Well yesterday was brilliantly productive, today, not so good, but it's still early for me. Yesterday we got up at about midday (early for us) and after a couple of hours of coming round we headed off to Southport. Parked the car up for an hour and did some speed suit shopping. Managed to get Porl a suit in less than half and hour. Still got shoes and a T-shirt to get him, but the T-shirt can wait until I've chosen an outfit, then we can be all colour co-ordinated (or at least not clashing).

We then went the the retail park and bought a tumble dryer, this wonderful piece of domestic machinery has put me in domestic heaven. The salesman in the shop was so nice, he just wanted to go home, so no hard sell. When I asked him what the difference was between the "pro-line" on and the "hoover" one, other than £40, he said "nothing, they're made in the same factory, get the cheap one". Oh if only all sales people could be more like him. He didn't try to sell us the extended warrenty, and he pointed out it would easily fit in the car so we'd save £15 in delivery too.

We then went to Homebase and bought paint for the front room. We actually made decisions! Pale blue walls, white ceiling, and slatey blue trimmings (fire surround, picture rail, skirting boards etc). The current plan is to paint on Sunday and Monday, this might not happen, but at least we're halfway there in buying the paint.

When we got home I finished cleaning the kitchen, I'd started it the night before, cleaning behind the fridge and freezer, washing all the walls and cupboards down, bleaching the floor. We then stacked the fridge on top of the freezer and plumbed in the tumbler. I've done 5 loads of washing since tea time last night.

Today I hurt. But as our lodger has just moved out I'll go and give his room a clean in a bit, hoover upstairs, and then move the stuff he's left in the front room into the bedroom. He's coming back next weekend to get the rest of his gear. Then we can start looking for another for another lodger.

Tomorrow I think I'll go an buy some material and make some roman blinds for in here, because when I've painted I really don't want to have to put these tatty curtains back up.

Right best get on with putting the house back together.

I'm ill. I've got a "summer cold". Everyone sounds so knowing when I say I've got cold. "oh yes, summer cold, it's doing the rounds." Don't they understand I'm dying here. I've not got time to have a "summer cold". I've got 2 weeks off work and I've got things to do! I'm supposed to be going on holiday on Wednesday and before then I've got to:

• buy myself a fantastically fetching outfit to wear for my brothers wedding
  
• buy Porl a suit for the wedding
  
• get a present for the wedding (eeep only just remembered that one)
  
• do about 12 million loads of washing (why do I always leave it until we've run out of clothes)
  
• arrange a mortgage
  
• make some decision about where we're actually going on holiday
  
• get all the tents and stuff together and pack
  

And they're just the things I have to do, I'm leaving out the things I wanted to do, like decorate the living room, blitz the house and meet up with a few old friends.

Why is there never enough time in the day? I'm currently tempted to tell all my mates to go on holiday on their own, I've got too much to do, and not enough enthusiam for camping right now.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I'm a little bit happy!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

*does a little dance*

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I've bought a badge machine. Porl's birthday present to me was permission to get one, but they're over £300, so I've not done anything about it, and probably wouldn't have done, but then I was reading Craftgrrl today and someone was selling exactly what I wanted for $200. I got in touch with the girl selling it, she's worked out postage and for a little over $200 I'm getting a badge machine in a few days, half the price of what I would have paid over here.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

So who wants badges? Oh I need a printer first though.... hmmm. Dabs here I come.

I am still here, and I've been doing very many things, I've just not been writing about them. But in brief, I've almost finished the Bishnabag, had the Bishnabob visiting, cleaned my car (2nd time in 3 years), turned a year older, made and bought lots of beady things, and lost a much loved Grandad.

The night before my birthday was a great night, loads of people were round. Half of us spent the night playing with beads, which the other half were making music and having freestyle rap competitions. It made me realise that my life is far from normal, maybe I should have warned Bishnabob about this before inviting him up for the weekend. Oh well!

The beady things and the Bishnabag I will post pictures of as soon as I have a day off for photo taking.

I wish I could tell you all about my Grandad, but it's still a bit raw to think about it, and I don't like posting too much personal stuff on here. He was great though, a very quiet, loving man, who has left a mark on all his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.