We had a look at a few apartments in the Alameda area this morning after a hearty breakfast with Liz. The Oakland ones are pretty depressing to be honest. We put in an application for a nice house there, good area, one bedroom and a dark room for developing photos but decided against it because of the lack of “hook-ups” which is Americanese for places to put a washing machine and tumble drier. Also the Schipperke would not be welcome… All important factors. Still, this is the time of year when places suddenly become vacant apparently so there’s no rush and there’s also the other buy-a-house possibility that fills me with existential dread but might be a better idea in the long run.

I’m going pseudo-vegetarian to try to offset my pork/beef/lamb footprint from the last two years. My favourite meat dishes are more expensive here and there certainly aren’t plentiful cheap tacos nor donner kebabs just around the corner, but anyway the plan is to not eat animal flesh more than once a week so that I won’t be a burden if we go round someone’s house and they’re cooking for us. Otherwise, it’ll be cheese sandwiches, potatoes, and Branston pickle all the way. Also, all bets are off if I cross any international borders.

I’m applying for web design gigs off of craigslist.org and generally kicking my CV into shape. I’ve a few on the boil, but open to offers, anyone fancy a website?

Sita is back and she’s brought more than a few freebies. We’re probably going to be okay for tequila for a couple of months… the photos are being uploaded as I write, they will eventually be viewable here I’ve been green with jealousy the last few days and these photos seem to confirm my worst suspicions…

I’m off with me camera to the baratillo market. Might shove some photos up later. had a quick skype with my family this morning. Everyone’s looking well. Mum and Dad went to Llangynidir yesterday and Dad’s been putting his *edit* 360 270 or so degree photos up on his website. I’m going to have to look into making one of these: Brecon Waterfalls

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been far too busy having fun (and yet more dentistry) to blog of late. Friday night found us catching up with Beth and Ali and bundle of fun and fur, Jed before heading to Taunton town centre for a few ales. We went to Taunton’s newest Mexican Theme Pub, Que pasa (sic) which was just like walking into Watsonville and Sita grilled the terrified staff about who owned it and if it was a chain, pertinent research questions, naturally. A plan was vaguely hatched to follow Sita and Ali to Prague for a weekend in couple of weeks time, which may or may not happen, depends on the price and that. Both Beth’n’ali are looking well. Plans to have me first fish’n’chips were scuppered by the foolish opening times of Bishop’s Hull’s chippie and dad brought us home safe and sound.
After visiting Taunton market Sat AM for all your dairy, meat and pirate DVD needs, the rest of the weekend was spent round Stu and Anne’s in Bournemouth and that’s where the photos are mainly from (click here, or on the collage). In no particular order, dancing to happy hardcore, watching Live 8 in a pub, scrabble, lasagne, donner kebabs, proper chips, foreign students, irish pubs, hamster, cooked brekkie, walking round forts and beaches, cerne abbas, dorchester. Stu’n’anne’d been off on all kinds of travels since we last met up, india, china, thailand and had a fair few gorgeous pics to browse through. Thoroughly good weekend that one. Ta.
winding down since then, really. walk round lydeard hill with sita, mum and dad, no jed for that one. Off to Brecon on Sat, not sure about internet availability up there. Shall be passing by Hay-on-Wye though, Tanya… righty enough for now, keep up the commenting. Off for another ramble round the village to get away from the omnipresent Olympics 2012 coverage on t’telly. Cheersy- g

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

normal blogging will be resumed shortly…
quick stream of consciousness from last Wed to today… meetings… reports… fielding phone calls… reporters cancelling… final preps for social… dog… sita in miami… sita back… dog… social event… tables… bert and dad arrive… barby in the back garden… party round gerwin’s… breakfast on the wharf… rehearsal for queer youth awards… played guitar… asparagus… atticus… anarchist… ciao bella… “‘china” the cat… car hire… workworkwork… pope… dentist… budgets… next week planning… dr. bert’s friend… Red? Tomorrow… berkeley… first 5… scrabble… thurs… INS/Dept of homeland nonsense… passport photos… announcements at work… ian’n’yuri’n’william… on sunday he rested or had a stab at it… monday… training… tues -> berkeley… trianing… training… training. dentist again. 3 x fillings, 1 x crown replacement.

Saturday was a late night what with the short film competition screening at Amour Fou and all the following festivities for Carlos’s birthday. Then yesterday, after watching Atlas get thoroughly thrashed by Americas, we went to La Cava for a drink or two and some of us had botanas which included pig feet and marinated pork scratchings…

Kinky were playing in the Plaza de Liberación for free. They’re a first class band, well known throughout Latin America and, increasingly, Gringolandia. You might know them from such popular tunes as “más y más” and my personal fave, “Canibal“… They rocked. Then everyone came back to Casa Garibaldi for biscuits Mezcal, and M & D were back too from Chihuahua, which is their new favourite place in Mexico.

I’m going to be well busy this week with various projects, so either there’ll be scant posting cos I’m too tied up, or possible lots of it cos I’ll be sat at the computer all day… Tune in later to find out which…

All photos from yesterday’s Kinky antics here.