BRIGHTON PIER ON A MID-WINTERS DAY

Decemember 2005

THE EYE OF LONDON

April 2004

RUSH HOUR IN VENICE
September 2003

SOAKING UP THE SUN IN SAIGON

November 2002

COUNCIL tax, National Insurance, tax, tax tax, at the end of the month 90% of your wages have gone on it and for what??? Recently I had a great little experience with Council Tax, I came home to a letter saying I owed them £1394 on a property I had not lived in for 18 months with a couple of friends who now live in Australia. On contacting the most helpful call centre - yeh right, I was advised that actually it was £2599 I owed and why hadn't I paid it yet, many letters had been sent, 2 court summons and as not paid it had now gone to the Balliffs. I said to the most helpful call centre twat, "you were advised we were moving out as my flatmates had advised their new address details at the same as they moved around the corner, but they now live in Australia and I have no way of contacting them". The most helpful call centre twat said "we have never been told this, how will you be paying?", "I am not paying Council Tax for a property I have not lived in, who do I contact to dispute this?" I asked. She advised to email a copy of both tenancy agreements but that I would have to pay regardless. Two days letter I received a letter from the Balliffs saying they would be around in the next 14 days to collect the money or assets to the value of £2599. The next morning I went into the Council ready for a fight, I took a number and sat down and then for the next 20 minutes I was entertained by likes of woman yelling or crying at the workers or men slamming their fists on the desks also yelling abuse all the while these workers sit there calmly taking it all - not a job I would ever want to do. I was quite surprised by how nice the lady I got was and after 10 minutes she explained that it was an error on their part, she called off the Balliffs and would send me out a confirmation letter. I walked out of the Council feeling a huge wave of relief that it was all cleared up. A week later .... a letter from the Balliffs arrived this time in a bright red envelope explaining that I still owed £2599 and that they would be in the area in the next 14 days to collect. The Coucil received yet another call from me the following day and they explained that it was an error and would call off the Balliffs, but actually on looking at the account I was actually owed £139 !!! I asked her to repeat herself as did not think I heard that correctly, "we owe you £139 Miss Nicholson". "Oh" I said and was advised that a credit would be sent out to me in the next few days. A few days later however, I received another red envelope from my new friends the Balliffs saying that I owed the Council £139 and that they would coming to collect in next 14 days. Oh my would this saga never end ... I guess not. Another phone call to the Council and again "we are sorry Miss Nicholson, they have been called off it will not happen again". A few days later ..... oh yeah you guessed it ... another letter, but this time from the Council. "We are unable to send you a credit as there are more than one name on the bill, please get the approval of the others to get the cheque written in your name". What a joke, they know that they live in Australia and that I have no contact details ..... is the Council run by 5 year olds, no, they would do a better job of it .... the saga continues .... :0(

3rd ROBBIE WILLAMS concert .... and still he hasn't declared his undying love for me in front of all his fans. The concert was in Milton Keynes about 2 hours from home. Heidi and I decided to take a half day off work to travel up early and hopefully secure a good spot. On the way up we stopped at Waterloo for lunch and then took the train from Euston, it only took an hour from there and wasn't packed like I thought it might be. From Milton Keynes station it was an easy 25min walk to the venue, I even randomly bumped into someone I knew - tis a small wee world. It's actually really cool venue as the stage is in the bottom of the bowl at the back, with the crowd filling the rest of the bowl and gradually gathering up the sides with tall trees lining the top of the bowl. It gives a wicked sound as it echoes off the walls of the bowl and trees. On the walk to the venue were men selling the usual tacky shite but this time "I WANTED IT". There were fluffy pink bunny ears which lite up with flashing lights but the MUST HAVE was the baby pink cowboy hats with fluffly pink trim and at the push of a button the front flashed a red light toooo cool and all that for just a fiver ! ! !

We wandered around the crowd for a bit and then decided to walk up the hill a bit to take some pictures and realised that this was definately the place to be. Was a fantastic view and although you couldn't see him close up the screens were just fine. We had brought a couple of disposable cameras - buy one get one free and they also gave you 9 free shots on it so we got 66 pictures for the price of 24 and boy did we snap happy. Picture of Kylie in pink fluffy hat, picture of Heidi in pink fluffy hat, picture of both of us in pink fluffy hats, picture of the stage ....no pink fluffy hat ...

Orson came on first, the lead singer mmm whats his name dam I am rubbish like that, well he was wicked, had such a strong American accent when he spoke and he sure knew how to work the crowd. They were on for about 30-40mins. In between them and Basement Jaxx coming on the wind started to pick up and got quite chilly, unfortunately I wasnt the most prepared although I did take an umbrella as they said it may rain. We decided to move down the hill a little and found it was a lot more sheltered - suppose it ws the extra people around. At Robbies last concert I went to in Knebworth, Robbie had Moby play just before he came on, this time it was Basement Jaxx. Both were amazing sets and really amped the crowd up ready for Robbie. The sun was setting just as they came on and it was spectacular as it seemed to set on the top of the stage like they had planned it and looked on fire for a few moments. As usual the woman were dersed in vibrant colours although rather large, damn can they move, they had the crowd grooving away to the music as well as lil ole me. By the time that Robbie was due to come on the crowd were worked to a frenzy of excitment ... he came on to the stage with a blaze of fireworks, strutting down the runway with a staunch but sexy look on his face - like yeah I know, I am the man, you ALL want me - and well yeah we did. He lifted his shirt a little show his belly and the crowd seemed to tremble and screek with excitement at the same time. Johnny Wilks came on part way through the show and did a duo act with Robbie, when they had finished they both proclaimed to best the best duo in the UK then out of nowhere came "NO YOUR NOT WE ARE" and a roar came up from the crowd as Ant and Dec walked onto the stage. They seemed to upstage Robbie for awhile talking their antics and then singing their "lets get ready to rumble" song. Was brilliant though. Robbie sand a real varity of his songs and did put on a wicked show but after being on tour now for 5 months you could see he was really tired and that he wasnt putting in 100% so I am pleased that I did go to Knebworth as that truely was the best concert by far. But alas it won't deter me from going to more of them and waiting for his acknowledgement of his undying love for me in front of his fans hee hee .... hey dreams are free aren't they !