Rainy days and Mondays ....

Here I am at the start of another week after a wet end to the weekend, which is almost the same as the wet start to weekend that I had. Friday night saw my go off for a Japanese curry with my favourite flying friend from Singapore, after which we ended in my usual weekend haunt, Fresh, where being wet started with a tall cold gin and tonic. All in all a good night was had by all although the place was some what quiet (not much haunting going on) but I managed to have my fill and almost kept smiling right to the end.

The end of night wasn't as 'smiley' as the middle part as I had a disagreement with 'K' over the various levels of drunkenness and a car, however all is sorted now after a Saturday lunchtime chat, and hopefully will not be repeated again.

Saturday afternoon appeared to involve yet more shopping, although not for anything particular, but I did manage to get some fountain pen cartridges for my Mont Blanc, after being told the week before than Taiwan had sold out of them (I bit lip at that point and managed not to tell the assistant 'WTF...'). But this time was a success and I came away a few packs heavier.

Another Saturday evening passed me by sat in front of the TV again (I was still recovering from Saturday). But it did get me ready for an early start on Sunday morning ... the plan was to go to the beach.

The Sunday morning started with glorious sunshine and I set about packing my beach bag for a relaxing afternoon baking in the sun and taking a dip in the cool sea. Alas it wasn't to be .... as we approached Damshui the clouds began to close in, the sky became greyer and greyer, assuming this was just another Taipei lunchtime shower we stopped for a spot of lunch (Italian themed Taiwan style). As we ate and gazed out across the river it soon became apparent that this was no lunchtime shower.

Back in the car we continued on the BaiSaWan (sic) beach, with the rain continuing to fall. On arrival the rain had eased off a little and we headed up to a small decked area over looking the beach. The 5 week old puppy, who had kept me company in the back of the car, was released and the relaxing afternoon began. We opened the chilled white wine, I found a dry spot on the bench and parked my bum. Within minutes I was drinking white wine and rain water as the heavens opened once again and unleashed another downpour. Even 'puppy' quite wisely took shelter under the bench. This event occurred on and off for about the 30 minutes we were there, until deciding to give up on the sunshine and truck on back to Taipei.

Whilst the weather was bad, a good time was had by all, including small black puppy who quite rightly slept all the way back......

What a lush ....

The other day while I was meandering around the Miramar shopping centre, after filling my face with food at Fridays, we ended up in a Lush shop. Now I have, up until that point, never been in a Lush shop the overpowering scent that emanates from them I find a little too much (it usually sets me off sneezing). However, on this occasion I and 'K' ventured in. Now most thing in the shop look almost edible, with the exception of the bath bombs (fizz fizz), particularly all those huge blocks of soap with assorted fruit and vegetables in them. So off I went and set about sniffing (stifling the odd sneeze now and again), and what surprised me was how good things smelt, I even let out an 'oooh that's nice' every now and again.

After going round the shop 2 or 3 times I decided that I would give this stuff a try and opted to buy two smallish pieces of soap. Now usual when it comes to soap I am a Dove type of person, in fact I have been using it for ages in the belief that soft skin is young skin (who am I kidding), but I am open to try other things. So I got a piece of Bohemian and some Karma ...

bohemian is based on lemon oil and as such smells just like a lemon! Whilst karma is based on something ... not sure what .. but smells cinnamon to me. Once I was home off I went to the shower armed with a lemon (probably looking like a lemon as well). After finishing my cigarette, which is tricky in the shower as it is hard to keep it dry, I set about working up a real lather and it was lemon bubbles galore ... remind me of a long gin and tonic, yum yum. I finished up my shower and dried myself, wow I thought my skin feels so tight (a bit like a lemon I guess), cool and fresh. Wonderful! I couldn't wait to try the other one, not being one to waste water I thought I better wait until I actually need a shower to try it.

So the following evening after a hot and damp day in the office it was time for a bit of Karma, so off I went again, still looking like a lemon, to make karma bubbles. The scent of this one is definitely better and did leave me feeling more relaxed, perfect for a glass of red wine and the TV at home, which I promptly did.

So the verdict after my first foray into the world lush and smelly soap was a positive one, lemon for the morning, got to get that zest for work, and karma for the relaxing evening. But, it must said such soap is not cheap, particularly in Taiwan, so it may not be for everyday, but we all need a special treat now and again .....

What's in a mug .....

When I got to work this morning the cleaner hadn't quite got around to washing the office mugs (actually some people use cups). So then it hit me ... would it be ok to use another mug that was already clean, for some reason a strange guilt came over me, similar to that of eating someone's last bar of chocolate. Over the years I have realised that people become quite possessive about their own mugs.

This isn't restricted to people who buy their own mug, then there is an ownership issue, but even with the communal office cups, there is that group that have their own particular cup. I finally decided that I needed coffee way before the cleaner would return with my mug (if she hadn't taken it away I would have cleaned it myself). So with some trepidation I selected office cup, as I wasn't sure who would not be in the office today, otherwise I might have selected theirs.

There is something strangely satisfying about drinking out of a familiar cup, even at home where I have a few cups I always, but always drink out of the same cup. If I have to use another one then the feeling I bizarre, I never quite enjoy the drink as much. When I go home to the UK, back to stay with family, I find myself quickly using the same cup over and over, it becomes almost immediately comfortable and feels part of me.

I guess there is some sort of physical bond generated during the process of waking up in the morning than my own specific cup is part of. The colour of the tea in the cup (tea changes colour depending on the colour of the inside, I prefer a white interior), the feel of the handle and weight, and also the serving size. I change of cup often means you don't get enough or you get much ... we get used to just the right amount.

I have heard cries around many offices "Where is my bloody cup?" as somebody realizes than there cup has gone and they maybe forced to use another unfamiliar one. I don't think it is a hygiene issue, the thought of another persons lips around the rim, and more often that not they are washed in a dishwasher or piping hot water. It is something more than that ... I am not sure what it is ... there may well be a PhD waiting for somebody who has the courage to explore the issue ... I guess it won't be me ... I am not prepared to experiment with other peoples mugs.

(oh and that is my home mug pictured above, I now have a smaller version for the office)

The years go by .....

What a weekend, and now it is Tuesday!

Last Friday night saw us hold a small pizza party at my place for a friends 30th birthday, another year down and many more to go. It was lots of red wine and assorted pizzas and thanks to a mistake one free pizza, yum yum ... there is something about pizza that I find irresistible and I amaze myself and friends with the amount I can actually stuff into my fat face (although I do leave the crusts, I wouldn't suit curly hair anyway). Following pizza it was a night in Fresh to wash down the both the red wine and pizza with several large G&T's. I was a little surprised at exactly how drunk I was .... with the recollection of actually getting home a hidden memory. But I did wake up safely in bed, 'K' took care of me, and my darling 'J' was kind enough to clean up after the party, so on Saturday morning I had nothing to do but drink tea and smoke, quite lovely.

Saturday and Sunday consisted of the usual round of shopping, I got myself a new bag for work on the Saturday and assorted bits and bobs from Ikea on the Sunday.

I had got it in to my head to buy a new LCD TV, but for once I actually came home empty handed as I was overwhelmed by the choice of brands, sizes and the prices! When I finally get my act together and do a bit more research no doubt I will be ready to try again, then again perhaps there is actually nothing wrong with my old TV .....

Sunday morning the bloody tow truck drivers had been out on a mission and whisked the car away (gits), but I guess we were parked in the wrong place at the wrong time. So off we went to the tow truck park and some 2,000NT$ later reunited with the car, I guess going to Ikea isn't as cheap as you would imagine.

Now I could rant on a while about the joys of shopping at Ikea, but actually it wasn't too bad. However the new BIG one near bancaio does offer an amazing number of escalators which seem to take to you to great heights to get to the entrance (almost like the slides at the water park). So my grumbling got started quite early! We gave up on the restaurant as the Swedish chicken legs (which looked just like Taiwanese chicken legs) seemed so popular that the queues were just outrageous, so I opted to wait for a 10NT$ hotdog at the exit.

Finally ... enough about Ikea for now ... for those that didn't know, I was drunk on Saturday night, I really should buy smaller bottles of whiskey, that way I may drink less ... but then again I may just end up with more empty bottles.

I am not alone ...

Poor Mimi has now been forced to wear a fetching non-designer hat in an attempt to clear up his moldy elbows. The striking blue hat prevents him from licking off the cream that I liberally apply twice a day to the affect areas (fighting still ensues but at least he can't bite me).

Adjusting to life with the two shitty kitties (Mimi, eldest, and Didi, fattest) hasn't been easy as we all learn our little ways and discover the things that raise our heckles and those that make us purr with joy. But after almost a year together we are finally learning to live in harmony. My rants and raves when they acting up seem to go largely unnoticed and I feel at time the both of them are conspiring against me, particularly in the plant eating stakes. I scold one, so the other then precedes to do the same, and so the cycle continues until I become completely exhausted with the whole affair, scream a little and give up!

Currently number one fat cat is going through his particularly frisky stage as his hormones begin to kick in, this is proving difficult for blue hat cat as the said hat hinders his movement and he struggles to repel the amorous advances of Didi. Therefore next on my list of things to do is to get Didi down to vet and his bits whipped off, hopefully reducing the friskiness and his ever so loud wailing.

I am still contemplating whether or not the troublesome twosome are ready to be let back in to the bedroom after there bout of protesting peeing when I was away a little time ago. I guess a gradual re-introduction may be the order of the day, but I have to admit I do miss waking up with one or both of them.

The cats and the fish both have their own territory and seem to have a much more harmonious relationship with each other than I do with the kitties. Although 'sucky face fish' (the one than just sucks the glass and everything) has learnt a thing or two from the cats, in that it is insists on eating or ripping up all the plants in the tank, sadly my shouting seems to go unheard and he (or is it a she ..) continues to munch his way through all things green. I must do a google for fish trainers .... maybe be one of those can break the habit and my aquatic plants can flourish once more .....

And the shone brightly......

Like the last week, the weekend has been and gone, and I managed to make it through with out getting blind drunk! Friday night I opted to stay home and 'K' came over in the late evening (which helps stop me getting plastered on the red wine). So I awoke all bright and breezy on Saturday morning and managed to polish off too many cigarettes and lots of hot PG Tips. Speaking of polishing I decided that the time had come to clean the wooden floor of my apartment, thankfully the stuff I bought from B&Q had instruction in English, yeah! So I set of polishing the floor with sweat dripping from my soaked brow, after too many minutes of pushing and shoving it was all done.

Then I had to do a quick rub round again as Mimi and Didi decided to make their mark and put lots of little paw prints all over the show (chasing them around the room didn't help, but they were soon banished to the balcony). Now my floor is like an ice rink and all are warned to removed there socks on entering, the cats slide, unhappily, across the floor as they can longer gain any suitable grip, stops them running around like Loonies, the fish remain unaffected and the glare off the shiny floor into their tank doesn't seem to faze them.

Later in the afternoon, when everyone was awake, I set off for Gingin bookstore in Shida to do some browsing and a little bit of 'specailsied' shopping, I picked up a few things that should only be mentioned in a confined room!

The evening off we went, the usual possy, to the Italian restaurant, although most people weren't as impressed as I was .. but tastes vary and the restaurant is only a stones throw from Fresh. So as you can no doubt predict the evening ended with several gin and tonics in the bar and me once again failing to do any sort of dancing.

Sunday was another scorcher and having survived walking on my polished floor (which seems to show all the footprints not the cats) off we all went out again for a belated birthday lunch (at super portioned sized Chilis in Neo) with 'Xbox T' who turned 21, aw bless him! Another whiz around the flower picking up plant pots and compost and assorted herb type plants saw me well into the evening. The rest of the night was spent faffing around and ironing until sleep overwhelmed me and off to bed I went ..... another weekend of eating and drinking ... but I did actually do all my ironing ....

Whoops there goes another one ....

There we have it, it is Friday and the end of another week. The weekend is about to start. It has been a good week, quite productive at work having sent many envelopes containing more of my riveting words. My room mate went off to Hong Kong for a very long weekend, leaving the apartment somewhat quiet, what would I do without the noise of the fish!

Mimi's nasty mouldy elbow (caused by damp so I am told by the vet) is getting better if not a little slowly. Each night I have the joy of trying to feed him a tablet, things have changed since he was a small bundle of joy and not much fur, he has grown bigger and insists on fighting back ... but the battle continues everynight until eventually I have gently rammed the thing down his throat. Didi still needs to have the snip and have the things that make a male, removed. His mood is ever changing and the wailing for a mate continues. Also, I do wish he would stop putting his fat arse on the only plant I have that seems to be doing well, its looking decidedly squashed.

I am finally getting in to my 'arrive from work ritual', on goes my new sound system (pictured above) a mixed bag of tunes, with nothing to miserable or deep, preferring something 'boppy', out with my cyclone vacuum for a quick whizz around (vroom vroom), then its feed the fish and check the 'poo' water filter. Mimi and Didi by this time are getting anxious, so next they get fed their 35 grams of food each (strict diet being adhered to), next comes my cup of milk tea, kettle now having boiled, a quick sip then out to water and if need be feed the garden (of collection of half a dozen pot plants). Finally my big wobbly bit hits the sofa and a cigarette with a cup of tea finishes things off ..... and I think about dinner ....

I still have no idea what the weekend has in store .... lets hope it is at least as good as the week that passed .....

I am sucker .....

.... for a good sucker. Why is it when I get something into my head I can't shake it out of there, and sadly this applied to a vacuum cleaner. While I was outing shopping with 'K' in Taiwans famous 3C electrical goods store I spotted a neat looking vacuum cleaner which had quite impressive suction. Following in the footstep of Dyson this was one of bagless cyclone types and sucked like a goodun'!

However when I asked the (not so helpful) sales guy for one he said they didn't have any and I would have to wait, this I refused to, I already had to wait for my Yamaha YSP-1000 sound system and at the moment I really wanted something to take home and play with. Alas this wasn't be I went home with no new electrical toys.

Now the seed had been planted and I wanted my vacuum cleaner .... I asked by dear online shopping friend to get me one .... Alas after placing the order it didn't appear and they appeared to be struggling to find one (boo hoo for me), so after a week or so of seeing it the thing was still out of my grasp. My floor and rugs destined to stay dirty for longer (nothing new there!). I was about to console myself that these beauties were so popular that nobody had any ... when ... as I said before I was in Sogo and spotted one out of the corner of my eye. Now for some reason I didn't actually buy one then, I was far too focused on another shopping mission I guess. But it was noted at the forefront of my mind for processing later.

Later came and off I went to Sogo (after a new hairdo) to pick up one of these lovely things. After minutes of mis-communications with the assistants, after my repeated wo yao, wo yao, wo yao (I want, I want, I want, and I wasn't stamping my feet I add) they didn't seem to want to sell one . I continued to look puzzled as I didn't understand the Chinese eventually all fell into place and bingo she said yes, yipeeeeeeee! Off she went to get me one, the other assistant then began to give me a demonstration of the cleaner in Chinese ... Despite my blank looks she helpfully explained it all in Chinese (at great speed) and I nodded and threw in the odd 'hao'. Cash exchanged hands, eventually and I left Sogo a very happy chappy and had a thrilling and exciting time vacuuming my floors, not only once but twice .. sometimes the fun you have can not be measured!

Life me up .....

..... where I belong, or at least where I want to go. Now I am not sure this just happens in Asia, perhaps I have been away from dear old Blighty too long and I have forgotten just how we Brits react. But ... But ... But what is about human nature, psychology that makes people call a lift (or elevator if you prefer), even though one, two, three or even twenty people before have already pressed that big button and called the lift! Lift manufacturers recoginised this issue a long time ago and placed a usually bright light bulb, I regonise some lights are as dull as dull can be, in the button denoting that indeed it had been pressed and the lift will be on its way.

I watch in amazement the number of people that come along and proceed to press the already illuminated button (often more than once to be sure). Is this due to a lack of confidence in fellow man-kind, we can't trust the person in front of us to have done this already? What is the irrational fear people have, that the lift may never arrive? That will be stranded where ever we are with no means of escape ...? I ponder these things as wait, counting those who press and re-press the call button ... and then it arrives .... and it is then with such speed that people move into the open doors! Another amazing thing!

I have noted in my many travels that people tend to dawdle down the street (I am told I walk too fast) meandering along, however present them with a pair of open lift doors and they move like the wind, like a whippet, like a cheetah after its breakfast. No doubt, driven by the fear that those doors just may close and leave them once again stranded. Occasions have occurred where somebody has been in the lift, selected their floor even before I have made it out. Now I take it upon myself (being a little larger than average) to stand firmly and squarely in front of the doors before they open, thus preventing those whippets, cheetahs and those with a good gust of wind behind them, from entering before I have actually departed, although I do fear that those behind me who aren't quick enough have once again been whisked upwards (or downwards) again.

They say patience is a virtue and while I endeavour to be as patient as possible sometimes when I enter the world of going up and down, the world of lifts, the world of elevators, I lose mine totally ... perhaps I have just left it on the floor I came from .... no escalators and moving walkways are a whole new world ....

Summer Breeze ...

Makes me feel fine. This bout of hot summer weather is a positive tonic and really does make me feel a whole a better and gives me a happy disposition! But alas all that is about to change with arrival of those typhoons, there appears to be two them!

The weekend was a mixed bag of things and emotions, I went to a wine cheese party at friends apartment where they had finished creating their rooftop garden, and what a joy it was, not to mention the views out across Taipei, it was quite magical in a strange sort of way.

After lots of red wine and not a lot of cheese I took myself off to Fresh for the usual Saturday night, but after a few G&T's I decided enough was enough (that tipsy feeling getting ever stronger) I headed off home at around 12:30 (shock, shock, horror, horror). This seemed to cause a great deal of concern amongst my friends, although I wish to point out I have gone home earlier before and it did in fact cause the same concern. But too much red wine finally decided it for me, and I had lost the moment ... well even I am a complete arse sometimes, but we won't go into that now.

Sunday 'K' came back from his happy travels to Taichung and we went off shopping (so much shopping lately, I should go and see more movies or museums or something!), we ended up Pinn, a sort of Thai style furnish place. All in all quite nice, but a little too much wood for me, but I did pick-up a huge candle and a few other bits and pieces.

Then ... the mistake ... I decided a trip to SOGO was the order of the day, I wanted some new Trippen made shoes and a TV and ... and ... anything else that caught my eye. However, Sunday was father's day! Bollocks the place was even more crammed than usual. I found my shoes and after a 15 minute wait discovered my size were all out. Failed again (my vacuum cleaner from PChome still hasn't arrived, there are stock issues). So we battled our in and out of SOGO, me leaving with a new Kangol Cap and a box for rice (I have some strange urges and needs) oh and managed to leave with 'K'! People must lose children in that place all the time.

Well now its Tuesday .. work is work.. and the typhoons are coming, not sure what the rest of the week will bring.

A Rare Sight ......

For those who know me well, or indeed those that don't, know full well that exercise is not on my top 10 list of fun activities. However over the last weekend a rare photo of me actually swimming was captured! The reason for this was a fun filled day of water based frolics at the Formosa Fun Coast Park.

The day began at 9am with a round of calls to wake those of us not used to waking at such a time on a Sunday morning, the calls continued as we tried to establish the exact time to meet and where. Whilst we were all late, we were all late by the same amount of time ... seems that even I have learnt to operate on Taiwan time (Taiwan time being at least 15 minutes after the scheduled time). After making it to Gaung-Du MRT it was a not short very bumpy bus ride to the Park. Tickets distributed to all 8 of us we headed into the park.

Confusion reigned as we tried to get changed in to our swimwear, noting that some opted for minimal, while other opted for maximum. As I still don't have the body of Adonis, and speedo's refusal to sell me anything remotely small and sexy, I opted for a loose and baggy pair of shorts!
The sun was hot and beating down, but we were not to be put off by that, the plan, as always, was to go on all the water 'rides' and where possible scream like a girl! Whilst the queues weren't short they weren't unbearably long ... and gives ample time for us to all hang around discussing physiques and who has the hairiest / smoothest / darkest / biggest nipples. Not to mention bitching about those around us .... isn't that what gay men do best?

The highlight of the day was making the biggest splash, usually on everything I went on, but most noticeably on the rope swing, where I actually got my timing right and by casting my mind back to those school boy days, managed to make a pretty good bomb! So my 100 kgs hit the water with the full force of gravity and a satisfactory bang was heard followed by a big splash ... at that point my goggles filled with water and a contact lens was washed away!

During the afternoon we managed to get on everything and apart from a few dodgy burgers everything was thoroughly smashing! I must admit that I had reached my activity threshold by after about 4 hours of fun and decided enough was enough. We headed back to the changing room and got back in to our less revealing clothes. After waiting for possibly the slowest BBQ grill in the area we nibbled our way back to the bus ... with good our good memories of the day .... On reflection I do think most people actually look better with their clothes on, swimwear is definitely not for everyone, me included!

Mary, Mary quite contrary .....

How does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row .... (a quaint nursery rhyme).

Following firmly in the footsteps of the famous Mary, and being a little contrary myself, I have taken the plunge and once again ventured out into the world of horticulture. After spending a whopping 500NT$ (ok perhaps nearer a 1000NT$) at the flyover flower market (oh and B&Q) I now have what I describe as a garden.

In a small area of balcony I have removed the 10 tons of rubbish that was once there and put my assortment of pot plants, which include plants of many colours, shapes and sizes ... if I knew my eggs then I would be able to tell you all the latin names however, I am not up to that. On showing a photo to a dear friend he exclaimed 'man, you are so gay! and you call that a garden!'. In answer to the first, yes I guess I am and to the second yes I guess it is, given I live on the 12th Floor and have a small balcony and rolling hills and fields are beyond my reach. Whilst I would love to turf my overhanging balcony bit (you know the part that's there to stop my escaping in the event of a fire) and fill it with 10 tons of soil and earth, I can't. So for now I am happy with my fraction of a ping potted plant garden.

On erecting? placing? arranging? (whatever it is I did) my garden, my beloved cats (Mimi is showen above) decided it was time for a late lunch and began to consume which ever plant was nearest to them. After lots of 'sushing' and a dose of smelly 'cat keep off' they got the message and stopped eating. They now see it as a great place to hide and spend many happy minutes trying to squeeze in between all the pots and knocking them over! Thankfully in the few days my garden has been taking root they have not poo'd or pee'd in any of the pots .... but perhaps I just have that to come .... I will post another picture soon, in my world of gardening, plants have a big tendency to wilt, wither and cross over to the great garden in the sky ....