Jolly Hols

Started my easter holiday a bit early. Spent the time fiddling around with this and that, and doing the shopping. I look forward to a break but when it comes I wander around wondering what to do. Of course I'm not short of distractions. And I could do some gardening (but where's the fun in that). In the end I did some reading and tidied up a bit. I managed to be discovered using the vacum when number one wife came in from work, which is a good move.

Robots Rocks

Great little film Robots. Non of the mass produced knowingness of Shrek. Instead there was just a nice film with some lovely touches, a heart in the right place and some splendid set pieces. Number one son was quite sniffy about it, saying that some bits looked a bit like "tech demos" and that it has all been done before anyway. I don't care. I left the cinema smiling and wanting to go back round agan.

And that is all I really want from a film.

Live For Ever

At a Preston Foster meeting tonight the conversation turned to living for ever. Pete said he had read that the person who will live to be a thousand has already been born. What, with the advances in medical technology which are "just around the corner", there is a good chance that the current generation could live for ever. Just my luck to miss out on eternal live by 40 years or so.

But then again, I'm not sure about living for ever if it means spending my time sitting in darkened room alternately blowing raspberries and droolin (actually, I may have started early on this one..). And I'm fairly sure that my pension would have an escape clause after the first couple of hundred years or so.

The Little Brown Ikea Pencil of Doom: Part 6

Lars Swedishname knew he was going to die. He also knew who was going to kill him. The man moving towards him, a once proud member of the MadeupTown police force now driven mad by a demon of home furnishing was closing in for the kill. Lars thought back over his past, the happy days spent at the Swedish Furniture academy. The adulation given to his now seminal research paper "101 More things to do with sawdust". Such happy times.

And then he remembered how it all went wrong. The gypsy curse, the meeting at the abandoned cemetery near that old house with the strange Indian from Area 51. The marketing men with their ideas about customer motivation. And the first test subject.

Behind him, the architect of his downfall glowed slightly as it rested in the one device that could have saved humanity. The Blessed Electric Pencil Sharpener of Salvation, denied of power because of a faulty cable, was useless to him now.

"That's enough background plot reminiscing" snarled constable Wilkins raising his baton. "Now you die and then I buy a new shoe rack"

Suddenly the window burst open. The inspector flew across the room and crashed into policeman. Things happened in a mad blur. Within seconds constable Wilkins lay handcuffed on the ground. Then the inspector reached into his raincoat pocket and produced a Swedish-UK mains adapter. "I think you'll find a use for this" he said coolly.

In a trice the cable was reconnected. The three men watched transfixed as the sharpener whirred into action. Within seconds the pencil was reduced to dust, producing an unearthly shriek as it was ground into oblivion. In the silence, Lars found his voice.

"Now, I must eat the sawdust" he husked.

"Why, does that finally end the curse?" asked the inspector.

"No", said Lars, "I just like the taste."

The inspector shook his head. But it seemed that things were now resolved satisfactorily. Quite simple really. Thank heavens that he had followed his instincts, contacted Lars again and learned more of the threat. Buying the adapter and getting to the hotel had been easy enough. Although it would have been better if he had not burst into those other three rooms before finding the right one. With a bit of luck nobody will sue, he thought to himself.

On the floor constable Wilkins seemed to be returning to his old self. The evil glow had gone out of his eyes and he was looking nervously up at the inspector.

"Sir", he said, "I don�t know what happened. One moment I was at a crime scene and the next I'm doing all kinds of weird stuff. I don't even like pine that much. I'm more of a chintz person."

The inspector smiled, "Don�t worry son" he said. "None of this needs to be on the record. And who would believe us anyway".

Apples To Apples

Had a really nice Sunday with the whole family. Proper British Roast Beef and then a game of Apples to Apples. This is a wonderful card game which allows you to be totally daft or extremely devious depending on how you feel. It is also great in that nobody knows what you did unless you win that round. Very sociable, very funny and you should get a copy now. The more people who play the better the game is. And it kind of encourages you to think.

Still not got a copy? You can find our more here. And no, I'm not on commision.