she doesn’t even want a camcorder…

Posted on June 19, 2009 by nicdempsey

…my mother is back from holiday.

One of the things that she likes to do is the codeword puzzle in the Evening Standard (yep it’s right wing – she likes to know what the enemy is up to!!)  Anyway the puzzle, it’s similar to a crossword, but all the letters have a number and you have to work out what they are and you find the codeword.  There’s a prize but Ma never calls for the prize, she just likes doing the puzzle…

However, the puzzles have been getting harder, Ma thinks that more people have been entering the contest so they are making the puzzle harder.  After a week of not doing the puzzle, it’s extra hard tonight, and she’s struggling a bit and getting more frustrated, until she suddenly utters the immortal words “I don’t even want a f***ing camcorder…”

I love my mother…..

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Only a month and a half…

Posted on June 18, 2009 by nicdempsey

I moved out of Ian’s at the end of April and it’s felt like a huge learning curve, like this time will lead to lots of other things.  Inspired by something else, I’ve been thinking about what I’ve learned from this very short time:

I’m more like my Dad than I’d like to admit
My mum and brother are so like my grandfather….organised, good at maths, slightly anal about train and bus times. I am not, much more ‘caught up in the moment’ like Noel.  And also like him, a bit more ginger…

I’m really looking forward to being an aunty
Sorry Ben and Lu, but it’s way past three months and pretty much everyone knows.  Roll on Dec and from then on, you may address me as Aunty Nic…

I really love my mother  
But more than that, she absolutely one of the best people I know (slightly obsessed by recycling but still amazing) also that she is a lot like my Grandad…

Support comes in many forms

Stop looking for people to be there all the time, remember to appreciate the other stuff

Oh Brother

Even though he never phones me, can be a git and needs to have everything his own way, I love my brother and think he will be an amazing fatherDSCF0429

I do want to travel more
Cote D’Ivoire was an amazing holiday but I was spoiled being at the Residence and with a set of such brilliant people to show me around and if I haven’t already said it thank you – John, Matt, Lazare and most especially Jo.

I would like to spend more time with Jo who I have known for nearly 20 years and admire for being so damn clever and talented but also this year I remembered why she is important to me, she just opens up my world – always has… (sorry Jo that was a bit soppy)

bisap

…and how to make it…

I love my job
despite how annoying it can be….I’m enjoying myself

Camping can be fun
It just needs a bigger tent (and a tent mirror)DSCF1685

After 6 years, I’m ready to live in on my own again.
Wasn’t sure that I could but am really looking forward to it

Not very profound but enough for the minute……

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Cote d’Ivoire

Posted on May 29, 2009 by nicdempsey
 

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The long commute…

Posted on May 12, 2009 by nicdempsey

Living at my mother’s house has been a revelation.  There’s a magic laundry basket – you put dirty clothes in and they come back to you washed and ironed*.

There is also a lunch making fairy, strict recycling rules** and a front door that needs a new lock***

But there is also a long, three train, commute.  So just after the 7am news, I leave the house, I walk to the station and catch the 7.27^ to Waterloo.

At about 7.45, I get to Waterloo and get Tube to Paddington.  At Paddington I get the 8.15 train to Reading.  I’m at my desk at roughly 8.45am.

Going home is the same journey in reverse.

It’s such fun….

______________________________________________________________

*It should be pointed out that when I was a teenager there was a washing fairy at home but no ironing fairy, you did it yourself or paid Mum…£1 per item ironed – no really..

**Thank you Kingston Council for your rather bizarre rubbish collecting rules

***I know you read this Ma and you need to sort it out!!

^Ma, in common with her father and her son, can always be relied on to memorise a train timetable. I, like my father, cannot.

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forever in our hearts…

Posted on May 6, 2009 by nicdempsey

Dean and I met for a coffee on Sunday, we went for a walk along the river and he spotted this bench, just made us laugh…

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Visa

Posted on April 29, 2009 by nicdempsey

Yesterday, I applied for my visa for Cote d’Ivoire.  It was an experience.

The form had to be filled out in French (good job I know a native French speaker or two!). Now I know that technically an embassy is another country but it was a whole other world.  You can only submit a visa application between 10am and 1pm.  They had computers but everything had to be written down.  The fee for a single entry visa was £100, and they only took cash.

I have to go back on Thursday between 2pm and 3pm to pick it up.

Next I have to get the malaria tablets and then I’m all set.

Two things, I’m too lazy to be a proper traveller and 8 days in the Cote d’Ivoire is more expensive than going to New York for a couple of weeks!

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Moving Part One

Posted on April 25, 2009 by nicdempsey

Part one is moving everything out of where I am and into storage.  Then I’m going to live with my mother for a bit (and rediscover why I moved out and she really wanted me to), go on holiday, come back, find somewhere to live and move it all there.

So all the books, DVD’s, CD’s are in storage, pots, pans and most of the kitchen stuff, speakers, amp, most of the bedding and other bit & pieces are in too.  I’m beginning to re-think my ‘no such thing as too many books’ stance and worrying about moving the bed….

Going to have a drink and a rest now!!!

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On the move

Posted on April 18, 2009 by nicdempsey

I’m moving.

It’s time, it’s good and it’s bad.

At this point moving means leaving Fulham and moving back to Ealing.  I need to live by myself and I can just about afford to do that in Ealing but not in Fulham.  Ealing is an ok place to live (I’ve lived there before) and I will be re-united with my kitchen stuff, all my books and my lovely chair, currently all in storage, so like I said good and bad.

But as ever, it’s not quite that simple.  So in two weeks, I’m moving out of here and putting everything in storage.  For three weeks I’m going to stay with either Sarah or my mother, then I’m going on holiday.  When I’m back, I’m going to look for somewhere to live.

Meanwhile, I need to pack what’s here and find someone to help me take the bed apart….time to start then…

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Vigil

Posted on April 13, 2009 by nicdempsey

I went into the Grace Easter Vigil in a not very good mood.  I was tired, not sure about how the Vigil was going to work and generally out of sorts.

However, it was a brilliant service.  It was much more liturgical than a ‘normal’ Grace service but I found it very powerful and moving.  I didn’t take my camera but Jonny did and his pictures are here and he’s blogged about it too.

Afterwards, there were fireworks and fizz.

He is Risen indeed…..

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Easter

Posted on April 10, 2009 by nicdempsey

Four day weekend.

Most of this weekend for me is about Church.

Last night, I miss today (though I am going to hear the Messiah sung at the Albert Hall, it’s tradition!), I’m going to hear Dionne sing at her church tomorrow and in the evening is the Grace Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday morning.

This year Easter seems to have come on all at once, I don’t feel that I’ve done much during Lent and am not ready for Easter.  Thinking about that maybe, that’s my lesson, whether you’re ready or not, God gives.

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