Archives and antelopes, but without the latter

I guess it is slightly ironic (or not, you may wish to discuss if you're into that sort of thing) that when there's not much going on is when I post the most (good rhyme). But once again, here I am, about to share with you good people. Wonders will never cease (indeed, they may well only get more wonderful).

Today dad and I went on a sort of father-son jaunt (although as I admitted to him, a major perk of the expedition was the free transport and lunch I got) to the National Archives, where the nation's important documents from the last thousand years are kept. We went on a tour given by a woman who was an expert in Latin (though, despite this, she seemed like quite an interesting sort of person) along with various other people of different shapes, sizes and senses of humour. Mostly it was a good intro into how you use this big place (anybody can get a reader's ticket and then order any document there, and within 20 minutes they can be handling some very exciting documents indeed). It may sound dull but trust me, the collection has literally anything you're interested in, from technical drawings of inventions for the patent office, to government legsilation, to the confession of Guy Fawkes and some impressively detailed maps. It's also a useful tool if your researching into family history. I will be trying to work out cunning ways to use it for researching into my dissertation next year, I think. Ok, I know, I know I'm 20 and male, I ought not to be getting excited by this stuff, but hey, I like to think it's what makes me, me.

Incidentally we found a book in the bookshop which was something like the Oxford Dictionary of Surnames. Unsurprisingly, the name Shervington was not there, so we remain quite rare (though I still hold out hope that we are descended from some wild Welsh clan). In fact, the other day a guy named Shervington was responsible for dropping the baton in a men's relay race and thus mucking up Australia's chances of a Commonwealth title. So there's a claim to fame - I cannot help but be proud to be a Shervington...!

Since I hold out little hope for getting any sort of job, plans are already being drawn up for the coming week. They include trailing (sorry, I mean willingly accompanying) my Mum around Guildford farmer's market, buying a new pair of glasses (possibly too if the two for one offer is still on - one of which I would dearly like to be black, thick rimmed and as stereotypically english student as possible), perhaps buying some new trousers (that might not sound exciting, but when you have been walking around in the same pair as long as I have through sheer want of money, a mother's offer to purchase you a new pair is like manna from heaven) and probably going with my sister to scout out a museum in Basingstoke (of all places!) which she hopes to take the children in her class to next term (again, a free trip out, who am I to turn down an offer like that?!). Oh, and at some point Tim will have sent down to me the the second cd of The Importance of Being Ernest as recorded by us last term and which I desperately need to have a listen to before giving the script to production (hint, hint, Mr Grenham!)...

That's today's craic from your friendly local dave!