I'm back!! Yes I have returned from my long and noble journey that took me all the way round that area of promise, the Mediterranean. I.e. - a cruise. It was bloody fantastic. Went to Tunis in Tunisia, Rome, Florence and Pisa in Italy, obviously, Toulon in the South of France, and Barcelona, Espania. When we went to Toulon, we were supposed to originally be going to Monaco, but the night before the sea conditions were too bad, so we had to go to Toulon instead, which was a bit gutting. Tunis was great. We visited a Souq, which is an indoor market type thing to us non-Arabics. Never been stared at so much in my life before as I was by the Arab blokes in there. Apparently its because I;m blond and blond people are rare to say the least there. The attention was fun at first, but eventually started to get a bit old. Oh the hardship! I was really excited about going to Rome. I visited the Colliseum - the very same one from the film Gladiator. Unfortunately, I failed to spot Russel Crown or Joaquin Phoenix amongst the crowds. Also visited the Vatican and went inside St. Peter's Basilica. In there you can find the dead body of a former Pope. Let me explain. He died about a hundred years or so ago, and for some reason which I can't remember as I may have drifted off a bit at that point of the tour, his coffin was opened a few years ago, and it was found that his body was remarkably preserved. The Catholic guys in Rome decided it was a miracle and he is in the process of being deified as a saint. In the mean time, his body, all dressed in robes and with his face and hands covered by alabaster masks so you can't see his flesh, is diplayed in a glass casket. Obviously, I went to have a look. Now not actually being a Catholic myself (I'm C of E technically, but not actually a practising anything), I was just fascinated by seeing the body. It didn't really enter my head that he was once the holiest man on Earth, until, that is, an Italian bloke next to me kissed the marble barrier, crossed himself and then prayed. Felt a bit humble, and unCatholic, to say the least, but as I'm not Catholic hopefully its forgiveable.

Florence was absolutely amazing. Without a doubt the best city I have ever visited. In Pisa I obviously had to do what had to be done - have my photo taken "holding up" the leaning tower. Actually though, all the buildings around the tower were a bit on the slanted side. Whoever payed to have them all done really should have been given their money back.

In Barcelona my only aim was shopping. All I can say, is that that mission was more than accomplished.

The ship was fantastic too. A different type of show every night and I got to dress up in the evenings for a psh dinner. God I sound like a holiday brochure. Never been so nackered in my life though. Bed every night at one and up every morning at about six to go onshore. Also, I'm not as brown as you would expect considering wherever we went it was so bloody hot. Thing is, as a lot of the time we were either in a Muslim or strictly Catholic place, knees and shoulders had to be covered.

All in all though, I had a bloody brilliant time. Jealous anyone?

Holiday packing!! Aargh! You'd think after a year of packing, unpacking and repacking in the ever constant moving to and from Leeds since last September, not to mention for the holiday to Spain and mini-break to Brussels in between, would prepare me for such an event. But no! Indeed, nothing has prepared me for the nightmare that is packing for a spacially-challenged cruising holiday. Nothing.

Just a quick posting today as I'm shattered and need to go to bed. Significant things that have happened to me recently. Hmm. Lets see.

Sunday night I booked tickets to go and see WWE Raw live in MEN Arena on October 11th, 3 days after my bday, with the boyf. Yes, you read right. But wait, befire you write me off as mad, stop and consider first. Lots of muscley, sweaty men with long hair and storylines to rival even that soap great, Sunset Beach - I can hardly be blamed for being a fan. Thing is, I though I grew out of this sort of thing years ago. I used to watch WWF, as it was then, avidly for a good two years and even went to go and see it live in Earl's Court with two friends (blokes, obviously). However, once the WWF bought out ECW and WCW and became WWE I lost interest, almost overnight. However, over the past couple of weeks one of the lads who's been coming to the holiday club is an enthusiast to say the least (12 years old, though, so therefore allowed) and has slowly got me back into it. The boyf didn;t take too much persuading. Turns out he's been watching it in much th esame secret way in fear of ridicule that I watch my Neighbours and H and A. That one will be changing, I'm telling you now. Anyway, bought tickets for the both of us. Fifty quid each!! I kid you not. We're only 7 rows form the floor and right at wringside though, so worth it compared to the thirty quid I paid for it last time when I was sat at the back and needed binoculars to see anything.

Waved the boyf off tonight for a week. He's back to Leeds for his resit exams. Shall miss him muchos lots-os.

Atmosphere at work is getting worse and worse. Don;t think I'll work here again next vacation. Think when I go back to uni I'll get a job in Asda or something which I can transfer to when I'm home. Less hassle, defo.

Oh and Sea Monkey update. Don't worry! They haven't died. Not all of them anyway. A good 8 have survived infancy and are marching on towards adulthood. Looking promising.

At the risk of it seeming like I'm copying what's written in SA again, (see last post and Darren Stark/Todd Macdonald stuff) bloody hell how good was Neighbours last night??! The final street showdown of the episode was fantastic, not just for a soap, but for telly full stop. And yet another cracker on today's installment. Father Tom declaring his love for Susan!! About bloody time. The twists and turns which always seem to arise in Soapland whenever a Catholic priest is around are amazing. Take the whole Catholic-priest-shags-fiance-of-brother plot in that so-serious and dramatic of soaps, Sunset Beach. Izzy as a character is brill too. They make you hate her but feel for her at the same time. Wish my life was as interesting as those of those Good Neighbours. But no! No Neighbours for two weeks because of the bloody Olympics. Only just recovering from the depravation of the Wimbledon days. As if I'm going to watch the Olympics. Where are the sex scandals there? Actually, if you look hard enough, I'm sure a few could be dug up. Is it wrong of me to say that? Not the sex scandal stuff, but having no intention of watching the Olympics. Does it mean I'm uncultured, or just not interest in sports. Mind you, they play tennis in the Olympics don't they? Maybe if Andy Roddick plays, it might be a different story. We'll have to see.

Back to the real world, I'm sure regular readers (are there actually any of you?If so, stand up, be counted, and post a comment) are aware that I work in a day nursery and its holiday club for older kids. I'm telling you, the trouble and strife that's going on there at the moment. Its always had just the one manager, but a couple of months ago the owner employed her sister as another manager, so there are now two managers. I knew right from the start that it wouldn't work, but as I'm only there in my uni holidays I knew it wouldn't really affect me. But bloody hell, talk about too many chefs spoil the broth. I think it must be something about it being an all female environment, but the bitching thats going on. Its almost like being in my very own soap, but owing to the all female environment thing, there is a distinct lack of sex scandals going on. Probably for the best, considering that its a nursery.

Speaking of nurseries and scandals, that nurseries exposed thing that was on last night was awful. The thought that anyone could treat children like that who are supposed to be employed in childcare is terrible. Awful people.

Lighter note: one week then I'm on holiday! Can't wait!

Oh no!! Sat down to catch up on my taped Neighbours and H and A in the usual way - i.e. the boyf is out tonight so I can watch soaps in peace/without ridicule - and for some unknown, unfathomable, really not fair reason, my vcr didn't tape H and A on Monday or yesterday. And I've just read Struggling Author from the last couple of days and learned that I've missed Kip doing some fancy dancing. Gutted. Ah well at least I've still got my Good Neighbours. And today's H and A has been captured. Strange really. Selective not-working.

While reading the aforementioned SA, I noticed that the said Author (Marie) also appreciates the newly-returned Darren Stark, aka Todd Macdonald. I too find him quite attractive. Didn't really understand the appeal of him first time around. My mother, on the other hand, was verging on obsessive. Apparently he reminded her of what my dad looked like when they first met. Don't know what that's all about. Anyway, now, I am quite appreciative. Maybe something to do with maturing tastes, seeing as how I was only about 14 when he left last time.

Oh, and PS but if anyone knows where I can buy hot pink double duvet cover that doesn't have Barbie on it, post me a comment. Really can't find one anywhere.

Wow. Today came across the blog of a boy who was in the year above me all the way through school, from primary straight through to high school. He even knew the boyf, as they were in the same year in high school. Plus, for the first 16 years of my life he lived in the road opposite from mine, separated only by an alley way. However, I never really spoke to him in all that time. To tell you the truth I always thought he was a bit boring, even though obviously very nice. He's now off in uni and doing things with his life. But like I said, I never really gave him the time of day. And now that he's off in one direction, I'm in the other and I've now moved to the other end of the estate, I'll probably never get to know him. However, as I said, I just came across his blog, and I have discovered what an interesting person he actually is. He has been blogging for two years, his blog is fantastically detailed and, well, fancy, and he's even won some Blogger awards.And his blog is so well read that he got recognised in a shop the other day from his profile photo. How amazing is that? Just a shame I've realised what a cool dude he is a bit too late. He's not blogging at the mo, but will start again soon. In the meantime, I will spread my knowledge (although newfound) of what an interesting guy Rhys Wynne is to my many (slight exaggeration there) readers - not that he needs it.

Golly gosh where have I been? Can't actually remember the last time I blogged, although once I post this and cast a quick downward glance towards my actual last blog, sure I'll get a clue from the post date. Been so busy with work. In for 8 (yes, thats am) and not back til 6, and 9 times out of 10 im straight off to the boyf's place, just cant seem to find the time. Not in til 9 tomorrow, by some miracle, so im snatching a quick minute or so to blog, as I am allowed an extra hour in bed in the morning, as I watch today's Neighbours and H and A which I taped. Thats another thing I'm finding I dont haved any time for these days. SOAPS!!! Having to tape them all every day and try to rushedly catch up on them on the weekend when the boyf isn't around as he doesnt like soaps and would laugh if he saw me watching soaps that i'v actually taped. Didn't manage to get through them all this weekend as I thought it would be a bit silly to be stuck inside watching taped telly with all the glorious sunshine, so I'm attempting to watch some now, although not actually watching them as concentrating rather more on the computer screen that the telly screen. And before anyone thinks I'm sad, I know for a FACT I'm not the only one who loves the soaps in such a devoted way. So ha!

On another note, seems to be an up side to me not blogging for ages. My hit counter seems to be being hit, as it were, much more frequently than it was previously. Which is always good.

Ooh, speaking of weather ( I think I was at some point) how nice was this weekend? Went to the beach on Mon. That's Anglesey to all you Englishies. COuld have been in Spain it was so hot and the beach was so nice. Loads of posh southerners in their holiday homes in North Wales driving their jet skiis and speed boats. Bloody miserable now though.

Right. Off to dry my hair then sleep, as I'm drifting off as I type.