Good weekend?

Mine's been fairly relaxing which I needed after a long fortnight at work. I've even managed to shift the nasty cold that decided to take up residence in my body this week.
Yesterday saw a parcel arrive for me...CDs this time, not books. So I spent the day listening to albums by The Sleeping Years, The Low Anthem and The National- all very good and made the task of doing my housework that little bit more enjoyable.
Today I've had a flying visit from Voley (did you know voles can fly?- well this one can). We had just enough time for lunch and a trouncing at scrabble (unfortunately this time I was on the receiving end...I have to let him win occasionally)- a short stay but a pleasure as always.
Tomorrow, I'm off shopping. I want some new curtains so I will be fabric hunting. I also want some new lights...and a new desk...and a new DVD recorder...oh, and a new kitchen. Sounds expensive so I think I might just go to the book shop instead.
Then, it's back to work again on Tuesday. Hope half my staff aren't off sick this week, I hate this time of year.

Smile

I've been playing my music loud today to try to distract myself from the tedium of housework. I am sadly finding myself listening to my iPod more these days rather than my vinyl- I feel a little traitorous but it's so much easier when you don't have to keep turning the record over. There's still something nice though about vinyl- different colours, shapes, picture discs- and I love singles on vinyl , something I have never bought on CD. Anyway, I will get to the point of this short ramble. Are there songs that just make you smile? I know we all have songs that we associate with certain events in our lives (and being prone to being a little sentimental at times, I could reel off plenty), but how many of them actually elicit an emotional response? 'Where's Me Jumper' by The Sultans of Ping makes me smile everytime I hear it and today I found myself dancing around like an 18-year old whilst doing my dusting. Yes, it does remind me of my many Monday nights as a 17/18 year old spent at the student night of our local nightclub, but so do many other songs and, although being associated with good memories, they do not literally make me smile. R.E.M.'s 'Losing My Religion' is another song that makes me smile- again it is associated with a specific memory but why, like 'Where's Me Jumper', it should elicit that emotional response I have no idea. Answers on a postcard please.

Death of the cassette tape

I have collected my new car today. I successfully managed to contain my excitement over the last week but now I am like a big kid at Christmas! I think I may just leave it on the drive to look at and commute using public transport so as to avoid dirt, scratches and dastardly children trying to climb over it (I am sure that is how my old car got a dent on its bonnet). Or maybe not.
I have also finally entered the technological world by having an integral iPod dock; no longer will I be playing compilation cassettes on my car stereo. I love my iPod but I will miss playing some of my old indie classics that were copied from 7" singles (yes, I am afraid I am a vinyl junkie). Must search around for some of them on iTunes, though I fear some may just be too obscure.
I'll leave you with a couple of photos of my Beetle.