Happy Pancake Day

I found this fantastic picture of some housewives taking part in the world famous Olney Pancake Race, circa 1950. I wasn't really aware that people took part in pancake races but apparently this tradition is so popular and fun that some Americans decided to copy it and take it to Liberal, Kansas.
I've never really known why we celebrate Pancake Day, I'm not a religious person and to be quite frank I am ignorant about most religious festivities. For this reason I decided to do some investigating on the net. I discovered that Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent and therefore in the past was the day when households had to use up all the fats and eggs they had in the house, since they were products that were forbidden during Lent. Fats and eggs, the ingredients for a good Pancake! To find out more you can go to this pancake happy page.

The Easy Way

Before New Year I had decided that with the chiming of the clock on New Year's Eve ( or at least on the morn of the 1st of January -when the celebrations were over) I would stop smoking. I really believed that this great feat would be aided by the new smoking ban coming into effect from the 1st of January in public places in Spain. Well, aided I was not, it would be more accurate to say that any attempts to kick the habit were thwarted by the blasted tobacco law! It became easier to smoke, all the bars I went to were still smoking bars, my brand of cigarettes actually went down in price and I could smoke without worrying about annoying the non-smokers since they had obviously chosen to frequent a smoke-friendly bar. The only real difference was that I had to go outside to smoke, but hey this is Spain and at this time of year it may be cold at times but the sun is usually shining and standing in the street doesn't really pose a problem. So I continued to smoke.

A few months went by, I had just about given up on the idea of quitting having realised that Jaime was right when he said I had no will power, when along came Alan Carr and his Easyway. Yes, a fellow ex-smoker thrust his book upon me and within 3 days of reading I had become a non-smoker. As easy as pie. No cutting down (had already tried and failed), no patches (refuse to admit I was actually 'addicted' and needed nicotine), no chewing gum and other substitutes (thank God, no weight gain) and no need for will power (since I have proved on the numerous occasions that I have quit smoking that I have none!) Just me, Alan Carr and a little light reading.

So here I am, a week after reading a method that has a success rate of over 90%, a week of killing off the Nicotine monster that was residing in my tummy and I feel fab, happy to be a non- smoker and raring to get more fag ash Lils onto the band wagon!

Late Arrivals

Here are some pictures I took the other week when a few of us went to see a friend's band playing in the Chesterfield Café in Arguelles. Nedra and I had been for some lovely grub in a Peruvian restaurant previously (having attempted to get served in a Columbian first with no joy). The waiter took a great liking to Miss Rivera, so perhaps we will have to go back. The band was good as always but the place was full of posh school kids which made me feel far too old, especially when one of them suctioned his 18 year old lips to my cheek. Nice!

Katie and Lewis : The BLC Love Birds

Dave and Nedra enjoying themselves

Happy Love Day

to everyone! If you're in a relationship I hope your partner has treated you to something special and if you are not I hope you have still treated yourself to something special.
If you are bored one day you could go to this website and make your own hearts and signs. It's silly but you'll be surprised how much time you can spend (waste) being creative. I would post a picture of my Valentine's day present from Jaime but it is just too tacky! (both the idea of posting a pic and the actual gift) It's the thought that counts and all that crap.

Back to Skool

I was just looking at the Leeds University website and reminiscing about the four years I spent there, when I came across the graduation webcasts from my year. (If you want to see me get my degree go here, scroll down to July 14th 2003, ceremony 2 and skip to the 34.50 minute mark or to see my dad looking bored out of his head listening to one of the language professors going on and on and on, skip to the 9.30 minute mark).

I had forgotton how funny it was. It was the only day I remember wishing that I had a middle name or a double barrel surname. Some people had ridiculously long names like 'James Peter Kirk Patrick Dixon' and 'Alexander Michael Smolinski Marqués'. I think my dad almost choked trying not to laugh out loud - I mean how many names does one person need?? It's a bit much when your parents decide to name you after your father's father's father's father! I felt a little embarrassed when they called out 'Faye Hobson', but at least another single named friend went before me, 'Sarah Grimsley'.