I have a soft spot for red.

Odd post title I know - but I mean exactly that. In the past couple of years I have had an odd, and growing fascination with red things.

I find it so hard to walk past a cute pair of red shoes without trying them on at least! One thing I can't stand though is that I keep wearing out the red shoes that I buy and get really attached to, the upside is, I therefore need to buy more!!!!! I am presently red shoe-less and trying to rectify that.

Robin bought me a cool blender for my birthday last year, again, red. It's is very nearly too retro gorgeous to use - well, nearly. It makes a mean iced Bailey's and the soups are just wonderful. Today I bought some kitchen scales to keep it company - I have been researching which ones I was after, they had to be retro, with a good clear dial to help out with the kids' cooking. I had my eye on a Typhoon 4kg in Buick red, at around £20, but today I was thrilled to pick a similar one up in Matalan for... can hardly believe it, 5 of your English pounds sterling - wow!

Now though, the red ball is rolling... and I'm thinking of adding a couple of other red 'accents' in the kitchen. Specifically a new toaster and kettle. Sadly, I have expensive tastes......

To finish, I must mention that whilst I have an incredibly soft spot for most things red - well, I have no love for red cars, so there you go.

Bourne again.

I have recently read through the weighty tome of the Bourne trilogy, probably the only reason is that I have so immensely enjoyed the first two screen adaptations, The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy.

Sadly I did not find the books so engaging, and often rather repetitive. The films were just the reverse, the action was fabulous, and the Bourne character (Matt Damon) totally engaging.

I have just found that the final installment, The Bourne Ultimatum, is due for release in August - fab!

Jump in the number of bike thefts

I was surprised to find a news item on the BBC site today about a rise in the theft of bikes - Having grown up in the Oxford area this is not something new to me - I think that at least half the members of my close family have had at least one bike stolen (I've had at least 2)

It seems that in an effort to be more green people are switching to pedal power. And one bike is stolen every 71 seconds! Take a look at the 10 UK bike theft hot spots - I am not at all surprised Oxford is on there!

Not making me feel like dusting off my bike really, it safer in the shed!

The Sharp shambles.

We bought a new LCD TV just after Christmas. Yes, I do think we are new-tech junkies, but our main reason for it's purchase was space - an LCD TV saved us a pile of it. Robin had been keeping his eye on prices for a few months before we bought, and had decided that Sharp was the brand we'd go for as it seem to offer such great picture quality.

Initially we were utterly thrilled, the saving of space was enormous, the picture quality was wonderful and the sound was also, excellent.

But a few weeks later we started to notice an odd discolouration at the left hand side of the screen - this grew over time, and became a green bar slowly creeping across the screen, only really noticeable when watching darker lit programmes or movies - but there, and annoying - and getting worse.

We made contact with Sharp, and sent pictures which we'd taken (really didn't show too much though) and waited. And waited.

After weeks, this week has seen a new flurry of activity. An email informing us of a repair-person coming today, a phone call then asking for a call back to arrange for a repair-person to come (?), a call this morning to say that the engineer was actually coming tomorrow, not today. And then, to really confuse matters, a repair guy turns up anyway!

He restored some settings and delved into the inner workings of our beautiful gadget - and it does look like he has done it - our green blurry bar seems gone. And I think, someone else is coming tomorrow too!

Whilst I am pleased we are now getting somewhere, it seems pretty obvious that people within Sharp do not communicate! And, if I had not been in, the poor guy who had just driven all the way from Telford would have been mighty miffed. I have rather mixed feelings about our dealings with the company, whilst I am pleased our problem seems to be fixed, I've no idea if I am getting another repair-person in the morning, and it has taken a long while to even get this far.

(BTW problem seems to have been an oversight in the factory in setting the green colour correctly - at least that was what the guy told me!)

Updates on Joy's trip

I have been pleased to see that Joy's school have been posting little updates on the front page of their website so all of us twitchy parents know that the kids are doing okay. It's also rather nice to have an idea of what they've been up to!

Being left behind (to look after Pinsley)

Tomorrow Joy is off on her Isle of Wight trip, we've been busy packing her bag and backpack and trying to soothe her nerves. Robin is off tomorrow too - to the Netherlands. So we've more packing to do for that too.

Elias and I are going to be left all on our own, to look after the house and hamster. I can't think when the house will have been so oddly empty before now. I think Elias will be a bit thrown, and possibly upset that his two favourite people are away - he's been very clingy with Robin of late as it is.

The positives are that I will have less to do, and won't have to get up for the morning school run. Though I suspect that Elias will need more entertaining without Joy here as a distraction!

I really hope Joy will have a fabulous experience away from home properly for the first time, and am keen for her to try her hand at the many activities thy have planned. Robin has less to look forwards to, just a couple of full on days with crucial presentations and meetings.

Mine all mine!

Took this of Robin whilst at The Cotswold Farm Park
a couple of weeks ago. I rather like the pic, doesn't he suit the country setting??!

Radiator Slippers

Found a wierd thing in Peacocks today - wrong season I know, but I was looking at slippers and I came across these.

The angle is that a.) they save floorspace (??!!!) and b.) by clinging to your radiator they warm up nicely so your winter-chilled tootsies have a toasty warm snuggle. (seems a lifetime ago, that chilly weather eh?)

I am on the brink of actually wanting a pair!

(Sorry, feeling a bit inept as I couldn't figure out how to rotate this image!)

Lots of lovely links

Sites I've been enjoying..

Piles of games to waste your time on - bubble elements and the parking one are fun!

Useful for looking up products but also lots of info on DIY projects, and 'how-to' leaflets, Wickes.

Tips for saving energy - and you can have a free home energy report, and energy saving light bulbs. British Gas.

All the news - all the time, my first stop is always the Beeb.

Now rolling out home delivery, you'll need to check if you're area is covered yet. Ikea. Also, they have recently launched the Ikea family loyalty card, offering discounts off selected products, exclusive products for 'family' members, and free tea and coffee on weekdays instore (there are a few more perks too, just having a mental block and can't recall what they are)

Fun stuff, speaker brackets, cables, whizzy lights, and all sorts - Maplin

It's not that I've had nothing to say......

I've noticed that I have not posted in quite some time. Whilst all the rest of you have been happily commenting on everything and anything....

So we've had Easter holidays. This year, rather surprisingly, there was not too much chocolate. Joy had a few eggs and munched them over a few days - Elias on the other hand is not a sweet fan. And as a result he still has most of his lurking around the place... and is not too fussed about eating any of them. Next year I think I'll just get him a big bag of crisps, they're more his thing.

Robin has had a little time off, though not enough really.

Oh, and the big thing for us is that this coming weekend, Joy is making a big leap forwards in growing up. She is going on a school trip to the Isle of Wight on Sunday - coming home the following Wednesday. 3 whole nights away!!!!! She is pretty excited, although a little nervous which is to be expected. Sadly, for Elias and I, Robin also goes away on Sunday. Maybe we'll play hookie and visit Ikea!

One thing that I have not mentioned is that we recently left the Church we'd been at for many years. This has caused a lot of upset for us, we are on the hunt for a new place but so far we've not found our new 'home'. So, we're feeling pretty bruised, a bit lonely, and not enjoying visiting Churches where we are not 'known', but we'll get there, and we'll not stop trying until we do.