KNACKERED

Ok - maybe 30 minutes was pushing it.

I managed 20 and feel quite ill.

I will learn to love it again, I will...

Lekker soos ‘n ordentlike bobotie

TRY AND STOP ME

Right - that's it.

Enough staring at the computer all day.

I'm going to go and exercise for at least THIRTY minutes - lekker bonus points.

Someone try and stop me.

(Please)

LET THE POWER OF SPORT INTO YOUR LIFE..

All this eating and drinking, combined with the inevitable effects of S.A.D (feeling low, the desire to hibernate until May 2005...), has made me feel like exercising. I'm sure I used to actually enjoy the buzz of it.

Now if I could actually get round to doing some, I might remember what endorphins* are.

Die sport is Lekker, ne.

*endorphin
noun [C] SPECIALIZED
a chemical naturally released in the brain to reduce pain, and which in large amounts can make you feel relaxed and/or energetic

R.I.P. JAVA

Visiting Java in the past was always, without exception, superb. The food was delicious and the staff were first class.

But visiting my favourite establishment in Bath last night was very disappointing. As soon as I walked in, I realised things weren't right. It was like walking into some kind of alternate existence. There were no "ah it's you again" smiles or warm greetings, but instead we were faced with strangers. New management took over last Monday, removed the staff that made it great, and no one consulted us!

It just wasn't the same. They've started cutting costs and have removed rituals that made Java so unique - like the pickled vegetables that used to appear before the meal to cleanse the palate. It was the little extras that made the place great.

Boo. I feel robbed.

I'll have to find a new favourite Bath restaurant with Lekker nosh.

Any recommendations?

CAFE BLEURGH

I'm not in the habit of ranting or complaining, but I must say that a trip to Bath's Cafe Rouge is highly NOT recommended!

Last night L and I headed out for dinner, and were lured into Cafe Rouge in Milsom Street - having been to the same chain in Westbourne, in Bournemouth and loving it.

I appreciate that the Bath branch can't have been open long (I'm sure it was a Bella Pasta before I left for my hols?) But the number of inadequacies that occurred was surreal. (I thought we MUST have been part of an episode of "Candid Camera" or part of a psychological experiment into the English psyche.)

Waitress One was clearly nervous pouring us each a glass of water, and nearly went into some sort of spasm of fear when one of the ice cubes threatened to escape from the jug into the glass. She then started to remove our wine glasses and asked if we were ready to order - I said we were waiting for a bottle of wine, and she ran off. She ran off in no particular direction. She certainly didn't head for the bar, and our wine.

Waitress Two then brought the said bottle of wine over, failed to show us the label and proceeded to veeeeeery tortuous and uncomfortable battle with the bottle as she tried to open it. Disaster was waiting to strike, and once the cork did come out, so did most of the wine - onto our table. Then Waitress Two ran off. Yup - she also ran off - leaving us to test the wine and pour ourselves a glass. (By this time the wine was purely medicinal and not recreational.)

Waitress Three sighed loudly and shouted over to Waitress Two when my medium-rare steak arrived as a crisp, burned mass.

There IS more (but I shall spare you the details) and not one genuine apology was made.

Managers One through Four (yes, there were four of them) never moved a muscle, and left Waitresses One through Three to it.

I've never been so disappointed with a restaurant, and have never been happier to leave.

Rant over. Think I'll stick to the fantastically lekker Java.

HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND...

I promised myself to be positive when I came back from the land of milk and honey, but it's 5pm, and it's dark. Pitch black.

Bugger being positive - it sucks, and is far from lekker.

Tips on how to avoid S.A.D are most welcome...