splendid saturday

Yesterday was particularly good. No doubt to an outsider it would have seemed uneventful, but I really enjoyed it.

First up, we discovered Au Revoir Simone. You can hear four of their tracks on MySpace. My favourite is Stay Golden, which is the one which plays by default when you load the page. It's deceptively simple, but discrepancies between the vocals and the backing make interesting complications. Their new album, the Bird of Music, will be released next month. Presumably the similarities between the cover photograph and the famous poster of the tennis player with no underwear are deliberate.

Next, we had a visit from a representative of the Renewal Area which we live in, to confirm that we can have our loft insulation increased to 10" thick at a cost of only £50, and cavity wall insulation for a further £50. The full cost of those two measures would be at least £600. I've never been eligible for any assistance like this before, so it's great news.

Finally, I cooked gammon steak and chips for tea, with peas, fried egg and pineapple, and, though I say so myself, it was very good. Yes, I know it's not a healthy meal, but, once in a while, as a treat, I reckon it's OK.