Is it wrong to find this so funny?

And what about this?  Even funnier.

I’m really mad for one of these pens right now. I’ve been aware of their existence for  many years, but suddenly I have decided that this would be the PERFECT pen to just always kinda keep with me.  Perfect accompaniment to little notebook or my red diary.

And the fact that they’re a design classic doesn’t deter me one jot, surprisingly.

Other colours are available. I like the matte black too.  Onto the list it goes.

I was walking from the kitchen to the lounge, when I saw My Antone dashing out of the lounge towards the bathroom.  He reappeared seconds later with a clutch of toilet paper.

“Whatcha doing?” I asked.

“You don’t want to know,” he said, ducking down the outside of the sofa nearest the wall.

“Oh, have you found something… from the cat?” I wondered, not getting any closer.

“Like I said, you don’t want to know…”

“It’s a hairball is it?” I asked again.  With this he reappeared from down the side of the sofa, little tissue parcel held tightly in his hand.  He gave me a glare which communicated silently, “Like I said…”  And with that he headed at a canter to the bathroom, and I returned to the kitchen.

I heard the toilet flush and he came into the kitchen a few suspicious moments later (I think he’d been examining ‘it’), and I was the first to speak.

“You’re right! I don’t want to know. We’re about to eat and if it’s gross I’d rather…”

“No, it’s ok,” he said.  “If you want to know it was…”

“NO!!” I said. “I don’t want to know.  You were right. I DON’T WANT TO KNOW.”

He tried to start a sentence a couple more times, but I was to fast for him by countering with a “Don’t!” or a sing-song “Not listening!!”

Eventually though, he broke through, shouting over me: “IT WAS A PRETZEL!!!”

I’d been eating pretzel chunks the previous evening on that end of the sofa.  Now I could remember dropping one and thinking “Oh, must pick that up later.” And then I forgot.

Ooops. Emergency over.  Cat remains blameless. FOR ONCE.

I bought a couple of these Spork thingys in Eddie Bauer recently. They were in a jar next to the till, and although I generally refuse to be tempted by that spur-of-the-moment purchase shopkeepers try to get you with as you’re paying, well…what can I say? They got me.

I just thought what a lovely design.  Simple, ergonomic, stylish and effective. Okay, so you might not be able to cut steak with it, but for a bowl of pasta, some campfire sausages, a slice of cake or an avocado, well it works a treat.

Multi-packs are available in Target.  And the full range by manufacturers, Light My Fire, is here.

• MacCarthy, Fiona. Eric Gill. Faber & Faber: 1989.
• Tonello, Michael. Bringing Home the Birkin. HarperCollins: 2008.
• Conran, Terence, et al. The Bibendum Cookbook. Conran Octopus: 2008.

Alexander McQueen

March 1969 – ­February 2010

• Update: Suzy Menkes’  thoughts. (International Herald & Tribune)
• Update: Hilary Alexander’s thoughts. (The Telegraph)

Sounds good so far…

“The makeover seeks to create an “intimate private jet experience” taking inspiration from high-end U.K. carmakers, BA said, its designers previously having created leather-rich interiors for Jaguar and Aston Martin.”

Yummy.

“The revamp features bed seats that are 60 percent wider at the shoulder, a personal wardrobe, leather-bound writing tables that convert into dining tables, a 15-inch entertainment screen, noise-cancelling headsets and the first electronic blinds on a commercial airliner, London-based BA said in its statement.

The design harks back to the 1920s and earliest days of luxury air travel, the carrier said, featuring its coat of arms throughout and a color scheme in cream and “Quink blue,” a shade named after fountain-pen ink brand. The beds will incorporate a sprung mattress that moulds to the body and 400- thread Egyptian cotton sheets, quilts and pillows.”

Moulds to the body…  Oh to fly First Class BA.

“Passengers will also get an Anya Hindmarch washbag and toiletries from 200-year-old London pharmacist D.R. Harris & Co.”

Full article here.

Isn’t this the coolest little thing? You pop your tea inside, then add hot water.  Perfect tea.  I guess what you need to accompany this though is a glass mug, so that you can see the sub in action.   Device available here.

This is an interesting development.  Air New Zealand has showcased its new design for economy class seats which will allow passengers – who have already established some degree of intimacy with one another – to lie down and stretch out together.  A platform raises up from behind the calves of seated passengers to form a “Skycouch”  with enough room to snuggle.   The plan is that any couple wanting to snooze away in this manner will have to buy – at a discounted price – the third seat in their block.

I’m not sure if this is going to work. I hope it does, but I think there are going to be complications.  Air New Zealand though have no such qualms and have already announced the dates for when this will be come available on their LA, London and New Zealand routes.  Innovation in action.

The full press release including other details on the airline’s cabin makeover is here.