Did I hear jingle bells???

Yes it's the 17th of August.

SO WHY ARE THERE BOXES OF CHRISTMAS CARDS ON THE SHELVES IN BIRTHDAYS???

Sorry for shouting, but this kind of thing just makes me so grumpy and sends me into despair.

Christmas in August? Bah humbug. Some of us have still to go on our summer holidays.

When I am through with you

These showery days and chilly nights make it feel like summer is over :( however two days off work is good no matter what time of year it is. Apart from the retail therapy mentioned in the previous post, my long weekend also involved some decluttering and charity bagging, and actually finishing a book for a change - Mark Cavendish's "Boy Racer". Oh, and I've even made serious inroads into the "Damages" season 1 boxset at last, currently on loan from faithful travelling companion. This programme is very addictive viewing, and after each episode I just want to see the next one. Also, the theme tune (which gives this post its title) is very good too.

I'm certainly not stuck for things to do during this blogging break. Work, rest, and play. On Monday I even slotted in a game of Beehive Bedlam at teatime and got to level 13 then decided to quit whilst I was ahead. Not for me the complicated world of modern gaming (although my fondness for The Sims will never die) but give me Bloobs or Beehive Bedlam and I'll be happy for the rest of the day.

The revenge of the maxi dress, and some other stuff.

I spent the early stages of this (so-called) summer on an elusive search for the maxi dress, the one which doesn't make me look like an elephant, or a 4-person tent, or a multicoloured explosion in a paint shop. Needless to say I gave up, with the realisation that they're all made for tall people and I'd have to cut a few inches off the bottom of a very, very long dress.

So it was a massive surprise today to finally meet the maxi dress of my dreams, perfect in every way. And even better, it was reduced in a sale!! Of course I bought it! Had a very nice day of retail therapy.

Now I'm no fashionista, but I do like clothes. A lot. However, why do the shops persist in trying to sell us such ludicrous "looks"? This year, it's been 'colour blocking'. Whoever thought of putting pink and red together? What were they on?

The other fashion issue which continues to irritate me: if our nation is becoming the obesity capital of Europe, then where are all the big sizes? Why do the more affordable fashion stores persist on overstocking size 8s and 10s which remain unsold? It's time the size-discrimination stopped.

Big girls want fashionable, affordable clothing too!

Unfortunately in recent years there is a generation (of all shapes and sizes) who have grown up with ill-fitting low-cut T-shirts, low-slung tattoo-flashing jeans, tracksuit bottoms and hooded tops, and those people will sadly take a bit more persuading to smarten themselves up if the opportunity ever arose. The chav style is here to stay, it seems, which is very sad indeed.

I've been off work today and tomorrow, for what I call a couple of days' "sanity leave" to (a) clear my head and (b) get things done. So far I haven't been able to achieve either of these objectives :) oh well there's always tomorrow I suppose! Right - off to bed!