Buy everything mode...or Wedded-bliss cliche No. 2

Today our surround sound system arrived...And amazingly this brought out the petulance in both my husband and I. Possibly this is because of the struggle with the usual lack of customer support/after sales that goes on in the British Isles...or it could also be the evil plot that is the installation instruction booklet, plus the tail end of a tummy bug each...whatever...we were not having a happy and joyful post consumption moment.

Now the opening statement in this missive should really be the big - "yea" of the event...because now that is working we are likely to sit in the lounge and say "oo" and "aw" about it! (Well once we are sure we have selected the correct remote! there are 3!!!).

It is strange that when you get married all you do is buy things...suddenly you are an adult and need stuff to go with your newly acquired adult status. So here we are in a flat that looked like the before shot in the "Flowers for Algernone" scenario (down to the bare light bulbs) and suddenly within a month there is actual decorating going on.

What is most intriguing in all of this is that it more my husband's initiative than mine - granted when I first arrived two years ago I was keen to start the feathering process...but after several discussions which ended (reasonably) in "we don't have enough money for that and a wedding" I let it drop. So when he was eager to get the new television I was left standing there like a tourist with my mouth hanging open! Even the suggestion of bookshelves from IKEA did not phase him (although the shopping experience was not all that a girl could want - think Navy SEALS, think "we leave no man behind", think specific mission with no side forays into other areas without intense discussion/negotiation).

So now, armed with our kick-ass/we-are-selling-tickets-to-our-livingroom home entertainment system, our bookcase, our new rug and a reallocated side table we have this properly decorated space...My goodness we even have the equipment for hanging the paintings and pictures received as wedding gifts. (Luckily I know where the nearest defibulator is at the local train station - I'm feeling woozy!)

So, sitting here typing on my newly purchased MAC keyboard, on the monitor accessed with the new KVM switch I find myself in an expansive mood and have that deeply satisfied feeling of someone who is in there castle and enjoying, unashamedly, their new stuff!

NOTE: All this is brought to you guilt-free by regular recycling, charitable donations, and many years of being denied fun by a student income level...Oh and flossing!