Clothing Catastrophes

What is it with me and clothes, lately? Everything is wearing out, malfunctioning, etc. I am going to have to take a flying visit into Oxford tomorrow to get some things.

I think in some cases (holes in socks etc) it is my own fault for buying cheap from Primark. So tomorrow I am going to go to M+S and buy some. I don't really like doing downstairs in M&S in Oxford, it's all drab grey and depressing - and that's just the clothes. Most of the customers are dressed in similar. Generally with M+S I'll stick to food, but I have to say, for socks they are your best bet, they'll last for years.

I've always had a fondness for black canvas jeans. This goes back to my gothic days (yes believe it or not, I was one for a while in my teens). I used to buy these from Watsons in the Covered Market for £10.99 back in 1987. So I was quite pleased when I found out that Primark sold some very similar trousers for just £6, over 20 years later. But I have not had a huge amount of luck with them to be honest. The first pair I had, the zip jammed in the down position one day (when I was DJ'ing - thankfully not at a kids party), and had to be chucked. The pair I am currently wearing has, as so many of my pairs of trousers do, worn out between the legs.

It's always under the right ball where they go, never the left, perhaps I'm a bit bigger on that side, I'll have to get wifey to take a look when she's finished watching the Olympic coverage.

The other things that infuriates me is when pockets go. My beloved pair of Next shorts are going to have to go, because the pockets have worn through. It's all these fiddly little 5ps and 1ps working themselves into the corner and wearing out the lining. I have had huge problems with pockets over the years.

Someone needs to invent some sort of internal pocket device to prevent this, or just make them stronger. Fed up with throwing out clothes for this reason.

So - after I have got my socks from M&S it will be off to Primark for some £6 black jeans. Even though the last two pairs failed me I will still buy more. Well it's only £6 after all. Then I will go to Next and get some new shorts. Don't mind splashing out on these. That pair that the pockets went on cost £35 but they did last me 4 years, so that's value I reckon.

Then I just need some new trainers - which has to be Vans or Animal - probably Animal, I can't keep out of that place. Don't need any more T-shirts for now though I do need to get rid of some. For some reason, some T-shirts I buy seem to get progressively shorter and wider. Ending up like cropped tops. On purchase they are fairly rectangular in shape but by the time I have finished with them they are square.

Once the gap between the bottom of my T-shirt and the top of my jeans becomes visible, I have to do what's in the public interest and chuck them out.

Hardly a day goes by without us hearing of the death of somebody famous, and one almost becomes immune to it, but every now and then, one dies and I feel genuinely saddened.

Hot on the heels of the loss of two seventies Doctor Who companions recently (Caroline John and Mary Tamm) came the very sad news that there will be no more Twiggy in the Royle Family as Geoffrey Hughes has passed away at the age of 68.

He was one of those actors who I found hilarious, whatever he appeared in. Onslow, the slob in Keeping Up Appearances, and Twiggy in the Royle Family were both hilarious, but to me he will always be Eddie Yeats in Coronation Street.

Hilda gives the boys some stick,
note the famous flying ducks in the background.

For the benefit of younger viewers, long before Jack and Vera, there was Stan and Hilda. The most amazing comedy double act in soapland history, and when Eddie came to live with them as a lodger, well it was just television gold. Their laziness and schemes, Hilda's nagging. I'm very lucky to have many of these episodes on DVD, and say what you like about Corrie now, nothing will ever top these three.

Sticking with TV, as you know I've rather a large collection, but I'm always looking out for "new" shows and every now and then I discover a gem from the past that somehow I missed. As a huge fan of The IT Crowd I thought I would have a look at what else the makers of this show had done, and lo and behold I discover a previously completely unknown to me sitcom entitled "Black Books" made between 2000 and 2004, starring Bill Bailey (always good) and Tamsin Greig (underrated). Reviews on Amazon seemed very promising - and the entire box set was available at the bargain price of £8 - for all three series. Watched episode one tonight - hilarious. DVD bargains are becoming harder to come by but this was amazing.

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Jason xx