Claire from the UK posted a question on yesterday's blog, which I thought I should answer here, because I get asked this all the time.

Q: When is the UK release of the Tide Lords series?

A: God knows.

We are "in talks" as they say in the movies, with a major UK publisher, but nothing has been firmed up yet, so I can't go into details. Publishing, I have to say, is not the fastest industry on Earth. Actually, it moves at a pace roughly equivalent to frozen molasses on a cold day in Antarctica. So, don't hold your breath...hehehe

I can confirm that the Tide Lords series will NOT be published by Orbit.

If you're living in the UK and desperate to read the series, you'd be better off buying the US Hardcovers through the UK Amazon site, try eBay for second hand copies or you can purchase the Australian paperback editions through www.galaxybooks.com.au

But while we're on the topic of Orbit and UK publications, on a brighter note, Wolfblade is really doing well in the UK and went for yet another reprint last month. Yay! I love getting those little reprint parcels in the mail every couple of weeks.

Today I bought a new kettle.

Of course, I'm the original Gadget Girl, so it's not just any old kettle.

This one changes colour according to the temperature of the water.

The kettle's water window illuminates and cycles through a colour spectrum according to the temperature of the water.

Which means when you're boiling the water, it doesn't just sit there waiting to get hot.

It does this:

Shiny.

I know. It's truly self-sacrificing of me to keep buying gadgets like this... but Kev told us to spend up big.

Just doin' my patriotic duty, y'know:)

Well, Who fans, the wait is over. They have just announced that the youngest ever Dr Who has been recruited to the ranks of the Time Lords, 26 year old Matt Smith.

I'm not sure if he's enough to get me back watching Dr Who. I have something of a love/hate relationship with this series. When I first started watching it, Jon Pertwee was The Doctor (wow, that's called dating yourself) and to me none of the subsequent Doctors have ever really quite measured up. I remember the old series fondly, but mostly because that's easy to do if you haven't seen it for a while. It really is rather dodgy when viewed through eyes spoiled by everything that happened special-effects-wise, after the original Star Wars came out. (Another reference that will date me horrendously...hehehe)

Anyway, when the new Dr Who was lauched, I liked the first series, thought Billie Piper was great as Rose, and I kinda liked Chrisopher Eccleston as The Doctor, but never really warmed to David Tennant's Doctor for no reason I could ever put my finger on.

I loved the idea of Captain Jack (and John Barrowman), but I never got into Torchwood at all. Too much crying and shiny-eyed hugging. Too many "don't do that agains" after making momumentally bad and/or selfish decisions that put the whole world at risk. Too many people endangering the universe to get a bit of nookie. The first season lost me very quickly (and yes, I watched it all) as one after another, each member of the team risked the destruction of the entire planet because they were getting laid, wanted to get laid, or hadn't been laid in a while.

Anyway... back to Dr Who. Not sure I even have an opinion on the wisdom on the new Dr Who choice, although if you're aiming at a younger demographic, it's probably a smart move. I think this series is lost to me, which is a pity becaause I used to be a fan. Really. I am... er was. I even have my very own remote controlled Dalek.

I think my brain has been eaten by small alien microbes and turned me into a vegetable, because I'd rather watch America's Most Smartest Model.

That said, I did eat breakfast this morning totally absorbed by a fascinating documentary on the Science Channel on string theory...

Maybe all is not lost:)

Remember I found a show the other day called "America's Most Smartest Model"?

I thought that was bad enough.

Now I've found another show to top that. Animal Planet is starting "Groomer Has It" on January 17. It's the Shear Genius of dog groomers.

I've seen the first episode. It's priceless train-wreck TV.

Where do they find people to do these shows? I'm not sure what's more crazy - the dog groomers crying into their clippings because they got cut (oh, yes, that pun was shamelessly intended) or the host who stands there with a perfectly straight face and says, "you are kciked out of the dog house".

I don't know why everyone is worried about the economic downturn. We really should be looking at what's on TV and really starting to panic:)

It's all Bruce's fault.

We're taking him on holidays in a couple of weeks. The reason Bruce has to come too? Well, if we left him at home he'd pine too much for Secondborn, is too scared of strangers to put on a plane or in a kennel and we'd have to adopt the houseminder for a month before we left, so Bruce wouldn't be too stressed when we're gone, if we want him to be OK with a stranger in the house, even if the stranger is a locum vet and more than capable of looking after the idiot dog.

Easier to take him with us. Trouble is, the Prius will fit Bruce or our luggage, not both.

So I bought something that will fit both Bruce and the luggage. A shiny new turbo diesel Nissan Xtrail.

The colour of the one I bought is "precision grey" probablay because "dark metallic silver"  was too, well accurate a description.

It has all the usual bells and whistles and a sun roof.

I can't wait to see us tooling down the highway with Bruce's head sticking up out of the sunroof, jowls flapping in the breeze:)