Suzy, Drinker Of Coffee

The story continues...

posted by Suzy Scott @ 00:01 0 comments

Very random stuff

Weather... I knew it was good, but this in the Courier surprised me.

"Monifieth weather watcher Neil Ferguson recorded a maximum temperature of 21.2C, well up on last year’s April peak of 16.6C. The first time the mercury passed 21.2C last year was on June 2, with 22.7C, he said"

Train Tickets... as it looks like I'm going to be a semi-regular user of First Capital Connect services now, it may or may not give me the right of a whine... but seriously, this one (found via The Ticket Collector) came to me as a surprise.

"...I thought that I would tell you that FCC have decided to create a new type of Peak Travelcard which you can get railcard discounts on, AND it lets you come back during the evening peak as well!

The ticket is called the One Day Off Peak Travelcard Plus it is still the same price as a normal Peak Travelcard, but you can get normal railcard discounts on it which brings it to slightly above the normal off peak Travelcard. Also being a Travelcard Plus you are allowed to leave london at any time and you can leave during the normal evening peak."

... in other words, it's the old One Day Off Peak Travelcard from before the evening peak restriction introduction, with a bit more whacked on top. Got to love First eh? How long before First ScotRail are trying the same with One-Tickets?

The name I've changed the name of the blog from "Suzy In The City" to "Suzy, Drinker Of Coffee". I was thinking of a new title, and was inspired by auntysarah changing her title from "Sarah's Transition Musings" to "Sarah, The Bringer Of Tea"... She explained this last weekend, that she is known for bringing tea in times of a crisis...

The blog At the moment, you can currently get Suzy in stereo surround sound, in both Blogger and Livejournal format. I've copied back the last week or so of March onto Livejournal, but the older stuff is on Blogger only. The two will continue until at least the end of the month, then I will decide. Formatting on LJ seems so much easier!

Maps & Timetables A new edition of the Perth & Kinross Council Public Transport Map - the first since late 2002 - is now in print. Dated "From 16th April 2007", the map includes all the changes up to that point, and should be availbile from all outlets now. The Angus Council map should not be too far behind.

Bus Service Changes - Angus, Dundee, Fife, Perth & Kinross Some mostly minor things due for 16th April. Stagecoach Fife 23 (St Andrews - Stirling) and Citylink/Megabus Services M90/M91 (Dundee/Inverness - Perth - Edinburgh) will run into the new Kinross Park & Ride site. Stagecoach Fife 36B (Glenrothes - Gateside) is extended to/from Kinross Park & Ride site. Stagecoach Fife 35/36 (Cupar/Glenrothes - Perth) are to be improved, to give two buses an hour from Newburgh to Perth, but reducing the service to Cupar. Additionally, when combined with the 56, there will be a bus every 20 minutes from Bridge of Earn to Perth.

... and finally ... having said what I did last night about The Illusion Principle, I got a message today from Dave - the guitarist from TIP. Turns out he found my site/blog while googling his own band, and was still impressed at the suggestion of TIP playing Kewbworth! I guess I've got to do it now... and maybe even video record it with the brick.. see my Bebo to see it.

Tags: transition, transport, work
Current Location: Dundee City Centre
Current Mood: bouncy
Current Music: The Illusion Principle - Mark Stanley Thinks You're Rubbish...

Labels: transition, transport, work

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:29 0 comments

Good Friday Morning

There are a few other thoughts too. Tomorrow is Saturday 7^th April, which marks four and a half years in my current job HR mention to the new starts that the average tenure is 18-24 months (I’d have said more like 12-18 in practice). There have been ups and downs to the lot. With my current plans, it looks like I will stay there in the run up to surgery, unless I get a very unlikely and hugely life-changing offer. That would mean at least three months off afterwards, so that should clearly see me well into five years service in one job – very scary! Nothing is going to be set in stone this year though!

… Put it this way. I’ve got lots of good things to think of, lots of recent happy times, lots of good memories. It’s time to commemorate and celebrate the achievements, and this is the perfect excuse… like I need one!

So, today, we are all going to be at work. As per last year, I am still on the “old old old” agency contract, so this is the one time of the year when I actually make a little bit more i.e. double time and a half. Thankfully they’ve not tied to mess our shifts around this time!

If you are wondering when the deeply moving personal stuff comes up, well keep watching. In the meantime, keep watching for the latest transport, work and love gubbins!

Labels: caroline, transition, work

posted by Suzy Scott @ 11:59 2 comments

Wow, what a week…

A ride home tonight was courtesy of Adam, who picked up two of his flatmate’s friends on the way along the Perth Road. I’ve never seen him getting so well double-teamed by the two in the back… we all love him really, honest!

Yesterday, we heard from Jay, tomorrow he heads south to Florida to see the rest of his family on holiday for a bit – enjoy your well-deserved break, and try not to relax too much! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t… (regular blog readers will be aware this leaves for plenty of scope…) So, for today, the words of Kelly Clarkson herself… (the *other* American Idol from Rochester! lol)… and it sums things up so well!

"Breakaway"

Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray (I would pray)

Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I prayed I could break away

[Chorus:]
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway

Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean
Get onboard a fast train
Travel on a jet plane, far away (I will)
And breakaway

[Chorus]

Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging around revolving doors
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but
Gotta keep moving on, moving on
Fly away, breakaway

I'll spread my wings
And I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway

Wishing you all a peaceful Easter (or religious festival of choice), and I will be here when you get back… probably still typing!

Labels: caroline, transition, work

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:59 0 comments

The bits I missed earlier

Now you may be wondering – again – about the age gap. As I’ve said before, I’ve no idea when or how the HD will take over my body (if ever at all), so I may not be myself at that age. I’d rather enjoy myself now. All three people who have loved and cared for me in my recent past may be from the same vintage, but their backgrounds could not be more diverse. There are other coincidences and situations between them too, but that is all an irrelevancy. I’m on a “learning curve” in some respects, but I am also climbing out a rut in some ways. That may sound bad, but it’s almost as if all the recent developments over the year have awaken something deep inside me. Something that has ever had the chance to get out, largely because I didn’t see myself in the right body (initially). In the last three months, I have changed quite a bit – just read back on the blog. Some of the meds that made me upset are on the way out. I’ve got what I’ve hoped most of my life for, coming later this year. I’ve had wonderful people to help and support me. I am happy with life. Caroline is also very happy at the moment, new(ish) car, just back from holiday etc. – you know the sort.

Speaking of love, Jay's “letter from America” has arrived (well it was an email) – “Suzy, it is so wonderful you are so happy...and in Love!!!. I wish the two of the all the happness in the world. I have always told you you are a great lady, and now you have someone in your life that feels as I have all along”.

I do want to talk here in the coming weeks more about my own personal feelings and how I see the future, my (our) future. Just because I’ve not got time to type it all up right now doesn’t mean I’ve not been deep in thought.

Labels: caroline, work

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:55 0 comments

Busy day

Hopefully I will get caught up with everything soon enough! Thank you to everyone for all your kind words, emails, texts and thoughts!

Labels: caroline, transition, work

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:55 0 comments

Wide awake

I got home, and tried to get the pictures off the camera card (apparently you need to eject the device on a Mac before removing the card in a card reader. On a pc, you only need to remove it to change the reader, not the card). Lots of technical issues here! No chance – but then I remembered that the photo kiosk got them off the night before. Took the card to Boots, and burned the lot onto a PictureCD for £2.99. Then, headed for my usual web café, only to find it is closed (being a Dundee public holiday). I was able to get access via MBE in the end, and upload all the pictures from the weekend. You can see them all here.

Anyway, made it to the end of the day, and out. Called Caroline on the way home (too much noise in the background of the Dart I was on – now I know why they were called sheds)…

Labels: caroline, transition, transport, work

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:53 0 comments

Quiet Sunday

Probably the most pleasurable Sunday I’ve had for a while…

… We woke up when it became light, and cuddled up for a bit. After over an hour, we decided we had to get up. The clock showed 0830 – several hours earlier than either of us expected. Maybe time did really stop after all. As I am sure you can all appreciate, we were both incredibly happy. We ended up going back to bed for a bit, and up again. We had a genuinely fun afternoon. I booked my return from London to Dundee using no wires at all (her PowerBook is part of her wireless network). She was doing some work on her new Mac Mini. We took some pics of the both of us together, and this was our mutual favourite of the two. She said to me “See, I told you I’d get you smiling for a photo”.

So, the time came – and we decided to make a move at 2130, for the 2144 train south. Enough trains pass by - check out the overhead line equipment and tracks that you can see from the window! As the train (in full First Capital Connect livery, complete with some of the picture branding) pulled into Platform 2 of Royston station, we said our thank-yous and goodbyes, until the next time, and I instincitvly headed for the train. Then I realised, we weren’t pulling off immediately. The clock showed we still had two minutes to go until departure time, but most trains (in the south at least) get doors closed by the guard with thirty seconds to go. So, just enough time for me to walk to the door, arms onto the platform, one last kiss, and pulled apart bang on 21.43.30. Talk about making the best possible use of my time…

… and that was it. For now.

The train journey was a little interesting. Because of engineering work, the train ran through, but via the Hertford North, Cuffley and Enfield Chase line, rather than the via Knebworth, Welwyn, and Potters Bar, that we did on the way up. You know I always like to vary my journeys, and see the world go by (even fast and dark), but this was another interesting twist to the weekend. Never been to Cuffley before either… been to Hertford North and Enfield (Chase) before. I had been winding Adam (from The Illusion Principle) up about playing one of his bands songs as we passed through Knebworth, just so we could say that TIP played Knebworth. Once he got it explained what Knebworth referred to (a music festival of old), he was happy! As you can see, didn’t get the chance, but I will be back again.

So, a few texts exchanged. Thanks sent to S&S for their hospitality yesterday, which came back with a “congratulations for you both” when I explained what had occurred after we’d left theirs. I was still in awe – it had been a wonderful weekend. I alighted the train at Finsbury Park (same trip as last time), after adding some more credit to my Oyster card. What a forty-eight hours since I passed here in the opposite direction (it’s ok, I will shut up about it by the end of the month, honest… lol)

The Victoria line train once again took me south, but instinct somehow meant I headed for the Piccadilly line platform initially… never mind, they are parallel. As we sped down the tracks, we made it to Victoria, where most things were closed at 2300ish on a Sunday night. The station was still open for access, and one or two shops still open. I spent some time and a few coins of loose change and got a few of the pictures that I took this weekend, printed off by the photo kiosk. A photo tells a thousand words, they say. I headed for Greenline Coach Station, and could see that Neoplan 50127 was ready to take us all north. I headed upstairs, sat down, and pulled out the pictures for a quick look, and some texts were sent out too.

Now, you would have thought “that must surely be the end of the weekend now?” Nope!

One last bonus was the ride out of London. Most of the time, drivers leaving London would run via Hyde Park Corner, Park Lane, Marble Arch, Baker Street/Gloucester Place, Finchley Road, come off at Childs Hill, Brent Cross Flyover, North Circular, to Staples Corner, then the M1. However, we got to just after Hyde Park Corner, and traffic was gridlocked – yes, at ten to midnight on a Sunday night. So, we turned around using one of the turning lanes, and headed back to Hyde Park Corner. We left town via Knightsbridge, which was interesting to see all the changes. The building work on the Knightsbridge station (Harrods side) has all finished now. It was also interesting to see the changes in some of the shops – Harrods now also has a small food type shop on the other side of the road – and we then headed along via South Kensington, and towards Earls Court Tesco. At this point, we were on the M4, heading for the west (towards Heathrow), and we followed that to the M25, and joined the M1 shortly after. It was an extra bonus to be above ground and seeing some of these places, for the first time in ages.

Wow, what a weekend!

Labels: caroline, london, subway, transition, transport

posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:59 0 comments