My trip to find out what's on the other side of Slemish (otherwise known as one of Laura's wee rambles...)

Today I was in Buckna. Granted I didn't plan to be there, but that's where I ended up. Here's where Buckna is for anyone who's not familiar with Northern Ireland (or anyone who is - Buckna is a very small place!!)

Well it all started off in Larne. I went to my TP school to have a wee chat with my teacher and interview another teacher for a project. I decided to go for a bit of a drive (as I often do when I'm in Larne) and go out the old glenarm road (which actually takes you to ballygally), and I spotted a wee school (even weirder - Cairncastle school is in Ballygally not Cairncastle) and thought I would chance my arm to see if the principal would let me interview her. Which she did. Then I took a wee drive out towards Glenarm and interviewed the principal of Seaview Primary (I was out on my geg really), then I decided to take the back road round the glen to get home and saw a signpost for Carnalbanagh. Now my auntie almost bought a house there and that's why i knew about it so I went there to see if it had a wee school - and it did, and I interviewed the Principal there too! Lovely wee school I must add.

Anyway, on my way home (ok it was no-where near home but I wasn't going back the way I came) I saw a signpost to Buckna. Now Buckna is a bit of a legend in our family because my second cousin used to teach there and it was always introduced to me as the smallest place and smallest school. It probably isn't really, but it is the back end of no-where and i just wanted to see it. Needless to say i didn't find the school, but Buckna is rather cute. There are 2 churches, an orange hall and a school. And a few farms.

And then, miles from no-where at 5 oclock I get a phonecall from chris sayin was i on my way to practice (supposed to start at 5, but i never got my message cos my phone was on silent). Now look at the map and tell me you're not impressed that I was in the church for just after 5.30!

Blast from the Past!

Who here remembers tamagotchi? I was in Tesco the other day and lying in the middle of chocolate bars was a tamagotchi - they're still making the rounds (although now they can hook up with the internet and all sorts of fancy things). They were around in my late primary school/early secondary school years and I'd totally forgotten about them. In actual fact, last night I had a vague memory of either me or William Neuman killing Dermo's tamagotchi (which he'd got to live for a record amount of days) in Sunday School - maybe you could tell me if this is true Dermo?

Anyway feel free to leave a comment about your beloved electronic pets (!!) I only ever had a wee cheapie one but it was good for long car journeys although it drove my mum crazy when I had to keep feeding it!

xx

Update on the car...

Well, on Monday past, I went to Nissan for a free MOT check and was quoted £700. I was really thinking of getting rid of my car, because I still have to get the damage from my accident fixed as well (even though that's not my money as such...) then when I went back to collect my car the girl said she had forgotten to take off the club 4 discount (cos i've an old car) so it was about £500. Now that was still a lot for me (didn't include 2 new tyres) but my mum said if it was her she would put the money into it. I still wasn't convinced. But I rang up a wee garage and the man said he could do it for about £200 but not till after the MOT, rang up another garage and he quoted me £155. When I actually left the car in, this guy said that most of the stuff I had been told needed done (lots of brakes stuff at £170 each job according to Nissan) didn't need done at all - some of it had been re-done quite recently - and in the end the cost was £62 (plus 2 tyres)! Unbelieveable!

The Micra rides again!

Ahthinkwuvhudwursummur

Translated: I think we've had our summer!


















I'm just back from 3 days in Glasgow staying with my cousin Kerry (ok technically Paisley but nobody who reads my blog knows where that is except for Alison and Nev!) But I did spend a lot of my time in Glasgow - shopping and the like. We also went to the Xscape centre which is only open a few months and has a real snow skislope, and you can go out onto a veranda and watch people ski-ing and snowboarding. V cool. In both senses of the word!
















Forgot to mention my other cousin's v cute baby Heather, who is going to marry Luke someday!














Kerry almost blagged herself a job at the chocolate fountain (how cool would that be???) and inspired by this we made very chocolatey pancakes for supper one night.















On Saturday we took a wee drive up to Loch Lomond which is one of my favourite places. I'm only going to put up a couple of pictures (below) but when I get my next month's allowance on Flickr, they'll be up there somewhere!

I haven't written anything in this for a good wee while now; not a lot has happened and that's maybe why!

Since my accident, I've been a wee bit nervous driving my car long distances especially on the motorway in case it's not quite safe. Now many of you will know that I love driving and I rarely give up the priviledge of sitting in the driver's seat. Well, because of my car not being fixed, I've been forced to give up my control (and control it is!) of the wheel twice and I'm actually quite proud of myself. Gayle drove down to Portadown on Saturday night when we went to CE there (good night - would recommend it to anybody), and while for the first 20 mins or so I was really fidgety and couple of times was about to fiddle with her glove compartment or whatever just to be doing something with my hands, after that I relaxed and really enjoyed not having to concentrate. And tomorrow night I am going down to the SWOT weekend and Dermo's giving me and John a lift which is great. DON'T WORRY DERMO I WON'T GO HOKING IN YOUR GLOVE COMPARTMENT. This will be a real test of my endurance as it's a whole weekend, BUT at least it will force me to travel light as I wouldn't dream of even suggesting I bring as much as I did last year! (Again dermo don't worry I have only one small bag)

Here are a few photos that I have taken since I last posted. Enjoy (or not, whatever!)

The end of the micra adventures ... ?

After that bout of pictures, I haven't written anything in my blog, so I thought I would update you with the week's happenings. Apart from doing loads of overtime, I also had a wee bump in my car. Someone went into the back of me on tuesday night, and believe it or not, underneath that bumper there is £1300 worth of damage!

I also went to the doctor with a sore neck, and along with exercising my neck, he told me to go out and get a man, so he could massage my neck! Those were his exact words (after finding out I didn't already have one!) AND in case you're wondering, NO this doctor was not young and single and NO it wasn't a chat up line!

Finally ... the pictures from Coleraine Camp 2006!

The school actually had a teacher called Miss Gourley!

Spot the post-swim hair!!!

Who's the neon green guy? (sorry Jonny, you don't really look neon on the computer!)

On Saturday night, I went to Paul Chambers' 21st fancy dress birthday party. Here's some photos - it's a pity I can't put up videos here because I got some funny ones from the pass-the-parcel forfeits. Honestly there's nothing better than good old fashioned party games.

Just another Micra Adventure!

Well, on Friday night, Gayle and I decided to go to the last night of New Horizon and then stay over at Whitepark Bay. Edwin came too, and Gavin was already up there. We had a great time, even though the weekend was full of little adventures, but the best one was on Saturday morning. We were going for a walk along the beach, and put all our stuff in the car ... and ... well my keys were in my bag. I locked my keys in the car. In Portrush! Because it was going to take my mum a while to get there with the spare key, the weird woman in the youth hostel wouldn't let us back in and we didn't have enough money between us to get a bus (we only had what the boys found in their pockets) we walked about 3 miles to Balintoy, in the rain, and had lunch in a pub until mum got there with my key. Don't feel too sorry for my mum, though, she used the opportunity to buy a new bit of furniture!

Here's a few pictures of us in Morelli's on Friday night with Matthew ...

Oh I don't wanna stay at Baptist Camp...

... cos I'm tired and I wanna go home!

They say at Baptist Camp, the beds are pretty fine,
They give you half a blanket, to cover your behind,
Oh I don't wanna stay at Baptist Camp!
Uncle Tom I wanna go...
Where do you wanna go?
Uncle Tom I wanna go home!

They say at Baptist Camp, the drinks are pretty fine,
They promise Coca-Cola, then give you stinky lime,
Oh I don't wanna stay at Baptist Camp!
Uncle Tom I wanna go...
Where do you wanna go?
Uncle Tom I wanna go home!

They say at Baptist Camp, the food is pretty fine,
A loaf fell of a table, and killed a friend of mine!
Oh I don't wanna stay at Baptist Camp!
Uncle Tom I wanna go...
Where do you wanna go?
Uncle Tom I wanna go home!

Can I just make the point here that Baptist Camp is great: the food is immaculate (see, Marty and Craig, I'm using your big words!) we drink water, and if the beds are bad it's the parents' fault!! But you don't get enough sleep!

Hmmm...

I'm just recovering from a week away at Baptist Youth Camp which was brilliant but exhausting. I will write some more about it soon, but as I'm driving to Coleraine and back twice this week, I will maybe leave it until next week. I will also put up whichever photos don't have children in them!

Laura*

Folk Park Photos 2

Laura, the Teacher

'You! Boy! Get out of my room!'

(Laura, the Scary Teacher!)

Laura, the Bartender!

Aww ... a Gayle-sized door!

Folk Park Photos 1

Nothing unusual here, just us!

Coming soon...

Pictures of the girls' day out in Omagh!

But first I have to charge my camera so I can switch it on to get the photos on the computer. It's a complicated business, it is.