I have not forgotten this is a book blog and have a review half way done for tomorrow, but today is Saturday, and I have had a busy day so far and thought, as I get lots of lovely kind emails from people saying they love hearing about my 'life adventures' that I would bore your sox off with my riveting Saturday.
First up, early start at hairdressers, roots being done, bits trimmed (my hair that is not me), manicure, tea, biscuits and lots of chat with Kevin who has been in charge of my hair now for over 20 years, through blonde, brunette, permed, straight, long and short and is a star. Came out looking good and found it was hissing down. Also found umbrella left in car. Profound irritation but decided I would just nip in and out of the shops and keep dry.
I was in search of a swimming costume. Now all ladies of a certain age, and may I say it, SIZE, know that buying such an item is fraught with frustration and horror as we fight our way into a garment promising to hold your tummy in and give you a great shape, look in the mirror in a small, cramped fitting room in harsh light that makes one look like Dracula's bride, and realise that it is all a lie. Only losing at least a stone in weight and doing 200 tummy crunches a day is going to make me look acceptable on the beach and as I am too tired and idle to do either, I have to reconcile myself with the fact that my Elle McPherson days are well and truly gone (not sure I ever looked like her but the past has a golden nostalgic glow about it). They all looked ghastly and ranged from the cheap to the expensive and as the expensive one promised much but did little, decided not to waste my money and bought the cheap one. Leaves me more to spend on books to take on holiday to Turkey next week. Sound economics I feel.
Decided to buy a cheapo brolly to ward off the deluge still taking place. The only one available under £10 was in Woolworth's and was hideous, adorned with kittens. Not nice kittens, oh no, but those ghastly smirking simpering ones you get on commemoration plates. Could not bring myself to buy it and so sloshed back to the car park ankle deep in water. Had not gone 20 yards before the foolishness of my behaviour struck me and back I went and bought the kittens.
This is fascinating stuff is it not? But hold on, we still have PC World and Sainsburys to go....
Super new computer, data transferred, all good to go but could I get the modem logged on? NO. Seems the modem drivers would not download. So off I went to PC World where the staff now greet me like an old friend and give me jam sandwiches and tea and when I told them this, they asked who was my ISP and when I said AOL, they all did that Oh I might have guessed that sort of look and laugh and ho ho ho which can be infuriating but they are such a nice bunch I forgave them. As my modem is over five years old and the pc has Vista on apparently which fights with AOL (don't ask) I decided to buy a new one. OK at £25 it isn't going to break the bank but I seemed to have shelled out an awful lot this month on computers and software. Off I went with the words Ever so Easy to Install echoing in my ears and I promised to see them again in about 24 hours when it all goes pear shaped.
Then Sainsburys to do a shop and stock up on sun tan lotion, toothpaste, knickers and all the necessities for ten days IN THE SUN. To my utter horror as I entered with my trolley I spotted a couple I cannot stand, who let me down very badly after my divorce after being close friends, who promised all sorts of things and then vanished and I knew that I could not speak to them civilly so immediately shot down the vegetable aisle and lurked among the melons until they were out of sight. Of course Ithen fetched up in baked beans with them ten feet away and had to leg it off to Kitchen Roll and Foils and loitered with intent until I saw them heaving all their stuff onto a checkout counter and knew I was safe. Phew. It was all too much to bear. Rushed around, did my shop, got what I wanted, fell into car and drove home.
I am now knackered having been on the go since 7am this morning and this is meant to be day of rest. Euro 2008 starts in ten minutes and I am going to really enjoy the next month watching football, which I love, to my heart's content, safe in the knowledge that England did not qualify (why? because we are useless) and able to relax and just appreciate watching the game without getting frustrated at England's inability to retain the ball for more than 30 seconds, and the inevitable crushing disappointment when we go out in the quarter finals by losing the penalty shoot out. We always lose that way and cannot stand any more of it. The Italian and French team are always worth watching as they have some rather gorgeous players, the Italian team in particular seem to recruit their footballers from a modelling agency and this all adds a certain je ne se quois to the match.
In the meantime I can console myself with the knowledge that England are thrashing New Zealand in the Test Match at the moment, with Jimmy Anderson taking six glorious wickets last night. Nice to know we can do something right in the sporting world now and then and with Wimbledon hoving into view and the usual knowledge that we are totally pants at tennis and have to watch another failing year, the cricket is all that is keeping me going.
I am now tired and will,no doubt sleep through the match between the Swiss and the Czech Republic as I know nothing about any of their players but we shall see.
Now you have to agree, this has got to be the most stunningly interesting post of the week?
No...oh well
