Diddley dum de dum

I am quite prepared to admit it: I am a creature of routine. My days usually run along pretty similar lines: shower, feed dog, take tea to OB, breakfast, washing up, walk dog, coffee, check email & message board, write blog(s). Things might be a little different from lunch time onwards, depending on whether we are in or out for lunch, whether the woods are likely to be too muddy and slippery for the OB to walk the dog in the afternoon, whether the weather is right for gardening, whether I have a meeting in the evening, and so on. But today my routine has been thrown right out of the window.

For a start, I had to set the alarm for an hour earlier than usual (so it was still dark when I got up. In fact, it was only just getting light when I took the dog out just before 7.30). Back home in time to change out of dog-walking trousers (which are also painting and gardening trousers so are spattered with different shades of paint and liberally coated with mud) and drive the OB to the hospital for a session of physiotherapy.

Having dropped the old dear off, I drove the mile - certainly no more than that - to a well-known DIY store. Because I got caught up behind a dust cart and because the volume of traffic was so great, that one mile journey took me half an hour! The reason for the visit was to buy a new wash basin and taps for the bathroom. We had selected the ones we liked best - correction, the OB had selected the ones she liked best yesterday but deferred buying them until today when I get 10% off (Wednesday is pensioners' day). I loaded the basin onto a flat-bed trolley and went into the next aisle to find the taps. Problem: neither of the selected styles was in stock. Then I realised that the waste kit for the basin came with its own taps, but these taps were most definitely not like the chosen ones!

Back in the basin aisle I notice another style of basin, very similar to the chosen one, has taps that are pretty much like the OB's second choice. But the basin only takes a mixer tap: she wants two taps. I decide to refer to Management after her physio session. Offload basin, dump trolley, and buy the paint I shall want next week in France.

Management agrees that the new style of basin is fine, despite the mixer tap. Relief all round.

Back home, we have time for a coffee and for me to check my email before heading out for our monthly lunch with a crowd of the OB's old scouting connections, including my friend Chris from Les Lavandes and Mrs Chris. Home again, walk the dog, another coffee - and at 4.30 I sit in front of a blank screen with no idea what I'm going to write as today's blog.

Hey ho, that's life.