Pity Party

I have a cold. It is a very minor issue in the general scheme of things. So many dreadful things are going on, including the dreadful fires in California, so my cold is something of a non event. It has left me feeling less likely to take on the world and more likely to hibernate. Also, I am getting through a lot of tissues and I'm glad that I get the presto ones from Amazon on Subscribe and Save. They are more expensive, but I don't forget them and I get to stock up over the summer for the inevitable winter sniff season.

I managed a trip to the tip, which was scary as it was really full and had only one space when I got there - which you are required to reverse into! Fortunately one of the men there helped me out, as he recognised me and I always joke about my parking with him, so he guided me in.

Then I was keeping bear and his pal company while completely failing to get anything productive done. Bear persuaded us to get him an early Christmas + birthday present and get him a steering wheel for his driving games, as he had worn out the last one. I whimpered a little as I paid for it as it was nearly £200! It was still at a very reasonable price, compared to the other ones out there. That is pretty much his big presents for Christmas and birthday, and it will just be little stuff when the actual dates come. To be fair, I was racking my brains for what to get as the 'big' presents this year, so as long as I stick to my guns and just get a few bits (okay, a lot of bits, but less spends), then it's a relief. Bear has asked for books, which I can usually pick up at a reasonable price. The Book People are on Topcashback, and they do very reasonable books, and now I have a car, I can rummage around the charity shops with gusto. It will be a good reason for me to go out and about. Bear has also asked for classical music CDs (which are usually incredibly inexpensive and abundant in charity shops) and sheet music for piano and violin. I have no idea what I am looking for, but I know bear will appreciate the thought. He doesn't mind having secondhand books or CDs either, which is a blessing. I'm also glad that he got it early, as that has taken the pressure off me for all this week. I can sit, sniff and sneeze and know that for at least a while he will be able to lose himself making imaginary journeys across Europe. His geography could do with a refresher anyway.

Writing stuff - we are coming to the end of October, so things should be quietening down soon. I have a new story in response to this week's Writing Challenge, with an appearance from Steve Adderson, here. It was written to the background of an intense discussion of the Liverpool-Tottenham match, conducted at length, and I'm proud of any words I got in the right order. Timothy Bateson has a brief article about historical witches here, and it's worth a further google if any of them catch your attention as they are all fascinated studies in what people thought was witchcraft and how it was treated.

Sniffly hugs to all.