17 January 2010 (Monday) - Last Time at the Chokey

It would seem I stuffed up yesterday – whilst there had been talk of carrying on decorating at the seaside for some time, because I was due to be working in the morning I’d said that if others were to make a start, I’d come along later. Because no one said anything, everything to do with decorating rather slipped my mind. Woops – my bad!

There’s always next weekend, or weekends following….

‘er indoors ^TM had advertised the old telly on FreeCycle last night and we had six people wanting it in as many minutes. I’ve moaned about FreeCycle in the past. I suppose that it serves a purpose in being a useful way of not wasting stuff, but the thing strikes me as little more than a cheapskate’s charter. Perhaps I’m just getting old and cynical?

Up early, and off to Hythe to deliver the old telly to its new home. As luck would have it, an old friend was after a new telly and so it didn’t go through FreeCycle after all. On the way there, I had a major disagreement with the scrat nav. I decided to take the way I thought was quicker. And I maintain my way would have been faster if Hospital Hill was where I thought it was, rather than where it actually is.

Yesterday I mentioned about going to Tottenham Court Road to get a DVD player. It was suggested I tried Richer Sounds. By one of life’s many co-incidences, there is a branch of Richer Sounds only five minutes away from the chokey. We were going visiting today, so we popped into the shop whilst passing. I wish I’d gone there ages ago. Whilst their tellys weren’t any cheaper than Comet or Curry’s, the chap behind the counter was so friendly and helpful. I got my multi-region DVD player, and I shall go back there whenever I need anything else.

And then to the chokey for prison visit #10. Something of a bittersweet visit, bearing in mind this was my last trip to the place. (I hope!!) “Norman Stanley” looked well and I gave him the details of the final version of my never-fail patented escape plan. I’ve been working on this plan for a year, and this week it comes to fruition. If he keeps his trap shut and his nose clean and his head down, he might get a neck ache, but on Friday they will let him out.

It’s been suggested that I shouldn’t blog about his release as there are (so I’m told) those that may use any snippets I write against him. Whilst this could possibly be true, I’m going to hope for the best in humanity and take the line that those who don’t know him will hopefully feel that any mate of mine is a mate of theirs (albeit vicariously). After all, would anyone seriously be reading my blog just on the off-chance of me being dumb enough to write something nasty or incriminating about the bloke?

And then home to plumb in my new DVD player. I think it’s fair to say it plumbed in a lot easier than the telly did. It doesn’t use a scart lead, instead it’s got an HDMI cable. This apparently can take double the amount of whatever it is that scart leads take. I asked the man in Richer Sounds if perhaps I need to get one for my Sky Plus box, but apparently I need to upgrade to Sky HD for that.

I expect that will be more money, and will be the subject of a blog entry for another time…