[phew...]
So, I manage three hours sleep, then drag myself out to take Kai to school, then to the carpet shop to pay the invoice (via the cats' charity place to pick up some cards; they had a very pretty little pinkish-purple silk phalaenopsis, £2.50, to which I treated myself - and forgot to take a photo. Must do that tomorrow...) Back home via Sainsbug's, rang Ruth (the Treasure Hunt is on for tomorrow! Yay!), painted the darkest bookcase in the blue gloss (wondered about doing all of them, but decided the pine-coloured ones are a nice contrast), then picked up Quyn's prescription on the way into town (the vet is ill, so the appointment's postponed 'til next month).
[takes a breath] Bank for cash bags, Hawkin's Bazaar for a last minute couple of small things for the Hunt, W.H.Smith's for envelopes (and I forgot to use the bloody vouchers we've saved up, dammit!) and Wilkinsons for bath foam for Kai and shower gel for Ken. And while I was there I checked downstairs for blue/white pots for the maranta and scindapsus - finishing touches for the landing and stairwell.
They'd had a new delivery of new fabric orchids...
While drooling over a spray of the most gorgeous deep purple laeliocattleya I caught a glimpse of a deep bronzy red tucked away at the back....
A paphiopedilum. The biggest paphiopedilum I've ever seen - the flower is bigger than my hand...
£7.99.
Of course, it just had to come home with me.
(I'll keep my fingers crossed the laeliocattleya is still there next time I go in.)
[sigh] It's beautiful - in a Little Shop of Horrors way (says Ken). I've been looking for one for well over a year now and had almost given up hope - it's not the prettiest of orchids and not really much in demand. So I'm absolutely delighted!

I was naughty, too...
You've probably realised by now I don't wear a great deal of jewellery (jade, peridot and emerald in my ears, jade and amber beads, and peridot-coloured crystal in the other piercings. Yes, I like green gemstones. Particularly jade!): when it comes to necklaces my jade dragon won't hang quite straight, which irritates me, and the jade cicada, which I really like, is so big and heavy it's not comfortable to wear for any length of time. I've been keeping an eye out for something just right for several years now, in an on-off way.
Anyway, the last time I was in town on a Friday I checked out the Friday Outdoor Market at St Nicks - lots of stalls selling all sort of specialist jewellery, clothes, artwork etc - and found a Chinese stall (it's where Adrian's birthday present came from) selling jade jewellery. One in particular caught my eye - a chunky jade 'fretwork' pendant of a koi carp with three 'cash' coins on a bronze and olive green silk necklet. I fell in love with it, but couldn't afford it at the time.
I decided that if it was still there the next time I was, I was obviously meant to have it.
Heh. It was there. Reduced in price too (to £15)! So I bought it. But it's supposed to be my Yule present, so I'm not allowed to have it yet. I'll try to get a photo tomorrow though.
So, home, couple of client site updates, washing, shower, dinner - then a cycle's nap as I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer - and I've just finished making maki zushi for tomorrow. Time to do something creative!
As a final note I must say that I am disgusted, wholly and entirely. The Body Shop have sold out to L'Oréal. L'Oréal!! The company's a quarter owned by bloody Nestlé (I cannot adequately express how much I loathe and despise this company. We refuse outright to buy anything from them or any of their associated companies.) Can we say betrayed? Apparently Anita Roddick is making something like £130 million from the sale, the traitorous bitch. So much for ethics. It seems it was all about the money in the end. I hope it chokes her.
I will not be buying from the body shop again. I'd urge anyone who feels the same to write/email expressing their disgust and also switch to someone with some ethics - like Lush.

Addendum: the body shop's email is UKCustomer.Relations@the-body-shop.com. Email them before they take it down.