The new computer that I was going to get last week will be in the shop next week; also, the loving superglue repair job I did on my nice old sandals didn't take.

So as a compensation I went out and bought not one, but 2 pairs of sandals, one brown and one covered in red raw silk (I tried about 15 pairs of footwear, believe it or not, including a pair of dressy stilettos with the highest heels I've seen in some time and which I would never wear, just for the hell of it.) Also 2 skirts: one long, medium-wide and "taupe" (which is really grey) in linen/viscose mix which almost makes me look like a normal person, and one knee-length but about 360º wide in turquoise cotton which is silly but cheerful. Also 2 burgundy pillowcases (cotton/poly mix, but they were €2 and I figured if I can't stand the material I can always use them as bags) and 2 headbands (brown and black). Didn't buy the American Civil War-style hat. Total cost: €40. I like Penney's.

...and now I'm being totally heretical and doing something I would probably be ashamed of if I wasn't going native here in Ireland. I'm drinking a glass of nice Sicilian red wine with lots of ice and some water. Don't tell the Godfather.