Another tip, I think. If you are going to go hiking, then it's best not to seal your hiking boots along with socks in a tied up carrier bag for 9 months. Strange molds will form. These will wash out of your socks, but the hiking boots might get ruined... or seem so grim that it's not worth cleaning them up... they might have... oh I don't know... a carpet of mold inside of them.

I bought some new hiking boots today. I don't even go hiking. There's a threat of some proper walking this weekend, so I'm going to be prepared with my new boots. They fit in the shop, so they'll undoubtedly prove odious and uncomfortable on anything more than a brief wander across a soft carpet. I even bought the more expensive and apparently smaller pair. I think it's because the other pair reminded me of the pair I'd just thrown away. I hate the fact that I'm a creature of habit, so I thought I'd break out of replacing like for like, by getting a pair of shoes which didn't look like the last pair. Indeed, the pair I've bought should be more comfortable and should allow my feet to breathe while simutaneously keeping air and moisture off them. Good. We'll see. If I don't use them this weekend, perhaps I'll have to invent a use for them next weekend. I presently have no plan for next weekend. Maybe the plan is to walk somewhere and I just don't know it yet.

If feet can breathe, then surely it would be impossible to suffocate someone with a pillow over their face. Mind you, if someone's in a position to receive a pillow on the face, maybe they're in the bed and their feet are covered up. But then surely there's a lot of air under the sheets? I think the moral of the story is to ensure that your suffocation victims are wearing bed socks which don't let their feet breathe - just to be on the safe side.

It's been a weird couple of days in the office. Although I have a good sized team to work with, they're all not present for one reason or another. We have someone who has just had to have an emergency appendectomy. One of our number is off with a random lurghi. Another has a girlfriend with mumps and has taken time off to nurse her. This makes me wonder whether I ever left my ex-other-half at home ill when I should have taken time out to do the nursing. I don't remember. I'm sure I wouldn't have left an invalid alone at home raving in pain and blithely gone into the office and forgotten about it. I know, however, that I never took time off for nursing duties. Perhaps I've forgotten the exact list of ailments that were experienced when I didn't live alone. Ah well. It's irrelevant now. I'll make a mental note to advise people that nursing their partners is a good reason to take time off work.

This weekend should be fun. I'm off to a mystery location after tonight's rehearsal. Tonight's rehearsal may also be the last rehearsal that I have for South Pacific as I have to explain to them how unavailable I'm going to be over the next few months. If they still want me, I'm theirs. However, I suspect that I'm simply not going to be present enough for them to be able to take the burden of having me in the show. I may be wrong, and I'm happy to cram in as much time as it takes to do whatever I need to if they can use me when I'm free. Anyway, after the rehearsal, I'm driving to a location in Carlton, North Yorkshire. I've never been there before. There shall be much merriment. This may also be the site of some proposed walking. I've no idea. Anyway, after the rehearsal, I shall buy some food and drink and head south. I guess we'll play it by ear. I do that a lot.