Busy, busy, busy

I noticed the other day that someone listed as one of their pet hates sentences starting with "So", well I know that that is something I am highly guilty of, Every time I do it I try to challenge myself as to whether it is sensible but I do it anyway. So here I am at last sitting down. relaxing and watching the Italian Grand Prix.   I say at last, not because I have been waiting eagerly for the Grand Prix, but because I have had such a busy, indeed at times frantic weekend.

So far I have had to work, take daughter shopping with her guitar to be restrung, go to a meeting in town, play a bandstand concert, go to friends for lunch, rehearse the evenings worship songs, and then play in the worship band at tonights service.   To make matters more complicated some of these activities are hers, and some of them his.   However I do find that the border is getting increasingly blurred.   One of the areas of my life hat I had been keeping male was my Church life, but this week I have been e-mailing my Vicar and have come out to him, he has been understanding, supportive, and grateful for my honesty, even if I continue to present as make this will of course alter the relationship, I hope for the better, as removing the secret can only be a good thing.   Also this mornings performance was as Paula, and I had no tie to change before lunch so this was the first time that one of my friends had me Paula.

This of course led to an explanation for my situation, and I am glad to say that I now have another supporter, there is much more I could, and possibly will say abut all of this, but right now I am feeling the strains of the weekend and need my bed.

Homewood bound

In the weeks leading up to my little trip I had allowed my finger nails to grow to a nice elegant length, so was rather disappointed when before arriving at Mum's I had to clean the pink polish off them, somehow for me this is one of my major indications of my femininity, so there is almost a feeling of bereavement when I clean them off.   I think this maybe one of the reasons I often wear clear polish / hardener when I am in drab.   

Anyway it was an uneventful Saturday afternoon and Sunday, and a pretty uneventful Grand Prix after the first lap, still I was pleased that Jenson Button had a good race, it may be a good thing for the Championship that Alonzo had another DNF, but I would have preferred Button to finish ahead of the Red Bulls.   After leaving my Mother's I popped into see my Brother, I had only planned on a quick few minutes to say hi, but ended up staying there a couple of hours.

As soon as I left my Brother's I re-did my nails (this time in dark cherry) and at the first opportunity changed into a dress, I hoped to be back in London in time for some of the comedy event at the Grape and Grain.   It was a long and unpleasant drive, as so often happens the M4 on a Sunday evening is very busy and traffic piles up a bit, especially when I'm in a hurry!

I arrived back at Crystal Palace about ten o'clock ad expected the pub to close at 10:30, but as it was a special night (Comedy and beer festival) they stayed open longer so I had time for a couple of glasses of wine.   As I was leaving I got into conversation with the landlady, a chap who was with her, after a few minutes she left us but he continued to engage me conversation, maybe he was just being friendly but  got the definite impression that he was chatting me up a bit.   Very flattering course, but he was a bit young, a bit small and well, lets remember I am married!   I like to wear jewelry, but the wedding ring is the only bit that is real!

It was a great weekend, and I was very sorry that it had to end, but having said that it was good to be home as well.

Pole

Jenson Button

I watched qualifying for the Belgium Grand Prix yesterday, a great performance by Jenson Button.   My friends waiting at the bar will know that I am a bit of a fan of his, so I hope this is going to be  turning point in his season, the championship is still possible, but a bit of a long shot.   I think I would be happy if he could overtake Hamilton on points and then two years running outscore him.   Hamilton has improved this season, maybe he doesn't seem to be quite as fast as he was, but that could well just be the car, but his race craft does seem to have improved.

I shall be watching the race this afternoon, I think I should make sure I have a couple of cool Belgium beers to drink while I'm watching.

Yesterday was a bit strange, I almost felt bereaved, although I was glad to have my family back I missed Paula, and checking my diary I struggle to see when I will next have some decent time.   I called B and he had woken on Friday with a spectacular hang over around midday, well after I had left for work, apparently with no knowledge of much of the previous night.   While it does look as though I have "Got away" with  my risky behaviour last week, I think I need to take stock and be a bit more careful in the future.

There is an exhibition on at the Royal Academy that I would like to see, so maybe I can make that a day out for my birthday.   I have got into the habit of taking my birthday off and going out to do or see something, this year my birthday falls on a Sunday so maybe I will take a day off during the following week and take a trip up to town.

Tip top performance

I've just been watching the highlights of the German Grand Prix, looked like a good race, with a few overtakes, being a little biased I am really pleased to see Jenson Button back on the podium, pulling some good moves, and looking competitive again.   Although I can see that the way he got promoted to second could be a little controversial I think he was good value for it, do ore racing than most of the other drivers.   I just hope that McLaren haven't let it too late.   The latest up grades they have brought must add to the drivers confidence, and although Hamilton had a bad day at the office he must be feeling better for the next race in Hungary

Of course nothing gives a driver confidence the way success does, for the rest of us we have to look to other factors.

For some of us we need a lot of self confidence to just go out of the house, clearly as this suggests it's not just about how we look, but also how we feel, and what we are wearing beneath can add to that confidence.   We haven't seen Tip for a while, and when I saw this as I was browsing through and old Skinhorse story I thought this was a good match.   Mind you it's never worked for me............

Not Great

Sorry folks, but I don't have much that I want to post about today, as I said yesterday one of our cats died, we have just buried him and planted a hydrangea on the spot as a remembrance.

I also heard today that one of my elderly customers died on Thursday, so forgive me if I am not very effusive.   I have started preparing something, maybe I'll put that up in the morning.

In the mean time a quick well done to Fernando Alonso the first driver to win two grand prix this season.   I was expecting a pretty boring race, shows what I know!

Whacky Races

I got back from my trip to Cardiff late last night, there are a few stories to relate from the trip, and I will as and when I have the chance to sit down a compose my thoughts a little.

First I was there to see my Mother, not to attend the Trombone conference (although that might have been fun) or to watch the Olympic flame pass (I shall be doing that later on when my band plays as it goes past).

I have not managed to watch all of Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix yet, I just got to watch the last 10 laps or so, now I don't understand what is going on the season, we have had six different winners in the first six races, drivers do really well for a race then dive down the grid.   I am very pleased to see Mark Webber as a winner, but equally disappointed to see Jenson Button on a DNF.   I am rather reminded of the old TV cartoon series Wacky Races and on my way home last night I was trying to see how many of the competitors I could remember, here's my effort.

Penelope Pit-stop
Peter Perfect
Professor Pat Pending
The Ant Hill Mob
The Boulder Brother
Dick Dastardly and Muttley

Can you remember more or the names of the cars?

Bahrain

I have just been watching he Bahrain Grand Prix, or at any rate the highlights of it.   This is not the time or place for me to rant against sky sports rapacious absorption of so many major sporting events, no I just want to make a few personal observations on the event.

First I am an F1 fan, my regular readers will know of my enthusiasm, I enjoy all motor sport and F1 is the pinnacle, it is high powered, high speed, international elite sport.   It is a sport watched by millions all over the world, and I can't help thinking that it's presence in a country sends a message.   On that basis I do not think that the Bahrain GP should have gone ahead, however o that basis maybe neither should the Chinese or maybe quite a few others over the years.   So I don't think the race should have gone ahead, but I watched it anyway, and in many ways enjoyed the race.

We are having quite a season with four different teams, and drivers winning the four different races so far, and I think we have now had four different leaders of the Championship.   This week Red Bull have passed McLaren in the constructors championship as McLaren had a dreadful race.   I really feel for Jenson Button whose luck at the moment is terrible, indeed if he didn't have bad luck he would have no luck at all.   I just hope that he has now got rid of all the bad luck in one single race and will be back to winning ways in Spain next time out.

Jenson Button racing in front of the empty stands

Anyway getting back to the point I couldn't help but notice that Force India cars had minimum TV time, I didn't see either car in qualifying and they only showed them in the race when it couldn't really be avoided.   This seems like a very petty form of revenge from the Bahrain producers, after Force India were the only team to publicly offer any criticism of F1s presence there.   I also couldn't help but notice that the TV audience did not see anything of the empty stands, but it seems to me that it will be difficult for the organisers to claim that this event had any sort of popular support on the island.

Buttoned up

I like motor-sport, and as is right and proper F1 is back as the prime motor-sport to watch.   The last few seasons have been spectacular with so many top drivers competing, overtaking on the track as well as in the pits, and dare I say it some big personalities involved.   Well this year we have six world champions on the grid, and they are all still very competitive.

With the rule changes this year McLaren are the only team who have eschewed the stepped nose, this means that without a shadow of a doubt they have the best looking car (I won't comment on whether they have the best looking driver as well ~ but they have) is it only coincidence that they also seem to have the fastest car.   For the second Grand Prix running they have locked out the front row of the grid, and at Australia they should have got a one two result if it hadn't been for the safety car.

I've now watched the KL Grand Prix and it was very interesting.   Jenson had all the bad luck, Peres was magnificent as was Alonso, but McLaren are still leading the constructors Championship.   I would love to see the best looking car win, in my book ugly design just shouldn't prosper.

On my mind

A while back I commented here on some of the non gender related things that were on my mind, As the Formula 1 season and the Six Nations are drawing ever closer this becomes more and more the case.   Now I don't like to think of myself as the typical male sports fan, indeed I am only really interested in Rugby and Motor sports, but I am quite excited about both our home internationals and the new GPs.

In Formula 1 I am hoping that McLaren will have a car that will challenge Red Bull, and that Jenson Button will get a second world championship.   I would love to see him confirm that his one world championship so far was no fluke, as a driver I admire his style, and as person, well I admire his style.   It is not just because he is British it is much more about the man and how he drives, I love the smooth gentle way he treats the car, managing to be aggressive but not abrasive.

And in the Six Nations we now have a situation where any team can beat any other team on the day,  realistically any one of four of the six could be crowned Champions this year.   Scotland and Italy would both be pleased to win two out of the five games, but any less than four victories would be a disappointment for the other four, and all of them will be aiming to win the championship.

I don't know how many other cross dressing ex prop forwards there are in Europe, but come 2:30 on Saturday afternoon I think we will all have our attention focused on Stade de France hoping that the Italians can repeat last years victory