Brrrrmmm, brrrrrrrrrmmmm

Jaguar E-type, Porsche 911, AC Cobra

Autumn

In theory I like autumn. I like not having to be outside because its sunny and feel like lying in bed half the day is sinful. I also like that its the season for red wine and stews. And I quite like getting back into proper clothes and shoes after a summer of sandals and linen.

But I have now for three weeks felt like I am sleep walking, ok I did have a cold last week and I have had too many american guests in the office. But I still dont think that explains my complete lack of motivation, general feeling of tiredness and exceedingly whingey mood.

Luckily I am only working for four days this week as my parents are here. And I have managed to get through three already, just one to go. So the question is how little can I do without it seeming obvious that I am a workshy skiver?

House mouse

Its back. Sat in the sofa yesterday and saw it running across the floor, under the dining table and disappear under out chest of clothes to iron. The little bastard.

We thought he had moved out, on to more lucrative houses where people live who actually have some food at home. Last time JD spotted him he tried to catch him with a bowl, it did not succeed obviously.

Time for action, its serious now. While he is incredibly cute I do not want a mouse in my house. Or as my mom pointed out, as they breed quickly, an invasion of mice... So I googled for a solution and it turns out the council provides a pest control anti mice attack for £47.50. Well worth it I think as we have been trying a number of different things for the last months to get rid of Mr Mouse.

We started with a humane trap, baited it with ham and then chocolate - did not work.

We then tried the electric plug thing that is supposed to scare the mice away with the noice - this did not work at all, the mouse didnt seem affected at all but strolled around happily on the bench next to it while it was on.

We then moved onto poison, got 4 boxes from Rentokil which were said to guarantee a mouse free home in 30 days or so. Well that obviously didnt work either.

So now we are going to contact the professional hit men to ask them to take over. Life is tough.

Work harder

Its Monday again, I feel like I say that a lot.

Am in London today, which means I sit in an open plan office in another building than normal and had to stand on the train for 45 min to get here. I am unlikely to see anything of the town apart from Victoria Station and the highlight of the day I am guessing to be that I had to buy a brolly at the station due to heavy down pour. It is a nice brolly, extra light. I know why its extra light as they seem to have made the diameter about 10 cm less than a normal brolly, which leads to a reduced effectiveness. But it is light.

I want a proper brolly, one of those in see through plastic that domes over you so you get properly covered from the rain. And being Monday and my working moral at its all time low I found a site to buy one from:

http://www.brolliesgalore.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_copy_of_copy_of_Birdcage.html

They also do matching childrens ones, for you fashion conscious parents out there.

Maybe I should also get a dog, as the dog umbrella is just smashing.

Distracting maneuver

I have spent the day with Barb and the wee ones. It was lovely and both children behaved impeccably - especially as we dragged them around Lewes to find a place to have lunch (all the Guardian readers in the South had congregated at Bill's Produce and Real Eating company) and then for some shopping at Steamers (great shop if you are 1 1/2 and lightning fast when grabbing stuff that easily break) and a lovely antique shop (Barb is haggling queen, I get embarrassed and have to leave).

The only point that Cam felt his mum was really pushing the limit was when she disappeared off to the butcher and left him with me (not at all a fun lady if you ask him) and his sister (asleep). I am not very good at managing two kids (well I didn't want to leave Lottie in case someone stole her) so I racked my brains about what to say to take his mind of the fact that his mum seemed to have stranded him with two less than interesting women. Thank the lord we are so close to Gatwick because lo and behold an airplane appeared! The boy was enthralled; he spent the next 5 minutes head bent back, eyes to the sky, admiring the plane making its way so many miles above. And then mum came back with the chicken.

Oh you horrible man!

I am planning to stop using my favorite words (thingy, bits, stuff, eeh, more stuff) and instead learn some new phrases from 1920s -1950s like 'Oh you horrible man!'. But first I need to find some.

Monday

Ah, its Monday again. Feels like at least 2-3 days out of the week is a Monday.

P was here this weekend and we took him horse racing at Goodwood. How do you pick the horse to put money on? I go by colour of shirt. And I won £22. So net spend for the day: £15. Not bad.

Sunday started well with watching the Solheim cup and the European team looking to be in an OK position. Left to play golf and it all went downhill from there. US won the cup, weather turned really windy and I ended up in a bunker I couldnt get out of.

I was slightly damp before this and after my attempts also covered in fine sand. Time to give up. After three attempts at hacking it out (1st attempt - ball flies 3 m behind me, 2nd attempt - back to original spot) I threw the ball out and then gave up completely and went to the bar with Justin. P and JD soldering on in the not so nice weather. But they probably grew up thinking that is what a good day looks like.