...yes, slugs, snails and worms all over the flippin' pavement. What's worse is that it's dark outside so that leaves me scouring the ground ahead of me to ensure I don't tread on any of the blessed things. YUCKY!!!! As a result of this, you can often see me dancing all over the pavements like a loony when I'm on my way home. I just hate hate HATE the cracking sound a snail shell makes when you stand on it. And I HATE the slight slip that happens underfoot when a slug goes to the great saltpot in the sky, via the sole of my shoe. It really makes me shudder...

Number of squashy invertebrates avoided:
- Slugs (5)
- Snails (13)
- Worms (2)

Longest worm encountered:
Approx 20cm

Number of snails on front step alone:
8

Ridiculous!!!

From the Metro newspaper 23rd April
"FIRST TIME BUYERS: Please move along - you're blocking someone's view"

So this is how it feels to be me! Along with thousands of others no doubt!

I'm still contemplating buying a place of my own but even since Christmas I've noticed the rise in prices. Now I've started thinking what with the expected increase in interest rates next month, maybe I should stick with renting for a while. After all, I've only been waiting two or three years for the housing market to crash already, I'm sure another two or three won't hurt....

The trouble with all of this is that damn Sod's Law. You know what I'm talking about, "Anything that can go wrong, will".

If I don't buy a place, prices will continue to rise, if I do buy a place, the housing market will undoubtedly crash as soon as I move in and put my feet up on my new IKEA coffee table. It's a bit like supermarket queues isn't it. You get in the shortest queue, but just before you reach the till, one of three things happens:

1. The kid on the till is about 12, and the couple on front of you are having a massive party and have bought litres of booze, for which the kid has to get permission to sell....


2. The woman in front is old and doddery and either can't count her money or (even worse) hasn't got enough to cover her shopping


3. The till roll runs out

Ems cartoon strip - www.thelondonpaper.com
By Em Smedstad

This cartoon strip is *so* me it's scary.....

People think I'm really lucky to be able to work at home three days a week, and I guess I am....I can work in my pyjamas, I can go for Doctors appointments that only take 45 minutes out of my day rather than having to take the whole morning off, and I can work out in the sunshine if I like....it's all good.

BUT the downsides are - missing out on invitations to go out with friends for lunch or after work cos I'm not in town, starting too early and finishing too late, and my #1 crime of all (and I've really only got myself to blame for this) getting into a bad habit of checking my work emails last thing before bed and first thing in the morning. Yes, even at 3am when I am drunk. Good job I had the foresight not to reply to any of them.

So, next time you think someone is 'really lucky' to be able to work at home, spare a thought - it's not all great!

....just going to check my emails.

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