New filling. Mouth tastes of metal and there's been a few twinges. My dentist's dad died last week and he's wrecked tired trying to catch up with work and all the emotional stuff too. Poor sod.

I hope he did a good job.

I have started my piano lessons and have got past the initial enthusiasm to the point where I'm questioning if I really want to learn to read music. My teacher is still trying to work out what to do with me (as I'm not interested in my Grade I-XII, or whatever) and gives me little things to do like write a little tune or transcribe this bit of music. I begged not to be made play scales and he spent a good portion of my last lesson talking me 'round. Oh, I can see the (eventual) benefits, but they are very boring! Both to play and listen to. But I'm intrigued by the fiddling I'm doing and Anna has started playing bits out of her long discarded piano books, so it's worth it.

Must get the damn thing tuned though.

I rescued the stereo form the car crash in the last episode and will attempt to install it in my car. I see a future without a working stereo anywhere, with dangling wires and perhaps the occasional spark. We shall see.

My DIY inclinations are not restricted to the car, oh no. I really have to stop the taps in the bathroom dripping. They are driving me insane! There's wallpapering to be done (I'm in big time avoidance with that, and this seems to be working as there's talk that someone else will be doing it soon) and some electrical stuff too.

All good clean fun.

There is an advertisement that is causing people to rant on air and otherwise currently showing on the TV and radio. It is a financial institution offering people the change to get themselves into debt to finance their offspring's desire for a house. The pitch is that the parent would do anything to help, if only they knew where to get ~20K. So the building society says why not re-mortgage your house and give them the leg up they need. Equity release, they call it.

Anyway, people are incensed that they might be expected to go into debt for their children. And I understand, people won't or can't or don't want to or whatever, but it's only an ad! It's not a law. It's no worse or more insidious than your average soap powder advertisement. People who don't want ideas put into their little darling's head have other problems, as far as I can see. If you're unable to say no, it's not the building society's fault.

It's not a new thing to help your children out. There's always been the site given or the few grand for the deposit (it's a known factor in the house price market -- middle class areas have slightly inflated prices because of it), so the banks and the like are just working a new angle. They have for years been encouraging elderly homeowners to do the same for a conservatory or holiday (you can't take it with you, you know), but it seems to be more objectionable to not be selfish, to do something for someone else.

It's the young you know. No one likes them.