Yesterday was the first day of half term (goodness how we needed it), so, predictably, I woke up with a throat feeling like sandpaper, and a steady stream of - hmm well never mind - from my nose.

It's been nice and warm here lately. Teenagers don't seem to realise that school jumpers are removable, only that hot weather is to be complained about.

Hot tip for visiting popular shopping malls on bank holiday weekends:-

Go during the first England game of the World Cup. Absolutely empty. Of course, the sales staff aren't especially interested in serving you, but at least that means they don't try to foist extra warrantees off onto you.

Right, Welcome to my new computer, and a welcome for myself to the world of Apple.

Yes - I have been proselytised to the world of iMac. Which despite the word is not a brand of hair remover - it smells a good deal nicer.

It's not one of the brand spanking new anglepoise iMacs - they are very beautiful, but a little too expensive for my insurance vouchers plus bank account. Still - it is rather gorgeous and clever, although now that I've got the whole shebang sitting on my desk, I have just realised that I have nothing to put my feet up on. Ah well - guess I'll get used to that.

I have burned my first CD on this thing as well (burning is apparently not as spectacular as it sounds - no actual flames) - all remarkably easy, and the resulting "String Things" CD plays on 1 out of my 3 other CD players. So that's a success!