untold blisses

I haven’t had the internet for over a week.  Sadly, with my tech support/Husband overseas, I had to make do with just my data allowance on my sparkly new Nexus 5X, which I very quickly blitzed through.  So what have I been doing without my beloved internet?

Working
I started my new job on Monday and so far, so statutory.  I’ve been reading insanely long government documents, and trying to decipher wordy guidance.  It has not been the most fun ever.  It’s also very daunting that I now have 8 people working for me.  8!  I can’t even count all of them!  Next week, I move desks and do yet more reading, and maybe one day I’ll be able to finish something I start without having to go to a meeting or getting distracted by a Very Important phone call.

Shopping
My parents took me to the Ashford outlet last weekend where I compulsively bought some new Skechers.  I don’t even need them.  Ashford was actually a bit disappointing and in no way matches up to my trusty Swindon outlet, but it was good to have a change.  I’ve also bought a lot of Tatty Devine, including two wishlist items.  Ooo, and the Liberty beauty advent calendar which is tempting me from the bedroom as I type.  When is it December?

Brunching
Like the trendy, young people we are (ahem) Tim and I went for brunch at The Refinery at Bankside.  We’d been there once before for his birthday which was most enjoyable then and brunch was equally enjoyable.  I was very surprised that it wasn’t really busy – my pancakes were delicious and not expensive so it’s surprising to me that we walked straight in.  I’ll definitely be going back for yet more pancakes.

Culturing
After brunch, we visited the Tate Modern to see the World Goes Pop exhibition.  I hadn’t really considered that most of the Pop Art I’ve seen and appreciated is American and British, and this exhibition showed stuff from all over the world – Asia, the Middle East, Latin America.  It was political, feminist, folksy and all very mind-expanding.  Many vaginas with mirrors, including some in a beautiful room byJana Želibská that I really liked.  The final room was really disorienting – repeat pattern wallpaper by Thomas Bayrle which made my eyes dizzy, sexually explicit films which a bunch of gay men seemed really into, and a radio advert on repeat which almost drove me insane.  Lovely bit of neon by Chryssa Vardea in there though.  We then had a lovely walk down the river, and sat outside the Oxo Tower until we were frozen having one of our legendary conversations.    

More shopping
As we made out way into one of the Tate’s shops, I told Tim a fascinating story about how one of my biggest regrets was the day I didn’t buy a Tatty Devine/Tate necklace that I saw in the shop years ago.  I could see the jewellery cabinet was still in the same place it’s always been in, and thought I’d have a look at their current selection. AND SAW THE REGRETFUL NECKLACE!  I hesitated for a moment – originally £160 and now at half price, it was still more than I’d budgeted for the day.  But Tim’s wry knowing smile gave me all the encouragement I needed, and I snapped it up – the last one they had.  He really is a bad influence on me.

Buffy-ing
I’m now done with my Buffy rewatch, having watched almost 2 and a half seasons in the last three weeks.  Angel’s on hold for the moment, mostly because I couldn’t be bothered to chop-and-change the DVDs in the drive.  I forgot how ridiculously melodramatic season 6 was, and how season 7 all runs into one.  I could never remember the difference between “Bring on the Night”, “Showtime”, “Get It Done”.  The whole middle of season 7 was just pointless.  However, I do still think “Once More With Feeling” is one of the best episodes of television of all time.  And 7 improved dramatically when Eliza Dushku turned up.  God bless Faith.

Waiting
But the waiting is now over, as a very jet-lagged Husband has returned.  I got to the airport way early as I was far too excited, and then burst into tears when I saw him walk through the arrivals hall.  The relief at finally being able to see him, be able to talk to him, is almost overwhelming.  He crashed a couple of hours ago as the time difference has broken him, but hopefully we can quickly get back back into our happy routine.