Hello Mum!

This one's for my Mum, whose name should be obvious to you all now! Hi there Mum - I visited your place today - you have all sorts of things named after you - shops, restaurants, even a police station!!! ;-)

A long day today. I was totally exhausted after the week's endeavours, but couldn't rest because the Wonderspouse was doing a literary festival in Birmingham, and I needed to drive him there and back - no public transport would have got him home.

After a brief morning (we had a lie in), we set off for Birmingham and I dropped him off at the pub where the event was being held. I then pootled down to Solihull for a little explore. After parking up in the town centre, I wandered round the shops, although didn't buy anything (I was tempted by a metre-high remote control crane in a toy shop, but managed to resist).

I did, however, speak to a man who was campaigning on behalf of Time To Change and who gave me a free bag. I also accepted the offer of a blood pressure check from the local ambulance people who were out and about - the verdict - I should contact my GP. I explained that I already was. I resisted the temptation of some woman who tried to persuade me to do something to do with make-up - not my thing!

I then went to the out-of-town shopping area and had a good old browse round Hobbycraft. I was seriously tempted by a set of multicoloured drawers, but again resisted. I then went to Pets at Home and bought a bag full of goodies for the boys - more apple biscuits, rat nuggets, yogurt drops and so on as well as a new water bottle - the old one that came with them is really decrepit and Charlie had to stick his nose into the nozzle to get the water going the other day!

Then I stopped at Sainsbury's and bought a snack and a drink, then went off to the pub to meet the Wonderspouse and also 5357311 (our friend Stuart Estell) who was also reading at the evening. I was really too tired to socialise, but managed a very little. The Wonderspouse was the compere for the evening and also read some of his writing. Stuart read part of his book Verruca Music, with the accompaniment of a group called Haiku Salute. He was BRILLIANT!

Finally, we came home, I drank wine, and then we had cheese on toast. We also watched some rubbish on ITV trying to sell face cream - I was gobsmacked - 35 quid for face cream? Who on EARTH would spend that? If I spent that on it, I'd expect it to do integration by substitution, play the piano parts of all the major viola sonatas, make me a cup of tea, and them mix me a mojito!!!

Finally, we got to bed! What a relief - tired beyond tired beyond tired!