Friday night, after work, I headed over to Bothwell [a small village full of "posh" people in Lanarkshire] with Olly and the we'ans. The Bellshill Salvation Army Band were playing carols with a local church choir... and I got rope in to sing... which was fun. It was freezing cold but somehow very pleasant.
On Saturday we all split up and came back together :: Olly went to Glasgow to play carols with the Band... the girls had their Sunday School party... and I had 90 minutes to "charity shop".
I am a consumer... I admit it openly... but an alternative, subversive consumer. I raid charity shops and pride myself on my bargainista credentials. Bellshill, where my church is (I live in Motherwell) has some fab charity shops... including our own Salvation Army shop.
I could easily have jumped in the car and headed to the nearby retail outlet... but I decided to invest my time in Bellshill. I wanted to be in the parish, so to speak.
I managed to pick up 7 books and 1 CD for less than £4. Tolkein... McCall Smith... Klein... and a fab CD of Gregorian Chants (see the photo). I surveyed my spoils in the local Post Office's cafe with a pot of tea and a cake for £1.50 (which was a shock to someone used to Starbucks prices).
I kind of feel guilty... the books cost approximately 50p each > I would have spent more on each but didn't... hence the guilt. I now have the full "No 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series (completed with this trip) and haven't bought one from a normal retailer. Am I partly responsible in the decline in independent book shops and record shops? I hope not.
I picked up Olly and the we'ans... and we headed home for "Cheese & Bread Pudding, peas and chips" followed by some chilling out together. Sometimes you just have to stop.
Later on... I headed out for ((deep)). I picked up Ninja in town... happenin' on the new American Apparel store next to Urban Outfitters > Its fab. I like their unbranded aesthetic > clean.
It was late when I got home... weather was terrible but my heart was singing with joy. ((deep)) is happening and I had/have a part to play in that. God is good!
Sunday was interesting. Olly headed out early to join her Band on a wee trip to Forfar to take part in some carol services in the area (Forfar and Kirriemuir). It was me and the we'ans... all day.
We somehow managed to get to church (Olly is the organised Drill Sargent of the family). There were about a fifth of the usual congregation there > not solely a result of the Band being away.
After church... we headed over to Borders for a magazine and a coffee in Starbucks > the girls got magazines and I had a coffee. There is something deliciously ironic and subversive about reading a second hand copy of NO LOGO with a Starbucks latte in a bookshop.
Later on... we headed home and watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire together on the couch.
We then somehow managed to get to church at night... in which Alec tried something new > seeking congregation participation with the thought > he sought our opinions, which was nice.
Olly arrived home late (after 2330hrs) with a Forfar Bridie > pure steak goodness from the East coast > loved it... but it didn't love me during the night.
The weekend flew in... as all the best weekends do... but this one felt good.
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