I try. Each year (and sometimes in between) I try. I just cannot shop. I have no imagination about what would be a good gift and I think my (deeply repressed) puritan side is repelled by buying stuff in general.

That said, Amazon (UK version) has an order pending for me. DVD player and DVDs. Easy presents. I still have to get a good few others as we have twelve for lunch on christmas day and more besides.

Today is the eightieth anniversary of the founding of the state. Not much is said about it as it was a botch job which brought about civil war and while the sight of the British Army leaving for good and the Viceroy's house being occupied by one of our own would have been a welcome one, there was too much else going on for people to enjoy it.

A while back I was looking at our public holiday list and wondering why we don't have an independence day or some funky non-secular feast day. St. Patrick's day has become our national day but I'd prefer something different. Today wouldn't be it though. Apart from the general ambivalence, it's too close to christmas. St. Patrick's day comes at about the right time although it might be better a little earlier; the end of February say, when the days are beginning to get long enough and those that haven't killed themselves from boredom or some seasonal adjustment disorder would welcome a knees up and a day off school.

We should look into it.

I had been given a book token for my birthday and (as it is with the things) I was trying to find something in the shop that I could get for the four Euro odd I had left over once I'd picked the book I wanted. I found a copy of Hard Times and although I've always felt that I'd hate Dickens (too grim and I hate the character's names), I though I should give it a go. Twenty pages in and I was feeling very annoyed and for exactly the reasons I thought I would. So I gave it up.

But the other day I was looking for something to read while I partook of my (lonesome) supper and it was there so I gave it another shot. I was surprised to find myself laughing and while some of the things I hated about it are still there, there might be something to like too.

If I ever finish Mary Stewart's Merlin books, I might even see it through.

Today was a good working at home day. One of the things I like about working at home (apart from the sex at lunchtime) is that you can do domestic chores while thinking about stuff. So today I cleaned the kitchen while mentally wrestling with a problem and not only did I get the kitchen spruced up but I came up with a solution. Then I implemented it. And it worked!

This particular problem was a big deal for our lords and masters so I'm giving myself the rest of the afternoon off.

It's a pity Sally's not here.