I took the day off work and de-christmased the house yesterday. It wasn’t so much the taking down the decorations that took the time, it was the finding places for all the toys to live. I’ve decided that next year we will put out an edict that any gifts to our children must not be over 0.25 cubic meters in volume and preferably be stackable. Which may prove a problem if Amy want’s a bike.
Of course such rules will not apply to me. As second in command to the supreme leader, my position in the household grants me certain perks. For example I am allowed to stay up as long as I like, have pudding even if I haven’t eaten all my dinner, and am allowed to spend my Christmas money on whatever crap I want.
My parents and my in-laws, who all very generously showered me with cash this year, may want to look away now or else run the risk of feeling compelled to tut and shake their heads. Because while I did buy a few practical and sensible presents for myself (waterproof coat and trousers, and a couple of walking sticks so I can emulate my hero Oli), I also went a little mad at the Amazon.co.uk DVD sale:
Just in case you can’t make them out that’s:
- Sherlock Holmes Complete Jeremy Brett TV series collection.
- Agatha Christie’s Poirot collection 4 & 5
- The Complete Jeeves and Wooster (series 1, 2, 3, & 4)
- Babylon 5 series 1 & 2
- The Phil Slivers Show (Sgt. Bilko) 18 classic episodes
- Morecambe & Wise series 3
- The IT Crowd series 1
- Visionaries complete collection
- 300
- Casino Royale
In my defense I must point out that all of these were absolute bargains and I fully intend to get my moneys worth out of them. I’ve been a very busy beaver ripping them to my iPod, and am pretty confident that my viewing will be sorted out for quite a while to come.
But that isn’t all I bought. On Christmas Eve Oli lent me a portrait lens for my camera, a Canon 50mm f/1.8 if that means anything to you. I fell in love with it instantly (mmmmmm blurry backgrounds), unfortunately I have to give it back to him today as he’s going back up to Scotland. I therefore scoured the internet and, taking advantage of the current weakness of the dollar, bought one from the American branch of Amazon for a paltry £35. Another bargain!
In order to avoid paying import tax I had it delivered to my friend Greg in the USA, who agreed to post it on to me labeled gift. I thought myself very clever indeed and was most smug in my self satisfaction at beating the system. Until, that is, Greg published a photo of his daughters “processing” the parcel:
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. That man is a comedy genius.
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on Jan 4th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Avitable’s last blog post..Big Turk
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on Jan 4th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Miss Britt’s last blog post..Calendars are for sissies.
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on Jan 4th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Nina’s last blog post..Poise? Really??
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on Jan 4th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
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on Jan 4th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I have a Pentax 50mm f/1.8 I would have been glad to sell you for say £34. And my shipping/packaging department is surely to be more trustworthy.
zoe’s dad’s last blog post..Y2K+8
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on Jan 4th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Please send the $10,000 fine to my address.
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on Jan 4th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Wait… h My God, is that Jeeves and Wooster… it is… (checking out Amazon) it’s how much? Where did I put my card?!
Bec’s last blog post..Outbreak
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on Jan 5th, 2008 at 12:24 am
Jeff’s last blog post..It’s left for me
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on Jan 5th, 2008 at 12:57 am
Mr. Fabulous’s last blog post..?I think it was Diet Pepsi??
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on Jan 5th, 2008 at 4:37 am
Whit’s last blog post..I’m Lonely (But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet): Take 2
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on Jan 5th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Still, I bought the Jeeves & Wooster DVDs for my girlfriend – practical thinking, now I can watch hers.
Rol’s last blog post..Working for the cash machine…
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on Jan 5th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Miss Britt – We strike a happy medium and relegate toys to the attic. Then once or twice a year I take Amy up there and let her bring down a few things. The attic has now taken on mythic proportions in her mind.
Nina & Bec – Jeeves and Wooster is a work of genius. the TV show isn’t even half as funny as the books, but it is still magnificent.
CamiKaos – Amy and I were sitting behind a rather heavily tatooed man on the bus the other week and she said loudly “That man has been drawing on himself, he’s very naughty isn’t he daddy”
Zoe’s Dad – It’s tempting, but i don’t think it would fit on my camera. Maybe if you included a roll of duct tape in with the price.
Phil – The check is in the post. $10,000? I guess I’ll have to go without my snickers bar tomorrow morning (got to love those exchange rate jokes).
Jeff – I steal my tires
Mr Fab – This from a man who’s favorite movie is Dirty Dancing (ok, it’s probably not, but I couldn’t think of a witty comeback)
Whit – I’m sending you Mr. Fabulous’ adress. Please go beat him up for me.
Rol – A cat? And a mouse? Surely that’s a recipe for Tom and Jerry style hijinks?
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on Jan 5th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
The visionaries dvd reminds me to order that one…as for a camera..I think I’ll just buy one in the store instead of letting hammering kids go at it.
Arjan’s last blog post..Merry christmas & a happy new year!!!
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on Jan 8th, 2008 at 6:01 am
(un)relaxeddad’s last blog post..My head hurts – miscellany
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