OF PEN AND MICE AND PAPER BAGS.

Women only pen?
Stationary manufacturer BIC has provoked widespread ridicule after designing a range of pink and purple pens 'just for her'.
Advertised exclusively for women as “designed to fit comfortably in a woman’s hand” one version promises “smooth writing” and comes in a box of 12, writing in both blue and black ink. More

Favourite story of the week?
London commuters were left fearing their toes may be nibbled by a gang of wild mice on the underground after a prankster put up a sign warning them not to become the 'victim' of an 'attack'. More

They say it's the thought that counts.
All he wanted to do was stage a surprise proposal at one of Britain’s most romantic spots – a hill with beautiful countryside views. But a series of mishaps ensured that Steve Marks had a mountain to climb before he could pop the question to girlfriend Nuala O’Neill.
Mr Marks first arranged for a friend to leave a hamper, picnic blanket and champagne at The Temple in Stancombe, Gloucestershire – said to be one of the most romantic places in Britain. 
But things went wrong from the outset when, instead of delivering the couple to a country idyll, their satnav sent them to a retail park in the centre of Swindon, Wiltshire. Lovely. To make matters worse, the couple then got held up in heavy motorway traffic, leaving 34-year-old Mr Marks to contemplate popping the question in the middle of a jam. 
Just when he thought nothing else could go wrong, co-conspirator Mr Dawes called to say their intended destination was off the agenda anyway – it was privately owned... and not available for the proposal. More

Despite my telling you not to mention the 'C' word I had to mention this ......
Only 112 days to 'you know what' and shopping supermarket Asda opens a string of Father Christmas Grottoes in its stores ..... Four months before the day. More

The article that has me shouting "Obviously more money than sense."
Designer Jil Sander's 'Vasari' bag (pictured left) is possibly the world's most expensive paper bag at £185.
The bag, which is made of '100 per cent coated paper' and features stitched seams, was carried by office-ready male models during the designer's autumn/winter 2012 menswear show in January, and has proved such a hit that it's been selling out all over the world.
OR ...... There's a more luxurious leather version (pictured right), but you'll be left with little change from £500. More

The stuff of nightmares .....


These incredible images show an astonishing 20ft by 5ft wide web spun by thousands of Ermine Moth caterpillars on a bush opposite Belmarsh Prison in south east London in the space of just two weeks.
The silk blanket, so thick it looks like plastic, serves a dual purpose of not only protecting the caterpillars as they prepare to chrysalis into moths but also their favourite morsel. More

A disaster in the kitchen, I wonder if this would help?
A new gadget claims it will do away with the need to slave over a hot stove - by stirring your food for you.
The hi-tech pot, priced at £250, has a built-in stirring arm, providing what celebrity chef Jamie   

'So smug I could slap him' Oliver describes as ‘an extra pair of hands in the kitchen’. More

Animal story of the week - thanks to Husband dearest who spotted this on the BBC's Nature site.
When western scrub jays encounter a dead bird, they call out to one another to stop foraging.
Making alarm calls, the jays then gathered around the body forming large cacophonous aggregations that encouraged other jays to attend to the dead. More

And the news from abroad. Thanks to Kelly who spotted this in the El Dorado news.

Paul Barnett points out a golf ball his crews cut in half when taking down a dead oak tree at the Lions Club Municipal Golf Course. By sheer luck, the saw cut through the ball almost right down the middle. The ball must have been lost about 60 years ago and the tree grew up around the golf ball. More