After a lot research, test drives, and stress, we finally organised buying a car today: a 2004 Ford KA 'Collection' with a 1.3 petrol engine and in vitro green - more silver than green. The deal is done with the people over at the Ford garage - we just need to pick it up next Friday. Then I can start driving around all over the place, certainly to work and back which is the main reason for getting the car. I like this little motor; I hope I will get to love it! The countryside is now open to us to explore, that is if we can afford the high petrol prices. (internet picture.)Oh, I started my new job over a week ago and all is well so far. I'm doing some interesting things with geographic data organisation. It certainly looks like I will be able to expand my experience and skills in GIS. The car will help with the commute to Warwick and back. Only another week on the long train journey.
Last weekend, Carla and I went with our pal Mark up to the Wirral in Cheshire (near Liverpool) to visit our friend Mandy. The four of us attended the 'Space Port' attraction in Wallasey on Saturday: an interactive museum about space research. They were having a display celebrating recent science fiction/fantasy films. The thing that attracted me was that our friends Toria and Jo were working there that day. They are part of a group who dress up in science fiction costumes, such as "Star Wars" Imperial Stormtroopers, who move around the crowd at events looking cool and menacing and posing for pictures with the kiddies. Quite a fun way of spending the weekend I guess! Apparently they did a parade on the Sunday as well. As for merchandise, Mark bought a little snow globe with an astronaut in it. The displays were average at best, and the place looked a bit shabby, with some of the interactive displays broken and the sci-fi exhibits upstairs rather tacky. There were no original film props, and what was there were all rather poorly made. The Jar Jar Binks figure looked as if he was about to fall in on himself!
After that, we went for a very 'bracing' walk on the beach at New Brighton, a sea-side town at the mouth of the river Mersey. It was blowing very cold off the Irish Sea, so we left rather windswept! The rest of the weekend was spent at Mandy's house watching TV (such as the new episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" season 4) and eating, drinking and chatting.
There is a new piece of 'Monkey' merchandise out in the shops. In special packs of PG tips tea you get a 'Monkey' tea-towel and a fab little DVD where 'Monkey' explores the history of tea! A fun little movie to watch!
