The day of wanton spending

Today, Jo and I set forth unto town.  Once there we had a coffee (no surprise there!) but not before buying me two new pairs of shoes and three new jumpers for work - an outstanding haul considering all I really went in for was a cycling magazine and the Sunday Telegraph.

So now I'm musing - how do these random acts of purchasing come about, should they be avoided and if so - how?

Well.... it all started yesterday when we visited that Swedish emporium IKEA - written in shouty capitals, as that how it appears, big, blue and boxy as you drive into Bristol on the M32 motorway.

I've wanted to create my own workspace in our flat for some time, and a browse of their website told me that all I desire could be picked up in a onestop shop at their place. Quite right, and here's a quick photo of my new habitat below.

          

So this morning I'm up early, at my new desk marking Geography examinations, alarmed to discover that the Himalayas are now in Europe and Islamabad is now the capital of Norway. However, these dubious revelations aside, I'm also alarmed to discover that I'm worried that the staple (that's right.....THE STAPLE) binding the exam papers could just possibly scratch the top of my pride and joy, my new desk.

So .... off to town then to buy a 'Map of the World' soft mat to protect the top, and where do they sell these? That's right ..... Waterstones of the previous Blog post .... home of great books and coffee. However, this was to be a smash and grab raid, in .....get the item ..... out.

Meanwhile, Jo had heard of a shoe shop selling all odd pairs of shoes and boots for twenty pounds only. Odd,  meaning one shoe one size larger than the other shoe. So we go there first and there's nothing suitable for Jo at all. However, down in the mens' department, two pairs of very trendy canvas plimmies only ten pounds a pair! Now, feeling a little old lately, this is just the type of trendy item I need to make me feel better so ........ cash handed over ..... and they're mine. Hurrah!

Unbeknown to me, Jo is also harbouring guilt feelings about shrinking my favourite Teal Merino wool work jumper the day before yesterday. A crafty detour through Cav House Dept store and we're at the jumper counter, "Try on this grey one" says she. A red one and a blue one later, we're in the coffee shop and I'm a lucky fellow.

We did finally get to Waterstones for the 'Map of the World' soft mat - and my laptop is sitting on top of it RIGHT NOW..... NOT scratching the surface of my desk. Islamabad is back in Pakistan and all is well with the world.

How to avoid these random acts of purchasing? Don't go to town of course, don't worry about having a scratched desk, and don't worry about feeling old. Though more on this topic later.