Talisman

And I suspect will also be the case with our little village of 1200 or so inhabitants. 3 days before the mens race it is beginning to get a bit crazy here already with metal barriers all over the place and various signs going up in and around Dorking. LOCOG cars have been racing up and down (and some of them really are racing) and our mobile phones have been refusing to work ! The road leading into the ticketed zone is closed already while LOCOG complete all their setting up and paint various signs all over it, but the rest of the village won't be closing until 4am on Saturday and then at 6am on Sunday. Helicopters have been flying overhead for most of the day and tomorrow we have some of the athletes coming through for a test run with temporary road closures in place. I am off to Sainsburys though and so will miss most of it ! The real fun of course starts on Friday night when the campers and motor homes start to arrive ...

I have done the interview for Sky Sports News, and am watching online to see when it is broadcast, as they said it would be quite soon ! I hope I look and sound okay and not too hot and sweaty !

Just heard back from Sky - they won't be making it tonight, but we have arranged to meet at 3pm tomorrow. They will have the facilities for a live interview, but I said I would prefer it be pre-recorded, as I haven't done this sort of thing before. I will try and keep it positive though, as I am fed up with all the negativity re the games now and want to focus on the good things.

Gosh what a hot day - not good for working a 10 hour shift in a kitchen ! I got in from work half an hour ago to find an email from Sky Sports News wanting to interview me re the Box Hill News. I rang them back and they have a news team in Ottershaw about 40 minutes away working with the ladies cycling team, so am waiting for a call back to see if they can get to us for a TV interview with cameras and everything ! That would kick those LOCOG idiots into touch ! I am not sure whether I am nervous or excited or both.

Fire - Arthur Brown

Thanks Chaliepud - it is a good feeling to know that they are being shown up for the incompetent idiots that they are ! I had an interesting email this morning via my website from someone suggesting that we set up an online donation facility that people can donate directly to so that the charities that we would have supported can still benefit. I have forwarded it on to our Chairman anyway to see what he thinks. I think it's a great idea. Coran and I are looking forward to seeing the Olympic torch this afternoon as it winds its way through Dorking, but in the meantime, I am waiting for the hairdresser.

When I went to Iceland a couple of years ago, all I had room (and weight) for was 2 books, and to be honest, I was out and about walking and travelling so much that I didn't have time for reading anyway. The 2 books I took were a Lonely Planet guide and an Icelandic novel, so I would be inclined to something similar.

I haven't read an awful lot so far this monh, or at least it doesn't seem that way. At the moment though I am about halfway through The Appointment by Marta Hueller - a Romanian author born and bred.

It has since been picked up by another website, where there are some interesting comments ! Coran and I were up at the Hill this afternoon, watching all the comings and goings. We are being treated to a guided tour of the operations centre on Wednesday night courtesy of LOCOG by way of thanking the village for all the crap (sorry, I meant to say disruption) that we have had to put up with. There were 50 tickets up for grabs, but only 13 people applied which kind of says it all ...

Just been on the radio. They were a bit late getting to me, as of course they have to react to other news stories, but at least it was out there, and is starting to be talked about, so I guess that is what matters. I was though a bit disappointed that they were so late, as it meant that I only had about one minute on the air and couldn't say even half of what I needed to.

Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas

Thanks Chesil - I have done live radio before, when my book was first published, but that was a few years ago, so I will be a little nervous. That nervous energy though is a good thing, that will probably help. I too though will be interested to hear what they have to say, and perhaps more to the point, what the listeners will have to say afterwards, as people may well be phoning in with their comments. Box Hill was on the BBC news tonight as well, and also at lunchtime with various residents stating about how we will be effectively marooned in the village for the weekend. Our village is then suddenly appearing on the world map. BBC Surrey today, BBC 1 News tomorrow, who knows? Either way, it promises to be a interesting few weeks ... If you are interested to read the original article, it can be found here

Come to Me High - Rumur

Last weeks article in the Dorking Advertiser re the cancelled Olympic special of the newsletter that I was until recently Editor of, has it seems made its way on to the Internet, and from there to BBC Radio Surrey, who sent me an email this morning via my website asking me to phone them. When I phoned them back during my tea break , they invited me on to their breakfast show in the morning at 7.40am! The reporter I spoke to said that they had a meeting with both LOCOG and SCC (Surrey County Council) this afternoon during which they would tell them my story and ask for their comments, which they hope to present on the show tomorrow morning. I would love to have been a fly on the wall at that meeting ! If anyone fancies listening in tomorrow morning though (if are able to), then just click the link above.

It was actually quite a nice day at work for me - I had a visit from my NVQ Assessor which went very well (hopefully I only have 2 more visits to go before it is all complete) and even the Director was in good mood, which doesn't happen very often ! Sadly when I got home Coran told me that one of our friends had passed away in her sleep - she was in her 80's and had been unwell for some time, but even so it is a bit of a shock.

I take on board all that has been said, but just because something is legal it does not mean that it is moral. Sadly this sort of thing will continue to take place until there is a complete change in mindset - for both the companies themselves and their consumers (and yes, I buy from Amazon as well, mostly because it is convenient for me to do so). While it is true that the tax that we pay does often go towards things that we disapprove of (as a vegetarian I hate the fact that some of my tax goes towards propping up the meat industry), much of it also goes towards the essentials that we all need and depend on - the NHS for example, education, The Police and so on - and no matter who we are and what we do for a living, we all need all of these things. It is the education system that we have in this country that has enabled Amazon to be the success that they are, because a company is nothing without its staff, and it is that same education system that has both qualiifed and enabled all their staff, from the lowest to the highest paid to do their jobs. Amazon and others like them should imo think on that long and hard. We all as citizens have a duty to give back to society - including paying our fair share of taxes. It may not be an ideal system, or perhaps the fairest, but it is the only one that we have.

Good for you - I like to think that I am getting there too !

I can't say that I am following the Tour de France, but I am looking forward to cheering on team GB in a little under 2 weeks when our village will play host the Olympic Road Cycling races.

Miss You Nights - Cliff Richard

You do that - some interesting insights there, no doubt garned through years of experience and self observation. Hopefully reading Tolle may give you a few more. I look forward to hearing about them.

The short answer to that is, so that they won't control us - most people kid themselves that they don't have a choice to feel a certain way about the things that take place in their lives, but that is so that they don't have to take responsibility. By continuing to believe that we feel is largely due to external forces and/or other people, we don't have to change ourselves. In reality though, it's all just a bunch of thoughts, and of course, thoughts can be changed. We are not who we think we are !

The residents party was a big success despite the rain. They all enjoyed themselves tremendously, and it was nice to meet some of the families that I hadn't seen before. I am though completely knackered having worked a 9 hour day with little more than a 20 minute break, so am very glad to be home.

The 2nd of my 2 days off this week - I could get used to this working five days on with 2 days off. I won't last for much longer though, as my Polish colleague is back to work on Monday. Tomorrow is the residents annual summer party, which given the weather I think will have to be inside. The 2 chefs do a nice buffet for all the families (we have about 70 people confirmed as definately coming), and Georgina, the Activities Organiser arranges a pianist or sometimes a singer to entertain everyone afterwards. Coran will be coming to help out in the morning, but I will be doing my usual cleaning and laundry ! I'm just glad that I don't have to do the washing up ! Today though, since it is payday, I am off to Guildford to spent all my money in Lush, get some more book ideas and of course have a scrummy veggie lunch in The Beano. I also need a new pair of walking shoes, since mine have decided to spring a leak, which with the Olympics coming in just 2 weeks now, is not good. Talking of Olympics, the Dorking Advertiser publisher my interview yesterday, which made very interesting reading. It was short but sweet. It was good to see my name in print again. It will be interestihg to see if there are any letters in response to it next week as the Editor also made some rather interesting comments in response to the story that were shall we say, less than flattering towards the powers that be.

So far: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series: Stieg Larsson Reykjavik murder mysteries: Arnaldur Indridason (each one seems to get better than the last) I am quite enjoying the Peter James book I am reading at the moment as well, so am definately going to look for some more of his.

For An Angel - Paul Van Dyke