Soap's Opera

Remembering Davo

2010-05-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

Whilst looking through old emails, I came across a poem from Davo about our friendship. I've been thinking about him a lot lately (mainly because I am watching the final few episodes of Lost!! We used to discuss Lost for hours, about what was really going on and how it would end. He was so cross that he would not get to see the grand finale when he was dying 3 years ago. We agreed that I'd watch it right through to the last ever episode and he'd be there next to me on the sofa each time!! I know he has been doing just that and I am glad about it!).

Davo died 3 years ago tonight, the wee neep! He is loved and missed as much as he ever was!!

Anyway, the poem...

Soph

My soul is the piano, her words are the keys.
Together we compose, the best of symphonies.

How my soul replays her words of the day.
Like a composer writing a play.

I hear the music, as she strikes a key.
an orchestra, is what I see.

Two souls that share a common ground.
a friendship they have found.

What is a piano, without the player.
It's like a soul, without a desire.

It sits alone in the dark,
waiting for someone to light a spark.

A hope or a desire,
waiting for someone to inspire.

To play a song of the heart,
a song of two souls that will never be apart.

Flying High

2010-05-27T06:10:00.000-07:00

Along the lines of my previous post about flying, I recently dumped a load of images from my mobile phone and found lots of photos I had taken from planes in the last couple of months! Not very exciting but thought I'd post them so they see the light of day!

Flying to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

Flying to Lanzarote, 2,000ft above the dirty, smoggy volanic ash cloud!

Leaving Lanzarote.

Tiger Moth

2010-02-13T02:27:00.000-08:00

Just looking back at what I actually did get round to writing about last year and can't believe I missed out the best thing that ever happened to me!

I really love planes and boats and last year my dad bought me a flight in a 77 year old Tiger Moth. I have always wanted to fly one. I paid a bit extra on top so I could
have a whole hour's flight. It was absolutely incredible.

G-ACDC belongs to The Tiger Club at Headcorn Aerodrome in Kent. She is the second oldest Tiger Moth in service. She served with the RAF during WW2 and has been in civilian service since 1953.

The day of the flight was perfect - sunny, great visibility, blue skies etc. You sit in the front cockpit if you are the passenger. The seat harness seems ever so basic when you are being strapped in. 5 leather straps that come from all around you and meet in the middle and lock you in. I had my authentic biggles hat and goggles too of course.

When you taxi along the nose points right up in the air so you can't really see ahead of you, just either side. We took off and were setting out to fly over Elmsted, where my parents are, dad was waiting in the garden. Dad was a pilot himself and this is probably where I got the passion to fly from! He used to regularly fly from Goodwood to Kent to see his mother for the day (as I am sure Clare remembers well!!!). Commuting by light aircraft!!

Over Ashford my pilot Brian gave me the controls. I could see the magnificent Wye Downs with the famous white chalk Crown on it, 12 miles away so headed off to where I knew Elmsted would be from there. Apparently I was just like a homing pigeon. I am sure the people of Ashford were running for their lives!! It was really incredible flying this beautiful, ancient old plane over the stunning scenery of Kent, going over the hills and valleys that I know so well. Dad said he heard her ("the old lady") coming in to the valley and coming down low. He was in the garden with the dog when we flew around. By then Brian was in control again so I could take some photos. Brian asked if I wanted to do a loop-the-loop! Of course! Oh wow...words can't describe it! I think I whooped embarrassingly all the way round! Dad was taking photos from the garden apparently. Really loved seeing all the local woods and villages from the air. A bit more flying around and then we headed off to the coast. We flew all along over Folkestone, the white cliffs of Dover and beyond, then came back in land.

Now this is where my smile faltered a bit. Brian asked if I wanted to do some aerobatics. OK, loved the loop-the-loop so bring it on. We did a vertical stall and a nose dive. G2 apparently. The 8 second stall was fantastic, loved it. Tipping over backwards in slow motion was OK too. The nose dive made me think I was about to die! You realise that these little old leather straps are the only thing holding you in! My entire body weight was trying to burst through them. Oh god.... then the blue of the sky and the green of the land are the right way up again and you just have to pray that you weren't really screaming 'mummy mummy mummy' down the intercom too loudly! ;-) I think I will do it again this year because I can't remember ever enjoying anything as much as flying. I really fancy learning to fly properly too.

In the same photo folder I also found some of Tolly on a walk the next day. I would like to point out that this is a pedigree working cocker spaniel. Note the number of rabbits in the background, completely unfazed by the gundog's presence. Note the stupid gundog running in the opposite direction without a care in the world!!!! Well done Ptolomy!!! :-) Mind you, he is a mean, lean, hunting machine when it comes to socks! No other dog has a patch on him there!

Kent evening sunshine. Sigh. Can't wait for the Summer to come again. This has been a looooong cold winter so far and a fairly crappy time to boot! Can't wait for the warm sun so I can go and lie in the long grass and stare at clouds and just...chill!

Oops I Did It Again....

2010-02-11T11:21:00.000-08:00

Why why why why why???

For the second time in six months I had my hair cut way too short!! Blah. It just floats around my head now as if I am under water.

Don't I ever learn?

Art & Crafty

2010-02-11T03:02:00.000-08:00

First post of the New Year and it's a whinge! I bought a print online of an artist I really admire. I have wanted this print for a couple of years now but was waiting for the price to come down a bit. Was very pleased to have finally taken the plunge! Got a call from the owner of the art website saying thanks for the payment but they forgot they don't have this print any more! Lost for words really. Well...I have some but I can't repeat them here.

I spent New Year's Eve with one of my dearest and oldest buddies Melissa Sadie Wright (aka Homeslice). Liss is a celebrated artist, photographer and interior designer living on top of a mountain in Spain! We grew up together in the depths of Kent and basically spent nearly 30 years laughing until we almost wet ourselves! Niiiice....classy chicks! Her work is amazing, particularly her landscape and macro photography - which inspires my photography a lot actually. I have a few of her pieces hanging in my apartment. I wish I had more! Have a look at some of her work here.

Liss was drinking red wine mixed with coca-cola on New Years Eve. I did try to shuffle away and pretend I didn't know her but a few hours later and I was drinking pints of the stuff myself. It's a common drink in Spain apparently. It wasn't toooo bad! Don't tell my dad though!!

I have a new flash gun for my EOS so am playing around with that at the moment - bouncing the flash off the walls and ceiling etc. I have so much camera kit to carry around these days.

Got back from Davos and the World Economic Forum last week. The reception there was a huge success again. I was only there for two days and didn't have time to really venture out in Davos at all - or go up in the ski lifts like in previous years. It took months of preparation for this year's WEF and I am so glad it all paid off. There was some really wonderful praise and feedback coming my way afterwards from all sorts of incredible people/figures. Am very pleased about it all.

British Summer Time

2009-08-26T03:02:00.000-07:00

I know I don't update my blog nearly as much as I should! Sorry!

Well we've been having a great Summer so far! The Almighty (with Floyd back in the line up) played 'Tommystock' with New Model Army. This was a benefit concert arranged for the family of a great friend of ours Tommy Tee. Tommy passed away suddenly and unexpectedly last December. Tommy was manager of The Almighty for several years and took them right to the very top, he also managed New Model Army. He was a great mate and a fantastic support to me throughout Floyd's illness and time in hospital. He came up to London regularly from Somerset to sit at Floyd's bedside 'sorting him out'. He sorted me out several times too. He helped me enormously with the Almighty charity shows in 2006. He gave moral support at every turning of our lives and is still dearly loved and sorely missed.

The concert itself was just amazing. Huge turn out raising lots of money for the cause! There was lots of Tommystock merchandise on sale too. The Almighty were feckin' brilliant. I just had to get down the front and jump about throughout the set. Brilliant! It took me right back to '89!!! Stump, Ricky, Pete and Floyd were really on form and I quite honestly think that was one of my favourite Almighty gigs. There were a few crushing moments when you remembered what this was all in aid of and how Tommy should have been there with you. But the boys did him proud!! I wish there was more to come from the Almighty (Floyd included!) because it's such a frickin' waste otherwise! I love that band, seeing them live and I know there are plenty of us out here who'd love to see them play a few UK shows every year!!! Well that's just my opinion anyway!

Floyd has joined Live N Kickin as lead singer!! They are huge mates of ours and Kent's biggest rock covers band (my homeland). I've known them for nearly 20 years now. They are great buddies of ours and we've been hanging out and seeing them all this time. They gig pretty much every weekend on the Kent pub circuit and have a huge following. They do a festival every now and then too. Floyd is in his element and is having the time of his life! You can check them out here and on Facebook here. They play Foo Fighters, RHCP, ACDC, Judas Priest, Killers etc etc. All great stuff!! Martin Kidd, one of the guitarists is a bit if a legend locally and is, quite literally, sh*t hot!!

We also went to Download in June as our mates Def Leppard headlined one of the nights there. Massive crowd! 80,000 or so!! Amazing taking it all in and seeing walking, talking living legends walking around backstage. Such a fantastic day and Leppard were on fire. The crowd were brilliant! Floyd took himself off to the sound desk to watch (which is in the middle of the crowd) and I was side stage - very, very lucky of course and this was a total priviledge. We were very honoured to be part of such a huge occasion.

I've been to Arizona (just got back) to stay with my friend for a week or so. 45 degrees!!! Never experienced heat like that before but I managed to sunbathe in it a bit and spent the rest of the time in the pool! Scottsdale was absolutely beautiful though! Came back via Atlanta.

We saw Pearl Jam at the O2 Arena last week. We jumped on Floyd's Harley and got there in less than 10 mins! Bliss! Had time for a quick beer and then watch 2.5 hours of one of the greatest live bands out there! Of course we were doing it for our friend Davo too and imagined and felt him with us. I sung my heart out to 'Alive' with tears streaming down my face - but grinning too!! An awesome (if not long) night!!!

Will dig out some photos but I haven't been behind the shutter much of late!!

Soph x

Pearl Jam!

2009-05-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

Whoo-hooo! Found out by completely coincidence yesterday that Pearl Jam are playing in London in August. I found a link to the pre-sale and got 2 great seated tickets!! I know Davo would be so proud!! ;-) They were his all time favourite, favourite band! Sadly he died just a few weeks before we were meant to see them in June 2007. Floyd and I still went for his sake and sung out lungs out to 'Alive' as Davo would have wanted! It was one of the best concerts I've ever been too!!!

Roll on August! Can't wait!

Soph

More Pics

2008-10-01T01:43:00.000-07:00

I've been back behind the lens again this last week or so!! About time too! I have missed looking at life through the lens! Mustn't let so much time go by without taking photos again!

Took these shots last week in Kerry, South West Ireland (God's Country as they call it). It's my favourite place to shoot lots of landscapes. Our friends own an amazing property out there and we join them for weekends away and some madness. They have a motor cruiser too which we have excursions on to Dingle Bay. There are lots of wild dolphins bombing around the bay which is where the above pics come from. They just like having fun with passing boats but they are hard to photograph! They either leap out of the water about 2 ft away from you as you lean over the side of the boat wondering where they are....or they do acrobatics in the middle of the bay 500m away...when you think they are under your boat! Slippery little suckers!!!!!

Good Luck Stoat

2008-08-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

I bit the bullet and entered my first photographic competition! (albeit partly against my will). Stoaty's gone in to a wildlife competition. As nice as the photo is, I don't think it is technically good enough because it's not sharp or clear. Believe me, these things really matter when you have a huge competition with very serious judges and are up against amazing photographers. So although I love it, it's just not up to scratch because it was taken so spontaniously.

I got my knickers in a twist the night before I sent it off. I couldn't decide how to crop it to make it better. Floyd said he didn't know, my friend didn't know either....so I just left it and it went off in all it's glory, completely unedited. The rules said you could alter it and make it sharper etc but over-editing is not allowed. So I just left it all well alone and didn't alter anything. They judge on technical ability (gulp), composition (gulp), understanding of the brief (whoops), originality and commercial appeal. The brief is animals in action, so I am screwed really!!! Here's the unedited, unclipped, unaltered stoat that I sent off.

It's a big thing for me...the only 3 people who ever encouraged my persuit of photography have passed away sadly. I think they'd be thrilled I'm trying!! I still need to try and do a portfolio for this other person who's shown an interest in my pics. I don't know where to start though or how to do it.

I think it's so easy to say 'look at my great photo' when it's of a beautiful landscape that you can't take a BAD photo of! So if I take a photo of a lovely castle by a lake and everyone says 'that's so cool', I feel a fraud, because it's not the photo that's cool, it's the scenery. I like clever photography, which I am no good at. But we live and learn and that's my goal, to be very good at it!!!

Soph x

Sexy Kinky XXX Girl Loves Me!!!

2008-08-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

Don't laugh!!!! ...she does!! According to Skype, Sexy Kinky XXX Girl wants to be my friend!! There are some scary people out there on the internet!!! Away w'ye!!!

Skype's great. Sod videoconferencing with Tamzin in LA!! You can take comedy pictures of yourself with the webcam and the 20 second delay in-between clicking 'take picture' and the bloody thing actually working means you're caught in all manner of poses. Sigh. Useless thing. Here I am chewing my lip and looking very unimpressed tonight. Bluddy computers....grumble!

x

Singing Sweet Home Alabama All Summer Long

2008-08-04T03:09:00.000-07:00

Well....it finally happened. My husband has been unfaithful and is in love with another. I knew this day would come but nothing could prepare me for it. The sad truth is that I can't compete. The third party in our marriage? Well...words escape me so I will just show you a photo of her instead. The dirty little hussy...

Yes, my husband's heart now belongs to a Harley Davidson Sportster!!! He is completely obsessed and spends all of his time lovingly polishing her, twiddling with her buttons, carefully putting her to bed and murmering sweet nothings about oils and taking her out to nice places. Sigh. And when he isn't outside with her, he is on the computer searching eBay for all sorts of gifts he can buy her. I think the most Floyd ever bought me when we were first dating was a spikey plant from Covent Garden market!!!!! He has even bought her a special oxygen tent so she won't get any condensation on her little handle bars at night time!!! Seriously! Ah well....at least he is happy!!! :-)

Summer finally arrived in London - and then promptly left! But I must say it's nice to have some cool fresh air again so I can sleep at night! It's been way too hot these past 2 weeks and travelling on the tube has been unbearable!

I was in Sardinia with my friend a couple of weeks ago. Lucky me, I know. My friend Kristine and I always have a girlie holiday each year. We've been to the Greek Islands, all over France and Italy and now this year, we had 6 nights in Sardinia. It was great fun. The first hotel was a little remote for us - we stayed in Costa Verde on the northern tip of the island. A great hotel called La Coluccia. Loved the room and the huge terrace and the hotel was very smart and comtemporary - but the shower was awful. Fairly smelly and mouldy and had no light. There was no bath so you either had to wash over the basin or dive in to the pitch black, stinking shower and lather up and rinse off as quickly as possible - all the time screaming "arrrggghh!!! nooooo! it smells sooo baaaad! help meeee!!!". Hee hee!!!! Pretty awful! While we stayed there, we organised some sailing for half a day around the nearby islands. That was spectacular. We had a 45ft yaght with 2 crew and just drifted around for a few hours. Really wonderful and the colours of the water!!!! Stunning!!!!

For the last night, we stayed in Porto Cuervo, Costa Smerelda. Very smart and VERY posh! Great for people watching and for gaping at the £183 million super-yaghts!!!! My god, they were just massive and very, very luxurious!!! All the shops were designer boutiques and this was very definitely a millionaire's playground! Still, we had a nice afternoon wandering around and a nice supper at a charming restaurant overlooking the marina.

Floyd's band The Almighty are likely to be touring again later this year and again next year, as well as writing a new track. All very exciting.

I am thinking of entering my photo of the stoat in to a photography competition but am dithering as it's very blurry really - not up to professional standards. I need to decide pretty quickly as the closing date for new entries is very soon. Here he is again.

Tolly is getting more and more beautiful! Mum trains him so well and he's got such a sweet nature! We are all going to Wales this weekend for a very long weekend just chilling, cooking, walking and playing games etc. Tolly will come too which will be great fun.

Quarterly Newsletter!

2008-06-04T02:29:00.000-07:00

Well! I am being sarcastic but it HAS been nearly 3 months since my last post. I am ashamed of myself!

So much has been happening and it's nice to be busy, but it has been a bit mental too!

Very, very sadly my dear uncle Michael passed away a couple of weeks ago, suddenly and unexpectedly. He had been in fine health and had just returned from a trip to Florence (at the age of 84, he was always globe trotting, camping rough in parts of Africa etc, signing up to all sorts of trips abroad). So it was a sudden and terrible shock when this happened and we are still trying to move on from the loss now. Michael's funeral was last Friday, the day of my birthday. Of course I bypassed all birthday thoughts because of the circumstances. It was terribly sad at the crematorium as Michael had requested 2 specific pieces of music to be played. One was a military march and the other was Moon River. Oh how I cried. I have played that song several times since and just weep!!! But Michael would say "oh for goodness sake!" at the thought of a weepy niece, so I'll move on. My cousins were just wonderful in looking after us all and for showing such courage and compassion, amidst their own grief. My cousins's wife was just fantastic cooking for us all and making us feel so at home when they must have so much on their plates.

I was really honoured to be asked to read something at the funeral. I found a lovely poem called 'The Journey Of My Life' and read some words on my mum's behalf too. You can read the poem here as I added it to Davo's blog to mark the one year anniversary since he passed on.
Floyd and I went off on hols to the USA in April and had an amazing time. Probably the best holiday we've ever had! We flew with my mum to LA and stayed with my sister Tamzin and her husband Tom up in their Hollywood hills home. I really did not expect to like LA so much but the Hollywood hills and canyons are spectacular (which if course WOULD make everything seem so nice!). It was like being in Tuscany! Hummingbirds, coyotes, all sorts of other birds etc etc all around, little quiet winding lanes, beautiful wild flowers and trees and of course the view over LA for miles and miles. Floyd and I hired a really cool convertible car and we took mum off up the Malibu coast one day and had a great time. Just miles of deserted white sands and sparkling blue sea! We met friends for lunches, shopping and drinks too. A great 5 days!!

We then drove to Las Vegas and saw the same friends there too for 2 nights partying! We saw the Cirque De Soleil show 'Love' which was set to the soundtrack of The Beatles. It was AMAZING. I cannot express how gobsmacked we were! The show was incredible from start to finish! Our friend had managed to get some of the best seats and we were really lucky. Such a great evening!!! The next night was the Def Leppard show at the Palms hotel which was brilliant....of course.

We drove on to Lake Powell after Vegas because I wanted to photograph a famous slot canyon called Antelope Canyon there. It was right up on the Utah/Arizona border and was a very long drive. Spectacular scenery though. We had to join a tour group to see the canyon though and that was a bit annoying. They are the only people authorised to drive tourists off to the canyon as it's across desert and inside a rock cluster. The other people didn't behave so well so that was frustrating but I got some great pics.

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After that, we drove down to Sedona and stayed a rather plush hotel for the rest of the week. We had a lovely little log cabin by a creek with a nice cracking fire each night, a fantastic award winning restaurant on the hotel grounds, great service etc etc. Lovely. We did a trip to the Grand Canyon by a small Cesna plane from Sedona, a helicopter ride to the bottom of the canyon, a boat ride on the Colorado River, helicopter back up, back in the plane and back to Sedona. Another day we hired a Harley and drove around. And I actually got Floyd to do a 3 hour trail ride on horses! Amazing!!

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I have just realised that I activated a setting on my Blog so that comments need to be authorised by me before being published (as have had some weird spammy ones, which I just delete anyway). So when I logged on today, I had some comments waiting to be published. Ooops. So sorry for those of you who left them!! I shall keep and eye on things more often.

Here is the latest addition to the Denny family, meet Ptolomy (pronounced 'Tolomy' - Tolly for short!!). He is a sweet, gorgeous little working cocker spaniel puppy!! We have been waiting a while now for him to come home and we were finally able to pick him on Sunday. He was so happy from the moment we picked him up and spent the rest of the galloping around the garden pouncing on golf balls, shaking dad's slipper like mad and washing us all several times over! So sweet! Mum said he was running around the garden with a flowerpot over his head yesterday! Here is Tolly:

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And my sister Tamzin has 2 new puppies in LA! One had just arrived when we were visiting! This is Cinnamon:

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Something really exciting and cool has happened, someone saw some of my photos at a friends house and is very interested in getting them 'out there'. I have been asked to put together a portfolio!!! Ooooooooooooooo!!! But am now in denial that any of the pics cut the cloth and can't get my act together in choosing the right pics for the portfolio. I have until the end of next week. I am working hard on it...but I am also my own worst critic. Will have to keep you all posted.

Floyd had his usual set of blood screening tests at the hospital yesterday and all is well! They dont want to see us for 8 months now! Yippeeee!!!!

On May 27th, it was one year since my dear friend Davo passed on. I think about him every single day and especially so at this time of year. I have little conversations with him in my head which I am sure he enjoys and he had promised to sit on the sofa with us when we watched the new series of Lost! Well, we just got to the end of the current series last night! Wonder what Davo makes of it all!!! Hmmm....!

Floyd bought himself a second hand Harley Davidson and now spends all his time either outside drooling on it and wiping away imaginary dust or on eBay buying second hand bits and bobs to customise it. Sigh.

S'all for now.

Love Soph xxxx

Bringing out the worst in people

2008-03-18T02:54:00.000-07:00

Sophie Foxley is a very brave 9 year old girl from Shropshire. She has been battling leukaemia since 2006 and has been charting her journey through treatment and the road to recovery via her blog Sophie's Diary. The blog became very well known around the world and tens of thousands of vistors each day were logging on to read Sophie's latest news. Fantastic!! The family have been able to raise much awareness and also money for the various causes they support. My own sister Clare's 'Quilts For Leukaemia' group made a beautiful quilt for Sophie.

Sadly, Sophie also attracted a vicious little 9 year old stalker who began posting death threats and evil messages in the comments sections of her diary blog. Such a senseless cause of emotional distress to Sophie and her family. The story was reported in the press over the weekend (eg. this story) and I am glad it has been resolved and police traced the nasty little culprit. I wish they could name and shame her. Of course they can't though. I am afraid I am not much in to forgiving and forgetting and have a real respect for people who are!

Fighting cancer (whatever age your are) and fighting to just 'live' and keep your world together is one of the toughest challenges for anyone to go through. It quite literally tests every single emotion you have. It breaks you down to smithereens and tries to destroy all that you have and all that you believe in....but of course we don't LET it!!! You keep your eye on that light at the end of tunnel and eventually you break back out in to the real world again and make it back to the arms of your friends and family! And life has never been better! So to imagine what horrors this nasty little bully inflicted on poor Sophie's family, I am left speechless. It's very sad indeed that someone so young could be so evil. I hope her family are working hard on correcting this child's serious humanity issues and are prising that little pitchfork from her hand! ;-)

As my friends from Miltchat will recall, we had something similar-ish a year ago on the Miltchat forum (a forum where most members have had or have leukaemia or other blood cancers). A girl joined and told us she had non-hodgkins lymphoma so we welcomed her in to the fold and offered her endless support and friendship. Long story short, she latched on to my good friend Davo who was fighting a ferocious battle with leukaemia himself and bombarded him with messages about how miserable she was - what was the point of living? everyone hates her, she is so scared of her illness etc. Davo was being so brave about his own illness. He had just lost the use of his legs and things were very bleak in his world, but he fought like a soldier with a very brave heart...he was getting quite worried about this girl Allison's messages and didnt know how to handle her. She would post on the forum that her fiance had left her when she was in a coma and her family disowned her. Then she came on the forum pretending to be her own sister to tell us all she had slipped in to another coma. I smelt a rat and eventually caught her out because she had a Myspace page too - she didn't know I would find that and I started contacted her friends. None of her friends there knew she had cancer, let alone a serious illness! The reason? Because she didn't. She had a history of lying. Anyway - long story short, we exposed her, she apologised and has never been seen again on our forums thanks goodness!

We were all patting each other on the back afterwards (that we had found her out) but I remember how terribly upset Davo had been. He had been so ill and emotionally weak at the time and this girl preyed on that. She had hounded him with messages about her fake terminal illness, while he was battling his own. I verbally kicked this girl's ass like you wouldn't believe for Davo and for Looch (another friend Allison had also taken advantage of with her lies) but it didn't help Davo feel any better. All this girl cared about was the fact that I found out who her friends were and contacted them all telling them what she had done. She couldn't care less about all the sick people she had hurt.

I guess the point I am making from all of this is how bullies can totally destroy the soul, given the chance. Just because they get caught and slapped on the wrist by the police or a parent, it doesn't undo the pain they have caused. The solution? I don't know. Be good parents to your children and install them with a decent set of morals! Perhaps that would help. I hope so.

Soph xx

When the chips are down!

2008-02-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

Look what I found! These piccies are from Floyd's 40th (which was in November 2006!). We hired out a big room and a bar at a local hotel in Blackheath and had live music, a drinks luge (I had the Rolling Stones mouth and tongue done! Your poured in your schnapps or vodka in the back and it trickled down the tongue in to your cup! or mouth...or ear...for some people at the end of the night...who's names shall remain anonymous!).

We had bangers and mash, mulled wine, huge fireworks display and live music! We also had a fun casino brought in and I made some special money just for the night! The casino was meant to be entertainment for those not wanting to listen to live music but unfortunately everyone went mad over gambling and the band were left playing to an almost empty room! Which is shame as the band are our very, very good friends Live N Kickin! who are Kent's number one covers band! If you ever get the chance to see them, grab it by the horns!!!

These are the bank notes I 'Photoshopped'! Bank of Wully and Bank of Flatch! Both Floyd's nicknames from The Almighty. Wully = short for Walter - he can explain where that came from! and Flatch = short for Flatuence... my, those touring days on the bus must have been such fun with Floyd! I suffer now so God knows what the poor band and crew went through!

People were getting deadly serious about the casino and winning!!! My mother had the biggest pile of chips the whole night!! People were siddling up to her asking her what her secret was! But the overall winner of the casino was my dad!!! Well done the oldies!!! ;-)

The casino, remains of the drinks luge & Mum and dad on a winning streak!

So last Tuesday, some thieving little ******** broke in to our car at night and ripped out our groovy car radio, stole the satnav (which Floyd had forgotten he left in the glove box, typical as he usually always brings it in), took the cigarrette lighter (!??? WHY?) plus a whole array of other things including Floyd's designer sunglasses, digital tyre pump etc. ********'s.

Floyd took it very, very badly and it looks like neither the house insurance or the car insurance are worth claiming on because it costs £150 just to make a claim with either and even then, we don't have receipts. Grrrr. Horrible business thieving!!!! But I rest safe in the knowledge that what goes around comes around - these people will get theirs! mwhahahaha!!

Floyd is now considering buying himself a Harley Davidson to cheer himself up!! Hmmm....

New York, New York!

2008-02-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

Elderly people are really not all that sweet and innocent you know! They just think they can get away with more but watch 'em!!! When you're back is turned!!!....

My sister Tamzin and her hubby Tom planned to be in New York on business this week (remember, they moved to LA permanently a little while back). My devious mother thought it would be great if my dad joined them out there as he deserves a break and has never been to the US. But the idea had to come from Tamzin. So a plot was formed and set in to action. Lo and behold...a hook, some line and a sinker later...they were off!! I actually found some really cheap flights with American Airlines. Shame the Manhattan hotel cost twice as much!

I am not sure if anyone else has ever attempted this but explaining to an OAP what online check in is, US visa waiver forms, customs forms for the US, baggage allowance, rules on carrying liquids in hand luggage, rules on taking a taxi outside JFK airport, when to tip at a hotel, how mobile phone roaming works etc etc etc - as well as all the little in's and out's such as 'no dad, you don't need to make your bed and vacate your hotel room every morning...it was all quite stressful really!

Floyd is starting a website of his own! Well....that's code for 'wife Sophie is creating a website for Floyd'!!! Keep an eye on www.floydlondon.com. It should be up and running soon. I am making him write his own content though!! Just be prepared for pictures of Floyd's socks or an in depth report on his favourite marmalde....perhaps!

Floyd and I are planning our trip to the US in April - part of which will be touring around Arizona on a Harley Davidson (but how much stuff can I take as a pillion rider? arggh!). I am also probably going for a week's hol later in the year with a friend - who I usually have a little holiday with each Summer. Last year was France and Italy - the year before was the Athens and the Greek Islands. We are just doing a short break this year - somewhere in Europe.

2008-02-04T02:47:00.000-08:00

Whew!! Glad that's over! What a mentally busy January! Got back from our event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (I was there just 2 days but have been preparing for it for weeks and weeks, ugh!). The drive from Zurich airport to Davos is spectacular!!! It takes 2 1/2 hours and usually requires a 4 wheel drivel and a gifted chaufffeur with 9 lives!!! The the scenery is breathtaking as you go up and up and up the mountain roads and see little trains travelling along ridges right below you! I regretted not bringing my camera equipment (goes without saying) but used my little pocket camera for some snaps. I was there working anyway so there wasn't much spare time!

These are some pics from the World Economic Forum in 2007...
(Note the machine gunner standing on the roof of the Belvedere, above my room!! eek!)

And these are some pics from 2008!

Floyd's been away for nearly 3 weeks with The Almighty who had a few days of rehearsals and then toured the UK. 12 shows in total and the occasional day off here and there. I had suggested the band doing meet and greets after each show and was planning to go on the road too for part of the tour but I couldn't stay on the bus (grumble grumble) and as I don't drive, I ended up only going to the London show this year. It would have been a logistical nightmare otherwise!!!!! What with the Switzerland trip too, I am glad it worked out like that really.

I was horribly drunk at the London show as everyone and anyone wanted to buy me a drink. I was putting them on the floor and leaving them in the end!!!! Lovely to meet fans and mates and get to chat to everyone!!! Bloody brilliant effort Brucebruce for flying back from Australia especially!!! \m/

The first weekend Floyd was away on tour, I went to Dublin to stay with our friends and then the second weekend I was in Davos so all in all it went by quite quickly. Floyd and I have rarely spent any time apart at all over the past 7-8 years (annoying aren't we!) - apart from when he was ill of course but even then, I was at his side 20 hours a day!!! But it was great on this tour....I actually got to use the remote control(s)...all 6 of them! And made a big pile of stuff to sell on eBay (lets see of Floyd notices anything's missing!!!!).

The Almighty website finally came to an end over the weekend. Wow...can't believe it's been 7 years! It was a long battle getting it off Sanctuary Records at the time as once they stopped representing the band, they weren't interested in doing anything for them. So it took forever and lots of angry emails to get them to give me the domain etc. It was funny because when Ricky and Stumpy had asked to meet me, with regards to me running the site for them, they didn't realise I was Floyd's girlfriend back then....I told them after the meeting!!!!! How's that for conincidence!! Back then, Nick and Gav were in the band as Floyd and Pete had decided not to rejoin. A few months after I started doing the website, Sanctuary and the band parted ways. So I started paying the bills and even when the band cancelled a tour due to poor ticket sales and Ricky's getting an offer to tour solo in the USA, I decided to keep the site going anyway - mainly because by then, we had such a brilliant online community on the forum and the fans were so decent and really devoted, I wanted to keep it all going. And I did...for the next 6 1/2 years!!!!

It's got to the point where I just can't keep paying the bills and doing so much work for free - even though Floyd has been playing with them for the past 2 years, I still can't keep paying the bills myself and doing all this work for nothing. I guess it had to end at some point, but it was so, so, so sad to see the forum go. The band will keep a page on Myspace and I think Ricky has his own plans for www.thealmighty.co.uk.

Floyd stayed up until 3am reading all the old messages of support which people had posted on the forum when he was ill. He said he wanted to read them again before they went. So it was then that I managed to persuade him to keep a blog and maybe even have his own mini-website. I could import the 'get well' messages from the old Almighty forum and we could keep the community going. Soooooo....any moment now floydlondon.com will be launched!!! Hurray!!!!

Here is the only photo I managed to take on Friday night, at The Almighty's show!! Floyd dived in to the crowd at the very end (I swear I am not feeding him anything to make him crazy!) and got carried offstage by Stumpy!!!

Soph xx

Narnia

2008-01-11T06:32:00.000-08:00

Well....not quite but the Lime Walk again!!

I watched the Chronicles of Narnia over the holidays - loved it!

Happy Birthday

2008-01-11T01:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my big sis Clare (Dordogne Quilter bloggy woman!)

Have a lovely birthday and hope you get spoilt rotten!!!

Lots of love,

xxxx

Green Tuesday

2008-01-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

Wow, everyone's getting this winter vomitting bug 'Norovirus'. People are literally dropping like flies. Poor Floyd had it especially bad before, during and after Christmas. I have somehow managed to not get it so far (have probably just jinxed myself! whoops!).

Love Skype by the way! Have been having videocalls with my sister in LA and it's been great! We put mum infront of one the other day! Love the way older people shout in to mobiles or computers!! "CAN. YOU. HEAR. ME. REPEAT. CAN. YOU. HEAR. ME?" hee hee!!

I finally managed to get my dad on to his Skype last night - so we had a webchat and I was giving him a guided tour and showing him how his webcame worked! It was hilarious!! We couldn't hear each other at first so were using the telephones to talk - but were waving at each other on camera!!!! But then the phone got cut off and I couldn't get him back - so had to resort to writing notes like "PUT THE PHONE DOWN" and holding that up infront of my camera!!!! He was writing back "THE TELEPHONE?" etc....arrgggh!!!! hilarious! but then he realise his speakers were turned off and all was fine!!! Still....great fun!!!!

Very busy today preparing for the World Economic Forum in a couple of weeks. So here is a random picture of a tree!!!

Lovely mossy tree in Galway!

New Year, New Resolutions....

2008-01-04T04:34:00.000-08:00

Remember me? I'm the one that started this blog and then didn't post for months! Ahem! Well it all turned hectic and so many things were happening at the same time, I didn't know what to write and didn't feel all that creative to be honest!

A summary of the past 4 months or so....

My family thought my father had cancer of the upper esophagus. Dad is much against doctors unfortunately and for the past 3 years has had a swallowing condition which has steadily been getting worse. We have struggled to watch him try to eat and have been gently nagging him to see a specialist. He has been flatly refusing our pleas for years and it's been tough for all of us to watch his condition get steadily worse.

Dad's views is that why be told the devastating news 'Mr Denny, we're afraid you only have 6 months left - when you can just keep going and then one day drop dead' (those of us who have been through cancer or have seen it first hand know this just isn't how the story goes).

Because the symtoms were getting so serious last Summer, we finally got through (well done Tam!) and got him to a doctor. He was sent for further tests and upper esophagus cancer was indicated. We had weeks of extremely sad discussions and it was just awful.

However, after something called a Barium Swallow (which highlights every nook and cranny of the esophagus), the consultant advised this is NOT cancer - but something called esophageal diverticula. Not at all anything like cancer of the esophagus but will be bad news if left untreated. It is in his throat and by his stomach. Anway - the relief was so huge that we didn't care what it was to be honest, it wasn't CANCER. Oh my! I cried non-stop for about a day after dad told me the outcome. I just could not take any more, nursing my husband through leukaemia, losing Davo....I couldn't have coped with anyone else I love having the dreaded C. Really.

So that was that....what else has been happening? Well, Floyd's band The Almighty are out on the road again for a few weeks later this month. I am going to stop doing The Almighty website shortly. I have been the webmaster for 6 1/2 years now and simply cannot afford to keep running it year after year. I have met all the of the costs out of my own pocket and have been running it in my spare time. So I can't do it any more. The band will now have a Myspace page instead of taking over the site and buying it off me.

It will be sad to say goodbye. I have been very passionate about keeping it running for the fans all these years and creating a great little community on the forum. The band's fans are amongst the most loyal, devoted, salt of the earth type of people I have ever met. They have stood by the band through everything, through the years - even whent he band split up TWICE!!!! Floyd and I were humbled and left stunned and forever grateful from the support we both received from fans throughout his illness and treatment. We were pulled through the whole ordeal by this sort of love and kindness. You never forget that sort of commitment. If I ever had a tough experience ahead of me again, I wouldn't want for anything if I had the support from people like the Almighty's fans.

I haven't taken so many photos - as I said, not been feeling creative but I'll start to post what I have taken over the next few weeks. My camera needs it's sensor cleaned. Sigh. Another £150 to Canon for the priviledge! Here's an old pic of mine for the time being:

Galway Roadside, 2006

My sister Tamzin just moved to LA last week, to the Hollywood Hills no less!!! Wishing Tam and Tom every success in their new life out there! As long as neither come back with any implants!!! ;-)

We had a small family Christmas in Kent last week which was lovely. Floyd and I spent New Year in Dublin with our friends there. It was FANTASTIC as always!!! Had such a good time! My friends have a new kitten which had just discovered it's needle sharp claws and teeth! So glad my arm was of use for the sharpening and target practise!

Floyd had a check up with the oncologist back in December. All was well blood count wise (and he is now 3 years in remission!!!! flippin brilliant eh!!!!). But we had a sad talk about the future and the risks of a secondary cancer later down the line. Heart breaking. But what can you do? There is no choice other than to absorb that bit of information and keep on keeping on.

We went to the Led Zeppelin gig in London last month! Oh my god that was amazing!!!! Our very wonderful friends got us tickets and passes. The show was just incredible. They played for over 2 hours and it felt like 10 minutes. The sensation of the legendary event we were at, mixed with the brilliant video and graphics behind the stage, the atmosphere from the crowd and the great, great sound of the band made it simply SPECTACULAR!!!!!! I will never forget it as long as I live and we are so grateful for our friends for even considering us for the much sought after, last minute tickets and passes.

We all went to the show in style and got to meet/chat/oggle at from across the room some pretty flippin' cool people! Liam Gallagher, Chad from RHCP, Dave Grohl, Charlie Boorman, Jeremey Clarkson, Bob Geldof, Kate Moss, Lulu, Noel Gallagher, Michael J. Fox etc etc and at the very end of the night, we kidnapped Richard Hammond and dragged him back to our hotel for a nightcap and to be oggled at by Floyd! What a dude....he really is. A perfectly decent chap who has had so many incredible experiences, as well as being a presenter of Top Gear, the guy came through a horrifying high speed crash, brain damage and lived to tell the tale.

I am looking forward to a great year in 2008 and will be updating my blog lots more in the coming weeks! I might even start telling people about it! ;-) Thanks for the nag MHC!!!!

Lots of love Soph xxxxx

Random Thursday Pics

2007-08-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

There is nothing particularly special about this and I have much better sunset photos somewhere, but I always liked it because the 2 trees in the middle remind me of a couple with their heads together, watching the sun go down. Aaaaah....

The 'Lime Walk' at my parent's house in Kent. I could never work out how to crop this photo to do it justice, so I never did. I am sure I could make it look a little better though.

Scottish frost!

Not telling you what this picture is.....you have to guess!

Photos

2007-08-21T04:44:00.000-07:00

I had a thought that I might make this more a photo-blog. I am a faffer. Through and through. Can't decide. I love photo blogs though and then I wouldn't have to write very much! Hurrah!

Here are some animals....grrr!!!

Still don't know if this little guy is a stoat or a weasel. Floyd had just finished his 7 months worth of chemo treatment and we were at last allowed to be more than an hour's drive from the hospital. Freedom! So we stayed at my aunt and uncle's remote and charming holiday home near the border of Wales. Floyd was still quite weak but we had a little walk down the lane to the river. I was carrying my camera and long lens around my neck and just happened to have my finger on the shutter button. I heard a rustle in the hedge and Floyd said "LOOK!!!" I spun round clicking as I went and got this. He's so sweet (the stoaty thing, not Floyd...although he is kinda nice!)

This one I called 'Floyd's eyebrow going for a walk...for obvious reasons...

Some people love this picture of a horse standing alone on top of a cliff in Galway. Actually it was having a wee. Sorry to shatter the illusion!

My mum has lots of sweet little bantams as pets. Meet the Speckles (above....)

....and the teapots (they have very fluffy feet and can't walk properly because their 'knickers' are too fluffy. They waddle!

Yeah. She looks cute now but while she was pretending to be sweet and innocent, her babies were eyeing up my camera case!

Does my bum look big in this?

Zzzz....(they'd probably just eaten a small tourist)

"Floyd can you just STOP revving the engine and find reverse...NOW!!!"

Summer? Hahaha...are you mad?

2007-08-16T03:09:00.000-07:00

Bah. What Summer? Had a lovely hot week last week and now it's flash flooding again?! Boo... I don't think we are going to get a proper Summer this year which is really depressing.

Last Christmas, I bought my mother a huge energy light which simulates natural daylight and sunshine and...well...does what it says on the box, makes you feel energised. People use these to get over jetlag too. My mother gets awful Seasonal Autumnal Depression once the days get shorter in the winter and we lose our daylight.

Anyway, my dad confiscated it (men are like magpies when they see a gadget!) and it now sits in his office unused. I think I need a few sessions with it!!!

I haven't got much news to be honest. I have had my head down and have been working hard recently. Long hours as always. Floyd and I have working on our own little projects. I have years and years of my photographs to go through and archive. I am sorting through which ones I could use for calendars or nature postcards, that kind of thing. But as anyone who loves photography knows, you become your own worst critic and end up binning everything!

I have been adding a few new things to Davo's blog, beautiful poems that he wrote and left me to post after his passing. He had such a wonderful talent of putting his thoughts in to words. Lots of cancer patients or relatives of seriously ill people can instantly relate to them. His blog has so many hits each day now, from all around the world. I wish people would comment more though. It's that natural awkwardness when faced with a cancer patient or in this instant, someone who has passed.

I haven't told many people about my own blog here! Not sure why I haven't really! Maybe I am still just flexing my writing muscles a bit! Heh! Looch and Clare, I think I'll be back on MSN soon!

Floyd's band The Almighty are celebrating their 20th anniversary next year (twenty years!!!) and are likely going to be touring again. Cool!

There was some terrible news all across the British news stations and papers this week. According to the media a Hells Angel was assasinated as he left the Bulldog Bash on Sunday and had just got on to the motorway. He was riding his Harley along with 2 other bikers and and car had been following them (unknown to the bikers). Once the bikers were on the motorway, a passenger from the car shot one of them in the back of the head. He came off his bike and was dead instantly. The whole stretch of motorway had to be closed off. The car got away. Police have launced a manhunt. They are indicating that it was a pre-meditated assassination.

The Bulldog Bash is Europe's biggest biker festival and takes place annually near Stratford Upon Avon. The Almighty have headlined it a few times (last year was the last time they played there). The Hells Angels have been very, very good friends to the band over the years. I know nothing personally about the bad press they get. The guys I met last year and have met in the past through Floyd and the boys have been absolute diamonds. A great, very friendly bunch of bikers. Some of them helped me arrange a very special present for Floyd last year. I hope they get the murderer who did this and also hope that the biker who lost his life is resting in peace.

Talking of Harleys, Floyd and I are thinking of hiring one and touring Route 66 in the US. I'd love to go round the Grand Canyon too! We'll see if that happens!! Would be great I think!

Anyway, if we can't have a real Summer, here are some photos to remind us of what it's like....sniff!!

Soph xx

Lavender, lavender, lavender....sigh

(No-one I know likes this pic of grass! :-) I love it! Early morning dew and the warm sun on your face....lovely!)

And these are from last year's Bulldog Bash!

More wedding pics

2007-07-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

Oops, I was meant to share/add some more photos from my sister's wedding. The camera gets more and more shaky the more wine I've had during the meal! Here are a few of them:

Yawn, yawn, yawn!

2007-07-25T04:00:00.001-07:00

Is anyone else fed up to the 'partially erupting' back teeth (!) with stories about Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, Amy Winehouse and all the rest who are in the press for pathetically embarrassing behaviour?

We have had Paris Hilton in and out of jail and then stating her love for God and wanting to be a good role model, we have Britney Spears running around town with and without knickers, jumping in and out of the sea, shaving her head and then and reports this week that she was loony tunes at an OK magazine photo shoot (vomiting down her Gucci dress and eyes rolling around in her head), Lindsey Lohan being arrested again and being sent to rehab, Amy Winehouse looking dangerously thin and rambling away on stage before spitting on fans and being made to leave the stage....

Pathetic. What are they in the news for again? Why do they command helicopters hovering over their houses and paparazzi following their every move? Or relatives speaking on or to CNN/Oprah/Jay Leno etc etc. Is this what defines a celebrity status these days? And people seem to gobble it all up and enjoy reading about the latest popstar behaving badly.

Do we enjoy watching them fall from their pedestals or do we actually want to know all the details so we can shout "Paris! We love you!" or "Britney forever!" from the sidelines!

I caught a bit of the MTV show called 'Cribs' yesterday where 'celebs' let the camera crews in to their mansions or deluxe houses. There were teenagers I had never heard of walking around their $8 million mansions, showing off their fleet of luxury cars and home cinemas etc.

It's sad. There are so many talentless idiots that are embraced as celebrities/supermodels/society girls/pop stars etc. I hope the 'bubble' bursts sooner or later and people get wise. If this is what is happening now, what will all the teenagers who worship these losers grow up to be like?

'Ee by gum! 'taint like t' old days!

Where is the wisdom in that?

2007-07-23T03:22:00.001-07:00

Owwwwww.....

Over the weekend my lower right wisdom tooth decided it was missing out on this thing we call daylight and wanted to come and join us! Except there was a the small matter of my gums and other teeth being the way... ouch.

I have been on painkillers all weekend and am off to see the dentist for an emergency appointment any minute now. There is a small chance that it is infected because my face is swollen (no sniggering!!). Pants!!! It's so expensive and painful to get a wisdom tooth extracted these days! I was quoted £450-500 to get them taken out a few years ago! Outrageous.

I really hate going to the dentist. Ever since my dental surgeon accidentally injected anaesthetic into my bloodstream instead of my nerve! Gah!

Anyway, what is the point of wisdom teeth?

Almighty DVD in aid of Leukaemia Research

2007-07-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

So for anyone new reading this blog, if you don't already know the background, my husband Floyd was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in September 2004. He was 3 weeks away from popping his clogs apparently and the docs gave him a 50/50 chance of surviving his 4 aggressive courses of chemo. He pulled through 7 months of hell where we declined a bone marrow transplant and also where I nearly lost him to a deadly fungal infection - but made it he did.

Floyd is the bass player in The Almighty. They were a very successful punk rock band hailing from Glasgow. They formed as school friends in 1988 and Floyd left the band for good in 2000. The band parted company 2 years later.

As Floyd's treatment was ending and our wedding was drawing nearer and after much nagging and a bit of double crossing each band member, I got them all talking about a reunion in aid of Leukaemia Research. I practised my new found nagging skills on newspaper editors, rock mag editors, photographers and old music biz acquaintances and the result was 2 huge sell out shows in January 2006. One in the band's hometown of Glasgow and one in London. We raised £25,000 for leukaemia research and launched the 'WELCOME TO DEFIANCE' red wristband for the charity. This is the name of one of the band's hits and it was also Floyd's motto during treatment. The band loved the shows so much and the reception and praise they received from the fans and the media have had them reform for more shows. Last Demcember was a tour of the UK and there is talk of a new tour in 2008. The shows were so great! We honoured Floyd and had the times of our lives! The buzz from the audience was just electric!

I got a film crew in for the Glasgow show but it has taken all this time to get the thing produced and edited. It's been a long time but the band are incredibly proud to release the offical live DVD, completely in in aid of Leukaemia Research!

More info on the release is here and it can be bought online from Leukaemia Research here.

We are so determined to keep fighting against leukaemia and to see it's demise in our lifetimes. Leukaemia Research is the only national charity in the UK dedicated to leukaemia and other blood cancers and they are NOT funded by the government, even though 25,000 people a year are disagnosed in the UK. They rely soley on charitable donations but still managed to invest millions each year in to vital research. I have met many of the scientists who have received grants for the LRF and am astounded at some of the research that has just come to light. Next year will see 2 human clinical trials funded by LRF. The future does indeed look bright!

So if you are keen to support The Almighty Fund at Leukaemia Research and add to our £25,000 (I believe this is closer to £28,000 after the first week of DVD sales, please buy a wristband or a live DVD).

Floyd's story is highlighted in a clip below. I hope it works, I am a bit shaky on embedding movies in Blogger.

Proud Little Sister

2007-07-17T01:37:00.001-07:00

I am very proud to hear that my elder sister Clare has been given the 'Charity Blogger Award' from www.writersreviews.com.

My sister Clare lives in South West France with her husband Rex and daughter Alex (my beloved niece!). Clare has a passion for quilting and shares this with a great online community.

After my husband Floyd fought for his life by battling a rare and aggressive form of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Clare decided she wanted to do something to help. To help the charities, to help raise awareness but most importantly, to reach out to people also fighting this dreadful blood cancer - by quite literally wrapping them in love!

The Quilts 4 Leukaemia blogging community grew and grew and grew and quite unexpectedly, Clare was soon receiving the most beautiful, handmade blocks from all around the world - from kind, generous people who also wanted to help. The colours are always red and white as these are the colours of the Leukaemia Research Fund (which Floyd and I are ambassadors for).

Clare would receive the blocks from around the world and then make them in to quilts to send to people fighting leukaemia (mostly young adults and children). My darling friend Davo was the first recipient and he absolutely adored his quilt as it was filled with so much devotion and love.

These fabulous ladies are very hardworking, caring and are doing such a wonderful thing. I am so proud of them all!

Last weekend, Clare presented me with a very special block that I had seen at Christmas time. I had told Clare that I loved it so much and it was so pretty and I was envious of who might receive it! So Clare kindly gave it to me to have framed. It was made by Hideko in Japan and
I shall treasure it.

So a big thank you to everyone who has made a block for the Quilts For Leukaemia scheme!!! (massive applause!).

Love Sophie xxx

Mr Motorbike Man

2007-07-12T01:26:00.001-07:00

We had a break from the norm this morning when Floyd had to leave the house before me. Usually I am up very early and out of the door just as he is stirring in bed but he needed to be in work early for one reason or another.

Anyway, I was keeping busy getting ready to leave when I noticed a sheet of paper has been slipped under the door. It was a prunish message to 'Mr Motorbike Man' and was complaining that he shouldn't slam the door but put the key in it and gently close it.

We live in an old converted hospital (www.royalherbert.co.uk) and we are in a building with about 6 other apartments. We have lived there 4 1/2 years and the neighbours are all really nice actually. There are some new people on our landing so I guess it must be them.

I think in the Summer, doors seem to grow slightly as the wood swells a bit. Our door is much stiffer now.

Everyone likes to think of themselves as the perfect neightbour and I seem to have had lots of feuds with neighbours way back in the past. Floyd and I used to live in a small flat below a very noisy girl who had the TV on at full volume at 4am and used to stamp around. We are usually very well behaved so it was a bit of an awakening to get this note!

It only annoyed me because it was 'anonymous' and was very sarcastic to poor Floyd! Floyd hasn't seen the note yet. But I wrote a reply on it saying to pop round and just talk, Mr Motorbike Man doesn't bite and neither do I! I pinned the note up in the communal area by the main front door where we all share a message board.

Hope we don't get a 'neighbours from hell' situation!!!!

Wedding Belles

2007-07-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while since my last post. It's been a bit chaotic because I have been in France and Italy on vacation for a little while and immediately before that I had my friend come to stay with me. Then I got back last week and it was my elder sister Tamzin's wedding!

What a great day that was. Really loved it. The wedding was in the same church Floyd and I married in. It is a very pretty tiny church up in the Kentish Downs, about 300 yards down the lane from mum and dad's house.

I read a Shakespeare sonnet (the same one my sister read at my wedding).

It's so picturesque up there. My parents have a very old cottage perched on the edge of the valley and have panoramic views all around. It's my favourite place in the world. No other houses around and no traffic or noise. You could be living in any century.

My parents roof was covered in splattered eggs as apparently if you put an egg on the bride's roof, you will have good weather on your wedding day. Hmmm... My mother gently rolled an egg out of the dormer window in the roof and it sat in the gutter. But Tamzin and Tom thought they would throw them at the roof instead! It worked! The weather was great. It really makes it or breaks it up there. The location is so high up (480 feet above sea level) with no protection from the winds. So when it is sunny, it is heaven on earth. When it is raining or windy, it's awful. You need to huddle around the woodstove and go to bed with all your clothes on!

But it was great. Quite a smart wedding. I had bought a nice Max Mara dress in Florence in a sale - 75 Euros. Amazing! And we were done.

My elder sister Clare, plus hubby Rex and my dear niece Alex came over from France. Alex was a bridesmaid and looked lovely, as always. She took charge very well of the other more wriggly and younger flower girls!! :-) I will add more pics as I finally download them all!

I hate being back at work in London though. Back to the tubes, the commuting, the broken down buses. The terror threats that are meant to have us in a state of panic. Yuk.

London Calling

2007-06-05T03:38:00.001-07:00

Back to the grind stone, sob.

Floyd and I were in Kerry, SW Ireland for a holiday with our friends who own a spectacular house there. This is the 4th time we have been in the past year and we love it so much. They are great friends too so we had a fantastic time. The house is about 3 miles up it’s own private road. It is perched on the side of a mountain and overlooks a loch – all part of their property. The mountains constantly change colour depending on the time of day and whether it’s sunny or cloudy. It is just spectacular and so calming. We also took a boat trip (in their boat) across to Dingle. We had the resident dolphin Funghie (who lives around Dingle Bay) leaping about in the surf of the boat and whizzing along next to us. So amazing. Sigh!

We left for Ireland on Saturday, 26th May and I hated going then because my friend Davo was becoming so ill. By this time, Davo couldn’t MSN with me but we had already made plans about how we would communicate when that happened. We would continue sending our home made short movies for him. His best friend was sat with him and would do the typing. I would have my Blackberry and could send emails back. So this is what we were doing for a few days. On Sunday, while we were in Kerry, things were getting much worse. Davo hated people knowing too much detail about his illness so I won't give it here. Davo died just after midnight. I cannot really describe the devastating, crushing feeling – made so much worse because he did not want to go. He was scared and wanted to be saved. He would say that all he needed was a new body, his mind was just fine. I have a million emotions and I am sure I will talk about them again here but maybe later!

We talked a lot about what would happen after he passed. We talked about whether he would be able to send a sign or not. Well after I received the news of his passing, the storm we had in Ireland just stopped. I stood at the window looking over the moonlight loch crying for a bit. Only the moon was out in the sky. Floyd was still asleep. I tip-toed back to bed and lay there crying and praying for peace for Davo. After 5 minutes, for no reason I sat bolt upright and looked over to the window. Above the loch was a huge bright star, like the North Star but a bit brighter. I just knew that was Davo and his sign. I whispered a couple of things and it brightened. I said “oh now you’re just showing off” and then it just vanished. No other stars, just the moon. I went back to sleep smiling. Davo’s best friend in Germany was with Davo when he passed. He said they too had a storm which stopped as soon as Davo died.

I miss Davo so, so, so much. He was one of my best friends and where we were in constant contact for the best part of a year, it's left a huge gaping hole. I know that he had made me a special package with a homemade video that he asked would be sent to me after he had gone. This is so typical of his kindness and thoughtfulness. Though I am sure my heart will break all over again.

I am ok. I like to turn terrible situations over to create something positive from them. I am not scared of leukaemia but I respect it's power. If sat here weeping and mourning forever, then I go against everything I promised Davo I would do. I will carry on the fight against leukaemia by continuing to be an ambassador for Leukaemia Research, working on new projects I have coming up with them and helping fundraise.

I will see this nasty disease wither and die in my lifetime and I promised Davo it would all be for him and Floyd. You can count on it.

Soph

Mid-week blues

2007-05-16T00:12:00.000-07:00

Is it really only Wednesday today? After 2 four-day weeks I think I am struggling! It is so grey and wet outside and I seem to notice all the police sirens in London more when it is like this. I scurry along the crowded, rain slicked pavements in the drizzle desperate to get to my final destination, even if it does mean sitting in the office for 10 hours!

I had a business dinner last night at a smart, top notch restaurant in Soho called Arbutus. I had been quite looking forward to the meal but my stomach was doing backflips and cartwheels when I saw the menu.

One starter was 'braised pigs head with potato puree and caramelised onions' and the main dishes included bit of a rabbit I would never consider eating or lamb's tripe with trotters. I used to play at my friend's house aged 8 years old and we would help her mum by feeding their greyhound dogs. We had to feed them tripe and it was the most disgusting thing I have ever seen.

WHY? Can someone tell me why this food makes it to the menu of a top London eatery? I thought tripe and trotters were a delicacy which only a handful of people would ever consider eating! Most of the menu was like this. I managed to get them to rustle me up some asparagus for a starter and I had a nice vegetable risotto for a main. Phew! Off the hook!

There was a balls up with my taxi home. I ordered one on my corporate account but the driver actually kicked me out about 400 yards up the street because he thought he was going to SW18 and not SE18 where I live. His employers gave him the wrong postcode but it didn't stop him throwing me out on the street. I refused to get out of his cab until a new one had been ordered for me. It meant I had to stand on the street for 35 minutes. I was pretty peeved to say the least as I had promised Davo I would get back by 9.30pm to be online with him!!

As it happens, Floyd did a marvellous job of entertaining Davo! I think it was a 'boy's night in' :-) Well done Floyd!! The banjo playing was great!!!!

Weekend

2007-05-14T04:47:00.000-07:00

We had an exhausting but wonderful weekend.

It was my aunt Jean’s 80^th birthday and there was a huge family get together in Hereford where she lives with my uncle.

I am so blessed to have a very large, fun-loving, warm friendly family! Floyd and I were sucked in to the sea of cousins, aunts and uncles and distant relatives we haven’t seen for years. There simply wasn’t enough time to chat to everyone. Everybody loved Floyd and he seemed to have a wonderful time. There was a big lunch in a church hall and then back to Uncle John & Aunt Jean’s to continue! We had tea and sat around in their beautiful garden (all 61 of us!). Floyd was playing croquet with some of my cousins. All I could hear was “we gotta knock Floyd out” or “right, let’s get him this time”!!!

On Saturday night we stayed in a gorgeous converted barn B&B near the Welsh border with some of my cousins. Even though we’d been up since 5.30am that morning, we were still totally up for meeting up with everyone else that evening. We went to another farm cottage where the rest were staying and sat up eating and drinking until late. Lovely. Just what I needed!

What I haven’t mentioned yet is Floyd and I should have driven to the B&B to join everyone on Friday night, as was the plan, but we wanted to spend time with Davo, my dear friend who is terminally ill with leukaemia. Davo keeps being given weeks and then days to live. This past week has seen him get weaker and weaker and his blood counts, heart rate and blood pressure are all faltering. I spend all day, every day on MSN Messenger with Davo and have done since October. Even though he has been in so much pain recently and struggling with his breathing, it hasn’t stopped our daily marathon chats.

I promised him on Friday that I would just go home and carry on messaging him from home. We would not go to Hereford until Saturday. That’s exactly what happened. We recorded some hilarious home movies on Friday and emailed them to Davo as each one was recorded. We were all laughing our arses off!! Floyd gave a ‘guide to the Scottish language’ which was great!

I had helped Davo arrange a special mother’s day present for him to give to his mum on Sunday. It was a top secret, military style operation which required sleuth like detective work from both my end and in Davo’s house. Even from Hereford, we were emailing on Saturday with ‘has the FedEx man been yet?’ ….. ‘the doorbell just rang! I think it’s him!’ etc. But it all worked out for the best possible result on Sunday!!

We rushed home yesterday and got in late afternoon. We had given a lift to my wonderful, amazing ancient relative Jock who is 92 years old. He usually drives himself everywhere but a his hip is playing up at the moment, he needed a lift home. But we still had time to hang out with Davo.

I was crushed to get news of Davo’s condition from his mum this morning. It’s not good and his breathing is much worse and he was unable to communicate this morning.

I cannot describe the anguish I feel at the thought of losing one of my best friends. But I refuse to give leukaemia any kind of victory. It tried to take Floyd from me and now it’s tugging away at Davo. It will never win because as Davo told me, it will die with him when he goes. So true. It will.

The plans we made just mock and make me sad. But the happiness, laughter, fun and love that we created always wins and that is something leukaemia will never get it’s hands on.

I love my friend dearly and send you arms of flowers and hugs Davo.

Meh.

Need a Pick Me Up?

2007-05-12T07:11:00.000-07:00

This is an article we did for Pick Me Up magazine. My goodness, what a piece! It was for Leukaemia Research and to highlight them and their work. The magazine were interested in our story and it's lovely happy ending.

It is a little cheesy and it sounds like leukaemia was a doddle! And at no time did we say Floyd's lips cracked and bled! And he couldn't eat or drink in Dublin, let alone enjoy the craic!

Anyway, it was sweet! My mother and I became a bit obsessed with buying Pick Me Up after the article came out and kept cutting things out and sending them to each other! Like the 'I Grew A New Vagina' story!!!!!!! I know.....we thought that too!!!

Anyway, here's the article.

Seeing Red

2007-05-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

The May edition of Red Magazine hit the stores today. Floyd was interviewed by them back in February. The title of the feature was "I Love Her More Now Because...". He never did tell me what he said so I had to buy the magazine yesterday to find out.

I bought a copy at the newsagents in the tickethall at Green Park and stood out on the street reading the article. Awww...Floyd said such lovely things about me and our relationship and how we got through the leukaemia together. It was really well written actually. He suprises me every single day of our lives.

My mother also bought the mag, saw the picture where I do look a bit plump I admit, and said "when's the baby due?". Bloody cheeky old woman! Old people think they can get away with away with saying anything!

But the photo shoot was a pain in the bum. They sent a photographer and make-up girl round to our flat in February. He had already been to our local woods and had found a great location he said. So all of our late night polishing and cramming laundry and junk under the bed and in to drawers was all for nothing!

I had to have my hair twizzled and lots of make up but on so I looked like a dolly with huge eyelashes. Then they attacked Floyd with powder a bit (hilarious!!!). But the worst thing was that because the mag is the May edition and comes out in Summer, we have to look like the photos were shot in Summer too.

So our wardrobes were attacked by the photographer/stylist bloke who laid everything out on the bed and said things like "ooo yes I'm feeling that" or "ooo no, not picking this up at all, oh no, not the yellow, not doing it for me". So we wore thin clothing and traipsed up the woods in our puffa jackets and gloves. I had to wear little strappy sandals. The usual dog walkers through I was mad picking my way through the mud in the car park! And it was freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezing!!!!

He found the mouldiest most fungus covered log possible and then decided we had to pose on it.

Chin up, left little finger towards Floyd, bit more, bit more, no too much, chin up, face floyd, eyes to the camera, point your right big toe down more, that's it, left little finger back to where it was, no on Floyd's knee, no back again, chin up, can we get that curl put back behind her ear someone?, left knee down a bit, chin up, head towards Floyd, straighten your back a bit, chin up, no put your elbow on his knee, that's it, Floyd move your hand to the left a little bit, chin up Sophie, Floyd relax that hand, chin up Sophie, straighten your arm Sophie, no, put it back again, chin up, Floyd, can you cross your legs? Chin up, Sophie look towards floyd, left foot down more, floyd relax that hand, chin up, left finger in, okokokok we've got it, we've got it, lets go for it, chin up, ok here we go, yes yesyesyes, hmmmm, no it's not doing it for me. Scrap this one. Lets start again.

And then imagine cramp, freezing cold wind, fungus which you have to sit in on the tree trunk, lipstick being applied etc etc etc etc.

After all the "chin up"s, at the exact moment the shutter went I tucked mine in and I now have 10 chins in the photo. Gah!

Oh well, I loved the article anyway. Well done Floyd xx

ps: everyone keeps saying 'aw, what a special moment, you look so happy, actually Floyd was whispering 'bacon sandwich, brown sauce, bacon sandwich, nice and crispy' which is why I did the 10 chin bellow!! :))

To Blog or not to blog?

2007-05-10T04:52:00.001-07:00

Hmmm...

Shall I or shall'nt I? I am not sure.

Bah.

Soph x