So the move has started and my feet burn and ache. Which is amazing as I was only lifting things as opposed to running a marathon. However, as part of the move, I'll now be offline from anything up to two weeks, which will suit Girlpants to the ground as he may just get more attention. But given the state of the new house as we left it tonight, it may not be the type of attention he either craves or probably deserves, as floorboards are cracked, wiring needs to be redone and I could distinctly see sunlight though the slates in the loft.

Meanwhile, the tropical fish have appeared to have survived the move initally but there may be changes when we go back in the morning. There are more big things to transport in the morning and there is yet another tank to move, plus two feisty fat cats who will in doubt start riots in the avenue before the month is out. A marvellous way in which to meet the neighbours, as I discovered as Girlpants attempted a maneovour in a tail lift truck and promptly causing tail backs in both directions as he became wedged in our drive, the neighbours brand new car and the pillar between properties.

On a different note, was I the only one who found the BBC testcard clown doll sinister??

We now have a moving date so are in the process of packing up gité de la haskell-dowland and are on our way to the manor house. Not that we could afford a manor house what with British prices for the south-west, however it's bigger and older than our current home so my ideas of grandeur are kicking in with great effect. Smoking jackets and decanted port are at the ready, however whilst I like the idea of the new house, I hate the notion of packing!

Just how many books can you accumulate in just three years? I have an inkling of an idea now so am now rethinking the idea of building up a library in the annex study. Don't even start on the question of clothes as I will have the proverbial field day about a womans right to choose, which would explain why men take a small overnight bag for a weekend, whilst a lady is armed with a suitcase, half a dozen change of clothes and four pairs of shoes. Whilst a mans right is his castle, a lady has her wardrobe which would be protected at all costs with kitchen implements at the ready.

Packing up the house has made me realise just how much stuff we have. PC's, gadgets, glasses etc. It makes me wonder if we're the only household in Britain with five big boxes of dvd's packed up and counting?? Some still have their wrappers on and the amount of dried food I've found that expired months ago makes me wince at the waste as I cook and mash it up for the local birds.

The harshest thing about moving is missing certain things. Like sky, or tiVo, which Girlpants is threatening to leave behind a couple of weeks or even broadband which is going to be difficult to port. With addiction to email and the internet is now a recognised psychological condition, I am not looking forward to the notion of being consigned to the internet wilderness for two weeks. Purgatory doth live in devon, and it may just make me pull my hair out.

For the last few years, I've been growling under my breath at old historical buildings in my city being torn down for new developments. Plymouth is a very old port which has the Mayflower Steps, the Royal Citadel and the old Elizabethan Barbican and I really do belive that you should keep and maintain historical buildings and try to maintain some air of Olde England about. Especially as the oldest part of Plymouth, the Barbican, is now the place to go for a subway, coffee or for drinks on a night out.

Admittedly, my homecity was bombed severally during WWII - second worst to London apparently, so a lot of the old city which American visitors now come to see in homage to the Pilgrim Fathers has now gone. Post-war, there were a number of quick builds which didn't really have any thought put into it's architecture, but they did make brutal statements to observers, including the local civic centre, which now the council wants to pull down and gave the go ahead for demolition last week.

Only now they can't.
As offficially English Heritage has granted this building Grade II status, which made me chortle so hard when I read this first thing in the day, that I fell off the bed.

And before you ask I swear on all I hold dear, that I didn't petition the English Heritage...
But I wish I did now! Not for the extra tax - just for the laugh!

Waking up to Chris Moyles inthe morning is the only thing that can get me out of bed.
People may find him loud, crude and rude, but he's far better than some other early morn DJ's. Plus he 'paid' for my honeymoon.
Brucey bonus!

But his shows for the past couple of mornings have left one tune in my head.
And it just won't go away. For three sodding days...

But at least I'll get some exercise joining in.
Plus he looks a bit like Paul Potts with glasses...

Sim - Happy fathers day dad - what could be the best gift you could wish for?

Father - A grandchild!

Sim - Nuh Narrrhh! Try again.

Father - For someone other than a pip squeak with pipes* to win Britains Got Talent

It's only been on a for a single solitary week, but this reality tv, hailing back to ye olde 80's variety telly, has been uber addictive. I'm loving it as much as Big Brother 8 (although admittedly I have been in mourning since Lesley left). However, the judges inability to see past tiny feet and tiny people and go for the cliche did get on the proverbial t*ts. So tonight, I have been laughing my socks off whilst watching the live final and thinking of my fathers wish. And okay - so it only took several dozen (rather expensive) phone calls to clinche it - but I think I did. And I did it for him. My dad.
That and my sanity as Bessie made my teeth ache...

Roll on the American series!

* I should mentioned that if a grand-rugrat decides to go for next years show, my father reserves the right to support aforementioned rugrat to the end. And slap any one who insults the rugrat with a cold wet haddock.

Double standards? Never...!!?!

There's a new terrorist group folks. More extreme than the Judean Peoples Front or even the People's Front of Judea, and scarily enough, they're just across the bridge.

The Cornish National Liberation Army (CNLA) has raised it's profile for Cornish independence by threatening to firebomb Jamie Oliver and Rick Stein for alienating the local people. After all, it's not like they don't hire local people in jobs nor bring tourists to the county do they?? As celebrity chefs, they must have caused war, world hunger, made local house prices sky rocket as well as the price of cream teas. And to retaliate, they are now also threatening second home owners within the county (which admittedly they have a point on as the locals can no longer afford homes in their own home towns) as well as Anglo-Saxons who have moved in 1500 years ago, occupied thier lands and taken their women, cider and money!

A sympathetic Free Kernow wrote on the Free Moon Forum

"Cornwall is OCCUPIED by the English and has been since about 1536... Now since the war they have FLOODED into Cornwall. A definition of war crime is replacing an occupied people's land with the occupiers own people - that is what is happening in Cornwall, Scotland and Wales and happened in Northern Ireland. Interesting you can see some parallels -what is Cornwall except the Gaza of the indigenous Britons? STOP THE CORNISH GENOCIDE!"

Now now, Free Kernow. We all know your real name is Reg and you're 14 with a slight pimple problem...

Admittedly, Cornwall is if not the most, then amongst the most deprived areas within the UK. The local businesses depend on seasonal tourism and with out of towners snapping up old farmland, seaside and country homes whilst not living in the area, there's no real stream of money coming in whilst local people can't even afford to buy flats let alone houses. As businesses, they have to try and compete with Big Ears who incidently doesn't pay Capital Gains tax and Corporation tax but posted profits of £14 million last year. The GDP is 62% of the national average and Cornwall is one of four UK areas that qualifies for poverty-related grants from the EU (European Social Fund).

Now, I'm not claiming Free Kernow is a member of the CNLA. But he does share some of their sentiment for independence and probably helps to spray paint the Kernow flag on any English heritage signs near the motorways. But I would like to make two points to readers who are members of the CNLA who sent the email to the Western Morning News this morning.

1. Surely your name should be the Kernow National Liberation Army?
2. And your email was written in English...