The urge to splurge (and others)

I've been comfort shopping again. eBay is my new best friend. This time yesterday I had bids on 41 separate items, including a fridge/freezer, two pairs of running shoes and a speedboat. The thrill of the chase is as good as the actual catching, so I bid on things I have no hope of getting, guaranteeing myself a big buzz without a big bill.

I'm trying to arrange a date to visit Sophie in Edinburgh. I was hoping for a week in August, but the Festival is on then so everything is three times dearer than usual. I love the city, but I'm not going to end up bankrupt just to see some crappy Oz comedians and a drag act. So a trip up in September looks likely.

Ted and Beryl remain in Relationship Hell. It all came to a head with a blazing row in the garden on Monday. She said if he doesn't do as he's told, he'll be dead before next Christmas; he said if she doesn't lay off and leave him alone he'd be better off dead anyway. She's now having a couple of days with her sister in Essex to let the atmosphere cool. She left him several healthy meals in the fridge, but when I saw him last night he was outside with a roll-up waiting for a pizza to be delivered. When the cat's away, the mouse will play I guess, even when that mouse is a geriatic boozer with a heart condition.

RC 15-7-09