The "big year" (yawn)

Two days into 2012 and I'm already bored with the London-centric media's obsession over this "big year". Which of course means only two things: the London 2012 Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee. Both have a lot in common: in a time where there seems to be no solution in sight to the national (and worldwide) recession which is still spiralling out of control, both are a luxury which this country can't afford.

I have always loved the Olympics, yet the idea of them coming to this country still leaves me cold. Don't ask me to explain why, as I honestly don't know, but when I look at some of the practical aspects it all becomes a bit clearer.

Competitors and spectators from all over the world will descend on not just London, but also some other British cities too. No doubts they will be made very welcome by the majority of the population, but after the summer's so-called "riots" I would worry that they may be a target for the scum/low-lifes who despite the recession will always find money for drink, drugs and designer goods "by any means necessary". I've visited many countries over the years, but all of them felt safer than this one.

Then there's the poor transport system in this country. Having travelled all over Europe, the one thing I never fail to notice is the impressive transport infrastructure in place in many countries, even those with a lower standard of living to our own. Arrive in some European countries by air and you can take a train directly from the airport into the city, where you are then faced with a choice of buses and trams which run from stops which clearly state when the next bus/tram is coming, and it might even arrive on time. Transport in Britain is a shambles - bus and train companies whose timetables aren't worth the paper they're written on, poor services, rising fares etc. And don't even ask a bus driver why the bus was late or why you've been waiting for about 40 minutes since the last one, when it's allegedly a 10 minute service - you'll only get a grunt at best, or a torrent of abuse.

Finally, there's our climate. The Olympics is a summer showpiece, so why give it to a country where the weather is an obsession, probably because it's so rubbish most of the time?

Then of course there is the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Never mind that this country is going to hell, that the government is killing off public services and making us work till we drop, that's if we'll all still have jobs, that is. No, let's wave a flag and be proud to be British, for just one day let's forget how crap this country is. There is one good thing about it though: as with the royal wedding last year we're getting an extra day's bank holiday. Now that is worth celebrating.

Friday

Seeing a lot less of me: six and a half inches less in the last six weeks to be precise. Weight loss is nice, but this is even nicer. After feeling totally rubbish yesterday (which I can only attribute to Wednesday night's meal, sad to say, as there are no other explanations), I felt good today. And I was off work. And I went to the big city with faithful travelling companion, who annually commemorates his birthday with a few days off work. Nice. Which explains why I'm not hanging out with him tonight, and therefore blogging instead.

Think I may be having a midlife crisis, as my skirts are getting shorter, although still dignified enough not to look completely mutton/lamb ridiculous. (I think)

What if you win, wouldn't it be weird? OK I know this is not the place for it, but I keep reliving last week's Melodifestivalen over and over again, in a Groundhog Day-style repeat. I had a dream last night that you-know-who won Melodifestivalen, and several weeks down the line there are millions of people all over the world watching him destroy the opposition at Eurovision, and in one fell swoop, the job is done, and all my campaigning since 2007 is justified. Voila! The arrival of, potentially, a worldwide star. It can be done.

Tomorrow? Got a free day. Not shopping, not hanging out anywhere with anyone. Will make effort to do some worthwhile stuff at home. But Winter Olympics in Vancouver starting, so may put life on hold for the foreseeable future. Still hate curling though.

Yep....

.....neigh chance.

Neigh chance.

I'm just about to watch the Grand National, which is an annual ritual at EuropeCrazy HQ - the only time we're ever remotely interested in horse racing.

I've drawn Himalayan Trail in the office sweep (!) and have also chosen Brooklyn Brownie, only because Salem Al Fakir's "Brooklyn Sun" is my favourite song just now :)

Mum's chosen Darkness which apparently is Andrew Lloyd Webber's horse, cue chorus of "It's my horse, it's my horse" from mum :))) and also Black Apalachi, she doesn't have any reason for this.

Apart from the office-sweep one there is no money riding on this, it's just a bit of fun :))))