Full of Character...

I met two friends for a light bite to eat and some general chitchat and jollity in "The Heaton Perk" today. There's probably some copyright issues associated with the name of this establishment, but let's not go there...
The cafe itself has plenty of character, a combination of squishy sofas and random wooden chairs, shelves full of books on all the free wall spaces and delicacies served in an eclectic selection of chinaware... including peanut butter in an espresso cup?? Anyway, here's Jane enjoying her peanut-buttered-toast.

Then I went to do my (apparently) patriotic duty (if our government's current economic policy is to be believed) in the Metrocentre and bought a pair of not-jeans casual trousers and a couple of tops.

Question: why is it that nowadays you nearly always get a cheap+nasty looking belt with every pair of casual trousers you buy? Are they trying to fool us into thinking that we're getting something for "free" and do they think that the tacky strip of leather-effect plastic with the big diamante buckle is really going to be the deciding factor in whether we buy said trousers? And this is Marks & Spencers, by the way, not Primark / H&M / New Look !!

If the belt is really so "free" then why not offer a range of them as optional extras..?

Hmm. Thought not.

For the 3rd time in a row another useless strip of plastic will be heading towards the nearest charity shop...

(edit: I also got a lovely email today from a guy in Germany who I haven't heard from in years, he trained me during the first year of my PhD and completely blew the English stereotype of "Germans have no sense of humour" out of the water. Was fantastic to catch up with news of his family and kids)