What a Day

What does Withy most dislike? and what does she dislike next most? Shopping and clearing out cupboards etc (her New Year's Reslolution)

Up be-times this morning because I had decided that I was going to make my yearly visit to Newcastle to shop. I had a voucher for Marks & Spencer so I was headed there to try to find an evening top for a new skirt. I set off in reasonable time - I do NOT like to shop when everyone else is - and found Newcastle fairly free of cars and the chosen car-park (a circular climb with cars parked on the outside and then onto the roof of Bainbridges to leave my car and descend by lift) almost empty on the way up and on the roof. Still cost me £2 plus though.
Descended to ground level and walked round to Marks & Spencer, arriving on the ladies clothing floor. Went all the way round the outside, except where they had things like underwear, gifts, shoes etc etc and then went round again on the inner circuit. Did I find what I was looking for? No, of course not - I never do! I did find 2 or 3 things that might do and a couple of pairs of trousers, so headed off for the fitting rooms and tried them all on. Both pairs of trousers turned out to be designed to go round the hips and this DOES NOT SUIT ME! Kept the 3 tops and found that I did not have to pay too much, having cashed in my voucher.

Decided to visit a few other shops, as I was there, but Next and others in the vicinity had absolutely nothing that resembled what I wanted. By then I had walked a long way and my legs were weary, so I worked my way back to Bainbridges omitting Fenwicks - they might have had something but I had no more energy. Here I must explain that Bainbridges is an old store that has been in Newcastle since the year dot. A long time ago they were taken over by John Lewis but JL had the sense to leave the name alone and thus kept the clientelle. A few years ago they decided that the old guard had either died out or been outnumbered, so changed it to JL. I am the Old Guard - nuff said.

Once back in Bainbridges I visited the Ladies and did the rounds of the ladies clothing franchises - still nothing I wanted. On the next floor up I went to the bed linen department. I am certain that they used to have duvet covers and sheets for large single beds. (Between a single and a double). They swore blind it was Fenwicks who had had them. I am equally certain it was not!!! Anyway, it made no difference because they don't do them now. They sell the beds but not the linen. They claim that double bed linen will do as well. It will not.

By this time I had definitely had it, so up another floor to the car park, and set off for home - my legs aching and very hungry. Guess what! When I got home, G was out and if I wanted the crossword to do with my lunch, I had to walk down the Green to get the papers!

Now for the next worst thing that Withy has to do. I set about the space under the stairs that is part of the kitchen - no door. I gradually worked my way in, getting rid of old boxes (there is a limit to the number you need to keep), masses of bubble wrap - you don't need all that amount for future use - and other junk that had built up over the last few years. I had not got very far when the fabulous builder/plumber rang to say that he would like to come and put in the new immersion heater we were waiting for. Fab! Come at once! He did! And of course that meant moving a whole lot of stuff from the airing cupboard to let the dog see the rabbit. And when he had finished, it had to be sorted etc.... At the end of it all Withy was tired and had had quite enough. What did she do? Came to see what her friends on Purple Coo were up to - and felt better immediately!