"First" sign of Halloween?

There is something I forgot to blog about last month: during an afternoon trip to a nearby town, I stopped at the WHSmith near the station (and yes, I am well aware that it has been rebranded, but I don't care, it's WH Smith for me). And what did I see, by the till? This. These things. Halloween stuff. In freaking February. Granted, it was most likely stock from last week. All the same, it reminds me of the Halloween to come and, although I try to enjoy the present time, I do like to think of my favourite holiday way in advance. It put me in a good mood.

Farewell to the local WHSmith

 Sad bit of local news: our WHSmith branch is going to close down soon. Now, I was never really that much into the business:it is meant to be a bookshop, but in reality it's a glorified stationary shop. Be that as it may, while I don't buy books there, I find it useful for everything else: presents, greeting cards, wrapping paper, pencils, the odd chocolate bar. So yes, that's not good news. Apparently, it may survive as a much smaller WHSmith, like the one you find in airports, so with far less choice. Except books, ironically. But I already have a local bookshop for that. So yeah, it's not great and to my surprise I think I will miss it.

History of Britain's Railway

I don't like WHSmith much, I refuse to call it a bookshop even. I think it is pretty much a glorified stationary shop, with some books on sales here and there. That said, sometimes, just sometimes, you find something worth your attention. So last time we went to one, I saw this History of Britain's Railway. I did not buy it, even though it was "only" £10. I already have a big pile of TBR books. However, I will keep this book in mind for future birthday present lists.

Nerf Guns on sale

I went downtown yesterday, stopping at WHSmith for a few minutes. I did not buy anything, but I noticed that Nerf Guns were on sale. Well, the sale got quite successful, as you can see on this picture. I don't think I would have bought one, but if they re-stock, I might put it on my list of birthday presents. Wolfie and I played played with Nerf Guns at one of his friends' birthday party and we had a blast (no pun intended). I think it lacks to our weaponry here. And by "weaponry", I mean the cheap plastic toy guns and swords I bought him over the years.

Wolfie's New Penguin

We are the first day of Advent, Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat and we are now the happy new owner of a penguin. Long story short, last weekend, we went to WHSmith to buy a few things. And my wife and Wolfie saw this cute Penguin, with a Christmas jumper. My wife said: "Should we buy it? It's half price!" I replied: "Isn't it a bit early? Wolfie has lots of teddies already. And it's probably still going to be half price in two weeks anyway." WOlfie was not listening. He held the penguin in his hands and said: "I'm calling him Antarctica." So my wife: "Well, not he already has a name, so..." So of course we bought it and she uttered a new great unknown line. Now the penguin changed name twice since we purchased him, from Antarctica to North Pole to Poppy, or maybe he has all these three names. Be that as it may, this is Wolfie's new penguin and our new addition to the family's menagerie. He cost us about £5 or something, a bargain, so I can't complain.

One birthday to prepare

Soon it will be Wolfie's birthday. I should also add that it will also be is maternal grandfather's birthday (his daddad), as they share the same birthday, but truly, once there are children in the picture, all other birthdays get somewhat sidestepped (but daddad does not mind one bit). So it will be soon and this has been keeping us busy for a while. We have been preparing it for weeks, buying presents, a bit too many probably and asking Wolfie how he'd like it to be. Yesterday, I went to buy wrapping paper at WHSmith. It dawned on me on how imminent the celebration is now. Wolfie is very excited, but I think we are just as much.

Risk

I saw this a few months ago at WHSmith: a good old box of the classic Risk board game, with an epic cover image. I was tempted to buy it, but didn't in the end: there aren't really anybody I could play at Risk with. Now this is not my favourite board game, nevertheless it has a special place in my heart. Back in the days before video games and before I started doing role playing games, there was a time when Risk was one of the main source of fun on a rainy summer day. I remember how excited my brothers and I were when we first discovered that my parents had a box. We played so many times then, the three of us or with friends, after my father explained the rules to us. I don't know what attracted us to it, if it was the megalomania by proxy that the game makes us feel, or hidden violence (we play a world war after all, with world domination as a goal), but did we enjoy playing! I would still love to have a go at it one day.

Time to book hunt?

If it looks like I blogged about it before, it is because I did. Recently at work, my colleagues and I discussed about the struggle bookshops were into, because of online shopping. Then there was this post by fellow Montrealer Kevin Burton Smith on his blog, which reminded me that I had not been in a bookshop for ages. We have here a W.H. Smith, but it is more like a glorified stationary shop. The rest are charity shops and, while you can find sometimes treasures, it is mostly poor quality paperbacks. I am longing to go to a decent size Waterstone's, where I can use my card, or Olivieri in Montreal, or Chapters in Ottawa, or... Well, anywhere I can find a decent choice. I want to book hunt. Sure, I have plenty of books, more than I have time to read. My books are scattered in two countries and no less than two cities and one town. Still, book hunting is a ritual I need to do from time to time. It is an overwhelming feeling like real hunting is for the hunter.

Time to book hunt?

I know that my bookshelves are crammed, full, cracking under the weight of books. But most of them are books that I have read already and the few I did not I intend to read them...in due time. I guess what I mean to say is that I will need to purchase new books before Christmas. Of course there is also the local library, but I have exhausted most of its interesting titles for the time being. That means it is time to book hunting. It usually happens around this time of year if I don't want to run short.

My problem is where to go. This town has no proper bookstore. There are a few charity shops that sell them and a W.H. Smith that is, well, a typical W.H. Smith, therefore a glorified stationary shop. I usually like Waterstone's, but its bookshops are uneven and the ones that are in the nearest towns are not very good. I am tempted to go to Oxford or even London for one day and spend it book hunting. Book hunting is pretty much my favourite shopping activity, so I am looking forward to it. I just need to find the right time and find it soon.

That "Back to school" feeling again

I went quickly to WH Smith today, a retailer I often dislike. Like last year at about the same time of the year, the cashier gave me a 20% discount for any school products. At least it was not as early as July this year. Still, I find it too early in August. The voucher is valid from the 16th to the 209th of August. Enough to remind me that school holidays are passing by.

I am glad I am not a student or working in a school anymore, because the feeling would be worst, but it is still there. I hated the "back to school" feeling I had as a child back in August, seeing the advertisement on display in every shop. The holidays were always too short. I am not on holiday yet and I still have the "back to school" feeling.

Back to school already?

I went to WHSmith today to buy some notepads (I rarely go to WHSmith to buy books as they hardly have anything interesting, especially the shop here). After I paid for my things, the cashier gave me a 20% back to school voucher. I was shocked. I mean, already? I have been on holidays for barely more than a week and they already give back to school vouchers? I am not quite on holidays yet and they already want to give me the August blues. Okay, it is going to be August soon, but still. I guess I should be glad they don't advertise Christmas yet. Still, this is awfully early.

Okay, a few more minutes to prepare tomorrow's interview and I am closed for the night.