Saturday

Not too bad out - long walk over North Seat and a decent view from Seven Sisters to Dungeness.

Yesterday was Friday - and as I am now freelance again, I don't work Fridays - it was great. By 10am I had cleared the front garden and planted out the bay tree. I've brought all the pot bound lavender and rosemary into the back garden and I'll plant them out. I also managed to find a new home for the dinning room table - it was collected early - cleaned the house and cut out the two top panels of the bedroom door so I can glaze them later today.

I had a package full of samples from a manufacturer - pity the job has been cancelled - the samples were superb - the woven labels in particular - beautiful job.

Later I went into town - this included my first ever trip to Iceland. I have never been into an Iceland before - it was a revelation. Appart from the fact it was clean, well laid out and stocked with a greater range than I expected - it was staggeringly cheap. Ignore the rubbish like prawn rings and party packs - or ready meals, which I'll never buy - but basic frozen produce, and a vegetarian section, and a decent selection of fresh food - all far cheaper than the coop. I have put my inner snob away and am now a convert.

I also went into the Birthdays store - which is closing, just to have a look at what's there. Terrible stock, terrible display, terrible retail offer. I have worked for this company on the retail design side - and they deserve to go bust. If your attitude to your customer is always 'lowest common denominator' - you are bound to fail.

I also managed to spend about half an hour in ESK looking at the mattress protectors - carefully selecting the right one, and bringing it home only to realise it's a single ( doh!) and I've lost the receipt.

I went into Sports Direct to look at the running shoes - there were about 400 pairs, the store was packed with the worst of Hastings human underbelly and the staff were surly and distracted ( and all about 13 ) - I had to leave straight away.

Much to my surprise, a couple of parcels I sent on Thursday arrived very quickly - one in London by 7.30am - and one in Liverpool by 4pm - I can only assume that the constant price increases have left the post office with a very light load.

Lots to do this week - glaze the bedroom and bathroom doors, a plant sale in Ore Village, gardening if the rain keeps off and office based stuff. Might also have a DVD and CD clearout, and the attic looks like a compulsive hoarder has moved in again.

Nothing on the news. I really, seriously don't give a toss about John Travolta - neither does anyone else.