Paint dries faster than grass grows

Careful analysis over the past few weeks has lead me to conclude that paint does in fact dry faster than grass grows - I have watched each process like a hawk.

Besides the exciting scientific experiment above I have been spending much of my time at the Library (not stuck in volumes of educational material however- using the internet) and have started going to the gym again. The early morning running with Beth (eldest female cousin) suddenly improved this morning as I finished our two mile run faster than ever before, with a sprint finish and was barely puffing - looks like the gym work is starting to pay off (I have started a bit of muscular endurance work on the legs in preparation for Nepal - still a long way to go). So I'm feeling a bit good that my old fitness levels are starting to return, I was worrying that after such a long lay off it would be difficult to get back into it.

The weather had a cold snap last Friday which was expected to come eventually, but I wasn't welcoming it with open arms. But the change in weather has suddenly made me realise my severe clothing shortage - any cold weather in South America was counteracted by wearing 4 t-shirts under my jacket and carrying a big pack around. So unless I load my backpack with rocks and carry it around the tube in London - I'm going to have to invest in some new apparel. Thats where my newly employed personal shopper can step in, a perennial bargain hunter, ex-Monsoon employee of the year and the only person I imagine might have an interest in which rags I choose to drape myself in, Emma. She is however, no longer with us, she is in a new place now, a better place where she will be happy - that would be Uni in Leeds.

The last piece of news is that I'm going to head over to Le Paris (et mange escargots) for a weekend in the near future - £35 via bus, and I'll be sleeping on Rachel's doorstep (that would be Rachel Davies, aka DEST Budget Adviser, AFL star and serial alcoholic - is she still on the DoFA website anyone?? Her proudest moment, awarding herself the PUMA award, for those that remember).