Armoured cars (by alaric)

I was on a train out to Gloucester today, and after leaving Swindon, a freight train passed us going the other way (back towards London). The alarming thing was that it was full of white armoured vehicles - with 'POLICE' and an Arabic word (presumably also 'police') painted on them. About ten of them or so, plus a number of traditional khaki canvas-covered military jeeps.

The armoured police cars were pretty serious things, something like this thing.

Haircut! (by alaric)

After not having been to a hairdresser's since somewhere in 2001, I have, in the interests of safety when working with metal, not getting it caught on things and hurting myself, not getting it blown across my face, and not getting it sticking to food between plate and mouth, I have had my hair cut.

It feels SO GOOD. Oh, and it will save in shampoo costs!

Free diaries (by alaric)

We get a lot of free diaries. For a start, the IAP sends me one a year; and Pizza Express send us one each a year.

And we use, between us, just one diary; I do all my planning electronically, but Sarah likes my IAP diary.

So I've got two 2005 diaries to give away - nice leatherbound things with little ribbon bookmarks in, lists of Pizza Express restuarants, maps of town centres (with Pizza Expresses marked!), an Underground map, and a little pouch about the size of an Oyster card. Anyone want 'em?

And now I've thought of this very clever idea, I'm going to be putting the next year's flock of diaries up online right at the START of 2006, rather than halfway through...

Second driving test – failed! (by alaric)

Bah. I was really nervous about the test, and had to do a reverse park right near the start, and fluffed it up. Didn't hit the kerb, but took too long nervously shuffling it into place.

Now, I've been practicing them reverse parks like crazy, and can do them really well in the Real World!

And although I was really scared about the test, I'm not particularly bothered about failing - I'm just very glad to have the thing over. It's the test I'm scared of; not failing... I think I need to have some tests that I plan to fail, in order to gain confidence for the one where I really try; and, of course, because I'm planning to fail the first test I won't be stressed, so will pass anyway 😉

However, I would really like to be driving before we move out to the countryside!

Planned new Tube lines for 2016 (by alaric)

This is interesting:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/downloads/pdf/press-releases/putting-transport-onthemap.pdf

Loads of new Undergound lines being planned, even way out here in Zone 6!