BB's

This was supposed to be the day most of the Christmas shopping would be done. Didn't happen, though.

A frustrating start in town got things off on the wrong foot, so it was much later than planned by the time we got to Blanchardstwon shopping centre. We should have gone to Dundrum. It took 35 minutes to get onto the N3 slip road off the M50: chaotic tailbacks had me moaning and groaning and put me in a bad mood. Things improved in the first shop we went in to, and I got a perfect gift to begin with. But that was just about the extent of it, apart from falling for sales patter from a gang of guys who'd set up on a temporary basis and were flogging remote control helicopters. They made it all seem quite easy and simple and straight-forward, but ages spent back in Carl's place persuaded us that there was no way the young kids we'd earmarked them for would be able to control them. Oh dear. Better luck tomorrow, hopefully, with the planned follow-up expedition.

At least I stumbled on this cheery reminder of one of our top blippers.