Borders

It's been a day about borders. Creating them and getting them in the right position for printing. So, we got The Mate's Christmas cards printed and a few extra of mine done. Most of mine got written this morning and put in the post. Just a few to hand deliver or check addresses.

On the way home from The Mate's my phone rang. What had I forgotten? My laptop! Duh! I wondered why the case didn't look very full. I went back for it then went to buy a poinsettia. So I got my poinsettia in the basket then I remembered that we'd enjoyed a cheap bottle of Stones Ginger Wine last week so I went to get another, and some milk.

There was a queue at the till so with only 3 items, what could go wrong? I headed for the self checkout. Mistake! Self-righteously, I tapped the I-care-about-the-universe-and-I've-remembered-to-bring-my-own-bags button. I put the said plastic bag into the bagging area, I scanned the milk and put it in. I scanned the ginger wine and put it in. I reached for the poinsettia and there was a crash!. Somehow my bottle of wine had leapt to it's death onto the shop floor taking with it the milk! How embarrassing! Two of the staff had to clear up the mess.

I went and got another bottle and when I brought it back I looked at the, now empty, bagging area. It was on 2 levels! Once my bag had been put on it I couldn't see the split-level. No wonder my bottle didn't stand up well on it!

So, nearly ready for home but I'm very fussy about poinsettias, really fussy! I have rules:-


1.  Never buy one if the shop displays them near the door, they don't tolerate coldness and draughts.
2.  Take to the shop a huge piece of bubble-wrap and wrap the plant up in this before going outside.
3.  Go straight home. Do not pass Go tempting magazines and do not collect £200 a free cup of coffee on the way out! (Or £200 from the cash machine, go, go, get that palnt home.)

Cared for in this way the poinsettia will keep its lovely red bracts for a long time after Christmas. (Yes, these ones are red!)