In Which I Feel Homesick / Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Sigh...
I miss my friends, I miss my family (even my Dad, and Cousins. I surely would have seen them all once by now), I miss going to the pub, I miss battered sausage and chips, I miss playing computer games, I miss English TV, I miss talking to someone who I've never met before and not being treated any different (that's a real biggie), I miss walking to the shops, I miss riding a bike somewhere (anywhere which isn't directly back to where I was before with no significant stop offs), I miss the cold and actual seasons, I miss bearable heat in the summer, I miss playing football, I miss my friends, I miss going to the pub, and there's many more things I miss but I want to be able to drag myself back out of this hole...
Sigh...
I don't think I should've bothered organizing a trip to Florida. I should've just come back home. None of my friends seemed that interested in it anyhow. Just like they don't seem interested in buying six bottles of wine and a connecting flight. Approx. 116 (flight) + 24(wine) = 140 quid for a case of wine and two weeks in lovely Louisiana. If you can find a better offer than that then I'll eat my own shoe. Here's another offer: http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/competitions/jazzapples/ that ones only for two days though, but you can enter it without buying anything.
Well at least I'm with the woman I love. That's a big bonus. I wish I could go out more though. If we ever do go out it's to the movies or dinner, never (or incredibly rarely) to a bar or party. I know if I was in England I'd be at the pub once a week for sure. One of my friends would go with me. The problem is, only one of my friends (Ash) is here with me. Great for her, she wants me to be with her all the time. I don't mind that, but it doesn't leave us much to talk about. I'll say for example "Chip told me blah blah blah." She'll say "I know I was with you when he said it. " So the only things we ever have to talk about that we do is Ash being at work and me not being at work, which accounts to about half an hour of conversation. Occasionally I'll read something and tell her about it, but that's about the extent of it.
Sorry about me griping, it's just something I do every now and again, so I can be happy the rest of the time. I'd better stop before you stop reading because it's so depressing.
/Hopped!
2:42 PM
In Which I Finally Get Than Music Site Working Properly(ish) / Tuesday, July 20, 2004
I think it's kind of working anyhow. I spent yesterday sorting it out and getting pictures on my website. I can only get two of the songs to play on it, but I think that has something to do with the amount of bandwidth (If anyone knows any other reason can you tell me please? I'm lost!) There' s a good chance that you won't be able to actually look at it, because it's a free site and the lack of bandwidth is a real problem. If it doesn't work when you go to it then you'll have to try later. Anyhow, here's the address http://www.geocities.com/affekopf10 I'll put a link to it down there on the left and on my website as well, if I have time.
Yes I should be studying hard, and that's what I'm going to do now. Until Joe and I go and play a round of golf.... So I'd better not write anymore and get on with it!
/Hopped!
11:36 AM
In Which I Finally Have Time And Energy To Do Another Post / Sunday, July 18, 2004
Boy, do those kids tire you out or what! It's going to be a while until I have any! People tell me it's different with your own because they listen to you. We're still going to wait though!
The whole Idea of the week was The Jesus Expedition, Monday we were in Antartica, Tuesday The Sahara, wednesday was the jungle, Thursday Mount Everest, and Friday was the ocean. Some how they managed to link a bible story into each day. I was helping out with that bit. They also went off and play games or do crafts, so basically we had the most challenging bit out of all of them, in other words the bit that was no fun. Still we tried to make it fun, and they did learn something, and they all were very sweet.... I get lots of little people saying hello to me when I come into church now! You just have to give them a little love and you'll get it back a thousand times more. Especially in the case of one ten year old, who had a little crush on me. All I had to say is that I lived just down the road from the Dursleys (from Harry Potter) and I was a hero!
We also played music every morning and afternoon, with this guy, Dave. I think I've already mentioned him in the last post, so you know all about that. We had Brendan Coffee on drums, and what he lack in ability (it was only the second real drumkit he's played on, he only owns the sticks!) he made up for in enthusiasm, so much so that he's going to be our regular drummer in the worship services on Sundays (our other drummer is a little unreliable), and Mariah on piano. Boy! Those kids know how to worship! You'd think it was the Beatles playing (who of course were better than God, who actually was playing!) They'd scream the church down rush up the aisles and be right there dancing away. It make Sunday services a bit of a disappointment in comparison really...
So over the last week I've learnt two very important things: Kids are better at being Christians than most adults, and my respect for teachers has gone through the roof! I've had more headaches in the last week than I have in the whole of last year!
whilst all this was going on Chandler, the youth minister and one of the best people at the church, what he does there is a real blessing, Dave and I were discussing a Sunday evening service for the youth and anyone else who wants to come. We're going to try and get it off the ground by the beginning of next term, which is far too close, but it's got to happen, after all youth is the way to build a church. So anyone who prays, please pray for our new service!
Saturday we went to a pre-conformation party at the Blairs house. They asked us to housesit some time, and that's going to be awesome! I mean Chip (husband/daddy Blair) is a builder, and you should see the house he's built for them! He's got fully automated everything, so you can press a button on the remote control and all the lights will go to a certain level, a speaker system through the whole house, also on the remote, everything is on this little remote thingy. CD's, DVD's, TV's, blinds, the whole house can be controlled from one remote control! They've got a beautiful pool with fountains and a hot tub, a little roofed area with a BBQ and sink and a marble counter behind the pool and a big garden beyond that. Best of all though they have a theater room. That screen has to be measured in feet, not inches. I think it's 8ft at a guess... There's real comfortable sofas in there, so it's just like being at the cinema but much much more comfortable! i have an ambition now... Get me one of those! The whole house would be great, but the theater room would be enough for me. I'm a man of humble means. I just need an eight foot screen, surround sound system with a big bass tube and a comfy sofa. What else does a man need?!
Today Ash and I got confirmed, it was all very nice, the bishop came and blessed us and all that. Now I'm a proper Christian. Watch out world! Pete's got God on his side now! Here's a picture:
I swear there's a bishop in there somewhere!
I just took Schatize out to do her business, and they have frogs here that sound like sheep! Crazy country! Anyhow, the Simpsons has just started, bye!
/Hopped!
5:36 PM
In Which All In All Much Fun Is Had / Sunday, July 11, 2004
Alright peeps! How's it going?
Well although much fun was had I can't really remember much of it... Ahh reminds me of various festivals! All those bands I've seen and have no recollection of actually seeing! Not that it's the same thing here though, my memory lapse has nothing to do with being wasted this time round, or maybe it does. It could be a knock on effect...
Oh right, yeah I helped Joe put up a bit of fence on Friday, that wasn't really much fun, but I still smiled while we did it (I don't recall a time when I didn't smile. I keep on getting comments from people: "You're always smiling", "Why so cheerful?" Why not I say! I'm alive and enjoying my life! You would rather I was sad all the time?) In the evening we went to see Spiderman 2. Boy is that a good film! Wow! Better than the first one! Best film I've seen in a while. Pchow! Wee! Pchow! Woo! He did take off his mask quite a few times more than I thought he should of. I mean, it's kind of a careless thing for a superhero to do isn't it. Then again Superman didn't even wear a mask, and still no one recognized him because of the cunning use of glasses! Maybe Peter Parker should have done that as well. After all he used to wear glasses.
So that was a superhero filled night of fun. Saturday morning we had a final seminar for our Confirmation. I felt ill on Friday night and didn't get much so I was tired and I don't think I took it all in. Still I'm not going to be tested, and I still came out knowing more than when I went in, so it doesn't really matter. Then I went home for a couple of hours and did not much and went straight back to church for a practice for Vacation Bible Study. I'm playing music at the beginning of every day, with a guy called David. He is a singer/guitarist, and is very good at it. Anyhow we practiced last night, it was fun.
After that I went to Stephie and Gordons for a barbecue. It was Diannes bithday. So the whole family was there apart from Cresta (I don't know where she is) and guess what? Everyone had fun! I asked if we were going to give Dianne the bumps and made the old joke about my great aunt dying at her eightieth birthday, and everybody laughed lots! Boy these Americans are easy to amuse! Just like me!
On to today, or yesterday, depending on when you're reading this... Today was fun too! Church was great, we had David there singing, it sounded good having Mariah sing a song and then David singing a song, and then the two of them doing harmonies. I was playing bass today. Had we had a drummer it would've sounded very professional. It still sounded good though. After that we came home, napped, woke up, watched The Simpsons, ate Hamburger Helper, I practiced my bits I'm playing tomorrow, and wrote this.
You'll have to have me in your prayers tomorrow, not only am I going to play at the beginning of the VBS I'm also helping to lead a small group! A roomful of kids, which I have half the command of? I facing that with dread! Lord, if I ever need your help it's going to be in the next week! (Do you think God reads my blog? Hmm... Deep theological question... Is God online? Which provider does He use?) Anyhow, I'd better get off to bed, I've got a long and terrifying day ahead of me tomorrow!
Adios!
/Hopped!
9:29 PM
In Which I Write In a Tired Way / Friday, July 09, 2004
Yup.. Just woke up from a nap... I'm still just waking up. Had nightmares last night, they were scary and kept me awake.. Oh yeah, I've got to put that blooming picture on here haven't I? Hold on a minute... Let's see if I can get this to work...
If it doesn't you'll just have to go here and have a look yourself.
Well the wood has arrive so this'll be very short. I've been helping Joe around the garden (trying to give myself a heart attack rather than him), and today the wood has arrived for the fence. I'd better get out there pretty soon, he's not going to ask for my help and he'll just be struggling on out there by himself.
So quickly: Yesterday was Ash and I's first kiss anniversary. Apparently we're supposed to celebrate those... Well i got her some flowers, we had a bath together.. It kept her happy for the night! I did get her some Hershey's Hugs which are like kisses but nicer looking, but the puppies got to them. When Ash and I got home from work Dianne was out in the garage with Joe playing darts and the dogs were running free around the house (unfortunately they can't be left alone outside of their kennel outweigh they eat things) we came home, i um... Really needed a poo I came out of the toilet Ash said thanks for the flowers, I said you didn't like the chocolate? What chocolate? Uh oh. The only thing left was the plastic wrapper. They'd even eaten all the foil that comes round each individual one! It was a big bag as well, not your tiny sort! The puppies seem alright though.
So really apart from helping Joe in the garden that's been about all I've been up to. Sorry this is kind of brief, but I have to go out and help Joe.
Bye Y'all
/Hopped!
12:38 PM
In Which I Write A Long One / Tuesday, July 06, 2004
There's some catching up to do now! I thought I could get away with not doing anything over the weekend because no one really checks it, and then the weekend was kind of... Lengthened..
Okay here goes... Friday. Did I do Friday? Yes, so Saturday... Well I can't really remember what I did on Saturday. I finished A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson. I want to hike the Appalachian Trail now! Someday I'll do it. It's good to read something that I'm not supposed to learn anything from for a change, I can just enjoy it. A good break from studying. I was hoping that it would make it easier for me to study after I read it, but it's just made it ten times more boring! Ash and I watched Nine Dead Gay Guys I thought it was pretty awful, Ash liked it. Just goes to show that we can't agree on everything! Then we watched the Travel Channel, they had a programme on the ten best natural sites in the west. I went to sleep dreaming of mountains.
Church did go well, apart from me not being able to hear myself again. When we were practicing everything sounded great, then Mariah went up and played with the soundboard and I couldn't hear myself at all. Not a great thing really... I think I managed to blunder through alright though, I don't really know, I couldn't hear myself!
In the evening the youth group came over to Jo and Lloyds (the house we're housesitting) and played about in the pool for the evening. Jo and Lloyd got back earlier than expected. I don't think Lloyd was too happy coming home to a load of screaming kids in his pool! It was like we were teenagers again and our parent's had just come home unexpectedly! Still they were alright about it. Jo did say we could do it there so it's not like we were breaking any rules or anything! Oh, it was the fourth of July on Sunday, independence day. Not that that made a great deal of difference to me! At least this year I wasn't surrounded by drunken Americans saying "We wooped you ass! Yeeeehah!" Not that it really makes much difference to me (the only insults that actually do any damage to me have to be umm... Insulting)
On Monday one of Ash's college friends was in New Orleans (Jen's her name. Very nice girl) We went to Margaritaville and ate pretty lousy food, but the margaritas were good! (apparently, I was driving) I didn't realise that it was owned by Jimmy Buffett, which to be honest was kind of stupid of me... It was strange because they had videos of Jimmy Buffett, and music by Jimmy Buffett, but the stuff on the video was completely different from the music they were playing. Very confusing... Jimmy Buffett wins an award for the cheesiest band merchandise: A mouse. Not a mousepad, that could be a little (but not by much) more acceptable, but a mouse, with a little transparent bit with a margarita and salt shaker floating about in it. I mean, for goodness sake! Talk about cashing in!
We went to Pat O'Briens after that. I can't remember the last time I actually went to New Orleans for more than three hours and didn't end up there! A first for me though, we sat in the piano bar. There was a good pianist playing, she played some Ray Charles and Carol King for me. Ash had another drink (do you see where this is going for Ash? Two is usually her limit...) Then we went to the aquarium. I think it's about the fifth time I've been to it. The penguins are still really cool. Then we went to the Hard Rock Cafe, the first time I've been to one of those. It was alright. They played a Shakira and a Right Said Fred video. Not really hard rock in my opinion! Anyhow, Ash had her third and (thank God!) final drink in there. She was having a little trouble walking by this time, but at least she was happy! Usually Ash skips the happy stage of being drunk and goes straight onto the ill part because of her having no gall bladder, but she was happy today! Woohoo!
So being as Ash was having trouble walking we went and got her some coffee from Cafe Du Monde, famous for their beingnets (so of course we got some of those too!) and then we headed home. We had to drop Jen off at her hotel, and five u-turns and 15 miles in the wrong direction later, we got her there. Never try and get directions from a drunken Ashley!
When we got home I had a few beers. I deserved them! I went to feed the cats before I went to bed and there was a raccoon outside! I think it must've been eating the cat food. I have a picture, I'll put it on my site tomorrow.
On to today. Didn't do much, paid my ticket, that was about it. Joe cooked steaks this evening, and Dave and Willa (I have no idea how you spell it, but that's how it's said) from next door came over. Unfortunately we got talking about politics, and neither Dave or Joe are the best people to talk to about that. They only seem to have one hole in their heads that actually works...
Apart from that, umm.. I think that's it. Oh I have to tell you about Hamell On Trail If you visit just one of the links in this blog, make sure it's this one. This guy is really cool. I bet you didn't think you could do punk convicingly on an acoustic guitar did you? Well prepare to be educated. He can't sing, and he's not very good on guitar, and the lyrics are a bit all over the place, but somehow, if you put them all together you come up with ultra-cool music. In my opinion.
Bye!
/Hopped!
9:36 PM
In Which I Almost End Up In An Accident, And Have a Proper Breakfast For Dinner / Friday, July 02, 2004
So I was driving down the road, minding my own business, window open, when a pick-up with those big sticky out mirrors comes over on my side of the road, and just misses me. It couldn't have been much closer. He smashed my mirror! Pretty scary. Six inches further across and the only way you could read this would be through a... Oh what do you call it... Seance, or the little guy from Sixth Sense! Altogether a brown-trouser-experience.
Anyhow, that was in the afternoon, I haven't told you what I did for the rest of my day. I went to church to help put out the new chairs. Yup nice new comfy chairs. It said on the wrappers "NO cup holders" So I guess you can get chairs for your church with cup holders.. Only in America! I had to go to Ash's work to give he some painkillers because she wasn't feeling too hot, and we went to lunch. I asked for a cheeseburger po-boy and I just got a cheeseburger! Tsk!
I didn't do much in the afternoon, a bit of studying (it always seems to make me sleepy), I went to pick up Ash and got hit by a truck on the way. She said it happened to her once and she had the window closed and it smashed the window. Just as well I had it open! Took a nap, woke up as Ash was packing stuff for us to come here. Oh, we're housesitting for Jo and Lloyd again, forgot to mention that.
Ash wanted Subway and I wanted Waffle House. So we got take-out from both. This meant I could get a breakfast to go and put delicious Heinz Baked Beans on top. Extra yummy-ummy-scruptious!
That's it really, oh I have to tell you my thoughts... I don't really remember thinking about anything very interesting yesterday really... Sorry!
Till Tomorrow... Or possibly the day after... Well actually it's today now... (I didn't get a chance to do this last night so I'm doing it this morning) So Till today...
/Hopped!
11:52 AM