He's been around a lot this weekend, helping with the gardening, throwing himself on the ground, rubbing his head on walls, sniffing plants, eating grass sleeping in the greenhouse and on the outdoor table, and generally being himself. Yesterday he sat under the wheelbarrow when it rained.

It's been megaweek, so of course Debenhams has been horrifically busy. It officially started on Wednesday but there's been privalege(sp?!) shopping since last Saturday, and there was a cardholder evening on Tuesday. It's been open late (11pm on Thursday!) and early (8 instead of 9.30). We've had "head office helpers" from Bedford House, very nice in theory, but more keen than able. They can be left to run the fitting room fairly compentently (apart from rehanging bras) but the problems start when someone asks for a fitting, or what types of bras we have or their location. And when one of the two actual staff is on a break it all falls apart. Added to this, many of the customers are elderly ladies who've come rushing in for their discounted Sloggis and Doreens (Sloggis aren't worn exclusively by elderly ladies, just largely. Doreens are pretty much over-50s only) They often have poor sight or bad backs and can't read the boxes. And they're the most angry. One particular woman (clutching 2 boxes of maxis) decided to have a bit of a go at me. I was serving the woman in front of her at the till (in a queue of 4 or 5). First she said (very loudly and indignantly) "Why doesn't somebody open that one?", meaning the "other till". I explained that it was, in fact, just a computer. She then proceeded to tell me that it was rubbish and that we should have another till and she didn't like waiting. I pointed out (politely of course) that we don't usually have this many customers and that there were lots of other tills in the store if she didn't want to queue here. She didn't care. She just wanted to be angry. As Mary (who's 60-something) said, it's always the pensioners, you'd think they had plenty of time to wait.

Monday: Worked 1-5, didn't do much else, came home to find 4th yr Med student from Bristol staying with us for the week, made spag bol. Tuesday: Sat about/slept, had lunch, worked 1.25-6.25, got exciting picnic from Morrisons (including café leftovers :s), babysat (only two stories!). Wednesday: Gave Dad his birthday present, took Kate to school, wandered round town and sat in the library, used my free hour of internet and had a hazelnut latte. It was nice! Had lunch, worked 11.30-8 with lunchbreak at 2, BOO. Passed Physics barbecue at my old teacher's house (en route to my cheaty but legal street parking), declined to stay more than 5 minutes. Went home and devoured leftover Mexican. Thursday: Worked 7.55-4.55. Got dropped in because of sillilly early start. Was a very muggy day, awful traffic too. Walked across Goodland Gardens to find Dad & Kate who were stuck on the little road past Tesco! Friday: Did some Maths, ate lunch at home, worked 12-9 with lunchbreak at 4. Went to pasty shop & had steak & stilton as was one of very few flavours remaining. Then greedily went to Starbucks and had hazelnut latte (free syrup iif you pay with your Starbucks card!) and fruit toast (yummy). Dashed round and bought black strapless bra in break (last chance to buy things super cheaply) and presents for people. Saturday: Lay-in, put clean washing away, did some Maths, wrote postcards, made a birthday parcel for Caroline, found that the post office was shut, made risotto, watched eurovision & crocheted.