Hang on! I'm over here!

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the planet... it's just police training college taking its toll on my social life.

I've been getting home at about 6pm, working on preparation for the next day (pre-reads, powerpoint presentations, learning diaries yada yada yada...), having tea and going to bed at 10pm! No time to send emails or post to blogs... Tell you what, it's not like that proper job I used to do where I got five hours of doss time every day. When I get bored of this silly police lark, I think I'll come back so that I can start being properly productive again.

Did manage to talk to Cardigan-wearer Thomas when I was on the train the other night. The moral of the story is that if you want to converse, between 5 and 6pm is the optimum time!

Anyway, on to more important issues. I've given up trying to spend my daily £10 allowance - I can't do it. Even with breakfast, mid-morning muffins, lunch and afternoon cake (all swilled round with lashings of hot caffeinated beverage) I can't quite make it to ten quid. So I've stopped trying.

But the lemon drizzle cake is just to die for (hmmm, did that sound a bit gay?). I might send you some in the post if you're lucky. Not sure what condition it'll be in when it arrives, but it's the thought that counts.

How goes it at the mausoleum?

P.I. Lacey

OK, Mr L ... it's been over a week now, and the only updates you've given us are about food, and the money you get to spend on it. Not that I personally have a problem with that topic, but we're all keen to hear more about your new career ;o)

I've made a good start...

So then...

Two days in, and I'm still alive. Public transport, rain and 6am starts are conspiring to make it less fun, but so far so good.

Most important news to report is that I get a £10 per day "refreshment" budget. And because I'm on a student campus, everything is very cheap, so it's tricky to actually spend a tenner.

Yesterday, I started off tentatively. I had an Americano at each of my three breaks (they're £1 each) and at lunch I had a BLT sandwich, a grape and melon fruit salad thingy and a bottle of water (to counteract the caffeine). All this came to a grand £6.30.

Today, I decided to try harder. During my first break I had a cappuccino, at lunch I went for a chicken salad baguette, fruit salad, banana, shortbread biscuits and a bottle of water, and in the afternoon had a cup of tea with a huge piece of lemon drizzle cake, which I ate all of. Oli would have been proud. Even so, despite my efforts, I still only spent £7.50.

I'm thinking that I may need to go for the bacon butty and a cuppa when I get there first thing tomorrow. I may yet get to spend the whole £10 if I really put my mind to it.

Oh, and the police training stuff is very useful. So far I've filled in about 47 forms for various things. And as we know, the ability to fill in forms is an essential police skill.