Advent calendar day 17

Well day 2 of the workhouse continues. Yesterday Gee and I put our debit cards in the cashbox with the proviso that we don't use them to pay for anything, only to take out cash for shopping and purchases. When that runs out, we have agreed NOT to dip in to the money til the next week. We are giving ourselves a food budget of £40 a week. That will be starting in the new year of course because of Xmas and Hogmany where we will allow ourselves some treats. But the plan is to budget for things we need to pay for like the dog's injections and Vari's drama classes while hopefully putting some money away to pay of the loan early. We are keeping a cash book of everything we spend and keeping receipts and petty cash slips. It's funny, but we used to keep track of our cashflow better but in these days of BACs payments, debit cards and internet banking, we lost sight of things, like a lot of people I am sure and in a way, it's nice to get back to watching the pennies. Of course, finding some other income would be nice so that will be a priority as well. Enough of the money talk - I'm starting to sound like the news with all the financial reporting.
Today is day 2 in the countdown of the best things of 2011. To cheer myself up basically I am calling this "The Best Totty".
First up is my main obsession. Early on this year my mate Ant lent us a DVD boxset that he had picked up in a charity shop. Not only did "The Wire" become one of my favourite things to watch (more on that another time) but, despite my determination not to like "the English bloke playing the American" I found myself going all weak-at-the-knees and giggling every time Dominic West came on as Jimmy McNulty. I feel like a class traitor in fancying an Eton educated posh fella and if I am honest, despite forcing my family to watch "Centurion", "300" and "The Hour" and watching "Appropriate Adult" (a fine performance) and looking forward to "John Carter" and "The Awakening" I think that if pushed I would have to say it is that boozebag liar and utter manwhore McNulty I like just a wee bit more than Dominic, although I'd love to have seen his Iago *wink*.
Second is another man I tried so hard to dislike - a wee bit of a trend going on here. I really enjoyed "Doctor Who" when it came back in 2005 - I am partial to Christopher Eccleston and enjoyed David Tennant until it started to go in my opinion a bit loopy after Donna Noble left. When I saw who was to play the 11th Doctor I laughed and recoiled. Who was this floppy-haired, big faced boy? I completely avoided the first season he was in. Then, after chatting to friends, I had a wee look. And then another. Then I watched all of season 5 pretty much in one go and I was smitten. I really like Matt Smith's take on the Doctor - funny, erratic and clumsy but also with a mean streak - but I also like him. Again a bit more posh than I'd go for but he's also sweet and funny and yes, 29 and there's more meat on a butcher's pencil. And also, as of recently, single.
When I need a unicorn chaser of sorts to purge myself of this new fascination for toffs and feel the need for a working man with dirt under his nails and grit in his eye, I return to Christian Kane. Currently in his 4th season on "Leverage" as hard-man enforcer Eliot Spencer he has a way of looking into the camera with those baby blues that just melts me away. You might remember him from "Angel" where he played Lindsey McDonald and he also sings rather well with an album out this year.
Strangely, for an atheist, I do like my Christians. I'm looking forward to "The Dark Knight Rises" not only for Christian Bale (although I do feel a bit pervy when I think back to him in "Empire Of The Sun") but also because it will have Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy in it, neither of whom I would kick out of bed for farting.
Honorable mentions go to Alexander Skarsgard, who continues to delight in "True Blood" and Jake Gyllenhaal who has kind of grown on me.
And I'm not forgetting the women too. As avowedly into men as I am, I can appreciate a good-looking woman too and they don't come much better than the gorgeous Alex Kingston, who I have loved since "Moll Flanders" and now is just brilliant as River Song. I want to be her when I grow up but fear it's a bit too late as, dammit, she only a few years older than I am.
To continue with the music, here's an old-ish favourite from a band that I love and a song i feel appropriate certainly for Glasgow as the snow clings to the grass and the black ice melts. Have a wonderful Saturday with my love xxx