I’ve bought a surfboard. I got it from Ebay, and it’s a bit of a steal. Only catch – I have to pick it up from London. That’s not a big catch, though – it means ROADTRIP! Raine and I are going to go down on Saturday, and we’re going to stop by in Milton Keynes to stock up on American food (they have a very cool US food shop) and have dinner with Paul. We’re hoping to bag another bargain in time for our trip to Newquay, in four weeks. A lot of boards are in the direction of Newquay, so hopefully we can buy something and pick it up on the way down.
To fund the surfboard purchase I have two guitars for sale – a Yamaha Pacifica with a Marshall Amp and a Tanglewood Odyssey. I don’t use either anymore (I just play acoustic, and I have my Martin), so it makes sense to sell. I took them to a local music store, which a sign in the window asking for used instruments...they tried to rip me off. I have five days left on the two items and people are already bidding more than I was offered by the shop.
Things are ok on the home front. I’m with my dad now – we’re waiting for a nurse to visit. He has a bad back, which may or may not be linked to the stroke – we have to ask the Physiotherapist this afternoon. If he didn’t have back pain he’d be great, he’s getting about well, and going up and down the stairs pretty freely. When he got out of hospital the Physiotherapists were really unsure about how he’d handle stairs, but he’s great with them. His eyes are much better, too – he can read normally, except when he’s tired. All in all it’s looking good, but obviously there’s still a long way to go.
I’ve been getting back into my Uni work. Got an essay back last week, and got a really good mark, which was a real relief – it was my first MA essay, so I didn’t know what level I was working at until I got it back. I have some ideas for my Dissertation, and latest essay. It’s great getting back into work – I’ve really missed it. I wrote a proposal for a conference paper and sent it in yesterday, I have next to no chance of being invited! My supervisor suggested it, but it’s with some really big names in Chicago (all expenses paid) – it’s out of my league. Despite being down on myself, and having next to no time on my hands, I put together a proposal – no harm in being rejected, and it’s all good experience. There’s a more reasonable conference I’m going to submit to in a few days, it’s in Cardiff next month.
We still haven’t found a flat...yesterday I looked around a place that was clearly a drugs den! However, we have a glimmer of hope... I took Raine on a magical mystery tour on Sunday. Everyone’s been telling us how great Lytham is these days, so I packed her in the car and took her. I have to say Lytham is pretty nice – especially in this glorious weather (don’t forget – this is the best weather we’ll get all year, so make the most of it!). Lots of book shops, funky restaurants, non-scary pubs (Blackpool’s full of scary pubs)...I have to accept that I’m now middle class, because I want to live in Lytham...
Whilst in Lytham we saw a sign in a shop about an available flat, so we went in and asked about it. We were taken up stairs and shown a *massive* apartment. It was 100% us – had lots of character, it was just perfect – wooden stairs up to the front door, an enormous kitchen, little hide-y holes. Trouble is it cost too much - we’d need a flatmate... which isn’t ideal. However, we’ve decided to look at other places in that direction, and there are lots of options. It seems like Lytham and St Annes are the places the normal people, who want decent flats, live! It’s even cheaper than Blackpool – that makes no sense (for those of you who don’t know the area, Lytham and St Annes are *posh* - really posh)... I think it’s because most of the flats in Blackpool are looking for people on Housing Benefits, and they just set the price at the top end of Housing Benefits.
My legal highs arrived. We’ve tried one lot – ‘Skunk...a new brand of weed’, and it’s pretty good. Got a nice chilling effect, and keeps your head feeling good the day after. The other one’s a bit stronger, so we’re working up to trying that!
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