Thursday 31 March 2011

Stacey Solomon - Why Darrell’s Gone To Iceland ……(the Shop Not The Country)

 Picture 218
Darrell has announced that though we have a perfectly decent Tesco Express across the road, plus a Spar round the corner, our supermarket of choice is now Iceland ….. because it has just been announced that Stacey Solomon is the New Face of the aforementioned store!
Stacey Solomon Face of Iceland 
How BRILLIANT is that?
Stacey Solomon New Face of Iceland
As soon as he heard the news he said that he wanted to eat everything that Stacey eats from now on. He said ”Whatever she recommends, is going in our shopping basket, even if I don’t like it and it makes me heave!” 
New Face of Iceland Stacey Solomon
So I guess if he sees Stacey in the adverts  whizzing round the aisles, rummaging in the freezers,  and extolling the virtues of thinly sliced liver in a rich onion gravy, a prawn ring  or 6 raspberry ripple screwballs for just £1, then we’ll be off to town on the Banga bus with George at the helm to get a weeks supply of the comestibles! …..
Stacey_Solomon_4_thumb[3]
But I am not sure if Darrell will use his special shopping bag that Stacey’s Dad put her picture on and she signed, as he still sleeps with it under his pillow.
Stacey_Solomon_5_thumb[4]
I think he would prefer to use an Iceland carrier or freezer bag instead.
Stacey Solomon
Darrell says he can’t wait to see the ads, which start on 15th May, and wonders if we could put them on series link so he that he doesn’t miss any.  What is he like?
He has even found a website that has all the lyrics to the Iceland ads!!! Oh my life, he hasn’t stopped humming since!

Wednesday 30 March 2011

News Of Stacey Solomon ….. Darrell’s Fit To Burst …..

 stacey-solomon-gmtvFor Badge
The Spring has certainly brought wonderful news of a Stacey Solomon type nature, putting a spring as springy as the springiest pogo stick in Darrell’s step ….. he’s beside himself with boundless pride, unbridled heartfelt joy etc. (his words, not mine!) and all that sort of thing, because it’s just been announced that Stacey has been awarded the Celebrity Mum of the Year title, ahhhhhhh …….  AND …… she is now The New Face of Iceland (the shop, not the country) …….. AND she is presenting a new celebrity talent show next month called “Sing If You Can” with Vernon Kaye (Darrell is not keen on him, and goes a bit moody at the mention of his name) ….. AND she’s started recording her debut album ……….AND finally, she’s got a lovely new car! It just doesn’t get any better than that, the girl done good!
Queen_of_the_Jungle_Stacey_Solomon_picks_up_her_customised_car_fit_for_a_princess_3
There is just no doing with Darrell at the moment,  ….. he thinks that perhaps it all started for Stacey on this blog when he wrote his first letter to her and that the kisses he sent to her have worked ….........

Spring Is Sprung

Daffodils a
Life just doesn’t get any better than this …..
Picture 759
“And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils”
BRILLIANT!

Tuesday 29 March 2011

Who Ya Gonna Call …..?

I knew it wasn't going to be my day ....
Picture 190





When I realised I was being watched
Picture 191
………no matter what I tried to say and or how much I protested  my innocence, I knew I just had to go along for the ride!!!!!
Picture 192There’s a line in a famous song ……
“If there's something weird and it don't look good, who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters”
Picture 196
Except in my case, when they were all too busy posing for photos to help me ……
Picture 200
I guess my face just didn’t quite fit ……
Picture 198
I ought to realise that this sort of thing is bound to happen when you wander into a different time dimension of a parallel universe type nature because you’re not paying enough attention to where you are walking, a bit like stepping into doggy dodos, so I have only myself to blame. C’est La Vie! 

..... Bon Appetit Storm Troopers, I hope you enjoyed your Belgium Waffles, after the morning I had, I couldn't swallow mine!

Monday 28 March 2011

All Change Back At Home

I don’t think I’ve been away from home for too long, but in my absence there seem to been a few changes in our village and at home …
Luciano's Pizzeria
The Pizza Parlour has changed hands, and there is a 2 for 1 offer for the whole of March, so I have a couple of days left to take full advantage of it, especially as I have a few Koruna left over, so I’ll change them at the Post Office and it’ll be pizza a-plenty chez nous this tea time! ….. Nomtastic!
Reburbishment of The Woodman
And the pub across the road has also under gone a total refurbishment, it’s become a “Flaming Grill” (I’m not being rude ….. that’s it’s new title).  We can now promenade across the road and experience a little cafe society of our own …. how romantic …. They have put a new seating area outside, with most excellent vistas of the two zebra crossings in the village.
Picture 706
And in our garden, Darrell and Nigel have been doing a little digging and brick laying for our new pond ….
Picture 707
We couldn’t help but think that it would make a brilliant swimming pool for the summer ….. but we didn’t say it aloud, just in case Nigel got any ideas ……

Sunday 27 March 2011

Filling In Our Census Form

census 2011
We got up really early at the crack of dawn this morning to fill in our census form, a task of great national importance, the responsibility of which lay very heavy upon us.  We made sure that we were altogether (including Nigel). We mustered together, a bit like a fire drill at the kitchen table, we wanted to be certain that we hadn’t  had any surprise overnight visitors, if we had it would have meant extra form filling for us, a thought that was to awful to contemplate!
 Filling Census Form 2011
We gave Nigel the  job of counting all our rooms, we made him do it a several times but in the end, as his answers were always different we worked out the average and put that.
Picture 717
We were also a bit confused about the getting to work question (41), because when we help out in the Reprographics Office we get a lift  from Lucy, but, there is nothing on the census form about getting home ….. we always go home with George on the Banga bus ….. Perhaps we should point it out to the powers that be that not everyone gets back from work in the same was as they went….
Nigel fills in his census form
And how do we answer question 18 for Nigel, “How well do you speak English?” …..  we think Nigel thinks he is speaking excellent English …… but we can’t understand a word ….. hmmmmm, thank goodness we got up early, this could take some time…….

Saturday 26 March 2011

Time For Presents ….

Darrell and Nigel were so pleased to see me when I came down for breakfast, and even more pleased when they saw that I was bearing gifts …
Czech Currency
But I had to explain that there were not many shopping opportunities in the part of the Czech Republic where we were based and that most of my retail therapy was confined to the local Tesco Express, which they thought was very funny.
Czech Sweets
Nigel made light work of the penny mix I got from the kiosk in the town, and they gasped in amazement when I told them that the sweets were outside the kiosk for people to choose!! Darrell loved his mug that I got from the airport and all the sweets I found so that we can do a  mega confectionary review once I have unpacked properly.
Funny Drops
His very favourites  were the white chocolate bar with funny drops ……
White Chocolate with Funny Drops
…… and Czech Smarties “We can compare and contrast them with British Smarties ” he said ….. “Confectionary from foreign climes always seem so exotic and romantic ….!”  What is he like?
Picture 743
Nigel was very quite, and sucked on his lolly ….. and smelt vaguely of beans ……
Picture 750
I told them that as I had bought some Czech money back it must be a spooky, Derek Acorah omen that I was meant to return one day, hopefully with both of them with me.
King Charles Bridge
Then we all gazed at the picture that I bought back ……
Picture of Prague
“We’ve missed you,” sighed Darrell ”It’s so lovely to have you home.” and Nigel made contented slurping noises.

Friday 25 March 2011

Back In The Bosom of My Family

My return home, just like my departure, was very early in the morning. Darrell and Nigel had tried hard to stay awake to greet me but fatigue had overtaken them, however their little note and Welcome Home muffin warmed my heart as I had missed them both greatly.
Picture 754
In a strange way I was grateful of a quiet homecoming as it was a little hard for me to come to terms with the fact that just a few short hours ago I was enjoying the beautiful city of Prague and now ….. I was back in Wolverhampton.
Blueberry Muffin
I have much to tell them, as I am sure they have me, and I have a few small presents in my case for them …… I know this may sound a little odd, but as I snuggled down in my beloved bed,  I swear I could smell baked beans …..

Thursday 24 March 2011

Farewell To and Reflections Of The Czech Republic ……

Looking Back on my Czech Holiday
I’ve had the most wonderful time, with such brilliant memories, and hope that the young ladies will consider asking me to join them again on another educational excursion in the future. I feel I have proved my worth,  having learnt so much about the intricacies of looking after hotel room keys …. and think that it would put me in a good steed should the need arise again on another trip.
Charles Bridge Prague Picture 243
But, I have been away from Darrell and Nigel for what seems to be an age  ….. so I bid the Czech Republic a very fond and emotional farewell ….. with a promise to return to Prague ….
 Picture 242 Picture 252
……… and if I am being honest …. I am really looking forward to not having to wear quite so many layers of clothes and feeling like the Michelin man!
Prague Charles bridge Picture 250

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Going Out With a (Posh) Bang – At The Cafe Imperial, Prague

Time for my last meal in the Czech Republic and what a meal…….
Cafe Imperial Prague
We went to the Cafe Imperial and it was the poshest restaurant I have ever, ever, ever been to!
Cafe Imperial Prague February 2011
It was so beautiful, it took my breath away, but I knew that I had to be on my best behaviour, and even though I was totally overwhelmed and emotional, I had to try and act as normal as possible, like I did this every day, so that I wouldn’t make a spectacle of myself.
Imperial Cafe staring at the ceiling
I couldn’t take my eyes off the ceiling, it was all tiled, goodness knows how they did it. It must have taken them ages as the tiles were very small…….  and the grouting ….. it must have been a nightmare!
Picture 262
My hands were shaking so much as I was handed the menu by a very (so I am told) handsome waiter.  I could hardly read it through misty eyes, but I managed …..  I decided it was now or never and went for something I would probably never ever order again in my life  … so I went for the veal.
Divine Cuisine 
Oh my life, it was almost too beautiful to eat ….. but then that would have been a waste.
Nom Nom Nom in Prague
So I nomed silently to myself for at least thirty minutes ….. as my food melted in my mouth. I didn’t waste one bit, and had I not been somewhere quite so posh, I would have licked my plate clean, but I will admit to using my bread to mop up every last smidgeon of gravy …… Granny G would have killed me if she had seen me.
Picture 270
Then, I needed to use the bathroom. Again, I was overwhelmed, they had marble surfaces, crystal knobs and posh gold duck taps, where the water poured out of their mouths …….  I washed my hands in the poshest a way I could. Oh my life, it was a truly BRILLIANT experience and what a way to end my Czech Experience, I embraced this last bit SO hard it bought tears to my eyes.
PS. I carefully rolled up my place mat to take home with me as a souvenir !

Noms?  Off the richter scale !!!!  Nomtastical !