What's Hot, What's Not...

Dear Cars all over the world,

Cyclists have rights too. Just because you have the horsepower, doesn’t mean I am not allowed to overtake you. Just because you’re bigger, it doesn’t mean you don’t have to look in your mirrors when you turn. A cycle lane is for cycling, not for parking, and certainly not for swerving into when you’ve made a mistake or aren’t concentrating.

I don’t have a hooter… if I need to, I will shout to make my presence known – if you don’t like it, please suggest a suitable alternative.

A helmet doesn’t make me indestructible.

That is all… for now. The vendetta may continue.

What’s Hot, What’s Not…

Wind… I don’t like you. You only seem to make things worse.

Spooner… I like you. Liz is always in a good mood after spending two and a half hours talking to you.

Guitar… I like you, but please stop hurting my fingers. I caress your strings as often as I can.

In other News…

Two years ago yesterday, Liz agreed to marry me. My life has never been the same since. A whirlwind of adventure has ensued in a non-stop fashion; if a montage was created of the last two years it would definitely be set to a high tempo song with lots going on, as opposed to Aqualung’s Strange and Beautiful. We managed to get married, have operations, have fun holidays, and are on the brink of our first child popping out. We’ve had weddings, funerals, baby dedications, special birthday parties, have 2 god-children, have seen both sets of parents become grandparents… a huge amount has happened in just two years. Was there really ever a time that I wasn’t married?? It seems peculiar that there may have been.

Liz is my favourite person on this world… that I get to spend every day with her for the rest of my life is kind of overwhelming, I am a blessed man. Her commitment to me is beyond question, just as I’d do anything for her. At the risk of sounding cheesy, it is 100% the grace of God on our lives that blesses us in this inexplicable way. How the heck did a girl grow up an ocean apart from me, mature into the most amazing woman, then somehow end up with a wet Englishman… crazy. I am wholly bemused by this!

Thanks for an amazing two years, Liz!

Cam Your Bodia...

Yes, this blog title has been stolen from my wife. Yes, it is hilarious and should indeed be the title of the Meseg-Smith blog about Cambodia for the next two months. And yes, I have completed Paris Hiltons Diamond Quest on my phone. Twice.

All burning questions of yours, I’m sure.

Today is the day that I’m finally rid of my in-way-over-my-head tender… and I have spent the afternoon reorganising my desk after what looked like a paper explosion (and those that know me are aware that that’s a) something I don’t usually put up with and b) is hard to admit) and sorting out my college files. So, I thought now that is done and there is half an hour left of my working week, I’d let the world know of my recent adventures!!!

Weddings

Last weekend Liz and I were heavily involved maybe the most disorganised and hectic wedding that I’ve ever been a part of- I was an usher/groomsman and Liz was the hottie whom everyone looked out for- and I LOVED it. Dan and Anna aren’t usually this disorganised, but Anna, bless her, was told on the Wednesday before her wedding day that she was to have an interview for a job on Friday morning, 24 hours before her wedding day!!!


To tell you the truth, I love rolling up my sleeves and getting involved in serving good friends, God and the local church, whether it be a house move or helping set out desks after our church service. It’s one of my favourites. And it was a real honour to be able to bless such brilliant friends on their wedding day and ensure they had a mostly stress free and relaxing day.

Houses

Liz and I are moving!!! To those of you we are close with and know and love- we’ll send you our new address via email! However, moving is stressful. It means a major upheaval of pretty much everything that’s familiar. It means sifting through box after box that is stowed in the attic and being ruthless with what we need to keep! It’s an exhausting process.

God has been blessing us immensely through this. Having just signed on the dotted line and put in our notice at our current place it dawned on us… poop, we don’t have anything we need for an unfurnished house!!! We drew up a list of all the things we absolutely needed to live and I emailed the McCullough’s (a family in our church who are moving to start a new church in Istanbul) and asked if there was anything they could lend us/ give us. Andy sent a swift email back offering every single item that was on our list, no less, and a little bit more (namely a pair of y-fronts). Brilliant.

Food

A link was sent to me last week- THIS is my kind of meal…

Sympathy Vote...

I am beginning to realise (and, in truth, have known this for a while) that people simply have no sympathy for me. Ever.

There are some exceptions to this rule, such as having a fire in my bedroom and having operations on my shoulder, but it usually takes something of a pretty extreme proportion for me to get any excuse. This is why I think this is the case (and please remember, these are only from the past week!):

- I currently have a stupid cold. Rather than getting the bed rest I needed last night, I decided I'd prefer to represent my 5 a side soccer team. Yes, I kicked butt fo sho. Yes, I scored 5 goals in the first game I have played in 5 months due to operations and fire and ensured we won for the first time in 5 games. BUT, the big "yes" is that I feel 10 times worse for all my efforts. I don't even expect sympathy for that one.

- At recent bachelor parties, knowing that mine was fast approaching, I have endeavoured to hand out severe punishment and generally batter my close friends until they are black and blue (both friends still had enormous bruises come their actual weddings!). Therefore when mine actually comes and we play football for 4 hours and people rugby tackle, punch and kick me whenever I have the ball, sympathy does not even enter the equation. Even when Glendal face plants me into the ground, not one tear is shed. Luckily no lesson needs to be learnt, as my turn is over and done with!

Will I ever learn these lessons? I don't think I will. Elizabeth now faces a tough task in looking after me. For the rest of her life. Ha HAAA!

Accents...

As engaged life progresses, God keeps reminding myself, and Liz keeps reminding me, or words that God has spoken over me about our relationship. The latest, crazy one of which I have been reminded by Liz and by God is that I would marry someone who has an accent that is very different from mine! I only remembered and told Liz this after I realised I was actually in love with her!!

It's good to know the Big Guy is looking out for me!

I Hate Me Right Now...

I’ve done it! I’ve managed to do the very thing that I have mocked engaged and married men for over and over. I’ve agreed to get married on the day that England play football. A World Cup Qualifying match.

My previous arguments/ torments of “who wears the trousers in that relationship” amongst other things, have now left me open jawed and with a horrible feeling in my stomach. I have long known that my love of Elizabeth far outweighs my love of football- still; I never thought I was capable of doing this!

Nonetheless, I’m left with the knowledge that however bad this situation is, it can never be as bad as my friend getting married on the day of big games for the English Football, Rugby AND Cricket teams!

I still hate me right now, though.