Life as we know it is over....

Well, this has been a very short lived blog...and I'm doing my utmost right now to ensure I never revisit Slough or Stockley Park again...

But never fear, with Paddington Bear as my mascot we will continue our adventures on my original blog.

THE SQUID FILES

So check it out!

Although, I do have a bit of a soft spot for Slough now. Full of immigrants, just like me, trying to find work, just like me. *sigh*

It makes me think of an article I recently saw in the Metro. Their best ever. It was about Paddington Bear, and being an asylum seeker....hmmm

It was along the lines of if Paddington had arrived in 2007 and not 1958 then the following would have occurred:

• Paddington arrives from Peru as an illegal immigrant, no visas, passport, nada!
• He is an animal and should have been put in quarantine
• Otherwise he would have been thrown in a detention centre with no civil rights
• He would have been deported
• His suitcase would have caused a major security incident and cleared Paddington Station, and then would have been blown up.

And just some more food for thought today. Amnesty International has condemned Britain for its treatment of Asylum seekers from Iraq, the country that Britain fu*k3d up along with the USA...Britain actually deports Iraqis back 'home' to the rubble and violence it created..this makes me sick!

Over and out.

come stai?

It now takes 1hr 45 mins to travel to work. Each way....zzzz.....So I'm charging up my ipod, and have just downloaded my newest purchase. An Italian language cd. Yes, I'm studying Italian. I'm just having visions now of listening to this on the train...deep in concentration...hand gestures waving about everywhere... offending someone and starting brawl... great.

It's quite cool. It comes with an exercise book and I listen to the little tests and mark down the answers in the book. So I'm finally making use of the pencil, sharpener and eraser set that my mother sent to me for Christmas....???...Yes, I'm still her little girl and this is quite typical of the presents I receive. At least there's no underwear or socks anymore. I have a variety of coloured socks which I only ever wear with boots to cover them. Teddy bears, rainbow socks...you name it...I got it...

But yeah, so I won't get to Italy this year, but I guess the fact I'm paying a visit home to Melbourne in November will mean I'll get enough practice....Lygon Street, Carlton....can't wait for a real pizza. Made by Calabrians and Sicilians.... the real deal....none of this Pizza Express rubbish.

Anyway, 8 weeks to go and roughly 3 hrs per day available to me to practise Italian...Molto bene!

Ma adesso, ho sonno e devo dormire...buona sera...

Music to my ears...

Alas...I am no longer waking up to the sweet tones of Magic radio, with the traffic report in Essex..(yeah, really useful since I was in Slough without a car...not a euphemism for 'up the creek without a paddle'...). Actually, it's probably just as well I'm not listening to it anymore. I was getting to the point where I could rattle off the playlist they had on repeat each morning.

Elton John - Sad Songs
Dirty Dancing theme song
Islands in the Stream
Belinda Carlisle
Bryan Adams
...etc

I felt like I was listening to Casey Kasem's American Top 40 all over again. You know, when I was a wee lass (aged 10) back in the 80's, I used to sneak into my mum's room and hide under the bed listening to her clock radio while she was out in the lounge or kitchen cooking dinner. This was usually a Saturday evening around 6pm, hence I started to get all my pop music awareness from American Top 40. Belinda Carlisle and The Bangles were my favourites at the time.....I still love The Bangles, even more so now that I know the connection with Prince...

Hmmm, so what's happening to good ole Casey these days...Who is Casey Kasem? Check it out!

Something I have enjoyed, however, since being back home is using my gee whiz laptop and getting great sound on Triple R streaming live on the internet...ahhh...the dolcet tones of an Aussie accent...Melbournians none the less. This would seriously have to be one of the best, if not the best, radio station in the world!

Well, another day, another dollar...time once again for a few zzzz's....

Last day at chez nous

I've now cleaned out the fridge...well almost...and nuked my left over salmon pasta. Nasty business these microwaves. That was a very forgettable last supper...AND..being taunted by the uktvFOOD channel at the same time. I think I'll quit my job and become a celebrity tv chef. I have no prior experience, but it looks like a lot of fun and I sure have the enthusiasm...that's gotta count for something...*sigh*

The sunset over the industrial park/power plant was quite eerie and lovely tonight. I've packed the bags and head back into London to my home tomorrow night. I'll miss the Sky tv...but really looking forward to my own bed again.

And no more glimpses over Windsor Castle as I take the short bus ride to work from Slough station. And I didn't make it to the Polski deli! Ahhh...the things we take for granted when they are in our backyard.

Well, time for bed. I await the dawn as it brings me new hopes, new horizons...(orright!!!!)

The end is near...

My time here is coming to an end. Contrary to popular belief I am not running from debts owed to a Columbian drug cartel, nor am I going underground whilst on a sabbatical in Italay to work as an accountant for the Mafia (although very tempting...)...no it is much more sinister....Life in the Slough Lane is to be cut short...an aggressive phenomenon is taking over...our project team is relocate to near Hayes and Harlington...

But we will not be beaten! The blog must go on! Lets drink to that! (..well, it happens to be flat diet coke as I try to clear out the fridge...)

What dangers lurk ahead...what adventures>>>

Stay tuned...

Num nums

Ok, so I was in Leeds again yesterday. Took the train up from Kings Cross. First class. La di da.... we were given a cup of warm orange juice, water and majorly disgusting coffee..blek! However, I came prepared and had dropped into Marks and Spencer for my free range egg sandwich....not just any sandwich, but an M&S sandwich...(a friend of mine recently observed that M&S ads are food porn...mmmmm) and then popped by my second fave coffee chain AMT for my soy latte...fair trade coffee...doing my part of mankind...just like those stupid little groupies who go to rock concerts and wear a stupid plastic band on their wrists...they've made such a difference to world poverty...the so called 3rd world is positively wallowing in wealth now...the fat bastards...spare a thought for poor old Sir BG (Bob Geldof)in his old age..who is going to support him, I ask you...Peaches?... or Tiger Lily Devil Sporn?....hmmm....so next time you scorn cynically at a rock concert that will save the world, spare a thought for the 'has been' or 'never will be' rock stars trying to salvage their careers...

My favourite coffee chain happens to be Cafe Nero. The Cafe Nero on Tottenham Court Road, right near Goodge Street Station was where I had my first 'real' coffee in London, discovered nearly 3 weeks after I'd arrived in the country. Let me tell you, I was just about gagging for a coffee by that stage. To my English friends and colleagues reading this blog I must tell you something..Starbucks is evil! Awaken your taste buds. Wake up and smell the goddam coffee!!!

But I have digressed again...I am sure you are more interested in reading a blow by blow account of my 2 hr something train journey to Leeds....No????

Well...since there is a strong food focus to the last couple of posts...(I'm also typing this while watching Two Fat Ladies with their fat in vat concoctions)...I would like to go on record to say that I actually enjoyed my lunch at the Leeds canteen. I had a rather healthy and tasty chicken stir fry. The accompaniment was cheesy garlic bread. An odd combination I'll grant you. And I was somewhat disappointed that no side salads were available as the side dish. True to form, the side dishes comprised a lot of cheese and carbohydrates. Of course, the only other hot food was the infamous deep fried chips and baked beans. Still, overall, an improvement.

Is it something I said????

I tell you what, after a day of battling airport security, Slough never looked so good. I must have a magnet attached to me. Pick me! Pick me!

I had to fly to Leeds today for work. I don't mind the city in all honesty. It has a kind of edgy feel to it, which I quite like. It's just the flying. I started early this morning, making it into Heathrow with plenty of time spare. Cool, I thought. I'm going to get a coffee and have a snooze somewhere. Alas, not to be. I first encountered the check in for BMI...some Eastern European lady demanding I produce a passport...but it's a domestic flight!!!! Ok, convinced her at last, scouted around the Brady Bunch on summer holidays and made it to a spare automatic check in.

Next stop, security. A somewhat over zealous body pat down...ewww...and then my laptop scanned for bomb stuff...whatever..

So that was the first leg...Then there was the return journey back to London...

Before I get there, I must digress at this point and make a further observation. I now know where the 2/3 obesity rate for the UK comes from. Leeds, Yorkshire. There are some seriously FAT people in Leeds. Waddling all over the joint. Chocolates and other sweeties all over the desks...And you shoulda seen the fried food at the canteen! Deep fried cheese toasties for crying out loud...repulsive.. I've since found out the Londoners visiting this place go off premises in search of healthier options at lunch time. Mental note for next visit. Still, the food options in Slough are Pizza Express, Nandos and Pizza-A-Go-Go-(figure).

Right, back to the return journey. 5pm. Down tools. Dash for freedom. Jump in very smelly taxi. Get stuck in traffic on way to airport. (Note, there is only 1 road in to Leeds - Bradford airport. Up a narrow high road and past roundabouts feeding on to the motorway, that is still blocked due to flooding weeks ago...sheesh!!)..Pull up into airport. Taxi driver decides to write his life story on the receipt...Literally run into security...wheezing heavily...plastic bag with stolen toiletries from hotel rooms, jacket, laptop, shoes...all in tray... (15 mins to take off)....and WHA THA FU%$!!!!... I get stopped again by airport security...This time the body search was even more personal...And THIS TIME, they did a full bag search...I swear I did my utmost to bite my tongue...I think something slipped out, but my colleague managed to save the day...phew! I just can't believe this.

It doesn't matter what I do, every single airport I go to I get this treatment. I clearly have terrorist written all over me...I swear that the real ones are slipping in behind me while I create a diversion... unbelievable.