Delivery

Back in January, we ordered a new suite. The old one is/was still OK, but it’s proved to be somewhat less than practical where we are now. The Christmas period proved this, when we had my family here, and the sofa was large enough to be used, but not actually practical.

So it was time for a change.

It’s being delivered tomorrow, which means tonight we’ll be moving the old sofa out. That should be entertaining – if memory serves, it’s just able to get through the doorways. But it might involving taking the door off, I don’t know. Don’t think so, but we’ll see.

Tomorrow the delivery people will drop the new one off in the correct room, so getting the new bits in is their problem rather than ours.

I’m looking forward to the change – although I think it’s going to stress the animals out no end. But it’ll be good, I’m sure.


Blindsided

This morning the weather while driving was truly fucking foul – icy, heavyish snowfall (heavy for the UK anyway) and a few dollops of fog to just top it off.

And yet still there was a significant percentage of drivers who didn’t have any lights on whatsoever. Well into double figures during my drive this morning. There were even more with only one working headlight, but at least they had one light working.

I simply don’t understand the logic that says “I don’t need to use lights”, although I suppose it’s something similar to the entire “Problem [x] will never happen to me”. I just think it’s another example of where people really should be done more regularly for driving without due care and attention.


Photo Project : Phase One

Part of my 2010 project is about getting back out with my camera – or at least trying to. And as part of that, I’m going to work on Amateur Photographer magazine’s “Amateur Photographer of the Year” competition.

The first round of it is due to be in next Friday, so I’m planning to take some time today to go out and see what I can do.

It’ll mean taking Hound out too, as I’m off to the coast – the project is about the interaction of water and land, and there are some fantastic environments for that kind of theme around here.

We’ll just have to see what comes out of the day. I hope it’s worth the time.

Actually, I’m sure it will be – even if it doesn’t come up with the results I want, there’ll be something from it.

[Update : Well, I was going to go, but then it’s chucked it down with snow. So currently re-debating the plan]


Going to a gig

Yesterday we went off down to London to see Depeche Mode at the O2.

It was a gig that’d been postponed from 30th May last year, due to the lead singer developing gastroenteritis, if memory serves.

I’ll write more about it when I get time, wake up, or generally get round to it.


Driving Changes

Way back before Christmas, the car of one of my colleagues broke down, and wasn’t easily repairable. Since then, I’ve been giving him a lift in and out of work every day.  It’s been fine, I get on OK with him, and it’s been pretty much on my route to work anyway. (Well, one of the routes – the one that was much more sensible in the run of shitty weather, anyway)

He finally got a new car last weekend, so I’ve been back to doing my normal drive – the back roads, a lot more corners and more fun to drive – and it’s been good to be back.

Mind you, I wouldn’t want to be in the position of my colleague. He’s bought a Seat Leon Cupra, and it’s costing him £2,500 to insure it. That’s 1/5th of the full value of the car. It’s because he’s young (21,22ish) without any no claims bonus – had an accident last year as well. But jesus, £2,500 for a year’s insurance is still fucking steep…


Stinky

How smelly do you reckon someone needs to be in order to get thrown off a flight?

“People were just mumbling and staring at him,” said a woman who sat near the man, according to The Guardian, a newspaper in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, where the flight originated on February 6. It was a very uncomfortable situation, she added.

Another passenger described the smell as “brutal.”

Pretty damn smelly, I’d suggest…


Cat Shaving

Recently we had the annual shaving of the cat.

He’s a Turkish Van, and we find that with the season change his winter coat starts coming out, only to clag up with the new fur underneath, leading to lumps of fur like dreadlocks. So every year, off he goes to the vets to get all the lumps cut out. And this is what he looks like today…

Cat, Lion, Poodle

Yes, he is as furious as he looks