27 December 2009 (Sunday) - Display Boards and Shopping

Towards the end of last November I blogged about how I was getting fed up with all the posters at the astro club falling off of the walls all the time, and I mentioned that I was on the lookout for display boards. One of my loyal readers came up trumps – his firm had some that they no longer needed, and today I set off to Brighton to collect the things. We now have twenty boards that can be assembled in a range of ways.

There are

• 3: 3 foot x 2 foot grey
• 10: 3 foot x 2 foot grey & maroon reversible
• 2: 1 foot x 2 foot grey
• 7: 1 foot x 2 foot grey & maroon reversible

And sufficient joining pieces to be getting on with. Whilst they have been used, they are perfectly serviceable. Something for nothing can’t be bad. You can see them here.

Seeing how I was up early anyway I collected the boards from Brighton first thing. Leaving Ashford at 7am I was on the doorstep of our benefactor before breakfast, and was home by 11am. You can’t beat an early start. There was talk of a hobby-horse mounted hunt around various pubs on the South Downs today, but my guts are still a bit iffy, and so I decided against that. Instead we went shopping.

First of all to Staples for Velcro-type stuff for fixing posters to the display boards. I got some, but they weren’t cheap. I might just leave the job of getting more for those with access to the astro club funds. Alternatively (engage “cadge mode”) – if any of my loyal readers have lengths of Velcro they don’t want…

I spent ten minutes walking round the town centre car park. All three ticket machines were broken; I don’t think that will stop the council sending out parking tickets for us not paying, though. We then followed a family of retards out of the car park, and spent most of our time in town trying to get away from them. Everywhere we went; there they were, underfoot and in the way. I even gave up a trip to McDonalds because that bunch were swarming in there.

I had a WH Smiths voucher to spend. At the risk of appearing ungrateful, I get so wound up by gift vouchers. There are only certain places where you can spend them, and you don’t get change from them. There was a book I particularly wanted, but buying that book would still leave five pounds on the voucher which I could spend or lose. So I found myself buying something I didn’t actually want, just so as not to lose the money. Whatever possesses people to give gift vouchers? Cash is so much better.

And then I thought I’d replace the fluorescent light tube in the kitchen – it’s been on the blink (i.e. not working) from a week. B&Q didn’t have any, nor did HomeBase. I was beginning to have visions of having to replace the entire unit, but I eventually found the tube I wanted in Wickes. You’d think they’d make these things to a standard size.

And then home to watch the Xmas “Royle Family” special, two episodes of “Flash Forward” and to sleep through all sorts of other stuff….