24th January 2006 - I'm drowning!

I've been drowning (no pun intended Barrymore) in a sea of furniture shops, paint, nails and tools. In between all the work I've done this week, I have spent every spare second furnishing and painting my new house. The bedroom is nearly complete; I just need the curtains put up. The dressing room and make-up room are being done this week; rails and shelves need to be put up in both. The two upstairs bathrooms now just need toilet roll holders nailed to the wall (and a couple of mirrors put up). The first lounge is not even half finished, although my sofa was delivered so I have that in there at least. I am still waiting on washing machine and dining table being delivered. The second lounge is a filthy mess of boxes and packaging from my bed and sofa etc. The kitchen is the only room that is totally finished. Oh... and my stripper pole is going up this week too. I have white paint in my hair that won't come out and I don't want to put white spirit in it! The fun I've had this week is massive. I've dragged Russ, Dave, Steve, Lauren and Jordan to Lakeside, at seperate times, to help me buy stuff and load it into my dad's truck. Russ and I had an exceptional time in a curtain shop. At one point Russ was laying on the floor (due to an incredible hangover) and pointing out which ones he liked from my feet, while we giggled and the shop lady loved us (and told me how mush she hated Pete, Michael and George). I never realised how mush time and effort it would take to furnish a whole house!

I'm loving every second of it though and the house looks amazing already. Last night, Steve and I even did a 1am shop in the 24 hour Tescos to buy all my kitchen utensils and pans. We had two trolleys full to the brim and came back at 2am to unload it all. I'm a perfectionist so everything has to match and look exactly right. My alarm, phone line and internet is in, all I need to do now is to buy a decent computer, as the one I normally use belongs to my mum and dad. Paddy is loving the house. Eevry time I take him up there, he gets excited. He runs round the whole place, has a little sniff of everything, just to check, then settles down on the lounge floor or in the bedroom.

A few days ago, on a giant Ikea spree with Dave and Lauren, I saw a beautiful canvas in sepia of a winding country road lined by trees either side. As I looked at it, I felt calm and comforted. It's huge and exactly the right size to hang above my bed (not to mention the right colours - my whole bedroom is a fake wolf-skin effect so a mix of brown and charcoal grey). Eventually I want to put a giant canvas of Paddy above the bed, or something similar, but I thought that the tree picture would do for now. I bought it and we took it back to the house to test what it looked like. Perfect. Then, that night, I was watching Eastenders for the first time in about 6 years (it just happened to be on in the room when I walked in) and low and behold, there was my tree picture on the wall in one of the youngsers house's. Oh great. So, now I don't want the tree picture. Eastenders is purposely tacky and the houses are furnished hideously. The tree picture did look amazing above my eskimo-style bed but if I put it up, everyone who ever sees it will think I've copied Eastenders or just that it's really cheap. Wonderful!

As mentioned above, I've roped everyone into helping with the house. Lauren helped me paint the lounge (it was kind of weird, as it seemed more than ever that her and I are an old married couple - I always thought that when I bought my first house, it would be with a bloke and that we would do it up together - not so! Instead on Saturday day-time Lauren and I were happily painting away and again at 9am Sunday morning, I was up there painting on my own, with all the doors and windows open in the crisp morning air). Dave put my bed together. Russ put my bedside tables and lamps together. My dad has put all the blinds up. Steve helped set up the whole kitchen and today Steve and Jord are coming with me to the retail parks in Lakeside again to get a dressing table and other bits and pieces I still need. I thought it would take me weeks to get it all done but the way we're going, I'll be moved in by the weekend. Joy!

Yesterday I did a photoshoot and interview with Star magazine. I won't tell you what the photos are like cos it'll ruin the surprise but it'll be very funny. Steve came with me and it ended up being quite a long day (obviously, as it ended with me and him house shopping at 1am). Steve and Jord are still in bed as I write this but as soon as I finish, I'm going to get them up for another day of lugging furniture about.

I'm doing the Orange Playlist thing on VH1. It's where I get to have all my favourite records played and give my reasons for loving the records. For the category up and coming band, they are playing one of my brother's records (who, by the way now has Steve Craddock from Ocean Colour Scene and Paul Weller's guitarist playing on the album). I get quite a bit of fan mail asking how you can hear Jord's stuff. Now you'll be able to. I'll let you know when it's going to be aired. All I know at the moment is that I'm filming it on Thursday.

I'm sorry I haven't written for so long. I am going to start writing every day again now. It's just that I've been so busy since coming out of Big Bother that I haven't had the energy or will to write. I think going in that show killed off a few brain cells as I don't seem to be able to write anything good at the moment either. Although I do have an IQ of 136, which is far higher than Traci - sorry, harsh but true. Love it!

On that note, I would just like to add that I am very glad that Preston and Chantelle have finally realised what I realised on day one - that Pete, Michael and George are total twats and nasty with it. It's taken them a bit longer to realise it but then we can't all be as quick as me! ;)

Also I'd like to point out that I've heard from various people that Rula has been saying since she left "everyone was scared of Pete, no one would stand up to him" - clearly she's forgetting that actually I DID stand up to him and was the only one who dared. Two-faced silly old cow. No, Rula, YOU were too scared to stand up to him and now you are trying to make out that everyone was, as it makes you look better. When I see her at the stupid reunion show I have to do this Friday, she's going to get a large chunk of my mind. Speak for yourself Rula, you old hag, DON'T include me in your weakness and lack of morals.

As I write this, I have just received a text from a male celeb. It says this: "Hey Jodie, sorry it took me so long to text you babe... Just wanted to say that I thought you were the best BB contestant ever! Not just saying that! Deeper than most people give you credit for, including me... I can relate to what you went through growing up. When people mistake your confidence for arrogance, remember... Jesus was misunderstood.... you get all my love x x x P.s. Wish I was your best friend!" - What a lovely guy! See, the texts just keep on coming! The support I've had has been unbelievable! I've had thousands of letters and loads of people leaving messages for me on Friends Reunited. Unfortunately I can't reply direct through FR as I'm not a full member so can only reply to the letters that reach me direct through my agent. I promise that as soon as I move into my new house, I'll spend a week replying to everyone. Thanks again to all the wonderful people out there. You are amazing. If only the whole world were as nice as you lot, then we'd all be sorted!

I'm off now as Jordan has stirred from his pit and it's time to do yet more shopping. Have a great day, will write again tonight when my brain is working better! Lots of love x x