The Best Thing About Building A Wall Is...

So what's the best thing about spending 26 hours over a single weekend helping rebuild a brick wall?

Is it the achievement at the end? Or the statement made against the git who did it that, no, they haven't got us down? Or maybe demonstrating the ability to take the things life throws at you? Perhaps it's the work out and exercising of all those small muscles you'd probably never use otherwise? Or how about the development of some new and handy building skills?

Perhaps the benefits are more social: like being able to hang out with your brickie friend and having a laugh while doing hard work? Or being able to stay away from the PC and telly for a whole weekend? Maybe it's having the responsibility of making things right in the home and the pleasure of sacrifice that beats all these other suggestions.

Well no. It's actually having to go to B&Q twice for building supplies. See that's where, if you're lucky, you get to be served by that magnificent girl over on checkout 12. And if you're not, get to stare at her from a distance while waiting in the queue for the till beside hers (no, I didn't always pick her till. See, I do have some scruples).

Sure, she's moody, stuck up, almost never smiles, looks permanently pissed off at at the world (although she does work in B&Q I suppose) and has the whole-ignore-by-turning-her-back-on-you thing nailed (including that extra dose of contempt reserved just for us Asian lads. Or possibly just me).

On the other hand she is pretty (and seems to know it), oozes style and attitude and has the nicest hair ever for a B&Q employee (excluding family and in-laws, of course). And she gets 20% off at B&Q. Sigh.

So yes, she's perfect and I'm smitten. I just hope I need more supplies. In fact, I'm beginning to wonder just how secure that other wall is...