Well, I finally gave in and bought a pair of varifocals. For work mainly, since I sometimes struggle to read small print in meetings. I bought them from an online shop; a good price and decent quality.
Next time I order glasses, though, I shall do so when sober. I may have purchased glasses with red frames.
Yes, slush, not snow. Yesterday, I was forced to delay my planned Christmas shopping and, instead, spend time in a pub.
And all because modern buses are unable to cope with slush on our hill. My journey from Washington to Newcastle was not possible after a couple of hours of snow. My bus had to turn back when attempting to reach our street; other buses were already stuck on the hill and my double decker was sliding from side to side.
My bus ride ended at Gateshead Interchange, where I realised that a return from Newcastle by public transport wouldn’t happen in the near future. So, I had a couple of bottles of Tucher in ‘Spoons while waiting in vain for bus services to our hill to resume. Eventually, I gave up when a bus to Low Fell arrived, walking from there to my local.
I may attempt some shopping today.
While living at the old house in Washington, I think it was around 2002, I bought some chairs in an auction. I’d not actually seen the chairs, since the auction was in Welwyn Garden City and I was home at the time. And phones generally didn’t have cameras in those days.
I bought the set of four chairs for twelve quid; cheap, but they did look a bit rough. Someone had attempted to replace the seats (an old man in Kent, I believe) and there’d been a degree of butchery involved.
They might have been a little messed up, but I loved them. I’d guess they’re early 1900s, but they’re made from decent hardwood.
Life was pretty busy at the time, so I stored them in the loft until there was time to do something with them. But they were still there when I moved to this house a couple of years later. And so they were transferred to another loft.
Where they’d since remained until today. After eleven years in this particular loft, I’ve retrieved the chairs because my sister has a use for them.
I’d have loved to keep them, but I bought them for a much larger house and they simply wouldn’t fit into our tiny abode.
I finally made a trip to the vegan shop in Benton, the strangely named Alternative Stores. Well worth a visit, even if you’re not a veggie. They gave me free chocolate, even though my second in command had eaten most of the sample food on display.
I’ll certainly be returning.
After more shopping, I’m now in my mostest favourite bar in the country; Charters.
I may be seriously tempted. Genuine, unused, late 1800s glasses frames are hard to find nowadays.
I usually wear a 1920s pair, which I also found unused, but older frames tend to be less rigid. Of course, that means they’re easier to break too.
From Dead Men’s Spex.
I should have known the outcome of buying MP3s from Amazon.
You know how it is when you want to nip out for a pint, but have to wait in for a delivery that you know isn’t going to arrive?
This could possibly be our best our best ever purchase.
Today began with a mild hangover. A lie-in prevented anything major.
When I emerged from my sleep of weird, but now long forgotten, dreams, I was greeted by mid-morning sunshine. Which prompted me to take a picture of my zombie garden.
Which is looking much better now that the grass is getting longer. This afternoon, we went shopping for festival supplies.
Five boxes of beer, two boxes of wine and a bottle of vodka should just be enough. Although my second in command will also need supplies.
This evening, I caught up with yesterday’s Graham Norton show on iPlayer; I don’t often watch it, but Cyndi Lauper was one of this week’s guests.
OK, I know she’s had some work done, but she still looks great for 61. And her voice is holding up pretty well too.
I then watched Soaked in Bleach, the film about the days leading up to Kurt Cobain’s death. There was the expected murder/conspiracy theory, with a possibly forged suicide note. But, even if those arguments are discounted, it’s clear that something weird was going on. It’s worth watching.
I have housework tomorrow.