The Emperor's Next Clothes.

I order a bunch of stuff from the Next summer sale a few weeks back. It was meant to be have been delivered to the nearest store today, but I've just had a series of messages that are contradicting each other.

1. The order's not arrived at the store, but they're expecting it imminently. It's on its way and will arrive within a few days.
2. We're getting your order ready and we'll let you know when it's ready for collection. 
3. Your order has been delayed and we don't know what it will be delivered. You can cancel if you want.
4. We're getting your order ready and we'll let you know when it's ready for collection. 
5. We're getting your order ready and we'll let you know when it's ready for collection. 
6. Your order is ready for collection! 

Yup, that message came in twice (4 and 5). For two different portions of the order. I ordered like 5 things: an order of 3 and an order of 2. But now it looks like there's an order of 4 and an order of 1. And the order of 1 is now ready for collection, but the bulk of it is nowhere to be seen despite being ordered first.

Very confusing.

Just deliver my new clothes already.

It's raining, meh.

I'm toying with the idea of going to the local shopping centre. I don't have anything to buy. Actually, that's not strictly true. I don't need anything, but there are a few items that i could pick up, and I would pick up if I were out and about. Whether that justifies me going shopping is another matter.

But it's more a case of me going out to get outside and stretch my legs. I've not really gotten into the exercise plan for my back that I put together a few weeks ago. I have made a point about being a little more active in general, but I do need to target this back issue.

However, the weather's rubbish. If it were nice, I'd walk there. It's just over a mile away, maybe about 20 mins walk. But with the rain, it's a bus journey.

I need a shower anyway, so I'll decide after I get showered and changed. The shops don't open until 1 PM. The weather is sucking my enthusiasm though.

Chill.

I've decided to take some time off over the Easter weekend. I don't really have any plans, at least not for anything fun. I am planning on going mattress shopping on Thursday. My current one is knackered and is probably a factor in my back pain issues.

Actually... there is an outside chance of going to the pub with my sister and bother-in-law on Thursday. I should ask them tomorrow about that.

But regardless, I'm looking forward to the time off and not thinking about work for a bit.

Go me!

I'm all proud of myself. Last night, I came across a leaflet for a local artist/photographer. Hang on, let me backtrack a bit. A few years ago, my sister bought me a framed photograph as a Christmas present. I loved it. It was pretty much the perfect present: something that I liked that I would never have thought about buying myself. My house is functional. I've no qualms about buying tools, household items etc. but anything purely decorative like art or plants is a blind spot for me.

So, ever since, I've been looking out for something similar. So a while back, I found someone who was doing the type of stuff I liked. I think it was a weekend when E was last home and we were out hunting for gifts for her to take home. I got a flyer from the woman at the market and promptly lost it.

Until last night when I was doing some tidying up. 

I browsed the website on the leaflet, saw a few things that piqued my interest and looked at where I could buy. The best place for me was to return to the market that runs every weekend.

This morning, I found it difficult to motivate myself to actually leave the house. I toyed with the idea of messaging Nerdy Girl to see if she wanted to meet for a coffee at the market, but decided against it.

Then, twenty minutes later, I just did it. I grabbed my earbuds, phone and keys and got the bus into the market.

I was unsure how much the art cost, but I am sitting on some cash that I got for my past few birthdays and Christmases. Fortunately, they had was I was looking for, and it was very reasonable, so I bought two pieces and returned home after getting a coffee.

So pats of the back for me.

Lazy.

I'm still in bed, I'm not going into work today and this throat infection and cough, whatever it is, is annoying me. I was planning on going back to work tomorrow, but I really can't be arsed and chances are, I'm not going to sleep well tonight. I've not slept well at all this week.

I need to get out of bed, showered and possibly pop to the shops. I need some medicine for the throat thing and possible a birthday card for KfW2. I've been pondering the card thing for a few days. I can't get her out for her birthday. I'm still waiting to take her out for last year's, and she doesn't do anything for mine any more. Back in the day, I could have gotten her out for drinks, I'd get a card, she might pop into the house with the kids and a small cake. But for the past few years, bar a text message, nothing.

But I know that I'll do it anyway, cos she's my friend. And I'm a sucker for a pretty face, as USHW has told me in the past.

Is it?

I needed to go to the local shopping centre and I've pretty much not left the house in three weeks because of the illness. It's a lovely day here, so the thought of wandering around for an hour, listening to music and getting in some provisions and clothes was very appealing.

I showered, dressed and left the house. As I approached the bus stop, this very attractive redhead turned the corner. She was dressed in green - a green hoodie, green yoga pants and running shoes. But she looked familiar. I was convinced it was Attractive Neighbour, but as she got closer, doubt began to creep in. I didn't want to stare, so just continued walking.

She got into a car with a guy and they drove off. There are no open shops or restaurants near me, so I am convinced they were walking a local trail that's a few hundred metres away and were just returning to where they'd parked their car.

So, it's a couple of hours later, and I still can't say for certain that it was Attractive Neighbour. But if it wasn't, then AN has a doppelganger.

Grrr...

Continuing on with the whole online shopping thing (I posted about it a few days ago), my frustration has grown over the past few days trying to shop for various tools and needs for the work I'm doing in my back garden.

Hoses, paint... things like that. And yet, few online shops here operate a click and collect service or online stock checking. And don't even talk to me about delivery. In the absence of a click and collect service, I would gladly give a shop hundreds of pounds for the various things I will need over the next few weeks if they delivered. But they don't.

Jackpot!

Since the pandemic lock down, I've been living off the contents of my cupboards and fridge/freezer coupled with runs to my local Tesco and Co-Op stores for basic essentials. I usually order my shopping online from Tesco, but for the past eight weeks I've not been able to get anywhere near a delivery slot.

Today, I logged on to add things to my ever-growing shopping list (I maintain it just in case I get lucky) and lo and behold, half of the weekend's delivery slots are now free!

Suffice to say that I quickly got a basic order in and have spent all morning fleshing it out - hunting the house to find the things I really need, especially the bigger, bulkier or heavier items (e.g. cans of food etc.)

I won't know what's hit me on Sunday with a freezer, fridge AND cupboards full for the first time in months.