Day 196: - International Fashion

A formerly glorious corner of my little town that is now empty, neglected and melancholy. It was poignant today as I had just collected Sarah from her job at a local independent pet shop where staff had told me the shop looks set to be demolished to be replaced by a new development of student housing. Nothing against student housing but there are plenty of empty properties and a huge site further around the ring road lying empty. They have a petition in the shop but they sounded resigned to their fate. It's a fate repeated all over as the high streets become homogenised.

I am emerging from the fog of the last few weeks now that everyone is paid for Christmas - lots still to do but nothing so urgent as staff having money for their Christmas shopping! I can finally do the housework and more importantly, tend to my poor sick boy who has been poorly since he got home. And walk the dog. 

Sarah and I went to see a live streaming of The Nutcracker from the Royal Opera House last night - superb, and this time the Sugar Plum Fairy did perform her solo dance. Anyone old enough to remember this will have been struggling not to add words to the music.