The Curse Continues

Surprisingly, it's raining. I'm ready to sit back and do nothing today. Mills has pottered off to cricket with an understandably long face. I hopped on the couch and hit the switch for some brain-mushing entertainment.

Flick. Blank screen.
Change channels. More blank screen.
Look at remote. Bash remote between hands.
Nope, still blank screen.

Jiggle cords.
Unplug.
Replug.
Wail, "why does this keep happening to meeeeee?"to no one in particular.

Call TV-service provider. Apparently we have managed to sign up with the only cable provider in Northern Europe who cannot provide TV signal when it's wet weather. Which means that we should have TV for another 9 days this year.

I did feel sorry for myself, but then I remembered Mills is sitting under a tent on the side of a cricket field, hoping for a dry patch long enough to put the bails on the wickets. Jammer, neh?

So I got over it.

I've discovered that my desk at work has the best view ever. No mountains, trees or even a canal... in fact, it's just a busy intersection used by trams, buses, cars and bikes alike. What makes it so great is that I've been sitting there for two weeks and so far I've seen three bumper-bashings. My desk brings the ambulance chasing to me.

Hoot... Squeal...
*Donk*

Fortunately, most drivers here are so wary of hitting cyclists (I've been told that drivers are generally held liable if they take out a two-wheeler), that when a collision does happen it's literally a bump. *Donk*

The squealing tyres gives me enough time to turn around and witness the collision. I watched a cyclist getting bumped. The car stopped, the cyclist got back on his bike, they shook hands and both rode/drove away.

My favourite incident so far was a fairly substantial bashing between two cars. The drivers pulled over to the side of the road, inspected each other's damage, exchanged details... and then borrowed a broom from a nearby cafe so that they could remove the glass from the middle of the road. Civil duty at its best.