Entry for 3rd February, 2008

Welcome to the Blog of the Kindly Cuppa
40 Cups of Tea With 40 Friends
is my goal in life.
And it must be done before 10th July.
Click here to find out why.
If you would like to be my friend and earn a QCT (Qualifying Cup of Tea) then let me know.
No. of QCTs to date: 4
I hate it when my Significant Other drives my car! This has nothing to do with macho nonsense about women drivers. Frankly, she is a much better driver than me, and empirical data tends to suggest that she is far less likely to back their car into stationary objects than I am.
My annoyance is more to do with territorialism. Once I lived on my own in a house. I had the whole house to myself. I had my own bed, my own living room, my own patio. My own life really. But with the coming of marriage and children my sphere of influence has gradually shrunk. The living room now doubles as a playroom, and you are lucky to emmerge from that room without a stickle brick embedded in your foot. The kitchen - once a haven where one might enjoy a relaxing glass of wine whilst a casserole simmers gently - is now a battleground. Sugar Puffs litter the carpet like unexploded mines and the High Chair Zone is currently patrolled by a UN peacekeeping force.
There is nowhere in the house that I can call my own any more. But there is one last place that is truly mine. The car - my own little piece of lebensraum. After I trundle out of the driveway (pausing only to swap insuarance details with anyone daft enough to park nearby) I am truly on my own. It's my space. My music plays softly on the stereo. I am happy there. I can imagine myself to be the last of the gypsy kings, setting off on some grand adventure (although I suspect that a trip to Morrisons was never high on the Gypsy Kings' list of priorities).
This little metal box is my domain, my dominion. So you can imagine my ire when it is invaded; the intense irritation at all the tiny adjustments to rear view mirrors and seat position; the downright fury when I discover that the radio has been reset to Real Radio (which as far as I can tell only has 6 records on its playlist).
A stand must be taken.