[blogfocus sunday] a little quiet reading

My advice to Kate – keep number twos simple, girl, as the Romans did.

1. Bloody Lewisham Council is not actually the problem here this time. We've been waiting for news on this - Kate Capper explains:

Just a little follow up on my toilet problem, The toilet was looked at by a friend and was ok for a bit although now is starting to go wrong again. So i will be contacting the numbers sent to me. Would also like to say Thanks to the people that have offered help and correct phone numbers ( i say correct ...will find that out later ;-)) including Cllr Paul Bently. My daughter is now scared of the toilet (not sure why) but when i said we would get a plumber in to fix it she asked if he was going to put plums in it? Oh the joys of being 4.

2. Tiberius Gracchus offers his Dickens Football Team as a possible replacement for England. Here's a tiny fragment from it – do read it all if you haven't already done so:

Left centre half- A problematic position but Ebenezer Scrooge is a natural in it. Miserly in the beggining of the game when he never misplaces a pass in possession, his game becomes more expansive as the game advances. He is always though keen to stop the other side scoring and his grim determination to win means that he is a ferocious competitor and absolutely merciless in the tackle.

Centre-half- Betsy Trotwood fits right in here- she is strong and stubborn and has an innate positional sense. She is also a great captain for the team- a leader of men and women who has the ability both to comfort those in distress and to be ferocious with fraudulent divers. She is tough but fair.

Right centre half- Bill Sikes the thug in this lineup. Sikes is the Norman Hunter of the team- he will bite your legs and leave you on the floor afterwards. He isn't adverse to aerial challenges either and has an ability to intimidate even the most seasoned striker.

3. You'll just have to visit that Peach, the Swearing Mother to see why she's ... er ... swearing:

It all started off when I ordered some train tickets over the Virgin trains automated telephone service because I couldn't be bothered to go down to the station in person (it was raining) or struggle with the internet (don't ask). Eventually, after negotiating the seemingly endless pre-recorded voice messages I was put through to a call centre probably somewhere considerably hotter and much further away than the UK, spoke to a charming but clueless person in Bangalore or wherever it is, and ordered two return tickets from Birmingham New Street to London Euston for this Saturday. The idea was to take in a show, have a nice meal, enjoy a relaxing wedding anniversary treat. Simple.

Or so you might think.

4. Finally, rushing you the news about those toes of Tea and Margaritas and for no extra charge - Isobell's adventures:

The toes are much much better and thanks for the well wishes and great tips. In the future I`m going to attempt to knit some wool socks. Stayed tuned for that one. LOL.

That one requires some imagination. Incidentally, T&M is running one of those diagonal Lord Nazh banners – Help Make Poverty History. Well, T&M, I already have – have a swift look at the current state of my wallet. I must have the record.

Isabell