Ten Things I Need to Purchase for my Holidays.

*Aka: Another Shopping List.

1. Netbook and a bag for it. I have now purchased (today, eek) the netbook—a Dell Mini 10v. The biggest dilemma was the colour. I thought I had decided on cherry red, but when I saw the jade green option as I was ordering, my resolve was put into question. I decided to text V—— for his opinion; then I spun the mexican bean game top (with its equal number of sides of red and green writing, it is, I have decided today a perfect way to decide between 'go' and 'woah', or between cherry red and jade green) and got green, yay, the best of three red, mmm, then best of six red, mmm, don't think I want red after all; then I googled 'cherry red or jade green' and got a blog where a man had exactly the same problem and chose green because his wife said it was good for his eyes. V—— texted back with red and, poor thing, got a 'but don't you think green would be nice' text back. So the green one is ordered. Now I will just have to decide on a bag. I think I like the ones they have at Borders, made out of wetsuits. They are quite funky and not terribly bulky.
2. Bike shorts. Plain, simple, un-nappy-ed bike shorts that you see all the time until you actually need to buy some and then no-one stocks them. This seems a common experience amongst shoppers and supports a theory that the world doesn't actually exist. How can everyone be looking for something that isn't, all of a sudden, available, and there still be things in shops? Unless everyone is looking for the same thing, which seems unlikely. Everything is obviously just a figure of my imagination. But why then is my imagination sabataging my need for a pair of bike shorts—isn't it MY imagination. Who's controlling this thing?
3. Roll mat. I am in love with my new roll mat. It's like a big feather bed, only it's not. But compared to the piece of cardboard I had before it is divine—soft, airy and warm.
4. Olay cream. It moisturises and protects from the insipid (not really) rays of the British sun. I keep lying. But it is a little bit true, the British sun is a different, less painful sun. This is a lie that gives you cancer I know.
5. Advil. I love advil. It's red(ish) and it makes bad things go away.
6. New Undies. (No, you do not need new undies. Every single thing that happens is not an excuse to get new undies.)
7. Walking Shoes. As opposed to walking boots. I fancy getting some of the Keens we looked at on the day of the Melbourne Romp. It was like a day couldn’t be complete for women without a shopping bit at the end. The Keens are ugly but they look quite comfy and would serve as hiking shoes if I am feeling footloose.
8. Large Silk scarf. Idea abandoned for this when I realised that in this country a large silk scarf is one of three things: hard to get; expensive; and; very tacky colour wise. I wish I hadn’t lost my lovely sarong. It was the perfect scarf/towel/cover-up. This was an idea to replace it. it can’t be replaced.
9. Teeny-weeny shampoo and conditioner. For my teeny-weeny hair. No need for quantity here. Not enough hair, not enough days when I wash it, and even teeny-weenier bottles of shampoo and conditioner in most B&Bs.
10. Sequins. There will be one sequin for every kilometre on my spotty dress. The further I go the shinier I’ll get.