The Holy Grail

Been trying to contact some car dealer for the last few days, going to sell the car. Think I've found a home for the bike.

As some wise old person....or was it the television....said, you can always get another car, bike, house, tea set etc but you can't get back the day just gone. Mmmmm, try telling my Dad that though, I suspect he thinks I've now lost the plot and will be potless in a couple of months. Have faith, really, have faith, there is method in this seeming madness.

Oooo, I just have to share this with you. On a Friday morning there is a Country Market in Leatherhead. Well it really is the Womens Institute Meeting but for some reason they don't go by that name now, haven't asked why yet either. Anyway, picture the scene, elderly ladies and gents all queuing up outside the Parish Church Hall, armed with empty bags and handfuls of coins. Inside is Aladdins Cave, well it seems it as at 10.30am on the dot, a silver haired lady in a white coat majestically sweeps a door aside uttering 'open sesame', then the line surges forward as zimmer frames and walking sticks are jostled for best positions at the cake and flower stalls. Thinking about it I don't think she actually utters 'open sesame', mmm, it's more of an inference you understand......

Once inside politenes and respect for ones elders are set aside as one is caught up in the panic to reach The Holy Grail. For thousands of years men have fought wars and personal battles to seek out The Holy Grail. My friends, I, yes I, have discovered the very perfection and meaning of life itself.

The Holy Grail is........




.............any cake made by Mrs Kennedy of April Cottage. Her cakes are sublime, they are light, moist and melt in ones mouth. Perfection, truly. They sate all of ones senses with just one small taste. How is this possible? Who is this God, this idol that deserves total reverence?

I have such a wonderful vision of this truly blessed woman. She must indeed be a small, gentle white haired lady with a cottage kitchen that overlooks lush and fragrant bushes. Ooooh, yes, with a stable door and an ancient wall at the bottom of her garden.

I am sincerely agog at the talent and skills of Mrs Kennedy. She is a God, a woman of Rock Star status, an A list Hollywood star, a....oh you get the picture eh!

For the past few years I have, when occasion allowed, joined in the reverie at the Parish Church Hall. I have jostled and fought arthritic elbows to win my prizes. I have mostly succeeded in returning victorious with the spoils to placate the masses. (Well, my Team at Countryside who scoffed the chocolate and lemon sponges my 2pm then ran amok on the phones in the afternoon with promises of grand gestures to grumpy customers as they experienced wild sugar buzzes..)

Last Friday I took my dear Grandson with me to baptise him in the path of The Holy Grail....well actually if I'm honest I was also using his pushchair as my shield and sword...... The ladies there love him, billing and cooing. Gives me just the edge I need to surge forward for the Kennedy Cake before they know what's hit 'em. Having secured my purchase, feeling very happy with myself (smug, no never, far too ugly) and asked the lady at the Order's Desk if they would be doing anymore half sized cakes, by Mrs Kennedy naturally. I was struggling to keep the live Octopus in my arms (Grandson was feeling a tad tetchy and very lively) and was grateful when the lady beckoned me to sit him on the desk as we chatted. Wrestling with the octopus, sorry my Grandson, who had decided that lunging for the paperwork on the desk was far more interesting then sitting still as a statue (silly Nanna), I was trying so hard not to offend the kindly lady by being very, very clear that my cake just HAD to be a Kennedy Cake. They are very, very touchy the WI's you know........

She explained that it was probably possible to have a half size, that the half sizes available last week were not normal, that she'd made a mistake, but they had sold well......... Hang on a mo, SHE'D made a mistake, I thought as I flung the Grandson in his pushchair, strapping him tightly in as she spoke these immortal words:

'I am Mrs Kennedy actually..........'

OH MY GOD!

I almost fainted, this was she, I mean was her. This was her???? Oh good Lord. She was here in front of me now, what should I say? This woman had only ever made perfect cakes in her entire life......

I flustered and blustered, telling her what wonderful cakes she made. That I could only have her cakes. She was a heroine, my idol. Everyone felt the same, she was wonderful. How did she do it?

I could hear this babble come out of my mouth but seemed totally unable to stop. The Grandson even looked at me as if to say, 'for God's sake woman, enough already'.

Suddenly I stopped, relief swept over me, no doubt Mrs Kennedy and The Grandson as well........ I looked at her, my God, my idol. She wasn't a small white haired old lady after all. She seemed kindly enough, had dark grey hair and.....no, I don't want to know anymore. What if she doesn't have a stable door in her kitchen overlooking a herb garden. What if she has a toyboy lover and is into S&M?

I shall call in tomorrow for my half chocolate sponge cake and smile, knowing that at least my vision of April Cottage is still intact.

That's the thing about idols and pillars, it's a long way down and they topple so easily.............

Please read....

Okay, so.....Big Brother...what a crock of shit!

Pete, as 'nice' as he was didn't deserve the win. In the end it really had to be little Welsh boy Glynn. He had the best journey in there. Did you see his face when Davina announced he'd won? Fabulous, totally generous in his defeat, just wonderful. Pete unfortunately started well but has no frigging backbone.

Gotta have a backbone.....

Glynn, only 18 or 19, stood up to the bullying tactics of Richard et al, held his counsel, except was completely hoodwinked by the absurdly ridiculous .....damn, I can't remember her name, the one with the cheap blonde extensions and bad huge false tits....How daft is that, her name won't come to me at thge moment. Ermmm, maybe a bit of a blonde moment myself...!!!!


Okay, please note, if you have made any donations to me for my trip can you please contact me via the tanie@pinkicing.co.uk address. As you will have noted the donation address is not directly to me and, for a number of reasons, I haven't to date received any money. I mention this as someone has emailed me mentioning the donation they made some time ago.

I am going away, yes I really am! Well a girl can change her mind as often as her knickers surely???

I am going to the States, the same journey but in a car. Not sure how long for but we'll see. But I do need donations to help me. Sorry to ask you all but if you could see your way to passing with a £5 or $10 I would be extremely grateful. I know that a fiver won't get very far but every penny/cent/dollar will indeed help. In return I shall keep a diary going which I trust will amuse you all. You can see the highs and the lows, the famine and the feast. The adventures for all.

I shall find a 'safe' address and advise you all shortly, thank you

And as I will be in a car, you can join me.

Look the donations will actually dictate how long I get to stay out in them there United States. I can nearly afford 3 weeks but hey, check down in the sides of your sofa and pop that unused coin in the post.

Well I say post but as we all know the Great British Post Office has changed its format for letter posting from today. Well that's gonna be fun and frolics eh?? Off to send a small packet/parcel to Mum and Dad after this. Karen H has a wonderful 'tennis bat' that is in actual fact an insect zapper. It's very effective so I've decided that the Parentals need one and hopefully shortly it will be on its way to them.

We have a fly and maggot outbreak here in Leatherhead. The local Council deny that it's anything to do with the revised refuse collection of once a fortnight...... It really is foul and third bloodly world. I spent many a happy summer in the south of France and refuse collections were twice a day!! I ask you, bins emptied once a fortnight, beggars belief!

Idiots, uneducated morons with now understanding of the bigger picture run the Councils these days. Failed politicicans.

Anyone wanna buy a ER5....very good condition....minimum mileage...!!!

oh good grief

Just a real quickie whilst watching the Big Brother final but.........I'm going away............. speak soon....love you all

ANNOUCEMENT

Okay so here I go. This is really difficult for me to write.

Due to personal reasons I am postponing my Harley Trip.

This Blog and web site will continue so please do drop by. My Blog will be full of ancedotes, tales and ramblings. Much like any of the other Blogs in the cyber ether. In fact i do not know what form it will take for now but do keep passing by.

I WILL be going on the trip but for the moment things closer to home must take priority. For those that know me I will email you to let you know the rescheduled date as well as making a flashy banner on the web site! What has been great is seeing all sorts of people from different countries drop by the Blog and web site, and even better, return more than once. Can't help thinking that when the journey is finally here Lord knows who will be watching......

Well I guess yes, I am disappointed but I'm trying to bounce back. I know I said somewhere at the start of all this that I wanted everyone to share the ups and the downs well I guess by the start of the journey you will have experienced all the highs and lows!!

So the immediate future?

Well, get a job! I have depleted my travelling fund (and beyond!) and need to recover from that. So I have the very wonderful Tracey sourcing fabulous jobs for me to throw myself into. Been on interviews already and have 2 potential roles I am keen on.

Next is move house. Desperate for that one, I really am. Ooooh to have a lounge, Sky tv, MY bed, no shared bathroom and kitchen, my stuff, my shoes..........

Take my time over the bike test (of which I haven't dared attempt since previous debacle) and enjoy some bike riding in Britain.

Spend Christmas in my own home with whatever family I will have around me.

So thank you all for dropping by over the past year, it's been entertaining for me and I hope you've all got something out of it.

Remember, keep dropping by from time to time......I will