Hello again. The house is empty. Everyone is out. It's the first time since I got home that this has been the case. Well, Daisy is here, but then, she always is. In body if not in mind. Ooh, the phone is ringing. A woman wanted to speak to Mr Barron about his car insurance. The question 'which one' perplexed her though. AHA! Obviously she didn't want to speak to Mr Barron, she just wanted to speak to someone gullible enough to listen to her try and sell some car insurance. I told her to phone back later. I kept her hanging on the line by detailing Mr Barron's plans for the rest of the day. She wasn't that interested, and said she might phone back. Great, I'll be ready. We get about 3 calls a day from people selling stuff.

I've been doing some Russian to English translation. I've done two columns altogether now. It takes a fair while. But then, I've got a fair while. My mum is out for a fair while, shopping and visiting people. She's delivering presents. This morning I overheard her telling my sister that "Chocolate oranges are great presents to give people. Especially when they're 3 for 2."

I got back about 12.40 or so last night I think. It was a good drive home, although it was a bit cold and slippy. Outside anyway. The coldest reading I noticed on the outside temperature gauge was only -1.5. Lots of spray on the windscreen. I had Jazz FM on. Very mellow. The brakes are nice and smooth after having new pads and discs.

But where had I got back from? Well the more alert amongst you will have realised I'd gone to Enfield to pick up some bits for sister Rosie's mini and to see girlfriend Rosie and family. I got to Rosie's no problem, not too much traffic, and it was nice and sunny all the way. Will seemed to like the computer box I took, and I reunited Rosie with her advent calendar. Then we went to The Mini Shop. It was run by a nice set of 'geezers' who knew everything about their products it would seem, which is always good I think. Whenever I get bits for the Cavalier at a Vauxhall garage they have to check on a huge database to see what the right part is. Not there though, very quick. Went back to Rosie's and had a drink before going into town to look round, and for Rosie to show me the new Costa coffee place. And very Costa like it was too. Enfield is good for coffee, tea, fast food, jewellery and female clothing, but has an amusing lack of shops geared towards the male gender. Perhaps they've been banned. It would be interesting to chat to the council. Which is presumably chaired by Ms Somebody-or-other. An axe to grind? Yes, it was an early Christmas present. There was a crime a foot, as it were. There was somewhere around 7 police vehicles abandoned near the high street. When we got back to her house we hung up some cards and watched the news. A rather traditional luxury style pizza and chips meal followed, washed down by a shandy and a victor meldrew cake. We went for a stroll in the alleged arctic conditions to Forty Hall, a classic hang out for locals with a penchant for ducks and/or grass. We made it back in one piece, and watched a couple of gibbons on tv buying houses and ripping rich people off by sticking fancy electric lights, blinds and posh lean to extensions on the back of small houses near Sloane Square. It was quite an eye-opener. Certainly gave me some ideas for the future. i.e. avoid buying small houses that have been done up lots. The grass is greener on the otherside. Well, it probably is, but it's going to be seriously cheaper to invest in some grass seed than sell up and buy next door's house. Especially if their kitchen roof has been made out of glass.

Seasons greetings. Bye for now.