trains. So, we thought 'bugger this' and went to get the North London Line overland train. Which took ages to arrive. Things were not looking good.
Anyway, eventually we got to Candy's parents place and nicked the car, as we do so often. And then we hit the traffic on the A40. Which was not fun.
I was feeling somewhat annoyed by this point - a state not helped by the fact that my PC is playing up at the moment. Problems with Access and DLL's. I think I need to re-re-reinstall Windows. Bum - but my annoyance was relieved somewhat by playing They Might Be Giant's "Brand New Album for 1990" Flood. Which is lots of fun and why I have been going around singing "Everybody wants a rock to tie a piece of string around..." and indeed "Everybody wants prosthetic foreheads on their real heads..." Which are, I think you'll agree, words of wisdom to live by.
Anyway, we eventually got to Emma and Geoff's and had a very nice time. There were several other people there - although I can't remember any of their names (apart from Helen - and I can remember her name because a little boy who was also there was having a lot of difficulty working out her name and kept asking 'What's your name?' for about 2 minutes. I think he thought she was saying 'hello'...)
Everybody had been instructed to bring a bottle, a firework that goes 'phut', a sparkler, a story and their favourite CD. We took some wine and some apple juice, a firework that went bang, fell over and started shooting out to the sides - although, fortunately, not actually towards anyone, coloured sparklers, 'The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish' by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean which went down very well. Candy chose Elephant Elements which is really silly. The CD was my 'soundtrack' compilation to an unfinished story called "I Wish I Could Be Like...". Considering everyone else seemed to have brought folk and classical, and this contains The Jam, Nirvana, PWEI and the Prodigy, it seemed a little out of place. But it went down well. Or at least, no one demanded it's removal and Geoff's sister liked it, she was singing along to The Pixies and The Wedding Present. So that's good.
On Sunday evening, we had Candy's oldest friend, Caf and her partner, Amber, over for dinner. Candy made a delicious vegetable lasagne and a pancake cake. The latter of which is essentially lots of pancakes piled one on top of the other with creme fraiche and jam sandwiched in between. And it is as deliciously wonderful as it sounds.
It was really good seeing Caf and Amber again, because we don't see them enough. Caf seems to be one of these people who is permanently busy. Or maybe she just doesn't like us and couldn't come up with an excuse to get out of seeing us this time...
Pity I'm back at work again. Oh well, it's a short week this week. Wednesday and Thursday are 'Sector Training Days' at some conference centre in the middle of nowhere. It's either going to be fun or a truly hideous experience. I'm reserving judgement...