(Non)-planning; spring bunnies; shopping

Having been offered, and subsequently accepted, the job I interviewed for the OU, I am mindful of the impending need to live up there during the week, and possibly also to buy a car. At the moment, am choosing not to directly address these concerns but merely to respond to reminders of my impending move with inarticulate panic-stricken squawks. Attempting to plan a weekend up there with Ruth in a fortnight's time to pace the streets of districts close to Walton Hall. Typically, none of the Premier Inn's extremely elusive cheap offers are available the weekend we want to go, so I have booked us into the Travelodge. Attempts to find a cheap train ticket are also drawing a blank; even went so far as to look at National Express rates but, to my surprise, they aren't any cheaper. A bit rich, really, given that coach journeys are traditionally characterised by being uncomfortable and smelling of sick.

My line manager Paul, a keenly altruistic and fellow-man-minded type, spent some time last week coordinating Reading's strike of UCU members and subsequently spent two mornings standing by the campus gates handing out leaflets protesting about the proposed changes to the USS and to the cuts in the university sector. Agree re the changes to the pension scheme; have less sympathy re the protesting over our 0.4% pay award this year given that Ruth hasn't had a pay rise in three years - possibly the sort of thing that makes the public sector look slightly out of touch.

Went for a brief walk last Thursday in the University's Harris Garden, somewhere I have been meaning to explore in more detail. Only had time for a brief visit but intend to return soon.

Went into the living room in the house early on Sunday morning to hear what sounded like a rabbit’s teeth chewing on wood, but, for once, Harley was innocently sitting under the coffee table. Lola was nowhere in sight but after a few minutes trying to track down the source of the noise, I eventually removed her from inside the cupboard containing the DVD player and more importantly the wireless router and modem. Later in the day, we discovered that a crucial cable had been bitten through, so Ruth is now tasked with getting a new one. Luckily since moving to the flat I have my own mobile broadband connection, or otherwise far more of Lola’s fur would have flown.

The behaviour may form part of a more general liveliness Ruth has observed recently which may perhaps be related to the onset of spring. Apparently Lola has also been attempting to hump Harley, though, unfortunately for him, she has been humping his head rather than his lower quarters. Given that Lola is known to have borne a litter and will therefore no longer be wearing white to her wedding, you would think she would know which end of a male rabbit was which.

Met Claire on Friday evening for a lovely dinner at Prezzo; we were quite good and used a voucher for the food, but then of course blew that with a bottle of Pinot Grigio and an Amaretto each. Cunningly, that's probably what they bank on.

Ruth and I took the train over to Oxford on Saturday for a leisurely mooch. We had vaguely intended to visit the Ashmolean, but ended up just looking round the shops. Vague plans to buy new outfits for Dave and Hazel's impending wedding, as well as Ruth's sister Gail's wedding in July (given lack of any guests in common, we are intending to double up outfits for both) gave us an excuse to browse around the shops - unfortunately didn't see anything wedding-esque that we liked, but managed to spend £300 between us on clothes that had nothing to do with weddings, before calling in at The Grapes on George Street for a couple of refreshing drinks.