tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2009-11-12:/MokoFeed2009-11-12T19:38:58+01:00tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-08-05:/2007/08/05/new_moon_coming~2757041/InannaUS2007-08-05T03:35:09+02:002007-08-05T03:38:31+02:00 <p>Well it's August now and I've been studying the doings of the new moon again and preparing a truly trailer-like celebration of intention for next Sunday. I think it's just past midnight there in the UK when this new moon in Leo comes. There's a wonderful astrologer here who wrote a book on new moon intentions and that power place when you say to the Universe: "Okay - This is my life and I've decided I'm going to be happy! And this is what I need..."  I thought of Trish's starting intention for this blog.  </p> <p>Choose no more than ten, don't start before the actual time, use the 8 hours or the 48 hours after to handwrite those, maybe begin them with<em> I want to find myself easily...</em> or <em>I want... easily lifted from me...</em> Or, <em>I want to consciously and consistently... </em>Then put the paper away and Bob's Your Uncle.  Or that's the theory, but whatever happens, it's expressing strong intentions at a cosmically powerful time - especially for me as I was born under a new moon.  It was my friend Bett's birthday this weekend. She's celebrating it by going to Costa Rica - niiiccce!</p> <p>If you want to see some New Mexico, there's a fabulous area near Abiquiu where Georgia O'Keefe lived. It's a Benedictine monastery that's totally eco-responsible and beautifully designed.  Went up there last weekend - take a look at the pics on:<br><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/kmeador2005/ChristInTheDesertAbiquiu"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/kmeador2005/ChristInTheDesertAbiquiu">http://picasaweb.google.com/kmeador2005/ChristInTheDesertAbiquiu</a></a></p> <p>Come back Trish. We miss you!  And not even a word about Harry Potter!<br>Karen<br><img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/icon_wave.gif" border="0" alt="" width="26" height="22"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/08/05/new_moon_coming~2757041/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-06-21:/2007/06/21/thanks_for_keeping_it_going_innanaus~2494724/BettyHill2007-06-21T18:16:14+02:002007-06-21T18:16:14+02:00 <p>Hi there</p> <p>this is just a very quick entry to say, yes indeed I am still alive... barely...</p> <p>It has bee 6 weeks of hell and most untrailer like, but at weekend there was a radical head shift as well as a major planetry shift which kinda confirmed what I thought. Sorry to come over all mystic meg on you but I really do not have the time at the moment to go into any of it, but promise faithfully over the weekend to write a very long entry, outlining various things and glossing over the darker aspects as being most untrailerish!! PM me for the sordid details.</p> <p>suffice to say I am majorly overworked and underpaid at the moment, working until 7 most nights and completely nackered. But as I said, radical headshifts afoot and things are beginning to feel OK again.</p> <p>Will be back on the trailer at weekend and for now, bless you all for keeping it going and chat soon.</p> <p>BHxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/06/21/thanks_for_keeping_it_going_innanaus~2494724/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-06-06:/2007/06/06/airstream_still_very_now~2404406/InannaUS2007-06-06T13:19:16+02:002007-06-06T13:19:16+02:00 <p>The airstream caught someone else's fancy. Design Within Reach is a cool website and they've kitted out an Airstream with contemporary fittings. See it on: <a href="http://www.dwr.com/airstream"><a href="http://www.dwr.com/airstream">http://www.dwr.com/airstream</a></a></p> <p>"The galley comes equipped with cooktop, stainless sink, Elkay faucet, fridge-freezer, <a href="http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=0305" class="blueLink">Nelson Ball Clock</a> and four <a href="http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=12301" class="blueLink">Heller Dinnerware</a> place settings. There are recessed halogen lights, a skylight and the <a href="http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=10461" class="blueLink">Wire Coatrack</a> by Tom Dixon. There's also a lavatory and shower. The eco-friendly flooring has a matte ebony finish and the glossy overhead lockers are backlit and have metal perforated laminate doors. The panoramic windows have custom aluminum window treatments imported from Europe. For leisurely times outdoors, a fabric awning and two <a href="http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=11863" class="blueLink">Tripolina Chairs</a> are included. There are Matteo linens and a <a href="http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=11378" class="blueLink">Maharam Pillow</a>, and the electronics package includes rooftop AC, Sony sound system and TV." </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/06/06/airstream_still_very_now~2404406/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-05-21:/2007/05/21/where_have_all_the_trailer_folk_gone~2307840/InannaUS2007-05-21T12:51:00+02:002007-05-22T11:39:26+02:00 <p>Well it's been a month since we heard from BettyHill. DrabRomeo and I have been holding the gas fire going here at the trailer. Where are you folk? All are invited to a cake and ice cream social on Wednesday, my birthday, when we'll be watching the two hour season finale of Lost. </p> <p>Next weekend I'll be taking a little vacation in an alternative trailer called El Monte Sagrado in Taos. Check it out on <a href="http://elmontesagrado.com"> One night on a friend and part on another; I'm taking the poetry anthology project and plan to have room service (or as it's known there - 'in-suite dining') and luxurious veg time in a different environment. </a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/05/21/where_have_all_the_trailer_folk_gone~2307840/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-05-08:/2007/05/08/birthdays_on_the_trailer~2232831/InannaUS2007-05-08T14:23:38+02:002007-05-08T14:23:38+02:00 <p>Ah, I so loved imagining the birthday festivities in Brighton!  I could see that trudge up the hill, remembering all the good times at BettyHill's. And thanks BettyHill for the inspiration. It's sent me thinking about how I want to celebrate mine in a couple of weeks. It's one of those double digit birthdays and life's been so chaotic, including last week's sudden onset of bacterial pneumonia, that the very thought of celebrating is a lift.  I wonder if we could get folks to write about their ideas for perfect trailer birthdays.  Now if I could zoom all of you over here for a birthday feast and cook-out, that would be swell.  This time last year I was in agony with my newly herniated disks but still managed to have a great time.  This year needs something different, more proactively created by me I think.</p> <p>In the meantime I'm dithering among: just getting out of town and taking a road trip somewhere, anywhere, maybe the Grand Canyon, maybe Utah and its red canyon wonders...; or a more sedate and possibly easier on the back and lungs day out at the spa followed by a late evening SpiderMan viewing; or borrowing someone's transporter and going to some fun fair, Disney,Epcot, some kind of totally escapist place with rides and screams and lots of make believe; or jumping on a plane to NY and just enjoying a day of city sensations and fantastic art and architecture; or doing something I've never done like spending a weekend in a local casino resort, having hot stone massages and food and seeing how far $100 could go; or ....</p> <p>slipped into remembrance of a hysterically failed yet fabulous birthday trip with a friend - in which we ruined a pot of lovely shrooms by boiling them to death on my camp stove and had this 'cabin' from hell where our chief mission became to find the secret hiding place of the horrible fake apple scent thing that kept blasting us and finally at 11pm blasted us right into town to a hotel room where we then awoke to the yearly bug spraying outside our room!  Riotous in retrospect and we even managed to survive in good humor, but this year something more 'certain' to be unadulterated fun is needed.  A week or so ago I would have thought a road trip alone would have been perfect, but this pneumonia experience has left me weak and yearning for companionship and some joint reverie.  hmmmmmm - what will it be?</p> <p> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/05/08/birthdays_on_the_trailer~2232831/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-05-07:/2007/05/07/spidey_mania~2229749/drabromeo2007-05-07T23:55:53+02:002007-05-07T23:55:53+02:00 <p>Just saw BettyHill's post on Spider-Man 3, and thought I'd mention that I've seen it too. In fact, our friend Stacy and I went to the midnight showing on Thursday night (May 3). It officially opened here in the US on Friday May 4 (and technically, midnight is Friday). Stacy is a little nuts about this sort of thing, and insisted we go to the midnight showing opening night. Now, if there's one thing that bumps me off the trailer fast, it's waiting in long lines for hours and still getting a really bad seat. But I took a deep breath, figured out how to not care about the crowds or the hassel, and told her yes.</p> <p>I must say, the Trailer was with us that night-- I had a great time, and it was practically no hassel at all. We met about 9:00 at a little diner just down the block from the 14th Street/Union Square theater, where Spider-Man 3 was about to debut on 7 or 8 screens. So after meeting up with Stacy’s friend Dan and wolfing down some decent diner food, we decided to go ahead in get in line. When we got there, the line was really quite small—but that was because they had already let some people into the theater. Each ticket had a theater number (we were Theater #8), and our number was allowed to go on in a grab a seat. </p> <p>There was a lot of excitement in the air. Not so much as when various Star Wars movies opened, but we saw at least one really great Spidey costume, and a lot of very excited people. In fact, the theater workers were probably the most excited of all. As we handed our tickets to the lady, she turned to us and said “Is that him? Look, is that Spider-Man?” She was polite enough not to point, but was thrusting her chin madly in the direction of the concession stand on that level. She looked a little like some surreal, lifesize bobblehead doll which was very distracting, but I tore my eyes away and looked in the direction she was bobbling her head at. Standing at the concession stand was a middle-aged man with a flat, whey face that of course looked absolutely nothing like Tobey Maguire. Except for the width and pastiness of his face, and a kind of overall goofiness. We assured her it was not Spider-Man, but I’m not sure she believed us.</p> <p>It was totally random, but by chance Theater #8 was one of only two theaters in the multiplex that also had a balcony. So we scurried up to the balcony and were able to get prime seats (the lower level had already pretty much filled up!). The balcony is my favorite place to see a movie—you are right at the best eye level with the screen if you get in the second row (the first row has an annoying safety bar that blocks the lower part of the screen). We spent the next hour and a half watching the crowd, playing games on our ipods, and debating the various finer points of the previous Spider-Man movies. We were so lucky! We got prime seats and any waiting we had to do was in our seats, not outside. It was great.</p> <p>I must say, I had a blast. The movie was a lot of fun, although very different than the previous two. For one thing, Kirsten Dunst sang not once but twice! That along with the Spidey dance moves made the whole thing at times not unlike a Busby Berkeley musical! The fx were just mind-blowing this time, truly amazing fight scenes and one jaw-dropping Sandman. Some critics have noted that this one did not have the emotional resonance the previous two did. For example, at the end, when Spider-Man is having a big poignant emotional scene, Tobey Maguire screws up his face and starts blubbering like only Tobey Maguire can over-emote, and the whole theater burst into laughter. Now, I don’t think that’s what the makers had in mind for that scene! But we had just seen this absolutely spectacular ending fight between the forces of evil and the forces of spider, and who wanted to see an insect cry? In fact, every single guy in the movie let a little tear drop at one time or another. It was the most male sensitivity I’ve ever seen in one movie-- but at the same time it was chock full of some of the best ass-kicking, wall-climbing, web shooting, car smashing fun I’ve ever seen in a movie! </p> <p>I took a cab home, and even though I was facing the unpleasant thought that I had to be at work in about 5 hours, I was so happy, a warm glow that lasted pretty much for days. There’s nothing like trailerific spidery goodness to get a good start on the weekend!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/05/07/spidey_mania~2229749/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-05-05:/2007/05/05/birthday_beltaine_greetings~2215493/BettyHill2007-05-05T16:08:33+02:002007-05-05T16:08:33+02:00 <p>Well yet again it has been over a week since I last posted anything. My excuse....</p> <p>Beltaine and my birthday, which just so happen to co-incide. </p> <p>So the party started last Saturday with Jackie's birthday and has been going on ever since really. She got her own back on Tuesday with half a pint of vodka and a sambouka, so me, I don't remember getting home. I have vague memories of staggering up the hill under the bridge, but there all sense ends, I remember the bag being heavy and putting it down in the pub, but I didn't remember the mead and the chocolate gingers until the next day.... sighs.... memory is a funny thing, especially when one's alcohol stream has very little blood in it! </p> <p>And now I'm sat waiting for it to start all over again. People coming round, beer in the fridge and food on the table, and Dr Who at 6.30... </p> <p>Went to see Spidey 3 last night as my birthday film, why is it Sam Raime took the opportunity that George Lucas missed 6 times - May the fourth be with you!</p> <p>It was absolutely worth the wait. If you haven't seen it yet GO!! At the end I was transported back to being a child wide eyed with wonder. FX amazing story fantastic, not one bad thing about it, and Bruce Campbell with the worse French accent since Inspector Cluessau or however you spell it.</p> <p>And talking of Fantastic, FF2 the rise of the silver surfer is out soon and that looks amazing. Spidey and the FF have been my favorite superheros for 34 years now, along with Dr Strange, master of the mystic arts, and Thor, but only when he was the mild mannered lame - in the true sese of the word - Dr Don Blake. I believe they are going to make a Thor film, but I'm not holding my breath, especially after the Hulk movie when they employed a californian beach bum to play the role!!</p> <p>I think I am regressing, superheroes and Steve Harley, just listened to Psychomodo. Death Trip is still one of my favorite songs ever, I may well have to top that with In every dream home a heartache - it'll give the neighbors a break from Linkin Park!! LOL Mind you I got an Ipod for my birthday and the peeps upstairs must think I've gone mad. I love singing along to music and normally I'm masked by the volume, but all they've had for a week is me warbling to from the inside at warp factor 10 with no backing track!! I think they might well prefer the music!!</p> <p>Anyway I'd best get off now. Fully trailered here! Best get a beer and get in the party mood, I've just burnt the Piza! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/05/05/birthday_beltaine_greetings~2215493/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-24:/2007/04/24/inner_child~2152325/BettyHill2007-04-24T13:21:49+02:002007-04-24T13:21:49+02:00 <p>Greetings. I've not logged in for a while and this is just going to be a short one, but Thanks for the fab posts Drabromeo and InnanaUS. </p> <p>I have to say you should have emailed me re. presents for a 16 yearold, especially if it were a boy, as I have been told that my inner child is a 15 year old american school boy, and looking at my collection of robots and R2D2s etc etc I guess that is just about right!!</p> <p>Things are going pretty good here over the pond, and it is my birthday next week and celebrations are being hatched right left and centre. </p> <p>I love birthdays and April/May are always thick with them. I could fill a person for every day of Taurus, up to the 13th and I have to say that the celebrations start this Saturday and go on to the following Saturday and if my alcohol stream gets polluted with blood I'll be really disappointed!!</p> <p>The photo of the peir was wonderful. It was my very favorite thing in Brighton when I first came down here all those years ago, and when I look at it now, I have to look into the pier in the past, and not even as long ago as the picture you posted, but just to the vision of it rising out of the sea roke, just after I came down here 16 years ago. Somehow I prefer it then, disused, abandoned but still beautiful, floating above the mist windows glinting, beautiful and mysterious, holding it's secrets close to it's chest.</p> <p>Anyway I'd best end this post as the lovely spectre of the dentist is hovering above me and it's getting to the time when I have to get my head prepared for the full horror of it all. Gods I hate dentists - well not strictly true, I love mine, but I hate what he does. It's only my fear of losing my teeth that overrides my fear of dentists, but it's a close thing.</p> <p>Be back on the trailer soon. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/24/inner_child~2152325/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-21:/2007/04/21/impermanence_and_all_that~2135237/InannaUS2007-04-21T21:38:53+02:002007-04-21T21:38:53+02:00 <p>Greeting TrailerFolk,<br>It's spring and gorgeous and I'm just about to go to a 16 year old's birthday party. Three stars for guessing the perfect birthday present - results will be revealed next week.</p> <p>And a baby - Joaquin - was born last week.  And a friend Jude died and was sent off with a glorious wake, soiree, gathering in her home. We adorned her with flowers, covered her with dry ice and a quilt and had lots of stories and tequila in her honor. </p> <p>So all in one week, the joys and sorrows of impermanence!  My back has had a great week of painfree bliss amidst all.  I woke up early and watched three old Meryl Streep films and laughed and wept.</p> <p>That's what I imagine the trailer being like - all that - and more.  </p> <p>Cheers and have a great weekend! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/21/impermanence_and_all_that~2135237/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-20:/2007/04/20/title~2129221/drabromeo2007-04-20T19:44:49+02:002007-04-20T19:44:49+02:00 <p><img src="http://data2.blog.de/media/402/1347402_a2508cde60_m.jpeg" alt="westpier1920" vspace="5" hspace="5"></p> <p>Just a quick note-- here is a little picture of the West Pier in its prime. A little after the fact-- I wrote about this several posts ago! </p> <p>Hope everyone has a wonderful, trailerful weekend!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/20/title~2129221/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-18:/2007/04/18/there_s_something_in_the_air~2114484/BettyHill2007-04-18T13:46:24+02:002007-04-18T13:46:24+02:00 <p>Sighs... again your post has made me want to run away!! </p> <p>I know exactly what you mean about work. After a pretty dreadful day yesterday I had fallen off the trailer big time, and was feeling pretty miserable when I got a text off a friend asking if I was still coming to dinner. Whoops thought I, I thought that was Wednesday.</p> <p>Of course I am I replied!! </p> <p>Set off at the allotted time and wondered up and down what I thought was their road realising there was no 121. Texted to see if it was in fact 21 and got the reply, no, 121.</p> <p>But there is no 121 said I. Phonecall ensued to find I was on the Ave. instead of the road, and I had about another mile and a half to walk to where I was going. Now normally this wouldn't bother me, but just recently, I ripped a hole in the bottom of my foot, treading on the heel of a platform boot, in walking to avoid that while it healed, I now have a really swollen and sore achillese tendon - ongoing problem - so the thought of this walk was daunting to say the least, and I was feeling very sorry for myself as I walked up the hill.</p> <p>After several mishaps I arrived, and suddenly, it was all gone. Friends I hadn't seen for ages and good food, good wine and good company, all topped off with a new pair of shoes. (I have the sling-back sinapse!) Suddenly I managed to float down the hill home. (It could have been the bottle of rose I imbibed, but I prefer to think it was the salving balm of good friends.)</p> <p>anyway, something in the air. It would appear that whenever you are going through something, someone not so far away, or even across the ocean is experiencing the same thing and coming to the same solution. </p> <p>A very long story to get to the point!</p> <p>Oh! and BTW drabromeo, You may want to avoid the verb shagging for an English audience, and I'll avoid going out for a fag! LOL (Well I won't but it won't mean what it means over there!! ;o)</p> <p>Till later</p> <p>BHxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/18/there_s_something_in_the_air~2114484/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-16:/2007/04/16/a_little_music_makes_the_trailer_roll~2104040/drabromeo2007-04-16T20:03:44+02:002007-04-16T20:03:44+02:00 <p>Howdy, fellow trailerians! I've just uploaded a wee song, a bluegrass instrumental version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, per BettyHill's request. If everyone likes this type of thing, I can upload other musical mayhem. This is me and my friends having fun with a standard. (Click on the little play icon above to hear it. I'm not sure how you download them!)</p> <p>I spent the weekend in Albany, New York with my friends. We get together a couple of times a month-- one of us of course lives in Albany, I live in New York, another lives in New Jersey, and one lives in Vermont. All pretty far distant from each other, really. But we make a real effort to gather at my friend Rick's house at least once or twice a month. Rick has a big basement, and it is like we were teenagers again. After dinner with his extremely understanding and patient wife Anne, we go down to the basement to drink, smoke, and play music until 4:00 am. We also play video games (Gears of War at present), and do really stupid things boys (and men who refuse to give it up) are wont to do. Like making a really freaking humongous bonfire in his back yard and shagging golf balls over it. Mostly though we play music-- and playing music is such a key part of the trailer for me. </p> <p>After a pretty horrendous week at work, I was feeling low and despairful. A week of not being sure where I stand in the company, worries about my department becoming redundant, frustrations with our pathetic systems, and on and on. But as soon as 5:00 hit, I was out the door with my mandolin and overnight bag. My friend Alan picked me up and we drove up to Albany (about a three hour drive). By the end of the weekend I was exhausted, wobbly (from excessive drinking), relaxed, refreshed, nauseous (see previous parenthetical aside), and 100% renewed. </p> <p>At one point on Saturday, we were outside Rick's house, hitting more golf balls into the woods. The day was one of those overcast, chilly days that I love. The tree limbs waved against the bone-colored sky and a low fog hovered over the ground like the earth was sighing. The air was thick with the smell of woodsmoke and damp breezes, and the cold lay on your skin like a favorite shirt. Some geese flew over (prompting some dumb-male talk about whether or not we could actually hit one with a golf ball), and a dog was barking in the distance. The ground was damp and soft as mattresses. We weren't really doing anything to speak of and there wasn't anything particularly remarkable about anything, but it was that moment when I realized I was back on the trailer, just making music with some good, long-time friends and letting the anti-trailer events of the week sail over the trees like a well-hit golf ball. </p> <p>Of course my state of perfect trailerness lasted about an hour this morning before work-induced ennui overtook me, but writing this entry certainly helped me refind a little bit of it!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/16/a_little_music_makes_the_trailer_roll~2104040/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-16:/2007/04/16/sorry_about_the_deletions~2101001/BettyHill2007-04-16T12:28:42+02:002007-04-16T12:28:42+02:00 <p>Hi there</p> <p>just to say a quick sorry for the edits but I don't think directions are actually blog material.</p> <p>Well I've had a strange weekend and been frustrated and stressed for a lot of it, but all is now good, all conflicts resolved and it definitely ended on a high note. So back on the trailer.</p> <p>My sewing machine is dead, unless you want everything gathering, which would mean you'd be in pig heaven, so after a great deal of struggle, I decided if I didn't get the pattern cutting qualification that would be OK as I came away from the course with all the skills I wanted to learn and more besides, so all is well with that, I've made my peace and am removing it as a stressor in my life, and other more important things came up and were resolved, so all is well and all is well and all manner of things are well again.</p> <p>I will be back on the blog later but desperately need to do some work.</p> <p>Hope all is well with y'all and love and hugs to ya. BH </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/16/sorry_about_the_deletions~2101001/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-14:/2007/04/14/all_manner~2090223/InannaUS2007-04-14T13:59:33+02:002007-04-14T14:27:09+02:00 <p>I just listened to the Sydney Carter folk song I mentioned in the comment to your earlier post.  I got up a 5 in a rage over a wee work encounter in cyberspace last night, saw on the Weather Channel that it'll be in the 60s today.  Then a moment ago I heard Shem meowing and turned my eyes to the picture window.  It's Friday, April 13th and snowing great huge flakes of snow.  The ground is already covered and it's beautiful to behold.</p> <p>And Sat morning browsing produced an article in today's NYT about airstreams! "AS if abandoned by a misdirected camper who parked in the dark, a silver Airstream trailer sits these days in the lobby of the Museum of Modern Art. A model called the Bambi, designed in 1960 with Airstream&rsquo;s distinctive streamlined riveted skin, has been acquired for the museum&rsquo;s design collection."</p> <p>The article has a description of a particular trip that defies belief - Strom Thurmond, Dick Cheney, and airstream inside an airplane for a trip to Asia. Surely they jest?!<em> <br>See,  </em><a href="http://select.nytimes.com/preview/2007/04/15/automobiles/1154672311723.html?8tpf=&emc=tpf&pagewanted=all"><a href="http://select.nytimes.com/preview/2007/04/15/automobiles/1154672311723.html?8tpf=&emc=tpf&pagewanted=all">http://select.nytimes.com/preview/2007/04/15/automobiles/1154672311723.html?8tpf=&emc=tpf&pagewanted=all</a></a></p> <p>So, how can we get some of these other folks blogging ?<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/14/all_manner~2090223/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-13:/2007/04/13/addendum_to_last_post_no_pun_intended~2084506/BettyHill2007-04-13T13:29:18+02:002007-04-13T13:29:18+02:00 <p>I forgot, no one can wear black unless they usually do, (Well I am of the Henry ford school, any colour as long as it's black!) or it's a Psi-corps uniform, and everyone has to wear flowers, but none on the coffin, donations split between RSPCA, PDSA, Dogs trust and Cat's protection league.</p> <p>Well, now I've got that sorted I feel much better!! LOL</p> <p>I have to say that the day is going surprisingly quickly and it does help to take a proper lunch break, something I hardly ever do but may well start!</p> <p>I have to go now but will undoubtedly be back on the blog at sometime this weekend if only to stop myself going mad with sewing this bloody garment!! (... and the sewing technique samples... and preparing my portfolio... and ...... sighs ;o)</p> <p>L8Rs BHxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/13/addendum_to_last_post_no_pun_intended~2084506/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-13:/2007/04/13/fingers_crossed_indeed~2083816/BettyHill2007-04-13T11:31:44+02:002007-04-13T11:31:44+02:00 <p>Bizarrely enough, just before I logged onto the site, I had a conversation with someone I haven't seen for a long time about death and dying, and the number of people recently queuing up to get off the planet, and I have to say Inanna, your post puts a very positive spin on all that.</p> <p>I too have had some positive death rituals from an early age, and some not quite so positive experiences also, but all in all, I agree with everything you say.</p> <p>I am always amazed that people are surprised that I have decided what songs I want playing at my funeral - current favorite Chasing Cars by Snow patrol, it'll make me laugh anyway, "If I lay here, if I just lay here etc.... ;o)- and how I want to be buried, I would prefer burning in a Viking Long Boat, but if that proves impossible, there's a great shop called Arka in brighton that sells papier mache pods, that you can decorate yourself. I'd like to buy one and decorate it, and be burnt in the pod, with my demon costume on complete with horns and long black feathered wings going out to always look on the bright side of life, or, they're coming to take me away, depending on how I feel nearer the time!</p> <p>I don't find these thoughts depressing at all. Quite the reverse in fact. </p> <p>Anyway as far as the fingers crossed thing is, a friend of mine had an operation yesterday, quite a serious one, and I would like to aske anyone out there who is able to send him a thought for recovery and to stay infection free. I am holding the space that this time all will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be well, in the words of that famous woman whos name I can never remember - now I've said that it is probably a bloke... answers on a comment please.</p> <p>TTFN </p> <p>BH </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/13/fingers_crossed_indeed~2083816/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-13:/2007/04/13/living_and_dying_pracice~2082351/InannaUS2007-04-13T05:46:46+02:002007-04-13T05:46:46+02:00 <p>I'm doing a sort of hospice class and Monday night we all went to hear these two amazing people who are working on the intersections of physical death and life transitions.  Sounds grim and morbid perhaps, but was actually beuatifully happy and positive.  Meredith and her husband founded a vision quest school and Scott was their hospice doc when Steven left.  The school is at: <a href="http://www.schooloflostborders.com/lb/inter/index.cfm"><a href="http://www.schooloflostborders.com/lb/inter/index.cfm ">http://www.schooloflostborders.com/lb/inter/index.cfm </a> </a><br>Scott's new book and more about their work is at: <a href="http://www.thefinalcrossing.com/"><a href="http://www.thefinalcrossing.com/">http://www.thefinalcrossing.com/</a></a></p> <p><span class="sb_messagebody">After hearing Scott and Meredith this week and beginning to read <em>The Final Crossing</em> I am so inspired. It's been a difficult year of transition, thresholds, neutral space and much pain after a horse fall. And it's opened glorious new doors. This morning I thought about the transitions now and through my life.</p> <p>I thought also about how blessed I feel to have had childhood experiences of positive death rituals. I thought of the multiple family deaths in which familiar rituals were comforting - diet cokes in the downstairs room at High's Funeral Home in McMinnville, Tennessee and the unspoken permission to laugh and tell different stories from the ones told upstairs by the casket or later over 'covered dish' meals at someone's home. I thought of my favorite Aunt's young years dating one of the funeral directors and my delight that he and his partner were named Tack Hammer and Spider Web. I remembered my grandmother choosing organ music for funerals all over this small, intimate town. </p> <p>I heard the laughter and tears in Scott's writing and re-ran what Meredith said the other night.  I wonder what lessons there are to be learned from all those positive early experiences of funeral ritual and conversations with the dying - what lessons for this life transition I now experience. One is about stepping downstairs where there are different customs and laughter and irreverence are the norm and enable you to climb back up and take your place beside the casket.</span> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/13/living_and_dying_pracice~2082351/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-13:/2007/04/13/fingers_crossed_for_all~2082233/InannaUS2007-04-13T04:10:14+02:002007-04-13T04:10:14+02:00 <p><img src="http://data2.blog.de/media/086/1324086_5f2f6fbe9e_m.jpeg" alt="crossed2" hspace="5" vspace="5"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/13/fingers_crossed_for_all~2082233/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-11:/2007/04/11/and_now_it_s_over~2070963/BettyHill2007-04-11T12:25:31+02:002007-04-11T12:25:31+02:00 <p>It's time to call it a day! Sounds like a queue for a song!!</p> <p>Well thanks InannaUS. That was a good and intersting post. I have to concurr that this is the point of this whole blog. Cos when you are in it, you are in it, and nothing and no one can touch the sides. But it helps, well, it helps me, to know there are people out there, all over the world, that you have touched and that still touch your life, and are still there for you, waiting inside the trailer for you to join them again.</p> <p>I indeed went through my own rebirth this easter from a very dark place that had got me, see this weeks dresden files for the perfect analogy!! And am now feeling much better about just about everything.</p> <p>I'm not saying that the feelings don't surface, that the fear isn't still there, but right now, at this moment, it is all manageable, and all good, and maybe, just maybe, that's all you can ask. Respite from it all, a holiday from your head.</p> <p>I find that if I can stop myself thinking and just get on with the doing and the being, it all gets better, and I mean EVERYTHING. I am such a good manifestor, (Gods I wish this thing had an automatic spell check!), my whole world collapses around the same time that I do, but somehow, I can keep all the balls in the air when I am no longer in that space.</p> <p>Well on a different subject, I have applied for 2 jobs over the break, one I would love, at the apple store that is going to open in Churchill Square, but I get the feeling that they will look at my date of birth and dismiss that one. They are probably looking for trendy young men with weird glasses and strange facial hair to go with Apples groovy image, but the other which is same as I am doing now, is 21 hours for the same money, which means I could get my life back, finish those Tarot Cards, update my web sites, get more creative work and start my uniform business!! So I am holding out to get an interview for either, or even BOTH!! That would be a novelty!! One I would love and the other would give me the precious comodity of time so either would be perfect!! </p> <p>Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me fellow trailairians!</p> <p>Whatever happens I have given myself until the end of September to either get another job, or hand my notice in and go on an agency, whichever comes first. I want to get the natural rhythm back in my life and get creative again. Once you have smothered your creativity, that way madness lies, and I'm mad enough when operating on top creativity, without making it worse!! (Can't sleep, clowns will eat me!!)</p> <p>Until later, hugs and vats of psychic chicken soup with extra fluffy dumplings BH xx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/11/and_now_it_s_over~2070963/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-08:/2007/04/08/easter_thoughts~2054617/InannaUS2007-04-08T16:58:37+02:002007-04-08T16:58:37+02:00 <p>Well Easter - I almost said 'here in the US but stopped myself and shook my head at the implications of that 'slip'. Yes, it is Easter even in other parts of the world. Just been obsessed with fundies of late.</p> <p>But what I want to say is that it's resurrection time - no belief required - just small acts of resurrection daily. And I've been thinking about how many rebirths, resurrections and rejuvenations I've been blessed to have. </p> <p>All my Bible upbringing comes back at these time.<br> I'm visualizing Mary Magdalene being the one who encounters JC and his response 'don't touch me'. Yep, there are times when you have to do the work yourself and find a way to make sense of the absurd. No one can 'touch' in those deep journeys, but others can stay present and available. That's perhaps part of what we're doing here, staying presen to each other even when we can't do anything else.</p> <p>So happy day to all. I'm off to make Southern green beans - cooked to beyond limpness with country ham - and go out to LadyHawke Ranch to spend the afternoon with great friends.</p> <p>Cheers, </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/08/easter_thoughts~2054617/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-07:/2007/04/07/rammstein_saved_my_sanity~2048140/BettyHill2007-04-07T09:15:16+02:002007-04-07T09:15:16+02:00 <p>Thanks for that Drabromeo. And why aren't you a professional writer - full time - and I don't mean copy!</p> <p>When I read your stuff, I'm there. It is so evocative and descriptive that the pictures are in my head. Maybe the pilgrimage to Maine will inspire you to get writing. (Although your description of the clapboard houses and porches etc etc made me want to go there too! I'll leave that decision to you, if I can ever afford to come over again!!!) A Novel please, but it doesn't have to be as long as the Master likes to write for a first attempt!! LOL </p> <p>Really sorry to hear about your collegue. I hope you managed to stay on the trailer in the present for a while. I remember when you gave that to Karen. She showed it us and it blew me away... Still remember that and I think Karen has been back in the US now for 7 years? maybe more, and my memory is shot, but I do remember that poem.</p> <p>I fell right off the trailer yesterday, due in part to a disasterous night out on Thursday, which I won't bore you with the details of, done is done as they say.</p> <p>However I decided, in the immortal words of my rebirthing teacher, that I could cry and do the washing up. So on Went a Rammstein CD warp factor 10 - I love the German language to start off with and put that on top of thumping rock music and what's not to like!- and cleaned. (Du has nicht had to be repeated 3x due to the fact it is my favorite track - Lucky neighbors!!) There's nothing like loud rock and cleaning to focus your anger on and end up with something productive when it is all over.</p> <p>Rammstein, was swiftly followed by Linkin Park - who are exceptionally good for anger management due to the fact I know all the lyrics, and can belt them out at warp factor 10 which increases the therapy quotient by a thousand fold and is the best music in the world to hoover to, a favorite displacement task.</p> <p>By the time that had been played twice, it was safe to move onto the Kaiser Chiefs, again fab cos you can belt out all the words, and by the time that was over it was safe to move onto Snow Patrol for the comedown.</p> <p>Never mind a DJ Last night Rammstein saved my life! I've now got up to a clean house, and friends I haven't seen for a while coming for dinner, and someone else for Supper and Doctor Who. Trailerness restored. </p> <p>So, in answer to a question that was asked so far away in the mists of time it will have been forgotten, yes there is such a thing as positive fury, cos all fury is, is energy. And it just depends which direction you channel that fury/energy in.</p> <p>Hard physical activity - good and can be positively productive, dig the garden, wash the car/cat/dog whatever... bio-energetics, long walk etc. - against another person, especially yourself-BAD. (Anger turned inward = depression)</p> <p>Well that was a really long winded answer to a question that everyone has forgot - Happy Hollidays to ya! I'm off to soak myself in bubbles!!</p> <p>BH xx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/07/rammstein_saved_my_sanity~2048140/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-05:/2007/04/05/happy_bank_holiday_and_oh_that_pier~2040037/drabromeo2007-04-05T19:58:07+02:002007-04-05T19:58:07+02:00 <p>Hi there, fellow Trailerians! I enjoyed reading you post today, and it really called up some memories for me. I really loved that old pier, and miss it still!</p> <p>I so recall my first visit to Brighton in 1997 with my sister Karen. We went to the Brighton Pier, which was fun for me. The only equivalent I’ve seen in NY is the pier at Atlantic City, but it’s nothing like this one. I remember the jittery lights and pounding disco music, the rumble of the rides on the end of the pier, packs of boozy young people glaring at each other. I lost 10 pounds in the arcade. Karen almost won a bear at the Basketball Toss but her shot was wide. </p> <p>At some point I remember turning my back on the lights and ruckus, and staring out at the sea. As I leaned on the rail, I first noticed the old pier looming in the distance. It rose out of the mist and dark like some dim memory. By its Victorianish outlines my mind could fill in gas lights, the gasp of crowds at diving horses, a sea of hoop skirts swirling to a brass band. But what was really there was a shell in dark water, the part that once connected it to the beach long washed away. It was like a memory that looms large in your mind, but you can’t get to it anymore, all the details lost in shadow. All that remains is the fuzzy outline of what was, something you could fill with your current fancies or fears, its true nature lost. It was dark and unsettling in a way, but somehow comforting and calming at the same time. It made me feel melancholy and pensive, which isn’t always a totally bad feeling. When I turned back around, my eyes blinked at the harsh light of the new pier around me and I was totally discombobulated for a moment. </p> <p>So what’s the trailerific lesson I gleaned from my first sight of the old pier? Well, I wrote about all this in a poem I gave Karen that Christmas, and this is what I concluded:</p> <p><em>Play on the pier that's in the present,<br> Don't stare too long at the one that is not.<br> And, win or lose, always take your best shot.</em></p> <p>My last sight of the pier was a couple of years later, probably right before it first got washed out to sea and then burned. Some group was raising money for its restoration, and they were giving tours of the old pier. You had to wear a hard hat, and we were guided by a youngish woman who was telling us all about the restoration plans. I remember her saying something like “oh, and when its restored, it won’t be like the other pier”, she said, rolling her eyes in what was supposed to be in the manner of a conspiratorial wink, but ended up making her look a little unbalanced. “You know, it won’t be that ‘Kiss Me Quick’ type of thing. It will be really nice and classy.” As an American, I had no idea what type of thing ‘Kiss Me Quick’ might be, but I got the drift—they were hoping that when the pier was restored its Port Out Starboard Home essence would not be sullied by any normal people going there. No Basketball Toss or angsty teenagers on this pier.</p> <p>In spite of the unpleasantly besnotted guide, I really enjoyed my tour. Many of the artifacts that remained on the pier were from the 70s, which is when it closed for good. So there were signs for rides and concessions that had been popular then. But along the sides and behind the alterations you could still make out a lot of really cool original architectural details, and it wasn’t hard for me to imagine even more clearly this amazing place in its day. I also remember pigeon poop—lots and lots and lots of it, drifting like snow in the corners (probably was actually sea gull poop, but you get the drift). I dearly love abandoned places, and the sense of archeological discovery. I had often been thinking about this place since I first saw it that night in 1997. To actually be able to go and walk around it was a real delight for me. </p> <p>For awhile, I kept an old photo of the pier in full bloom as my computer desktop, When I read about the fire, I felt like I had lost someone. Not a family member or dear friend, but someone that meant something to me. It’s bizarre, but these memories mirror my day today a little. When I got into work this morning, I found out that one of my colleagues had passed away. A relatively older guy who was someone I worked with who was also a musician. I think we traded CDs, and performed together at a couple of company Christmas shows. He had had a heart attack a few months ago, and was recovering beautifully. He had even been back to visit and was talking all about coming back to work. Apparently he had another heart attack this morning and didn’t make it. I didn’t know him well enough to be completely devastated, but it was still sobering and unsettling. In both cases, I felt a sense of sadness and loss. Obviously my sense of loss for the human was stronger than for the ruins of an old pier half a world away, but I both cases I get the feeling that one more thing of value has now passed from my world. I guess I have even more things like this to look forward to as I get older and older. So I think I’m going to go now and play on the pier that’s in the present for awhile!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/05/happy_bank_holiday_and_oh_that_pier~2040037/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-04:/2007/04/04/trailerness_to_the_max~2033951/BettyHill2007-04-04T19:42:54+02:002007-04-04T19:42:54+02:00 <p>Well that is it. 6 straight days off to bimble about and get my sewing done and my magnificent dress made to hand in Next Friday. And no more horrid work clothes for 6 days- I hate having to look like a normal person and am really bad at it as well. I always look like I'm dressed in my mums clothes or something and not at all like me. I also hate spending money on work clothes and got a real bargain this week in a cheap and cheerful shop of a work skirt and top for £2 a piece - which is about all I ever want to spend on something I am only ever going to wear for the office!!</p> <p>As I left work at 3 today I was so happy I could have floated home. Shopped to stock the fridge and the freezer so I don't have to go out of the house again for the next 6 days (Meat and Vodka in freezer, veg, Lindisfarne Mead and Champagne in the fridge, what more could a girl need... well that's a story for another kinda blog, and definitely NOT to be kept in the fridge, and you can make that one up as you will!!) You definitely do not want to have to go out in Brighton on a Bank Holiday, as the whole population of London and surrounding districts pours onto our seafront, and it is all a bit of a mare - definitely not an experience to keep you on the trailer, so apart from our foot film on Monday that is it for me. People are coming to me and I'm not going out the door - I feel like the queen (But where would I find her at this time on a Wednesday night!)- Well apart from tomorrow that is which is open mike night at the HobGob and wouldn't be missed come hell or high water, well unless I'm not here of course and then it is!! </p> <p>One thing that always cheers me up is the sight of balloons drifting free, and whilst in the smoking room today, ie the pavement outside the building, I noticed a silver star helium baloon drifting high across the car park. How lovely I thought, and when I went to do my shopping for some reason or other, they were giving them away as you walked through the door. Well OK they have Sommerfield across the middle of them, but I choose to ignore that fact and brought my star back attached to my bags of shopping.</p> <p>I am going to set it free tomorrow, and maybe attach a note, and see how far it gets and if anyone answers it. Message in a bottle for the 21st century!! LOL I'll let you know if anyone does!</p> <p>Where I live I am very lucky that there are a number of buses stop at either end of my street and come up from almost everywhere I want to go in Brighton. </p> <p>At the moment they have shut one of the main roads due to sewer works or some such, they manage to shut at least one main road every summer, and this year is the big one! </p> <p>As a consequence to this the buses go along the seafront, almost from pier to pier, and I have to say that today, which was quite hot - not by your standards Phoenix of course! - and one thing that made me feel very whistful and almost untrailerish, was the site of the old pier.</p> <p>When I first moved to Brighton 16 years ago, it was my favorite sight in Brighton, and it always cheered me. On a day like today the sunlight would have been twinkling on the glass dome, and the windows, and somehow, the shattered pier just added to the magic of it all.</p> <p>When the sea roke was in It rose from the mist, brooding and gorgeous, so beautiful in all its seasons. </p> <p>And then some bastard burnt it down. You know who you are and deserve to rot in a very bad place - but if I say that it is not reallly for this blog so just pretend you didn't read this sentance and all will be well. It helps me maintaing trailerness to say it!</p> <p>Now all there is is the sad skeleton poking out like a burnt black beast, brooding in its place instead of sparkling and shining, yet somehow, I like it there, standing as a reminder. I do hope they never demolish it, it wouldn't be the same here without it. It should just be allowed to crumble dignifiedly -(Gods, is that even a word?) into the sea.....</p> <p>anyway, all of the above took me 2 hours, I can't quite believe that, so by the time I'd unpacked and eaten and answered me email, this is it, 7.30 and I haven't done anything yet. I thought I'd be in by 4 at the latest and have half my house clean by now. But as they say, whomever they are, bugger it.</p> <p>I'm going to get up early tomorrow and clean so that I can get on with my sewing in a sparky house, and not have to worry about the visitors!! (No matter how much therapy you do you can't take the mother out of the girl, like anyone I know is house proud - we all have way too much to do yet still at the back of my mind, I always feel better having people round if all public areas are spotless.... sighs....)</p> <p>Favorite sayings about housework:<br> A clean house is a sign of a wasted life<br> If you don't dust for 3 years, it never gets any worse after that, and You only have to wash up when you've eaten fish - the last 2 are quentin crisp, but I have no idea who the first one is</p> <p>Well that really is it. I'm orf, my glass is empty and need a refil, and I think I'll just start the holiday with feet up, 24, lost and Dresden</p> <p>So until tomorrow or later depending on how much energy I have or whether the adrenalin comedown after 24 puts me in bed - or in the hospital if last weeks was anything to go by!!</p> <p>Oh BTW Welcome to the trailer Vangotha. Good to have you on Board and thanks for the answers to the questions that enquiring minds needed to know! ;o)</p> <p>Trailerness to all BHxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/04/trailerness_to_the_max~2033951/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-03:/2007/04/03/one_more_day_to_go_yippppeeeeeee~2027546/BettyHill2007-04-03T18:58:15+02:002007-04-03T18:58:15+02:00 <p>Well that is it. The penultimate day done and done.</p> <p>One more day to get through and I have 6 straight days off. Albeit I am strapped to a sewing machine, I don't care. I love being in my house and doing my bimbling and sewing and generally being house ridden. It's FAB and I'm giving myself Monday off to go make a film with a bunch of friends and then go to the pub for a bank holliday session - how cool is that. I'll post the youtube link when it is uploaded!! LOL</p> <p>I got in from work and have been given the latest 24 and Dresden to watch, so heart attack followed by relaxation, and have a nice bottle of blackthornes and some Lindisfarne mead in the freezer and fridge respectively. At the moment all is good. (Well if anyone out there wants to offer me control of a fancy dress shop or a new administrative post for 19K+ a year it would be better but lets just focus on the positives here.</p> <p>It's been a bit of a mad day, but now it is time to chill and put my feet up for a while. I'm just winding down nicely for the holiday, and the only thing I have left to do today is cook and find the pattern cutting stuff I need printing tomorrow. My printer has decided it will only print red and I can't afford to replace it at the moment, so I will have to take it to work to do tomorrow. (Note to self remember photographic paper and get the stuff in jpg format as they do not have freehand upstairs!)</p> <p>Well I could just get up early in the morning and not turn this computer on(One for internet one for work!) which would be a first as being the sad geek that I am I check my email before I'm awake in the morning whilst imbibing the life giving cafeine and getting my first nicotine fix of the day!! Gods I love nicotine. And any detractors will just get edited out so don't bother with your antisocial rants cos this is a PRO smoking page - most rabid anti-smokers drive anyway and their driving does more to promote incidences of childhood asthma and destruction of the atmosphere than my little roll ups do anyway but to hear them talk..... (Gods this is one of the few subjects that is guaranteed to get me ranting at the drop of a hat and it doesn't even have to be a very big hat - it could even be a very small smelly one(With reference to Nomis here!! Shall I mention the West Ham badge on the front of the very small smelly one?... maybe not as it may cause offense! LOL)</p> <p>Well I appear to have gone right off on one now. It would appear that I find this very relaxing and at this point I am saying nothing worth reading in fact if you got this far with this post I would just stop now. I am stealing whole sections of your life you will never get back and for no good reason whatsoever. Even I am bored with this now but for some reason I just can't stop typing. It's the typing that is soooo theraputic. I could just keep going and going. In fact learning to touch type was probably the worse thing I could have done for you out there reading this as it just enables me to rant in a very theraputic fashion and I am still amazed that I can do it and I have got so fast at it as it is a relatively new skill only learnt when I had to teach a group of visually impaired people the very skill I knew nought about!! Which was about 4 years ago now and I have to say that of all the computer skills I possess it is the one I'm most proud of - to myself of course I'd never say that to anyone else - WHAT are you still there - I told you to stop reading and this was just private therapy, what are you, a voyeure??</p> <p>Well that's it I'd better get off now, psychotic break iminent - not for the first time I hear all my friends sigh - certainly not for the last, but maybe soon and for the rest of our lives.</p> <p>Going now .... chat more sensibly later.... maybe....maybe not <img src="/img/smilies/icon_surprised.gif" alt=":o" class="middle" border="0">) BHxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/03/one_more_day_to_go_yippppeeeeeee~2027546/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-03:/2007/04/03/castlerigg~2025606/BettyHill2007-04-03T13:20:55+02:002007-04-03T13:25:28+02:00 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/media/media_item.php?item_ID=1298585" title="guardians_l[1]"><img src="http://data2.blog.de/media/585/1298585_e6188911a5_m.jpg" alt="guardians_l[1]" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>I have just uploaded one of the pictures I used this stone for. </p> <p>Check it out if you want or ignore this post if you don't!! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_surprised.gif" alt=":o" class="middle" border="0">)</p> <p>I will at some point upload proper pics instead of ripping them off my pagan cards site so they won't turn up with Altar Image splashed across them but there is little time until I have finished my pattern cutting portfolio and final piece so they might not get uploaded for a couple of weeks so the ones I have done will have to suffice!!</p> <p>Anyway I am going to get off now as I am doing this in my lunch break which is rapidly coming to a close.</p> <p>I will chat later when I have the time but just to say trailerness is fully restored after a really dodgey evening thanks to heaven knows what and reading the wonderful posts on the blog!</p> <p>Love and trailerness to y'all BHKxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/03/castlerigg~2025606/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-02:/2007/04/02/misty_water_coloured_memories~2022766/Phoenix_Luxor2007-04-02T22:38:41+02:002007-04-02T22:45:26+02:00 <p>There are innumerable things about Britain that I most certainly do not miss and I won't bore anyone 'trailer-less' with any of those here (new blog required LOL). There are some things that I really do miss - sometimes illogical and irrational but they provoke so much feeling that it does border on hurting, from time to time.</p> <p>Betty prompted this post by uploading a picture of a stone at Castlerigg in Cumbria - a fantastic ancient circle of guardians & sentinels (despite the efforts of the 'Heritage' people!) with such a wonderful feeling. I think it was 2004 when I took that picture of one of the goddess stones but I remember it was late spring and it had been raining a great deal for the majority of the day. By late afternoon the clouds were heavy on the horizon and most sensible wanderers had found their place to settle for the day. My companion and I, plus dog, wandered around the deserted fields some distance from the car... which I'd had trouble controlling as the narrow lanes were both covered in mud and flowing like small rivers... but determined to sense and feel the true essence of the circle again we'd opted to get wet - no amount of rain was going to stop us. The wind was immense at times and caused the rain droplets to batter our faces, even the dog was a little peeved at being out on one of the higher peaks in the Lake District. Undeterred, we continued and started to approach the circle from the South (courtesy of those Heritage people again) and the familiar stones came into view. The feeling of that circle is, for me, one of the strongest of the circles in Britain (along with Stanton Drew and the folly at Druids Wood near Masham) and I could literally feel the deep, rhythmical beat of the circle as we became closer and closer. By the time we reached the Southerly guardians there was a vague headache but this passed as we asked for admission and wandered in. The circle was deserted. It was wonderful to wander from stone to stone in complete peace, apart from the howling wind which seemed to accompany the stones in their ancient vigil. Many of the stones had small daffodils surrounding their bases which seemed to complement the deep algae-green of the stones. The megaliths were, obviously, well-weathered - slightly warm too and welcoming to the hands - even in the bitter cold. I took pictures of almost every stone (though I'm not usually a 'camera person' at all) even though the light was becoming a little grey as yet more clouds seemed to encircle the hilltop. Out of nowhere the sun burst through and the rain rapidly seemed to wane - the stones seemed grateful, somehow, for this immediate illumination and everything was different - as if dawn had taken place. It was magical to witness.<br> We stayed for some time and I remember sitting on the muddy ground and being mesmerised by the magnificence of the stones - until the first gaggle of daring tourists peeked their heads through the magical scene that is - they broke that particular spell.</p> <p>We wandered back to the car, the dog hauling it's wet carcase after us, and sat in the relative warmth there (the heater fan on full!) with a flask of tea and some local shortbread. The heavens opened - it was amazing to watch the vast quantities of water pouring down and hitting the car, road and trees - howling winds added to the scene and produced a semi-tornado effect as we sat as comfortable observers... I didn't dare move the car for some time.<br> A wonderful afternoon.</p> <p>Strangely, I miss rain. Rain in Egypt is fairly rare, of course, and during my visits here over the last decade alone it was unheard of (they still talked of the eleven seconds of rain in 1994!) and it's true to say that earthquakes are more common than rain here. It did rain here last March and for twenty minutes the streets were filled with dancing children, screaming with delight - some so young that they certainly wouldn't have seen rain before. The twenty minutes caused absolute devastation here and many mud-built properties suffered, obviously. Rain is different here (though I've only experienced it once in nineteen prior visits) and I wouldn't wish rain on this land but I can't help missing the glorious rain in Britain. I know too that the grass is always greener... logic doesn't seem too much of an aide when there's such an elemental urge.<br> I'm fortunate to live on the southern outskirts of Luxor where there is plenty of greenery - just wandering onto my bedroom balcony I can see the Nile, trees, gardens and 'village green' with the tall palms above... but even the greenery isn't quite the same without the rain to wash it down and renew the land.<br> I'm fortunate too that I can see those gardens as most residents of Luxor don't get to see growing flowers... apart from in the cultivated hotel gardens... but I miss the wild daffodils and the vivid yellows and greens. If I think about York in spring I can almost smell them.</p> <p>Rain; daffodils; the Lake District and driving - all four have been strongly in my mind over the last two or three weeks. Strange things to miss? Possibly but, as I said, logic isn't much help <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>The damp however is a different story and I have no problem with swapping 15% relative humidity and warm temperatures for the cold and damp of Britain <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>I do miss Salad Cream and Branston Pickle too... along with a few other synthetic foodstuffs! LOL</p> <p>Thanks for the memories BettyH! :-)<br> Well trailered now <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Here's the link for that pic:<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/media/media_item.php?item_ID=1292884">http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/media/media_item.php?item_ID=1292884</a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/02/misty_water_coloured_memories~2022766/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-02:/2007/04/02/another_trailerific_weekend~2020990/drabromeo2007-04-02T18:03:38+02:002007-04-02T18:53:35+02:00 <p>Well, I just spent the weekend in a Trailer Court, although my own trailer was internal! I have a friend who creates anti-violence and anti-gang curricula for school children at risk (workbooks, action mazes, role plays, etc.). I help him out in creating the materials, and he really wanted to make headway on a new one for 10 and 11 year olds (here in the US, sadly, there is a demand for anti-gang stuff for 10 and 11 year olds). So he rented a couple of bungalows in an old-fashioned Trailer Court in a little town in Pennsylvania, and we spent the weekend working away. </p> <p>The town is called Milford, and was truly trailerific-- it's an old Victorian town that, unlike so many here, is not gentrified in any way. It is solidly working class, just a little too far a communte to New York City to make it attractive for developers. As a result, it is Victorian in the raw-- amazing old homes festooned with astonishing architectural details... and rusty old cars up on blocks in the yard. Gloriously designed houses that badly needed paint and repair, a rounded towered building with a barely legible carved lintel that said "Forest Hall" above a hand-lettered wooden sign saying "Bob's Video and Bait Shop". A mansion called Grey Towers that a hundred years ago was the Governor of Pennsylvania's home, and is currently being used to present a high school production of Animal Farm. It was just wonderful-- the richness of Victorian design, the unexpected discoveries of an archeological dig, the balming kindness of a town full of working class people with no pretentions or elitisms. </p> <p>Each of the bungalows in the Trailer Court had it's own porch with a comfy chair. As I sat on my little porch at night, I could hear Canadian geese honking at one another, the sough of a bracing wind through the pine trees that surrounded the bungalow, the yap and woof of dogs that will never be used as fashion accessories. I could smell the pine too, and the homely aromas of baking and bacon. As I sat there I could feel the city tension draining out of me, and even though we worked for like 9 straight hours on Saturday, I came away curiously refreshed. </p> <p>So I guess that's my Trailer Tip for the day: when things are so insane that you can't seem to get your trailer out of the ditch, try doing something completely different. Just find a nice, out-of-the-way place to explore and spend the night there. Someplace you’ve never been, not too far and not to expensive. Just something new to remind you that there is an endless highway to be explored. You might not have a great time, but you might find yourself in someplace new that delights you and gets you back in the trailer where you belong!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/02/another_trailerific_weekend~2020990/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-02:/2007/04/02/just_a_quickie~2020737/BettyHill2007-04-02T17:19:55+02:002007-04-02T17:19:55+02:00 <p>As the actress said to the bishop!</p> <p>Well the end of another day and only 2 to go before 6 straight days off!! Yipppeeeeeeeeee!!</p> <p>I have to say that I am getting happier by the minute, which has to be a sign of something!</p> <p>This is going to be the quickest post ever as I am going to be forced out of the building in 5 minutes but just wanted to log on and say howdy to y'all before getting the machine shut down and getting up that hill home.</p> <p>It has been a good day, all very important tasks accomplished and on my way home for a relaxing evening and getting some pattern cutting stuff done.</p> <p>Got to go, may log in later. See how it goes if not l8R then L8R than that</p> <p>BH xzx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/02/just_a_quickie~2020737/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-01:/2007/04/01/here_we_go_again~2013917/BettyHill2007-04-01T14:27:22+02:002007-04-01T14:27:22+02:00 <p>Well for the last time today.... maybe..... I'm still sat here and have now uploaded all the media I'm gonna.</p> <p>I have to move, or I won't be ableta!!</p> <p>But I could do with another week like this and then I'd be full of energy and able to do all the things that are stacking up like a bunch of things that stack - whatever they may be.</p> <p>Time to hit the water and get the dinner in the oven, or people will be here, I'll still be in me nighty, and we'll starve.... slight hyperbole there, but there again, why use one word when you can use a hundred!</p> <p>Anyway this is definitely it. Going to join the Trailer on the astral now, as opposed to the physical, so see ya there if ya there, as they say in valhallah.</p> <p>snogs BH </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/01/here_we_go_again~2013917/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk,2007-04-01:/2007/04/01/twice_in_one_day~2013644/BettyHill2007-04-01T13:34:58+02:002007-04-01T13:34:58+02:00 <p>Well I have to admit that it doesn't look like I'm going to get anything practical done again today. I might put some Linkin Park on in a minute and push the hoover round the living room, but I think that is as good as it is going to get. (Or maybe that new rammstein album Matt gave me!! Good Thumpin tunes!!)</p> <p>Anyway, I have just spent a happy hour or so uploading some media files. I feel it is important for those who know me not, to get to know me a little, and as I said in the previous post, I am no wordsmith. I do pictures.</p> <p>So if you like what you see in the artwork section of the media link - and how the hell you find it off the front page I have no idea, but it would appear if you go to my profile it will be there- then visit <a href="http://www.Pagan-Cards.com">http://www.Pagan-Cards.com</a> and there is shed loads more of it there.</p> <p>Also I have uploaded a few fancy dress pics, mostly from the Starfleet Ball it has to be said, the best Fancy dress party of the year. Oh yes, they also have guests, but I can't remember the last time I went to see one there, that's what you do other conventions for, I go there for the 3 day fancy dress party and seeing friends I don't get to see that often. Of course if they ever get a guest from Atlantis, I may have to break the habit of a lifetime!! LOL Sci Fi is one of my greatest - if not the greatest and certainly the longest (first love of my life - Mike Mercury from SuperCar when I was about 3!!)- passions of my life. (Damn you Virgin for dropping Sky)- sorry that wasn't very trailerish!!</p> <p>Well that is it now. I really must get dressed, I have only been up 5 hours and only seemed to have moved from infront of the computer to make more coffee, Maybe a good long soak in some Hot perfumed water would make me feel more inclined to the practical, but somehow, I don't think so. It feels like a day for indulgance! (Gods I wish this thing had an automatic spell checker, I'm sure I spell every second word completely incorrectly!!) So I'll probably opt for the bath, strawberries and icecream for breakfast and maybe wash it down with a nice VAT. I could be sat on the trailer as we speak! (BTW the trailer does have broadband internet connection that is stable at a billion MB download speeds and mobile phones that never drop connection - That won't be Virgin media then will it!! LOL)</p> <p>L8Rs</p> <p>BHxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://thehappyairstreamtrailer.blog.co.uk/2007/04/01/twice_in_one_day~2013644/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>