The one downside in our new place is that Frog dog is not allowed in. He can still visit with his Lord and Master but will have to stay in the car until we have finished whatever we are doing inside and then we will be able to take him for walkies on the beach - hurrah.

Avid readers - Lo, she is a terrible Goddess is thorough in the extreme when shopping.
For instance, if buying a box of matches for use in the kitchen in case the electricity is cut off and and we have to light the hob by old fashioned means, the following has to be taken in to consideration.
1. Is the box the right size to fit in to the allocated storage space?
2. Does the design of the box look right when placed on the work surface? It might need to harmonise with the general decor or possibly be a design statement in it's own right.
3. Does the drawer of the matchbox move easily ? - not too loose and definitely not too tight.
4. Are the matches of good enough quality? - we don't want them breaking, burning unevenly or giving us splinters.
5. Will we still like the box and contents 6 months down the line?
We then have to visit several stores to compare quality and prices and assess whether or not we like the assistant serving us.

Just in case the pipes start leaking

Bearing this in mind, you can imagine the trepidation I felt yesterday when the TG suggested we went out to buy a microwave. I filled my cargo pants (??? Lo, TG Ed) with sedatives, extra snacks, two bottles of water and a very handy collapsible stool (Oh. Lo, TG Ed.) and off we went. [Our old microwave was stolen by given to Penfold as it wouldn't fit in to the new apartment. It is huge, weighs the same as a Sherman tank and has more functions than MAC]..

An angel must have been hovering over me.
First we found two stores side by side, ideal for comparison purposes, and then we found a very pleasant and helpful assistant. The right make of microwave was discovered and was fortuitously the correct size and colour. The functionality was perfect and the price was right.
Within moments I pointed, I prayed and I paid.

The whole remarkable episode was only slightly marred when I got out of the car at the gated community and the collapsible stool suddenly sprung open, bursting one of the water bottles in my pocket [front and left a bit] and the sedatives flew out of another pocket, spilling on the ground in front of a rather distinguished looking gentlemen who turned out to be the chairman of the residents association.

He went wandering off and I'm sure I heard him muttering something about a petition.

(I may help him write it. Lo, TG Ed.)

Look forward to ' Pole dancing for the overweight' - tips on metal work..