Category Archives: Shopping

A sign

I’m quite excited about my latest purchase.

It should arrive in the next week or two. While I’d love to substitute it for the existing street sign on the front of the house, I’ve resigned myself to its location in the garden.

The subways of Washington

A few years ago, I considered writing a book, a pictorial book, about the subways of Washington (T&W, not DC). I have lots of pictures of Washington subways, but I’m now actually considering an alternative publication; one based on shopping trolleys.

I’d run with the title: the Shopping Trolleys of Washington.

I’ve already begun work on illustrations.

More may follow, in advance of my book.

Unless, of course, I revert to the original subway concept.

Man bike

For many years, I’ve looked down on folding bikes with disdain; after all, they’re simply not man bikes. I might have considered a Birdy at one point, but common sense prevailed.

So my obvious choice for a new bike had to be a Brompton. We may have bought a pair.

Perhaps it’s an age thing.

Dead men’s spectacles

While I always buy one or two regular pairs of glasses whenever I have an eye test, I tend to wear these only for work or around the house.

For my preferred glasses, though, I also buy frames from Dead Men’s Spex, a great site with lots of amazing frames. I tend to by rolled gold, small frames; mostly by Algha.

My current pair, from the late 1800s, are probably the best I’ve ever managed to find. They were ‘new old stock’, so unused despite being around 120 years old.

Sadly, they’re now getting a little creaky, so it was time to think about a new pair. There are a few pairs on the Dead Men’s Spex site, but none are unused.

So I’ve had to resort to a new pair of glasses. Fortunately, Algha are still in business, making glasses by hand in London. Ok, so they’re not quite the age I’d have liked, and they’re somewhat more expensive, but they do look very similar.

Crowdfunding

Having had a fairly recent experience of almost having my keyring multi-tool confiscated when visiting Court, I’ve (occasionally) looked for an alternative which would be unlikely to be impounded.

And now I’ve found one.

It has over a thousand (well, a few) tool uses and has no blade, making it airline cabin legal. And Court.

I’ve ordered a pair, so my second in command can, if she wishes, legalise her multi-tool usage. Delivery isn’t until April, and crowdfunding items are often delayed, but the cost’s very low.

More costly was our Sound Hero speaker. It’s already three months late, but the delay is the result of design improvements.

And it’s a cool thing.

Even though I don’t recall which colour we’ve ordered.

Sowts

When shopping in Asda, Peterborough, my second in command randomly declared that she needed to purchase some sowts (which could perhaps also be pronounced sowse). 

Now, my second in command has lived in the northeast for a few years, so our once occasional communication issues are now quite rare. Many attempts were made to convey the meaning of the word to me, but all failed. After a lengthy laughing session, my second in command found a way to explain the nature of a sowts. 

Bath salts.