Mathew Browne

My stupid laptop decided to go into an infinite loop of rebooting at the Windows screen yesterday. Six hours, 10 frantic phone calls to Liam and the technical support people, and four additional Windows installations later, I managed to get into safe mode to back up all my work. And what happens when I turn the laptop off and reboot again? Fucking works perfectly doesn’t it. Quite what the sodding problem was in the first place, I don’t know.

I spent the rest of the day preparing a 25-page defence to my ex-landlord’s counterclaim. (Granted, 15 of those pages are merely documents I’m including, but still) I have written confirmation from the letting agent that I never signed either inventory, and they also sent me copies of visual inspections done during the tenancy which basically say that everything was in good condition. They’re also working on providing me a reference of good tenancy, which should surely work in my favour. Feeling a lot better about the case now, but not resting on my laurels that it will go my way.

The missus is shelling out £8 a day to get a peak hour zones 1-3 travel card, seeing as the goons at TFL (that’s Transport For London for all you provincial types) have failed to deliver her student card. How nice of them.

This is now officially the longest I’ve ever been away from Wales. Over six months and counting. In my late teenage years I grew to hate living there, but going back to visit is nice. Plus, there’s the obvious benefit of Mum’s cooking. Mmm.

My Mum always cooks far too much on the off chance you’ll be hungrier than usual, and takes it personally if you don’t try to eat yourself to sumo proportions at the table. Kinda like Mrs. Doyle from Father Ted. She once cooked 20 chicken drumsticks for 4 people, along with a huge amount of vegetables and about two pints of gravy. It was lovely though. I’ve made myself hungry now, and it’s only just gone 9 in the morning.