If you've got time, stay and listen to my story...

So today I turned the big three-oh. Meh :-) I'm not someone who's bothered by their age - not yet, at least. The only thing that ever bothers me about my birthday is getting through it without wanted to cry or kill someone.

Of course, it doesn't help that I still have that bug, and I've pretty much coughed my throat raw.

I spent most of my day off yesterday fruitlessly scouring town for new jeans. I used to get all my trousers at BHS, 'cause they were the only store I knew that sold jeans-type trousers in a twenty-seven inch leg - and even that's just slightly long on me (yes, I am that short). But they've stopped doing them! *pouts* And their 'petite' trousers, while more or less the right length, just didn't sit right. Anywhere else I tried either didn't do anything shorter than a twenty-nine inch leg, or yet again didn't sit right. And I refuse to believe that I may need to go a size up *scowls* I'm in two sizes bigger than I'm comfortable with, as it is.

Weirdly, though, I accidentally bought a blouse to wear tonight that's a size smaller than I usually wear - and it fits! So either my upper body is still that size (aside from my waist *scowls*) or the design is generous enough that I can get away with it. Go figure!

The meal at the Nantgarw Frankie & Bennys went quite well, thankfully. Though we did have a fair wait for our food - my uncle thinks that's cause we didn't order any starters. There were lots of birthdays at the restaurant tonight, so the recording of 'Happy Birthday' (the representatives of Mildred and Patty Hill must be making a mint of that restaurant chain) followed by Cliff Richard's 'Congratulations' got played half a dozen times over the course of our meal. Naturally my turn came, and our waiter brought over a cake Mam'd had one of her colleagues make, with a sleeping cat on the top painted to (sorta) resemble Tammie. Though, since my parents could only find a photo of him where he's sleeping facing away from the camera, she naturally got his face wrong. That's probably a good thing, since I nearly felt like crying when Rowan let slip they'd got me a cake with Tammie on it - though I was expecting a photocake. Had this cat actually resembled my 'Moggwipe', I think I might actually have cried there in the restaurant. Daft, huh?

I was a good girl and didn't open the cards Mel and Will left last Sunday till this morning. :-) I did open the card that arrived on Thursday with no stamp on it - and a snarky note from the postman, like it's my fault they forgot the sodding postage! :-p It was from my mam's mother, so meh. Not going into my issues there right now. I also had some more cards this morning; one from my brother and sister's grandfather, whom I call Bampy, with some money! *touched* Really gotta send him a thank you card - he never forgets me, and I'm terrible at remembering even my closest family. And the second was from phoebesmum! Thank you so much, Hilary, it was perfect timing.

The other thing I did today was take Rowan to see 'Lazytown Live' at St David's Hall. Oh dear god, people! If you think Pantos are cheesy, honey you ain't seen nothing! It irritates me enough when they use small adults to play the roles of children, but seeing them strike poses and moronic facial expressions worse than you see on Barney? Oh it burns. In fairness, the guys picked to play Sportacus and Robbie Rotten were excellent; the Sportacus actor had Magnus Sheving's voice down pat, and could do all the gymnastic tricks that is the character's trademark. Though he was one of those guys who have buffed up in a way that makes their head seem disproportionately small. Robbie Rotten was so convincing that I'm still having a hard time believing it wasn't Stefan Karl himself - he had the voice and the mannerisms so completely perfect it was astounding.

Right now, I'm debating whether I'm going to watch the online stream of tonight's Doctor Who - which I missed, since I had to go out - or go to bed and listen to one of the Torchwood audio books I bought in town this afternoon with the first of my birthday money. I'd be watching Who on the TV right now if Virgin had gotten around to uploading it yet *glares at them*

Catch you guys tomorrow - hopefully I'll be feeling somewhat better...

Okay so I'm feeling somewhat better today, though my stomach's still unsettled. Mam's taken Rowan to school again for me, just to be on the safe side. Determined to stay out of bed today though, and attempt to eat properly.

Of course, going back to bed's not an option anyway, since I have a plasterer from the council repairing the bathroom ceilings...*shivers* I hate having workmen around.

So I've spent most of this week feeling pretty crap, despite stuffing myself with medication. Thankfully I'm pretty much done with that now, though the last couple of days at work haven't been great, productivity-wise.

At least I have the next four days to finish getting over it - then I can, hopefully, work on getting myself back up to speed.

The latest assignment for my french course is due in tomorrow, so Rowan and I spent some time at the post office after school this afternoon. I didn't complete the coursework till last night - I had the speaking part still to do and, y'know. Issues with speaking, here. I had wanted to do it tuesday night at the latest, but I was feeling really bad that night; my glands were up and my tongue felt really odd, so I didn't enjoy speaking at all. Thankfully I was alright enough last night.

Rowan's playing at a friend's house tomorrow night, so I don't have to run off at three o'clock to collect him. This means I get longer in the house to do whatever. I was planning to go spend my birthday money/vouchers, as my cheques should have cleared today, but the whole issue with the rent means I remain completely brassic. So that'll have to wait a week or so. Then I need to get some decent summer tops - they never seem to stay in good condition for long anymore, do they? - and a new game for my Nintendo DS; 42 classic games, like bowling and darts! *grins* That should spare me too much boredom while we're away in Devon, right?

Monday's a bank holiday, so Rowan doesn't have school. Not yet sure what we're doing that day, though I personally vote for something not too exhausting.

Staying home from work today; my neck has been sore for about a day now, and I've been generally feeling a bit fluey. I think I've been incubating something since getting drenched walking to the bowling alley on Sunday.

Not feeling as bad today as I did yesterday - think the extra pillow while I slept helped. But my productivity at work is shaky enough that I figure it's best to stay home and get past whatever this is, than go in and try to work while not feeling all that great.

So here I am, dosed up with flu meds (thankfully not the uber-drowsy kind), watching TV and flitting around the interwebs till it's time to go pick up Rowan. May go for a nap later, not sure. Sym's sitting alongside me on the arm of the sofa, to keep me company.

Wonder if I could get one or both of my Sports Night stories finished....or get up the confidence to post my Torchwood snippets on the communities.

You know what I hate about being home sick?

I wasn't able to go get my comics today - and the new issue of Robin is out! *cries*

Hopefully I'll be back in work tomorrow - though it was dashing around like a mad-woman wednesday lunchtime that caused me to have to take today off...

Kris does post the comics out if requested - but if I stick to calling in, I get them within hours of them arriving. Sometimes I get there so quickly, I have to help unpack the delivery! *laughs*

I think I'll go to bed now...tomorrow'll come sooner that way.

That's what they used to tell me about christmas and birthdays anyway...