Happy New Year to you all and thanks for following my blog.
Just letting you know that as from today I have started a new blog at http://lisagem.blogspot.com/
01 January 2009
04 November 2008
Vertigo
Gosh, I didn't realise just how long it has been since I updated my blog. Time just flies and before we know it another year will be gone.
I'm at home today because I'm suffering from vertigo. It's dead weird because I have never had it before. I recognise what it is from what other people have told me but it's horrible when everythime I move my head the room spins around and my vision gets blurred.
It's not too bad at this moment since I'm sitting down and updating a load neglegted stuff on the laptop. I still have an awful lot of name changes and yet another address change to do.
Alli and I got engaged last september and I have now officially moved in with her. Who knows, there might be another party on the cards soon.... I'll keep you posted.
I'm at home today because I'm suffering from vertigo. It's dead weird because I have never had it before. I recognise what it is from what other people have told me but it's horrible when everythime I move my head the room spins around and my vision gets blurred.
It's not too bad at this moment since I'm sitting down and updating a load neglegted stuff on the laptop. I still have an awful lot of name changes and yet another address change to do.
Alli and I got engaged last september and I have now officially moved in with her. Who knows, there might be another party on the cards soon.... I'll keep you posted.
01 October 2008
House warming parties
Well I finally took the time to sit here and write again. A lot has happened since my last entry but the most memorable things are my two parties. The first one was for girls only and was a completely full house. I could not have fitted another person in. I felt terrible for Alli's friend, Ann, who uses a wheelchair and was stuck in the hall most of the evening. Much as I like my house, I do think the layout of the doorways are stupid at times.
As usual, I did far too much food but luckily there was plenty of salad stuff and healthy nibbles for the dieters. There were quite a few of them.
We had karaoke which went down very well. Alli, Vikki and Tracy all loved singing and were the best singers. Some of the others sang a few songs too and even i joined in to the group singing of "Like a virgin" when the mike wasn't around.
The party kept going until 5am and Ruth and Tracy were the last to leave.
The following week we had a lot more sedate party. Initially the idea was to have Alli's brother, Pete, playing the guitar. But he decided to pass on that but still came to the party. Lee and Pod also came and Will. Later on we had a visit from Ruth and Tracy again.
It was nice to be able to just have a chat with people, especially since some of them I hadn't seen for a while. We just laid on a basic buffet and some nibbles but people seemed happy with that.
Pete stayed the night and it was enjoyable to wake up and listen to him playing his guitar downstairs.
We are soon having another party but it will be a small one and I will tell you about that one another time.
As usual, I did far too much food but luckily there was plenty of salad stuff and healthy nibbles for the dieters. There were quite a few of them.
We had karaoke which went down very well. Alli, Vikki and Tracy all loved singing and were the best singers. Some of the others sang a few songs too and even i joined in to the group singing of "Like a virgin" when the mike wasn't around.
The party kept going until 5am and Ruth and Tracy were the last to leave.
The following week we had a lot more sedate party. Initially the idea was to have Alli's brother, Pete, playing the guitar. But he decided to pass on that but still came to the party. Lee and Pod also came and Will. Later on we had a visit from Ruth and Tracy again.
It was nice to be able to just have a chat with people, especially since some of them I hadn't seen for a while. We just laid on a basic buffet and some nibbles but people seemed happy with that.
Pete stayed the night and it was enjoyable to wake up and listen to him playing his guitar downstairs.
We are soon having another party but it will be a small one and I will tell you about that one another time.
31 August 2008
Back to work
Well last monday, even though it was bank holiday, I decided to finally go back to work after being off for 5 weeks. The first few days were very hard-going. It didn't help that it was so uncomfortably hot all the time. I struggled myself and my heavy boots and rucksack up the steep bank from the car to the office. It is surprising how quickly you can become unfit. The first couple of days it was causing me pain in the chest. However, as the week went on it got a bit easier every day. I must be getting used to it already because on Friday I really enjoyed it. The weekend flew by, i think i blinked and missed it. I hope next week will be easier.
09 August 2008
A new me?
Wow, it has been a long time since I wrote on here and a lot has happened in the last few weeks. The first thing is of course that I received my decree absolute on the first of July. A fantastic celebration was that, I gather, lol.
The next thing was that I moved in to my lovely house and spent days and days shopping and wearing out poor Wendy who was traipsing around with me everywhere. I have now more or less got it the way I want it so it was worth it though.
I decided that I need to make up for the last year of being cooped up in my bedroom so I want plenty of social life. Therefore I joined a ladies group who meet once a fortnight. I went to the first meeting and was told that there was going to be a barge trip (tomorrow) and a Stoke Pride. I promptly signed up for the barge trip and also volunteered myself to help out at the Pride, which is later today.
Sadly, even though the weather has been fantastic for weeks and weeks, it has now turned rather wet today. It is just about the last thing we needed. Anyway. I went to the second meeting and met the love of my life, Alli. She is absolutely wonderful, just the kinda person I have been looking for. We have been together exactly three weeks today but it feels like we've known each other for months. The best thing is; she loves me too.
I have been wondering what to do about my name. I have never been happy with my first names anyway and I couldn't see the point of being called after some bloke. I didn't want my maiden name since I never used it as a kid, so why now. The solution to the problem was to totally change my name to something similar but new.
Most people already know me as Lisa (or Lee for short) so it was obvious that I would shorten my original Sirkka-Liisa to just Lisa and my middle name used to be Paivikki so I just shortened that to Vikki. Then comes the question of the surname. Lockett is a type of jewellery so could i use some other jewellery instead? I couldn't think of anything suitable. I thought maybe ring but it didn't sound right so i thought of something to go with ring and that's how i came up with the name Gem. It's not very common and it could be a shortening of Gemini.
So there we have it. A new life, a new home, a new partner and a new name. Life couldn't get better than this, could it?
The next thing was that I moved in to my lovely house and spent days and days shopping and wearing out poor Wendy who was traipsing around with me everywhere. I have now more or less got it the way I want it so it was worth it though.
I decided that I need to make up for the last year of being cooped up in my bedroom so I want plenty of social life. Therefore I joined a ladies group who meet once a fortnight. I went to the first meeting and was told that there was going to be a barge trip (tomorrow) and a Stoke Pride. I promptly signed up for the barge trip and also volunteered myself to help out at the Pride, which is later today.
Sadly, even though the weather has been fantastic for weeks and weeks, it has now turned rather wet today. It is just about the last thing we needed. Anyway. I went to the second meeting and met the love of my life, Alli. She is absolutely wonderful, just the kinda person I have been looking for. We have been together exactly three weeks today but it feels like we've known each other for months. The best thing is; she loves me too.
I have been wondering what to do about my name. I have never been happy with my first names anyway and I couldn't see the point of being called after some bloke. I didn't want my maiden name since I never used it as a kid, so why now. The solution to the problem was to totally change my name to something similar but new.
Most people already know me as Lisa (or Lee for short) so it was obvious that I would shorten my original Sirkka-Liisa to just Lisa and my middle name used to be Paivikki so I just shortened that to Vikki. Then comes the question of the surname. Lockett is a type of jewellery so could i use some other jewellery instead? I couldn't think of anything suitable. I thought maybe ring but it didn't sound right so i thought of something to go with ring and that's how i came up with the name Gem. It's not very common and it could be a shortening of Gemini.
So there we have it. A new life, a new home, a new partner and a new name. Life couldn't get better than this, could it?
05 July 2008
Housing Problems
Yesterday, I had a problem with my house. The estate agent rang to say that another bidder had gazzumped my offer and I have lost the house. I didn't realise that it was still allowed in England. Scotland and Wales have banned it but just typical isn't it that it happens to be legal here. I wasn't very happy with the estate agents so I have changed to another agent.
This time I'm using Potters Properties in Shelton. It's a lot smaller agent and they promise not to allow further offers when a house is sold. I have found a nice house in Oakhill which suits me great. It's up for sale at the same price and the owners accepted my offer. Better still, because it's empty, they will let me move in on wednesday, so i don't need to change any dates.
The house is in a cul-de-sac with just forty houses. It's a semi with a drive. Two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and kitchen and lounge downstairs. It also has a lean-to which can be used as a store room or laundry.
I can't believe I found another nice house so quickly. The area is nice and close for work and shops and close to both the A500 and A34. What more could I want? oh, yes, the keys of course. I can pick them up on Wednesday too.
This time I'm using Potters Properties in Shelton. It's a lot smaller agent and they promise not to allow further offers when a house is sold. I have found a nice house in Oakhill which suits me great. It's up for sale at the same price and the owners accepted my offer. Better still, because it's empty, they will let me move in on wednesday, so i don't need to change any dates.
The house is in a cul-de-sac with just forty houses. It's a semi with a drive. Two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and kitchen and lounge downstairs. It also has a lean-to which can be used as a store room or laundry.
I can't believe I found another nice house so quickly. The area is nice and close for work and shops and close to both the A500 and A34. What more could I want? oh, yes, the keys of course. I can pick them up on Wednesday too.
04 July 2008
Spider in the bath
Last time I saw my Counsellor, I asked her if she could help me with my Arachnophobia as it's so difficult to live with. She said that all the symptoms that I get when I see a spider or indeed even the word gives me the creep.
Apparently, it's nothing to do with spiders. It's the anxiety that I allow myself to get when I see one that is causing me the problems. The hyperventilation, the dizziness, the nausea, the feeling as if I got things crawling all over me, etc.
The first thing I need to do, she said, was to learn to say the word as I always try to avoid it. She had me saying it repeatedly, again and again until it no longer bothered me. I can no say "spider" and it means nothing. Over the years I had allowed the vision of a wolf spider to connect with the word which made it impossible to hear or say the word without seeing it.
Gill taught me to break that connection. I was allowed to connect it with something else so I chose to use the vision of a plastic, multi-coloured Fisherprice toy called Webster. Therefore I no longer have a problem saying it.
She also told me that as from now I am not to run out of the house screaming, when i see a spider. I should calmly just leave the room and shut the door and get someone to remove it for me. When I see a spider, I must think of Gill sitting in the room telling me to keep calm and leave the room.
I got to put this to test yesterday. I went to have a bath/shower and got in without realising that there was a fairly biggish but short legged spider in there. How in earth I managed to calmly just get out of the bath without screaming is beyond me. I never uttered a sound let alone screamed. I even managed to calmly wrap myself in a towel before going downstairs to get my friend to remove it for me.
She was amazed how calm I was and I said I was quite proud of myself. What amazing start. I can't wait to tell Gill about it.
Apparently, it's nothing to do with spiders. It's the anxiety that I allow myself to get when I see one that is causing me the problems. The hyperventilation, the dizziness, the nausea, the feeling as if I got things crawling all over me, etc.
The first thing I need to do, she said, was to learn to say the word as I always try to avoid it. She had me saying it repeatedly, again and again until it no longer bothered me. I can no say "spider" and it means nothing. Over the years I had allowed the vision of a wolf spider to connect with the word which made it impossible to hear or say the word without seeing it.
Gill taught me to break that connection. I was allowed to connect it with something else so I chose to use the vision of a plastic, multi-coloured Fisherprice toy called Webster. Therefore I no longer have a problem saying it.
She also told me that as from now I am not to run out of the house screaming, when i see a spider. I should calmly just leave the room and shut the door and get someone to remove it for me. When I see a spider, I must think of Gill sitting in the room telling me to keep calm and leave the room.
I got to put this to test yesterday. I went to have a bath/shower and got in without realising that there was a fairly biggish but short legged spider in there. How in earth I managed to calmly just get out of the bath without screaming is beyond me. I never uttered a sound let alone screamed. I even managed to calmly wrap myself in a towel before going downstairs to get my friend to remove it for me.
She was amazed how calm I was and I said I was quite proud of myself. What amazing start. I can't wait to tell Gill about it.
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