Today I awoke with a headache, by Ten a.m., my nose felt like a faucet. To add to my misery, my most ancient and venerable printer decided it was time to commit suicide, Lucky me!

Did the shopping, what a mess. Due to the school holidays and a combination of it being “Pension Day”, the car parks were full of “Ferrals.” That is a term I use to describe a certain type of prepubescent troglodyte, who delight in hanging around the entrances to the Shopping Centre, getting their Jolly’s by harassing the shoppers, in particular anyone in a skirt. I did have an interesting conversation with a very authoritive middle aged harridan, with two whinging kids over her beating me to a parking space. Under different circumstances, I would not worry, however this rather spritely female version of Arnold Schwartzer whatever, had parked in a parking area reserved for disabled drivers, and as a disabled driver I suppose I took umbrage at her distinct lack of etiquette. I at first politely, (me being gentleman), suggested that she not park there. Her answer came in a shower of spittle and invectives that would have turned a punk rapper green with envy. Rather than direct her to park at the end of the car park, where spaces were available, I merely suggested that as she most obviously was not a lady, she should park her car within an area of her anatomy, that until now had never seen daylight. I also suggested that there would be a distinct possibility, that on her return, the vehicle would be in a slightly different shape to the way she had left it. Needless to say, she moved and I directed a wheelchair driver into the space. For myself? I went to a different supermarket. The thought of her engaging in “Trolley Rage”, should we meet in the cat food isle, made the idea of staying, rather tenuous at the least.

By 2.30, I arrived home, with the shopping and a new printer. After putting the shopping away, my dear wife and I decided to connect the printer. This little job took about two hours. Mainly because the translations of the manual were a little indecipherable. Strange really, It is an American printer, Manufactured in Taiwan, and exported to Australia, in a box that was labelled in Katakana. I think the writing on the box should have warned me, But after my run in with Attila The Grump, I just wanted to get home.

We also sold a CD on ebay, a double CD that the customer had paid for. Went to pack it when we noticed that CD number two had been substituted with another one that had no relevance whatsoever to the first one. It seems that one of our little “Angels?”, had loaned it to a friend, no worries I thought, HA!!! The Borrower had damaged it and to cover up the mess had put a different one in the case. Luckily buyer is understanding and has accepted a full refund. Plus as a sign of goodwill we sent him CD No 1., Free.

My nose is about to explode again so I think I’ll go to bed. Today (it’s 1.30 a.m. AEST), I must drive my son’s Guest home to his mother. Seventy-six kilometres there and seventy-six back. Why can’t he invite someone who lives in the next block to stay over for a few days? Ooh well, goodnight.