We christened the mystery machine at the weekend. No, not in that way - far too cold to venture out of my arctic sleeping bag for middle aged rumpy pumpy, thanks (I'm sure the temperature drops at least five degrees once you get north of Derby). We were visiting long suffering friends. They were lovely. We don't have many friends though, so there's always a temptation to stay a bit too long. Other people always have nicer food and cleaner houses, too, don't they?
Nice to get away for the night as well, even if it was to the frozen north.
This week Hubby is overseas with work, so he'll only be home for one night. No mystery machine outing planned this weekend.
He says he can't make it back on Friday because the military flight only goes on Saturday. l asked why he couldn't fly home on a civvie flight and be back f.. the whole weekend, but he said he could no longer fly on civvie flights from that location. Why, l wondered, thinking potential international crisies and emergent conflict zones? Because there are too many fat people on civilian flights, he said.
Hmmm. Well there's a sound operational justification if ever l heard one.

Hello again. I'm going to make this brief because I'm shivering at the kitchen table and desperate to go to bed. No, I'm not going to turn the heating up - are you insane? - I'm just going to do the sensible thing and go to bed in woolly socks and a cardi.
I only wanted to tell you about the mystery machine. Oooh yes, we bought a camper van at the weekend! It's just a diddly little one (a Mazda bongo),  but it's got a cooker and a sink and a fridge and everything. All we need is a few dodgy looking monsters and ghouls to unmask and a comedy chase montage involving swiping hands and cobwebs (oh, actually, we've got the cobwebs - the cleaner has quit - can't say I blame her: some jobs are just too much of a challenge...).
So I've been feeling very Thelma-ish this week. I may take to wearing purple mini-skirts (or is that Daphne?) and glasses, just to complete the look.
The other exciting thing that happened this week is that my husband sent me flowers and chocolates. Nice huh? So it's been a pretty good week so far (yes, apart from not having a cleaner and having to do the housework myself, and then failing to do it and then feeling guilty about not having done it). What excitement will tomorrow bring? xxx

Twenty years ago this month, I first went out with my husband (yes, a bit later on I chucked him and wafted off to Africa for a year, but let's just gloss over that bit for now). When we were due to go on our first date, I had a hideous cold, so - instead of a hot date - he made me spaghetti bolognese and tucked me up in bed with a box of tissues. For me, that first spag bol was more romantic than the biggest bouquet of flowers or posh meal. I'm telling you about this now not only because it's 20 years since the event, but because it has influenced another relationship.
I mentioned the spag bol thing to my Wednesday class, adding that my husband has now taught our 11-year-old son to make it, because clearly wowing the totty with home cooking is an invaluable life skill. Today, one of my students said that the story has changed her marriage. She's from Taiwan, and married to an only-child man. When she got married, her mother-in-law took her aside and told her to remember that once she was a wife and mother, there would be no time off (I know, what century are we living in?). However, when she was ill over Christmas, she told her husband what I'd said about the spag bol incident, and even though he was utterly flabbergasted at the idea of a man doing any kind of domestic nonsense, he did cook and look after the children for her, so that she could get better quickly. She says now, even though she's better, he'll get up and get breakfast for the family. It has transformed their home life.
So, Hubby, if you read this, I salute you! x

Ooh la la. That was xmas then. And in the words of John Lennon, "What have you done?"
I'll tell you what I haven't done. I haven't held back on the chocolate or booze. And I haven't had any fasting days either. So it's going to be back on the soda water and sugar free gum sometime this week. However, I have also seen some family, vowed never to see some other family ever again (don't ask - or if you do, ask in secret), sent back two versions of my xmas present (the first one was too small so I sent it back for the next size up, which was also too small - could this have anything to do with my xmas choc n' booze frenzy, I wonder?) and am currently awaiting delivery of the third incarnation, just in time for the hols to finish.
Hubby has gone back to London. He's done a splendid job of looking after me recently. A virus has left me partially deaf and dizzy - I think it's called Labrynthitis. I'm going to try to get to the doctor this week, but you know, trying to get an appointment is like oh, I don't know, trying to do something very difficult (sorry, all out of imaginative similies right now).
I've just had yet another go at my PhD proposal. I've been accepted, but I need to get funding or I can't afford it, and writing a funding application is as tricky as getting a doctor's appointment when you want one, or finding a christmas present that actually fits (see, I got there with the similie thing eventually). At least feeling too dizzy to get up and do the ironing has been good for something, though. I've read all of Stephen King's 'On writing' today, as well as doing my third draft of the PhD application. The deadline is Thursday. I do so hope the nice people at the Arts and Humanities Research Council will decide to give me some money. I'm worth it (I would say this whilst flicking my hair with a coquettish look on my face, but my hair is all greasy from a day in bed, and, as Hubby pointed out, a little bit grey and in need of a boost of Nice n' Easy golden auburn  - or whatever is on special offer at the moment).
I was going to start tweeting in 2014, but I think I'll put it off a bit longer - there was a feature on Radio 4 the other morning about social network addiction, which played to my Luddite tendencies. I'll get round to it at some point though, and I'll let you know when I do. Cheerio and Happy New Year xxx