I mean, scales? Quite apart from my honest conviction that they're the devil's invention and that she at least really has no need of them (I've never understood her morning and evening ritual of weighing herself, seeing as that both she and my sister are reed thin)-- how prosaic a birthday present can you get? Even if I ask the sales assistant to tie a bow around them, they're still...scales!
I know I'll probably end up buying the damn things anyway -- she never wears the jewellery or the perfumes or the scarves I've given her in lieu of what she asked for in the past, but why do I have to have a mum who's so aaaarrgh practical all the time? Going shopping for household appliances? Not my idea of fun.
Beside which, it's raining. In fact, it's pouring down. And my trainers aren't water-tight. And my hair's a mess. And I'm going to have to spend the rest of the day cooped up with my aunts and cousins, some of whom I haven't seen in years. If I don't see people for years, I think it's fairly accurate to say that I'm not interested in seeing them, so all in all, I don't think I'm having an especially good day today.
It started off alright, though: sitting by the fire going over
As introductory chapters go, it has a nice, melancholy feel to it; and I can tell it's going to be angsty. No snarky Spike yet, but I'm sure he'll find his way into the story before too long.