I feel rather blank and empty today. I spent 3 hours yesterday trying to put together a chair from ikea, and i expect to spend another 3 hours trying to finish it off tonight.

Looking on the Buffy board, someone has posted start dates of new series; CSi-miami should be coming to Five soon (yes!, i love CSI, so am interested to see what this new series is like), Taken (saw a brief first trailer for that yesterday), Friends and ER (although ER just seems to be on e4 and not c4 at the moment), Sex and the City (starts this week)...

I also went to Midnight Communion at St johns. It was so strange to flick through their Contact and see requests for prayers for names that i recognised. I would have gone again this Sunday, but i was travelling down to London to se Nerina! It was at the royal festival hall, instead of the usual venue, and yes i was mad enough to drive into central london! I got a bit lost, but i allowed plenty of time, and got to the pizza express where people from the nerina yahoo club were meeting bang on time.

Someone who was there described me meeting Nerina as : "It was cool to see how excited [smallkat] was when she was getting Nerina to sign her program (if she had been wearing those mittens that kids have, with the piece of wool running through the sleeves, you could have strung her up in Regent St. As an extra light.) ". And there i was thinking that i was as cool as a cucumber!

i made a start on my TMA - jotting down some of the words i want to talk about, and the two distinct parts of the article. I want to start with the introduction first and then go on. On the FC system, some other students have mentioned that their tutors will be having a tutorial abotu it, so i want to write something up, ready to have to hand and alter if necessary for my first tutorial. And if it isn't about that, well then i still have a couple of weeks before it needs to be handed in, so that works out quite well. I'm hoping to finish it this week, and then make a start on working through the course proper.

I really also need to sort through the garage...

It feels like it's been a long while since i wrote i halfway decent entry.

I'm more settled in the house, although i haven't spent the night there yet. But i now have a bed, and bedding and a borrowed television, and a coffee table! I need to sort some of the stuff that is in my mums garage out, before i can hire removal men for my sofa and washing machine.

The painting that i have done in the hallway has made a great difference, i'm going to post soem before and after pictures, but it's gone from a stark white with dark green dado, to a warmer pale yellow with a beautiful spring green dado. It would take too long to remove the flock wallpaper and dado (my ideal choice), and this will definately do until then.

Saturday night i went to see ex cathedra. Really very good. The range of songs were mostly modern (a pity, since ex cathedra are famed for Early music) and competently performed. I felt that towards the end it seemed a little tired, although given that it was the last night of a four night run, maybe that wasn't too surprising.

I've worked my way through the prep materials for the OU, and am working myself up for the TMA (written assessment) that goes with it. It has been so long (ten years!) since i have done anything really like this.

I've been expanding myself. As well as listening to radio 2 now, i also discovered that radio 4 has some great comedy programmes as i drive home from work. Sometimes you feel like music, and other times like having a laugh. I like having a choice!

I'm part way through completely the prep material for OU, and now have my copy fo the first few blocks worth of stuff. Sometimes it feels like a drag, and other times i'm very excited to be learning new skills.

How do you know you are stressed? When you line manager gives you the stressline number and HR says that that if you need time of or help, all i need to do is ask...

The bloke who will hopefully replace my door is coming tonight, i don't know how much it'll be, but having a decent, secure and easy to unlock (for me, not burglers) will be worth it. At the moment i feel certain that a few well placed kicks could break it down, and the lock is very difficult for me to open. Of course, it won't be fitted this year, btu just getting things moving is a good start and a good boost to my positivity. Or some such nonsense. I'm hoping to get away reasonably early...

One of colleagues at work was sent a huge bunch of red roses today. I felt those pangs of jealousy again.

My biggest fear, apart from the general grottiness, is that i simply cannot afford this. It's times like these that i wish i didn't have to do this alone, but i don't have a choice.

Sorry i haven't written for a while. I now have the leys to my new place, and although not moved in, i've made a vague start on deciding what needs to be done.

It was a big shock when i walked in, it looked so bare, and cold, and the decor...well hideous! I had forgotten how much actually needed doing and i felt completely overwhelmed and not up to the task at all. The overpowering smell of dog didn't help either.

So i went off to Asda and bought nutradol and scented candles. This has helped a great deal. Sunday, Darren and Linds came ot look around. Both are practical, and assured me that the small patch of damp could be dealt with, and that i would soon get a new kitchen.

Things are all slowly coming together, i have so many people to notify, but it's getting there.

Hey, the town i live in is the 8th best place to live if you don't want to get divorced...

I have now exchanged and i am close to completion. My only worry is that the solictor didn't take all my deposit money, but i am going to get a bankers draft for the amount that he requested...