Looking forward to the weekend

I was too exhausted last night to put the curtains back up and fell asleep on the sofa without any dinner again. In bed before 10pm again. I'm definitely showing my age. Maybe I am sick? The boyfriend has set his alarm to go off at 6.50am and just keeps hitting the snooze button so I'm now awake while he is snoring. How can it only be Wednesday? I'm so tired and wish it was the weekend already. Oh well, I'd better get up. The cat litter tray won't change itself and the boyfriend doesn't look like he will be doing anything other than hitting the snooze button for the foreseeable future.

Scarlett is expecting

So since Sable died, we got a new cat. A little Bengal Leopard Cat called Scarlett. She practically destroyed the house for the first six months and took a particular dislike to the Christmas Tree. She only seemed to see us as something to attack on a regular basis and would scream the house down every time we went near the kitchen.

But then we took her back to the breeders (www.glitterglam.co.uk ) and got her mated with Michaelangelo. Within days she'd calmed down and became really lovely.

Now she's an adorable cat. She's really loving and cuddly.

And she's the size of a small hatchback. We're expecting the kittens on Wednesday and it's all getting very exciting. I'll be keeping one of the boy kittens as I've always wanted a male Bengal called Hunter (and it's best to keep two Bengals together anyway, as it stops them getting bored and destroying the house).

But the rest will need good homes finding for them.

However, that's a while away yet - first things first. Let the babies arrive!

I've been told I should have a blog...

Someone just said that I come out with some really funny things and should have a blog. Should I start a new blog or carry on with this one? Decisions, decisions...

so i still can't work out to actually put.my text in the box

and so to bed...

Back again.

So I'm back again. I've got a great new phone and I'm able to blog from anywhere... This could get dangerous (as in - blogging when bored or in a bar could get bad).

The Last Day of Sable

After not leaving work until late because my boss wouldn't get back to me about what needed to be changed on a report (that turned out to be just one word in the end), I got home to find Sable in the cupboard. She hardly recognised me, but I got her out and gave her the evening pill. I took her to her food bowl and put some fresh food out but she wouldn't eat it and then went outside to sit in her little cardboard box by the back gate. I decided to leave her out there as it was a lovely, warm evening and she seemed comfortable. I watched Corrie and Eastenders and then I watched the last ever episode of Ashes to Ashes. It was really good, but a bit off the wall. Then I went to find Sable and she was underneath next door's gas meter. She was just kind of flopped there rather than sitting. I sat on the stairs and talked to her for a bit.
Then Chris came home at about 10.30pm and I was a bit angry that he was so drunk, because I wanted to spend time with him deciding what to do with Sable (if we were still going to put her to sleep tomorrow). He went and got Sable from outside and put her back in her cupboard and we agreed it was the right thing to do. But Sable obviously wanted to be outside. She went back outside and we found her by the back gate again. Chris brought her inside and then she went back outside. Chris sat outside watching his flowers and picking snails off them, and I asked him to keep an eye on Sable. He thought she'd come inside, but she hadn't so we had a search and he found her on the steps to the car park - it looked like she'd fallen down the stairs because she was so wobbly. When I got there she was up and moving around again, but was really disorientated so I picked her up and we put her back in Cat Death Corner. She was so unsteady that she couldn't even walk along the bedhead or turn around so she just flopped. After a while I decided to go to bed and she pretty much stayed there all night.

When I woke up, she was still there. I gave her the morning pills and she didn't even resist me in the slightest. I put her by her food and she wouldn't eat and she just wobbled back to Cat Death Corner. Chris and I both agreed that it was definitely time for her to go to sleep.

Chris phoned the vets and they could get us in at 1.50pm, but Chris had to go to work and asked if he could meet me there. I demanded that he came home and helped me get Sable to the vets as that would be the bit that I'd find the hardest. He agreed to come back and help.

So Chris went to work, Sable stayed in Cat Death Corner and I walked through the park to get the car tax renewed so that I didn't get a fine for that as well. I came back and fixed the car and then got ready for Chris to come home so that we could take Sable on that one last trip to Cross Street.

Sunny Days

I got woken up this morning by Sable falling off the bed. She'd obviously been for a wander and was trying to get back to Cat Death Corner, but was too wobbly. I helped her up and went to get her pills. I decided to give her a whole pill of steroids instead of just half to see if it'll make her any better than she is.

Chris had fallen asleep on the sofa while fully clothed, so I woke him up with a coffee and some toast. He had a bath and Sable went back to the bedroom cupboard.

It's a glorious day. It's also Sable's 12th Birthday so at least she made it to 12 full years.

Sable goes downhill

I woke up and Sable was making that noise with her mouth again so I gave her the pills and hoped she'd feel better. She was still quite wobbly by the time I left for work, but seemed a bit better.

I spent the day pushing the broadsheets for more coverage on Rick Astley and sorting out the dates for the Daily Mirror interview. Gaby found out that her Aunt is dying of cancer and so the two of us were generally upset together. We're the death corner.

Mel came into the office for a bit and everything got tense. She left and everybody went back to normal.

I came home from work and found Sable in the bedroom cupboard again. I gave her the steroids and she wandered to her food and ate a bit and drank quite a lot. She went to the litter tray and then headed back to 'Cat Death Corner' (the same corner by the right corner of the bed that Spirit used to go to when he was in his last few weeks - but whereas he spent his time underneath the bed, Sable is living on the bedhead but in the same corner by the dimmer switch).

I had the left over Sea Bass from the other night and a bit of wine. Then I watched the Lion Man on TV and Cougar Town.

I'm definitely more of a cat person.

Sell ins, Sushi and Sable

Sable seemed really chirpy this morning and I felt as if she might be seeing the benefits of her medication. I was still upset, but feeling hopeful. Just as I was leaving for work, I got a call from Steven who talked to me about Sable, Tweaky and various other things. He said that the day after Tweaky died, him and Sean were looking round Battersea Dogs Home for a replacement (before they decided to get purebred Labs). He agreed that it would be good to get a new cat straight away once Sable does go. But that's hopefully not for a while yet.

I got to work and got cracking. I managed to confirm Rick Astley for BBC Breakfast, Angela and Friends and Live from Studio 5 as well as BBC Radio 4's Midweek and Saturday Live. I also confirmed him for The Guardian Weekend's feature and the Daily Mirror's double page interview with pictures.

However, by the end of the day we were laughing at this:



I went for a quick bite of Sushi at Camden Lock's Hi Sushi Salsa with Gaby and we had the sushi buffet (which was lovely). Then we wandered back down towards Camden High Street. Gaby went to her date with her ex and I went to the bargain book store and got another copy of Rupert Everett's book for Eric's birthday present. After that I got the bus home.

I got home and couldn't find Sable. I started to think she'd done that thing that cats do where she'd gone off to find somewhere quiet to die. Then I found her in an old cardboard box by the back gate - obviously it had been in the sun during the day so she was nice and snuggled.

I watched a bit of Eastenders and Corrie with a G & T and then Chris came home to tell me about his exciting day at the plant nurseries. He cooked himself some food and we watched some TV. I went out and brought Sable in as it was getting a bit cold and she hadn't come in by herself, I gave her a pill and then I went to bed to read more of Rupert's book.

Acorn House

I woke up and cried a lot about Sable and then Chris watched the Grand Prix from Monaco while I mopped the kitchen floor and washed Sable's drinking bowl. I took the rubbish down and just kept myself busy.
After the Grand Prix, we drove to Waterhouse and picked up the van. We filled it with salads from yesterday and then made our way across London to Acorn House restaurant in Kings Cross. We unloaded the van and put everything in the fridge before going upstairs and having a cup of tea with Phil (the manager). Acorn House is lovely and Phil was really sweet.
As we sat there, the heaven's opened and it absolutely chucked it down. We drove back to Waterhouse through torrential rain and then I drove home and dropped the car off and Chris picked me up in the van. We went over to The Old Dairy and met up with Andy, his gorgeous girlfriend and their friends. The Cricket was on the telly and everyone went mental when England beat Australia. Chris had a glass of red wine and I had a Guiness and black while we sat at the big table by the window. Then we went to Petek on Stroud Green Road, but the starters were so big that I had to ask to take my Sea Bass home to eat. We walked back round Finsbury Park and talked about all sorts of things before coming home and looking through my cat book at pretty breeds of cat. Sable came in and Chris put the book away hurriedly as if he felt guilty.

Sables last days... the beginning of the end.

So I had an awful day at work getting all my reports in on time and then making endless alterations before my boss would let me go and get Sable. I got a bus to Angel that went all round the houses and I made it to the vets just before 7pm. I was so excited to be getting Sable home, but when the vet saw me she looked upset. She told me that Sable's blood results had shown little change since when she first came in and that the prognosis was that she'd live for days or weeks but not months. She suggested I considered putting her to sleep now rather than postpone the inevitable, but I wanted to give her a fighting chance so I got all the medication that she could give me and we went home.

But once we got home I could see that Sable wasn't herself. She went back into her little spot by the bed and could hardly walk. I gave her some food and got her to drink a bit of water and then I got royally drunk on a bottle of wine. Chris came home and I told him what the vet had said and we cried and cried and cried.

Chris agreed that it would be better to have her put to sleep rather than have her suffer or feel poorly, but then we talked more and we agreed that we'd give her the medication that I'd brought home and see how she is in a few days time.

She seemed to want to sleep in the hallway so I made her a bed on the chest of drawers with some towels and a sock for a pillow and stroked her to sleep. I went to bed and cried more.

Car fixed and Sable coming home

So I got home from work and went down to fix and wash the car so that it's ready to go to the MOT. While I was doing that I got a call from the vets and thought it was bad news, but she told me that Sable has responded well to treatment, has eaten and should be ready to come home on Friday night. I was so relieved. She's still going to need antibiotics for a few weeks, have a special diet and a pill a day for the rest of her life, but she's should be pretty much back to normal even though one kidney isn't working.

After that, I drove the car round for a bit to charge up the battery and then came home, cooked some food and watched TV while waiting for Chris to get back from the Faultering Fallback in Finsbury Park. We watched Brothers and Sisters and then I went to bed.

Sable to the vets

So I got a call from the vets saying all kinds of scary things about Sable's kidneys. The word cancer came up (again) and I was told that we had to get her on a drip as quickly as possibly so that we can flush the built up toxins out of her system and get some nutrients into her. I literally left work in about ten minutes and got home.

I couldn't find Sable anywhere and worried that she'd gone off to find somewhere to die... but then I found her out in the garden sitting in the sun. I got her to eat a little bit and then Chris came home. We got her on the bus and got her to the vets where I got to talk everything through with the vet and we left Sable there.

Afterwards, Chris and I went to La Porcetta for some food and wine and then we went on to The Green for another bottle of wine. That seemed to work and we stopped crying so much and talking about the new Government. We came home and watched TV and had a bit more wine. I ended up going to bed at 11.30pm after watching a bit of Footballers Wives.

Conservative Government

So we have a new government. Gordon Brown resigned as Prime Minister and David Cameron was sworn in and moved in to number 10 Downing Street.

And where did I watch this all unfold? In the Chinese Takeaway on Woodberry Down on their little TV in the corner.

I got home and Chris and I watched the rest of it all on TV while eating our Chinese meal and talking about the treatment for Sable's kidney disease.

Sable's not well

I had a really bad night's sleep as Sable is unwell and seems to have a mouth infection again. She's stopped eating and is losing weight. She's sort of lost her life force and is being really quiet. But we've got her an appointment for 5.50pm at the vets so it's fingers crossed...

Crash - great film

We stayed up late last night to watch 'Crash' with Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Thandi Newton and all sorts of other famous people. It was such a good film that really had you changing your mind about each character throughout the film. I didn't think it would be the kind of thing that I'd like but it's highly recommended. My favourite part was the bit about the invisible cloak of protection. So sweet...

I got to bed and went straight to sleep. But I'm still shattered this morning. Oh well - on with the Rick Astley quest...

Wonderfully lazy Sunday

I woke up early with a bit of a sore throat. I got up and Chris was snoring on the sofa and there were leftovers from last night's dinner with large glasses of red wine scattered around the living room. I went back to bed and read more of Rupert Everett's autobiography called 'Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins'. It's really got me gripped and I love it. I can sit and read that book for hours as I have memories of things or events that I talk about and it's interesting to hear it from his point of view. I was mildly obsessed with the film that he starred in called 'Another Country' when I was 15 and discovering my sexuality. Therefore it's brilliant to read what it was like for him to film it and at that time of his life.
So I read that for a few hours before running a bath and then laying in the warm water while reading more. After that I reheated some of last night's food before banishing Chris to the bedroom to watch the Formula One racing as it gives me a headache.
As he stayed in there for several hours I read another chapter of Rupert's book and then watched Modern Family with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar and bread.
Miss Kimberley has invited me to a party held for the producer of The Brits, but I'm going to cook some lamb for dinner and drink the rest of that Pinot Noir. Perfect.

Election Week

Gosh what a week it's been. I launched Rick Astley's new career with his single 'Lights Out' and got him confirmed for The Morning, Loose Women, BBC Breakfast News and Angela and Friends - but most importantly have got him a double page spread in The Daily Mirror, The Observer Magazine and The Guardian Weekend.

Anyway, as well as all that, there was an election. It was all quite exciting and we still don't know exactly who will be running the country. The Conservatives got the most seats, but not enough for the majority and so they're asking the Lib Dems to join them. It actually sounds like quite a good solution to me. My first ever boyfriend Jonathan has become the Mayor of Camden and my father stood as an independent candidate in Higher Peak (he didn't get in).

Scott Capurro's Position came to an end with Josie Lawrence being amazing and Nina Conti (who I had no idea about) was really funny. She's Tom Conti's daughter and has a monkey. A rude, rude monkey. It felt like the last day at school and I had so much fun.

But now it's the weekend and it's raining outside. We've got great tits in the bird box and I'm being all domestic with the cleaning and washing up etc.

I just want a nice quiet weekend with lots of rest. And relaxing time with Chris and Sable.

I'm back... I think.

So it's coming up to a year since my last post.

I dread to think what I've been up to since then. There was Missing Children: Lorraine Kelly Investigates for one... it was a nightmare but turned out to be one of the most popular shows on STV and Sky Real Lives - so I guess I'm proud of it...

http://www.skyoneonline.co.uk/missing_children/profile.php?id=4

Then I went to Plymouth to work on The Great British Holiday Makeover Show, where Duncan Bannantyne helped failing tourist attractions at British Seaside Resorts with a make over. It was 'interesting' but hard work. After that I worked on Super Daddy, where Jeff Brazier helped parents who had separated find ways of sorting out issues surrounding child care.

After that I decided to try something else and did a 2 month PR training course where I worked on The Clothes Show Live account and got to run the press office. It was great fun and I really enjoyed myself.

Now I'm hunting for a fab PR role - which is harder than you'd think. I've been working at a lovely little company in Notting Hill and doing regional sell ins for 'The Princess and Frog Royal Academies' at Disney Stores nationwide (turns out I did such a good job that they were having to turn people away).

Oh well - so that was a quick catch up on my life. Chris and I are still happily living together and Sable has her own facebook account (Sable Reilly-Christian) and is turning into some kind of Facebook celebrity.

That's about it really. Hopefully I'll be able to tell you more soon. x

End of the week

After the excitement of the photo shoot on Monday night, I went out with Mark from work on Tuesday night to see two of his friends from the time he was working on Trisha. We all compared notes about working on Jeremy Kyle verses working on Trisha.
Then the girls went to see the band they wanted to see and we went inside to watch the Liverpool Arsenal Match. I surprised Mark by talking to football fans about the match and cheering frantically when a goal was scored with 34 seconds to go before they went into extra time.
Then we walked down to The Green and had some more drinks... soon we were chatting away about all sorts and having a great time.
Then we went onto shots. I had 4 tequila shots and Mark had 4 shots of sambuca. For some reason, we got a bit lively and loud.
After that we wanted over to The Eddie, but the drink kicked in and we got very drunk very fast. We were too drunk to be in a pub so we left and headed to the bus stop.
I got the bus to Finsbury Park and then another bus up the road to Manor House.
I barged in the door and found Chris. From what he says, I turned into a limpet and hugged him for hours while telling him I loved him before passing out on the sofa with him in my arms.
I managed to wake up at 5am and make it to bed. Chris followed.
When I woke up at 8.30am I felt a bit rough but managed to pull myself together enough to get in the bath and get to work.
Mark arrived about ten minutes after me and we managed to make it through the day...

So now it's Friday and we've all made it through the week. It's been a gloriously sunny week and Chris has decided that the roof garden is his new project. Hopefully, with all the cuttings, trimming and seed planting that he's doing, we'll have the hanging gardens of Manor House before long.

I think it might be summer. Lovely.

My Attitude Magazine Naked Photo Shoot

I'd agreed to be a model for Attitude Magazine's naked issue. I thought it was a good idea at the time - but that was weeks ago. Suddenly, the day was upon us...

So I didn't eat anything after breakfast, just in case I didn't match up to the other guys I'd imagined were going to turn up to the 'Attitude Magazine's Naked Issue' photo shoot.

By lunchtime I wanted to eat my desk and computer in one go - and I was imagining that I'd be the fat, ugly one in a room full of toned, tanned stunners.

Carrie Bradshaw's neurotic nature had nothing on me by 2pm in the afternoon. By 4pm I was dangerous to know - but I looked FABULOUS.

But by 6pm I'd given in to my fate and I left the office to make the short journey down High Holborn to the photo studio where my fate would be sealed.

I pressed the buzzer and asked for Mark or Matthew Todd - and I announced that Matthew Christian was here. I mean - how is a boy meant to announce that he's here to get his cock out on camera?

To my surprise, the voice over the intercom sounded very pleased to hear that I'd arrived.

So up them there stairs I went. Unsure of what awaited me, but with hope in my heart and a happy place in my pants I walked through the door.

What awaited me? Men in pants. Young men in pants. Gulp! But wait, there was more... Alongside the young men in pants there was also a camera and a room full of all kinds of men - of all ages. Joy to the world - I was one of many.

After spending so long being so nervous, I soon relaxed and started to have a laugh with some of the other guys in the room. Although - I have to admit, the guys who were laughing the most were all over 30 and obviously didn't care too much about whether they had perfect abs or pecs. They were there to have a laugh - as was I. And that made them so much more attractive as a result.

I soon discovered how hard it is to make eye contact with naked men in their 20's while their being photographed - but then it was the 30-something's turn. That meant me.

Eduardo couldn't wait. Everything came off. But then we got told to keep our clothes on as we were going to be working our way down to the money shot.

Clothes went back on and the smiles came out. And do you know what? It was fun. We had a laugh.

Slowly, but surely, the clothes came off and all I remember is thinking was; 'What would Tyra say right now?'

To see quite how well, you'll have to pick up a copy of next month's issue of Attitude Magazine.

Because you're worth it. Enjoy.

new phone

I've got one of these new touch screen phones. Now I'll be able to blog loud and clear from all over the place. Restaurants, bars and from my bed.

My Birthday Party

Oh I had so much fun. I booked the upstairs bar at The Village Soho, where I used to hang out all the time in the mid-nineties and where I met Clive and my ex-boyfriend Steven.

There was so much champagne and Chris baked the most amazing chocolate birthday cake. Clive and Robbie turned up, Riannah, Simon and Rachel from work made it down and Richard Quest from CNN very kindly came along and bought 2 bottles of champagne to help things go well. My first ever boyfriend, Jonathan came along with his friend Dave and Tom, Dave and Susannah made the effort to come as well. My actor friend Alistair came for a quick drink and ended up getting very drunk and staying all night long and my friend Mad Joe came too and brought me a massive bunch of flowers which were lovely.

We drank a lot of champange and just had the best time.

Since then I've decided to get back to the gym and have been doing an hour of cardio every night since Saturday and am starting to feel like I'm getting my old body back again. Phew!

So much to tell...

God there's so much to tell.

I still haven't got any TV work and neither has anyone I know in telly. It's like last year all over again (without the dying cat and new relationship to concentrate on).

Chris and I have been considering getting a dog, but until I know what I'm doing workwise then it's just not fair on a puppy.

Oh my god - there was so much snow on Monday and London shut down. The buses didn't run and the tube lines got suspended. Chris got the day off and we went up to Hampstead Heath with Eric and had a lovely time. It's funny how much nicer everything seemed when we got some time off to spend together.



I'm thinking about trying to get a job at Foxtons as I always loved property and enjoy meeting people so it seems like a good combination. And you can make shed loads of cash too...

I went to Jonathan Simpson's 35th Birthday party last night and it was great fun. He booked a booth at Lucky Voice underneath Yo Sushi on Poland Street. It was me and 13 very hairy bears singing along to ABBA. It's strange to think that it's 18 years since we met to the day - the day I came out on the Manchester Gay Scene. He was my first boyfriend and it was so nice to be able to celebrate his birthday together. And it was even nicer that he let me take home the rest of his birthday cake so that Chris could share it as well.



Therefore I'm hungover. I'm trying to do some housework but seem to be sitting here drinking wine and chatting to Clive on Facebook while learning how to deal with Twitter. Is this my life? Endless internet sites and constant gossiping?

Why am I asking this question on blogger? It's hardly helpful.

Hanging out at The Ivy and The Groucho Club

So Jaci Stephens from The Daily Mail invited me to be a part of her quiz team at The Ivy Club on Wednesday night. I said that of course I'd do it, but then started to worry about how much I really know.

I went along and found the Ivy Club (it's just next door to The Ivy Restaurant) and I checked my bag and coat in. The place is LOVELY and felt very calming and classy. I had a vodka and tonic at the bar (nine pounds if you please) and waited for Jaci. There was a live pianist behind me and some very cute bar staff to look at.

Eventually Jaci turned up with her friends and we got ourselves a table. We all got chatting and then I saw Simon Sadler and his friend, the lovely and very handsome Piers Horne. I went over and chatted to them about Skiing and work etc before going back to join Jaci.

We did the quiz and it was great fun. In the first two round we were 2nd but by the end we came 3rd. Jaci wasn't happy, but as it was out of 11 teams I thought we did OK. Jaci proceeded to get us invited over to join the winning team and we all got chatting. The drinks were flowing and the chatting increased. I met a lovely lady called Amanda who looked like a cross between Caroline Quentin and someone else famous... it'll come to me later.

I got telling her about Dirty White Boy as we got chatting about Soho and ended up lending her the book. She promised to give it back to me when we came back to the Oscar Quiz on 29 Jan.

I met Duncan Ballantyne at the bar while I was getting a new bottle of wine and he was charm personified. I have to say I was terribly impressed with how nice and chatty he was.

Then Jaci and her new friends decided to go to The Groucho Club and so I tagged along. That's when things sort of got a bit too drunken for my liking. When I got there, Jaci asked if I'd taken anything as my throat had gone hoarse and I'd become very animated. I swore I hadn't but she didn't seem to believe me. I just had a sore throat because I had a cold coming on and I was animated because we were now on our 4th bottle of wine so I'd probably had nearly a bottle and half to myself. That's after the large vodka at the start of the evening.

So when it came time to leave (at 4am) we got our jackets and Jaci invited us back to her place on Great Portland Street. I briefly said hello to Maggot from Goldie Looking Chain, and said that I'd been one of the team of loggers that had worked on the Big Brother he was on and it had been lovely to log him as he was so nice... However, I was pulled out of the club by Jaci and the next thing I knew we were in a taxi back to Jaci's house...

Jaci's house is just lovely. It's a stunning loft space with a balcony from the living room and a huge bedroom. There is a glass roof and massive windows. We sat in the living room and drank champagne. As you can imagine, we were all quite drunk by that point and the conversation started to rotate around my sex life, which I wasn't comfortable with but chatted away regardless. I wish now we'd have found something else to discuss I have to say.

Anyway, it got to about 5.30am and Jaci had to go to bed, so our two new friends and myself decided to walk down to Balans for breakfast. We sat in Balans cafe and chatted over breakfast as the sun came up and the delivery people went about their business. It was just us and a young prostitute with her Polish pimp. She was quite sweet and he was quite fatherly, but not enough for us to be convinced he was really her father. His accent had a lot to do with that.

So my new friends left - one to go home and one to go to work - and I got the tube home. When I got in, Chris was in bed and so I crawled in next to him and spent the rest of the day feeling hungover, full of a cold and very tired.

Over, the next few days, my cold went global and I coughed and spluttered my way through a lot of tissue paper and self pity.

My first anniversary with Chris

Can you believe it's been a year since I met Chris?

He was working during the day - and I had a hangover after going to see Sandra at The Black Cap - so I slept until about 2pm and then got myself sorted out. I ironed Chris's shirt and trousers and a top for me, then I had a bath and a shave before going down to the shops to get Chris the watch that I wanted to get him for an anniversary present. I got the watch, a card and some wrapping before dropping the car off and getting the train down to King's Cross to meet Chris at his work.

We went for a drink at a lovely little gastro pub on York Way and his boss Liz was there too. She was lovely and wished us a happy anniversary. Then we walked up to Islington and went for some food at The Fish Works. We had oysters, calamari, fishcakes, mussels and more oysters as well as 2 bottles of wine and some champagne. I gave Chris is watch and he was very happy.

Then we walked down to the cinema and watched Slumdog Millionaire - which was a lot more gruesome than I'd expected and not quite the 'feel good movie' I'd been told about. I didn't like the bits where children were having their eyes burned out with oil, teenage prostitutes being raped in the back of cars, the lead character being tortured with car batteries strapped to his feet or the murder of his brother in a bath full of money near the end.

However, we got out of there and went to the Edward for a gin and tonic - just like on our first date.

Then we got the tube home and both agreed we were very happy.

When I am old...

I've finally found a poem that my mother used to love as I was growing up. Obviously, she didn't live long enough to wear purple with a red hat so maybe I'll take up the mantel one day. Or maybe I'll do it tomorrow.

WARNING by Jenny Joseph

When I am old I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens . . .

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Cutting down on the drink

Did I mention that I decided to stop drinking in 2009. I mention this because since 7pm this evening I have had a bottle of Chardonnay and have now had a glass of very good Shiraz. And yet I don't feel drunk... should I worry? I'll consider that over the rest of the glass of red while I watch Jo Brand being very funny on Live at The Apollo.

And into 2009

The end of The Millies came and went. It was a great night at Hampton Court Palace and I was looking after Richard Hammond from Top Gear so my TV career had come full circle from the days I did work experience on the show.

Then came Christmas - I drove Chris to Wales to spend Christmas with his family. Then we went to Manchester and spent Boxing Day and the next two days with Chris's friend Phil in his LOVELY city centre flat overlooking the Hilton Hotel tower (or whatever it's called).

After a night out in Via Fossa, Cruz 101 and Federation we got back to the flat (Phil went home with an Irish man and a South African) and I got caught up in the whole "we're in the city we love, in an amazing flat, with a great view and on a great night" and I asked Chris to marry me. He said yes (after telling me I was meant to secretly whisk him away to a tropical island and propose at sunset - which I pointed out would mean I'd be conning him into marrying me).

Now we're back in London and he's working at Rotunda. I'm back on the job hunt and have even applied for a public affairs assistant role at Stonewall (another case of coming full circle as I was the model for the Stop Descrimination in the Armed Forces campaign for Stonewall in 1996). I'm going to keep trying for more TV work but am also going to look for a real job now that I've got responsibilities. Like a grown up or something.

I'm currently reading 'Dirty White Boy' which is Clay Anderson's Myspace blog from the time he was running the shop on Old Compton Street and it's inspiring me to post more blogs more often from now on - so expect a lot of drivel whenever I get access to the web...

And so we're into 2009. I hope it's a good one...

Stress of life

Why do things get so stressful so quickly?

I'm loving my job, but with days to go to the live event at Hampton Court Palace it seems as if things that could have been sorted out weeks ago are now suddenly really urgent and it's all a bit frantic.

At least this time next week it'll all be over and I'll be on the dole again (although I can't actually sign on).

The exciting bit is that at least on the night I'll be looking after Rachel Stevens (SClub7 / Strictly Come Dancing) and Richard Hammond (Top Gear/Brainiac). That's if I'm still working here by then of course.

And Chris is down in the dumps. I really feel for him. It seems as if nothing's going right for him at the moment. He is starting getting sick of working as a waiter as the money's so rubbish, he didn't get accepted to do the voluntary phoneline work that would have taught him lots of new skills and when he got over that knock back, we came home from dinner last night and he found that the lap top leant to him by his friend, had a cracked screen (for no reason whatsoever). I really hope things start to change for him soon as it's horrible to see him on the verge of tears all the time.

I have two tickets to see Gordon Ramsey's Cookalong tonight, but Chris is working and I can't find anyone to go with me. Should I go on my own or should I just go home and watch Corrie as usual?

Playing soldiers in a field

Damn it I was cold.

We got the train to Three Bridges, which is just past Gatwick Airport. We got a 20-quid cab ride to the location and found our dressing room was a Horse Trailer next to A Big Pile Of Horse Manure.

It smelt but it was warm.

Then we got to meet 3 men from the Mercian Regiment who had been out in Afghanistan with the man who we were doing a film about. I admit that Gareth, one of the soldiers, caught my eye. He was big, he was strong, he had a scar on his top lip, he had green eyes and a cheeky smile. And he was in uniform.

Then we got kitted out. Gareth helped me get changed and made sure all my equipment and outfit was in the right place. I smiled a lot. After that we got shown how to hold and use our firearms by a very cool man called John. He has been in the special forces for 33 years and seriously knew what he was talking about. He took me under his wing and showed me everything I needed to know about how to stand, walk, talk and fire like a soldier. I had massive respect for the man and felt proud that he seemed to favour me over the other boys.

Did I mention Harry? I acquired a rather manky, bedraggled and hairy Cocker Spaniel called Harry. I don't know which farm he belonged to but Harry was by no means a preened puppy. He had knots and burrs. He had tangled hair and a thing on his bottom lip that might have had any respectable vet approaching him with a large needle of sleepforever juice.

But Harry had something special. He was just happy as hell to be alive and couldn't believe that so many new friends had come to see him. Harry decided that I was the friend of all friends and stuck by my side like glue. I didn't mind the smell that was coming from him that much at all because of the amount of love that was coming from the smelly mound of fur that was constantly at my ankles.

Then we started filmed. Lots of walking back and forth. A bit of dancing round a fire (and some of cooking that earned me a nickname of Delia). Then the real stuff came. We had to start throwing ourself into puddles on a muddy field with frost on the ground (and on our rucksacks as well) at -6. There was gunfire and explosions going on while we were on our fronts crawling through endless freezing, muddy puddles just to make it more fun.

Eventually it stopped being fun and we were praying for it all to end. Eventually it did (at 10.30pm) and we got out of our kits and into normal clothes. Then there was the journey home to consider, but we eventually arrived at Kings Cross at 2am. I finally got home at 2.30pm and had to have a bath just so I could feel my feet.

After a few hours of sleep I was up and at 'em and back in the office. Dear God.

Playing soldiers

So I'm still at Two Four Broadcast and working on The Millies for Sky One until 18 December. It's turning out to be a good show - a bit like a Military version of The Pride of Britain awards with the likes of Prince Charles, Gordon Brown and David Cameron involved. There's been a right hoo ha about getting Rachel Stevens out to Afghanistan to present an award and all because she's still in Strictly Come Dancing we've gone with Nell McAndrew instead (she's a forces sweetheart anyway so it makes good sense to have her go).

However, I have no idea what I'll be doing for work come the New Year. I'm sure something will turn up...

Today, the other researcher and I are going down to Sussex to play at being soldiers under a Taliban ambush. It's bloody freezing outside and they want us to stand in a muddy field, dressed up like soldiers and run around a bit. It's like my old days as a film extra in Gladiator, Shakespeare in Love and Notting Hill. I'm sure at some point I was dressed up as a WWII soldier and an airman as well...

I've got so many thermal clothes with me I could open my own market stall. I pray to God that the day goes well enough.

But at the moment, my main concern is food. I went to the gym last night and have come to work without breakfast so I could eat a horse.

Work's not that bad after all...

Despite a weekend of worrying - they'd moved my producer so he sits next to me and it actually makes me feel as though we're a team. Now I'm home again and eating a lovely rare fillet steak with french mustard and a nice Shiraz while watching Wild At Heart from the start. I love this show - it reminds me of my days in Cape Town.
Chris is at work until late tonight and tomorrow and I'm starting to be surprised at how much I don't like being in the flat without him - despite years of being convinced that I'd never be comfortable having someone else in my space.

Oh it's an exciting life...

Saturday night and what did I do? I went to the gym for a work out and sun bed, cooked a casserole and watched X Factor. And I wired my way through a bottle wine by the time Chris came home and then I went on (and on and on apparently) about wanting a puppy and kitten before eventually giving up and going to bed.
And to think there used to be a time when I wouldn't have dreamed of staying in on a Saturday night in case I was missing anything... Maybe I'll just go and do the dishes and some light dusting to make the weekend even more wild and crazy.