Ugh. I've now been awake for over 12 hours after having to get up at 4am to drive up from Bristol this morning. 4am. Four AM. FOUR am. It looks evil in every incarnation. Myself and early mornings do not mix. Myself and early mornings with 5 hours spent on the motorway before my usual wake-up time definitely do not fucking mix.

And the reason I didn't come up last night as per usual? Because I've properly lost my key to the northern flat. I thought I'd just left it down south all last week but I turned the place upside down (and the car too) and it's not there. Estate agent doesn't have a spare (W*nker!) and girl 2's mother passed away on saturday so she's not coming into work yet (which I think is fair enough...)

Worst case is when girl 2 gets back and I can get in the flat and confirm that a) it's not there and b) the local northern monkey police don't have it (already checked that southern bastard police don't have it) then the front door security lock will need to be replaced at my expense - plus over 20 special keys. Almost not worth taking this contract in hindsight....

Plus points of weekend included seeing that cat 2 has been in every day for a whole week (this after she's been in the flat maybe 5 times in the previous year) and I got to see her on saturday and sunday. Cat 1, of course, never ventures more than 3 steps from his food bowl...

Also went to the National Franchise Exhibition at the NEC on saturday to scope out a few business ideas. Nothing that floated my boat particularly. Had a much more productive chat with GGTW1 on sunday morning in the local upmarket caff, so plenty of research to be done yet.

Downside was that my final australian tree (grown from seeds I brought back from melbourne botanical gardens in 2000) is dying. It's stuck in a room with lots of light, warmth and moisture but not being able to look after it on a daily basis is hampering my efforts. Girl 1 is a self-confessed 'pot plant killer' when she tries to look after plants :-/

Still no news on second niece/nephew but I admire it's dedication to the lie-in....