Yesterday I spent the day shopping with Queenie. I arrived feeling a bit detached, having felt all that way Sunday but have to say he was, as ever, a tonic. We set off with a plan to buy a digital camera & a budget of £200. We left having spent £350 but it has to be said the camera is a work of art. We went to a local camera specialists Jessops. Need I tell you that as we walked in Kirsten, the manageress, greeted Q with a smile & a wave ?

We had a whole range of cameras shown to us that were within my budget. They weren't anything special & were made of plastic. Call me picky but if you're spending £200 shouldn't a camera be made from metal ? Unfortunately, I then clapped eyes on a camera which I previously hadn't seen due to being a short-arse. It was lovely & did loads of things (don't ask me what cos I havent read the destructions yet) suffice to say 'I am ready for my close up Mr de Mille'

We were very mature & went & discussed the budget over a froffee & a sticky. The decision I came to was that this is my once-in-a-lifetime experience. My pictures HAVE to be top-notch & if the difference between average & good is £150 then so be it. Anyway, I figure I saved £300 on my flight. I don't know why I am justifying my spending to you lot, it's not as if we are married.

'This old digi-cam - but I found it in the wardrobe darling'

Luckily Q agreed with my rationale so we went back & stumped up the readies.

Huge thank you to everyone who contributed, I am very grateful

We then went shopping for fleeces (couldn't find any cheap enough) UPO's (only allowed to buy 1 thanks to Q's embargo) & big pants for horse-riding. Q held a very voluminous pair aloft & shouted 'I am in big pant heaven !' much to the staff's amusement in M&S. He then went onto examine another pair & proclaimed 'That's not a gusset - that's a tarpaulin' You learn very quickly not to get embarrassed in public with Q.



After a quick pit-stop to take a piccy of the camera we met up with Maria & headed off to The Sovereigns to meet Turbo Rampart Esquire for Monday quiz-night. Our team the 'Short's Straws' were on blistering form & came 1 point away from winning. I did consider appealing to the ref along the lines of 'I am a princess & I am going to NZ', but decided not to embarrass my team.

Things I learned during the quiz ...

The Saltash bridge spans the Tamar river.
A Chinese sub sank recently.
The barman's surname in 'Brushstrokes' was Elmo Putney

& perhaps most controversially ...

The Krankies are not, in fact, as we have all been led to believe father & son but husband & wife !!!
(sorry TB, couldn't resist - made my night) :)

Don't know if any of you caught it but have just watched the BBC2 programme 'Get a new life'
It featured a family from Coventry who were given a month to decide whether to set up a new life in New Zealand.

Despite their accident-prone toddler & a Mum who was so house-proud she made my Mum look slovenly they appeared to have decided to stay.
I was very keen to see the programme for a taste of my impending home.

The opening shots were very promising & every shot of a beach or sea looked beautiful. However the impression I got of the actual housing area was one of suburbia. It looked flat & uninspiring & despite the sunshine could have been most towns anywhere.

It made me very glad I pressed for South Island.

TE WAI POUNAMU
( The South Island)
Correctly Te Wahi Pounamu : te wahi , the place ; pounamu; greenstone.
The place of greenstone.

I am hoping for somewhere much more rural & I would be thrillled if there is no other property visible for miles around.
I am probably judging North Island a little harshly, after all Leith Hill is only 7 miles from Dorking yet I would quite happily spend a year working in Leith Hill but would be disappointed to be placed in a town like Dorking.

We will see.

I really felt for Zoe, the little fat kid who was new at school. Apart from the fat bit, that was me. I was always the new one at school & it
sucks.

Watching it made me wonder how you explain to kids that you are leaving everything they have ever known & starting all over again ? At least if you ae the growed-up it's your choice. I suppose Bill's lucky in that respect - they are too young to argue & NZ is all they will remember.

I did a 'practice-pack' tonight.

You know the scene in Jaws when they first see the shark & one says to the other 'We're gonna need a bigger boat' ?
I am going to Walton tomorrow to look for a larger suitcase.

Off to bed now, bit more to add on this one & still have to add entries for Sat & Sun.
I hope you lot don't expect daily updates once I am working. I can only manage this rate cos I am a dole-scrounger.

Glad you are enjoying 'Naive Zebra'. Isn't he heart-breakingly trusting ?

'Tell dem how you feeeel'

Night for now, 2 more nights on the sofa-bed.

Cx