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Dumbledore and the Leaky Wall.

Watercolour study of oak leaves.
I'm typing this while waiting for a builder arrive.  An ominous horizontal damp patch has appeared along our dining room wall.  Judging from the ridges in the plaster beneath the new-ish wallpaper, this has been a recurring problem for some time.

So next-door's builder came in to offer his opinion, and he pointed out that the damp course along that section of the house is too low to the path so it can't do it's job.  One option would be to jack-hammer out a trench "soak away" beside the wall and hope the old damp course would then work ok.  He recommended that it would be easier to simply install a new damp course.  The spoiled plaster needs to be replaced, which means the radiator has to come off first.  Also, an original Victorian downspout has rusted through quite badly and needs replacing with a new plastic one.  It's a pity to lose the historical one but carbuncles of rust are bubbling through the paint along its entire length so it's obviously come to the end of its useful life.

I celebrated so-called "Black Friday" by ignoring it completely.  As I see the issue, something is only a bargain if (a) you actually needed the item, and (b) it's a quality product at (c) a genuinely reduced price.

At the same time, I've been busy giving Spooky Cute Designs a major overhaul.  My online store now has a new layout, making it even easier for people to find what they want.  New designs have been added and there's an entirely new range aimed specifically at people interested in arts and crafts.  I've also assembled a collection of goods for the home so these can be found in one place rather than scattered throughout the various ranges.  Take a peek and let me know what you think.

...Ah, my builder's just arrived.

We've been working our way through the Harry Potter films again, watching them in sequence, one each Saturday.  Last night's film saw Dumbledore die.  Richard enjoys planning these mini film seasons, running through a theme.  We've been working our way through the entire X-Files for nearly four years.  Right now, Mulder has been abducted by a UFO and Scully is working with the guy from Terminator.  And we're about half way through a film noir boxed set of oldies which have been excellent - good, solid plots and believable characters.  I really like the way the female characters were written.  Too many contemporary film roles for women seem insubstantial, as if the main topic of interest in a woman's life is the man she's with or wants to be with.

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