Asda a.m.

So, after a handful of excellent suggestions from the Minx and some intense last minute online shopping activity, I not only have all the presents I want to give, I'm also very pleased with them and looking forward to watching people open them. 

Which leaves the food shopping. There's an Asda near our office, which we often go to for lunch, and each day this week it has been absolutely rammed with people, to the point where, on Tuesday, I just put my shopping back on the shelf. (I bloody hate queuing.) Thinking about the food and drink I needed for Christmas, as soon as I got back to my desk, I optimistically checked whether I could get a home delivery or even 'click and collect' but those options were not available and, I suspect, hadn't been for some time.

What to do then? Well, ours is a 24-hour Asda, so the best option seemed to be to get there early. Very early. Although it didn't feel like the best option just before six o'clock, this morning. (How on earth did I get up to do a paper round at five forty-five for all those years?!) It was pouring with rain as I drove across to Kendal but I knew I'd made the right decision when I pulled up in the car park. It was both reassuringly empty and surprisingly full.

It took me just over an hour to get around all the aisles but there were already queues at the available tills by the time I'd finished. With a deep breath, I went to one of the self-service aisles but after three items and two lots of assistance, the kind lady pulled the barrier across the aisle and took over the scanning while I packed, which was marvellous. After that it was a quick trip across to Booths for those items I couldn't get at Asda and I was back home and in bed - and £250 lighter - before half-nine.

By the time Dan and Abi woke up, I was just getting up again, too, which made the early start and shopping just seem like a bad dream. Then I dropped them back at their mum's and headed down to Chorley to have my eyes tested for my new glasses, and then spend the evening wrapping with the Minx. Finally, I'm ready for Christmas!