Today begins, of course, with yet more beading. I'm working away on a couple of projects which I'm keeping under my hat for the moment, and Kate is creating ridiculously wondrous beadwork which just makes me want to poke her with a needle. Half out of delight and only half out of jealousy I hope you understand.

We have a busy day planned, but on the way to our first stop we come across a house-clearance shop and of course can't resist a little look...

Minutes later we're purchasing glassware, trying out a sofa and browsing books.

I manage to snag an incredible orange leather bag to go with my new orange coat, both of which seem to have never been worn. The bag has the most incredible detail which I'll show you tomorrow.

I also manage to bag a good book on kaleidoscopes (I own a few of these, yet no kaleidoscope, go figure) and one entitled 'Sense Relaxation'. The idea of learning how to heighten my senses, better take care of my body and relax appeals. But what sold me on the book was the information about how to do all that whilst drinking a glass of water, smelling your refrigerator or smoking a cigarette. This is obviously information I need. In fact, maybe we all do.

Today is Oscars day so naturally, being complete glamour girls, it's only expected we go for a manicure and pedicure. I have to have neutral nails for tomorrow (quite what for I'll tell you then) so opt for a soft pink, but as my toes will hopefully not feature at all over the next few days I go for a pumpkin orange. The highlight of the experience is sitting on a massage chair being pummeled by the rollers all the whilst someone tends to my poor, abused extremities. This was my first time, but I'm going to have to do it again. My feet and hands take such a beating through skating, working and life in general, it was nice to pamper them for a while.

Our last outing of the day is a trip to a Japanese restaurant where I continue my eternal quest to try every type of food and drink known to mankind by finally trying natto (fermented soy beans).

Imagine a spiders web made of glue and old flavourless chewing gum. Stir in a touch of aluminium to make your teeth and filings hurt and add a smell that could kill a small animal and this is what natto is. Then there's the fact that as you eat it, it just seems to get stickier and stringier, as though it's some species of living being which could turn at any time and cocoon you in its stinky web. I'm not saying any of that as a criticism, it's just the way it is.

Our waitress is obviously used to newcomers to natto being horrified, so has ensured it's wrapped in as much plain rice as is humanly possible, which partly makes it palatable and partly makes me want to try it plain. I mean, if something is really bad then surely it's worth trying in all its glory just to get the full impact. That's my opinion anyway. We'll see if I regret that decision at some point.