Julia has just returned home bearing parsnips. She managed to find some in Marks & Spencer, which means tonight’s meal can have a proper balance of root vegetables. I cannot believe we are actually short of something I have taken for granted over the last 64 years. It’s very unsettling, next someone will be telling me that the Conservative party is no longer the home of fiscal responsibility and safe hands for the economy . . .
Talking of which, Liz Truss has to last another 78 days to avoid becoming the shortest serving British Prime Minister in history. George Canning currently holds that distinction, but to be fair, he was hindered in his premiership by dying. I’m not sure which way I would bet if called upon to make a wager on her chances of survival, but you have to wonder if it’s worth her ordering her official Christmas cards just yet.
Discussion in the shop today included whether the questions on University Challenge are getting easier. We think they are, because we are generally finding them easier to answer. As none of us are getting younger or brighter this tends to suggest that the question quality is declining.
At the moment, people seem to be wanting to sell things. We bought a great accumulation this morning. It had belonged to the father of the two brothers who brought it in, and had lain dormant for about twenty years. It wasn’t a collection as such, he had just kept all the coins and other similar junk he had come across aver the years. We were surprised to find a half sovereign amongst the clutter of old copper coins. Not very surprised because it’s happened before, but it’s always nice when it happens. However, we were more surprised to find another half dozen spread through the layers of junk. It ended up well into four figures.
Then we had a collection of modern sets, which was reasonable money, though not as interesting, and while that was in progress a lady came in and sold us a few other bits. It was a more modest selection in an old biscuit time, but she still walked out with an extra £50 in her purse.
Just to balance things up we had a couple of good coin sales to replace some of the cash.
I do enjoy your tales of the shop. A Trussed up PM would be a first
I could tell more, but I try not to write anything too libellous, unpleasant or incriminating. That’s why the post about the smell of customers was never published . . .
🙂
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I am sorry things are as scary over there as they are here. I agree with Laurie, the coronation may relieve stress for a short while. Remember Monty Python’s “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”?
A fine song and a good philosophy for life. 🙂
Across the pond, we can hardly point fingers at venal, irresponsible leaders. At times it feels as though we are twin images of each other. Nice to read, though, that customers and the shop had a good day.
In years to come I wonder what history will make of the performance of our political systems and the leaders we ended up with. Meanwhile, we have the Coronation of King Charles III coming up. 🙂
Same! Perhaps the coronation will relieve some of the stress. At least for a while.
I’m sure it will, we do love a party and a good dose of nostalgia.
Let me be the first to tell you that the Conservative party has never been the home of fiscal responsibility and safe hands for the economy. It only says that it is but all the evidence says that it isn’t.
Makes me glad that I started voting Green. Voting for either of the two main parties is like voting for your favourite horseman of the apocalypse – let me see . . . We’ve had Pestilence, and War isn’t working out too well , so let’s try Famine . . .