I've been a very busy bunny today

That's to say, I've been shopping, and not of the grocery variety.  What fun! Though taking a toddler into a changing room whilst I tried on various garments (speedily I might add) is not my idea of fun.  I used to relish the thought of clothes shopping, but nowadays it's all over and done with so quickly, there's no enjoyment anymore.  I'd been given this opportunity to 'spoil' myself you see - what woman wouldn't be excited by that prospect?  I couldn't get to the shops quick enough, but it was over in a blink of an eye.  I grabbed items that looked the right size off the rails and darted to the changing rooms as quick as a flash, trying to manouever a squirming toddler in a pram into the shop's largest fitting room.  Tops were flung here, there and everywhere whilst I quickly tried them on and then discarded them. Then I appeared triumphantly (if somewhat frazzled) with a top - hurray for me!  I had images of me buying wonderful things from the likes of Whistles or Reiss, but in the end I've ended up with something comfy and relatively child-friendly, and it matches all the other mumsey clothes I have in my wardrobe - Yummy Mummy I am not (unfortunately) :0(

Anyway, enough about my sad wardrobe.  I also purchased some beautiful gifts for my friend - if you're not too bored to hear/see:

 

And what will be her main present:

Some silver earings, which I love and hope she will too.

But, I didn't stop there. Oh no.  Off I traipsed to WHSmith, and, after falling out with their lift, I picked up the latest in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith, The Double Comfort Safari Club. This won't be on my bedside table for long. I wasn't very enamoured with his 44 Scotland Street series or The Von Iglefeld series, but can't get enough of Precious Ramotswe or Isabel Dalhousie from his Sunday Philosphy Club series for that matter.

Then it was off to The Works (discount bookshop) for a quick browse around - I've read a few blogs that have really raved about Barbara Pym's books, so when I saw Some Tame Gazelle and No Fond Return of Love I thought I'd give them a go.  The shop was offering 3 books for £5, so I had to try and find a third - I ended up with Peter and the Starcatchers which will be another book in Violet's ever growing library (perhaps I'll wax lyrical about my obsession with children's books another time).

So there you go - not bad for a couple of hours work eh?

One final question before I go.  Where did the respect for people and society go?  The things I heard and saw today beggar belief and it's heartbreaking to see.  Our world would be a much happier and peaceful place if respect for people and society was restored. I could really get on my soapbox about this.